The Standard - 2016 April 11 - Monday

VOL. XXX NO. 58 3 Sections 32 Pages P18 MONDAY : APRIL 11, 2016 www.thestandard.com.ph editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Pacquiao wins big in ‘final’ prizefight

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23 KILLED AS AFP, ABU SAYYAF CLASH

By Florante S. Solmerin

ZAMBOANGA—A government offensive against the extremist Abu Sayyaf Group after a spate of kidnappings has left 18 soldiers and five rebels dead in the worst violence in Mindanao this year, authorities said Sunday.

Saturday’s clashes on the strifetorn island of Basilan came after an April 8 ransom deadline set by Abu Sayyaf, who had threatened to behead some of their foreign hostages.

At least four soldiers were be-

headed in the fighting, which involved about 100 Abu Sayyaf rebels, regional military spokesman Maj. Filemon Tan said.

Armed Forces chief Gen. Hernando Iriberri, who flew to the southern command base in Zam-

boanga city, 44 kilometers from the violence, said the fighting lasted almost 10 hours.

“The whole armed forces is grieving,” he told reporters.

He said a Moroccan national who was with the gunmen was killed in the clashes, identifying him as Mohammad Khattab, an instructor in making improvised explosive devices as well as an “Islamic jihadist preacher.”

“He wanted to unify, organize all kidnap-for-ransom groups to be affiliated with an international terrorist organization,” the general said.

He would not identify the inter-

national group the Moroccan was allegedly working for.

Iriberri said operations were continuing, adding that “even as we speak, there is an encounter going on in the same place.”

The 10-hour firefight Saturday took place inside the stronghold of the Abu Sayyaf Group led by Isnilon Hapilon in Sitio Bayoko, Barangay Baguindan, Tipo-Tipo, Basilan.

Hapilon is included in the list of most wanted terrorists in Asia by the United States government with a $5-million bounty for his capture, dead or alive. Last year,

Hapilon’s group had pledged allegiance to the Islamic terrorists in Iraq and Syria.

The bloody clash brought back the horrifying memories of the Al-Barka clash, also in Basilan, on Oct. 18, 2011 where 19 members of the Army’s Special Forces were killed, some of them mutilated, during a day-long firefight with about 400 combined armed men of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, ASG and some private armed groups.

Military sources identified the fallen soldiers—all members of

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VP debate. The six candidates for vice president in the May 9 elections face off in the official Comelec debate at the University of Santo Tomas campus in Manila on Sunday.

LP slogan in official ballots draws flak

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Rivals gang up on Marcos in television debate

By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Christine F. Herrera THE first and only official debate among six vice presidential candidates put Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in the hot seat, with Senator Alan Peter Cayetano leading the attacks against him based on allegations of corruption and human rights abuses during his father’s

Martial Law regime.

Cayetano and Senator Antonio Trillanes IV took turns attacking Marcos, while administration candidate Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo trained her guns on fellow Bicolano, Senator Francis Escudero.

Cayetano, who has been at the tail end in all election surveys, confronted Marcos about his family’s alleged $10 billion in ill-gotten wealth. He also said that if

Marcos were elected, he might steal even more than the amount his father was said to have accumulated.

But Marcos insisted that Cayetano’s numbers had no basis and came from nowhere.

“I’m also wondering why he was coming out with those allegations only now when we have been together for years Next page

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PNoy ‘noynoying’ admission hit THE Sanlakas coalition on Sunday slammed President Benigno Aquino III for taking a week to respond to the bloody dispersal of farmers in Kidapawan City, in which police shot dead two protesters, saying this was a sign of his incompetence.

The President broke his silence on the Kidapawan violence on Friday, saying he learned of the fourday protest only on April 1, the day it was violently dispersed. A bout of flu and “a bum stomach” kept him from acting on the crisis immediately, he added.

“Aquino’s statement is an admission of what we have long been suspecting, he indirectly admits to his incompetence and that of

his Cabinet officials. His alibi falls short of what is the demanded by the office he holds but more importantly by the hunger and grief of our farmers in Mindanao,” said Aaron Pedrosa, secretary-general of Sanlakas coalition.

Sanlakas and other organizations joined Kalampag, a campaign to push for justice and aid for the farmers in Mindanao last Friday.

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the 44th Infantry Battalion, as 1st Lt. Remegio Licena; Staff Sgt. Makin Jarani; Sgts. Akmad Usman, Paterno Aquino and Jason Alani; Cpls. Redel Perolino, Reezvi Archcelo Gandawali, Rodelio Bangcairin, Noel Else, Dionisio Labial, Rakib Kadil, Darius Bulan, and Ibrahim Palao; PFC Doren Aspurias, Marjun Duhaylungsod, Marjohn Monte, and Kevin Rey Verano; and Pvt. Dunemark Gil Saldivar.

Iriberri and Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin arrived in Zamboanga Sunday morning and met with Western Mindanao Command officials headed

by Lt. Gen. Mayoralgo Dela Cruz. They also visited the wounded soldiers at the Camp Navarro General Hospital.

Military spokesman Col. Noel Detoyato told GMA television in Manila that “our standing order... is no let-up in our combat operations so we expect in the next few days, there will be many more encounters.”

The military spokesman for the unit involved in the battle said the soldiers were on their way to attack an Abu Sayyaf hideout when they were hit.

“Our group was heading to attack them. On the way, they were ambushed,” Col. Benedict Manquiquis told radio station dzRH. “The enemy had the high ground so no matter where our soldiers fled to seek cover, they could still be hit by the heavy firepower and improvised explosive devices of the members of the Abu Sayyaf group.”

Tan said that 53 soldiers and 20 Abu Sayyaf had also been wounded in the violence.

A live screening of Filipino boxing legend Manny Pacquiao’s last fight taking place in the United States, which was scheduled to show at a military gym in Zamboanga, was called off as the facility prepared to receive the bodies of the slain soldiers.

The clash came shortly after a retired Italian priest being held hostage by Abu Sayyaf was freed on Friday.

The militant group had also threatened to kill a Norwegian and two Canadian hostages and a Filipina they kidnapped in September if a ransom was not paid by Friday.

The military said there has been no word on the hostages’ fate since the deadline passed.

Eighteen other foreign hostages are being held, most or all of them thought to be in the hands of the Abu Sayyaf.

The Abu Sayyaf, a small group of militants known for kidnapping foreigners and demanding huge ransoms, was established in the early 1990s with seed money from Osama bin Laden’s Al Qaida network.

It has been blamed for the country’s

They demanded that the government release the P19 billion in El Niño mitigation funds as well as calamity and the standby quick response funds dispersed among various agencies.

“Aquino’s late response is in itself condemnable. But what is more frustrating despite being informed late was that he did not see the gravity of the wanton disregard for human rights by security forces. Not even an speck of sympathy for the hunger-driven farmers or the shooting of unarmed protestors, while he himself [sought] sympathy for being out on a cold for a day,” Pedrosa said.

“The outgoing resident of Malacañang is too dense and in-

worst terror attacks, including a 2004 Manila Bay ferry bombing that claimed 116 lives.

Its leaders have in recent years pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group that controls vast swathes of Iraq and Syria.

A Palace ally in the Senate said Sunday that finishing off the Abu Sayyaf should be the first job of the next president.

Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto noted that the Abu Sayyaf has bedeviled four presidencies and, if not stopped, is on track to confront the fifth Malacañang occupant in their almost quarter-of-a-century of mayhem and violence.

“What is clear is that ending their terror has become an important part of the job description of the next president. What is also clear is that Abu Sayyaf’s predatory attacks have been reduced by the current administration,” said Recto, a reelectionist under the ruling Liberal Party.

Lately, however, the Abu Sayyaf has gone on a kidnapping spree, snatching 10 Indonesian fishermen, bringing the number of their hostages to 14. The other four are Dutch Ewold Hurn, Canadians John Ridsdel and Robert Hall, and Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad.

Before their hostages become a United Nations of kidnap victims, they must be stopped, Recto said.

“We know the lessons of the past.

Ransom payments fuel more kidnappings and finance more terror activities,” he said.

Independent presidential candidate Senator Grace Poe said these terrorists should be immediately pursued and crushed by the full might of the military and police forces, with due regard for the safety of the innocent civilians.

Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. called on the Armed Forces of the Philippines to disclose the details of the encounter in Basilan with Abu Sayyaf forces.

He said the entire nation and most especially the families of the slain soldiers deserve full transparency in the military operation against the international terrorist group.

“We need a full picture of the encounter. We should not hide these details.

The Filipino people and most especially the families of the soldiers killed and wounded deserve to know the whole truth,” he said.

He expressed concern about the silence of the AFP on the operation. Reports have shown that after the Western Mindanao Command’s report of 22 soldiers injured early Saturday, no official statement has been released about the clashes.

“Here were go again. We are again in the dark of what happened,” he said noting of the country’s experience with the ill-fated Mamasapano operation which led to the killing of 44 members of the Special Action Force. It took several weeks before police officials made a public pronouncement on who ordered the operation. With AFP, Macon Ramos-Araneta and PNA

different. After all, the Aquinos seem to be all too familiar with executing unarmed peasants after the Mendiola, Lupao and Hacianda Luisita massacres,” he added.

Pedrosa said Aquino’s insensitivity to the clamor of the farmers was evident when he did not take responsibility as commander-inchief of the police and did not order an independent investigation to determine culpability in the shooting of unarmed protestors.

“Despite being late, Aquino still failed to issue marching orders to his Cabinet on how to resolve the climate-induced hunger in Mindanao and avert it from spreading to other provinces. He also did not expedite the release of necessary funds nor did he deploy addi-

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as party mates and senators,” Marcos, a frontrunner in the vice presidential race, said. ‘‘He didn’t mention anything about it. Why only now? He might be suspected of politicking.”

Defending himself against Cayetano’s accusations that he benefitted from the pork barrel scam, Marcos said he has already addressed the issue.

“In my 20 years in public service, I was never tainted with corruption,” Marcos said. “Not even suspicion, accusations or allegations. Now because of politics, charges have been filed against me, even if the evidence shows that I had nothing to do with PDAF (the Priority Development Assistance Fund) and [alleged pork barrel mastermind Janet Lim] Napoles herself said in her affidavit that she doesn’t know me and never met me.”

“If there is evidence against me, I know the government will use it because you must remember—I am a Marcos and the President is an Aquino,” Marcos added, taking a dig at the administration’s presidential candidate Manuel Roxas II, who offered a similar reminder to the mayor of Tacloban City, a cousin of Marcos, in the aftermath of Super Typhoon “Yolanda.”

When Cayetano said that $1 billion that a court ordered be paid to human rights claimants for abuses they suffered under Martial Law, Marcos reminded him that his family did not have anything to do with the dispute, which was between the Liberal Party-led government and the human rights claimants.

The reason human rights claimants did not yet receive their payments was not the fault of the Marcoses, he said, but of the government.

When asked by Cayetano why his statement of assets and liabilities rose from P200 million to P500 million when he worked only in government, Marcos urged Cayetano to “check his facts.”

Cayetano also questioned Marcos when he answered a question on the issue of punishing corrupt officials, saying that it was not the penalty that mattered but the certainty that offenders would be caught and punished.

“In the Philippines, if you

steal pan de sal, you will surely be caught. But if one steals large amounts of money, you will be a congressman. If you steal bigger than that that, you will be a senator. If you become president, you will have accomplices in corruption,” said Cayetano, the running mate of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.

Marcos shot back: “Is that how you become a congressman? Is that how you become a senator?”

He also dismissed the Senate investigations into corruption that Cayetano joined were not really about fighting corruption but about political gains.

Throughout the first half of the debate, Cayetano repeatedly hit Marcos while vice presidential candidate Antonio Trillanes IV kept on attacking presidential candidate Vice President Jejomar Binay.

During the start of the debate held at the University of Santo Tomas, protesters heckled Marcos, chanting “Never again, never again to Martial Law.” Host Pinky Webb asked the hecklers to be escorted out of the venue.

When Marcos was asked if he would acknowledge the human rights abuses during his father’s Martial Law years, the senator said acknowledged that there were regrettable abuses in all administrations. Asked if he would apologize for what his father did during Martial Law, he said: “I can only apologize for myself.

I cannot apologize for anyone else.”

While Marcos took most of the punches, he countered with his own jab when Cayetano defended Duterte’s vow to end crime in six months, saying that the mayor had even offered to resign if he could not fulfill this campaign promise.

“Actually, the mayor said he would pass the presidency to me if he could not do it,” Marcos said, in what observers saw as a reference by some Duterte supporters to dump Cayetano in favor of Marcos.

At the start of the debate, coorganized by CNN and Business Mirror, all the vice presidential aspirants were asked about their brand of leadership.

Cayetano, said he is a fresh choice in a field where political dynasties are rife, although he comes from a political family himself. His late father was a former senator. His wife is the mayor of Taguig while an elder

tional personnel to assist the local government,” the Sanlakas leader said.

If indeed the President was out of the loop, the group also demanded that Aquino reprimand his alter-egos in the Cabinet and spokespersons for issuing irresponsible statements such as vilifying the protestors and claiming that the conditions in Cotabato were not as bad as it seemed.

Pedrosa also criticized Interior Secretary Mel Senen Sarmiento for issuing medals and citations to police officers who were directly responsible for the bloodshed on April 1, even without an independent and in-depth investigation on what transpired in Kidapawan. Sandy Araneta brother is a congressman.

“Will it always be Marcos, Cojuangco, or Aquino? Is there nobody else? What about you?” he told the audience in the debate hall.

Escudero, one of the poll frontrunners, said he will “never steal” if elected in May. “I will wake up early to go to work, and I will prioritize the interest of the majority. I promise not to steal; I was not raised to be a thief,” said the running mate of Senator Grace Poe. Senator Gregorio Honasan said he will draw his leadership values as vice president from his different stints in public service.

“I will bring in to the vice presidency the courage of my convictions and the audacity and make things happen. I’ve been a soldier for 17 years, rebel for seven years, senator 18 years. I will work and continue to work for unity, peace and prosperity, and security,” he said.

Marcos extolled his service in different sectors of the government in his opening speech.

“I’ve been in public service for 20 years. I started in local [government] where I engaged directly with the people,” Marcos said.

“Aside from being a legislator, I was also experienced being in the executive who implements the programs and solves the problem,” he said, adding that the nation needs better leaders who can unite the people.

Robredo promised collaborative governance. Robredo described herself as a neophyte in politics, but said she has worked with the grassroots community as a pro bono lawyer. Robredo also emphasized the need for accountability and transparency, and people participation in governance.

Trillanes emphasized how he made a name in government all by himself.

“I have no relatives in politics who made my name. I served the country as a soldier,” Trillanes, who led two coup attempts against the previous administration, said.

“I led investigations that exposed corruption in government.

I will focus on and solve our problems in peace and order and the worsening drug problem,” he said.

During the debate, Robredo acknowledged that more had to be done, including making it easier to start doing business in the Philippines. With Sandy Araneta, AFP

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Poe vows to be fair and to chase criminals

Vice presidential debates. Police secure the Gate 1B entrance of University of Santo Tomas along España in Manila before the scheduled debate of the vice presidential candidates. EY ACASIO

LP campaign slogan in ballots criticized FORMER Comelec commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal on Sunday called the attention of the Commission on Elections on the “serious violation” it might have committed when it allowed the printing of the official ballots with the names of the presidential candidate Manuel Roxas II and his running mate Leni Robredo appended with the “Daang Matuwid,” the campaign slogan of the ruling Liberal Party.

Larrazabal said the use of the phrase “Daang Matuwid” as part of Roxas and Robredo’s names and some candidates that appear on the official ballot violates Comelec Resolution 9984.

He made his statement even as Malacañang welcomed the report that the Comelec had finished printing the ballots to be used during the May 9 elections ahead of the deadline.

“We welcome the news that the Comelec has finished the printing of 56.9 million ballots

within 49 days, or 18 days ahead of schedule,” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. told the state-run dzRB. Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista, meanwhile, said they were scheduled to conduct a transmission readiness test later this month in different parts of the country to make sure the system that would be used to transmit the voting results was trustworthy.

He said they were already finalizing the details on the transmission readiness test.

“We will have this transmission readiness test which, I think, will happen in the second part of April,” Bautista said.

Larrazabal said Comelec rules provide that “unless there was an official change of name through a court-approved proceeding, an aspirant shall use in the COC: (1) the name registered in the Office of the Local Civil Registrar; (2) the name by which such aspirant has been baptized; or (3) any other name under the provisions of existing law or in the case of a Muslim, a Hadji name after performing the prescribed religious pilgrimage.

“However, when there are two or more aspirants for an office with the same name and surname, each aspirant shall need to state a paternal and maternal surname, except the incumbent who may continue to use the name and surname stated in the COC when last elected,” Larrazabal said.

He said an aspirant may in-

clude one nickname or stage name by which the aspirant was generally or popularly known in their locality “provided that, no aspirant shall use the nickname or stage name of another. Only one nickname or stage name shall be considered.”

“In the ballot for the 2016 elections, the phrase “Daang Matuwid” as part of their respective names of some candidates appeared on the official ballot. If you read the rules, the nickname to be used by the candidates is limited to “one nickname or stage name by which aspirant is generally or popularly known in their locality,” he said.

“A campaign slogan is not a nickname. However, “Daang Matuwid” is a campaign slogan and not a nickname. And it cannot be used by two different persons. “Daang matuwid,” or “Tuwid na daan,” is this administration’s driving force,” he noted. Rey E. Requejo and Sandy Araneta

SORSOGON CITY—Senator Grace Poe on Sunday vowed to chase criminals to all the corners of hell if she is elected president in this year’s elections.

“The moment I learn that one eluded arrest or a person is yet to be arrested, we will run after him even in hell because we cannot allow our children to be endangered,” Poe said.

She discussed her plan to address the high incidence of crime and stamp out illegal drugs.

Campaigning here in Sorsogon, the home province of her running mate Senator Chiz Escudero, Poe said she would designate a fearless but honest crime czar to help her.

The independent presidential candidate said the government that she and Escudero would be pushing would be based on law and would be fair.

There would be a list of all villages with drug problems. Those would be monitored and the problem eradicated within two weeks.

“If, after two weeks the problem remains unsolved, I would be the one to go there and relieve the officials and appoint trustworthy ones and punish those at fault,” Poe said.

She promised to go after erring officials.

“You can be sure that even while the president is busy with her tasks, I will appoint a crime czar whom we can trust and will chase criminals to all the corners of hell,” Poe said.

She also talked about the reason she decided to run for president.

“My countrymen, I always go back to the reason why I am running. From the beginning, I decided to run because I was raised by my father FPJ and my mother Susan with a feel for the suffering of the poor people,” Poe said.

Poe, a foundling, was referring to her adoptive parents Susan Roces and Fernando Poe Jr. “Several decades have past and the oppression and suffering in our country continues,” Poe said. “There is no assurance as to who will win the elections, but I think that it is the obligation of every candidate to reveal how they plan to save our countrymen from the depths of poverty.” Macon Ramos-Araneta

Kiram slams her rivals’ tactics THE United Nationalist Alliance on Sunday denounced what it called the thug-like tactics of the rivals of senatorial candidate Princess Jacel Kiram who, it said, is being pressured to support another presidential candidate.

Kiram, a resident of Davao City, said some people had approached her and even advised her to print campaign posters with Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte if she wanted her campaign materials posted in the city.

“Kasi ang sabi dapat daw magpagawa ako ng tarp na dalawa kami ni Duterte, pero I cannot do that because I have my president,” Kiram said.

She slammed the removal of her campaign posters and tarpaulins in Davao City because she was supporting UNA presidential candidate Jejomar Binay.

She said that was not the first time her campaign materials were removed in Davao.

She said her supporters saw “people who looked like employees of the Davao City Traffic Management Center” taking

down and confiscating her campaign materials—even those posted in private residences.

“Nakatira ako sa Davao pero hindi ko nga naiintindihan kung bakit pinapatanggal nila ang tarpaulin ng isang tumatakbong senador na residente ng Davao… iyon nga lang, si Binay ang dinadalang presidente,” Kiram said.

UNA spokesman Mon Ilagan said UNA had received several reports from its leaders in Davao that city hall personnel were removing the campaign tarpaulins of UNA candidates even in the private establishments.

“Huwag naman sana daanin sa pwersa at pananakot ang mga kandidato ng UNA. Elections are not won by terrorizing political rivals. We should respect each other’s views and beliefs,” Ilagan said.

“How can one claim to be a champion of peace when people live in fear and terror?”

Kiram urged her supporters to observe propriety and sobriety at all times despite the intimidation she and her followers had experienced in Davao.

34th anniversary. Quezon City Barangay Holy Spirit chairman Chito Valmocina (left), with wife reelectionist District 2 Councilor Estrella Valmocina (right) and Quezon City Liga ng mga Barangay president Ricardo Corpuz (center) flash the thumbs-up sign in endorsing senatorial candidates Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez (2nd left) and Red Cross chairman Richard Gordon (2nd right) during the 34th anniversary of Barangay Holy Spirit, one of the biggest voting populations in Quezon City. VER NOVENO

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‘No-el on no-el’ can mar polls, says Recto Senate President Pro tempore Ralph Recto on Sunday called on the government to act swiftly on the blackouts hitting large areas of Mindanao, saying power failures on the island of 12.5-million voters on election day could affect the results of the national polls. “no-el due to no-el, or no elections due to no electricity will raise the political temperature there. that would be a big problem. It will make the Kidapawan incident a mere mosquito bite,” Recto said.

Recto cited several reasons why such a scenario would “have frightening repercussions.” “a Mindanaoan is in the ballot for the presidency.

It’s a tight race. One region, one big city can make a difference on the final presidential and vice presidential vote tally, so you can just imagine the frustration of the Mindanaoans if they won’t be able to vote for their bets on May 9,” Recto said. “almost one in four voters are in Mindanao. It has twice as many voters of Metro Manila. If the blackouts are happening in Manila or Quezon City, this would be a very big issue,” Recto said.

Of the 54,363,844 registered voters for the May 9 polls, 12,457,285 will vote in Mindanao’s 33 cities and 422 towns.

Recto said intermittent blackouts have been plaguing major cities in Mindanao recently.

“Darkness is the best breeding ground for all sorts of conspiracy theories. evil lurks in the dark.

But if there’s light, if there’s electricity, all speculations, and even sabotage plans, will stop,” he said.

Recto is urging the two task forces formed by Malacañang to deliver on their task to ensure power for May elections and address the problem of rotating blackouts in Mindanao.

Pacman fan. A boxing fan reacts to a punch thrown by boxing icon Manny Pacquiao against opponent Timothy Bradley at a free viewing of their fight at the Delpan sports complex in Tondo, Manila on Sunday. DANNY PATA

Carter cancels China trip, proceeds to India, Manila Washington—Us secretary of Defense ashton Carter headed saturday to india and the Philippines for talks on increasing regional defense cooperation, after calling off a planned trip to China amid tensions over Beijing’s expansionist ambitions in the south China sea.

Carter will fly out of Washington and travel to India and the Philippines for his asian tour, followed

by Middle east stops in the United arab emirates and Saudi arabia.

China lays claim to almost all of the contested South China Sea, which is important for international shipping and is believed to hold valuable mineral and energy deposits. neighboring countries and Washington fear China could impose military controls over the entire South China Sea, and Beijing has in recent months built massive structures including ra-

dar systems and an airstrip over reefs and outcrops. the Philippines is among several other regional countries that also have claims to the strategic zone. “almost all the nations there are asking us to do more with them... bilaterally and multilaterally,” Carter told the Council on Foreign Relations think tank in new York on Friday.

“Many of those countries are reaching out anew to the United States to uphold the rules and principles that have allowed the region to thrive.”

In India, where Carter will stay through Wednesday, he will discuss new

partnerships and modernizing old alliances, according to the Pentagon.

“We are now doing things that could not have been imagined 10 years ago,” a senior US defense official said. the United States and India are cooperating in aircraft carrier design, jet engine technology, and may collaborate on jointly producing jet fighters.

On the military side, India is again participating in the US-led Red Flag advanced aerial combat training exercise, and recently joined US and Japanese forces in an anti-submarine and air defense exercise. aside from meeting Prime Minister narendra Modi and his counterpart Manohar Parrikar, Carter is scheduled to visit the Vikramaditya, one of two Indian aircraft carriers. the Vikramaditya formerly belonged to the Soviet Union’s navy, and entered the Indian navy in 2013.

In the Philippines, Carter will visit the antonio Bautista air Base on the island of Palawan, which faces the South China Sea and the islands claimed by Beijing. the Philippine base is part of five that the US army can use to temporarily rotate soldiers, following a military cooperation agreement that came into effect in January. access to the five bases will “enhance our ability to operate within thePhilippines... and in South China Sea— and of course, reinforce our deterrent message,” a senior defense official said. the agreement marks a return of US military to the Philippines, which was a US colony from 1898 to 1946.

Until 1992 the Philippines was also home to Subic Bay naval base and Clark air Base, two of the largest US military bases abroad.

During the visit Carter is scheduled to meet Philippine President Benigno aquino III and Defense

Secretary Voltaire Gazmin.

Carter, however, chose to not stop in China during his asian tour, even though he had earlier accepted an invitation to visit. the decision to skip China was made just a few weeks ago, highlighting tensions between Beijing and Washington over the South China Sea. Carter “did officially accept an invitation to travel to China in spring,” said Pentagon spokesman Bill Urban. However, “scheduling problems” prevented that visit from happening.

“We are actively looking” for another date to visit “this year,” Urban said.

Carter leaves asia on Saturday and heads to the United arab emirates and Saudi arabia, where among other things he will participate in a Gulf Cooperation Council ministerial meeting ahead of a GCC summit that will include President Barack Obama. AFP

Kids take long route to meet Sara Summer sight.

A boy beats the summer heat using flowing water from a busted water pipe along the Elliptical Road in Quezon City on Sunday.

MANNY PALMERO

In tHeIR desire to see Inday Sara Duterte, daughter of presidential aspirant Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, three members of a Southern Leyte youth group traveled five hours to catch up with the campaign’s caravan in tacloban City.

Lanjito Maturan, Rhaquel Sida and Jacksen Sobrio of the Youth for Duterte movement woke up before dusk on Saturday just so they can catch a van from Liloan, Southern Leyte to tacloban City, the final stop of the Byaheng Du30 caravan.

the three youths traveled for five hours and waited eight hours more just to take “selfies” with Inday Sara.

Sida said she cried when she found out that the bus passed her town without her knowing it. She really wanted to see Inday Sara so she urged Sobrio to go with her. another friend heard of their plan and decided to tag along.

“I wanted to see Inday Sara so bad so I asked permission from my parents if I can go with my friends. they said

yes, so I went,” Maturan said. the three friends were finally able to take a picture with Inday Sara when the caravan stopped for dinner. they also had their picture taken with the Byaheng Du30 bus. the caravan is now on its third day of the Visayas leg of the trip. It will go around the Visayas to campaign for Mayor Duterte.

It is led by Inday Sara and her mother elizabeth Zimmerman, who was the former wife of Mayor Duterte.

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Grace, Chiz sign up for church-backed covenant BACON, Sorsogon City— Important events in the life of presidential frontrunner Grace Poe appear to be intertwined with the serendipitous role of the Catholic Church in her colorful and inspiring narrative.

Abandoned as an infant and found in the altar of Jaro Cathedral, Poe launched her presidential bid on Feb. 8 infront of the Quiapo Church, noted for the miraculous Black Nazarene.

