Manila Standard - 2016 August 8 - Monday by Manila Standard

Reds told: Shun land mines

VOL. XXX • NO. 177 • 4 SECTIONS 20 PAGES • P18 • MONDAY, AUGUST 8, 2016 • WWW.THESTANDARD.COM.PH • EDITORIAL@THESTANDARD.COM.PH

DAVAO CITY―President Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday told the New People’s Army to stop using land mines against government forces because it is against the Geneva Convention. He said he should not hear any information that a soldier or a civilian died because of a land mine explosion or else he would stop the peace negotiations. “This can’t go on, the land mine,” Duterte said. “You must decide now because if I hear another explosion killing civilians and soldiers, I will order the government [peace] panel to

back out from the negotiations.” Duterte said he will insist that the talks about stopping the use of land mines be included in the peace negotiations. “Stop the land mine or I will tell the government panel to get out from the talks. Either you stop it or we stop talking,” Duterte said. He made his statement even as Luis Jalandoni, chairman of the communists’ negotiating panel, said that if the Jasig-protected NDFP consultants were released and received travel documents Next page

FVR off to China for talks FORMER President Fidel V. Ramos will ﬂy to Beijing on Monday for initial talks with Chinese authorities on the peaceful resolution of the dispute over the West Philippine Sea between the Philippines and China. Ramos, who was named special envoy to China by President Rodrigo Duterte, will be accompanied by his wife and former First Lady Amelita Ramos, former Interior Secretary Rafael Alunan,

journalist Chito Sta. Romana and Sam Jones, his grandson who speaks Mandarin fluently. The United Nations arbitral tribunal in The Hague has ruled that there is no legal basis for China’s claim to the West Philippine Sea, but China has rejected the ruling. China continues to occupy some of the islands in the Spratlys and to drive away the Filipino fishermen fishing in the area. Ramos, 88, served as President from 1992 to 1998 and has maintained good personal ties with China even after stepping down from office. Next page

I SWEAR. President Rodrigo Duterte reveals at least 157 names of those allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade during his visit to the Naval Station Felix Apolinario in Panacan, Davao City on Sunday, August 7, 2016. Malacañang Photo

So far, 3 surface, beat the deadline By Francisco Tuyay, John Paolo Bencito and Macon RamosAraneta HOURS after President Rodrigo Duterte issued a 24-hour deadline to government officials that he tagged as protectors of the illegal drug trade, a mayor, a dismissed judge and a former mayor went to Camp Crame to deny the accusations against them. Among those who appeared before the Major Crimes Investigation Unit were Mayor Cipriano Violago of San Rafael Bulacan, former Dasmariñas, Cavite Judge Lorinda Toledo-Mupas and former Saguiran, Lanao del Sur mayor Rashmia Makabago. An unidentified politician believed to be a congressman also dropped by at the MCIU but declined to be interviewed. The first to arrive was Violago, barely seven hours after his name was mentioned by Duterte during a speech in Davao City. Next page

Next on hit list: More narco-pols

By F. Pearl A. Gajunera, Sandy Araneta and John Paolo Bencito

RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday publicly named over 157 judges, mayors, police and military men allegedly involved in narcotics and vowed to release more names of lawmakers and governors in the next wave of revelations.

Soon after the President exposed his ‘list’ of narco-politicians, two gave themselves up at the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group to deny their involvement in the narcotics trade: Mayor Cifriano Violago of San Rafael, Bulacan (left) and former mayor Rashmia Makabago of Saguiran, Lanao del Sur. Manny Palmero and Francisco Tuyay

Cha-Cha push forges ahead, Alvarez vows HOUSE Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez vowed on Sunday not to fail President Rodrigo Duterte to push for Charter change to shift the form of government to a parliamentary, federal system. “I will not embarrass and fail the President. The House of Representatives under my leadership is committed to push genuine reforms,” he said. “I will stand against politicians’ self-serving interests.” Last week, Duterte threatened to shut down Congress if lawmakers used Charter change to advance

their selﬁsh interests. He urged the public to trust him on Charter Change. Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte called on fellow lawmakers to stretch their session days to include Fridays to give them more time to study and discuss constitutional reforms. In backing ﬁve-day work week for the House, Villafuerte said a constituent assembly made up of senators and congressmen was “a faster and better option” than an elected constitutional convention.

“Due process has nothing to do with my mouth [statements]. There are no proceedings here, no lawyers,” he said in a pre-dawn speech just before he began listing them. More than 800 drug suspects have been killed by police or vigilantes since Duterte’s election on May 9, in a campaign which has attracted widespread criticism from rights groups. The President listed seven judges and over 50 current or former congressmen, mayors and other local ofﬁcials whom he alleged were involved in illegal drugs. Duterte ordered their security escorts withdrawn and canceled their ﬁrearms permits, adding that they would face sanctions. Mayors on the list were stripped of their

Rody okays FM burial at Libingan PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday vowed to push through with the burial of deposed dictator Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City despite threats of protests. Even though the Marcos years

were marked by widespread corruption and rights abuses, Duterte said that as a former president and soldier, the late dictator was qualiﬁed to be buried in the special cemetery. “I will allow him to be buried there. He is qualiﬁed to be buried

there. If other Filipinos don’t like it, ﬁne,” he said in a pre-dawn speech to soldiers and reporters. Marcos’ family has kept his preserved body on display after he died in exile in 1989 following a popular revolt three years earlier, demand-

around 10:20 a.m. “The victims were on board a black multi-cab from Jolo and were heading toward the cell site of a telecommunications company in Bagsak, Talipao, when ﬂagged down by the armed men,” Tan said. “They were taken going to Sitio Kaban-Kaban.” Tan said Gonzales was a technician of the telecommunications Next page

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ing that it be buried with full honors in the Heroes’ Cemetery. Marcos was elected president in 1965 and declared martial law in 1972, allowing him to rule as a dictator while he, his family and Next page

Bureau tasked to ensure fish supply ample

3 abducted in Sulu: Abu Sayyaf blamed ARMED men believed to be members of the terrorist group Abu Sayyaf on Saturday kidnapped three people in Timpook village in Patikul, Sulu, an ofﬁcial said Sunday. Western Mindanao spokesman Major Felimon Tan Jr. identiﬁed the victims as Shariff Julhasan Abirin, Levi Gonzales and his wife Daniella Taruc. He said they were abducted

authority to supervise the local police. Duterte also named about 100 retired or active police ofﬁcers and soldiers whom he said were involved, and relieved them of duty. “If you show the slightest violence in the resistance, I will tell the police, ‘Shoot them’,” he told reporters and soldiers in Davao. He said soldiers and police should immediately surrender to their superiors while the judges should report to the Supreme Court. Duterte, who has gained widespread domestic popularity for his outspokenness, conceded that he “might be wrong” about the guilt of those he named, and that he would take full responsibility for any mistakes in the information. Next page

A military personnel passes by a signage section where former presidents of the Philippines were buried. Mr. Duterte has given the go-signal for the Marcos family to bury the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City on Sept. 18, 2016.

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AGRICULTURE Secretary Emmanuel Piñol on Sunday ordered the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources to ensure the steady supply of fish in Metro Manila. He gave the order following President Rodrigo Duterte’s order to dismantle the fish pens on Laguna Lake that are inundating the river but are Metro Manila’s main sources of fish. “While the order to dismantle the fish pens was directed at the DENR [Department of Environment and Natural Resources] secretary, the DA [Department of Agriculture] and its line agency—the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources—will be actively involved in the effort because of the order’s impact on the fish supply of Metro Manila,” Piñol said in a statement. The 911-square-kilometer Laguna Lake Next page

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Duterte’s hit list L

IST of politicians, judges, policemen, soldiers and other uniformed personnel who are reportedly involved in the illegal drugs trade, as read by President Rodrigo Duterte at Camp Panacan Sunday early morning.

JUDGES 1. Judge Lorinda Mupas of Dasmarinas, Cavite (retired) 2. Judge Antonio Reyes of Baguio City. 3. Judge Savillo- of Iloilo City. 4. Judge Casiple of Kalibo, Aklan 5. Judge Rene Gonzales of Iloilo (retired) 6. Judge Navidad- Calbayog City (deceased) 7. Judge Exequiel Dagala of Dapa, Siargao POLITICIANS - LUZON 1. Mayor Reynaldo Flores – Naguil ian, La Union 2. Mayor Dante Garcia – Tubao, La Union 3. Mayor Martin de Guzman – Bauang, La Union 4. Mayor Marjorie Apel Salazar – Lasam, Cagayan 5. Mayor Goto Violago – San Rafael, Bulacan 6. Mayor Marino Morales – Mabalacat, Pampanga 7. Mayor Felix Castillo – Langiden, Abra 8. Ex-Mayor Eufronio Eriguel – Agoo, La Union 9. Mayor Jesus Celeste “Boying” – Bolinao, Pangasinan 10. Mayor Jose “Pepe” Miranda – Santiago City, Isabela 11. Mayor Vicente Amante – San Pablo City, Laguna 12. Mayor Ryan Dolor – Bauan, Batangas 13. Vice Mayor Edgardo Trinidad – El Nido, Palawan POLITICIANS - VISAYAS 1. Mayor Alex Centena – Calinog, Iloilo 2. Mayor Julius Ronald Paciﬁcador – Hamtic, Antique 3. Jed Mabilog, I think he’s the Mayor, Iloilo City 4. Mayor Sigfredo Salangutin Betita – Carles, Iloilo 5. Mayor Marciano Malones – Maasin, Iloilo 6. Michael Rama – the former

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He said the military and police had compiled the list, which he insisted was not colored by politics or personal links, adding that some of those named were even his friends. Duterte’s spokesman Martin Andanar later said that criminal cases would be ﬁled against those named. “The President is encouraging all of the persons of interest, the alleged drug lords and drug coddlers to come out in the open, to surrender themselves and submit themselves to thorough investigation,” he told reporters. Some of those named have since come out in media and denied their guilt. But the dean of the San Beda Graduate School of Law, Ranhilio Aquino, said Duterte’s announcement could not be used as the basis for their arrest. “The only thing that is against them is the fact that they were mentioned by the President. There’s no basis for removing them from of-

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allies were accused of enriching themselves through massive corruption as his troops brutally stamped out dissent. But Duterte, who has styled himself as an anti-corruption crusader, defended Marcos, noting that his father had served in the Marcos Cabinet and he himself had even voted for Marcos before. Duterte has previously said that he won the May 9 elections partly with the support of the Marcos family who remain inﬂuential in their bailiwick in the north. The Marcos family has made a remarkable political comeback since the death of their patriarch. The Marcos widow, Imelda, is a congresswoman representing the family’s northern provincial stronghold, while Ferdinand Marcos Jr. narrowly lost election as vice president in May. But Rafaela David, spokeswoman of activist group Akbayan Youth, said the organization would step up its protests against the burial.