On March 10, when the Supreme Court decided in her favor allowing her to run for the presidency, Poe was near the Quiapo Church on her way to address a women’s forum.

She eventually dropped by the Quiapo Church to thank the Black Nazarene for the favorable SC decision that all but upheld the basic rights of all foundlings and the people to choose their servant leaders.

On April 9, the Supreme Court decided with finality her eligibility to run on May 9 for the presidential elections.

Poe and her running mate Francis “Chiz” Escudero signed the Covenant of Sup-

port for Project Serendipity hosted by the Diocese of Sorsogon at the Parish Church of Bacon District in Sorsogon City witnessed by thousands of laity who attended the annual Basic Ecclesial Communities (BEC) assembly.

At 10 in the morning, Grace and Chiz arrived in Bacon Parish and as if on cue from the Master Director, it suddenly rained hard as if blessings kept pouring from heaven that prompted the participants to all get inside the church to witness the covenant signing of the tandem. The rain stopped after Grace and Chiz left, a parishioner said.

Led by its proponent Bishop Arturo Bastes of Sorsogon, the event gathered more than 3,000 thousand BEC members and the youth to manifest their support for the institution of a sovereign fund for better social security system and welfare cover for all Filipinos.

Project Serendipity is the constitutional institution directly by the people themselves of the Sovereign Fund to be sourced from “20R8” that will be used exclusively to

address the local security and welfare needs and requirements of our people.

According to Bishop Bastes, the government sources comprising “20R8” include Revenues, Receipts, Receivables, Royalties, Reserves, Resources, Recoveries, Returns, and any and all that refer to monies, funds, incomes, assets, properties, resources of the government, all its offices, branches and corporations.

The allocation of 20 percent from these resources is to be determined by the 20R8 Serendipity Amendment to the Constitution.

In supporting Project Serendipity, Team Grace-Chiz stressed that Gobyernong May Puso’s first order of the day is to take care of every individual Filipino sovereign citizen as any government must first invest in its own people.

Hence, the 20 percent of the resources, funds, monies available to government will exclusively be used to directly help address the social security and welfare needs for all of our people that should include such basic areas that will address

Sorsogon Bishop Arturo Bastes (right) beams as presidential frontrunner Grace Poe and her running mate Francis ‘Chiz’ Escudero display copies of the Covenant of Support for Project Serendipity, a noble program calling for universal social security and welfare for all Filipinos by setting aside 20 percent of government resources to take care of the people’s basic needs anchored on HELPS (Health, Education, Livelihood/Jobs, Pension/Retirement and Shelter/ Housing) through the Serendipity Amendment to be filed directly with the Supreme Court.

their basic needs especially focused on H.E.L.P.S. (Health, Education, Livelihood/Jobs/ Recovery Assistance, Pen-

sion/Retirement and Shelter for decent housing).

“We don’t only promise but we commit to you a caring

and compassionate administration ‘na wala po talagang maiiwan sa Gobyernong May Puso,’” said Grace and Chiz.

DoH blasted for anti-Filipino bias A PARTY-LIST lawmaker has called for a congressional probe of the disqualification from public bidding of a Filipino who invented an indigenous product intended to eliminate the mosquito-carrying dengue virus.

Parade of the Stars.

Bb. Pilipinas Beauty Queen and her entourage wave to the crowd during the annual ‘Parade of the Stars’ from Novotel Manila Araneta to the Araneta Center in Quezon City on Sunday, April 10, 2016.

MANNY PALMERO

Poll reforms target holdover public servants A PROPOSED law seeking to disqualify a person who fails to vacate his/her public appointive position before or on the day of filing of Certificate of Candidacy for any elective position now awaits plenary consideration.

The House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms chaired by Rep. Fredenil H. Castro earlier approved and recommended plenary passage of HB 1976, principally authored by Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Rufus B. Rodriguez and Abante Mindanao Party-list Rep. Maximo Rodriguez Jr. House bill 1076 seeks to amend the existing law on electoral reforms.

“There is need to clarify and strengthen the intention of the law when it provided that appointive public officials were to be deemed resigned upon the filing of their Certificate of Candidacy as to prevent these officials from utilizing vast government resources for their political operation,” the authors said.

HB 1976, one of the more than two dozen bills in the “Business for the Day” list of the House plenary consideration before the current adjournment of Congress in early February.

A key provision of the amendatory bill states that any appointive official who fails to vacate the office of the day of fil-

ing the Certificate of Candidacy shall be automatically disqualified as candidate for the elective position and shall not be eligible to assume the functions of the elective office.

As a backgrounder to their electoral reform initiative, Rodriguez cited Batas Pambansa Bilang 881, otherwise known as the Omnibus Election Code, which provides that persons holding an appointive office or position are automatically resigned on the date of filing of the Certificate of Candidacy.

“Subsequent election laws, R.A. 8436 (Automated Elections Act) and R.A. 9006 (Fair Elections Act), were both silent on the said rule (provided for

under BP 881), thereby making BP 881 still the applicable law insofar as the deemed resigned provisions for appointive office is concerned,” he added.

Rodriguez recalled the enactment of R.A. 9369, which amended R.A. 9436, but still retained the deemed resigned provision for appointive officials. However, he added that since R.A. 9369 adjusted the deadline for the filing of the Certificate of Candidacy to an earlier date, confusions arose on the interpretation as to the exact time of the deemed resignation, whether at the time of the filing of the Certificate of Candidacy or during the start of the campaign period. Rio N. Araja

Rep. Leah S. Paquiz of NARS, author of House Resolution 2264 seeking the probe, said the Department of Health Central Office Bids and Awards Committee (DoH-Cobac) instead awarded the contract to G. Chem Trading Corp., a distributor of a Japanese product.

Paquiz said the inquiry should determine whether the Filipino First Policy have been complied with good faith and without undue damage to the government.

“The inquiry should also determine whether the procurement of the pyriproxifen is the most beneficial and cost effective option for the DoH to address the dengue virus in the country,” Paquiz said.

Paquiz urged the House Committees on Health and Good Governance and Public Accountability to summon the official of DoH-Cobac to shed light on the matter.

Paquiz said that Christian Herbosa, owner of MYKL Trading and inventor of the “kiti-kitix,” claims that the product was invented primarily to eliminate, destroy mosquito larvae and prevent the spread of the dengue virus.

Paquiz said Herbosa’s invention is the lowest and cheapest product in the local market, effective, tested and accredited by the DoH since 2009.

Paquiz said Herbosa was disqualified by Cobac to join the bidding for the procurement of the larviciderebid due to his failure to include the World Health Organizations Pesticide Evaluation Scheme (WHOPES) in his proposal.

WHOPES is a mere listing of effectivity and does not prevent any inventors whose product have been tested and proven to be more advantageous from joining a public bidding.

“The title of the bid larvicide was a good start since the term was broad to cover all possible products in the market,” Paquiz said.

The lawmaker said the use of pyriproxifen, a chemical formula of a chemical composition of a particular brand did not limit the wide option of the single supplier, the G. Chem Trading Corp. as the exclusive distributor of pyriproxifen in the Philippines. Rio N. Araja

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Philippine Red Cross chairman Richard Gordon (center) presents a scale model of the housing units during a ceremonial turnover. The event was also attended by (from left) Abdalrahman Lahmouni (Qatar Red Crescent head of mission in the Philippines), Ramsey Rayyis (IFRC program coordinator), Rashed Al Muhannadi (Qatar Red Crescent director for Social Development), Gwendolyn Pang (PRC secretary-general), Evangeline Esperos (councilor, Tacloban City) and Ana Montoya (country representative, Spanish Red Cross).

Defense chief sues whistleblower for libel

By Florante S. Solmerin

NatioNal Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin who was among the respondents in a plunder complaint over the allegedly anomalous P1.2-billion helicopter contract has filed a libel case against the whistleblower before the Quezon City Prosecutor’s office.

The subject of Gazmin’s libel charges is Bureau of Internal Revenue employee Rhodora Alvarez who earlier filed a plunder complaint against the defense chief along with several officials, military officers and civilians including the owner of the American-based Rice Aircraft Services Inc., Robert Rice Jr. “When the news came out regarding the alleged irregularities, I, as head of agency, ordered an investigation. The results of the investigation showed that the dNd-AFP [Armed Forces of the Philippines] personnel who handled this project, in various stages, complied

with the mandated procedures, and no irregularities were committed,” Gazmin stated in his complaint-affidavit he filed Friday.

“Based on this, I stand with the dNdArmed Forces of the Philippines officials, and I will lead the defense of these men and women, who were just doing their respective assignments, to further advance our most important program, the AFP Modernization Program,” Gazmin added. “We know that public service entails a lot of sacrifices, even being exposed to untruthful and malicious accusations.”

Gazmin also included in his complaint RASI’s agent, American-Vietnamese Thach Hoang Nguyen.

In her complaint, Alvarez alleged that Gazmin and the other respondents rigged the bidding of the P1.2-billion acquisition project for 21 UH-1 helicopters.

When the issue broke out that led the Senate to investigate, Gazmin partially canceled the project. Gazmin upheld the delivered choppers were above board despite reports made by the Philippine Air Force that some of the choppers were defective.

Gazmin charged that Alvarez is liable for three counts of libel for making “multiple malicious statements” during a radio interview on May 22, 2015, during the televised Senate investigation on July 7, 2015, and in a newspaper article published on dec. 13, 2015.

He said Alvarez and Nguyen were also liable for falsification of documents in RASI’s bid for the contract of the UH-1 aircraft.

Palace: Food prices, supply steady

By Sandy Araneta Food prices and supply have remained stable despite the effects of El Niño on agriculture, Malacañang said on Sunday as it stressed that the government is doing its part to help farmers whose livelihoods were affected by the drought. “despite the El Niño phenomenon, rice prices remained lower than in the previous year— -1.7 percent in March from -2.0 percent in February—and have been declining consistently since october 2015,” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr., said citing data from the National Economic and development Authority.

“While drought usually entails low production leading to high agricultural product prices, inflation data show that prices of food, particularly rice, have been low and stable in the past months,” Coloma said quoting a statement from

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Emmanuel Esguerra.

President Benigno Aquino III has designated Neda as the head of El Niño Task Force in 2015. Seven provinces, five cities and 24 municipalities have been declared under state of calamity due to El Niño, allowing local government units to tap emergency funds to address the adverse effects of the prolonged dry spell.

“In fact for March 2016, despite the El Niño phenomenon, rice prices remained lower than in the previous year [-1.7 percent in March from -2.0 percent in February] and have been declining consistently since october 2015,” Esguerra said.

“Likewise, the price of vegetables, while remaining elevated since November 2015, has trended down after peaking in January 2016, declining by 2.9 percent in March 2016 from the previous month, for a total

decline of 7.8 percent since the beginning of the year,” he said.

“Supply and buffer stock management is being done well with timely purchases.

Moreover, despite the lack of water, there were no reported breakout of diseases and epidemic, though we do not discount that there could still be health issues in some places,” he said.

“The food inflation has been in check as borne out by hunger data from the Social Weather Stations conducted from december 5-8, 2015, the 2015 average hunger rate for that period at 13.4 percent, is the lowest annual average hunger rate since 2004,” Esguerra also said.

Through convening with other government agencies, the task force has established the Roadmap to Address the Impact of El Niño.

The roadmap is focused on three areas: food security, energy security, health and safety.

Yolanda rehab plan forges ahead —Red Cross NEARLy two and a half years after ‘‘yolanda’s’’ devastation, the Philippine Red Cross says it continues the rehabilitation stage of its assistance in areas hit by the strongest typhoon in history, working under the “build back better” maxim.

In line with the foremost humanitarian organization’s mandate of alleviating human suffering, Philippine Red Cross chairman Richard J. Gordon led the turn over ceremony of 5,627 houses, 3 health facilities and 7 classrooms on April 9, Saturday in Tacloban City and in the two other Leyte municipalities of San Miguel and dagami.

“The Philippine Red Cross ensures that the communities we are helping become more disaster resilient. We work under the build back better strategy, we build typhoon-resilient houses and classrooms so those who were affected by yolanda would not be as vulnerable to the next disaster that hits. We also train them to become more capable of surviving any disasters,” Gordon said. “our shelter recovery program ensures that families have adequate, appropriate and safe shelter, supporting them from the transition to making more permanent durable housing. We also prioritize the needs of the most vulnerable and ensure their participation and access to basic services to provide them with a life of dignity,” he added.

PRC Secretary-General Gwendolyn Pang assisted in the symbolic hand over of keys and in the distribution certificates of occupancy.

Lawyer Miguel Tezon, chairman of the PRC Leyte Chapter’s Board of directors, and administrator Edwin Pamonag also assisted during the ceremony.

Attendees of the event are delegates from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, namely: Ramsey Rayyis, Mary Joy Evalarosa, Colin Price and Abhishek Rimal; delegates from Qatar Red Crescent Society: Rashed Al Muhannadi, Abdalrahman Lahmouni, and Mohammed Hizam Ali; and delegates from the Spanish Red Cross-Ana Montoya Bermejo, Aurelie Hernandez Massi and Maria Jesus Millan Serrano.

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A7 Ecija cops halt search for judge’s assassin

By Ferdie G. Domingo

Crisis. For the people of Tukanalipao, rat infestation and the super-charged El Niño are threatening their source of income and food. OxFAm PhiliPPiNes

Provincial council wants Bohol placed under state of calamity Tagbilaran CiTy, bohol—Drought-triggered damage in bohol has already reached around P313 million, prompting the Sangguniang Panlalawigan to pass a resolution declaring the province under state of calamity.

This came in response to the resolution of the Provincial disaster risk reduction and Management Council recommending to the SP to declare the province under a state of calamity due to the dry spell experienced all throughout the province brought about by el niño phenomenon.

In the resolution, the PdrrMC, during an emergency meeting on april 7, convened by Gov. edgar

Chatto also called for an immediate response to the growing needs and concerns of the agriculture sector.

The PdrrMC cited the report of the office of the Provincial agriculturist stating that the total estimated cost of damage for all commodities is now around P312.962 million.

The dry spell already spanned for over two months with severe heat posing health concerns aside from

drying up the farmlands. rainfall has also been below the average level.

The national Irrigation administration-region 7 based in Tagbilaran City also reported that four major dams in the province “are nearing water critical level while most crops are not yet harvested.”

Larry Pamugas, officer in charge at the office of the Provincial agriculturist and chair of Task Force el niño, said some farmers were able to harvest a portion of their crops before the dry spell totally affected their entire farmlands.

With this, the PdrrMC underscored the need to come up with “appropriate mitigation interventions to

address and respond to the effects of the dry spell and el niño phenomenon on the agriculture sector and to the Boholano community in general.”

Pamugas said there had been rounds of cloud seeding conducted by the Bureau of Soil and Water Management, but recently they have been trying to spot cumulu-nimbus clouds to be able to proceed to more rounds.

Pamugas said the BSWM team already completed 42 hours of artificial rains in the first phase.

Prior to this, the department of agriculture allocated additional funds for 90 more hours of cloud seeding operations. PNA

Cebu City bids to host 2016 bar exams CeBu CITy—The number of law graduates in the Visayas and Mindanao who want to take the bar examinations in Cebu City failed to reach the minimum 1,000 set by the Supreme Court.

But Portia Hormachuelos, retired Court of appeals justice and university of the Visayas Law School dean, said the 514 graduates who have so far expressed preference to take the bar exams in Cebu City is enough to make the city a pilot venue for the

regionalization of the exam.

“The law deans feel that this number is sufficient to serve as test on whether or not the holding of bar exam in Cebu City is feasible,” Hormachuelos said.

The 2016 bar exam committee of the Supreme Court agreed to hold the exam in Cebu if there are at least 1,000 takers.

The high tribunal came up with the requirement to compensate for the expenses on logistics, effort, and coordination that will be required

in administering the exam outside Manila.

The university of Cebu has offered to host the exam for free.

In december 2013, the Supreme Court issued a resolution heeding the recommendation of the office of the Bar Confidant to allow the bar exam committee to look into the proposal of the Cebu City Council to hold the exam outside Manila for the benefit of barristers in the provinces.

PNA

San Leonardo, nueva ecija— The Philippine national Police has stopped its manhunt for the killer of a regional Trial Court judge in aurora province, returning to the court the warrant of arrest it earlier issued against the fugitive.

SPo1 Laureano Manuel, warrant officer of the San Leonardo police, returned to the Baler rTC Branch 90 the warrant issued against eugenio Pingol, prime suspect in last September’s cold-blooded killing of Judge Jude erwin alaba. ancheta issued the warrant amid reports that Pingol was in Barangay Tabuating, but Manuel said the suspect could not be located. alaba and his wife Margarita were reportedly shot by Pingol inside their vehicle on Sept. 1 last year. alaba died from a lone bullet wound in the chest while his wife sustained a gunshot wound in her left arm.

Pingol was identified in a cartographic sketch through a description made by one of the witnesses, Paul Saplala. a team of police investigators led by provincial police director Sr. Supt. danilo Florentino is currently reviewing the 240 cases handled by the slain magistrate in hopes of uncovering a lead into the killing.

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opinion

ADELLE chuA ediTOr

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

opinion

chibOk TwO years On

[ EDI TORI A L ]

By Phil Hazlewood

The absenT PresidenT LIKE an errant schoolboy, President Aquino tried to explain why he remained silent for an entire week after police shot and killed two farmers who were protesting the lack of government aid in the face of a five-month drought in Kidapawan City on April 1.

Even by schoolboy standards, the excuses were rather lame.

Speaking at a Liberal Party campaign rally at the Makati Coliseum Friday night, Aquino said he learned of the farmers’ protest in Kidapawan City only on April 1, after the bloody dispersal had already taken place. This was two days after The Standard and several online news sites first reported the protest, and four days after some 6,000 farmers began milling around the National Food Authority warehouse, blocking the major highway connecting Davao and Cotabato.

While the farmers were being beaten and shot at, the President said he was in Cavite for a Liberal Party campaign rally for administration standard bearer Manuel Roxas II. “The truth is, that was the first time I’ve heard there was a barricade that blocked the highway in Kidapawan and a violent dispersal took place,” Aquino said, betraying what, on the surface, was an incredible failure of intelligence and a disturbing disconnect from reality.

“On our way home to Manila, [Interior and Local Government] Secretary Mel [Senen] Sarmiento mentioned he was to fly to Kidapawan the next day so I asked, ‘What are you going to do in Kidapawan?’”

Aquino said in his speech at the Makati Coliseum.

That same evening, Aquino said, he came down with the flu, which was aggravated by a bum stomach the following day (April 2), so his doctor ordered him to bed.

Still, he wanted to resolve the Kidapawan situation and immediately sought a meeting with the concerned officials that weekend, the President said.

He said he sought a separate meeting with government officials about the April 2 power outage at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 on April 3.

The two meetings, however, were pushed back to Monday, April 4, since the unnamed officials were not yet ready to give their briefings, Aquino said.

“Our people only have Sunday to rest but I was really eager to start resolving all these incidents,” Aquino said.

The President did not say what happened at the April 4 meeting, if it were indeed held, or what actions his government took after that.

What is clear, however, is that since April 4, the Aquino administration has not released a single sack of rice to the hungry farmers and their families.

What is also clear is that local officials led by the governor of North Cotabato—a member of the President’s political party—have launched a campaign to blame, arrest and prosecute the farmers, whose only “crime” was to exercise their constitutional right to peaceably assemble and petition the government for redress of grievances.

Finally, it is clear that Mr. Aquino’s own Interior secretary moved swiftly, not to bring aid to the farmers, but to pass out medals to the policemen who beat and shot at them.

But none of this was clear to the President, even a week after the two farmers were shot dead.

Was the President truly so uninformed, or was he lying like a truant schoolboy?

In his own defense, all the President could muster was to say he was not feeling well.

“You know, my work is really 24/7, 365 days so sometimes even my body already complains,” he said.

This whining is par for the course for this President, but we suggest he walk a day in the farmers’ sandals, so that his complaining body can be racked by pangs of hunger in the face of government neglect.

NOT GIVING UP ON REASON! Pensées fr. ranhiliO callangan aquinO Jurgen Habermas built on the speech-act theories of innovative thinkers before him to come up with his own version of discourse theory, one that relies heavily on reason and that presupposes the willingness of persons to be persuaded by the better reason. When one group of Filipinos insists that grace Poe meets the qualifications for the office of president while

another group vehemently maintains exactly the opposite position, how do you get by the impasse?

Habermas would have us turn to reason as the court of ultimate appeal.

Let the proponents of either proposition state their claims unequivocally, lay their grounds on the table and be clear about their warrants. Then, allow the relentless process of challenge and vindication of claims to test the plausibility of each assertion, until the proponent of the weaker argument sees the weakness in his advocacy and is reasonably persuaded that the

other side meets his objections successfully.

That is how matters are supposed to go, but the very great assumption that such a strand of discourse theory makes is that disputing parties are willing to settle their disputes in the light of the better argument. Are they? it is the skepticism over persons’ willingness to submit to reason that persuades critics of Habermas to complain that the ideal speech situation he requires is simply unattainable.

That is of course the same thing as saying that we cannot be trusted to be reasonable people.

And it does seem that the critics

A9

it is, however, the sheer lack of rationality of which the ongoing noise is a manifestation that is most worrisome.

are right.

Supreme Court argumentation is supposed to be the exemplar of discourse, par excellence, even granting that judicial discourse has its own rules. but it is exactly that kind of discourse that follows from the advance of thesis and anti-thesis, the positions of petitioner and

respondent, fully argued, and then the Court declaring the prevalence of the more satisfactory theory. unfortunately, in the recent case, this did not happen, and the skeptics are not to blame, for they do raise important and still unanswered relevant questions. in principle, a position is rationally justified

when relevant objections are met with relevant answers. While the impertinent may persist, the reasonable will accept that the doubt has been settled, the query, answered!

And that is another problem with discourse theory: it makes no provision for the impertinent of this world, but how many really are there —even among those who by title and credentials are supposed to keep farthest away from the meandering ways of impertinence—who keep off the shoals of sophistry?

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bongbong Marcos runs for vice president, and then a motley group claiming honorable pedigree files plunder charges against him for the millions (billions?) supposedly plundered by President Ferdinand Marcos. And the worse thing is not the charge itself (that is plainly absurd), but that it gains a listening, attracts a following and becomes a convenient propaganda line against the younger Marcos’ candidacy. Clearly, the group does not want Marcos the Younger in Malacañan, and to that end, every

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argument will do, including the non-argument of charging him with plunder for what he did not plunder!

So shall we take it that reason does not count for much anymore? but really, what alternative does one have?

Prince red desires Princess green, but so does Prince grey. The only way this collision could be dealt with was exactly that—go through with the collision. And this meant that Princes red and grey had to take either to the battle-field, or to some duel that almost

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CHibok, nigeria—The road to Chibok from Damboa in northeast nigeria isn’t really a road. it’s a dusty track where the only indications of a thoroughfare are the tyre marks in the sand of the taxis, lorries and cars that have gone before. Vehicles bump along the uneven surface, kicking up choking dust and sand even at low speeds. often it’s difficult to see the car in front.

Few people outside the region had heard of Chibok until two years ago.

Then, on the night of April 14, 2014, boko Haram fighters stormed the government girls Secondary School on the outskirts of the town and abducted 276 teenagers from their beds. The kidnapping—and the 219 girls who are still being held— raised awareness around the world of a brutal conflict that had largely gone unnoticed outside nigeria.

AFP had been trying to get to Chibok ever since the kidnapping, but security concerns ruled out traveling: the islamist militants were in control of most of borno in 2014 and the state was the focus of a military fight-back throughout last year. but even with the army now back in control of most of the northeast and the permission of the military to go, the theater commander in the state capital, Maiduguri, insisted on a heavily armed escort. We soon found out why.

Not a soul to be seen Major roads to and from Maiduguri were reopened late last month, nearly three years after they were shut because of repeated boko Haram attacks. The move has offered hope for a return to normal life after nearly seven years of fighting that has killed an estimated 20,000 people and left at least 2.6 million people homeless. but it’s hardly care-free motoring.

At the city limits in Maiduguri, hundreds of cars, taxis, minibuses and lorries laden with people and goods or both wait in the searing heat for the goahead to move the 90 or so kilometers (55 miles) southwest to Damboa.

AFP’s convoy comprised an armored personnel carrier, two army pick-up trucks in front and two behind, all camouflaged to match the parched terrain and equipped with heavy machine guns.

Four soldiers from the newly established army motorbike battalion on off-road bikes act as outriders. Just outside the city, children and adults wave or raise a clenched right fist in the traditional Hausa greeting.

Deeper into the scrub, the sobering effects of war are more visible: patches

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opinion

ADELLE chuA ediTOr

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

opinion

chibOk TwO years On

[ EDI TORI A L ]

By Phil Hazlewood

The absenT PresidenT LIKE an errant schoolboy, President Aquino tried to explain why he remained silent for an entire week after police shot and killed two farmers who were protesting the lack of government aid in the face of a five-month drought in Kidapawan City on April 1.

Even by schoolboy standards, the excuses were rather lame.

Speaking at a Liberal Party campaign rally at the Makati Coliseum Friday night, Aquino said he learned of the farmers’ protest in Kidapawan City only on April 1, after the bloody dispersal had already taken place. This was two days after The Standard and several online news sites first reported the protest, and four days after some 6,000 farmers began milling around the National Food Authority warehouse, blocking the major highway connecting Davao and Cotabato.

While the farmers were being beaten and shot at, the President said he was in Cavite for a Liberal Party campaign rally for administration standard bearer Manuel Roxas II. “The truth is, that was the first time I’ve heard there was a barricade that blocked the highway in Kidapawan and a violent dispersal took place,” Aquino said, betraying what, on the surface, was an incredible failure of intelligence and a disturbing disconnect from reality.

“On our way home to Manila, [Interior and Local Government] Secretary Mel [Senen] Sarmiento mentioned he was to fly to Kidapawan the next day so I asked, ‘What are you going to do in Kidapawan?’”

Aquino said in his speech at the Makati Coliseum.

That same evening, Aquino said, he came down with the flu, which was aggravated by a bum stomach the following day (April 2), so his doctor ordered him to bed.

Still, he wanted to resolve the Kidapawan situation and immediately sought a meeting with the concerned officials that weekend, the President said.

He said he sought a separate meeting with government officials about the April 2 power outage at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 on April 3.

The two meetings, however, were pushed back to Monday, April 4, since the unnamed officials were not yet ready to give their briefings, Aquino said.

“Our people only have Sunday to rest but I was really eager to start resolving all these incidents,” Aquino said.

The President did not say what happened at the April 4 meeting, if it were indeed held, or what actions his government took after that.

What is clear, however, is that since April 4, the Aquino administration has not released a single sack of rice to the hungry farmers and their families.

What is also clear is that local officials led by the governor of North Cotabato—a member of the President’s political party—have launched a campaign to blame, arrest and prosecute the farmers, whose only “crime” was to exercise their constitutional right to peaceably assemble and petition the government for redress of grievances.

Finally, it is clear that Mr. Aquino’s own Interior secretary moved swiftly, not to bring aid to the farmers, but to pass out medals to the policemen who beat and shot at them.

But none of this was clear to the President, even a week after the two farmers were shot dead.

Was the President truly so uninformed, or was he lying like a truant schoolboy?

In his own defense, all the President could muster was to say he was not feeling well.

“You know, my work is really 24/7, 365 days so sometimes even my body already complains,” he said.

This whining is par for the course for this President, but we suggest he walk a day in the farmers’ sandals, so that his complaining body can be racked by pangs of hunger in the face of government neglect.

NOT GIVING UP ON REASON! Pensées fr. ranhiliO callangan aquinO Jurgen Habermas built on the speech-act theories of innovative thinkers before him to come up with his own version of discourse theory, one that relies heavily on reason and that presupposes the willingness of persons to be persuaded by the better reason. When one group of Filipinos insists that grace Poe meets the qualifications for the office of president while

another group vehemently maintains exactly the opposite position, how do you get by the impasse?

Habermas would have us turn to reason as the court of ultimate appeal.

Let the proponents of either proposition state their claims unequivocally, lay their grounds on the table and be clear about their warrants. Then, allow the relentless process of challenge and vindication of claims to test the plausibility of each assertion, until the proponent of the weaker argument sees the weakness in his advocacy and is reasonably persuaded that the

other side meets his objections successfully.

That is how matters are supposed to go, but the very great assumption that such a strand of discourse theory makes is that disputing parties are willing to settle their disputes in the light of the better argument. Are they? it is the skepticism over persons’ willingness to submit to reason that persuades critics of Habermas to complain that the ideal speech situation he requires is simply unattainable.

That is of course the same thing as saying that we cannot be trusted to be reasonable people.

And it does seem that the critics

A9

it is, however, the sheer lack of rationality of which the ongoing noise is a manifestation that is most worrisome.

are right.

Supreme Court argumentation is supposed to be the exemplar of discourse, par excellence, even granting that judicial discourse has its own rules. but it is exactly that kind of discourse that follows from the advance of thesis and anti-thesis, the positions of petitioner and

respondent, fully argued, and then the Court declaring the prevalence of the more satisfactory theory. unfortunately, in the recent case, this did not happen, and the skeptics are not to blame, for they do raise important and still unanswered relevant questions. in principle, a position is rationally justified

when relevant objections are met with relevant answers. While the impertinent may persist, the reasonable will accept that the doubt has been settled, the query, answered!

And that is another problem with discourse theory: it makes no provision for the impertinent of this world, but how many really are there —even among those who by title and credentials are supposed to keep farthest away from the meandering ways of impertinence—who keep off the shoals of sophistry?

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bongbong Marcos runs for vice president, and then a motley group claiming honorable pedigree files plunder charges against him for the millions (billions?) supposedly plundered by President Ferdinand Marcos. And the worse thing is not the charge itself (that is plainly absurd), but that it gains a listening, attracts a following and becomes a convenient propaganda line against the younger Marcos’ candidacy. Clearly, the group does not want Marcos the Younger in Malacañan, and to that end, every

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argument will do, including the non-argument of charging him with plunder for what he did not plunder!

So shall we take it that reason does not count for much anymore? but really, what alternative does one have?

Prince red desires Princess green, but so does Prince grey. The only way this collision could be dealt with was exactly that—go through with the collision. And this meant that Princes red and grey had to take either to the battle-field, or to some duel that almost

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CHibok, nigeria—The road to Chibok from Damboa in northeast nigeria isn’t really a road. it’s a dusty track where the only indications of a thoroughfare are the tyre marks in the sand of the taxis, lorries and cars that have gone before. Vehicles bump along the uneven surface, kicking up choking dust and sand even at low speeds. often it’s difficult to see the car in front.

Few people outside the region had heard of Chibok until two years ago.

Then, on the night of April 14, 2014, boko Haram fighters stormed the government girls Secondary School on the outskirts of the town and abducted 276 teenagers from their beds. The kidnapping—and the 219 girls who are still being held— raised awareness around the world of a brutal conflict that had largely gone unnoticed outside nigeria.

AFP had been trying to get to Chibok ever since the kidnapping, but security concerns ruled out traveling: the islamist militants were in control of most of borno in 2014 and the state was the focus of a military fight-back throughout last year. but even with the army now back in control of most of the northeast and the permission of the military to go, the theater commander in the state capital, Maiduguri, insisted on a heavily armed escort. We soon found out why.

Not a soul to be seen Major roads to and from Maiduguri were reopened late last month, nearly three years after they were shut because of repeated boko Haram attacks. The move has offered hope for a return to normal life after nearly seven years of fighting that has killed an estimated 20,000 people and left at least 2.6 million people homeless. but it’s hardly care-free motoring.

At the city limits in Maiduguri, hundreds of cars, taxis, minibuses and lorries laden with people and goods or both wait in the searing heat for the goahead to move the 90 or so kilometers (55 miles) southwest to Damboa.

AFP’s convoy comprised an armored personnel carrier, two army pick-up trucks in front and two behind, all camouflaged to match the parched terrain and equipped with heavy machine guns.

Four soldiers from the newly established army motorbike battalion on off-road bikes act as outriders. Just outside the city, children and adults wave or raise a clenched right fist in the traditional Hausa greeting.

Deeper into the scrub, the sobering effects of war are more visible: patches

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A10 RAIN DANCE WON’T PREVENT ANOTHER FIRE THERE are two plumbline Mount Apos—the dormant volcano pastor and the social apollo volcano. One is quiboloy a towering peak.

The other is a pit of despair for those living on its shadows.

There is the Mount Apo on fire, and there’s the combustible social situation in the communities ringing it.

There’s a common thread piercing the two: El Niño.

The prolonged dry spell has left Mindanao bone dry. Theories abound on who lit the fire that’s razing the slopes of our highest peak. Whoever or whatever started the blaze, this can’t be disputed: drought has made the country’s southern region a tinder box.

Water may be scarce, but what Apo does not lack are lovers. It has a fan base, many of whom rushed to fight the conflagration, with little tools, lugging a full pack of guts and grit.

M a n y lessons can people are the best be learned barometers of a crisis here. One is that it like el niño. is time to station a detachment of wellequipped, regular forest rangers-cum-firefighters not just in Mount Apo but in all major forest parks.

The Apo national park covers almost 55,000 hectares. But if the buffer zone of 9,000 hectares is factored in, the area to be protected expands to 64,000 hectares.

Reports have it that there are just 16 guards, mostly temporary hires, patrolling this broad expanse of greenery. Halve this into two shifts, and 8 men, in theory, have their boots on the ground at any given time. And they’re guarding the crown jewel of biodiversity, home to airborne wonders like the Philippine eagle and endemic flora under the forest canopy.

The problem is that nationally, there are only one ranger of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources for every 3,500 hectares of forestland. There are, however, ways to raise an army of mountain sentinels. One is by recruiting what is called “force-multipliers.”

For example, government can enrol upland dwellers under the conditional cash transfer, with an added “condition” that in exchange for cash received, they have to plant trees and protect wildlife from being poached. DENR can also enter into stewardship arrangements with lumads, civic groups or cooperatives interested in regreening logged-over areas. There is also the National Regreening Program, a megabuck project of P25 billion to date. Contractors can act as shields against fire and as whistleblowers against poachers.

Climate change has affected even the raindrenched pinnacle of Apo and our other mountains.

The last time Apo burned was probably when it erupted, date unknown.

If you have coffee with Davao old-timers, they will regale you with stories on how showers would pour on downtown Davao like clockwork every late afternoon. This scheduled precipitation is now a thing of the past. So with the belief that the mighty Apo is fire-proof.

The next time a Philippine mountain is ablaze, let’s

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OPINION

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homes because of continued of tarmac potholed by insecurity and live a explosions or shells; precarious existence cars, pick-up trucks like in Maiduguri, the the one we’re travelling capital Abuja, even in and minibuses blown 1,000 kilometers up, burnt-out, twisted or away in Lagos. cut in half.

Everyone I spoke Buildings are to said Chibok had pockmarked with been abandoned bullets or gutted by and there was a fire. In an area that desperate need was already sparsely for investment to populated before the rebuild for a better conflict, there’s now not future. But local and a soul to be seen. state government is Random gunfire barely functioning The vehicles slalom here. At the federal at speed in and out of level there have been the hazards and the empty promises. occasional roadblock Last March, of felled trees and just before the battered oil drums to a election he lost soundtrack of Nigerian to Muhammadu gospel music. Then the Buhari, former lieutenant in the front p r e s i d e n t passenger seat switches Goodluck Jonathan off the music and picks announced that up his rifle. From rebuilding work on ahead there is a crack, the Government crack, crack of gunfire.

Girls Secondary Seconds later, another School had begun. crack, crack, crack from Mothers of the kidnapped Chibok girls at a rally in Abuja in January His finance 2016. AFP behind. minister Ngozi I try to work out which Okonjo-Iweala flew direction the shooting is coming from. My heavy in to Chibok to lay the foundation stone. But apart flak jacket and helmet suddenly don’t seem nearly from neat piles of breeze blocks on the site, there is enough protection. Everyone glances to the soldiers. no evidence of work being carried out or indications Reassuringly, they seem unperturbed. it will start anytime soon.

The location—a denser area of trees where a person Even the pledges of international support to could easily be hidden from the road and mount Nigeria’s government to help find the missing an ambush—is a known crossing point for the schoolgirls have so far come to nothing. The rebels between their bases in the southeast and the millions of tweets demanding #BringBackOurGirls southwest of Borno. have come to nothing and as the second anniversary Clothes have been spotted in the trees—a signal of the girls’ disappearance approaches, there from the insurgents they have scouted out the area appear to be few, if any, fresh leads about their at night. The military firing back lets them know whereabouts. they’ve seen the sign. The tactic and the explanation Nigeria’s military—newly confident after underlines what we’ve been hearing for some successes against the militants and backed by a months now: that despite government assurances the government more committed to stamping out insurgents are “technically” defeated, Boko Haram the insurgency—struggled to understand why we fighters are still around and a threat. would want to visit Chibok. But it’s a symbol of Abandoned the conflict, a glaring example of the huge cost Decades of under-investment and development, of extremist violence to ordinary people, failures exacerbated by years of fighting, has left Chibok of security and governance and the daunting without electricity, water or decent roads. Only one challenges of rebuilding. mobile phone network works in the town—and even As people are discovering, particularly with news then intermittently. Since the mass kidnapping, there that emerged this week that Boko Haram kidnapped are now no state-run schools. Parents without the 500 people, including 300 children, from the Borno means can’t afford to send their children elsewhere town of Damasak only several months after the to be educated. kidnapping in Chibok, what happened is far from an Many people have been forced from their isolated case. AFP chibok... From A9

have aerial firefighting assets ready to be scrambled, and on the ground, well-equipped firemen. You can’t fight fire with a rain dance. *** Two years ago, I already warned that one way for the coming El Niño to intensify into the perfect storm is for government to respond with a drought of ideas. I added my voice to those clamoring for an early El Niño mitigation plan because I believe that it would already be late to look for water after the well has dried.

I have lived through two previous nasty El Niños—the one from 1982-83 and the 199798 edition. In those two episodes, large swaths of Mindanao turned sepia brown. In 1983, the drought was so bad that Jetmatic water pumps in many parts of Mindanao became useless. Fields were littered with the desiccated remains of corn and rice plants.

I am seeing the same tell-tale signs today. The stream where I often take long morning walks has completely dried up and to think it is near a watershed. Children of farmers have come up to me with mobile phone photos of damaged crops and soil cracked from lack of

water. With no money to pay for tuition, the images are equivalent to incinerated dreams.

In 1983, the population of the Philippines was 52 million, a little more than half of what it is now.

There are twice more mouths to feed today and yet the size of farm lands has remained the same. I can just imagine how many lives the El Niño of 2016 has disrupted.

Government tallies damages based on hectares destroyed, down to the last centavo of the value of crops lost. Human toll is hardly counted, such as the malnutrition food scarcity inflicts on women and children. We don’t measure the severity of drought with humidity, rainfall or moisture. People are the best barometers of a crisis like El Niño.

I believe that farmers who are protesting are driven by the most compelling ideology—that of the empty stomach. And in helping them, we don’t census first their political beliefs for compassion is never predicated on these.

We provide comfort and succour to the needy regardless of the political beliefs they subscribe to. In war, captured enemies are even fed. So why can’t we do that to our fellowmen?

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OPINION lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

AMORIS LAETITIA IN THE JUBILEE OF MERCY

By Archbishop Socrates Villegas FOllOWINg the celebrated Synod on the Family convened by the Holy Father and the frank, open, inspired discussions and exchanges by the attendees and participants, Pope Francis has issued an apostolic exhortation that he has so felicitously titled Amoris laetitia…The Joy of love. The Holy Father explains himself best, and so the purpose of this letter is to provide us all with the proper context within which the letter is to be received, in faith and in joy, by us all.

Foremost among Pope Francis’ concerns has been to make the Church a more resplendent image of the Mercy of Father, incarnate in the Merciful Son. That means that the Church, in her teaching, her stewardship of goods, her pastoral programs and priorities, her institutions and practices, even her involvement in secular affairs gets her bearings from this basic pastoral concern: to manifest more clearly to a world fatigued from so many forms of cruelty and heartlessness the mercy of god.

The Apostolic Exhortation therefore challenges pastors and their communities to work for the transformation of families into seats of mercy, primordial loci for the members of families for the encounter with the mercy of god. Understandably, then the Exhortation is written with an awareness of the many challenges, difficulties, even threats to families, and the different reasons why they sometimes sadly are dysfunctional!

Clearly, while the clergy, by their charism, are to inspire the laity and to order the talents, capacities and gifts of the members of the community in such wise as to be helpful to the apostolate to families, they cannot bring about this renewal of families. Such an endeavor

not giving up... From A9 always cost more than one life, not counting limbs. And we were supposed to have realized then that strategic action was not the way to go about conflict, that we had more than brawn and muscle to deal with disagreements. We put our faith in reason.

Now a post-modern, “liberal” society is pluralist, therefore tolerant. In principle that means that following Derrida’s suspicion of grand narratives and master words, human society was supposed to allow divergent, even contradictory views to exist, flourish and spread side by side in our re-enlightened societies—that were supposed to have learned that the Enlightenment project did not quite succeed.

But an article in the March issue of Time made me most skeptical of the feasibility of this dogma of pluralism.

Wrote Karl Vick: “ISIS might also qualify as a doomsday cult. Its religious ideology envisions ‘a fairly near-term final war’ with the US, notes Matthew

#failocracy

must be inclusive and dialogical—the members of the families themselves with noneexcluded should be agents of transformation, and a new evangelization for the domestic church!

What will be striking to many—and most certainly beguiling especially to secular media—is the treatment that the Exhortation gives to difficult situations: divorce and irregular unions among them. It should be made clear that the Holy Father does not in any way depart from the teaching of the Church as contained in the Creeds, the conciliar documents and in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. It is certainly wrong to maintain the position that Catholic teaching in this respect has changed. Not that we fear change, but that there are some areas of Catholic doctrine where stability is of utmost importance.

It is in the treatment of persons that the Pope wishes to see significant change. Above all, he wants the Church to be the universal sign of mercy: mercy that does not overlook sin, but that looks lovingly on the sinner, and prays for him, aids him and embraces him that he may abandon sin and receive wholeheartedly the grace that is constantly offered him.

When the Pope therefore asks for more hospitality, welcome, friendship, even communion and solidarity with divorced and separated couples, with persons in irregular unions, he is by no means condoning whatever may be wrong or worse, sinful. He is asking us to be like the Merciful Redeemer who tells all sinners: “Neither do I condemn you.”

After collective discernment, your bishops will come up with more concrete guidelines on the implementation of the Pastoral Exhortation. But mercy cannot wait. Mercy should not wait. Even now, bishops

Bunn, a nuclear expert at the Harvard Kennedy School. ‘One would think if you envision an Armageddon with the United States that you would want some pretty powerful weapons.’” Nuclear war with the US? Insane—that is what we think would be the sane reaction, but ISIS, at least from this writing, appears to hold otherwise.

There is just the trouble with critics of Alasdair MacIntyre, for while they insist that the contemporary “liberalism” against which MacIntyre casts a dark look has in fact cultivated the virtue of tolerance, one must ask: Just what does tolerance accomplish and how far does it take us, especially when we have apparently traded in claims to truth for peaceful (?) coexistence, especially when ISIS is dead-set on destroying all that is non-ISIS? It just does not seem to work.

In fact, it is this very tolerance that fans the flames of zealots of all stripes who think that society should go by just one shade, worship at the same shrine, and observe the same diet.

and priests must open welcoming arms to those who have kept themselves out of the Church because of a sense of guilt and of shame. The laity must do no less.

When our brothers and sisters who, because of broken relations, broken families and broken lives, stand timidly at the doors of our churches—and of our lives —unsure whether they are welcome or not, let us go out to meet them, as the Pope urges us to, and assure them that at the table of sinners at which the All-Holy lord offers himself as food for the wretched, there is always room. O res mirabilis manducat Dominum pauper, servus et humilis…O wonderful reality that the poor, the slave and the lowly should partake of the lord. This is a disposition of mercy, an openness of heart and of spirit that needs no law, awaits no guideline, nor bides on prompting. It can and should happen immediately.

At the same time, our parishes and dioceses should be schools of true Christian love: the love to which the community arising from the conviction that the lord was indeed Risen bore eloquent witness to None was in need. All were attended to with care and with devotion.

When families fail, we must all strike our breasts in contrition, for every Catholic community, every parish, every diocese has a stake in the cohesion, love and constancy of a family.

It is a parish alive, a diocese alive that can boast not of magnificent infrastructure, tremendous financial resources, not even numbers, whether of clergy, religious or lay leaders, but that takes comfort in laetitia amoris…the joy of loving.

(Socrates Villegas, Archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan, is the president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines.)

I really do not see any other way except to flag our drooping spirits insofar as reason is concerned. The Philippine atmosphere these days is not helping: The name-calling, mud-slinging, diatribes and swipes—all these are expected. It is, however, the sheer lack of rationality (the lack of clarity in respect to claims, the even more deplorable absence of grounds for many assertions, and the abysmal ignorance in respect to warrants for claims made) of which the ongoing noise is a manifestation that is most worrisome.

When the communicative action that calls for willingness to be persuaded by the better reason is unavailable, then strategic action—in different forms—seems to be the only way to go about things, to the undoing of us all.

Rational consensus is not unanimity.

It is being able to recognize when relevant, critical questions are raised; it is being able to provide answers to these objections; it is the intellectual honesty as well as the nobility of spirit that allows one to see that one’s objections have

adequately been met. That certainly is not asking too much of us all, considering that the alternatives are dire indeed! rannie_aquino@sanbeda.edu.ph rannie_aquino@csu.edu.ph rannie_aquino@yahoo.com

baCK Channel alejandro del roSario Ambassador Del Rosario’s column will resume soon.

out of the box rita linda v. jimeno Atty. Jimeno’s column will resume soon.

chong ardivilla

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Warriors a win shy of Bulls’ record LOS ANGELES—The Golden State Warriors kept their bid for an historic 73 NBA regularseason victories in 201516 alive on Saturday with a dramatic 10099 triumph over the Grizzlies in Memphis.

Foton beefs up volleyball team EYEING a strong finish in both the Philippine Super Liga All-Filipino Conference, the Asian Women’s Volleyball Club Championship to be held here later this year and the Grand Prix, which it won last year, Foton has signed up two of the country’s most promising collegiate players in University of Sto. Tomas starters Ennajie “EJ” Laure and Cherry Ann Rondina.

“We believe these two young players will be able to complement the present team that we have and give us a stronger chance to make a run for the Final 4 in the PSL’s All Filipino. At the same time, we are looking forward to our stint in the Asian Women’s Volleyball Club Championship this September. Laure and Rondina have impressive credentials and without doubt, they will contribute a lot to our team,” said Foton team manager Alvin Lu. Laure, UAAP’s Rookie of the Year last season and while in high school at UST, has won the MVP award and was Best Server, Attacker and Receiver in previous seasons is the daughter of former Philippine Basketball Association player Eddie Laure. She was also a member of the U23 national team.

“I am excited that I will be able to play with my idols and I would learn a lot playing in this commercial league, the very first time I will be playing at this level,” said Laure.

Rondina, who hails from Compostela in Cebu, likewise brings in her impressive credentials, including being the Most Valuable Player in UAAP’s Season 77 and an awardee in provincial meets during her high school days.

She is also looking forward to her first time playing in a commercial league.

“I will give it my very best para maging worth it ‘yung pagkuha nila sa akin dito sa Foton. Sobrang happy ako na makakalaro ko mga veteran players at marami akong matututunan sa kanila,” she said.

After a unimpressive performance in the PSL Invitational, where according to Lu, the team lacked preparation, Foton has nowhere to go but up with a team made up of the likes of Jaja Santiago, Ivy Perez, Bia General, Angelie Araneta, Maika Ortiz,, May Macatuno, and Patty Orendain, among others.

Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors takes a shot against PJ Hairston of the Memphis Grizzlies during the second half of their teams’ game at the FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee. AFP

6 golds at stake as Palaro gets under way

By Peter Atencio LEGAZPI— Six gold medals will be at stake in athletics when action finally begins today in the 2016 Palarong Pambansa at the Bicol University grounds.

Medals will be given away to winning athletes in the secondary girls’ 3000-meter run, which is the first event of the day set at 6 a.m.

More medals will be disputed in the

secondary boys’ javelin throw, elementary girls’ shot put, the secondary boys’ long jump, the secondary girls’ javelin throw, elementary girls’ shotput and the elementary girls’ long jump.

An estimated 12,000 athletes, coaches and officials are expected to be present during the weeklong meet organized by the provincial government of Albay and the Department of Education.

Last year, 17 records were broken,

two from athletics and the rest came from swimming.

In the triple jump secondary boys, the new record was achieved by Martin James Esteban from Region 3 with a distance of 15.01.

In the 800-meter secondary girls, the new record is 2:12.27 by Jie Ann Calis of Region 10, beating the old mark of 2:17.2 by Angelica de Josef last year.

In swimming, Seth Isaak Martin of the NCR broke the elementary

boys’ 50-meter backstroke record with 29.64 seconds.

In the girls’ secondary 100-meter butterfly, Regina Maria Castrillo of Region 4A broke her old record with a time of 1:04.

DepEd officials said that recordbreakers would be given a cash incentive of P3,000 each.

Albay Governor Joey Salceda led the opening ceremonies with Education Secretary Armin Luistro.

Tabuena eyes strong return at ADT MIGUEL Tabuena hopes to come out strong coming off a break to heal an aching back, headlining the local challenge against a crack international field in the ICTSI Manila Southwoods Championship ADT unfolding Wednesday at the Legends course in Carmona, Cavite.

Tabuena, who dominated the ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour’s kickoff leg at Anvaya Cove last February, withdrew in the second round of the PGT second leg at Luisita two weeks ago, citing back pains partly due to a hectic campaign here and abroad to open the season. He was very much in contention at Luisita with a bogey-free threeunder card after 22 holes but just couldn’t stand the pain and had to pull out.

Tony Lascuña went on to win the crown, beating Kroean Park Jun Hyeok by four.

But the 21-year-old Tabuena said he’s ready to resume his winning ways although he will be up not only against his local counterparts, including Lascuña, but also versus a talentladen foreign field led by Asian Development Tour winners John Michael O’Toole and Josh Salah of the US, Malaysiam Gavin Green, Japanese Shunya Takeyasu and Thais Poom Saksansin, Wisut Artjanawat, Thammanoon Sriroj, Rattanon Wanasrichan, Nirun Sae-Ueng and Itthipat Buranatanyarat.

The 22-year-old Buranatanyarat is actually priming up for his title defense in the ICTSI Sherwood Hills Classic next week, which caps ADT’s two

leg swing in the country, making him an instant contender for the top $10,500 purse in the $60,000 event put up by International Container Terminal Services, Inc. Others in the fold are Finnish Janne Kaske, India’s Chikkarangappa S., Aussie Jake Stirlin, New Zealand’s Sean Riordan and Scot James Byrne, all former leg winners in the sevenyear circuit, the farm league of the Asian Tour.

Still, with Tabuena in good health and top form, the young Filipino ace is fancied to contend in the four-day championship coorganized by the ADT and Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. and backed by Custom Clubmakers, adidas, KZG, Sharp, Summit, Srixon, Pacsports, TaylorMade and Champion.

Miguel Tabuena: Back in form, back in the hunt

The reigning NBA champion Warriors trailed the injury-depleted Grizzlies, who had lost 11 of their last 14 games, by 10 points midway through the fourth quarter.

But Golden State turned up the heat to improve to 71-9.

They are just the second team in NBA history to notch 70 wins in a regular season, along with the 199596 Chicago Bulls.

They must win their last two games of the season to surpass that Michael Jordanled Bulls’ team’s record 72 triumphs.

They face a big hurdle in their penultimate game on Sunday, when they visit the San Antonio Spurs.

The Spurs are a perfect 39-0 on their home floor and trying to become the first team to go unbeaten at home in a single season.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr -- who played on that 1995-96 Bulls team -- said the record isn’t his foremost concern.

“I just want to be fresh and ready for the playoffs,” Kerr said.

The pursuit of the record had become almost controversial in the wake of the Warriors’ shock loss to the lowly Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday, which came days after a home loss to the playoff-bound Boston Celtics.

Pundits immediately pounced, speculating the chase for the record had left the Warriors physically and emotionally fatigued just when they needed to be prepping for the post-season and the nitty-gritty of their title defense.

“These things are tricky,” Kerr acknowledged. “You’re not sure what you’re trying to accomplish.

“The record is out there,” Kerr added. “It’s important to a lot of people.”

That includes Golden State’s Draymond Green, whose 23 points included the game-winning tip-in with a minute remaining.

Green also pulled down 11 rebounds.

NBA Most Valuable Player Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson both struggled from long range, combining for five three-pointers on 24 attempts.

Thompson finished with 20 points and Curry added 17. Curry didn’t make his first three-pointer until the third quarter after missing his first five attempts. AFP

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Federer back as big guns test clay MONACO—Roger Federer will test a January knee injury under competitive conditions from Sunday when the Monte Carlo Masters marks the opening of the pre-Roland Garros spring clay court campaign.

The 17-time grand slam champion who has stalled in four finals at the seaside Country Club, has kept fans well in the frame through tweets this week as he trains for the start of his first event in nearly two and a half months.

“Expectations are really low, which is nice for a change,” said Federer. “Just see where I am, go out there.

“But once you’re out there, you want to win, it’s clear. I’m a competitor. I’m just really pleased I’m back.

“I couldn’t be more happy how rehab has gone. It’s baby steps.

Federer will start in the second round after the bye handed to top eight seeds; his first match will come against the winner from Thomaz Bellucci and Guillermo Garcia-Lopez.

The 34-year-old underwent his knee operation in Switzerland in early February after injuring himself with a sudden, innocuous movement while preparing a bath for his children in Melbourne the day after losing a semi-final to Novak Djokovic.

The Swiss was to have returned a fortnight ago in Miami but came down with a stomach virus and never made his start.

In his absence world number one Novak Djokovic has continued to set a fevered pace, collecting the March hardcourt Masters title double in the US and moving to touching distance of a record $100 million mark in career prize money—a few hundred thousand ahead of Federer.

Holder Djokovic will be in the chase for his third title at his home event after winning 2016 trophies in Doha, Melbourne, Indian Wells and Miami.

Seeded second will be Andy Murray, who needs to snap out of the tennis lethargy which has characterised his return to competition since the early February birth of his first child.