Mayor of Cebu City 7. Hector Ong – Laoang, Northern Samar. 8. Rolando Espinosa of Leyte 9. Beda Canamaque –Basay, Negros Oriental 10. Ex-Mayor Madeline Ong – Laoang, Northern Samar 11. Vice Mayor Francis Ansing Amboy – Maasin, Iloilo 12. Fralz Sabalones – San Fernando, Cebu – who ran for mayor but actually maybe they lost. 13. Attorney Antonio Pesina of Iloilo City 14. Erwin “Tongtong” Plagata – Iloilo City 15. Ex-Congressman JC Rahman Nava – Guimaras 16. Congressman Partylist Jeffrey Celis, Panay chapter POLITICIANS – MINDANAO 1. Abubakar Abdulkarim Afdal – Labangan, Zamboanga del Sur. 2. Gamar Ahay Janihim – Sirawai, Zamboanga del Norte 3. David Navarro – Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur 4. Bobby Alingan – Kolambugan, Davao del Norte. 5. Yusofa Monder Bugong Ramin – Iligan City, Lanao del Norte 6. Jessie Aguilera – Alegria, Surigao del Norte 7. Fahad Salic – Marawi City 8. Mohammad Ali Abenal 9. Jamal Dadayan – BuadiposoBuntong, Lanao del Sur 10. Sabdullah Macabago – Saguiran, Lanao del Sur 11. Muslim Aline Macadatu – Lumbatan, Lanao del Sur 12. Rasul Sangki – Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Maguindanao 13. Montaser Sabal – Talitay, Maguindanao 14. Vicman Montawal – Datu Montawal, Maguindanao 15. Samsudin Dimaukom – Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Maguindanao 16. Norodin Salasal – Datu Salibo, Maguindanao 17. Ex-Mayor: Benahar Tulawie – Talipao, Sulu. 18. Reynaldo Parojinog alias Anfice,” Aquino said on radio dzMM. “An elected official can only be removed from his position after hearings, whether administrative or judicial, where they are shown to be guilty,” he added in Filipino. The Department of the Interior and Local Government said more names of public officials, including congressmen, governors and even barangay captains involved in illegal drugs would soon be announced. “I’m sure more will be coming because these are not yet complete,” Interior Secretary Ismael Sueno said, referring to the list of names that Duterte released Sunday. He said incumbent local officials tagged by Duterte may face charges and immediate suspension. Communications Secretary Martin Andanar also said there is another list, but said he did not want to preempt the President. “Based on what he said...there are other names, and these are still to be confirmed and checked,” Andanar added. “I do not know who are included in the list. The President holds his list close to his chest.” Duterte won election by vowing to “This is the Filipino people saying we do not recognize Marcos as a hero. We have a lot of people who have experience with martial law and are trying to get their stories across... so more people get to know the truth about the Marcos legacy,” she said. On Thursday, the National Historical Commission of the Philippines scored the plan to bury Marcos, saying he changed parts of history to support his claim of being a war hero. But Duterte defended his decision. “There is a law that must be followed. He was a soldier. He was there to fight for his country,” Duterte said of the late president. Duterte said he will let the Marcos family decide when to bury their dead. Arrangements are being made for a Sept. 18 burial, Marcos Jr. said. In a statement, the former senator said his family was thankful to Duterte for allowing his father’s burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, calling it a “kind, rightful and healing” gesture. “It has always been our family’s position that it is our father’s right under the law to be buried there be-

dong, the Mayor of Ozamiz City 19. Nova Princess Parojinog Echavez, used to be the wife of, I think, Colangco 20. Omar Solitario Ali – Marawi City 21. Otto Montawal, Datu Montawal, Maguindanao. 22. Nida Dimagkon – Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Maguindanao 23. Congressman Guillermo Romarate Jr. 2nd District, Surigao del Norte 24. Former 2nd District Board Member Ricardo Parojinog Ardot 25. Arafat Salic, Marawi City 26. Rasmiyah Macabago, Saguiaran, Lanao del Sur POLICE 1. Police Inspector Rolando Batulayan (retired) 2. Police Supt. Maristelo Manalo – PNP-CIDG 3. PCI Roberto Palisoc – Station 7 MPD. 4. Supt. Ciceron Ada (retired) 5. PCI Eric Buenaventura – Navotas 6. PO2 Geraldine Bautista Manuel – PNP PRO2 Health Service 7. SPO3 Ronald Calap – Isabela PPO 8. POC Rodel Samoledo – Lalio Police Station 9. PO3 Cecilio Domingo – Nueva Ecija siguro ito, CIDT 10. PO2 Ryan Mendoza – Tarlac Police Station 11. Jeffrey Serafica – Butuan PPO 12. PO1 Norman Adarlo – Puerto Galera NPS 13. Mark Canete – Region 4 14. PO1 Mark Christian Catalina – PNP Camarines Norte 15. PO2 Alan Carpio – PCP 8 Pasay City 16. PO3 Eric Lazo – QCPD Station 6 17. PO3 Alexander Macabeo – PCP 3 Paranaque City 18. PO3 Johnny Mahilum – QCPD Station 6 Batasan 19. PO2 Celito Melendrez – Binangonan Police Station 20. Vicente Loot (Retired) 21. General Valerio – Santa Barbara, Iloilo (Retired) 22. General Bernardo Diaz – Region 6 23. General Idio – RTC of Calwage a war on illegal drugs and other crime that would claim tens of thousands of lives. He has ordered police not to hesitate to kill and even urged ordinary citizens and communist guerrillas to join in the bloodshed. ABS-CBN has listed 852 drug suspects killed since Duterte’s election. In his speech, Duterte scoffed at human rights groups opposed to the killings, saying they were free to protest. “I do not care,” he said. However, the head of the influential Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines made an emotional appeal to the public to denounce the wave of drug killings. “I am a human being. That is all it takes for me to stand up and say ‘enough’,” Archbishop Socrates Villegas said in a message read at all Catholic masses in his archdiocese. He said the largely Catholic Philippines was becoming a “killing fields nation” for tolerating the violence. Despite criticism from foreign and local human rights organizations and even UN Secretary-General Ban Kiing a former soldier and President of our country. Our campaign has always been towards achieving unity to move the country forward,” Marcos said. “And it is this kind of pronouncement that we hope could end the decades of divisiveness imposed upon us by our leaders,” he added. But Senate President Pro Tempore Franklin Drilon urged the President to reconsider his decision, saying the sensitive issue would divide the people and reopen the wounds of the past. Senator Francis Pangilinan also objected to burying the former President at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. “Burying a murderer and a thief in the Libingan ng mga Bayani is not moving on....it is teaching our children to honor murderers and plunderers....It is not going to heal the nation nor will it unite us...it will only deeply divide us, reopen deep wounds of those who suffered, causing them to relive the gnawing pain and memory of loved ones jailed, tortured, murdered, salvaged or who disappeared because of the tyranny and oppression of the dictatorship.” John Paolo Bencito, Macon Ramos-Araneta, Sandy Araneta, AFP

bayog City 24. Police Supt. Floro (Retired) – Antique PNP and City Director 25. Police Supt. Kashmir Disomangcop – COP of Iloilo Base Commander 26. Police Supt. Delia Paz – Chief RDIDM 27. Police Supt. Genepa – RIU Region 6 Intelligence 28. Police Supt. Ipil Duenas 29. Supt. Condag 30. Police Supt. Eugenio Malic – PNP Maritime Group 31. PNP Lamsis, former P/Supt of Chief Antique, anti-drug 32. Police Supt. Gomboc 33. Police Supt. Lebin 34. PCI Rio Maymay 35. PSI Kenneth Militar 36. PSI Donasco 37. Inspector De Jose – SOG PNP Region 6 38. Police Inspector Duarte - Arevalo, Iloilo 39. PIC Vicente Vicente – Chief of Police Banate 40. Supt. Romeo Santander – former chief Intel Cebu 41. PO2 Michael Cortez – Barile Police Station 42. SPO1 Jen dela Victoria – PS5 Cebu CPO 43. SPO1 Onel Nabua – Barile Police Station 44. PO2 Jomar Ibanez – LapuLapu Police Station 45. PO3 Ryan Martus Kiamco – Cebu Provincial Ofﬁce 46. PCI Ibrahim Jabiran – Zamboanga CPO 47. PCI Perfecto Abrasaldo Awi Jr. – Misamis Oriental 48. Police Inspector Roy Sinojales Montes – Iligan PRO 49. Police Supt. Ricardo Gando Pulot alias Daganis – Chief of Police, Quezon Bukidnon 50. Police Inspector Martin Plaza – former Panabo chief intel 51. PO1 Pierre Dizo 52. PO3 Omar Juani ito Zamboanga del Sur 53. Rommel Mansul – PRO9 54. PO3 Daryl Page – Tabasan Municipal Station 55. SPO1 Totong Joe Valdez – 9th RNG 56. SPO1 Rodrigo Ramos – Bukidnon PRO 57. SPO1 Reynaldo dela Victoria – CDO 58. SPO3 Emilio Mendoza – Lozario PP5 Iligan City

59. Marlo Espinosa – Bukidnon 60. SPO3 Ritchie Mat – CDIG Mati, Davao Oriental 61. SPO3 Rosell Iliviera – CIDG Tagum, Davao del Norte 62. PO3 Jessie Balabag, hala, Region 11 63. PO3 Filomeno Toronio – Digos Police Station 64. PO1 Glenn Alicarte – PRO 12 65. PO1 Philip Pantarolia – Tacurong City Police Ofﬁce 66. SPO1 Gerry dela Rosa – SCPPO 67. PO3 Bebot Ruiz – GSCPO 68. PO3 Estelito Solanio – Malongon MPS Sarangani 69. PO1 Jerebel Ocsio – PRO RMN 70. SPO1 Billones, Ernesto – NCR 71. JS1 Montemayor, Lito – Roxas District Jail Aparri District 72. PO1 Vicente Reynaldo Celis – NCR 73. PG Saet, Drexel – MIMAROPA 74. SPO1 Tubil, Felix – Region 3 75. SPO3 Angeles, Nicolas Ponce – Region 3 76. SPO2 Erseni, Rod – Marinduque BFP 77. FO1 Reynaldo Valencia – Claveria Police Station 78. S/Sergeant Vic dela Cruz – MIMAROPA 79. Brigadier General Leoncio Daniega – NCR 80. SPO3 Gerry Mendoza – NCR 81. Reymante Dayto – Region 5 82. Reymar Dayto – Region 5 83. Zamora, Renato Gumaro – Region 6 84. JO1 Alan Coca Manatad – Region 7 85. SPO3 Christie Cielo Tingad – Region 7 86. RSAD Casimiro Castro – CAFGU 38IB 6th Infantry Division ARMM 87. Pfc. RSAD Philip Miro – 40IB 6th Infantry Division ARMM 88. Corporal Cusinan Lopez Giamad Loy – 52 Brigade ARMM 89. Pfc Mamadali Ipad – 64IB 6th Infantry Division ARMM 90. Yasin Abolgalib – Bobong 91. JO1 Ogacho, Alfredo Galis 92. FO1 Ablaca, Nicolas Ponce – ARMM 93. FO3 Ibanez, Ricardo Villaris – Region 9 94. Marine Corporal Alfrenz Gurias Abedin, Western Mindanao 95. Jimmy Manlangit - Region 12

moon, surveys have shown Duterte enjoys wide public support. In his speech, the President said that the illegal drugs menace is a vicious cycle that has reached crisis proportions and has spread like a pandemic nationwide. He also said that the “most shabulized” part of the country is Iloilo, adding that he will soon disclose a next batch of names that will include prosecutors involved in the illegal drugs trade. The President added that drug use has ballooned because there are public servants who protect the illegal trade. Records from the Ofﬁce of the Court Administrator showed that three of the seven judges named by Duterte were no longer active. Judge Roberto Navidad of Calbayog City, Samar regional trial court, who was named by the President, was killed while buying medicine at a drug store in January 2008. Judge Lorinda Toledo-Mupas of the Dasmariñas, Cavite RTC was dismissed by the Supreme Court in 2007 for gross ignorance of the law. The judge’s husband, Judge Jesus

Mupas, is still an active judge with Pasay RTC. Judge Rene Gonzales of Iloilo MTC, has retired. The Supreme Court declined to issue a statement about the judges that Duterte named. “We are still verifying exactly what the President said and how he said it. Assuming a statement is necessary it will be released formally,” the Court’s spokesman, Theodore Te said in a text message. Philippine National Police Director General Ronald dela Rosa ordered law enforcers included in Duterte’s list to report to their superior officers. “The PNP personnel detailed with the named local mayor and judges must be report to their respective supervising officers or chiefs of police or office for physical accounting and possible investigation,” PNP spokesman Senior Supt. Dionardo Carlos said. The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency said Sunday the surrender of drug users and pushers nationwide could deprive drug trafficking syndicates some P8.22 billion in revenues in the next six months. With Rey E. Requejo, PNA