The Scot has not played in the principality since 2013 and has tournament-best showings of 2009 and 2011 semi-finals.

Another major name facing a career test will be fifth seed Rafael Nadal, winner of eight consecutive titles from 2005-2012. AFP

Best summer sessions slated YOUNG basketball and volleyball hopefuls converge starting Monday at the Ateneo courts in Katipunan, Quezon City for the much-awaited summer sessions of the multiawarded and pioneering Best Center (Basketball Efficiency and Scientific Training Center) backed by Milo.

The Monday and Thursday clinics for basketball will be from April 11 to May 2 for students in Preparatory Level and Levels 1 (9-years and up), Level 2 (9-11 years old) and Level 5 from 8 to 11:30 a.m.

Also, 1 to 4:30 p.m. sessions are set for students in Preparatory Level, Level 1 (9-andup), Level 2 (12-and-up), Level 3, Level 4 and Level 6.

Volleyball clinics for Levels 1 to 3 students are for Tuesdays and Fridays from April 12 to May 3 from 8 to 11:30 a.m.

Ateneo de Zamboanga will also host Milo Best clinics for students in Preparatory Level and Levels 1, 2 and 3. Provincial enrollees can contact Pedro Alfaro and Fr. Myk Cron (0917821-5441).

Spieth keeps golf lead, but has mixed feelings AUGUSTA—Masters leader Jordan Spieth admitted he had mixed feelings after Saturday’s third round, which saw him maintain his lead over the field despite dropping three shots in the last two holes.

It had been, he said, a fine round of golf, but had been spoiled to some extent by his closing hole, which saw him mis-hit his drive, misjudge his approach shot and then threeputt for a double-bogey six.

Having also bogeyed the 17th after another errant drive, suddenly, what had been looking like a comfortable four-shot advantage for the 22-year-old defending champion going into Sunday’s final round, had turned into a knife-edge one-shot margin.

Spieth ended the day on 3-under 213, one shot clear of American debutante Smylie Kaufman, with Japan’s Hideki

Matsuyama and German veteran Bernhard Langer a shot further back.

Asked how he would be able to put behind him the poor finish to the round, he replied: “I think it will be tough personally.

“I mean honestly, I think it will be tough to put it behind.

I think I will, but that wasn’t a fun last couple holes to play from the position I was in.

“I’m not going to dodge the question by any means. It’s not going to be fun tonight for a little while, and hopefully I just sleep it off and it’s fine tomorrow. I imagine that will be the case.”

It was all in sharp contrast to last year, when Spieth pro-

duced a fine finish at 18 on the Saturday to open up a fourstroke advantage over the field.

The following day, he came back to win his first major with a record-matching 18-under par total before going on to win the US Open two months later.

“I’ve certainly felt better last year on Saturday night than I do right now,” he said.

“I had a four-shot lead and everything was going right. Just came off a great up-and-down on 18.

“I felt much better about my position last year than I do right this second, just because of what happened in the last 40 minutes.

“But at the same time, I feel that if I can get to the range, I straighten the ball out tomorrow, I get back to the same routine I was just in, I certainly think that down the stretch, I’m better prepared now than I was at this point last year.”

The day had been billed as a

shootout between Spieth and fellow top young gun Rory McIlroy as they went out together in the final pairing.

But the Northern Irishman had an off-day that saw his hopes of completing the Grand Slam of all four major titles badly dented.

Surprise packet Next up will be the surprise packet of Kaufman, playing in just his second major and in the final pairing with the defending champion.

The 24-year-old from Alabama said that nobody would expect him to get the better of a player he has known since they were both juniors.

“He’s probably 1,000-0. He’s always beating me,” Kaufman said.

“Granted, he was so much better than I was as a junior and amateur. I was kind of a late bloomer in that regard. Just kind of kept on getting better. AFP

Jordan Spieth of the United States plays a shot on the 17th hole during the third round of the 2016 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. AFP

Enrique: Barca must prove it is world’s best BARCELONA—Barcelona boss Luis Enrique urged his side to show they are still the best team in the world in the final two months of the season after suffering a second consecutive La Liga defeat 1-0 at Real Sociedad on Saturday.

The European champions saw their lead at the top of La Liga shrink to three points over Atletico Madrid with six games remaining after they beat Espanyol 3-1.

Real Madrid are also in the title race a point further adrift as they saw off Basque minnows Eibar 4-0.

“We have never said the league is over,” said Enrique.

“It is a marvelous opportunity to show we are the best team in the world and that is why we carry that badge on our chest.”

Barca have taken just one point from their last three league games to see a commanding lead slip away, but they still need to drop points in two of their remaining matches to surrender top spot, thanks to their better head-to-head record with Atletico.

Defeat also continued Barca’s miserable run at Sociedad’s Anoeta stadium, where they have now lost on their last four league visits.

“Evidently, there is a title race

with six games remaining. It is an exciting and open league which the best team will win.

At the moment we are top,” added Enrique.

Barca also face a huge challenge to maintain their hopes of becoming the first side to retain the Champions League when they visit Atletico for their quarter-final, second leg on Wednesday.

The Catalans travel to Madrid with a 2-1 lead handed to them by Luis Suarez’s double after Atletico had been reduced to 10 men by Fernando Torres’s first-half red card in the first leg.

“Pessimistic thoughts and

opinions that I’m sure will accompany us in the coming days don’t benefit the team at all,” Enrique continued.

“We are not machines, we are human. Evidently, today is not a good day for us, but we have to lift ourselves from the moment we leave this beautiful stadium which doesn’t bring us much luck and think that on Wednesday we have the chance to be in the semi-finals of the Champions League.”

As well as missing the suspended Suarez, Enrique had left Andres Iniesta, Ivan Rakitic and Jordi Alba on the bench with one eye on the visit to the Vicente Calderon. AFP

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M O N DAY : A P RI L 1 1 , 2 0 1 6

SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

LBC vows bigger Ronda PH ORGANIZERS of the just concluded LBC Ronda Pilipinas 2016 vowed a bigger, better seventh edition next year.

“After the smashing success of our sixth LBC Ronda Pilipinas, we’re eyeing to broaden our horizon and make it bigger and more exciting next year,” said LBC Ronda Pilipinas project director and LBC sports development head Moe Chulani.

Navy-Standard Insurance riders dominated the sixth staging of this annual race considered as the biggest cycling event in the country, with Jan Paul Morales ruling the Mindanao Leg last February and the Luzon Leg just last Saturday and Ronald Oranza topping the Visayas Leg last month.

The Navymen were so imposing that they raked in a little over

P800,000 of the P3.4 million staked in the three-leg event organized by LBC Express, sanctioned by PhilCycling and sponsored by Manny V. Pangilinan Sports Foundation, Petron and Versa Radio-Tech 1 Corp. with Maynilad and NLEX as minor sponsors.

There was some token resistance from LBC-MVP Sports Foundation, headed by Rustom Lim and George Oconer, but it was generally the well-prepared and trained Navy that scooped almost every award possible.

“We have no secret, we just train hard and we have this team-first mentality,” said Navy skipper Lloyd Lucien Reynante.

For Morales, he looks forward to returning to the national team and prepare for next year’s Southeast Asian Games.

“I’ll just take a brief rest and I will be back to training again because my next goal is to win a gold in the SEA Games,” said the 30-year-old Morales, who won P179,000 in the Luzon Leg alone.

This year, LBC Ronda opened the doors to executive racing for the first time, while allowing practically everyone to get the feel of the race with its “Community ride” in all three legs this year.

Next year, Chulani said they’re including mountain bikes in their itinerary.

“We’re strongly considering mountain biking in next year’s LBC Ronda Pilipinas, cycling isn’t all about road race anyway,” said Chulani.

Morales

6F Exchange Corner Building 107 V. A. Rufino Street corner Esteban St., Legaspi Village, Makati City 1229 (02) 893-7159 | www.creditinfo.gov.ph

A Sure Bet for Progress in Gaming, Entertainment and Nation Building INVITATION TO BID FOR THE SUPPLY AND DELIVERY OF ONE HUNDRED SEVENTY-ONE (171) PIECES OF EIGHTEEN (18) KARAT GOLD MEMENTO RINGS FOR THE TWENTY (20) YEAR LOYALTY AWARDEES OF 2015 UNDER ITB NO. PB16-021

INVITATION TO BID C R E D I T I N FO R M ATI O N C O R P O R ATI O N O FFI C E O U T FI T TI N G

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) is inviting all interested bidder in its forthcoming public bidding for the Supply and Delivery of One Hundred Seventy-One (171) Pieces of Eighteen (18) Karat Gold Memento Rings for the Twenty (20) Year Loyalty Awardees of 2015 under ITB No. PB16-021.

Brief Description

 Eighteen (18) karat yellow gold; Minimum of ten (10) grams;  Each ring shall have the engraved initial of the first name and the full surname of the recipient employee and year of award with the following designs: 1.

PAGCOR logo; 2.

Twenty (20) years logo; 3.

Service Award Logo; 4.

Embossed Manufacturer’s name; and 5.

Embossed “18K” tag.  This shall be molded from a machine made of metal cast/s or its equivalent or better technology;  Packed in individual black velvet jewelry box with PAGCOR logo printed in gold inside cover of box;  Dimension of the velvet box: • Length = 52mm; • Width = 50 mm; and • Height = 40 mm  A total of One Hundred Seventy-One (171) pieces with the following details: • For Male = One Hundred Twenty-Six (126) pieces • For Female = Forty-five (45) pieces

Delivery Schedule

Within sixty (60) calendar days from the effectivity date specified in the Notice to Proceed.

Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC):

The ABC for the project is in the amount of Four Million Forty-Nine Thousand One Hundred Fifteen Pesos (PhP 4,049,115.00), VAT Exclusive, Zero-Rated Transaction.

Source of Funds:

PUBLIC BIDDING NO. PB16-002 FUNDING SOURCE: CIC CORPORATE BUDGET FOR F.Y. 2016 1.

1 LOT

PHP 11.915.894.27.00

2.

The summary of the bidding activities is as follows: Advertisement/Posting of Invitation to Bid Pre-Bid Conference

April 11, 2016 April 21, 2016 / 02:00 PM

Issuance of Bid Bulletin

April 26, 2016 May 03, 2016 / 02:00 PM

3.

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

4.

Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least sixty percent (60%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines, and to citizens or organizations of a country the laws or regulations of which grant similar rights or privileges to Filipino citizens, pursuant to RA 5183 and subject to Commonwealth Act 138.

5.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be acquired by interested Bidders from the BAC Secretariat (see address below) and upon payment of a nonrefundable feefor the Bidding Documents, in amounts pursuant to the Schedule.

6.

The Bidding Documents may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the PhilGEPS provided that Bidders shall pay the non-refundable price not later than the submission of their bids.

Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least sixty percent (60%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines, and to citizens or organizations of a country the laws or regulations of which grant similar rights or privileges to Filipino citizens, pursuant to RA 5183 and subject to Commonwealth Act 138.

All particulars relative to Pre-Bid Conference, Detailed Evaluation of Bids, Post-Qualification and Award of Contract shall be governed by the pertinent provisions of R.A. 9184 and its IRR.

PHP 25,000.00

Bidders should have completed, within three (3) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project.

Internally Funded

The schedule of activities is listed, as follows: Activities

Credit Information Corporation Office Outfitting

Deadline for Submission and Opening of Bids

Bidder should have completed, within the last four (4) years before the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instructions to Bidder. Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”.

1. Issuance of the Bidding Documents

The CREDIT INFORMATION CORPORATION (CIC)invites PhilGEPS registered suppliers to bid for: APPROVED BIDDING QUANTITY DESCRIPTION BUDGET FOR THE DOCUMENT CONTRACT (ABC) PRICE

Schedule April 11, 2016 (Monday) to May 03, 2016 (Tuesday

2. Pre-Bid Conference

April 18, 2016 (Monday), 2:00 p.m.

3. Deadline for the Submission and Receipt of Bids

May 03, 2016 (Tuesday), 2:00 p.m.

4. Opening and Preliminary Examination of Bids

May 03, 2016 (Tuesday), 2:00 p.m. onwards

Complete details of the project are indicated in the bidding documents which will be available to prospective bidder at the Bids and Awards Services Department (BASD), acting as the BAC Secretariat, upon payment of the non-refundable cost for the sale of bidding documents in the amount of Five Thousand Pesos (PhP 5,000.00) from the address below.

Prospective bidder may also download the Bidding Documents free of charge from the following websites: www.pagcor.ph and www.philgeps.gov.ph and may be allowed to submit bids provided that bidder shall pay the non-refundable bidding fee not later than the date of the submission of bids. The Pre-bid Conference is open to all prospective bidders. Prospective bidders should present to PAGCOR’s Cashier located at the Sixth (6th) Floor, PAGCOR Corporate Office, New World Manila Bay Hotel, 1588 M.H. del Pilar Street corner Pedro Gil Street, Malate, Manila either the Bidding Fee Slip which may be secured from BASD or a copy of this ITB in effecting payment for the Bidding Documents. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18.

Interested bidders may inspect the Bidding Documents and obtain further information from the BAC Secretariat at the address given below.

6.

The CIC will hold a Pre-Bid Conferenceon April 21, 2016 / 2:00PMwhich is open to all interested parties, however, only those who have purchased the bidding documents may participate.

7.

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

Bid opening shall be conducted on May 03, 2016 /02:00PM at the Credit Information Corporation, 6F Exchange Corner Building, 107 V.A. RufinoSt. cor. Esteban St., Legaspi Village, Makati City. Bids will be opened in the presence of the Bidders’ representatives who choose to attend the opening. Late bids shall not be accepted.

PAGCOR assumes no responsibility whatsoever to compensate or indemnify bidders for any expenses incurred in the preparation of their bids.

8.

Bidders shall submit their duly accomplished eligibility requirements, technical and financial proposals in two separate sealed envelopes in theaddress indicated below.

In accordance with Government Procurement Policy Board (GPPB) Circular 06-2005 - Tie-Breaking Method, the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) 4 shall use a non-discretionary and non-discriminatory measure based on sheer luck or chance, which is “DRAW LOTS,” in the event that two or more bidder have been post-qualified and determined as the bidder having the Lowest Calculated Responsive Bid (LCRB) to determine the final bidder having the LCRB, based on the following procedures:

9.

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

1.

2.

In alphabetical order, the bidder shall pick one rolled paper.

The lucky bidder who would pick the paper with a “CONGRATULATIONS” remark shall be declared as the final bidder having the LCRB and recommended for award of the contract.

PAGCOR reserves the right to accept or reject any Bid, and to annul the bidding process and reject all Bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidder.

Please address all communications to the Bids and Awards Committee thru BASD, Room 203, Second (2nd) Floor, PAGCOR House, 1330 Roxas Boulevard, Ermita, Manila, Tel No.: 524-3911, 521-1542 local 223 or 671. (sgd.) CELESTINA R. ADOR Chairperson Bids and awards Committee (BaC) 4

For further information, please refer to: BAC Secretariat Credit Information Corporation 6F Exchange Corner Building 107 V.A. Rufinocor. Esteban Sts. Legaspi Village, Makati City Email: bac-sec@creditinfo.gov.ph Telefax: (02) 893-7159 (SGD.) MS. AILEEN L. AMOR – BAUTISTA Chairperson, BAC

(TS APR.11, 2016)

(TS APR.11, 2016)

A farewell...

From A16 The American tried to keep the tempo of the eighth round and connected with a solid left in Round 9, before a vicious left from Pacquiao appeared to bust the lip of Bradley. What followed was a cracking counter-left that caught Bradley f lush on the face and sent him tumbling onto the canvas.

But time ran out on Pacquiao in his effort to score a knockout as Bradley beat the count and survived the remaining few seconds.

Pacquiao, knowing full well that he was comfortably ahead, continued to pile up points as a disheartened Bradley and trainer Teddy Atlas realized it was over.

He coasted in Round 11 and finished with a flurry that hurt Bradley and helped seal the deal in the 12th and final round.

While it wasn’t a sell-out crowd, some 14,665 Pacquiao partisans often burst into chants of “Manny!

Manny!” especially after the knockdowns.

In a post-fight interview with Crystina Poncher of Top Rank, Pacquiao said he was “looking for a knockout in every round, but he (Bradley) is a tough opponent and survived 12 rounds. I did my best but his style is that of a counterpuncher so I was not careless in the ring.”

He said he had worked on the counter-punch and uppercut in training and that was his plan in preparing for the fight.

Pacquiao said veteran trainer Atlas, who handled Bradley “made a difference compared to our last two fights. He (Bradley) improved. That’s why I tried hard to catch him.”

He also didn’t rule out the possibility of a return to the ring.

“I’m still okay. I can still fight,” said Pacquiao. “But as of now I’m retired. I am going home and think about it, but I want to be with my family. I want to serve the people.”

Bradley praised Pacquiao: “He was very fast and explosive. He was great and on point tonight.

Manny was faster, quicker, stronger.”

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Painters remain sharp vs Elite

By Jeric Lopez

DESPITE a sudden change of import, Rain or Shine remained sharp.

Volley queens. Players, coaching staff, management and supporters of RC Cola-Army are shown after their title

conquest in the 2016 PLDT Home Ultera Philippine Superliga Invitational Conference women’s volleyball tournament Saturday at The Arena in San Juan. The Filipinos shocked fancied Est Cola of Thailand, 25-23, 25-23, 14-25, 25-23, in the finals to win the title. ROMAN PROSPERO

Ateneo nips FEU to boost football bid ROOKIE Jarvey Gayoso struck in the 80th minute as Ateneo nipped defending champion Far Eastern University, 1-0, to boost its semifinal bid Sunday in the UAAP men’s football tournament at the McKinley Hill Stadium.

Gayoso pounced on an

error by Tamato Tomas, which Matches Thursday raws’ keeper Ray battled to a 1-1 Lorenzo Field) Joyel, which was (Moro draw against 2 p.m. – ADMU vs enough for the Adamson UniDLSU (Men) 4 p.m. – UST vs NU Blue Eagles to versity on Satur(Men) gain full three day. points.

It was the secAteneo climbed to fourth ond straight match where place with 21 points, slip- FEU failed to score a goal, ping past University of San- following last Thursday’s

0-0 draw against National University.

The Tamaraws, who won six straight matches before struggling in the past two games, stayed at 24 points.

De La Salle, meanwhile, blanked University of the East, 2-0, to seize solo third place with 23 points.

The Elasto Painters “We have a new import listed a vital win at the that just arrived yesterday expense of exiting Black- (Saturday).”

Furthermore, they also water, 118-107, scoring in timely stretches to put still have an outside crack themselves in a better at even ending up at No. 2 should San spot leadMiguel (6ing to the Games Wednesday (Smart Araneta Coliseum) 3) lose its q u a r t e r4:15 p.m. - Star vs. Mahindra final two finals of 7 p.m. - Barangay Ginebra vs. Meralco assignthe 2016 ments.

PhilipThe Elasto Painters now pine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup await how the remaining games play out in the final on Sunday.

JR Quinahan was the week of the eliminations to spark for Rain or Shine, see where they will end up banging in 15 points and and who they will face in six rebounds to lead the the next phase.

“We’ll just stay sharp way for his team.

New import Pierre Hen- and wait and see how the derson-Niles, who replaced match-ups will end up,” Mo Charlo, debuted with said Guiao.

The already-eliminated 12 points and six rebounds in his debut for Rain or Elite tried to play the role Shine, while Jeff Chan of spoiler, but it didn’t work also had 12 and Raymund out. They ended their camAlmazan had a solid dou- paign with a dismal 3-8 ble-double with 11 points record, tied with the vacationing GlobalPort. and 10 boards.

The Elasto Painters started This victory was critical for Rain or Shine as it fin- to create some separation in ished its elimination-round the second period, where campaign with a 7-4 slate to they established their domimove to third. The win also nance on both ends.

They were able to open guaranteed a top finish, meaning it will not face any up a 61-49 double-digit lead disadvantages in the quar- at the half after a blistering 13-1 blast to end the second terfinals.

“It was still a struggle and turn a tied game into a for us,” admitted Paint- big leverage for them going ers’ coach Yeng Guiao. in the second half.

Should Manny hang his gloves for good?

LOCKER ROOM RANDY CALUAG PEOPLE’S champion Manny Pacquiao, the fighting pride not just of General Santos City, but of the whole Philippines as well, fought what was supposed to be his last fight in the ring, with aplomb.

Manny, just by being himself, was enough to win against American Timothy Bradley in their third fight that was decorated with a WBO International Welterweight title. It was just a secondary title by boxing’s standards, but it had the glitter of a world championship.

Manny said it was his farewell fight, but his promoter Bob Arum couldn’t believe it. He knows Manny so much that his fighter could always say yes to make a ring return—especially if it’s going to be against Floyd Mayweather or Juan Manuel Marquez, against whom he has an in issue to settle.

Should Manny finally hang his gloves?

Yes, he should retire now while he is still at his best. He should retire now because he is embarking on a more demanding role of public service—from congress to the senate and it would be unfair if, should he win, people would be shortchanged of his time and attention. Yes, he should retire because he has

given his country so much pride already.

Manny said he wants to spend more time with his family and serve the people.

As of now, he’s retired. *** Against Bradley yesterday, Manny was at his best. He simply did what he does best and he looked so special against the man, who didn’t have a back-up plan except for the big right counter that never came.

Teddy Atlas was overheard yelling at Bradley at the break before the bell for the 10th round that he wanted to see the “big right hand.” That instruction came following a knockdown in the ninth.

Bradley and Atlas were buried so deeply in that game

plan, even if it was so obvious that Manny and his longtime trainer Freddie Roach have effectively prepared for it. Bradley was trying to be a Juan Manuel Marquez copycat, for which he was not.

Bradley was hoping to use the same big right counter that Marquez utilized to put the lights out on Pacquiao in their third fight. But Bradley was definitely not Marquez.

Bradley’s mistake was he didn’t fight his own fight.

The old Bradley attacks relentlessly and throws flurries all fight long. That Bradley of old was only visible in Round 8. He took the round lopsidedly. But he couldn’t sustain that kind of fight against Pacquiao,

who definitely was the more power-puncher between the two.

And the fact that Pacquiao has the most awkward style among today’s boxing greats was proven again as Bradley couldn’t predict where Pacquiao’s next punch would come from. That knockdown in the ninth round was a perfect example.

After throwing a left hook, Pacquiao immediately followed with a left that hit the already out-balanced Bradley.

Psychologically, the end came after the ninth round as Bradley, frustrated and all, was seen throwing his hands down after the round.

There were no furious rallies nor attacking for all the marbles in the final three

Obiena eclipses PH pole vault record, again

By Peter Atencio A CALM afternoon wind blew in Ernest John Obiena’s favor.

This helped the 20-year-old Obiena break the national pole vault record for the third time this year as he cleared 5.5 meters on his first attempt on Saturday at the Philsports Track Stadium in Pasig City.

The 20-year-old Obiena’s feat became the second officially recognized Philippine record at the close of the three-day 2016

Ayala-Philippine National Open Invitational Athletics Championships.

“The wind was calm. It was OK. It was a comfortable jump. I wasn’t expecting the first attempt to go in. Pero, binigay ng Diyos iyung first attempt,” said the lanky Obiena.

This allowed Obiena to move 20 centimeters closer to the Olympic qualifying standard of 5.7 meters.

National team member Janry Ubas and former La Salle varsity bet-turned stock broker Adel Valdecanas settled for the

silver and bronze, respectively, with their clearances of 4.4 meters.

Obiena had been breaking the national mark over the last two years. This year, he did it twice, first in the UAAP at 5.46 meters last February and then in March with a clearance of 5.47 in the Philippine National Games.

The other national record recognized by the PATAFA was that of 19-year-old Aira Teodosio’s girls’ hammer-throw heave of 38.95 meters.

rounds the as eight-division world title owner cruised to the win that would definitely make a big boost to his candidacy for senator.

Will Manny’s latest victory translate into votes? I say yes…if the elections would take place today or tomorrow. *** Filipinos love winners and people decide hastily when they are happy. There are 12 senatorial slots available and Filipino voters could easily say, “Bakit hindi? Puwede naman isingit, labindalawa naman ‘yan.”

More things will happen between now and May 9.

But today, what’s important is that Pacquiao had just made most, if not all, Filipinos happy.

LOTTO RESULTS

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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

A farewell fight to remember Manny Pacquiao acknowledges the cheers of his fans after defeating Timothy Bradley Jr. in a 12-round unanimous decision at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Pacquiao captured the WBO International Welterweight Title. Inset shows Bradley rolling to the mat after his second knock down in the 9th round. AFP

By Ronnie Nathanielsz

NEITHER the passing of the years or a political career aiming for bigger things could distract from the greatness of eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao, whose farewell fight against Timothy “Desert Storm” Bradley produced a spectacular ending to an amazing career.

After cagey initial, feelingout rounds, Pacquiao exploded with two knockdowns, one in Round 7 and a second, more definitive one in Round 9 to score a resounding 116-110 tally on the scorecards of all three judges.

The 37-year-old congressman from Sarangani province, aiming for a seat in the Senate in the May elections, just about sealed the deal

with his performance, which capped one of the most remarkable ring careers in the history of boxing.

Considered the tiebreaker in their yrilogy, in which their first encounter was considered a horrendous split decision in favor of Bradley and where the rematch produced a lopsided verdict in favor of Pacquiao, their final showdown not only cemented the Filipino

DUBS NEAR BULLS’ RECORD TURN TO A12

ring icon’s victory, but also his legacy as one of the truly greats and a guaranteed future Hall of Famer.

The two men fought for the WBO Intercontinental title, with WBO president Francisco “Paco” Valcarcel putting a $100,000 belt for the “Super Champion.”

As The Standard had predicted, it was the best fight in their trilogy and with the retirement of Floyd Mayweather Jr., chances are Pacquiao will make a strong contender for the undefeated, pound-for-pound king as Mayweather’s successor at welterweight.

Pacquiao, who won a guaranteed $20 million purse for the fight, was at mid-ring even before the opening bell, banging his gloves and eager to get on with the action, although

Bradley appeared to slowly assert himself.

Pacquiao was caught by a solid right in Round 5 and was driven against the ropes momentarily, but the Filipino southpaw ripped a flurry of lefts into Bradley and continued to be the aggressor in Round 6.

In the dying seconds of the seventh round, Pacquiao nailed an off-balanced Bradley with a right hook that resulted in a flash knockdown that brought the Filipino’s supporters to their feet.

Bradley, showing his excellent conditioning, charged back in the eighth round and appeared to catch Pacquiao with a left at the back of his ear and wobbled Manny, who was forced to cover up as Bradley tried to storm back.

Turn to A14

MIXED FEELINGS FOR LEADER SPIETH TURN TO A13

Palace lauds Pacman MALACAÑANG on Sunday congratulated Filipino boxer Rep. Manny Pacquiao, who won the WBO international welterweight championship against American boxer Timothy Bradley Jr. “Manny Pacquiao has done the Filipino nation proud again by winning decisively against Timothy Bradley. We applaud and thank him for demonstrating anew that the Filipino has the courage and skill to compete in the global arena,” said Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr., in a statement.

Pacquiao knocked down Bradley twice before scoring a unanimous decision victory at the MGM Grand Garden Arena Saturday in Las Vegas (Sunday in Manila).

The three judges scored the fight 116-110 across the board for Pacquiao.

“Physically, if you ask me, I’m still okay, I can still fight,” Pacquiao said afterward. “But I made my decision to go back to the Philippines and help the people, and spend time with my family.”

Pacquiao is running for a seat in the Senate.

Pacquiao has a record of 58 wins, six losses, and two draws, with 38 wins coming by way of knockout.

He now holds a 2-1 record over Bradley, having lost to the American in controversial fashion during their first bout in June 2012, but winning the subsequent two bouts in very decisive fashion.

Sandy Araneta

B1

MONDAY: APRIL 11, 2016

RAY S. EÑANO EDITOR

RODERICK T. DELA CRUZ ASSISTANT EDITOR

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

BUSINESS

Counterfeit goods.

Customs Commissioner Alberto Lina (fourth from left) leads representatives of the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines and the Department of Trade in Industry in shredding the initial batch of P9 billion worth of seized fake and counterfeit goods smuggled in from various ports in the country. JPT ProEarth committed to deliver destruction services on a daily basis in the span of three months. With Lina (from left) are Intellectual Property of the Philippines director General Josephine Santiago, JPT PRO Earth representative Josephine Talorong and Trade representative Claire Anne Cabochan.

PSe comPoSite index Closing April 8, 2016

8300 7840 7380 6920 6460 6000

7,247.20 14.23

PeSo-dollar rate

Closing April 8, 2016 48.00 46.00 45.00

San Miguel ventures into industrial estate

By Jenniffer B. Austria

C ONGLOMER ATE San Miguel Corp. is venturing into industrial estate development with a 2,000-hectare property in Davao del Sur province.

San Miguel is now inviting potential investors from diverse business sectors to locate their facilities in the 2,000-hectare industrial estate, which the Philippine Economic Zone Authority approved.

San Miguel said its venture into the industrial estate business was part of a commitment “to develop second-tier cities as growth engines for the Philippines through infrastructure development along with investment and employment generation.”

San Miguel said in an advertisement published in a national newspaper its Davao Industrial Estate offers strategic site with easy access through the Davao City and General

Santos City international airports and Davao seaport.

It also offers low long term lease rate, growing skilled workers, a 20-meter deep international port to accommodate container vessels, and a private airport.

A 600-megawatt coal-fired power plant in Malita, Davao Occidental, owned by San Miguel, is also expected to partially go on stream by the second quarter of 2016.

Several property developers like Ayala Land Inc. and Megaworld Corp. in 2014 ventured into industrial estate development, while existing industrial estate developer expanded their land bank on rising demand and a pickup in manufacturing activities.

Property consulting firm Colliers Philippines earlier said the demand was mostly coming from companies engaged in light manufacturing, accounting and logistics.

Several foreign investors are also looking for alternative sites due to rising wages in China.

San Miguel is broadly exposed to the Philippine economy through its diverse range of businesses spanning the beverage, food, pack-

aging, fuel and oil, energy, infrastructure, telecommunications, property and banking industries.

San Miguel said it was well-positioned for significant future growth as its established businesses in beverage, food and packaging continued to provide stable cash flow, while new businesses enabled the company to expand its ability to generate higher returns.

San Miguel in 2015 posted a 26-percent increase in consolidated net income, before foreign exchange adjustments, to P38.2 billion.

Operating income surged 41 percent to P78.7 billion, driven mainly by the robust performance of the food, beverage and packaging units, along with higher margins from Petron Corp., the result of stabilizing crude oil price environment.

Consolidated sales revenues, however, declined 13 percent to P674 billion due to the steep drop in crude oil prices from $111 per barrel in 2014 to $31 per barrel toward the end of 2015.

Share price of San Miguel on Friday closed at P76.55 apiece.

P46.135

44.00

CLOSE

43.00

HIGH P46.135 LOW P46.250 AVERAGE P46.192 VOLUME 640.000M

P400.00-P620.00 LPG/11-kg tank P30.00-P39.32 Unleaded Gasoline

oPriceS il P today

P19.25-P22.75 Diesel P34.55-P39.15 Kerosene Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Friday, April 8, 2016

F oreign e xchange r ate Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

46.1250

Japan

Yen

0.009238

0.4261

UK

Pound

1.405600

64.8333

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128871

5.9442

Switzerland

Franc

1.045916

48.2429

Canada

Dollar

0.760398

35.0734

Singapore

Dollar

0.739481

34.1086

Australia

Dollar

0.749900

34.5891

Bahrain

Dinar

2.655337

122.4774

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266738

12.3033

Brunei

Dollar

0.736757

33.9829

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000076

0.0035

Thailand

Baht

0.028425

1.3111

UAE

Dirham

0.272287

12.5592

Euro

Euro

1.137500

52.4672

Korea

Won

0.000863

0.0398

China

Yuan

0.154493

7.1260

India

Rupee

0.014982

0.6910

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.255689

11.7937

New Zealand

Dollar

0.677600

31.2543

Taiwan

Dollar

0.030880

1.4243 Source: PDS Bridge

MPIC forming a strong consortium to bid for south rail

By Darwin G. Amojelar METRO Pacific Investments Corp. is forming a “very strong” consortium to bid for the P171billion south rail project, after partner Ayala Corp. teamed up with Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc. “Ayala partners with the Aboitiz for NSRP and we are not part of that partnership.

So, Metro Pacific is forming its consortium for NSRP,” MPIC

vice president for business development Karim Garcia told reporters Friday, referring to the North-South Rail Project.

“MPIC and Ayala have an agreement to partner for light rail project, but this is heavy rail.

Because this is heavy rail, we are allowed to partner with the others,” he said.

Ayala and MPIC jointly signed a memorandum of agreement in 2012 to form an exclusive partnership to pursue and develop

rail projects, where each parties will own a 50 interest in the projects and related real estate development undertakings.

The two conglomerates are partners in the P65-billion Light Rail Transit Line 1 extension to Cavite and the Automatic Fare Collection System project.

Ayala and MPIC are also jointly pursuing to bid for the LRT Line 2 and LRT Line 6 under the government’s public-private partnership program.

Garcia said Ayala decided to team up with Aboitiz, while MPIC would be forming a “very, very formidable consortium.”

“It’s a very strong, deep pocketed consortium,” Garcia said.

He said MPIC would sign a bid development agreement with three potential local partners and two foreign partners this week.

The new company would be named Metro Heavy Rail Alliance Consortium, wherein

MPIC will own 35 percent of the company.

Garcia also said MPIC sent a letter to the pre qualification, bids and awards committee of the Transportation Department to extend the deadline for bid submission to middle of May from April 15.

“The timeframe allotted by the Transport Department is very tight. We’ve asked for an extension to somewhere around Middle of May,” Garcia said.

MONDAY: APRIL 11, 2016

B2

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

The STandard BuSineSS Weekly STockS revieW STOCKS

APRIL 04-08, 2016 Close Volume

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 Filipino Fund Inc. First Abacus I-Remit Inc. Manulife Fin. Corp.

MEDCO Holdings Metrobank Natl Reinsurance Corp.

PB Bank Phil Bank of Comm Phil. National Bank Phil. Savings Bank Philippine Trust Co. PSE Inc. RCBC `A’ Security Bank Sun Life Financial Union Bank Vantage Equities

3.34 46.3 102.00 89.75 39.75 2.90 1.32 14.38 15.44 7.70 0.63 1.81 600.00 0.600 85 0.94 14.64 23.70 53.00 103.8 270 280 31.15 179.3 1340.00 57.50 1.6

Aboitiz Power Corp.

Agrinurture Inc. Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. Alsons Cons.

Asiabest Group Bogo Medellin Century Food Chemphil Conc. Aggr. `A’ Cirtek Holdings (Chips) Concepcion Crown Asia Da Vinci Capital Del Monte DNL Industries Inc. Emperador Energy Devt. Corp. (EDC) EEI Euro-Med Lab. First Gen Corp.

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

LBC Express Liberty Flour LMG Chemicals Mabuhay Vinyl Corp.

Macay Holdings Manila Water Co. Inc. Maxs Group Megawide Mla. Elect. Co `A’ Panasonic Mfg Phil. Corp.

Pepsi-Cola Products Phil.

Petron Corporation Phil H2O Phinma Corporation Phoenix Petroleum Phils.

Phoenix Semiconductor Pryce Corp. `A’ RFM Corporation Roxas and Co. Roxas Holdings San Miguel ‘Pure Foods `A’ SPC Power Corp.

Splash Corporation Swift Foods, Inc. TKC Steel Corp.

Trans-Asia Oil Universal Robina Victorias Milling Vitarich Corp.

Vivant Corp.

Vulcan Ind’l.

43.1 5.05 0.7 1.4 11 56.05 18.68 205 340 19.6 47 2.4 5.75 11.28 9.420 7.65 5.63 7.95 1.76 21.85 71.5 12.02 13.78 5.89 2.550 230.60 10.7 34.90 2.18 4.3 37.40 26.35 22.4 6.36 327.00 4.61 3.73 10.66 3.25 11.56 4.37 1.65 2.75 4.30 2.6 4.62 185 4.65 2.58 0.160 1.27 2.69 219 4.7 0.83 30.00 1.25

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

Forum Pacific GT Capital House of Inv. IPM Holdings JG Summit Holdings Jolliville Holdings Keppel Holdings `A’ Keppel Holdings `B’ Lopez Holdings Corp.

Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp.

Mabuhay Holdings `A’ Metro Pacific Inv. Corp.

MJCI Investments Inc. Pacifica `A’ Prime Media Hldg Prime Orion Republic Glass ‘A’ San Miguel Corp `A’ Seafront `A’ SM Investments Inc. Solid Group Inc. South China Res. Inc. Transgrid Top Frontier Unioil Res. & Hldgs Wellex Industries Zeus Holdings

0.360 64.70 16.76 1.10 6.10 0.290 0.280 745.5 7.57 12.70 5.1 5.11 5.00 0.229 1356 6.33 9.79 80.90 4.96 6.2 7 0.68 15.9 0.490 5.82 3.44 0.0340 1.400 1.970 2.76 76.75 2.46 960.00 1.18 0.85 227.00 189.000 0.3000 0.2080 0.280

8990 HLDG Anchor Land Holdings Inc. A. Brown Co., Inc. Araneta Prop `A’ Arthaland Corp.

Ayala Land `B’ Belle Corp. `A’ Cebu Holdings Cebu Prop. `A’ Centennial City City & Land Dev. Cityland Dev. `A’ Crown Equities Inc. Cyber Bay Corp.

Double Dragon Empire East Land Ever Gotesco Global-Estate Filinvest Land,Inc. Interport `A’ Keppel Properties Megaworld Prop.

7.800 8.00 1.50 1.570 0.229 36.000 3 5.16 5.51 0.560 1.01 0.980 0.124 0.540 36.25 0.840 0.160 1.06 1.84 1.35 4.30 3.95

Value

FINANCIAL 9,382,870.00 5,243,995.00 1,102,115,780 460,800,785.00 12,176,035.00 143,330.00 433,630.00 1,796,407.00 20,376,368.00 78,391 4,350 257,990.00 18,700.00 20,280,070.00 688,629,591.00 532,050.00 6,006,422.00 21,330.00 6,092,505.50 220,191.00 26,360.00 2,931,856.00 154,043,550 1,148,867,051.00 421,110.00 11,464,385.50 949,020.00 INDUSTRIAL 6,727,500 289,888,635.00 5,409,000 26,863,623.00 830,000 601,580.00 13,071,000 18,318,590.00 10,700 118,188.00 900 49,987.00 2,433,300 45,588,676 1,740 315,217.00 71,590 25,070,216.00 2,934,200 58,297,021.00 1,374,000 63,348,540 5,639,000 14,016,590.00 7,407,500 42,754,491.00 415,000 4,708,396.00 14,935,200 138,288,949.00 8,232,100 63,060,110.00 64,097,900 367,019,301.00 6,428,600 50,604,514.00 327,000 602,530.00 12,830,100 279,143,525.00 1,060,950 74,319,279.50 115,700 1,456,690.00 75,900 1,048,854.00 560,200 3,317,514.00 63,735,000 168,140,140.00 3,900,940 892,391,024.00 25,300 270,110.00 1,300 45,380.00 894,000 2,069,890.00 1,064,004 4,644,620.00 1,700 63,360.00 9,880,700 259,377,305.00 2,237,300 49,478,515.00 211,100 1,317,151.00 778,530 253,365,040.00 46,000 207,610.00 7,933,000 29,786,470.00 53,383,900 486,543,696.00 15,000 48,750.00 86,600 997,764.00 1,875,000 7,663,900.00 1,408,000 2,361,370.00 994,000 2,706,630.00 3,847,000 16,532,670.00 404,000 1,202,140.00 8,000 37,050.00 380,230 68,478,013.00 231,000 1,061,800.00 1,882,000 4,782,340 38,320,000 6,159,670.00 571,000 729,890.00 23,824,000 63,361,560.00 10,167,240 2,206,048,158.00 286,000 1,313,560.00 75,683,000 60,710,820.00 86,300 2,568,485.00 18,228,000 23,268,350.00 HOLDING FIRMS 1,270,000 449,950.00 4,552,510 292,436,026.50 21,231,700 354,216,628.00 1,288,000 1,531,460.00 56,800 342,826.00 3,880,000 1,127,000.00 1,310,000 383,000.00 923,940 690,296,695.00 7,707,600 57,562,739.00 26,756,200 340,585,394.00 286,500 1,448,256.00 8,000 40,950.00 1,225,600 6,101,280.00 90,000 20,610.00 629,225 862,979,780.00 916,000 5,779,755.00 11,059,100 107,944,080.00 6,557,450 520,528,999.50 10,100 50,365.00 32,400 193,094.00 11,039,800 76,684,531.00 719,000 489,470.00 16,707,300 263,569,134.00 212,000 105,680.00 109,111,100 629,663,204.00 83,000 297,540.00 179,200,000 6,003,200.00 60,000 79,110.00 6,780,000 13,187,950.00 17,000 46,920.00 568,820 43,512,063.50 18,000 44,030.00 1,122,860 1,076,579,685.00 6,574,000 7,976,060.00 2,116,000 1,791,750.00 400 81,455.00 193,240 35,926,818.00 6,010,000 1,848,450.00 6,600,000 1,336,510.00 1,170,000 338,550.00 PROPERTY 742,700 5,791,252.00 8,200 63,168.00 104,637,000 137,967,980.00 155,000 242,210.00 140,000 32,510.00 41,630,500 1,477,293,260.00 5,715,000 16,971,920.00 40,000 207,127.00 100,000 551,195.00 16,856,000 9,397,380.00 21,000 21,110.00 59,000 58,720.00 8,720,000 1,092,080.00 83,430,000 45,875,120.00 9,175,900 334,446,005.00 7,329,000 6,382,880.00 950,000 149,580.00 44,328,000 47,687,630.00 62,414,000 113,024,750.00 717,000 978,910.00 89,900 385,369.00 154,011,000 614,263,390.00 2,856,000 114,000 10,846,780 5,121,760 309,800 50,000 325,000 81,700 1,286,500 10,300 7,000 149,000 30 31,497,000 8,162,410 557,000 405,900 900 115,640 2,120 140 10,570 4,840,200 6,486,320 320 199,120 589,000

MARCH 28-APRIL 01, 2016 Close Volume Value 3.08 46.3 102.00 88.65 39.2 2.85 1.31 14.62 15.64 7.35 0.7 1.72 640.00 0.620 82.6 0.98 14.58 23.65 52.65 104

793,000 49,000 10,936,950 7,547,520 501,700 10,000 385,000 81,300 951,400 60,700 10,000 245,000 360 12,543,000 14,422,050 177,000 185,800 900 146,860 4,280

2,440,510.00 2,262,520.00 1,135,820,993 671,879,248.50 19,588,500.00 28,420.00 521,590.00 1,176,084.00 14,657,312.00 446,957 7,000 427,800.00 230,390.00 7,597,730.00 1,208,434,750.50 166,620.00 2,695,968.00 21,285.00 7,830,923.50 444,395.00

275 30.3 172 1375.00 57.45 1.6

56,690 17,653,400 7,579,880 335 57,890 5,777,000

16,155,634.00 529,843,660 1,291,921,860.00 459,450.00 3,321,598.50 9,988,410.00

43.5 4.9 0.75 1.43 10.6 55.05 19 230 206 19.7 43.2 2.47 5.78 11.38 9.650 7.46 5.78 7.55 1.67 22.5 66.65 13.62 13.90 5.94 2.660 227.20 11 35.00 1.95 4.01

9,090,200 9,057,300 247,000 12,142,000 16,000 18,530 6,471,400 4,380 55,980 4,933,600 93,300 4,734,000 6,488,600 351,300 69,104,000 25,972,700 78,544,900 1,395,500 19,000 21,066,100 686,180 204,200 79,800 1,948,600 28,026,000 3,588,130 658,700 8,535 533,000 3,666,003

400,404,570.00 45,874,471.00 183,280.00 18,223,880.00 169,686.00 1,250,905.00 120,539,244 911,500.00 13,955,759.50 93,681,808.00 4,343,610 11,840,260.00 38,257,520.00 4,087,868.00 660,012,749.00 198,024,682.00 464,911,835.00 10,338,800.00 32,920.00 463,968,160.00 44,933,964.00 2,544,286.00 1,102,400.00 11,481,080.00 78,972,210.00 818,889,386.00 7,609,654.00 297,905.00 1,132,820.00 19,918,100.00

26.7 22.55 6.4 332.00 4.75 3.78 10.36 3.2 11.50 4.40 1.75 2.8 4.15

4,304,500 7,967,000 545,900 1,195,290 588,000 3,762,000 27,233,400 139,000 28,200 1,548,000 2,617,000 2,048,000 2,437,000

115,194,150.00 177,860,525.00 3,468,883.00 387,555,478.00 2,734,920.00 14,259,750.00 285,639,714.00 466,150.00 324,540.00 6,777,530.00 4,578,210.00 5,732,120.00 10,185,180.00

175.1 4.5 2.5 0.159 1.34 2.70 218.2 4.6 0.73 33.75 1.24

225,220 575,000 1,540,000 19,820,000 1,098,000 46,665,000 14,113,290 48,000 35,795,000 65,200 2,393,000

39,008,485.00 2,625,120.00 3,887,150.00 3,164,750.00 1,426,330.00 129,992,690.00 3,031,559,164.00 221,120.00 26,840,340.00 1,857,635.00 2,996,220.00

0.360 64.95 16.48 1.10 6.00 0.290 0.295 757 7.44 13.00 5.15 5.75 5.03 0.231 1388 6.25 9.70 77.80 5 5.8 6.98 0.69 15.62 0.500 5.8 3.46 0.0330 1.460 1.970 2.75 76.50 2.4 960.00 1.20 0.76 230.00 177.800 0.3100 0.2050 0.290

840,000 7,860,280 33,518,700 23,000 263,600 18,270,000 2,580,000 1,876,560 20,537,600 20,604,300 1,251,200 43,100 1,501,700 2,820,000 767,715 731,600 9,398,600 10,404,780 428,900 154,300 32,340,900 1,351,000 8,974,400 837,000 189,254,700 174,000 273,300,000 7,000 2,942,000 11,000 964,190 105,000 1,711,860 6,734,000 323,000 7,580 237,790 9,570,000 10,790,000 13,070,000

301,700.00 506,867,321.50 565,208,404.00 25,570.00 1,605,691.00 5,447,500.00 767,650.00 1,399,492,805.00 151,191,010.00 275,625,136.00 6,681,154.00 254,615.00 7,517,558.00 659,860.00 1,085,620,505.00 4,481,690.00 91,309,871.00 824,005,495.00 2,521,386.00 1,193,712.00 224,506,329.00 940,880.00 141,545,064.00 415,150.00 1,107,801,077.00 719,780.00 9,110,300.00 9,820.00 5,844,450.00 30,150.00 74,031,837.50 242,880.00 1,640,821,515.00 7,910,250.00 249,920.00 1,675,898.00 42,954,894.00 3,009,800.00 2,234,610.00 4,219,550.00

7.800

904,400

7,099,450.00

1.27 1.550 0.236 35.400 2.99 5.15

112,833,000 584,000 1,030,000 59,569,600 5,899,000 45,100

125,326,990.00 922,200.00 238,350.00 2,092,802,820.00 17,548,930.00 232,573.00

0.560 1.00 0.990 0.127 0.520 37.6 0.850 0.153 1.03 1.83 1.42 5.00 4.11

38,466,000 29,000 82,000 7,730,000 84,924,000 7,850,300 2,110,000 860,000 19,991,000 144,040,000 6,287,000 608,800 157,737,000

21,999,250.00 27,740.00 81,550.00 997,300.00 45,563,235.00 303,925,775.00 1,814,440.00 132,830.00 20,952,360.00 259,074,860.00 8,760,170.00 3,467,754.00 653,659,950.00

STOCKS

APRIL 04-08, 2016 Close Volume

MRC Allied Ind. Phil. Estates Corp.

Phil. Realty `A’ Phil. Tob. Flue Cur & Redry 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

0.091 0.2470 0.520 15.48 8.7 29.00 1.58 3.09 22.00 0.88 6.99 1.200 4.770

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

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

Discovery World DFNN Inc. Easy Call “Common” FEUI Globe Telecom GMA Network Inc. Grand Plaza Hotel Harbor Star I.C.T.S.I. Imperial Res. `A’ Imperial Res. `B’ IPeople Inc. `A’ IP E-Game Ventures Inc. Island Info ISM Communications Jackstones Leisure & Resorts Liberty Telecom Lorenzo Shipping Macroasia Corp.

Manila Broadcasting Manila Bulletin Manila Jockey Melco Crown Metro Retail MG Holdings NOW Corp.

Pacific Online Sys. Corp.

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

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

SSI Group STI Holdings Transpacific Broadcast Travellers Waterfront Phils.

Yehey

7.19 56.8 1.28 0.580 11 28.5 4.59 0.0620 3.12 90 9.9 1.64 7.00 3.11 965 2076 7.14 24.00 1.24 66.2 16.68 200 11.7 0.0110 0.320 1.4500 2.35 7.59 3.90 1.26 2.85 24.30 0.690 1.96 2.19 3.81 0.310 2.200 17.8 5.00 2.75 110.00 21.95 1828.00 0.480 0.880 39.10 77.00 6.44 3.48 0.630 1.97 3.63 0.325 5.120

Abra Mining Apex `A’ Atlas Cons. `A’ Atok-Big Wedge `A’ Basic Energy Corp.

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

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

TA Petroleum United Paragon

0.0044 2.02 4.27 12.70 0.233 7.4500 7.6500 0.81 0.470 8.24 0.820 0.285 0.255 0.275 0.0120 0.0130 2.04 4.98 2.51 0.5900 1.2400 0.0096 0.0095 3.80 5.42 2.23 0.0120 127.00 2.5 0.0096

ABS-CBN Holdings Corp.

Ayala Corp. Pref ‘B1’ Ayala Corp. Pref ‘B2’ BC Pref. A First Gen G GLOBE PREF P GMA Holdings Inc. Leisure & Resort Pref.

MWIDE PREF PCOR-Preferred A PCOR-Preferred B PF Pref 2 PNX PREF 3A PNX PREF 3B SMC Preferred C SMC Preferred D SMC Preferred E SMC Preferred F SMC Preferred G SMC Preferred H SMC Preferred I

57.5 520 520 44.55 115.4 520 7.02 1.1 110 1030 1030 1014 104.5 107 79.75 80 75.6 76.5 77 75 75

Leisure & Resort Warr.

3.130

Alterra Capital Makati Fin. Corp.