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A few hours after submitting himself to investigators, Violago left without responding to media queries. At 9 a.m., dismissed Metropolitan Trial Court Judge of Dasmariñas, Cavite, Judge Lorinda Toledo-Mupas arrived at Camp Crame and went directly to the MCIU ofﬁce. Mupas was dismissed by the Supreme Court in April 2007 for gross negligence of the law. At 1 p.m. Makabago showed up with a light grayish green Hijab wrapped around her face and entered the MCIU with her lawyer. After two hours, she left Camp Crame and professed her innocence. Makabago, her lawyer said, was mayor of Saguiran town in 2007 to 2010 and has not return to politics since then. She has established her own business selling jewelry at the Greenhills Commercial Center in San Juan City. Makabago said she decided to go to Camp Crame upon hearing her

name mentioned by Duterte early dawn Sunday. “She called me up saying her name was mentioned by Duterte and when I’ve talked to her, my ﬁrst advice [was] to show up today at CIDG to clear her name,” said lawyer Felimon Arteche. Arteche said the former mayor had no idea why her name was included in Duterte’s list. He added that while his client was not required to do so, she was willing to undergo a drug test. Others on Duterte’s list released statements declaring their innocence. Mayor Hector Ong, of Laoang, Northern Samar, said he has been actively waging war against illegal drugs long before Duterte was elected President last May. “I will clear my name because the President himself has assured us that we will be given due process. But clearly, I categorically deny that we are narco politicians. We are public servants,” he said in a statement. Former Laoang mayor Madeleine Ong said she was surprised that she was on the list

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before Aug. 20, it was better to resume formal peace talks on Aug. 20 to 27 to discuss the mode of the ceasefire and how best to arrange it. He said Duterte had the duty to show official and personal concern for his troops and mourn the death of some of them. “However, we wish to point out that command-detonated land mines are not violative of the Geneva Convention and the Ottawa Treaty.” Duterte said that he will also mandate the AFP to use land mines in offensive and defensive operations to counter the communists’ action. He made the statement after a series of encounters between the New People’s Army and the military took place on Aug. 4 and 5, in which four were killed and 12 wounded on the government side, while two members of the NPA were killed and one was wounded. According to 10th Infantry Division Spokesman Rhyan Batchar, on Aug. 4 the troops under the 25th Infantry Battalion engaged in a 15-minute firefight in Compostela Valley in which two soldiers were wounded. The following day two encounters happened between the 71st IB and the Guerrilla Front 27 of the Southern Mindanao Regional Command at the same village. F. Pearl A. Gajunera, John Paolo Bencito and Sandy Araneta

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“A constituent assembly would save the government more money that could be used instead for poverty alleviation,” he said. “Also, a constituent assembly will be so much faster. One can propose, debate and approve amendments to the Constitution in one year,” he said. In the Senate, neophyte Senator Sherwin Gatchalian challenged federalism advocates to provide concrete details on how the shift to a federal form of government would provide tangible beneﬁts to the poor. “What is in it for the average Filipino ? For the average Filipino, the question that must be considered is whether federalism will bring about truly inclusive economic growth felt by even the most marginalized peoples within our society,” said Gatchalian, the chairman of the Senate committee on economic affairs. He said the gravity of the potential shift to federalism would require indepth discussions. Rio N. Araja and Macon Ramos-Araneta

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is the largest in the Philippines and one of the largest in Southeast Asia. But the lake has suffered increasing levels of pollution as a result of high population growth and environmental degradation. Piñol said the fish pens in Laguna Lake or Laguna de Bay were the sources of 36 percent of the fish requirements of Metro Manila, so that their dismantling would have an adverse effect on the supply and prices of fish in the area. “I have never really liked the smell and taste of fish from Laguna de Bay,” Piñol said. “Given the shortage of fish supply, however, Metro Manilans have long accepted the Laguna de Bay fish as part of their table fare.” Duterte has said he wants the lake to be “transformed into a vibrant economic zone showcasing eco-tourism by addressing the negative impact of the watershed destruction, land conversion and pollution.” He also wants huge portions of the lake developed for small fishermen. PNA

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As a private citizen and senior statesman, Ramos was instrumental in the creation of the Boao Forum for Asia or BFA, a non-government and non-proﬁt international organization, in 1998 together with other world leaders like former Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke and former Japanese Prime Minister Morihiro Hosokawa. Ramos was formerly chairman of the BFA, which formally inaugurated on Feb. 27, 2001, in Boao, Hainan province in China, which serves as the BFA’s permanent headquarters. The BFA aims to promote and deepen the economic exchange, coordination and cooperation within Asia and between Asia and other parts of the world. It also aims to offer a high-end dialog platform for governments, enterprises, experts and scholars to jointly discuss relevant issues. PNA

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company while his pregnant wife was merely accompanying him when they were kidnapped on the way there. President Rodrigo Duterte only recently ordered the police and the military to hunt down and destroy the members of the Abu Sayyaf. Florante S. Solmerin

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Group hits port tariff hike By Rey E. Requejo

N UMBRELLA group of consumer stakeholders has asked the Philippine Ports Authority to put on hold a petition of the Manila North Harbour Port Inc. for a 37.45 percent tariff increase, saying democratic consultations must first be held.

“Consumers will ultimately be burdened by this planned tariff hike because traders will just pass on the added costs to the public,” United Filipino Con-

sumers and Commuters president Robert Javellana Jr. said, warning of a spike in prices of basic commodities if such adjustment is implemented.

“The PPA must conduct democratic consultations where consumers must have representation,” Javellana said, in an interview. Port stakeholders earlier rejected the petition, saying it was both unwarranted and unjustified that the MNHPI, which they accused of already acting as a “monopoly,” should hike its fees. The Philippine Inter-Island Shipping Association rejected the claim of the port operator that it needs to adjust cargo-handling tariff to compensate for the “upward trend in cost drivers” and the increasing cost of operating

Manila North Harbor. “For every increase incurred for any cost driver reflected as expense, computed per twentyfoot equivalent unit (TEU), there is already a proportionate revenue earned to compensate such costs incurred by the port operator,” PISA stressed. According to Javellana, this makes the tariff hike petition “unfair and unjustified.” “The port operator must explain where the tariff hike will go. This might have a domino effect with other port operators seeking tariff increases also,” the

UFCC official warned. Export Development Council vice chairman Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr. also slammed MNHPI for asking for a tariff increase. “The MNHPI is a monopoly in domestic trade. Port stakeholders have no choice but to transact business with them. Being a monopoly, it should even cut its cost rather than increase it,” said Ortiz-Luis, who is also the president of the Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. PISA said statistics from the Philippine Ports Authority would show that MNHPI’s net income

DILG’s midnight ‘madness’ revealed

Whistle-blower warns of Defense deal mess WHISTLE-BLOWER Rhodora Alvarez, who previously filed charges against officials of the Department of National Defense in connection with the helicopter deal, has exposed yet another potential anomaly in the agency, this time involving the supply contract for military drones. “May sindikato sa loob ng DND. Sana mabuwag na po ito. Sayang lamang ang pera ng bayan sa mga walang kwentang gawain ng mga walang pusong tao sa loob ng sistema. Alam ko po na mahirap itong gawin kaya ginagawa ko ang aking share as a Filipino at patuloy ko itong gagawin hanggang sa tuluyang maramdaman ang pagbabago. Alam kong hindi masasayang ang aking mga sakripisyo dahil narito na ang pagbabago,” Alvarez said in a statement on Sunday. She said she will write President Rodrigo Duterte a letter detailing how deals are “fixed” at the agency, from pre-qualification bidding to actual contract awards. Alvarez said that a random check on the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (Philgeps) website led her to a questionable posting last July 29, 2016, a Friday, regarding an Invitation to Bid (ITB) with reference number 3971300 and Solicitation # 04213531 coming from the DND asking for bids on the Marine Forces Imagery and Targeting Support System (MITSS) Acquisition Project with an approved budget cost of P684,230,000.00. The pre-bid conference was supposed to be conducted the following Monday, Aug. 1, 2016 at 10 a.m. at the DNDBAC Secretariat. What snagged her eyes, she

said, was the heading “Other Information” appearing at the bottom portion of the webpage which states , “Please be informed that the bidding process for this project is already finished. This is only for compliance of posting of NOA and NTP.” The post was created by Amelia M. Garrero, Executive Assistant of DND BAC Secretariat, who was supposed to have retired in January 2014, according to Alvarez. Alvarez claimed anyone can easily conclude that the posting was a ruse, a “red flag” that gives birth to a multitude of questions that must be answered. Alvarez, who appeared as witness before the Senate investigation on the anomalous P1.2billion chopper deal claimed her attention was caught by the Phigeps post only last week. “Nakatawag ng aking pansin ang isa sa posting sa philgeps. Una, bakit si Amelia Garrero pa rin? Secondly, nag post ng July 29, Friday na may prebid conference ng August 1, Monday? How can a legitimate supplier respond to this with such a short notice? Is the DND back to business as usual?” she asked. Based on her experience, Alvarez said that in the UH 1 project, the project had been manipulated before it was posted on the transparency website. Alvarez explained that she was inspired by Duterte’s remarks last week during his visits in various military camps in Mindanao, where he promised to do away with the corrupt DND procurement in order to equip soldiers with superior weapons and technologically advanced devices to best help them accomplish their mission.

GEARING UP. Caloocan City Mayor Oscar Malapitan receives a fireman’s head gear as a token of

appreciation from Caloocan City Firemarshall F/Supt. Antonio Razal Jr. during the celebration of the 25th anniversary of BFP Caloocan Fire Station on Friday. ANDREW RABULAN

Cargo-truck ban on Recto MANILA Mayor Joseph Estrada has prohibited vegetable cargo trucks from traversing Recto Avenue leading to Divisoria Market in a move to decongest traffic along Recto Avenue, particularly the portion leading to and from Divisoria Market. Estrada said vegetable dealers may use the side streets around Divisoria where they can park their vehicles and unload their merchandise. Estrada noted that truckers block traffic along that 500-meter stretch of Recto Avenue. “We’ve been lenient to them for such a long time. Now that we are putting order back in our streets, we should be stricter.

Mga Manilenyo naman ang pagbigyan nila,” Estrada pointed out after meeting with the vegetable dealers on Friday. Citing health risks, Estrada also prohibited the vegetable dealers from selling in the streets. “Bring them to the market, not on the road where you disrupt traffic flow. Also, your vegetables are at risk of being contaminated with dirt and pass it on to your customers. You have to consider your customers’ health, not only your profit margin,” Estrada told the dealers. “I am the one being insulted by people. I am appealing to the vendors to return Divisoria to the people. When I came to

office in 2013, I allowed night market but everyone got angry at me and I nearly lost. In my desire to help you, I nearly lost [in the elections],” Estrada said. Estrada personally led successive road clearing operations in Divisoria, removing at least 2,000 illegal vendors and numerous structures that have been restricting the flow of traffic in the area. Road clearing operations have also been conducted in Binondo, Blumentritt, Quiapo, and Sta, Cruz-Rizal Avenue in the past weeks as part of the city government’s efforts to remove what Estrada described as “anarchy in the streets.” Sandy Araneta

NORTHBOUND.

Rodrigo E. Franco, president of Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation and Manila North Tollways Corporation; Makati Mayor Abigail Binay; DOT Usec Alma Jimenez; Grace Ayento-MNTC AVP for Marketing; Rosana Fores of the Tourism Congress of the Philippines; and Myrna FernandezVP of Ayala malls, lead the ceremonial ribbon-cutting during the ‘NLEX Tara Na sa Norte’ Tourism and Travel Fair opening held at Glorieta Activity Center in Makati Manny Palmero

Bangladesh told: Resume probe of bank cyber heist BANGLADESH Central Bank should resume its aborted investigation into the $81-million cyber heist instead of just pressing the Philippine Senate to reopen its inquiry. “They stopped their investigation and then their ambassador here, John Gomes, started claiming it was an outside job. But their finance minister said it was

an inside job,” said Thea Daep, RCBC’ external legal counsel. Daep questioned BB’s decision not to investigate and not to renew the contract of a US-based investigating company. “Why don’t they want to know the truth? Before they ask for help from the Philippine government, it is incumbent upon them to submit a full report to the Philippine gov-

has been steadily increasing from P177.9 million in 2012 to P305.7 million in 2013 to P332.6 million in 2014. This means the port operator’s net income went up by 13 percent, 19 percent, and 16 percent for the said period. MNHPI has listed labor, fuel and power rates as among the cost drivers but these were all debunked by the Philippine Liner Shipping Association. The group said the fuel and power consumption of the company was “alarming” at the very least and should trigger an audit instead.

ernment, detailing what happened in Bangladesh,” she said. Daep also recounted the ordeal of a Bangladeshi expert who pointed out the weaknesses of BB after the heist. This expert suddenly disappeared and was found days later in a daze and apparently mentally challenged. “Something is very wrong here. What is it that they do not want to

know and must therefore report to the public? They just keep saying they are the victims and want to get their money back when it was their apparent negligence that started it all,” Daep said. “Around March, the finance minister of Bangladesh told media he was sure it was an inside job, and the Bank of Bangladesh Governor and two deputies resigned

shortly thereafter. To us, these are clear indications of guilt and negligence,” Daep added. She said BB had been found using inferior and cheap server auxiliaries and having no firewall. It also required six BB officials to put their handprints on a plate in proper sequence before a payment order for the $81 million could go through.