Italpinas Xurpas

4.19 3.78 3.07 18.38

First Metro ETF

118.7

MARCH 28-APRIL 01, 2016 Close Volume Value

Value

7,840,000 1,690,000 1,414,000 100 214,300 13,130,800 3,316,000 61,000 49,196,100 19,605,000 87,700 64,208,000 19,494,000

696,620.00 408,890.00 719,360.00 1,548.00 1,855,542.00 367,979,440.00 5,138,580.00 185,840.00 1,075,511,770.00 17,673,000.00 583,133.00 80,022,870.00 92,277,310.00 SERVICES 410,900 3,002,260.00 472,310 26,698,485.50 350,000 448,790.00 4,635,000 2,676,780.00 12,100 133,016.00 500 14,250 16,217,500 76,831,535.00 633,280,000 41,065,940.00 1,597,000 5,079,060.00 1,300,830 116,091,469.00 2,700 26,730.00 240,000 396,960 578,200 3,934,987.00 421,000 1,717,950.00 2,370 2,287,250.00 422,430 866,813,310 766,200 5,388,470.00 63,600 1,730,620 462,000 583,810.00 5,488,960 361,978,629.00 1,211,600 25,310,416 2,090 439,208 17,900 203,766.00 32,100,000 322,800.00 663,460,000 209,398,450.00 76,527,000 113,838,580.00 434,000 989,150.00 1,358,300 10,342,160.00 3,813,000 14,989,230.00 25,000 31,540.00 8,000 22,590.00 3,600 87,070 11,854,000 8,189,820.00 1,143,000 2,280,390.00 65,929,000 149,304,640.00 6,134,000 23,431,210.00 23,760,000 7,379,800.00 648,878,000 1,208,073,580.00 887,000 15,779,430.00 123,600 622,726 15,000 40,450.00 91,300 10,382,025.00 473,200 10,339,280.00 686,590 1,270,316,655.00 39,650,000 19,079,550.00 27,029,000 23,746,860.00 22,360,400 833,742,735.00 6,863,920 514,471,037.50 12,176,400 77,432,896.00 16,372,000 56,037,360.00 89,165,190 57,179,090.00 310,000 589,830.00 7,391,000 26,860,490.00 1,010,000 328,650.00 3,558,900 19,233,601.00 MINING & OIL 552,000,000 2,438,400.00 244,000 496,350.00 815,000 3,525,090.00 10,300 118,810.00 600,000 144,380.00 923,900 6,937,579.00 128,300 976,248.00 40,836,000 31,011,950.00 2,930,000 1,406,000.00 92,500 749,326.00 36,908,000 30,285,050.00 2,670,000 764,050.00 210,600,000 54,646,200.00 7,700,000 2,141,550.00 194,500,000 2,323,800.00 5,300,000 65,900.00 3,171,000 6,353,400.00 14,901,800 73,427,788.00 689,000 1,733,180.00 513,000 271,610.00 377,000 471,090.00 74,300,000 721,000.00 33,600,000 328,920.00 119,000 451,260.00 8,163,000 43,526,691.00 15,796,000 34,587,470.00 259,900,000 3,121,100.00 2,664,290 342,187,577.00 811,000 1,989,390.00 68,000,000 664,600.00 PREFERRED 578,210 31,900,347.50 2,810 1,461,250.00 4,780 2,516,370 200 8,910.00 3,510 405,031.00 50 26,050.00 195,200 1,361,155.00 100,000 110,000 840 92,014.00 5,000 5,150,000.00 5,000 5,150,000.00 7,580 7,659,540.00 3,210 332,845.00 1,000 107,000.00 232,980 18,639,119.50 51,500 3,960,190.00 103,750 7,845,028.00 137,850 10,573,003.00 310,060 23,618,211.00 692,380 51,943,460.50 1,348,210 101,117,892.50 WARRANTS & BONDS 1,627,000 5,101,550.00 SME 299,000 1,262,530.00 193,000 692,800.00 1,505,000 4,714,130.00 16,909,400 313,068,348.00 EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 21,960 2,599,866.00

0.092 0.2490 0.500

19,820,000 12,300,000 2,424,000

1,775,630.00 3,206,440.00 1,201,050.00

8.69 27.60 1.5 3.05 22.15 0.9 6.41 1.130 4.700

13,593,300 12,072,000 979,000 447,000 70,673,600 26,370,000 540,500 12,652,000 41,817,000

923,734.00 341,671,255.00 1,469,750.00 1,368,730.00 1,564,126,090.00 23,610,090.00 4,311,364.00 13,977,140.00 194,230,990.00

7.42 57.2 1.24 0.560 10.64 28.5 5.08 0.0720 3.27 89.65 9.9 1.9 6.98 3.39 975 2092 6.99 20.55 1.21 67.5 21.70 280 11.34 0.0100 0.280 1.3400 2.3 7.80 3.75 1.33 2.85 20.20 0.550 1.94 2.5 3.85 0.290 1.290 17.9 5.04 2.4 109.00 22.05 1920.00 0.430 0.900 36.45 74.00 6.12 3.41 0.590 1.81 3.71 0.360 4.820

536,100 216,420 4,780,000 4,512,000 14,100 600 15,511,600 489,700,000 3,186,000 2,464,860 17,300 262,000 2,468,800 20,000 2,190 655,195 526,000 53,700 373,000 4,146,780 3,225,400 11,150 3,700 28,300,000 283,990,000 14,010,800 4,436,000 632,300 2,579,000 15,000 387,000 2,300 442,000 59,000 81,980,000 6,149,000 1,210,000 299,682,000 28,000 344,400 23,000 449,380 341,800 618,020 2,690,000 69,425,000 8,511,600 14,903,860 17,911,200 108,316,000 32,843,000 802,000 5,494,000 1,410,000 265,000

4,007,018.00 12,520,026.00 6,763,190.00 2,702,690.00 150,402.00 16,760 79,057,079.00 35,337,380.00 10,525,730.00 223,652,009.00 37,616.00 447,180 16,840,592.00 64,120.00 2,107,780.00 1,420,457,170 3,666,360.00 1,691,740 455,420.00 276,395,157.00 97,074,765 2,609,046 41,982.00 298,600.00 81,078,350.00 21,109,510.00 11,527,000.00 4,958,510.00 9,576,720.00 19,220.00 1,075,450.00 53,650.00 245,110.00 113,860.00 206,771,100.00 23,949,350.00 337,100.00 345,214,000.00 491,750.00 1,734,907 59,650.00 45,070,966.00 7,494,610.00 1,211,043,770.00 1,156,050.00 63,230,210.00 313,618,320.00 944,180,280.00 112,003,421.00 386,952,100.00 19,103,020.00 1,471,900.00 20,961,550.00 491,400.00 1,264,410.00

0.0045 2.11 4.19 12.78 0.250 7.3900 8.2000 0.62 0.480 8.30 0.830 0.290 0.270 0.285 0.0120 0.0120 2.06 5.09 2.53 0.6000 1.2600 0.0100 0.0094 3.76 5.50 2.33 0.0120 130.50 2.47 0.0091

432,000,000 224,000 3,688,000 3,300 5,110,000 2,791,000 1,655,100 1,120,000 1,550,000 188,800 131,802,000 3,400,000 171,210,000 21,060,000 263,900,000 199,900,000 2,181,000 20,540,400 652,000 955,000 627,000 46,600,000 4,800,000 240,000 5,922,600 13,266,000 272,800,000 2,964,610 1,200,000 20,000,000

1,956,300.00 462,740.00 15,658,640.00 41,584.00 1,274,360.00 31,482,159.00 18,564,021.00 705,090.00 742,200.00 1,549,923.00 112,973,630.00 968,750.00 47,516,950.00 6,169,250.00 3,175,600.00 2,494,200.00 4,564,300.00 110,371,140.00 1,661,760.00 561,570.00 794,330.00 459,400.00 45,120.00 902,640.00 33,487,373.00 31,105,760.00 3,376,800.00 389,144,297.00 3,034,440.00 258,800.00

56.6 525 528 44.55 115.6 525 6.75 1.1 106 1075 1056 1015 103.6 107 81.9 75.5 76.5 76.8 75.6 75 75

1,165,230 85,010 2,010 3400 75,220 101,620 162,500 2,000 26,560 145 325 13,445 1,230 15,780 276,010 863,700 383,450 253,650 319,580 618,060 729,800

67,160,484.50 44,685,640.00 1,061,350 114,115.00 8,529,576.00 53,038,530.00 1,089,902.00 2,200 2,818,232.00 155,175.00 343,850.00 13,603,190.00 128,310.00 1,692,210.00 22,499,610.50 65,230,580.00 29,073,320.00 19,454,501.00 24,178,277.00 46,365,885.00 54,735,335.00

3.270

1,682,000

5,726,930.00

4.47 3.64 3.25 17.92

826,000 1,237,000 2,244,000 15,647,200

3,369,850.00 4,607,840.00 7,488,010.00 276,900,570.00

118.5

73,940

8,859,717.00

WEEKLY MOST TRADED STOCKS Island Info NOW Corp.

Boulevard Holdings Abra Mining Philodrill Corp. `A’ Lepanto `A’ Manila Mining `A’ Pacifica `A’ Megaworld Prop.

Metro Pacific Inv. Corp.

VOLUME 663,460,000 648,878,000 633,280,000 552,000,000 259,900,000 210,600,000 194,500,000 179,200,000 154,011,000 109,111,100

STOCKS Universal Robina Ayala Land `B’ PLDT Common NOW Corp.

Security Bank Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. SM Investments Inc. SM Prime Holdings Jollibee Foods Corp.

Globe Telecom

VALUE 2,206,048,158.00 1,477,293,260.00 1,270,316,655.00 1,208,073,580.00 1,148,867,051.00 1,102,115,780 1,076,579,685.00 1,075,511,770.00 892,391,024.00 866,813,310

MONDAY: APRIL 11, 2016

B3

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

SM starts China condo project

By Jenniffer B. Austria

PROPERTY developer SM Prime Holdings Inc. said it expects to start pre-selling condominium units in China by the first quarter of 2017, after it broke ground for a seven-tower residential project this year.

SM Prime residential business head Jose Mari Banzon said the company started excavation works for the seven-tower residential project in Chengdu.

“In China, [you] can’t start selling unless each construction has reached the found level. So we would start pre-selling units by the first quarter of next year,” Banzon said.

The company expects to complete the whole development by 2019 to 2020, he said.

The residential project in Chengdu is one of the several condominium projects SM Prime plans to develop in China, as it continues to look for landbank, particularly in the first and second-tier cities.

Expansion project in China would mostly likely be near SM Prime’s existing malls.

SM Prime has six malls in China which are located in Xiamen, Jinjiang, Chengdu, Suzhou, Chongqing and Zibo. In 2016, the company plans to open SM Tainjin.

Banzon said residential sales in China remained strong despite concerns over possible economic slowdown.

SM Development also plans to finally launch its first house and lot project in the Philippines this year.

Banzon said the first economic housing project would be located in Pampanga and would be sold at a price range of P800,000 to P1.7 million. The group is entering the segment given the huge demand and housing backlog in the country.

“There is strong demand for house and lot projects. The biggest backlog in housing market is in the economic housing segment.

Margin in that segment is still okay, but it gets narrower as you go down,” Banzon said.

The SM group plans to launch its first affordable mid-rise residential project in Cavite. “Ultimately, our target is to be halfhalf in terms of project launches and contribution to revenues,” Banzon said Bulk of its residential launches are currently high-rise developments while only 10 percent are mid-rise and house and lot projects.

Banzon said the group’s residential sales in the first quarter of 2016 were significantly higher than same period last year, on strong demand.

Solar condominium. Certified green builder Italpinas Development Corp. is set to launch a new condominium development, where buyers will not only own a topnotch home, but also enjoy the benefits of an innovative solar-power system. IDC’s Primavera City in Cagayan de Oro City is designed with an onsite solar power plant component that should produce around 1.4 megawatts of power. IDC president Jose Leviste III said by investing in an economically sized solar-power system, the residents of Primavera City will enjoy a lowered cost of living as the system contributes solar power to the building’s various functions. Shown is the design of Primavera City.

Market index may test 7,300-point level STOCKS are expected move sideways this week with an upward bias, as investors take cue from international markets and the release of new domestic data.

BPI Asset Management said in a weekly outlook the bellwether Philippine Stock Exchange index was expected to trade between 7,170 and 7,300 points, with the remittance data for the month of February as the main catalyst.

“This would confirm if the effects of weak global demand to the overseas workers would really be material,” BPI Asset Management said.

Another data the market players are keeping an eye on is the US consumer price index, which is also scheduled to be released this week.

Some analysts expect the market to weaken toward the 7,000-point level in the nearterm, ahead of the national elections in May. “Chartwise, the week’s close at 7,247.20 confirms a nearterm top at 7,412. [We] continue to see further weakness towards the 7,000 level in the near-term. Expect the market to range between 7,150 and 7,350 in the week ahead,” BDO

Unibank Inc. investment strategist Jonathan Ravelas said.

The 30-company PSEi last week closed flat at 7,247.20, on sideways trading. While the index reached a weekly high of 7,302.62 on Monday, the market traded lower through most of the week with a last-minute recovery on Friday.

Gains in financials (up 1.7 percent) offset losses in mining/oil (down 1.9 percent) and services (down 1.91 percent).

Average turnover fell 20 percent to P5.448 billion from the previous week’s average of P7.04 billion.

Foreigners turned net sellers with P325 million. Total overseas selling last week amounted to P15.72 billion while total foreign buying reached P14.1 billion.

Consumer stocks Concepcion Industrial and Puregold Price Club Inc. were the among top gainers last week. Concepcion Industrial gained 8.8 percent to P47, while Puregold jumped 7.3 percent to P39.10.

Bloomberry Resorts Corp. dropped 9.6 percent to P4.59, while Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. dipped 4.8 percent to P1,828.

Jenniffer B. Austria

Navotas diesel plant operator rescinds contract with Meralco

By Alena Mae S. Flores THE Energy Regulatory Commission has expressed concern over the ongoing dispute between Millennium Energy Inc., the operator of the 100-megawatt diesel-fired power plant in Navotas City, and distributor Manila Electric Co. ERC chairman Jose Vicente Salazar said Millennium’s dispute with Meralco involved the distribution wheeling services agreement for the 100-megawatt facility located at Navotas Fish Port Complex.

“The commission met with Millennium because they have a

problem with Meralco, specifically their DWSA with Meralco,” Salazar told reporters.

Salazar said Millennium had decided to stop supplying capacity to the wholesale electricity spot market after incurring losses due to the wheeling charges collected by the distribution company.

WESM acts as the trading floor of electricity and is being operated by Philippine Electricity Market Corp.

“Millennium is embedded to Meralco, so it is being charged the wheeling charges…This is one thing that is crucial with the agreement. Millennium will have to pay Meralco despite the fact

that it is not earning from the market. It is like the highway that even if you don’t use it, you pay for it and it is based on the capacity that you can actually offer to the market,” Salazar said.

Millennium decided to rescind its contract with Meralco and also notified PEMC that it would cease membership in WESM effective April 1.

“Millennium decided to rescind its contract [with Meralco].

It did not want to pay anymore saying that the contract was unreasonable,” Salazar said.

Sources said Millennium was required to pay Meralco P25 million a month under the

DWSA, on top of the transmission charges of the National Transmission Corp.

Salazar said Millennium’s available capacity could add supply in the Luzon grid, especially during the dry months amid tight supply. The less power supply in the spot market could push electricity prices higher.

Salazar said ERC was looking on how to settle the issue, as Millennium asked “why would we do business if we’re losing money, and the distribution wheeling charges are too much for us to handle.”

Salazar said Meralco could counter Millennium’s claim, as

the power generator signed the contract and knew the charges fully well.

“That is something which you can ask to the market. What is going to be your next move considering there is a need for us to increase capacity since it’s summer,” Salazar said.

PEMC officials are set to issue their comment on the issue Monday while the Energy Department has yet to respond to the issue.

Millennium decided to rehabilitate and operate the diesel plant after former Energy Secretary Carlos Jericho Petilla announced a possible supply shortage in the dry months of 2015.

B4 RCBC finances big solar facility RIZAL Commercial Banking Corp. served as the biggest funder to the country’s largest solar power generation facility with RCBC Capital Corp. as the sole arranger.

The project is Southeast Asia’s largest solar farm, placing the Philippines in the renewable energy Map. Former Senators Miguel Zubiri and Richard Gordon, both staunch supporters of the Renewable Energy Law graced the inauguration of the plant, along with local government officials led by Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon and Cadiz City Mayor Patrick Escalante.

RCBC executive vice president and group head of conglomerates and global corporate Helios Solar Energy Corp. inaugurates its 132.5-megawatt solar farm in Cadiz City, Negros Occidental. banking Michelangelo Aguilar congratulated Helios for its feat of building one of the top 10 largest solar power plants in the world.

He reiterated RCBC’s support to Equis’ other renewable projects in the pipeline. Equis is Asia’s largest independent renewable energy developer and investor with more than $2.7 billion of funds under management.

The project is first of its size in Southeast Asia. It has contributwhich states that we are ready ed significant value and opportu- By Darwin G Amojelar to bid for this project and to give nities to communities in Negros Occidental after employing over ABOITIZ Equity Ventures Inc. and Metro Pa- them time to secure clearances,” Garcia said. “We are saying that 2,000 local people during the May 6 would be the date in which cific Investments Corp. are ready to submit construction phase.

It is estimated that the project bids for the P108.2-billion contract to oper- they can still have time to award the airports project to the winner will produce 188,500 MWh of ate and maintain five regional airports under in this administration.” solar power annually, an amount “After May 6, we have conenough to power approximately the government’s public private partnership cerns that they won’t be able to 167,526 households, save 177.7 million liters of water, and de- program despite no bid submission date set do that and it leaves questions to what will be going to happen to crease carbon emissions by by the Transport Department. the airport projects with the new 94,627 tons per year, or equiv“I think most of the bidders are ing. All the bidders are working administration,” he added. alent to 10 years of carbon seKarim, though, said his compaquestered by planting 2.4 mil- geared up by now and ready for for over a year for this project. lion trees. that opportunity,” AEV first vice It’s been a very transparent proj- ny would continue to participate The solar plant was devel- president for business develop- ect,” he added. in the bidding of the project under oped through a partnership be- ment Roman Azanza III told reMPIC vice president for busi- the new administration. tween Gregorio Araneta Inc. porters on Friday on the sidelines ness development Karim Gar“[But] we preferred to have the and Soleq, which is owned by of a forum, referring to the five cia agreed with Azanza that the bid done within this administraEquis. Soleq is one of Southeast regional airports project. government should push through tion rather than the potential deAsia’s largest solar independent Azanza said bidding out the with the bidding within the cur- lay,” Karim said. power producers.

GMR-Megawide Consortium project within the Aquino admin- rent administration.

The project follows the part- istration would be a much boost “We are highly concerned if the earlier asked the Transportation nership’s first solar project, a to the PPP program. bid submission date is not done by Department to proceed with the 30-MW generation facility in “It’s the best thing for this May 6. I have sent a formal let- bidding of five regional airports Ormoc, Leyte, which was com- country to bid out this project be- ter to the PBAC [prequalification, before President Benigno Aquino missioned in April 2015. cause those airports need upgrad- bids, and awards committee], III steps down in July.

Aboitiz, MetroPacific eye 5 airport projects The department earlier deferred the bid submission date for the five regional airports from March 28 to a maximum of 30 days, or when all final clearances and approvals were obtained from the concerned agencies.

The Transportation Department earlier pre-qualified Maya Consortium led by Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Philippine Airports Consortium of Metro Pacific Investments Corp., San Miguel Holdings Corp.-IIAC Airport Consortium, GMR-Megawide Consortium and Filinvest-JATCO-Sojitz Consortium for the project.

Aboitiz Equity teamed up with Vinci Airports of France to form the Maya Consortium, while San Miguel Holdings tapped Incheon International Airport Corp. to create SMHC-IIAC Airport Corp.

MPIC teamed up with Aeroports de Paris Management SA, while Filinvest tapped Japan Airport Terminal Corp. and Sojitz Corp.

Court stops registration of govt property in General Santos A REGIONAL trial court judge in General Santos City issued a temporary restraining order, stopping the Register of Deeds in the southern Mindanao city from registering the sale of a 707-hectare government property based on land titles the Land Registration Authority had declared fake.

General Santos City RTC Branch 37 presiding judge Panambulan Mimbisa, acting on a motion filed

by Alsons Development and Investment Corp., issued a status quo ante order on March 22, 2016 to “allow a full ventilation of the conflicting claims of ownership” involving

the government-owned land that has been the subject of a long-simmering dispute that began 13 years ago.” The defendant is the local Register of Deeds and Jimmy Tang.

The TRO restored the situation in question to the state where it was before. The LRA, in a sudden turnabout, recently issued an undated resolution allowing transactions on a batch of original certificates of titles that allegedly covered parcels of land adjacent to the General Santos City airport.

The LRA resolution was a complete change of position from its long-standing ruling in February

2004 when it declared the same batch of OCTs as spurious after an investigation conducted by its Task Force Titulong Malinis.

The undated LRA resolution would have allowed Tang, owner of Manila-based Avenue Electrical Supply Co., who claimed to have bought the land to get the General Santos Registry of Deeds to register its sale to him.

Holding a title that allegedly covers five parcels of land located next to the General Santos airport, Tang had asked the city’s Register of Deeds to register the sale as early as last year.

The office, however, wrote him a letter informing him that it could not do so because the mother title of the five parcels “has been found to be spurious” by the LRA’s TFTM, and was the subject of an earlier investigation by the National Bureau of Investigation.

The 707 hectares in question make up 95 percent of a 747-hectare government property covered by an Integrated Forest Management Agreement between Aldevinco and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources that was signed in June 1992.

The recently released LRA reso-

lution attempted to remove the legal impediment, a development that alarmed Senator Aquilino Pimentel III and prompted him to question the agency’s sudden turnabout.

In a letter earlier addressed to Eulalio Diaz III, LRA administrator, Pimentel, chairman of the Senate committee on justice and human rights, warned that the agency’s action could be “prejudicial to the LRA’s avowed mission to maintain and foster greater public trust and confidence in the Torrens title as a secure, stable and trustworthy record of land ownership and recorded interests.”

M O N D AY : A P R I L 1 1 , 2 0 1 6

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

B5

P100-m capital on HMOs up

By Gabrielle H. Binaday

THE Insurance Commission said over the weekend it will require a minimum paid-up capital of P100 million on new health maintenance organizations that will operate in the country.

Insurance Commissioner Emmanuel Dooc said HMOs should have the minimum paid-up capital of P100 million before they could receive the license to operate.

The IC recently posted on its Web site a draft memorandum circular requiring the minimum capitalization and stronger finan-

cial capacity from the HMOs. The IC earlier placed the HMOs under its watch IC President Benigno Aquino III in November last year signed Executive Order No. 192 placing the the HMOs under the supervision of the IC from the Health Department.

An HMO is a prepaid health-

care service provider offering comprehensive coverage to its members through partnerships with hospitals and other health professionals.

The executive order transferred the regulatory and supervisory capacities of Health to the IC, including their establishment, operations and financial activities.

Dooc said the commission published the draft circular to get comments from the industry players until April 28.

“After that [deadline], we will no longer entertain late comments, just to put an end to this. We want to fast track this

and if we are open to liberal acceptance of late comments, this will not see an ending,” Dooc said.

The draft circular said all existing HMOs must have a minimum paid capital of at least P10 million. These HMOs were the ones that received their license from the previous regulator and those that renewed their license with the IC in December Dooc said the regulator gave a one-year operating license to companies that applied for renewal last year pending the formulation of new rules.

“Ten applied for the renewal of license. We are processing them,

and we are [still] using existing requirements. That’s why we’re only issuing one-year license because eventually we will be using [the] new guidelines,” Dooc said.

He said companies whose license expired after the approval of the new guidelines should meet the P100-million capital requirement.

“Of course, there are big players and I’m happy to say that they are backed up by strong capital. What we have indicated here is if you have no existing license.... and then you come to us to apply... we’ll be imposing P100 million,” Dooc said.

Bidding for Sucat oil plant a failure

By Alena Mae S. Flores STATE-RUN Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. declared the second round auction for the structures, plant equipment, auxiliaries and accessories of the decommissioned 850-megawatt Sucat Thermal Power Plant a failure after the three qualified bidders did not meet the reserve price.

“The bidding was declared a failure because none of the qualified bidders met the reserve price set for the asset package,” PSALM officer-in-charge Lourdes Alzona said in a statement.

The PSALM board sets the reserve price which it did not disclose. PSALM conducted the second round of bidding on April 8.

PSALM said four bidders intially submitted their offers for the sale of the Sucat decommissioned plant.

One bidder, however, was disqualified after it was found noncompliant with the legal requirements of the auction process.

The three qualified bidders, meanwhile, were Riverbend Consolidated Mining Corp., VPD Trading and Sta. Clara International.

PSALM earlier reported that as many as 10 prospective bidders were interested to join the bidding.

PSALM said its privatization bids and awards committee would convene to discuss the next steps for the asset sale. PSALM has the option to enter into a negotiated bidding.

PSALM plans to use proceeds from the Sucat privatization to liquidate the financial obligations it assumed from National Power Corp. PSALM manages the assets and liabilities of Napocor as mandated by the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001.

The first round of auction failed last year amid allegations of dubious documents submitted by the winning bidder.

‘Best Developer.’

Megaworld Corp. is named the country’s ‘Best Developer’ in the 2016 Philippines Property Awards held at the Fairmont Hotel, Makati City. The company will compete against other developers in the region at the 6th South East Asia Property Awards in Singapore in November.

Megaworld also received three major development and design awards, and 13 highly commended awards for various projects.

Receiving the award from 2016 Philippines Property Awards board of judges chairman Lindsay Orr (left) are Megaworld chief operating officer Lourdes Gutierrez-Alfonso (center) and first vice president Kevin Tan.

Moody’s: Manufacturing grew slower in February

By Julito G. Rada THE manufacturing sector likely expanded in February but slower compared with the double-digit growth a month ago, Moody’s Analytics, a division of Moody’s Corp., said in a report over the weekend.

“Philippine industrial production likely expanded 5.5 percent in February, following January’s astronomical 34-percent gain,” Moody’s said, adding the sector’s growth trajectory would augur well for the economy in general.

“The Philippines is set to have one of the best performing

economies in the region again in 2016. Food production is expected to grow strongly in the coming months, as the negative effects a severe El Niño had on crop production start to dissipate,” Moody’s said.

Experts believe the manufacturing sector will remain one of the growth drivers of the economy. The dissipating effects of El Niño, especially on the agricultural sector, is seen positive for the industry.

The National Economic and Development Authority earlier said growth in the manufacturing sector started strong in 2016 as

production of chemical products and food manufactures expanded in January.

The volume of production index under the Philippine Statistics Authority’s Monthly Integrated Survey of Selected Industries for January 2016 grew 34 percent in January, nearly seven times more than the growth rate of 5 percent in December 2015.

The value of production index recovered from a consistent decline since April 2015 after posting a 26.5-percent growth.

Economic Planning Secretary Emmanuel Esguerra said the sec-

tor was expected to grow more strongly for the year ahead following a moderate expansion in 2015 on account of weak global demand and adverse weather conditions.

He said a bullish business outlook was anticipated in the second quarter of 2016 on the back of higher election-related spending activities and the roll-out of infrastructure projects.

He said the implementation of projects under the public-private partnership program and stronger domestic demand during the dry season would further support the growth in the manufacturing sector.

MONDAY: APRIL 11, 2016

B6 Dhaka bank officials blamed BANGLADESH’S finance minister A.M.A Muhith said several Bangladesh Bank officials were “100 percent” involved in the cyber heist where $81 million was stolen from a US Federal Reserve account and transferred to the Philippines.

Muhith told the country’s largest newspaper Prothom Alo that “Of course! One hundred percent they are [involved]. This cannot be possible without complicity of the locals.”

“The rule is that the transactions are activated only after the hand prints of the six persons are serially placed on a specified plate,” Muhith said in wire reports.

He said the official explanation that the central bank’s action against the hackers was delayed because it took place on a Friday, when the bank was closed, was “totally implausible.”

Muhith said there should be people in the bank even on a Friday to answer calls and provide information even on holidays.

Central bank governor Atiur Rahman and his two deputies were forced to resign following the theft which embarrassed the government, triggered outrage in the impoverished country and raised alarm over the security of the country’s foreign exchange reserves of over $27 billion.

Muhith said Rahman had stood down at his request, after revealing that the Bangladesh Bank governor failed to inform authorities of the theft for a month.

“I don’t deny that I took time [to inform the finance minister].

It was a cyber attack and even today we don’t know from where it originated,” Rahman said.

BUSINESS business@manilastandardtoday.com extrastory2000@gmail.com

Clark’s ‘Green City’ breaks ground today

By Othel V. Campos

PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III is leading the groundbreaking rites for Clark Green City today, heralding the start of the development of the country’s first smart, green and disaster-resilient metropolis in Tarlac province.

The president will lay the time capsule of what will become the country’s most modern and global metropolis.

He will be accompanied by Cabinet members including Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson and Economic Planning Secretary

ditions also make it less vulnerable to earthquakes. The absence of a fault line in the vicinity makes the site ideal for long-term development.

The city will also be spared from the damaging effects of super typhoons, with the Zambales Mountain Range and the Sierra Madre Mountain Range serving as natural barriers.

Flooding will also be remote due to its high elevation.

Casanova said Clark Green City would showcase the country’s capability to build a sustainable and modern city.

“The city will adopt smart and green features like compact walkable communities with generous open spaces, bike lanes, mass transportation, smart utilities, high-bandwidth connectivity, protected biodiversity, energy efficiency and urban farming, among others, making it one of the country’s most livable cities of the future,” he said.

Power meeting. Energy Secretary Zenaida Monsada (fourth from left, seated) and undersecretary Mylene Capongcol (third from left) meet with power stakeholders during the Power Task Force Election 2016 information, education and communication campaign in preparation for the national and local elections on May 9, 2016.

We are not giving up

FREDELITA E. DE MESA

GREEN LIGHT “NEVER Give Up,” says respected businessman Cecilio Pedro on an electronic billboard posted outside the Lamoiyan Building – an intriguing quote that echoes sentiments on how Filipinos should look upon their nation over the upcoming years.

Never give up on new beginnings Many are hoping that the P167.9billion fund to rebuild the affected areas by Typhoon Yolanda may find its way to the 16 million Filipino victims. About P81.89 billion of this total amount came from in 58 foreign governments, P29.84 billion from the European Commission and P52.06 billion from our national government.

According to Budget Secretary Butch Abad, P89 billion was released in 2015. The Social Welfare Department received the huge amount of P30 billion, while P22 billion was allocated to the National Housing Authority, but where did the P47 billion go? He failed to mention this in his interview with Rappler.com.

Though, the report included that the remaining amount will be released

Emmanuel Esguerra.

“It’s all system go for the Clark Green City,” Bases Conversion and Development Authority president and chief executive Arnel Paciano Casanova said.

The development of the 9,450-hectare Clark Green City will be in several phases. The first phase covering 288 hectares will be developed

by BCDA and joint-venture partner Filinvest Land Inc. The Filinvest parcel will have two distinct components—an industrial zone and a mixedused development with residential, office, commercial and institutional elements.

Casanova said Clark Green City was perfectly suited to become a back-up government center, as it was designed to have a disasterresilient facility, with measures to combat the ill effects of climate change and other natural disasters.

Clark Green City’s favorable geological con-

this year– the question remains if the rest of the funds will be released before or after the elections.

But according to the report of Chaloka Beyani, a UN special rapporteur, the Philippine government has not done enough to rebuild after Yolanda. Thousands have remained in shanties without power or water for nearly two years. Furthermore, I would agree to the statement of Mr. Panfilo Lacson. “The government must have the initiative and should be proactive in dealing with crisis like Yolanda, and not merely react to criticism as they come.”

May our next leaders, from those in the Malacañang down to the barangay officials, look into the importance of disaster preparedness and education with genuine concern.

Never give up on people’s voice As election season progresses, a collective of 55,793,911 Filipinos registered to become official voters for the upcoming poll. They are expected to exercise their right to suffrage to elect a new set of leaders

who will lead a nation geared toward development.

Do we elect someone who promises leadership—a person who said that if you are afraid to kill or be killed you are not ready to be a president, someone who is accused but not yet convicted of corruption, someone who promises a government with a heart, or the government candidate who promises to continue the “Daang Matuwid” program?

Pili Pinoy – Pili Husay But the question stands, will all registered voters have the chance to participate and experience “the most transparent election in the Philippine history,” as claimed by Comelec chairman Andres Bautista?

The good news is that exactly a month before the May 9 polls, the Comelec announced it has printed all of the needed 56.77 million ballots.

Never give up on livelihood The government is developing programs where 90 percent of smallmedium enterprise owners in the country can continue their ventures

through financing by government loans. This provides initiative for enterprising Filipinos to continue creating innovative products and services knowing that a more supportive government is willing to back their way towards progress.

With the growing number of overseas workers coming home due to conflicts in the country where they are working, the next leaders of this country should strengthen the livelihood program and financing started by the past government and create new ones, especially in provinces.

This could also help beneficiaries of 4Ps that these families will no longer rely on the dole-out of the government.

Let us build partnerships, encourage collaboration, and ensure cooperation.

Never give up on the system Amid the everyday struggle of the transportation system, the labor force—an estimated 14.5 million female employees and 22.9 million male counterparts—is building their hopes towards the proper allocation of their hard-earned taxes. Someday,

the entire nation will place their bets on a better system, one that is comfortable, hassle-free and is a justifiable answer to the undesirable and undeserved experience on traffic and railway nightmares.

The soon-to-be-leaders of this country should act immediately on the factors significantly contributing to these problems seriously.

The Filipinos are known for their resilient character. But it does not mean that we have to remain in the same situation, enduring the same pain. We are catalysts of change. As long as we never give up on our government and particularly, on ourselves.

Gising, Pinoy, gising The author is a PhD in Business student at the Ramon V. del Rosario College of Business, De La Salle University.

The views expressed above are the author’s and does not necessarily reflect the official position of the De La Salle University, its administration and faculty.

M O N D AY : A P R I L 1 1 , 2 0 1 6

WORLD

CESAR BARRIOQUINTO EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

B7

Nations to hear pitches to lead UN

For elephants. Joyce Doria attends International Fund for Animal Welfare’s tenBoma Benefit for Elephants at the Costa Residence on April 9, 2015, in Los Angeles, California. AFP

Record drought to stay in California—experts LOS ANGELES—Last winter, El Niño-driven storms dumped much-needed snow and rain over California, boosting reservoir levels and fueling hopes the parched state’s four-year drought might end.

But despite the brief respite, experts say the record drought is here to stay.

The El Niño weather phenomenon—caused when a rise in the Pacific Ocean’s temperature triggers intense precipitation—has provided only “a band-aid on a gaping wound,” says Julien EmileGeay, a paleoclimatologist at the University of Southern California.

In fact, restoring the state’s water supplies to their pre-drought levels would require several years of intense rain and snowfall.

The water level barely equaled the average in the state’s north this winter. In the south, levels failed to rise enough to fill dried-out rivers and aquifers.

The drought crisis—which has

caused wildfires, decimated forests, threatened animal species and deprived thousands of homes of access to clean water—is far from over, and the authorities of this vast West Coast state say its 39 million residents had better get used to the new reality of climate change.

A quarter of the Sierra Nevada Mountains’ snow cover—essential for feeding rivers and maintaining groundwater levels—will disappear by 2050, California’s Department of Water Resources (DWR) predicts on its website. Half will vanish by the turn of the century.

That prospect is especially worrying because rising temperatures are also increasing soil evaporation in America’s most populous state.

Californians aren’t ready for

“an increasingly dry climate with a population that is continuing to grow without a long-term strategy to address the imbalance,” EmileGeay says.

Others agree.

Heather Cooley of the Pacific Institute praises California for “tremendous progress” by decreasing water use to less than its level 30 years ago.

But she says the wealthy state has yet to turn the page on its culture of abundance.

Governor Jerry Brown’s mandatory 25 percent water savings enacted a year ago signaled the end of an era and earner widespread praise.

But the state still sees a huge amount of water waste.

In the middle of the Californian desert, golf courses in the opulent resort city of Palm Springs abundantly water their greens during the heat of midday while drainage pipes pour rivers of water down the

middle of streets.

The authorities must employ financial incentives to encourage adoption of more efficient toilets and appliances—otherwise drastically increase the price of water used after a certain limit is reached, experts say.

In a region where most urban consumption comes from watering gardens, maintaining green lawns could become an unaffordable luxury.

Among other failures, Californians do nothing to collect their rainwater.

Worse still, “everything has been designed to drain water as quickly as possible to avoid flooding,” Emile-Geay says. “The water doesn’t have time even to wet the soil before it flows into the ocean.”

California must accelerate recycling, desalination, and generally “reflect” about its system of water rights, which he criticizes as inequitable, archaic and encouraging of “more use than needed.” AFP

UNITED NATIONS—For the first time in the United Nations’ 70-year history, candidates vying to become secretary-general will make their pitch for the job to world governments in hearings beginning next week.

The four men and four women campaigning to become the world’s top diplomat will each go before the General Assembly for two hours to lay out their vision and answer questions from member-states and civil society.

The unprecedented hearings are part of a broader push for more transparency in the selection of who will succeed Ban Ki-moon on January 1, 2017.

“We have decided collectively to open up the race,” French Ambassador Francois Delattre said of the new selection process.

The hearings “are important and new, and I do plan to attend to listen to each of the candidates,” he told AFP. For decades, the selection of the UN chief has been the purview of the five permanent Security Council members -- Britain, France, China, Russia and the United States -- in a process kept mostly behind closed doors.

But the General Assembly in September voted to lift some of the secrecy surrounding the process, asking candidates to send a formal letter of application, present their resumes and appear at hearings.

Among the declared candidates are UNESCO chief Irina Bokova of Bulgaria, former New Zealand prime minister and head of the UN Development Programme Helen Clark, and former high commissioner for refugees Antonio Guterres of Portugal.

- Time to shine -With little time left before the Security Council begins a series of straw polls to pick a nominee, diplomats say the race remains wide open.

The selection process will begin in July and several rounds of polling will take place until September, when the 15-member council will submit one nominee to the General Assembly, which is expected to endorse the choice.

British Ambassador Matthew Rycroft said the hearings are shaping up as a first test for the candidates. AFP

The cost of saving lives is less than $5 PARIS—The lives of millions of women and children can be saved every year with an investment of under $5 per person on basic health care and contraception, a study into pregnancy-related deaths showed Saturday.

Nearly six million children younger than five and 300,000 women died in 2015, according to research in The Lancet medical journal.

Ninety-five percent of maternal and child deaths occur in 74 lowand middle-income countries.

“Many of these deaths could be prevented if high-impact and affordable solutions reached the popula-

tions that needed them most,” study leader Robert Black of John Hopkins University’s Bloomberg School of Public Health said in a statement.

“Our analysis shows that expanding access to care to keep more mothers and children alive and healthy is feasible, and a highly cost-effective investment.”

Four million lives could be saved each year by reaching 90 percent of those in need with basic services such as pregnancy and delivery care, childhood nutrition, and treatment for infectious diseases like pneumonia, diarrhea and malaria, said the team.

This was broken down into 1.5

million newborn deaths, 1.5 million child deaths, 149,000 newborn deaths and almost 850,000 stillbirths.

Access to contraception on its own, could reduce 67,000 maternal deaths, 440,000 newborn deaths, 473,000 child deaths and 564,000 stillbirths, they estimated.

The cost would be $6.2 billion (5.4 billion euros) in low-income countries, or $6.7 per person who needs it.

In lower middle-income countries, the required amount is $12.4 billion or $4.70 per person, and in middle-income countries $8 billion or $3.90 per person. AFP

Charity event. Britain’s Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, talk with officials as they walk during a charity event at The Oval Maidan in Mumbai on April 10, 2016 AFP

M O N D AY : A P R I L 1 1 , 2 0 1 6

B8 Kerry’s trip to Japan paves way for Obama HIROSHIMA—G7 foreign ministers on Sunday began two days of talks in Hiroshima, with John Kerry’s visit to the atom-bombed city—the first-ever by a US secretary of state—overshadowing the broader agenda.

Kerry’s landmark trip is seen as possibly paving the way for Barack Obama to become the first serving US president to journey to the thriving metropolis next month, when he visits Japan for the Group of Seven summit.

The Hiroshima meeting also includes top diplomats from nucleararmed Britain and France, as well as Canada, Germany, Italy, host Japan and the European Union.

It is part of the run-up to the G7’s rotating annual summit, scheduled this year from May 26-27 in the Ise-Shima region between Tokyo and Osaka.

Kerry arrived earlier Sunday at a US military base west of Hiroshima. He flew from Afghanistan after earlier stops in Iraq and Bahrain.

The US secretary of state, Britain’s Philip Hammond, France’s Jean-Marc Ayrault and other ministers were discussing issues including the Middle East, the refugee crisis, the conflict in Ukraine and global terrorism.

Host Japan also hopes to highlight other concerns, such as rising territorial tensions in the South China Sea where China and some Southeast Asian nations have clashed, and North Korea’s nuclear saber-rattling.

But what has captured the imagination of the Japanese public is the location. They hope it will promote greater understanding of Japan’s staunch anti-nuclear stance as the only country to suffer atomic attack.

Japanese foreign minister Fumio Kishida, who represents Hiroshima in parliament, also hopes to issue a “Hiroshima Declaration” at the meeting to promote nuclear disarmament.

“On this occasion, I want to send a strong message for peace and to realize a world free of nuclear weapons,” Kishida said at a welcome reception.

Kerry and the other ministers are scheduled to visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, which houses the ruins of the iconic domed building gutted by the blast, and an accompanying museum. AFP

CESAR BARRIOQUINTO EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

WORLD More than 100 killed in temple fire in India NEW DELHI—A massive fire swept through a temple in southern India on Sunday, killing more than 100 people after thousands gathered to watch an illegal fireworks display.

MTV Movie Awards. Actors Adam DeVine and Chloe Bridges attend the 2016 MTV Movie Awards at Warner Bros. Studios on April 9, 2016, in Burbank, California. AFP

More than 280 others were injured in the fire that engulfed the Hindu temple complex in Kerala state, where crowds had built up during the night for a festival that boasted the fireworks show.

Local residents were photographed carrying the bloodied and injured in their arms from the site, while a man whose bloodied hand was heavily bandaged was seen trying to calm a screaming toddler outside one hospital.

A team of specialist doctors and medicines were being deployed from New Delhi to help with the disaster amid reports of horrific burns suffered by those caught in the blaze at the Puttingal Devi temple.

The navy and air force were also sending helicopters to evacuate the most critically injured, officials also said.

“It has been confirmed that 102 people were killed and 280 injured and admitted to various hospitals. Now our focus is to provide the best treatment to the injured,” Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy told reporters.

Firefighters and police had battled through the night at the temple in the coastal town of Paravur to douse the fire and rescue those trapped at the complex.

Television footage showed a series of large explosions and fireworks erupting as plumes of smoke filled the night air after about 3am (2130 GMT Saturday). Concrete rubble and other debris was strewn at the complex at daybreak, while police examined large unexploded bundles of fireworks.

Chandy said temple officials had gone ahead with the fireworks display despite being denied permission because of safety concerns.

“That is correct. District collector of Kollam denied sanction for this fireworks [display],” Chandy said when asked whether permission had been given.

The Kerala government ordered an inquiry into the cause of the disaster. A local lawmaker said it occurred during a fireworks competition between two groups. One firework landed on a building that was storing the rest of the pyrotechnic material, setting off a chain reaction.

“It has happened after 75 percent of the fireworks were [already] burst. It was actually fortunate, otherwise the casualties would have been much, much, much more,” N.K. Premachandran, state MP for Kollam district where the accident occurred, told the NDTV network. AFP

Drugged beggar babies are for rent in Indonesia JAKARTA—At rush hour every weekday, women with babies slung across their arms line the traffic-choked streets of the Indonesian capital, flagging down drivers looking to game Jakarta’s carpooling laws by hiring a few extra passengers.

But revelations some of the infants used in this years-old street side business have been rented out by criminal syndicates, and even drugged to keep them quiet, has

outraged Jakartans and prompted a crackdown by city authorities.

Motorists know at rush hour they need at least two passengers to enter main roads by law, so rely on “jockeys”: These are often poor young women with a child, who act as passengers-for-hire in exchange for a small fee.

Children tug on heartstrings and help attract drivers, said Risma, a jockey hailing cars near a major roadway in South Jakarta

with her three-year-old son.

“People sympathize easily with you if you’ve got a baby,” she told AFP, stressing she only took her child because she had no other choice.

The strategy has existed openly for years, but as outrage mounted over this unfolding child exploitation scandal, the government has now suspended the carpooling rule, putting jockeys out of work.

Last month, police confirmed many of the child jockeys lining Jakarta’s

streets had been rented out by their families to criminal syndicates.

After a months-long investigation, police in South Jakarta swooped on four adults they believed were renting out children as beggars or child jockeys for 200,000 rupiah (USD$15) per day.

Two children—aged seven and five years old—and a baby, aged just six months, were taken into protective care.

The baby was “unresponsive”

when they found him—drugged with Clonazepam, a strong sedative used to treat anxiety conditions in adults, Audie Latuheru, the head of criminal investigation at the police department, told AFP. Latuheru said the infant had been given the tranquillizer, acquired from a pharmacy without prescription, to make it calm and compliant during the long hours waiting on the roadside and ferrying about in strangers’ cars. AFP

m onday : a pril 11, 2016

TaTUm anCHETa EDITOR

BinG parEl

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

BErnadETTE lUnaS WRITER

life @ thestandard.com .ph

@liFEatStandard

E aT, drinK , T r aV El

LIFE

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A BORDEAUX RENDEZVOUS AT LA VERANDA

a

collection of 18 of the most prestigious Bordeaux Grands Crus, together with their respective owners and brand ambassadors, were presented in a luxurious wine dinner at Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila’s La Veranda at Spiral, in cooperation with AWC Philippines and Barrière Frères.

Guests enjoyed an evening of gastronomy with premium wines – Château Beychevelle, Château Brane Cantenac, Château Cantemerle, Château Dassault, Château D’Armailhac, Château Clerc Milon, Domaine de Chevalier, Château Dufort Vivens, Château Haut Bages Libéral, Château Giscours, Château Du Tertre, Château Guiraud, Château d’Issan, Château Lagrange, Château Lafon Rochet, Château Marlartic Lagravière, Château Pedesclaux and Château Talbot – paired with the unparalleled culinary offerings from the 21 dining ateliers located at the Spiral.

Among the lauded pairings include the Château Beychevelle 2008 paired with Angus Beef Rib Eye Teppanyaki from the Hot Japanese Atelier, Château Haut Bages Libéral 2005 paired with Lamb Seekh Kebab from the North Indian Atelier, Château Pedesclaux 2012 with Pork Sisig from the Filipino Atelier, and Château Guiraud 2011 paired with Seared Foie Gras from the French Stove.

A highlight of the evening was the silent charity auction for the 20-34-year-old prized vintages, a wekk-long stay and a Rolls Royce tour in one of the chateaus, wine tasting and degustation of the Grand Crus and vintages in the auction winner’s birth year, with over $12,000 raised for the Aboitiz Foundation’s Pawikan (sea turtle) project.

Noted as a trailblazer when it comes to innovative dining, Sofitel continues to position itself as a frontrunner in terms of traditional dining standards, taking the gastronomy to

new heights. Since the $11 million renovation conducted in 2012, the Spiral keeps revolutionizing the luxury dining experience as seen in the numerous Food and Beverage awards it has received, among them the Top 7 position in the

2015 Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Favorite Fine Dining in Asia, and the 2015 Wine Spectator Recognition with 2 Glasses for Award of Excellence. Wine Spectator is a New York-based lifestyle magazine acknowledged as one of the

most influential online sources of wine information with more than 250,000 wine ratings, reports and features.

To discover more of Sofitel, visit www.sofitel. com and www.sofitelmanila.com.

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m onday : a prIL 11, 2016

LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

All smiles for Richie Cruz (third from left) who will represent the Philippines in the Bacardi Legacy Global Finals in San Francisco this coming May

LEavIng a LEgacy tipple tales By icy mariÑas

C

ocktail competitions have been around for quite some time now.

What beauty pageants are to gay men is what cocktail competitions are to alcohol connoisseurs. The best mixologists the drinking world has to offer put their ideas and skills to the test and create the possible next classic cocktail.

Bacardi is an old reliable: consistent, smooth and reasonably priced. You can’t go wrong with Bacardi – the most awarded rum in the world – in your arsenal. For the past eight years, Bacardi has held the prestigious Bacardi Legacy Competition that has challenged the skills of some of the best bartenders in the world, to create unique yet enduring drinks that would become part of Bacardi’s renowned roster of classic cocktails, like Original Bacardi Daiquiri and Mojito. This year, it has included the Philippines among the countries joining the competition.

About a month ago, I was honored to be one of the judges for the 1st Bacardi Legacy Competition Finals held at Buddha Bar Manila. Five of Manila’s top bartenders (from the initial 50 entries) duked it out for a shot at leaving their mark in Bacardi history. Joining me on the panel are highly respected personalities from the industry: David Dennis (Puerto Rican-New Yorker mixologist, F&B consultant), GP Reyes (cofounder/owner of several Manila top bars like Valkyrie), Sanjit Randhawa (Bacardi Philippines general manager) and David Cordoba (co-owner of one of the world’s top bars and 28 Hong Kong and Bacardi Legacy Competition founding team.)

For a drink to be considered part of the Bacardi Legacy, it has to be original and easily duplicated (so you can order it from the swankiest bar or the casual dive bar and it will be the same, like a Mojito).

The finalists were also tasked to plan out a promotional campaign to demonstrate

Bacardi Legacy Competition panel of judges – this columnist, David Dennis, David Cordoba, Sanjit Randhawa, GP Reyes

their drink’s legacy potential. After all, even if you have the most innovative, yummiest cocktail in the world, if no one knows about it, then what’s the point? Remember, sharing is caring. What’s interesting about the competition is that the grand finals winner will not be announced immediately, as Bacardi believes it takes time for a drink to become a classic. The success of the cocktail will be evaluated over several months to make sure it has the potential to join the Bacardi Legacy roster.

The bartenders showcased their creativeness and passion through their presentations: Joey Cerdinia (Exit Bar Makati) with Bequest starting off with a rapper, Marnell Masallo (Skye Lounge Fort) with Island Souvenir with a video of the beach to compliment his drink, Mark Alvin “Oreo” Tolentino (Revel at The Palace Fort) with Little Man bounding up the stage with “It’s Always A Good Time” playing in the background, Mark Jerrold Bernardino (Scarlet Fort) with Kalikasan bringing on the nature feel with birds chirping and twittering, and Richie Cruz (Cafe Enye Bar Eastwood) spending a good amount of time delivering an engaging and informative mini lecture on the history of Bacardi and then singing the song El Tindero as he was making his drink of

the same name. Most of them indicated that their inspiration for their drinks came from their families and their struggles.

They certainly came across as heartfelt and sincere, masking their nervousness with determination and heart.

In the end, there could only be one winner, and it was Richie Cruz’s El Tindero that was chosen to represent the Philippines in the Bacardi Legacy Global Finals in San Francisco this May. His drink, which is suggested as an after-dinner or dessert drink (paired with sapin-sapin) is ingenious and original (this is a type of drink that can turn the heads of even the top cocktail connoisseurs and be branded a Filipino classic with ingredients such as San Miguel beer, coconut water, muscovado sugar syrup, apple cider vinegar and rimmed with dessicated coconut. It is interesting to note that he was the only one among the contestants who used Bacardi Gold (the others used Bacardi Superior). I must admit that his was the only bar I haven’t been to, so I suppose this is the right time to haul my ass to Eastwood and check out the bar scene there.

I have no doubt that Pinoy bartenders are world class. Thanks to competitions like these, striving, talented Pinoy bartenders can hone their craft and gain much needed exposure in an international level. This is

Richie Cruz’s El Tindero won the competition. The cocktail is made out of San Miguel beer, coconut water, muscovado sugar syrup, apple cider vinegar and rimmed with desiccated coconut

just the 1st Bacardi Legacy and for sure, next year the quality of competition will just get better. Most Filipinos don’t know this but we do have a very deep history of bartending connected to the TIKI bar movement that started in the 1930s in America. During that time, in a famous bar called Don The Beach Comber (Los Angeles), celebrities like Charlie Chaplin were regulars. If you ordered a Sazerac or an Old Fashioned in this bar, they would make it for you in plain sight. But if you wanted to have one of their “talk of the town” tropical concoctions, it would emerge from a hidden back bar.

Guests never saw who made them; today we know them as the Don’s “Four Boys,” and one of them is the legendary FilipinoAmerican bartender named Ray Buhen.

We certainly have the pedigree and talent for bartending, and we are poised for recognition as one of the countries to watch out for. We are clearly on the brink of making a mark in the cocktail competition arena and leave a lasting legacy. So let’s raise our glasses to Bacardi, to Filipino talent! Let's toast to a great future, cocktails and dreams!

Follow me on Instagram @sanvicentegirl Photos By star saBroso

m onday : a prIL 11, 2016

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

TruTh To TELL¼

@LIFEatStandard

IT’S novoTEL

merCury rising

A

By BoB zozoBrado

ccor Hotels, based in Paris, is a French hotel group that runs close to 4,000 hotels all over the world, ranging from economy brands all the way to luxury properties.

The lowest rung on the ladder is represented by Ibis Hotels. The mid-scale brands are Novotel and Mercure. The upscale brands are Swissotel, Pullman, and the Grand Mercure, and the luxury brand is Sofitel, soon to be joined by the Raffles and the Fairmont Hotels.

We are all very familiar with the local Sofitel, its facilities, its standard of service and how it pampers guests, from arrival to departure. Of course, we were thrilled by its being the first, and for the longest time, the only resort hotel in the metropolis, until new ones popped up these past two years.

So, when news broke a few years ago that the Aranetas would open a Novotel in that very busy eastern sector of Metro Manila, those of us in the industry were elated because, among the many international hotel chains operating in the country, it would be the first “serious player” in that part of town. We all know how Cubao has progressed into a booming corporate district, with the advent of many multinational companies setting up their business hubs in the area.

When the hotel officially opened, I made it a point to check out its facilities.

Prior to going there, I reminded myself not to expect the same standard of facilities as those of Sofitel because, in Accor’s hierarchy of brands, Novotel is two classes lower than Sofitel.

But the moment I stepped into Novotel Manila Araneta Center, I was awed by what I came face-to-face with – a very spacious, modern and well-designed lobby which exudes the same luxury feel as that of Sofitel. The furniture, clustered in strategic parts, were of avant garde designs that gave me the impression I was walking into a time tunnel to the future. The lobby even has a circular, semi-closed-in area equipped with some PCs which guests could use while waiting for friends – a clever way to pass the time. I was pleasantly surprised and amused by everything that I saw, I decided to book myself for an overnight stay.

The hotel has 401 spacious and stylish rooms, and offers direct access to the LRT and MRT Stations. It is right next to the busy Gateway Mall and the Smart Araneta Coliseum, making it very convenient for guests who have things to do in that part of the metropolis.

Food is aplenty at the contemporary casual dining Food Exchange Manila, which is at the lobby level, where the daily buffet is extensive enough to feed a king’s legion. For cocktails, there’s the Gourmet Bar right next to the restaurant.

Located on the sixth floor, outdoor, on an elevated ground and several meters away from the swimming pool, is what I find interesting: the Bridal Garden, lined with bushes, with a pathway towards a gazebo where a couple can have their wedding vows. The bridal reception can also be done in the area, and the

My suite had this spacious living room with a 57-inch flat screen TV

The most comfortable hotel bed I have ever used

The clear glass walls of the bathroom which turn frosted at the flick of a switch

The special bath soap made from sugar, imported from Paraguay

party will have a breezy, beautiful view of the surroundings.

The Olympic-sized outdoor pool is so inviting, especially when one has to bear the El Niño-induced heat and humidity the entire working day. All around the pool

The well-designed lobby with futuristic overhead lights that change colors throughout the day

are palm trees and various types of vegetation, giving one that resort feel that city folks like us always enjoy.

But what I like most about the hotel was my room… spacious, luxurious, with a very modern design paired with excellent facilities.

The orthopedic bed and the large fluffy pillows made sleeping an effortless and heavenly diversion.

The bathroom walls are all clear glass but when you want some privacy inside, with the flick of a switch, the glass turns frosted, giving you

the visual isolation you want. The bathroom amenities are all high-end and what was curiously interesting was the bath soap made from sugar! I didn’t know whether to shower with it or put it in my coffee.

All in all, I was a “happy camper” during my stay. This new Cubao landmark has everything one looks for in luxury accommodations, at prices that don’t hurt the pocket. In fact, I found it difficult to believe I was not in any of the luxury brands of the Accor Group. With all its fascinating, modern accoutrements and superb facilities, the hotel felt like a Sofitel, or a Fairmont, or a Raffles, but, truth to tell, it was Novotel Manila Araneta Center.

For feedback, I’m at bobzozobrado@gmail.com

yoUr MoNday CHUCKLE: Wives are maGICIanS. They can change anything¼

into an argument.

m onday : a prIL 11, 2016

C4

LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

A stretch of Roxas Boulevard as seen from Hotel Jen Manila’s Windows by the Bay lounge

@LIFEatStandard

The hotel’s executive chef Dirk Fiedler prepares light bites that are good for sharing

A SenSe of Jen

Wine, food And breAthtAking vieW At WindoWS by the bAy

“W

e honestly feel at Hotel Jen that we have the best observation post to see Manila Bay and the whole bay area,” Hotel Jen Manila general manager Edward Kollmer raved as he officially opened Windows by the Bay. Located on the 19th floor of the hotel, Windows by the Bay is a chill out lounge open to the public – whether check-in or walk-in guest – every evening from 7:30 p.m.

“We came to the conclusion that we want more people to enjoy that; we want to let everybody know that there’s a great secret that’s been hidden here for some time,” Kollmer shared to The Standard Life.

The lounge invites friends, coworkers, lovers, or even those who prefer to fly solo to sit back in one of the lounge’s plush couches while reveling in the majestic night view of Manila Bay and the stretch of Roxas Boulevard.