OLD-TIMERS at the Department of the Interior and Local Government have raised a howl against several “midnight” appointments made by the high-ranking agency officials who are remnants of the previous administration and who supposedly closed ranks against new officials appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte. DILG sources said while Secretary Ismael Sueno was busy with the campaign against criminality and corruption, the “old-timer” officials who are holding permanent positions in the agency were busy filling up juicy positions at the DILG, even appointing their relatives. “They are threatened by the entry of the Duterte officials who promised to bring change to the agency. This group has a powerful contact in the Office of the Secretary even up to now because they have yet to be replaced. This group is composed of officials loyal to the former DILG secretary,” said a DILG source who has been working there for almost a decade. The source showed copies of appointment papers and a list of newly-promoted and appointed DILG officials, including two who are close relatives of Assistant Secretary Ester Aldana. Both appointments were signed by Undersecretary for Local Government Austere Panadero, instead of Sueno. The two officials are Mary Rose Vilchez, who was appointed division chief in the Administrative Services. Vilchez is said to be a cousin of Aldana. Likewise appointed was Romar Panganiban, a cousin of Aldana’s husband, who was named to the post vacated by Vilchez. Another DILG source presented a list of new appointees whose papers were signed by Panadero. He, Aldana and a certain Veronica Macabale processed the appointment papers, it was learned. “Panadero and Aldana and other career officers are rushing the appointments, jumping the gun on the incoming officials to be appointed by Duterte. The old-timers are elbowing out the newcomers to protect their interests here and so that change would not arrive here. They have loyal people at the media division, too,” stressed the source. The source said that once the Freedom of Information (FOI) Executive Order signed recently by President Duterte becomes operational, the media can request for the records of the following Panadero appointees: Cheryl C. Agustin Flores, Local Government Operations Officer VII with a salary of P67,932; Michelle Tabuso LGOO IV (P40,142); Reynaldo Cusi LGOO IV (P56,937); Joan Aurelia Rosales LGOO V (P47,721); Nicolas Perla, LGOO IV (P41,424); Lyn Aguilar LGOO (P41,424); Israel JIel Fedelicio LGOO IV (P41,424); Teresita Morales Information Researcher II (P28,969); Kennedy Mateo Info Tech Officer II (P56,937); Donna Cuacojes Internal Auditor II (P28,969); Patricia Dahipon, Internal Auditing Assistant (P37,621); Gina Estrada Senior Executive Assistant (P26,891); and Atty. Edward Justine R. Orden, Acting Director of DILG-Legal, Legislative Liaison Services.

Opinion

MONDAY, AUGUST 8, 2016

mstdaydesk@gmail.com

Indecent exposure

EDITORIAL

ONALD Trump, the Republican candidate for president, thrives on controversy. Thus far, his campaign has been anchored on making outrageous statements that spark controversy and generate news coverage that can be aptly described as indecent exposure. In announcing his candidacy last year, Trump described Mexican immigrants as rapists and criminals, and has since called for building a 2,000mile wall along the border with Mexico to keep out undesirable—illegal immigrants, drug trafﬁckers and terrorists. He has said he wants to stop all foreign Muslims from entering the United States, and last month belittled the parents of a

Adelle Chua, Editor

slain Muslim US serviceman who had strongly denounced Trump during the Democratic National Convention. The soldier’s father, Trump suggested, delivered the whole speech because his mother was not allowed to speak. Up until this month, Trump’s bigoted statements were merely a source of amusement—a cause for the occasional doubletake—as we followed the

progress of the US presidential campaign from the comfort of our armchairs here in Manila, thousands of kilometers away from Washington DC. But this month, Trump’s attacks hit closer to home. Speaking last week about his proposal to ban immigrants from “areas of the world where there is a proven history of terrorism” against the United States and its allies, Trump lumped the Philippines with 39 other countries that included Afghanistan, Iraq, Morocco, Pakistan, Somalia, Syria, Uzbekistan and Yemen. “We are letting people come in from terrorist nations that shouldn’t be allowed because you can’t vet them,” Trump said at a rally in Portland, Maine. “You have no idea who they are. This could be the great Trojan horse of all time,” he said.

As proof that even legal immigrants were a danger, Trump said an immigrant from Afghanistan who became a US citizen and a legal permanent resident from the Philippines were convicted last year of “plotting to join Al Qaida and the Taliban... to kill as many Americans as possible.” “We’re dealing with animals,” he said, using a broad brush to smear some four million Filipinos who live and work in the United States. Ironically, many of the Filipinos whom Trump has chosen to smear in his anti-immigrant screeds are more likely to be conservative supporters of the Republican Party than the Democratic Party. Trump’s anti-Filipino remarks drew only a muted response from the Palace, where a presidential spokesman reminded the Republican candidate that he had praised

Filipinos once when he was promoting a real estate project here in the Philippines. More on point was the reaction from Senator Brian Shatz of Hawaii, where Filipinos made up 23 percent of the state’s population in the year 2000, according to the US Census Bureau. “Donald Trump’s latest rant suggesting we ban immigration from countries like the Philippines that are helping us ﬁght terrorism is another example of his reckless rhetoric that’s based on fear and division and further proves he is unﬁt to lead our country,” Shatz said in a statement. “For generations, Filipinos have made the United States their home. It is their vibrant culture, hard work, and strong values that have enriched our communities and made this country great, not the ignorant, racist bigotry of Donald Trump.” BACK CHANNEL ALEJANDRO DEL ROSARIO

Dump Trump

PENSEES

Keep the military out of the academe

FR. RANHILIO CALLANGAN AQUINO I BELONGED to the first batch of college seminarians that had to submit to the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps regimen when the government decided that seminarians would no longer be exempted. Seminary formation has never been luxurious, at least not in the Philippines. In fact, it is almost always Spartan living—but ROTC was our rude awakening to the brutality of which the military was capable. I am aghast at the very proposal to make ROTC compulsory once more and to revive the intrusion of academe by the agents of the military and defense establishments! Aside from wasting an entire Sunday marching aimlessly with the glaring sun beating down mercilessly on us, we had to endure lectures delivered by semi-literate cadet officers who, aside from drawling and mumbling through completely

forgettable material, harangued us into learning utterly inane maneuvers like defending the goldfish in the university pond from imagined intruders! I have absolutely no pleasant memories of ROTC, and I do not think myself idiosyncratic in this respect. Cadet officership was often the chance for academic retardates to bully brighter students by yelling at them and subjecting them to every form of humiliation and torture, avenging themselves for the humiliation they in turn received from professors whose patience these drill bullies most surely wore thin by their silly classroom recitation! To instill patriotism, love of country and a preparedness to defend the nation? Were the proponents of the revival of this bestforgotten chapter of collegiate life decades ago even awake— or serious—when they attempted this pathetic defense of their

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There is absolutely no sound argument in favor of the revival of that dreadful memory called the ROTC. absurd proposal? Ask any ordinary cadet who went through the ordeals of ROTC whether all the drills, and the yells and the rudeness of the cadet officer training program left him burning with patriotism and zealously on the ready to defend the country. If anything, it was the exasperating days in military habiliment and the ceaseless rudeness by cadet officers and commandants alike that left youngsters with a loathBenjamin Philip G. Romualdez Former Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno Anita F. Grefal Maan Ilustre Edgar M. Valmorida

ing for anything military, with an irreparable antipathy for men and officers in uniform and with an abiding cynicism towards the defense establishment. We are really engaged in double-talk just once more, for while, on the one hand, we protest until we are hoarse that as a nation, we reject war as an instrument of national policy and have made a fundamental option for the ways of peace, comity and friendship between nations, we want our youngsters prepared—or so it is claimed—for war, even if, we insist, only in defense of the country. But should we not be devising programs rather to set our youngsters’ feet on the paths of peace through the ways of interracial, inter-ethnic, regional and international dialogue and exchange? That takes more time—and more intelligence— than does barking orders to an entire platoon of intimidated and

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harassed cadets! The argument is likewise specious that claims for ROTC the mystic ability to instill discipline in the young. By the provisions of the Constitution, that is first of all the province of the family, and the prime duty of parents. And then it belongs to the school and to the members of the community to discipline— in that sense of “discipline” that acknowledges its origins in the Latin infinitive “discere”—to learn! Something terrible must have happened to us as a nation if we now admit that we need the military to discipline and to educate our youth! No, there is absolutely no sound argument in favor of the revival of that dreadful memory called ROTC within the sacred grooves of academe. rannie_aquino@sanbeda.edu.ph rannie_aquino@csu.edu.ph rannie_aquino@yahoo.com

Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher Ramonchito L. Tomeldan Managing Editor Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano Associate Editors Francis Lagniton News Editor Emil P. Jurado

JUST when you thought Donald Trump can no longer implode, he lets go another mouthful. This time at a recent political rally in Portland, Maine, he named nine countries, including the Philippines, as a “terrorist nation” and Filipinos as “animals.” Now deemed as America’s worst nightmare, the foulmouthed Republican Party presidential candidate it seems is not running against Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton but against North Korea’s Kim Jong Un for the title of the Most Unhinged Person on the Planet. His latest outburst against the Philippines also included Uzbekistan, Somalia, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Morocco, Yemen and Afghanistan. He said these countries are plotting to do harm against the US with Islamist immigrants who are able to slip into the country. The last time I checked, the Philippines (except for some Islamist extremists like the Abu Sayyaf in Mindanao), was a Catholic country. Trump is showing signs of senility. Earlier, he described the Philippines where he invested in a luxury condominium building in Makati as “a special place.” Earlier in the campaign, Trump called Mexico a nation which sends its illegal drug traffickers, rapists and killers as immigrants to the US. Trump is making his list of enemies longer and his chances of winning the White House a lot shorter. Hillary Clinton is leading Trump in the poll surveys in the run-up to the US elections in November. For sure, Trump is not going to endear himself to the Latino vote and the supporters of his former GOP rivals Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio who are of Latino descent. This is the man who wants to lead the United States? Even the Republican Party is divided on having Trump for president. The possibility of Trump’s election is seen by many as divisive, not only among Americans but also its

Joyce Pangco Pañares Adelle Chua Romel J. Mendez Roberto Cabrera

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Opinion

THE bashing suffered by Ms. Mocha Uson from netizens who derided her supposed “appointment” as a social media consultant for the Bureau of Customs under Commissioner Nick Faeldon are most unfair. The unfairness of it all borders on prejudice against those perceived to be “low-class,” as if a caste system prevails in this country. Uson, who along with her group of dancers performed in the Duterte-Cayetano rallies for free, is being excoriated for volunteering to bring to the attention of the BoC complaints by harried balikbayan-box shippers, mostly overseas Filipino workers. Some netizens, perhaps trolls unleashed by Duterte haters, questioned her appointment by Faeldon. Both she and Faeldon disclaimed any official appointment. She offered to help by posting in her well-read blog complaints from OFWs, and Faeldon graciously accepted. What is wrong with that? Is being a “sexy” dancer anathema in this country? Does such a profession bring stigma to anyone? Why then do we allow our children to dance on television shows, with moms so proud of the terpsichorean, if completely Western talents, of their kids? The same brouhaha came about when netizens, even mainstream media, questioned the possible appointment of Freddie Aguilar to chair the National Commission for Culture and the Arts. Again, whatever is so wrong with that? Has not the artist brought international acclaim to original Pilipino music? Must our concept of “culture” be confined to those who have schooled abroad in the arts, or those who claim to appreciate “la belle vie”? Why must we exclude the “masa” from art and culture