“Our offer to our customers is really a simple formula: We want people to chill out, relax in this lounge, and enjoy the fine wines that we selected for you and light bite food items that we prepared,” enthused Kollmer.

Hotel Jen’s executive chef Dirk Fiedler is in charge of the light bite food items that include pizza puffs, salami, Parma ham, smoked ham, different cheeses, olives and cornichons among other appetizing nibbles.

In keeping with the chill out, laidback vibe, Kollmer said they’re offering their light bite food items in doubles and platters, such as meat platters and cheese platters. “The idea here is that you share. You can come in groups and you can share a big cheese platter.”

by bernAdette LunAS Complementing the lounge’s specially prepared menu are a selection of mixed cocktails and wines, which according to the Irish general manager were selected from different parts of the globe.

Guests every Thursday will be treated to an acoustic entertainment as the lounge features an acoustic guitarist to play soothing tunes for the night. Kollmer shared that aside from acoustic music every Thursday, they are also developing a themed Thursday evening at least once a month.

“We want people who want to unwind after a busy day to come and relax, jump into a big sofa and be with friends. That’s what we’re trying to achieve,” said Kollmer.

According to Hotel Jen Manila’s GM, they expect to receive guests living and working in the Roxas Boulevard area. But basically, the lounge is open to “anybody who wants to enjoy this amazing view and enjoy the experience.”

Kollmer said Windows by the Bay can sit about 100 people in one go.

“We can do about 70 people in the dining area and about 40 in the main area of the lounge.”

Music, food, view and great company – Windows by the Bay satisfies all senses, a simple formula that will make guests experience “that Jen feeling.”

“They’ll feel relaxed, they’ll be inspired, they’ll have a great time – that’s the Jen feeling,” concluded Edward Kollmer.

For advance reservations and more information on Windows by the Bay, call (02) 795-8888 or email food&beverage.hjm@hoteljen.com.

The panoramic view of Manila Bay greets guests dining and lounging on the 19th floor of Hotel Jen Manila

Hotel Jen Manila general manager Edward Kollmer (center) with his Marketing Communications team during the nautical-themed opening of Windows by the Bay

Windows by the Bay is a chill out lounge that offers a trifecta that makes for a great evening with friends: scrumptious food, exquisite drinks and breathtaking view

Smells Like Team Spirit RWM shows why there is no ‘I’ in ‘team’

By Gelo Borromeo

The Cinema Roulette went viral earning over 2million views on YouTube.

RWM turns Friday the 13th into an auspicious day with its Lucky 13 giveaway.

RWM’s ‘World of Luck’ campaign kicked off with the Lucky Fortune Cookie stunt.

“Two heads are better than one”. Essentially, it is

Among the team’s major wins is RWM’s “Cinema Roulette” video that made it to the top 5 of the YouTube Ads Leaderboard for the period July to December 2015 which recognizes brands that performed best online through a combination of popularity and promotion. The 141-second vid, produced with creative agency Ace Saatchi & Saatchi, is anchored on RWM’s “World of Luck” campaign and shows a 330-seat cinema being transformed into a live roulette game wherein one

this old adage that serves as the impetus behind the setup of Resorts World Manila’s (RWM) integrated marketing department. By putting a premium on the undeniable value of team work, the country’s first integrated resort has been on an award-winning streak for its various thematic campaign efforts, each of which has been instrumental in positioning RWM as a world-class entertainment and tourism hub.

random movie-goer wins PHP1 million—proving that anybody can get lucky and win big in RWM. The dynamic marketing team of this young and thriving company is led by its Chief Integrated Marketing Officer, Mr. Martin Paz. His career spans two decades in top local advertising agencies such as Ace Saatchi & Saatchi, Foote Cone & Belding (FCB), and DDB Worldwide, as well as overseas where he joined 141 Worldwide in Vietnam and Leo Burnett/Arc Worldwide in Shanghai. With extensive experience handling global brands in each of these agencies, Martin takes a fully integrated approach to his marketing duties at RWM. “Marketing, as a whole, is composed of several other disciplines and the department I lead is testament to this,” says Martin. “The two pillars of our Integrated Marketing department are Marketing Communications and Corporate Communications, under which we have Advertising and New Media as sub-units for the former, and Public Relations (PR), Executive Communications, and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) for the latter. Integrating these disciplines into one

department allows for optimum synergy between the teams and a cohesive strategy in all of our marketing communications endeavors.”

The synergy and strategy that Martin speaks of paid dividends when the “Cinema Roulette” video also bagged the Kidlat’s Gold Award recently in the Entertainment and Leisure category. With the video entitled ‘Woman Gets Lucky in Cinema’, the campaign earned over two million views on YouTube, a feat made possible by the collective efforts of both the Marketing Communications team and Ace Saatchi & Saatchi who produced the video and shared it on social media, and the Corporate Communications team who helped publicize it and create the necessary buzz using various PR tactics.

The Kidlat Awards is an annual creative competition held by the Association of Accredited Advertising Agencies Philippines’ Creative Guild celebrating the country’s best, most creative advertising work of the past year. Aside from the top plum, RWM also took home Kidlat’s Bronze Award for its overall “World of Luck” promotional campaign.

The series of videos, which

includes advertisements for its “Fortune Cookie”, “Lucky 13”, and “Cinema Roulette” campaigns earned close to a total of 4.5 million views on the popular video sharing site.

“Being the country’s premier integrated resort means taking on the challenge of incorporating different lifestyle options into one entity. We are able to tie all of those variables together with the thrill of winning. Be it world-class entertainment, plush accommodations, gourmet dining, and exclusive shopping experiences, we make sure that our guests are fully immersed in a true ‘World of Luck’,” adds Martin.

With all members of the integrated marketing team working together harmoniously to promote one brand, so too are the awards it has garnered relished by all who represent it. After all, RWM prides itself in being a leading purveyor of “thrill” and has evidently walked the talk with a growing collection of awards to prove it. That said, it only makes sense that an abundance of thrill must exist behind the scenes, and these inspired wins certainly prove that RWM’s indefatigable integrated marketing team is fueled by plenty of it.

DON’T PLAY THE FOOL THIS APRIL

Passion’s Dimsum Basket

Impressions’ Seafood and Wine Night

Franks’ Thai-style Hotdog

Victoria Harbour Café’s Chicken Wheat Noodle Soup

April Fools’ Day may be over and while almost everyone played practical jokes or was on the receiving end of an elaborate prank, Resorts World Manila (RWM) took the most light-hearted day of the year and gave it a tasty new twist.

For the whole month of April, RWM promises to whet your appetite with its diverse culinary offerings guaranteed to leave your tummy satisfyingly full. Dubbed “April’s Full Day”, RWM provides you with a fix of your gastronomic cravings through an assortment of mouthwatering dishes and concoctions that many of us abstained from during the Lenten season.

Asian comfort food diner Victoria Harbour Café, located on the ground floor of the main gaming area, invites you to feast on delectably light summer specials such as curry pork loin with rice, chicken wheat noodle soup, and sesame balls. Prosperity Court, RWM’s casual dining restaurant on the second floor of the gaming area, offers an irresistible Philippine original known as beef pares served on a bed of garlic rice with chicken soup on the side.

Franks, RWM’s signature sports bar, takes its classic hotdog staple and gives it an innovative Oriental spin with its Thai-style hotdog—a flavorful chicken inasal hotdog sandwich topped with pomelo, ripe mango, cucumber, lettuce, kani, onions, and sweet and spicy garlic sauce. Just next door is New York Pinoy Deli, or simply N.Y.P.D., RWM’s Big Apple and Filipino fusion restaurant that offers you either sizzling beef bulalo or crispy beef ribs done New York-style with steamed rice and four seasons iced tea.

You may also opt to keep it healthy and head over to Ginzadon, RWM’s Japanese and Korean-inspired restaurant, and enjoy a plate of sushi blossoms—colorful rolls of ripe mango, green asparagus, crabmeat, and beetroot rice— all inspired by Japan’s beloved cherry blossom season. If it’s dimsum that tickles your fancy, Cantonese fine dining restaurant Passion offers authentic flavors of China with its dimsum basket comprised of steamed fresh scallop dumplings, sio mai, and more served with a round of iced tea.

Rounding up your culinary journey is a trip

to RWM’s award-winning French restaurant Impressions, which happens to be the country’s first and only restaurant to be recognized and honored by the Maîtres Cuisiniers de France (Master Chefs of France)—the most envied and exclusive title that chefs around the world aspire for. For the month of April, Impressions brings you a spring feast comprised of an exquisite four-course set menu highlighted by a succulent roasted loin of lamb.

Alternatively, seafood and wine lovers can get their fix on April 14 as Impressions hosts a themed Seafood and Wine Night featuring a lavish buffet of king prawns, Norwegian salmon, crabs, scallops, oysters, and more served with the finest wines.

Experience all these and more at RWM this “April’s Full Day” where a world of luck also awaits and you could be the next big winner.

Visit www.rwmanila.com or call the Tourist/ Visitor Hotline at (+632) 908-8833 for more information.

RWM is the first one-stop, non-stop entertainment and leisure destination in the Philippines that features recreational thrills, worldclass performances, unique events, and exciting lifestyle options.

Conveniently located across Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3, RWM is an instant gateway to world-class Philippine hospitality and is home to four lodging brands, (MAXIMS Hotel, MARRIOTT Hotel Manila, REMINGTON Hotel, and BELMONT Hotel), a three-story convention center housing the country’s largest hotel ballroom (Marriott Grand Ballroom), and two more hotels (SHERATON Hotel Manila and HILTON Manila Hotel) currently under construction.

Also home to RWM is NEWPORT Mall which features international luxury brands, state-of-the-art movie theaters at Newport Cinemas, an award-winning, ultra-modern Newport Performing Arts Theater (NPAT), and a cozy, 24/7 entertainment hub at Bar 360. Dine in one of almost 50 restaurant outlets offering a diverse selection of local and world cuisine, prepared by top Filipino and foreign chefs and paired with a wide selection of the finest wines and popular liquors.

Resorts World Manila— Nothing Compares.

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m onDAy : A pRIl 11, 2016

SHOWBITZ

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

isahred @ gmail.com

SARAH no longER In ‘THE VoIcE KIDS’ shTIcks

Second cineFilipino Film Festival a success

fter signing another two-year contract with ABS-CBN, Sarah Geronimo confirms that she won’t be part of the new season of The Voice Kids anymore in which she sits as voice coach.

“That’s right!” she says. “Honestly, I’d like to go back to ASAP. I miss performing and doing production numbers. It’s been awhile already. This time, I want to concentrate on my growth as an artist.”

According to the Pop Princess, being a voice coach is very delicate task.

“It really involves role-playing. You should sound with conviction as if you’re already an authority or expert in the field, especially when you air your opinion.

Your protégé will accept whatever you say as Gospel truth. It is in this area where I still hesitate. I feel I’m not that flawlessly expert yet!”

But fans should not worry.

“There’s a huge possibility that I will be back in the future seasons of the show if they still want to get me as voice coach.

I’m not totally closing my doors on such eventuality. For one, I enjoyed the experience. It’s fun and unforgettable especially that you bring out the best from a kid.

That’s the best part!”

Many of her followers are asking when she will do another soap opera.

“Oh, definitely, a soap is not my priority at this point,” Sarah avers. “I will get tired if ever, especially my voice. It’s a daily thing and tapings can get very exhausting. What I want to do is a movie. I like a good material, the type that I’ll really fall in love with the character and get inspired to breathe life to it.”

Speaking of screen roles, there are talks circulating that she might be the Kapamilya’s “I’m not really keen on playing the part. I know many speculated after see-

The second run of the biennial CineFilipino Film Festival, organized and led by Unitel Productions and in partnership with the MVP Group of Companies and PLDT Smart Foundation, was a resounding success. It surpassed expectations with extended screenings of the films in selected cinemas as well as extra screenings of Ice Idanan’s Sakaling Hindi Makarating.

“We definitely surpassed the previous CineFilipino Film Festival with more genres and more categories which reached a wider audience. Though at par with other film festivals, CineFilipino has clearly found its niche among the audience. Our diverse and audience-friendly films make us relatable to many people,” said Madonna Tarrayo, CineFilipino festival director and Unitel Productions president and group COO. Aside from winning Second Best Picture, Sakaling Hindi Makarating also won awards for Best Director (Ice Idanan), Best Actor (Pepe Herrera), Best Cinematography (Ice Idanan), Best Musical Score (Mon Espia), Best Sound (Raffy Magsaysay) and Best Editing (Hannah Espia).

The film festival’s original run concluded with the CineFilipino Film Festival Awards Night which saw Ned’s Project take the Best Picture award, followed by Sakaling Hindi Makarating and Star Na si Van Damme Stallone which won Second and Third Best Pictures, respectively.

Additional awards for Best Picture Ned’s Project include: Best Actress (Angeli Bayani), Best Supporting Actress (Max Eigenmann), Best Cinematography (Tey Clamor), Best Screenplay (John Bedia) and Best Production Design.

Meanwhile, Third Best Picture Star Na si Van Damme Stallone bagged the following awards: Best Actress (Candy Pangilinan) and Best Supporting Actor (Isaac Aguirre).

As a testament to the success of the film festival, a separate run will be held at the UP Theater in UP Diliman from April 18 to 23. This is spearheaded by Cineastes, the film organization of the UP College of Mass Communication.

In addition, CineFilipino is also being tapped by interested groups for special screenings as well as theatrical and international film festival runs.

JOsEph pETER GOnzalEs

A

pop star Sarah geronimo wants to focus more on her singing

ing me in a recent production number in ASAP where I was clad in a super heroine costume. But for clarity, no, I’m not the latest Darna. I feel I’m not cut for it. It’s not for me!”

Lastly, the charming lass is grateful to her mother network for the renewal of her contract.

“Yes, I want to thank the management for their continued belief in me. Our working relationship is great over the years. Rest assured that I will always give my best in every project they’ll assign to me,” ends Sarah. ******** Jasmine CurtisSmith had a simple celebration on her 22nd birthday.

“Yes, we just had

cROsswORD puzzlE

answer PreVIOUs PUZZLe

ACROSS 1 Missouri hrs.

4 Pooh-pooh 9 Sully 12 Upscale sport 13 Sandoval or Picasso 14 Hoople expletive 16 — — unto itself 17 Farewell 18 “Chantilly —” (Big Bopper tune)

19 Felt hat 21 In black and white 23 Day one 25 Brambles 26 Evolve 29 Like pagodas 31 Treasured violin 32 Job opening 33 Dismal 37 “Car Talk” network 38 It may be poetic 41 Fritz, to himself

42 Mach 2 fliers 44 k.d. — of country music 45 Sticky-footed lizard 47 Use one’s index finger, perhaps 49 Decks out 50 On a roll (2 wds.)

53 Fallen-rock debris 55 Wooed 57 Thumbed a ride 61 In a dead heat 62 Jots 64 Gravitate toward 65 Prudent 66 Swiss Army — 67 Work units 68 Ended a bout early 69 Ruhr Valley city 70 “— Rosenkavalier” DOWN 1 Boulder’s st.

2 Shut with a bang 3 Barge pusher 4 Thin 5 Mooch 6 Teahouse attire 7 Hopped a jet 8 50 cents, in slang (2 wds.)

9 Unfreezing 10 Banded quartz 11 Track competitor 12 Exclamation of

MONDAY, APRIL 11, 2016

disgust 15 Goes into hibernation 20 No later than 22 Novelist — Levin 24 Special abilities 26 Provides staff 27 Game officials 28 Bakery item 30 Grammy winner 32 MRI picture 34 Costa — 35 Yucky 36 Electrical units 39 Slogan of 1956 (3 wds.)

40 Majestic wader 43 Given the cold shoulder 46 Put up 48 Autumn mo.

49 Up and at ‘em 50 Finishes the cupcakes 51 Kim of “Vertigo” 52 “Hasta —, amigo!”

54 Abrade 56 Grandees 58 Present!

59 Amtrak driver 60 Tooth pro’s deg.

63 Opposite of ‘tain’t

an intimate family dinner and I was busy taping for TV 5’s Panday.

Yes! It was a working day for me, but in the evening, I was able to spend dinner with my folks and siblings,” she reveals.

Interestingly, what’s her birthday wish?

“To have continuous happiness as well as for the people who are dear to me. I also wish to not ever lose the attitude of gratitude. I believe that if you’re always thankful for all the blessings that come your way, God blesses you more.”

This is the reason why the pretty gal makes it a point to share her blessings in her own little way.

“I share it with family, friends or for a good cause like sponsoring kids for World Vision. It feels good,” states Jasmine.

m onDAy : A pRIl 11, 2016

SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

C7

HEARt fInDS tImE foR CHIz’S twInS

W

hile Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero is busy campaigning as vice presidential candidate in the upcoming elections, wife Heart Evangelista takes over in doing nanny chores for her husband’s twins – Chesi and Quino.

The kids have accepted the fact that their daddy won’t have time to be with them on weekends, spend time together at a mall or even dine out.

Tita Heart tries to make time for the twins and spends the weekend with them.

Recently, they went out along with Heart’s stylist, Kat Cruz.

They went swimming and Heart posted on her Instagram account photos of them while frolicking in the phool The netizens are all praises for Heart. “It’s nice to see you giving quality time with the kids especially now that Senator Chiz is very busy campaigning...thank you Hearty for being a good mom to Chesi and Quino,” said one.

“I love seeing your pics with the kids!!! They genuinely seem to really have a great time with

Heart and her stylist Kat Cruz frolicking in the pool with Chiz’s twins

you. Chesi is so adorable! Lovely kids,” an Instagram follower of Heart commented.

Heart is playing mommy role to the hilt that even if the twins are not her own kids

she treats them like their own.

She bonds well with the girl, Chesi, and tags her along when she goes shopping.

If there are events at school when Chiz is

Heart is a loving stepmom to Chino and Chesi

not available, Heart attends it on behalf of the kids’ daddy.

The twins are lucky to have a pretty and loving stepmother.

multiple Intelligence Award encourages youth to make a difference in society Multiple Intelligence International School (MIIS) pioneered the multiple intelligence approach in education in the country, which stresses the importance of honing and nurturing the various intelligences of children to make a difference in society. In its drive to provide young people with role models they can emulate, MIIS launched the biennial Multiple Intelligence (MI) Awards that recognizes those who have not only used their intelligences to succeed in life but to contribute to nationbuilding as well.

Carefully selected by the MI School Parent Body and Faculty, the MI students, sponsors and a host of experts, the MI Awards’ roster of awardees is composed of recognizable names in different fields and sectors.

The Multiple Intelligence Award is one of the MI School’s pioneering efforts in its 20-year-history of providing progressive education to children and developing them to become global leaders and future-ready citizens.

Linguistic intelligence, as described by Dr. Howard Gardner who developed the multiple intelligences theory, is “the capacity to use language, one’s native tongue and perhaps other languages, to express what’s on your mind and to understand other people.” Among those conferred with the MI Linguistic Intelligence Award are award-winning broadcast journalist Cheche Lazaro in 2005, the late Palanca Hall of Fame awardee Rene Villanueva in 2007, Atty. Alexander Lacson in 2009, TV host and children’s book author Christine Bersola-Babao in 2011, broadcast journalist Howie Severino in 2013 and journalist Maria A. Ressa in 2015.

Logical-Math Intelligence uses numbers, math, and logic to find and understand various patterns that occur in their lives.

Professor and newspaper columnist Queena Lee Chua was the first MI Logical-Math Intelligence Awardee in 2005, followed by businessman Jose Concepcion in 2007, business magnate John Gokongwei Jr. in 2009, Peter Angelo V. Perfecto, executive director of the Makati Business Club in 2011, social entrepreneur Mark Ruiz in 2013 and Rags2Riches co-founder Reese Fernandez-Ruiz in 2015.

Spatial intelligence can be used in the arts and in the sciences. People who are strong in spatial intelligence are excellent at performing tasks that require “seeing with the mind’s eyes,” such as visualizing,

Awardees in 2011 (from left) pedro Abraham Jr., Emmanuel mercado, peter Angelo perfecto, tin tin Bersola Babao, Herbert Bautista, Robert Quilla and Jasper Inventor

multiple Intelligence Award 2013 recipients, (from left) Howie Severino, Resz Valdez, Efren penaflorida, Anna metoto wilk, ogie Alcasid, peter Amones and mark Ruiz

Awardees at the 2009 multiple Intelligence Award (from left) Illac Diaz, Ganafield Auste, Chin Chin Gutierez, John Gokongwei JR,, Alexander lacson, Rey paz Contreras, noelle wenceslao

pretending, imagining and forming mental images. The following are the MI Spatial Intelligence Awardees: Art director CJ De Silva in 2005, painter Rafael Pacheco in 2007, prominent sculptor Rey Paz Con-

treras in 2009, artist Robert R. Quilao in 2011, Armado G. Sano in 2013 and architect Paulo G. Alcazaren in 2015.

People who have strength in the bodily kinesthetic tend to have a keen sense of

body awareness. The MI Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence Awardees are prima ballerina Lisa Macuja in 2005, six-time World Bowling champion Rafael “Paeng” Nepomuceno in 2007, the Filipino Women Mt. Everest Team in 2009, Fil-Brit footballers and brothers James and Phil Younghusband in 2011, FutKal (Futbol sa Kalye) founder Peter Amores in 2013 and Climate Walk in 2015.

The Musical Intelligence Awardee recognizes, remembers, and interprets sounds asn uses it though meaning. The MI Musical Intelligence Awardees are renowned violinist Coke Bolipata in 2005, music icon Joey Ayala in 2007, actress and environmentalist Chin-Chin Gutierrez in 2009, performance artist Pedro R. Abraham, Jr. in 2011, singersongwriter Ogie Alcasid in 2013, and folk singer Noel Cabangon in 2015.

People with interpersonal intelligence show a great deal of empathy for other people and exhibit a deep understanding of other points of view. The MI Interpersonal Intelligence Awardees through the years are President Corazon “Cory” Aquino in 2005, Congressman Sonny Belmonte in 2007, entrepreneur Cecilio K. Pedro in 2009, Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista in 2011, CNN Hero of the Year recipient Efren Penaflorida in 2013 and Senator Pia Cayetano in 2015.

The Intrapersonal Intelligence Awardee is someone who has great belief in his/her philosophies and values and is willing to share these with others for the betterment of their lives. The MI Intrapersonal Intelligence Awardees are noted physician Dr. Alendry Cavilles Jr. in 2005, Gawad Kalinga founder Tony Meloto in 2007, advocate for cancerstricken children Gamaliel James Auste in 2009, Emmanuel Mercado in 2011, 13-yearold International Children’s Peace Prize winner Kesz Valdez in 2013, and philanthropist and new media advocate Jay Michael Ortuoste Jaboneta in 2015.

People with strong naturalist intelligence have a profound love and fascination for outdoors, animals, plants, and almost any natural object. The MI Naturalist Intelligence Awardees are Greenpeace Southeast Asia Executive Director Von Hernandez in 2005, environment crusader Narda Camacho in 2007, social entrepreneur Illac Diaz in 2009, climate and energy campaigner Jasper Inventor in 2011, Human Nature founder Anna Meloto-Wilk in 2013 and Filipino teacher Dr. Josette T. Biyo in 2015.

m oNDAy : A pRIl 11, 2016

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ISAH V. RED EDITOR NICKIE WANG WRITER

isahred @ gmail.com

SHOWBITZ

Kean Cipriano (in the background) takes on role of closeted gay priest in “Echorsis”

Happy times for Carlo (Alex medina) and Kristoff (John “Sweet” lapus)

‘EChORsIs’ CasT anD pRODuCER’s plEa: WaTCh IT On OpEnIng Day lang maglabasan sila sa April 13 kasama ng kanilang mga friends para manood bago pa maging huli ang lahat,” he stresses.

ISAH V. RED

J

ust like any independently produced Filipino film, Echorsis: Sabunutan Between Good And Evil by critically acclaimed director Lemuel Lorca is at risk of being pulled out of movie houses if it doesn’t perform well on its first day.

Thus, the cast and crew of the much anticipated horror-comedy film appeal to Filipino moviegoers to watch the film when it opens on April 13.

“Sana sumugod sa sinehan ang milyon-milyong nag-aabang sa Echorsi’ sa opening day pa lang para manatili ito sa line up ng mga pelikula,” says Alex Medina, who plays the lead role of a gay-swindling gigolo in the movie.

“Naranasan namin sa Heneral Luna na matanggal dahil mahina ang benta ng ticket nung first day,” he relates.

“Mabuti na lang naging matagumpay ang campaign sa social media na madagdagan ang mga sinehan.”

In Echorsis: Sabunutan Between Good and Evil, Medina portrays the role of Carlo, a sweet-tongued and charismatic gigolo possessed by a spirit of a gay after his lover Kristoff (John Lapus) died.

The film, which also top bills Callalily vocalist Kean Cipriano as Father Nick, was written by Jerry Gracio and produced by Chris Cahilig of Insight 360. It is rated R13 by the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB).

Lapus is optimistic that Filipino audiences—particularly the lesbian, gays, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community—will rally behind the film. However, he encourages them to come out and watch the film on its first day, to ensure its long run in the cinemas.

“Nababasa namin sa comments sa official trailer ng Echorsis na maraming naghihintay na ipalabas ito. Sana

Out-of-the-box Comedy

According to Cahilig, Echorsis is an intelligent and out-of-the-box brand of comedy.

“The Filipino moviegoers are ready for a black comedy like Echorsis. The box-office records of well-made films such as That Thing Called Tadhana, English Only, and Heneral Luna gave us the courage to push through with the project despite its unconventional plot,” explains the producer.

“I am confident that apart from enjoying the patronage of the LGBT community, Echorsis will likewise lure the straight population to the cinemas because of its organic humor and its message of love, forgiveness, and acceptance.”

Echorsis takes pride in bringing together a powerful and award-winning production team led by Lorca, who recently won the best picture trophy in CineFilipino for his film Ned’s Project. He is joined by cinematographer Sasha Palomares, editor Benjamin Tolentino, production designer Paul Infante, assistant director Lorna Sanchez, line producer Sarah Pagkalinawan-Brakensiek, and production manager Rowena Concepcion. International composer and arranger Jonathan Ong and his Sonic State Studio team did the music and scoring.

Echorsis has been the talk of the town weeks prior to its April 13 opening in cinemas nationwide. Its official trailer has so far gone viral and received over four million views.

Completing the ensemble cast are Alessandra de Rossi, Chokoleit, Kiray Celis, Mich Liggayu, Ruby Ruiz, Negi Negra, Bekimon, Nico Antonio, Francine Garcia, Odette Khan, and 1:43’s Yuki Sakamoto, Anjo Resurreccion, Gold Aquino, and Yheen Valero.

Echorsis is supported by BellaVita Land Corp. and McJim Classic Leather.

In the comedy film, Alex medina portrays the role of Carlo, a sweet-tongued and charismatic gigolo

(left) Kristoff played by John lapus, (right) Father Nick (Kean Cipriano) and the devil with a well-defined abs played

by Anjo Resurreccion

A scene from the movie when Carlo (medina) becomes possessed by the spirit of Kristoff (lapus)

The bachelors of 143 boy band, yuki Sakamoto, Gold Aquino and Anjo Resurreccion with Echorsis lead actor John lapus, director lem lorca and producer Chris Cahilig