appreciation, as if only the “effete nabobs” of elitism deserve to be in the pantheons of culture? They even questioned the appointment of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. of an assistant vice president for entertainment, Jimmy Bondoc, and made it appear that this was a presidential appointment. Bondoc, who finished at the Ateneo, incidentally (not as if that is eminent qualification, but just to put the hypocrites in proper place), was appointed by the Pagcor board to be in charge of selecting musical and other talents who regularly provide entertainment in their casinos. You need a doctorate for that? Besides, many of those who perform as Pagcor entertainers complain about their being underpaid by “agents” who are under the cabal of some Pagcor people. Pati ba naman yun pinagkakakitaan? Jimmy was one of a group of dedicated musicians, including Njell, Luke Mejares, Thor, and others too many for me to remember as I write in an instant, who performed all over the country, gratis et amore, the “amore” being love of country fueled by a raging desire for change. Jimmy’s “Takbo,” performed by some of the country’s finest pop artists who volunteered, was one of the emotional reasons that persuaded Duterte to finally take a plunge into the presidency. Ditto for Arnel Ignacio, whom the Pagcor board tasked to be in charge of its community assistance programs. Should we excoriate such an appointment simply because Arnel is just a “comedian?” Come on. Be fair. Change means changing bad attitudes. Change means throwing a misplaced sense of elitism into the dustbin as well. *** The recent Pulse Asia sur-

vey which showed that 44 percent of the respondents are not in favor of charter change “at this time” should not be a cause for worry among the proponents of systems change. That 37 percent are in favor and 19 percent are undecided gives enough comfort for pushing constitutional revision, contrary to what the “nattering nabobs of negativism” (these quotes from the late unlamented US Vice President Spiro Agnew) would want to paint as public resistance to revising the 1987 Cory Constitution. With only 27 percent of Filipinos claiming to know much or enough about the Constitution, and 73 percent hardly understanding what the Constitution is all about, all that is needed to marshal public support is a well-crafted and properly implemented communications effort. Which brings to mind an effort during the Estrada administration to revise the Constitution, but “only its economic provisions” that impinge on foreign capital entering the country, particularly the restriction on ownership of public utilities including media, and restrictions on land ownership. Earlier, when we were sounded out by then President Estrada as his presidential adviser on political affairs, we said we better revise, rather than amend, to include other provisions including the political. But the president pushed only for amending the economic provisions. The instant surveys in August of 1998 showed high public disapproval, especially after former President Cory, Cardinal Sin, and the yellow clique in the politico-economic oligarchy weighed against it. The numbers were two-thirds against amending the economic provisions. I proposed that we launch a communications campaign to

OUT OF THE BOX inform the public. I was given charge of arranging for cabinet and sub-cabinet officials to move around the country, speak to congregations, hold press conferences, all as part of a communications effort. Another group bought full-page advertisements in print media, and engaged media practitioners to support the drive. By December of 1998, we were turning the tide. The number of those against constitutional amendments had been brought down to 58 percent in our internal surveys. Just a little more push, I thought. Then, in mid-January, we were all surprised by the president’s announcement that he was giving up on his attempt to relax the restrictive economic provisions. That evening, just before our usual Malacanang dinner, I asked the president why: “Bakit po kayo umatras?” “E sobra ang opposition ng mga pari at obispo [There is too much opposition from the priests and the bishops],” he candidly replied, in fine saying the effort was costing him too much political capital. “Ang problema, Mr. President, umatras kayo. Yung mga kalaban ninyo, tatandaan ‘yan. Kasi maski anong gawin ninyong panunuyo sa kanila, kalaban na ninyo ang mga ‘yan. [The problem, Mr. President, is that you backed down. Your opponents will remember that. However you try to win them over, they will never be your allies]. They are not appeased; they are just emboldened,” I responded. To which he did not react, other than giving me a pained, even reprobating look. A year and a half later, after Chavit Singson exploded his bomb, as in a carefully planned and orchestrated cacophony, the kalaban I adverted to before, came back with full force—and succeeded in ousting a duly elected President through means unfair if not foul.

Pokemon Go: An irritating harbinger of something great Bloomberg editorial YOU’VE heard of Pokemon Go by now, yes? It’s the pervasively viral, madness-inducing, privacy-invading, weirdly alarming, metaphysically destabilizing new mobile-phone game from Niantic. It’s potentially worth $1.8 billion a year. And it just may herald an important technological shift. Conceptually, the app is fairly simple. Looking through their phones, gamers can see Pokemon characters superimposed on the world around them. The idea is to “catch” the creatures, and to pursue different varieties. The kids love it. But it isn’t just a game: It’s a rudimentary use of something called augmented reality. Us-

ing cameras and sensors, more sophisticated AR can project computer-generated graphics on a user’s field of vision, typically through specialized goggles or visors. It can also show what the user is seeing to remote collaborators, who can in turn manipulate what graphics are displayed. For industry, that’s a powerful combination. Factory workers are experimenting with headgear that displays safety alerts and instructions for machinery. Engineers are using the gadgets to help repair equipment. Rather than pore through technical manuals, they can peer through headsets that recognize what they’re looking at and indicate what needs to be done. As such gear improves, it should cut costs, increase accuracy, save

Dump... From A4 allies in Asia and Europe. The more than 300,000 Filipino-Americans in the US should start a movement to dump Trump. This is the least they can do to show Filipinos in the States are a voting bloc to be reckoned with. This guy Trump has no concept about foreign affairs and international relations The only immigrants he welcomes are the beauties he married from Slovenia like Melania and Ivana from the Czech Republic. Our Miss Universe, Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach, better beware of the billionaire tramp’s roving eye. While I had some doubts about Clinton before, I am now certain about Trump needing professional help. Trump is a loose cannon with a loose tongue and few loose screws in the head. Only Kim Jong Un probably has more loose screws, mak-

time and make workplaces safer. It also seems likely to spread. Lockheed Martin is using AR to assemble fighter jets. One day, it may prove useful in hospitals or on construction sites. Microsoft’s AR system, called HoloLens, was sent aboard the International Space Station, so that mission control might help with future repairs by dropping annotations into an astronaut’s field of vision. Even for the technically inept, AR could simplify tasks like assembling furniture or fixing a flat. In each case, AR’s power is to project the limitless data of cyberspace onto the physical world. That will give people more information about their environment, new ways to manipulate it and a promising new

ing him unhinged beyond repair. Between the two of them with their fingers on the nuclear trigger, the US and North Korea are facing Mutually Assured Destruction so appropriately abbreviated as MAD. The Philippines and Japan and other countries in the region could suffer severe collateral damage if the US and North Korea unleash their nuclear warheads against each other. Kim has been threatening to send his missiles to the US territory of Guam in the Pacific and as far as the West Coast cities of Los Angeles and San Francisco. The North Korean leader is really inviting a preemptive first strike by the US and Trump if elected (heaven forbid) might just accommodate him. How will North Korea’s neighbor and China ally react when the shooting starts? Let’s not also forget third party Russia in the equation. Sison-Duterte war of words While still on the subject of name-calling, President Rodrigo Duterte got back at

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Unfair

SO I SEE LITO BANAYO

MONDAY, AUGUST 8, 2016

venue for collaboration. In short, it will turn people into cyborgs, but in a good way. For all that, Pokemon Go —like its predecessor in awkward virtual-physical collisions, Google Glass—suggests some looming conundrums. As with everything in the digital age, it will surely erode privacy. How might advertisers make use of such gear? And how do you keep everyone from wandering into traffic, getting robbed or falling off cliffs? Those questions and many more will probably become more urgent as this thrilling, alarming technology takes off. Meantime, enjoy your weird game, Pokemon enthusiasts. You’re playing with the future. And it should only get better from here.

Filipino communist leader Jose Ma. Sison by calling him arrogant. Sison, from his self-imposed exile in Utrecht, Netherlands, described Duterte’s decision-making as volatile and called him a butangero (hoodlum). Duterte canceled a unilateral government ceasefire he had announced in his first State-of-the-Nation Address after Philippine troops were ambushed in Mindanao even before the mechanics for the ceasefire had been worked out by both sides. To be fair and not take sides in this war of words, I think that what Duterte and Sison are saying to each other are, in a sense, true. I can imagine the verbal fireworks when the two get to face each other when Joma comes home for the proposed peace talks if it does still happen. Bruised egos often get in the way of clear thinking. Sison says the things he says from the luxury and safety of his exile in Europe while Duterte, ensconced at Malacañan Palace, does the same thing. It’s like dueling with swords at 10 paces.

RITA LINDA V. JIMENO

Do we really need mining? PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte pronounced that the country would survive without mining companies and that mining as an industry is now at the sunset of its life in the Philippines. To appreciate the President’s words, every Filipino who loves his country must take a look at the following figures. The Philippines has a land mass of only 30 million hectares and a population of now more than 100 million people. Australia has a land area of 76.8 million hectares—more than double ours —yet its population is only 24.3 million as of early 2016. Canada, on the other hand, has a land mass more than triple that of the Philippines, with 99.8 million hectares, and a population of only 35.8 million in 2015. With the size of these countries’ land areas and small populations in contrast to our much smaller land mass and much bigger population, is it logical to allow destructive mining to prosper in the Philippines? Open-pit mining, which has been the trend in mining operations for lower costs, has caused the lopping off of mountains, the killing of flora and fauna, the cutting of trees, the poisoning of the soil and water and the creation of barren wastelands in its wake. Considering the Philippines’ President small land mass and huge population, minDuterte, ever ing will displace inthe man with a habitants of land areas and impoverish them. vision for what It will also cause soil is best for the erosion that can cause untold disasters. So, Filipino people, is why should mining right. be allowed to thrive in the Philippines? On the other hand, even if open-pit mining operations were done many times over in either Canada or Australia, there will be little, if any at all, impact on their respective environments and people. Yet, why are foreign mining firms, most of which are Canadian and Australian, in the Philippines, mining our minerals? It must be remembered that Marcopper—that mining company which caused an environmental disaster in Marinduque, is a Canadian mining company. MRL Gold Inc., that company which violated environmental laws in Agusan del Sur, causing suffering to indigenous peoples, for which the company was sanctioned by the Ombudsman of the International Finance Corporation, is an Australian company. Canada and Australia, as President Duterte said, have the best practices and laws on mining. This means, as columnist Jarius Bondoc once commented these Canadian and Australian companies come to the Philippines to mine because their own countries have strict laws that regulate mining and guarantee jailing for violators. In the Philippines, on the other hand, most politicians are easy to manipulate and there are oligarchs who allow themselves to be used by foreign companies—going around Constitutional restrictions on full foreign ownership—in the name of money, at the expense of the environment and the people. As often stressed by Environment Secretary Gina Lopez, the poorest areas in the country are mining sites. When an area is mined, especially the open-pit type of extracting minerals, the soil, the water and the air get poisoned. Mining sites become barren wastelands that cannot sustain agriculture or fisheries. The water sources such as rivers and lakes become unfit for human consumption. Yet, Secretary Lopez added, the mining industry contributes less than one percent to the Philippine economy. Explaining further, she said that out of P35 billion net in mining proceeds, P29 billion goes to the mining company, and only P6 billion go to the coffers of the government. A meager amount—hardly anything—she said, trickles down to the community that is left with contaminated soil, air, and water. The Environment secretary’s strict stance on mining explains why, when her appointment as DENR secretary was announced, the religious and hordes of lay people in Batangas exclaimed, “May Diyos talaga!” (There truly is God!) At the time the appointment of Gina Lopez was announced, the citizens of Lobo, Batangas and the clergy were in the thick of a struggle against mining in the municipality. You see, Lobo, which lies along the coast of the Verde Island Passage, has been the site of gold mining exploration by an Australian company which sought to be given a permit to do open-pit mining in several mountainous barangays of Lobo, most of which, were watersheds. Before Secretary Lopez’s appointment, and right after the May elections, the mining company was on a roll as it seemed to have mysteriously gained the backing of the local government of Lobo despite widespread opposition by the community. Just when the people of Lobo felt lost and defeated, the President—who has warned mining companies to shape up and follow strict environmental regulations—appointed Gina Lopez to head the environment department. And, indeed, barely a month since her appointment, Secretary Lopez has already closed down or suspended seven mining companies found violating environmental laws. As communities suffering from the impact of mining become more emboldened to complain, and as the Environment Department does its audit of mining operations in the country, the nation can look forward to more mining operations that cause destruction, to be sanctioned, even closed. President Duterte, ever the man with a vision for what is best for the Filipino people, is right. We do not need mining for the little income it contributes to the Philippine economy and the size of destruction it causes. Email: ritalindaj@gmail.com Visit: www.jimenolaw.com.ph

Sports

MONDAY, AUGUST 8, 2016 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Standard Insurance ends PSL stint on winning note TANDARD Insurance-Navy put a nice finish to its roller-coaster campaign as it crushed Amy’s, 25-13, 25-17, 19-25, 25-9, to cop the seventh place of the 2016 Philippine Superliga All-Filipino Conference women’s volleyball tournament Sunday at The Arena in San Juan. After a strong start, the Corvettes took their sweet time in the third set before going for the kill to finish their campaign in this prestigious club tourney bankrolled by KLab Cyscorpions, Mikasa, Mueller and Asics on a sizzling note. Veteran Pau Soriano led the charge, while Hezzymie Acuna and Carissa Martinez provided support offensively to power Standard Insurance-Navy to their fourth win of the conference and avoid finishing dead last in their first ever stint in this premier semi-professional league. RC Cola-Army and reigning champion Petron will slug it out on Thursday for the consolation 3rd place, while Foton and F2 Logistics will dispute in Game 1 of their best-of-three finals showdown. Soriano, the former Adamson University star, mocked the Spikers’ defense all game long as she tallied 15 kills and two aces to finish with 18 points, while Martinez and Acuna delivered 10 hits, respectively. Lilet Mabbayad was also impressive defensively, delivering three of her nine points from blocks. “Our initial target was to make it to the Top

Arellano Braves aim for sweep Games today 9: a.m. - CSB-LSGH vs Arellano 11 a.m. - LPU vs San Sebastian

4,” said Standard Insurance-Navy coach Nene Chavez. “Although we failed to hit our target, I am still happy and proud of my team because we gained maturity and confidence to face the best volleyball players in the country. Who knows, maybe things would be better next conference.” Chavez, a proud member of the team that clinched the gold medal in the Singapore Southeast Asian Games in 1993, added that her team discovered its groove in the classification phase as it won a pair of games over Cignal and Amy’s. “We started to play well in the second round,” she said. “But it’s okay. I told the team that the important thing is that we learned something and we enjoyed every single game.” Powered by Soriano, the Corvettes appeared invincible in the first two sets as the young Spikers from University of Perpetual Help struggled with errors and lethargic defense. Things, however, went wrong in the third set when Chavez pulled out her veterans in favor of the young guns. “I wanted to give them experience,” she said. “But we paid dearly for that experiment as Amy’s gained confidence after seeing that the veterans were resting.” It was all Standard Insurance-Navy in the fourth set as it raced to a 16-6 lead entering the second technical timeout. A couple of unforced errors gave the Spikers some extra points, 9-23, but Mabbayad scored on a block while Soriano delivered an ace to seal the victory.

Carissa Martinez of Standard Insurance-Navy tries to score against Amy’s Lourdes Clemente and Renelyn Raterta. ROMAN PROSPERO

National U, TIP face off for Shakey’s volley lead D

ARELLANO University tries to complete an impressive first-round sweep as it clashes with a dangerous St. BenildeLa Salle Greenhills today in the 92nd NCAA juniors’ basketball tournament at The Arena in San Jan City. Powered by Guillmer dela Torre and Lars Sunga’s late-game heroics, the Braves brought down the fancied San Beda Cubs, the reigning seven-peat champions, in a gripping 93-90 victory Monday to seize the solo lead with a perfect 8-0 record. The Legarda-based school could extend its amazing streak to nine if it could hurdle CSBLSGH, which currently occupies solo No. 4 with a 5-3 slate, when the two collide at 9 a.m. “If we could continue to keep executing our game plan, we’ll have a chance to sweep the first round,” said Arellano University coach Tylon Darjuan. Dela Torre poured in 10 of his game-high 28 points in the fourth quarter, while Sunga unloaded eight of his 16 markers in the same period to help Arellano University secure the win while preserving its unblemished mark. While Dela Torre and Sunga took over on offense, Aaron Fermin did the heavy lifting with 11 points, 13 rebounds and a season-high seven blocks. The 6’5” Fermin, who was discovered from a far-flung barrio in Nueva Ecija, made the most decisive play of the game when he blocked San Beda’s Sam Abu Hijle’s lay up that would have tied the game and force overtime if it wasn’t swatted away. “He’s our anchor on defense,” said Darjuan of Fermin.

Meanwhile, the Lady Maroons like12, last week but will need a lot of effort, Games today wise try to keep in step with idle UST as plus luck, to surprise the Jaja Santiago-led (Philsports Arena) they face the embattled Lady Blazers at squad. 10 a.m. – NCBA vs UP 6 p.m. Both matches will be aired live on Santiago unleashed a 27-hit effort, in12 noon – PMMS vs NU ABS-CBN Sports + Action Channel 17 cluding 20 attack points, four blocks and 4 p.m. – TIP vs NU and 23 and via streaming on www.sports. three aces while Jasmine Nabor dished 6 p.m. – St. Benilde vs UP abs-cbn.com. out 50 excellent sets and chipped in two UP ripped newcomer San Beda, 25points against the Gretchel Soltonespowered SSC side in a pair of strong efforts that im- 20, 25-17, 25-20, with Isa Molde leading the charge pressed the NU coaching staff. with 15 hits and Mae Basarte, filling in for Jewel Lai “They did well and we hope they sustain their form,” who has transferred to St. Benilde, came through said NU assistant mentor Edjet Mabbayad, taking over with 39 excellent sets. in the absence of head coach Roger Gorayeb. The Lady Blazers, on the other hand, dropped their Still, the Lady Engineers are out to surprise not only first two games, including a 20-25, 17-25, 27-25, 17the Lady Bulldogs but the entire field in the tournament 25 setback to the Tigresses last Saturday, although The Lady Bulldogs rallied to beat the San Sebastian backed by Mikasa as official ball and Accel as official the reigning NCAA champions remain upbeat of their Lady Stags, 25-22, 29-27, 25-21, last week and are fan- outfitter as they try to make an impact on a team built chances against the Diliman-based squad. cied to get past the Lady Engineers in the featured 4 p.m. around Eunice Mabayao, Gayle Layug, Eden Maturan, Meanwhile, UP takes on NCBA at 10 a.m. while encounter in the mid-season conference of the league Sheena Espinosa and skipper Sheeka Espinosa and rein- Philippine Merchant Marine School clashes with NU sponsored by Shakey’s. forced by former Adamson star Mylene Paat and veteran at 12 noon in the Spikers’ Turf Season 2 Collegiate TIP surprised Ateneo, 26-24, 14-25, 25-21, 18-25, 15- setter Relea Saet. Conference.

3PH... From A8

FOLLOWING his historic win at the first-ever King of the Rock national finals last March in Manila, Filipino-American Robbie Herndon has decided to step down as the Philippines’ first representative to the world finals to be held later this year in Serbia. King of the Rock is the world’s largest and most prestigious 1-on-1 street basketball tournament held every year. In its debut season in the country, King of the Rock held qualifiers in the cities of Cebu, Caloocan, and Quezon. In the national finals, the top 24 players battled in intense single-elimination rounds before Herndon and former PBA superstar Willie Miller emerged as the top two – with Herndon eventually taking home the crown. A former NCAA Division II player for San Francisco State University, Herndon is determined to continue with basketball albeit in a different venue. After training at the PBA D-League last 2015 with teams like Rain or Shine, Alaska, and Kia, the 22-year-old player believes that his skills

The weightlifters are scheduled to compete starting at 3 p.m. Sunday here. “I will just give my best. I’m okay. There’s no problem with my training. There are no distractions here,” said Diaz, in her third straight Olympics. The others who are still waiting for their turn are judoka Kodo Nakano in the 81 kg on Aug. 9; swimmer Jasmine Alkhaldi, who vies in the women’s 100m freestyle on Aug. 10; golfer Miguel Tabuena from Aug. 11 to 14; marathoner Mary Joy Tabal on Aug. 14; hurdler Eric Cray on Aug, 15; long jumper Marestella Torres on Aug. 16; and taekwondo’s Kirstie Elaine Alora in the +67 kg on Aug. 20.

EFENDING champion National University tests Technological Institute of the Philippines’ mettle as they clash for the Group A lead today even as University of the Philippines seeks its second straight win in Group B against winless St. Benilde in the Shakey’s V-League Season 13 Collegiate Conference at the Philsports Arena in Pasig.

Shell chessfest listup on

Willie Miller will play with the signature Filipino passion and pride against 63 of the best streetball players from all over the world.

Miller is PH bet to cage ﬁnals and training are primed for another try at this year’s PBA Draft. In Herndon’s place, two-time league MVP Miller is more than happy to step up through the ranks – from first runner-up to being the new King of the Rock Philippine champion and official representative to the world finals. The nine-time PBA All-Star has proven during his 14-year PBA career that he has the moves and mentality of a champion. The two have expressed nothing but support for each other despite the change. Miller has offered to mentor the potential pick for the upcoming draft while Herndon has volunteered to be the PBA alumnus’ training partner when he preps for the streetball competition. At the culmination of this season’s King of the Rock, Miller will play with the signature Filipino passion and pride against 63 of the best streetball players from all over the world. Will his stellar PBA career be enough to reign supreme at the world finals? Follow his adventures atwin.gs/KOTRPHILIPPINES.

DAVAO takes its turn to host the 24th Shell National Youth Active Chess Championships with the Southern Mindanao leg slated Aug. 13 and 14 at the SM Ecoland Event Center. The penultimate leg of the five-stage circuit sponsored by Pilipinas Shell is expected to draw a full-packed field, the way it had attracted a huge number of participants in the past with the Mindanao boasting of a wide base of chess talents through the years. Registration is ongoing with the innovative chess tournament open to all Filipinos, non-titled players who are bona fide students certified by their respective schools and registrars. For details, contact tournament director Alex Dinoy at 0918-3705750 or 0922-8288510, or Southern Mindanao leg coordinator Ronnie Tabudiong at 0943-2490821. Previous grand finals’ winners are also allowed to join in their respective divisions provided they are still within the age limit, according to the organiz-

ers of the annual circuit sponsored by Pilipinas Shell, a global leader in power, energy and gas technology. Registration forms can also be downloaded at the Shell website www. shell.com.ph/shell_chess. Listup is on a first-come, first-served basis with a maximum of 300 participants. Play will be a nine-round Swiss system tournament with time control of 20 minutes with five time-delayed mode (Bronstein system). Titles to be disputed in what has been considered as the spawning ground of chess talents are the kiddies (7-12), juniors (13-16) and seniors (17-20) with the top two finishers and the top female player in all categories gaining berths in the grand finals, which also features the other top finishers in the National Capital Region, Southern Luzon, Visayas and Northern Mindanao regional elims. The national finals of the annual event, sanctioned by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines, will be held Oct. 1-2 at SM Megamall.

Bronze medalist fails to advance By Maxine Lagman BRONZE medalist figure-skater Sofia Guidote placed ninth out of 12 performers in the Advance Novice category during the first day of the 7th Asian Open Figure Skating Trophy at the SM Skating Rink, Mall of Asia. Guidote tried to add new jumps in her performance. One is the combination of a double lutz-double loop and double axel. “It was not my best performance. What I did was not good enough,” she said. CJ Suarez, the Sports Development Head of SM Lifestyle and Entertainment Inc., said that Guidote, along with eight other Filipino figure skaters

trained hard for the tournament, especially since they are performing before their countrymen. Back in 2013, Guidote bagged a bronze medal in the Novice A Category in the International Skating Union Asian Open Figure Skating Trophy. At a young age, Guidote said she still has a lot to improve on to hopefully make it to where Olympian Michael Martinez is. “I practice Monday to Saturday. I skate four hours a day, go to the gym and do lots of workouts,” she said. “Out of all the figure skaters, Michael is the man to beat in Southeast Asia,” she added. Guidote said that she’s inspired by the little kids to work harder and continue being a good role model for them.

Sports

MONDAY, AUGUST 8, 2016 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Rio Olympics start with a bang R

IO DE JANEIRO—Recordbreaking Australia—inspired by Mack Horton and Cate Campbell—put their stamp on the Rio Olympics and moved top of the medals table after an intense ﬁrst day of action. Bomb and bullet scares and a horrific double leg break were among the shocks on Saturday, while fans fumed over long queues for venues at Rio’s Olympic Park. But a trio of swimming world records and a first ever Olympic gold for Vietnam kept the focus on the sporting action as 12 titles were handed out. There was joy for teenage American shooter Ginny Thrasher, who upset China’s champions to snare the first gold of the Games in the women’s 10m air pistol. Belgium’s Greg Van Avermaet won a crash-

filled men’s cycling road race, and rugby returned to the Games after a gap of 92 years. Britain’s Adam Peaty was the early star in the swimming pool. He set an eye-popping new world record of 57.55sec in the men’s 100m breaststroke heats -- his first ever Olympic swim. Later Hungary’s Katinka Hosszu shattered the world record by more than two seconds to win the women’s 4x100m individual medley. But Australia dominated the first night in the pool, first when Horton dethroned China’s Sun Yang to win the men’s 400m freestyle. Individual world record-holder Campbell then anchored Australia to 4x100m freestyle gold in 3min 30.65sec, the fastest time in history. “Definitely my favorite race ever, in an Olympic final with my sister and two girls I have known since I was 12, 13 years old and a gold and a world record,” said Campbell, who swam with Emma McKeon, Brittany Elmslie and her sister Bronte. “You can’t ask for more,” said Bronte Campbell. “Every kid dreams of it, it’s what we always

hoped for.” The results pushed Australia to the top of the early medals table and confirmed their return to prominence in swimming, after their poor outing at London 2012. The Rio Games started with an unwanted bang when a military bomb squad detonated a suspicious package near the finish of the men’s cycle race at Copacabana beach, causing jitters among onlookers. Stray bullet At the equestrian venue at Deodoro, which is on a military base, a stray bullet ripped through the media center’s canvas roof and landed on the floor. “All authorities assured that the bullet was a stray bullet that has nothing to do with the Games or the Olympic family or the press. The area was not a target,” said Games spokesman Mario Andrada. Scandal-hit Russia, under fire over a massive doping scandal, got off the mark when Beslan Mudranov won the men’s 60kg judo. Van Avermaet avoided a crash on the final de-

scent and overhauled leader Rafal Majka with a lung-busting sprint to win the 237.5km (147.5 miles) cycle race. “It was the hardest day I’ve ever had in my life on a bike,” said Ireland’s Dan Martin, who finished 13th, one place behind Tour de France winner Chris Froome. Serbian rowers Milos Vasic and Nenad Bedik capsized in choppy waters at the Rodrigo de Freitas lagoon, but won a reprieve when they were allowed to move into the next round. French gymnast Samir Ait Said suffered Olympic agony. His lower left leg snapped and skewed to a gruesome angle when he landed awkwardly from a vault. Yusra Mardini, the Syrian refugee who was swimming for her life to a Greek island less than a year ago, won her 100m butterfly heat but failed to reach the semi-finals. “Everything was amazing. It was the only thing I ever wanted was to compete in the Olympics,” said the 18-year-old, who is representing the Games’ first ever refugee team. AFP

Vietnamese rejoice at 1st Olympic gold

Australia's Mack Horton bites his gold medal on the podium of the Men's 400m Freestyle Final during the swimming event at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Aquatics Stadium in Rio de Janeiro. AFP

Thai weightlifting champ dedicates gold to king RIO DE JANEIRO—Thailand’s Sopita Tanasan grabbed the first gold medal of the weightlifting competition at the Rio Games on Saturday and promptly dedicated it to ailing Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej. The 21-year-old dominated the women’s 48kg, lifting 92kg in the snatch and 108kg in the clean and jerk for a total of 200kg to finish first in weightlifting’s lightest category.”I dedicate the medal to our king. That is the Thai way,” So-

pita told reporters after she became the fourth women’s weightlifter from Thailand to win an Olympic gold medal. The 88-year-old Thai king is the world’s longest-reigning monarch and is widely revered in the country where his frail health is a matter of public concern. He is confined to a wheelchair and has not been seen or spoken in public for nearly a year. Earlier this week the palace said he was being treated for fever and water on the brain.

Sopita, a regular lifter in the 53kg class, took full advantage of the withdrawal through injury this week of hot Chinese favourite Hou Zhihui to win with ease. The 5ft 1ins Thai hoisted 8kg more than silver medallist Sri Wahyuni Agustiani of Indonesia, while evergreen Japanese lifter Hiromi Miyake took bronze with a total of 188kg. Sopita— who hails from a family of boxers—was in control throughout at the the 6,000-capacity Riocentro Pavil-

ion 2, and went into the clean and jerk leading by seven kgs. Her only stumble came when she failed to lift 110kg in her final attempt of the night. That left Agustiani needing to haul 115kg to take first place. The Indonesian had two opportunities but never came close. “I was surprised that she was going for it but I was still very confident I was going to win,” Sopita said afterwards. AFP

Nagaowa: Many Pinoy bets don’t get a chance By Peter Paul Duran FILIPINO mixed martial arts fighter Jujeath Nagaowa didn’t allow the cheers of a respectable Filipino crowd go for naught as she proved to be the lone bright spot in a night when Pinoy pride hinged on only the Benguetbased fighter’s win. The World Series of Fighting came to town featuring a 5-fight card for local fighters, including the co-main event between Manny Pacquiaolookalike Mario Sismundo and China’s Keremuaili Maimaitituoheti. Everyone, but Nagaowa bowed to their foreign counterparts. “Nakaka-proud kasi among the five, ako lang ang nanalo,“ said “The Bad Girl” Nagaowa, the only Pinoy victor in the WSOF Global Championship Manila at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum last week. “Tinanong ko pa sa kanila (organizers) kung ako lang ba talaga, pero inaasahan kasi namin na 5-0 kaya unexpected talaga,” added Nagaowa, who dominated Japanese Yuko Kiryu in the main card to im-

prove her pro record to 3-0. The 28-year-old fighter, coming off a near two-year absence in mixed martial arts, subdued Kiryu via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27), but the former boxing champion still downplayed her feat. “Isa lang ako sa mga fighters dito, at hindi ko kino-consider na ako ang pinaka-magaling, pero thankful ako na nabigyan ako ng pagkakataon lumaban,” added Nagaowa of the Highland Boxing Gym. The diminutive yet feisty bantamweight also credited the Pinoy crowd, who egged her on during the fight. Nagaowa was under another MMA group, where she was unbeaten in two fights, both via technical knockout, before joining WSOF Global. Asked about how it feels slugging it out in a sport virtually dominated by males, Nagaowa said: “Sa sport na ‘to, walang lalaki, walang babae. Madami tayong magagaling na fighters pero hindi lang nabibigyan ng pagkakataon lumaban o ma-discover. Kaya kung may nakatago diyang youngster na nahihilig sa MMA, push lang.”

Sopita Tanasan of Thailand competes in the women weightlifting 48kg competition during the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Riocentro Pavilion in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. AFP

Kyrgios topples Nishioka, makes ﬁnals ATLANTA—Australia’s Nick Kyrgios punched his ticket to the Atlanta Open final Saturday by ending the remarkable run of young upstart Yoshihito Nishioka 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. Playing in humid conditions, second seeded Kyrgios blasted 16 aces to win the semi-final match over the 20-year-old Japanese rising star in 96 minutes. Kyrgios advances to his

third ATP Tour final of his career where he will face top seed John Isner who defeated teenage wild card Reilly Opelka 6-7 (5/7), 6-4, 6-2 in the other semi-final. “It was a hot and humid day,” Kyrgios said. “Yoshi is a great player and makes you play a lot of balls and a lot of rallies. I came out strong (in the third set) and that shows good fighting spirit.

“It feels good. I knew at the start of the week that I could get this far. It’s not really surprising, but it’s for rewarding for sure.” Nishioka, 20, played a strong second set to level the match before Kyrgios clinch the win in the third set. It was Nishioka’s first semi-final of his career and ended his run of three straight wins in Atlanta. AFP

HANOI—Vietnamese rejoiced Sunday after their country won its first ever Olympic gold medal, a victory made all the more sweeter by the fact that regional rival China was beaten along the way. Hoang Xuan Vinh, a 41-year-old a serving army colonel who first learned to shoot with AK47 rifles, made history in Rio overnight when a near-perfect final shot in the men’s 10-metre air pistol clinched him gold. Vietnamese state media reported that Vinh would receive $100,000 from the state on his return -- a handsome sum in a country where the average annual income is around $2,100. Vinh’s victory shunted Brazil’s Felipe Almeida Wu and China’s Pang Wei into second and third respectively, something that was seized on by jubilant Vietnamese. “So proud! But the greatest happiness was that we won over China,” Nguyen Cao Ky Duyen, a Vietnamese music show host based in the US but popular in her homeland, wrote on Facebook. “Vietnamese sport has begun a new chapter,” added Facebook user Nguyen Dat. “Defeating the Chinese athlete, hosts Brazil and the current South Korean champion. So convincing!” “You are the pride of the nation and the people,” added reader Truong Tran Hoang Du, on the Tuoi Tre newspaper’s website. Vietnam has shared an intense rivalry with its giant northern neighbour for centuries -- an animosity that has been stoked in recent years by competing claims in the South China Sea. Beijing lays claim to virtually all of the strategic waters, putting it at odds with regional neighbours the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan, which also have partial claims. At least three Chinese nationals were killed in 2014 when rioting broke out in Vietnam after Beijing sent an oil rig into contested waters. Last month information screens major airports in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh were compromised by hackers who displayed anti-Vietnamese and Philippines slogans with regards to the South China Sea. The attack came hours after a Chinese visitor to Vietnam complained that his passport was defaced with profanities by officials at Ho Chi Minh city airport. Vietnam’s state media said Hoang Xuan Vinh learned how to shoot in the communist country’s military which he joined in 1991, initially practising on AK47 rifles. “This victory came from the courageous spirit and the utmost determination of the athlete, his coaches and from key investment ahead of the 2016 Olympics,” Minister of Sports Nguyen Ngoc Thien said. AFP

LOTTO RESULTS

6/49 00-00-00-00-00-00 P0.0 M+ 6/42 00-00-00-00-00-00 P0.0 M+ 6 DIGITS 00-00-00-00-00-00 3 DIGITS 00-00-00 2 EZ2 00-00

Riera U. Mallari, Editor Reuel Vidal, Assistant Editor sports@thestandard.com.ph sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

MONDAY, AUGUST 8, 2016

Sports

USA’s center DeAndre Jordan gives teammate Jimmy Butler a piggybackride during a Men’s round Group A basketball match between China and USA at the Carioca Arena 1 in Rio de Janeiro during the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. AFP

3 PH Olympic bets fall on opening day

IO DE JANEIRO – Three Filipino athletes, including one potential medal hopeful, fell out of contention one after the other Saturday as action in the 2016 Rio Olympics went full blast in different venues in and around the city.

Ian Lariba of table tennis, who carried the Philippine ﬂag the opening ceremony Friday evening, was ﬁrst to fall, losing to Xing Han of Congo in straight sets, 11-7, 137, 11-9, 11-7, in a morning match at the Riocentro Pavillion 3. “There’s still some things lacking in my game. I can still feel the tension. But I will learn from this experience,” said the 21-year-old Lariba. After Lariba’s unsuccessful Olympic debut, swimmer Jessie Khing Lacuna, who’s in his second straight Olympics, failed to keep up with rivals in the men’s

400m freestyle. Lacuna, a 22-year-old student at Ateneo, ﬁnished sixth among seven swimmers in Heat 2 of his event with a time of 4:01.70. It was way below his personal best of 3:55:34. After the twin defeats, members of the Philippine delegation had hoped for someone to save the day, and top ofﬁcials trooped to Pavilion 6 of the same convention and exhibit center for the start of the boxing competition. Lightweight Charly Suarez made his Olympic debut against Joseph Cordina of Great Britain. But Suarez, who will turn 28 on

Aug. 14, also took a bitter loss, a split decision (2-1). He won in the eyes of the referee from Turkey, 29-28, but lost in the cards of those from Morocco (29-28) and Uzbekistan (30-27). The judge from Uzbekistan gave all three rounds to Cordina, including the second, where Suarez landed a couple of right straights to his opponent’s face. The judges from Turkey and Morocco both had the Filipino winning the second round. It was a bitter loss for Suarez, who had hoped to get past Cordina, taller by three inches at 5’9,” but one who does not have the boxing skills of the Filipino veteran. Competing today for the Philippines and determined to end the 20year medal drought for the country are weightlifters Hidilyn Diaz (63 kg) and Nestor Colonia (56 kg). Suarez corner, including himself, thought he did enough to win the contest.

“Sa tingin ko nanalo tayo (I thought we won),” said Pinoy coach Nolito “Boy” Velasco at the Athletes’ Village a couple of hours after Suarez failed to advance to the quarterfinals. Velasco felt that Suarez did well even in the third round and was quite surprised that all three judges gave the round to British fighter. “Halos hindi na sumuntok sa third round ang kalaban (Our opponent hardly threw punches in the third round). Wala naman pinakita (He didn’t show anything). Pero ganyan talaga (But that’s the way). Puwede manalo, puwede matalo (Win some, lose some),” he added. With Suarez out of contention, the burden now falls on light-flyweight Rogen Ladon, who makes his debut on Monday against Colombia’s Yurberjen Martinez, a 3-0 winner over Brazil’s Patrick Lourenco earlier Saturday. Turn to A6

Half-court shot at 1st try lifts Cruz team

NBA stars trounce Chinese 5 RIO DE JANEIRO—Kevin Durant scored 25 points as the USA’s NBA stars routed China 119-62 on Saturday to launch their bid for a third consecutive Olympic basketball gold. The former Oklahoma City forward, who joins Golden State next season, added a game-high six assists for the Americans, who set an all-time USA record of 33 free throws made. Australia opened the Olympic competition earlier in the day with an 87-66 win over France, while Serbia topped Venezuela in the other Group A match. The USA missed their ﬁrst ﬁve shots but soon displayed the unrivalled depth and long-range shooting that makes them prohibitive favourites to secure a 15th overall men’s title. The Americans thoroughly dominated despite signs that the recently assembled unit is yet to completely gel. “It still can be better and that’s what makes us scary,” said New York Knicks star Carmelo Anthony, who is seeking a record third men’s hoops gold. “We wanted to send a message to the rest of the world that we mean business.” Led by 25 points from former NBA lottery pick Yi Jianlian, China put up a spirited effort, showing it could cause trouble for other teams. AFP

Suarez kisses Rio bid goodbye By Ronnie Nathanielsz THE Philippines’ lightweight hopeful, veteran Charly Suarez dropped a heartbreaking splitdecision loss to European champion and Commonwealth Games bronze medalist Joe Cordina of Wales in a fight that probably ended the 28-year-old Filipino’s career in his quest for a coveted Olympic medal of whatever hue. Suarez started slowly in his opening bout at the Riocentro Convention Center, but the Filipino who skipped the colorful opening ceremonies in order to rest and study tapes of his opponent, came back with a vengeance in the second round and swarmed all over Cordina to even the score at one round apiece entering the crucial third and final round. In an action-packed, toe-totoe battle in the third and final round, Cordina used his threeinch height and reach advantage to good effect, staying on the outside to score on jabs and 1-2 combinations and oust the first of only two Filipinos, who had qualified for the Rio Games. The judges’ scoring raised serious questions about fairness, especially after Uzbekistan

judge Jasurbek Kurbanov of Uzbekistan scored all three rounds by a score of 10-9 for Cordina, while the two other judges, Emre Aydin of Turkey and Hassan Moudrikah of Morocco scored Round 2 for Suarez, 10-9 The exit of the 28-year-old Suarez leaves light-flyweight Rogen Ladon as the Philippines’ last man standing in the passionate quest for an elusive Olympic gold medal. The country hasn’t won an Olympic medal for the past 20 years and has hoped to end the drought in Rio. The tough loss by Suarez capped a rather disappointing day for the 13-man Philippine contingent here, which began with the loss of Ian Lariba in women’s table tennis, followed by the elimination of swimmer Jessie Khing Lacuna in the heat of the men’s 400m freestyle. The light flyweight Ladon, who drew a bye in the opening round, will face Colombia’s American qualification winner Yurbejen Hern Martinez. The Colombian beat Brazil’s Patrick Lourenco, disappointing the hometown fans, who had given him a suitably warm welcome.

Favorites keep crowns

By Jeric Lopez

By Reuel Vidal

THE confidence of sophomore hotshot Jericho Cruz of Rain or Shine continues to grow. Cruz led his team to the Shooting Stars’ crown after nailing the half-court shot on his first attempt in the 2016 Philippine Basketball Association All-Star Weekend Sunday. The team of Cruz (PBA), Regina Dela Merced (Women’s), Stacey Tibayan (Batang PBA) and William Baustista (Cignal) bagged the crown with a best time of 1:12. They were able to race to the half-court shot after making their initial five shots on their first attempt. With time on their side, they calmly approached the halfcourt shot with Cruz nailing it right away in his first try. Terrence Romeo’s team was likewise impressive with a time of 1:22, 10 seconds shy of Cruz’s team, but fell a bit short. Eventually, Romeo, who bagged his second straight Three-Point Shootout crown last Friday, still made the halfcourt shot on his second attempt. Unlike Cruz and Romeo’s team, Thompson and his troops were unable to finish as they failed to knock down the halfcourt shot.

CEBU—They swam, they biked, they conquered. Tim Reed and Caroline Steffen, picked by all the experts to rule this race, lived up to their top billing by handily winning the 2016 Cobra Energy Drink Ironman 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championship Presented by Ford held here Sunday, August 7. Both Reed and Steffen trailed after the swim part of the race. Both grabbed the pole position during the bike part of the race. “I always thought of Crowie (Craig Alexander) as the better runner, so that’s why I put some pressure on him in the bike part of the race. Then I got into the run. As soon as I heard the crowd, I couldn’t help myself and just ran faster because of the cheers of the fans. But it was brutal out there. With five miles to go I almost stopped. I just stayed the course,” said Reed seconds after crossing the finish line. August Benedicto and Monica Torres also repeated as champions in the Filipino and Filipina Elite categories, respectively. Cebu native Paul Jumamil followed Benedicto while Rambo Chicano took third place. Maria Hodges and Ani Brown placed second and third in the Filipina Elite.

Aussie Tim Reed (left) dominates the ﬁeld to retain the men’s title while Swiss Caroline Steffen toughens up in the run stage to regain the women’s crown in Cobra Energy Drink Ironman 70.3 Asia-Paciﬁc Championships presented by Ford in Cebu Sunday.

Fil-American added to UP Maroons’ roster A 6’5” Fil-American will be among the four new faces in Team A of the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons’ roster. The name of Ross Tiglao, a high school student from Los Angeles, California was added to the ﬁnal list of players of the Maroons two weeks ago. New coach Bo Perasol named him after he and mem-

bers of the coaching staff selected the composition of the team for Season 79 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines men’s basketball tournament. They also added UPIS student Javi Gomez de Liano, another 6’5” big man, along with Ateneo transferee Paolo Romero and Kyles Lao, who is coming back

from injury. “These are the players that are coming in this year. Si Tiglao diretso na from high school,” said assistant coach Mo Gingerich. The regulars who will continue playing for the Maroons this season are Diego Dario, Paul Desiderio, Henry Asilum, Jet Manuel and Dave Moralde. Peter Atencio

Reed’s game plan worked to perfection. He grabbed the lead in the bike part of the race then hung on to win. Second place went to Alexander. Sam Betten, who was first out of the water, finished third to complete an Aussie sweep. Immediately after crossing the finish line, a completely exhausted Betten sat down underneath the arch at the finish and had to be assisted to get medical attention at the sidelines. Steffen appeared shaky late in the race. In the run, she stopped to rest in front of a hydration table, tried to resume running and vomited. But she recovered quite well to rule the race. She jumped as she crossed the finish with arms raised and smiling broadly. “I’m amazed to win it for the fifth time. I’m especially happy to win this year especially here in the Philippines one of my favorite places in the world. I’m happy to walk away with another first-place finish,” said Steffen. Third place went to Sarah Crowley, who timed the fastest run. Steffen and Radka Vodickova, who was first out of the water, were neck-and-neck in the bike part of the race but Steffen broke away early in the run part of the race. Vodickova finished second.

Federal Land begins talks with 3 foreign companies

Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandardtoday.com extrastory2000@gmail.com MONDAY, AUGUST 8, 2016

MPIC presses toll increases next few years. “It is therefore imperative that overdue tariff increases be implemented to enable HE tollway unit these projects to be appropriately funded of Metro Pacific for the good of the nation,” MPTC said. MPTC’s companies in August last Investments Corp. year filed a notice with the Toll Regulawants the government to tory Board and Department of Transporapprove its overdue toll tation and Communications demanding settlement of past due tariff increases increases to avoid delays but “no resolution was forthcoming.” in the implementation of In April 2016, Manila North Tollways Corp. and Cavitex Infrastructure Corp several road projects. Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. said each issued a notice of arbitration and its various road construction projects statement of claim to the government, would cost about P132 billon over the through the TRB, to obtain compensa-

By Darwin G. Amojelar

Higher power rates in August not likely By Alena Mae S. Flores ELECTRICITY rates will not likely increase during the August billing month of consumers as the impact of the series of yellow and red alerts will be felt in the September billing yet, an official of Manila Electric Co. said over the weekend. “The recent series of yellow and red alerts began on July 26, which may affect the September generation charge,” Meralco senior vice president and head of utility economics Lawrence Fernandez said. Fernandez even noted a “strong possibility” of a lower August generation charge “due to reduced charges from the WESM (wholesale electricity spot market) for the July supply month.” WESM acts as the country’s trading floor of electricity. WESM charges normally go up when the supply is tight. “As opposed to the several yellow alerts experienced in the June supply month, the July supply month was characterized by less incidence of thin reserves,” the official said. Power rates of Meralco customers rose P0.29 per kilowatthour in July due to higher plant outages experienced in June. Fernandez said computations would finalized today (Monday) “but the indications are strong and the likelihood is that there is a reduction of the gen charge (for August).”

tion amounting to about ₱3 billion for North Luzon Expressways and ₱877 million for Cavitex. The two tollway operators ﬁled the notice of arbitration after TRB’s inaction on lawful toll rate adjustments due since January 2013 for NLEx and January 2012 for Cavitex. “We are hopeful of prompt resolution of these matters with the new administration,” MPTC said. MPTC is currently constructing Segment 10 of the NLEx Harbour Link, a 5.6-km elevated expressway costing P10.5 billion and running from Valenzuela City to C3 in Caloocan City. The

project is expected to be completed in the second half of 2017. Other MPTC’s projects include the ₱2.6-billion Segment 2 and 3 NLEx Road-Widening Project to accommodate growing trafﬁc numbers, which started on March 9. The project will expand the existing two-lane portion of NLEx between Sta. Rita and San Fernando to three lanes on both the northbound and southbound sides, while the current one-lane stretch between Dau and Sta. Ines will be expanded to two lanes in each direction. The TRB also issued a conditional

‘Ongpin resigned to save PhilWeb’ PHILWEB Corp. chairman Roberto Ongpin quit his post to save the company, after listed gaming technology company became the focus of President Rodrigo Duterte’s anti-oligarch and anti-online gambling pronouncements. “The main reason why Mr. Ongpin resigned from PhilWeb is to save the company. He recognized that if he stayed on, PhilWeb’s e-Games outlets could be shut down, which would lead to the loss of its business and eventual closure, affecting more than 5,000 employees,” said PhilWeb president Dennis Valdes in a statement released through a public rfelations ﬁrm. PhilWeb, a listed company with the Philippine Stock Exchange, has been a service provider to Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. in the management of the egames network for the past 14 years. PhilWeb remitted over P14 billion to Pagcor during the 14-year period. PhilWeb in 2015 remitted over P2.1 billion to the gaming regulator and paid over P280 million in corporate income tax, value added tax and other taxes.

Valdez took exception to the perception that the company was into online gaming. “Pagcor e-Games is not online gaming,” he said, adding it could not be accessed by an ofﬁce or home computer. “It is a private, members-only network of clubs where players need to be physically present in order to play. Access to these clubs is strictly controlled such that it is only open to members who are over 21 years old and are ﬁnancially capable of gaming,” he said. Each Pagcor e-Games site conforms to location restrictions put forth by both Pagocr and the local government unit in which it is based. To date, there are 286 Pagcor e-Games locations nationwide, with over 5,000 employees. Valdes said if PhilWeb’s contract with Pagcor was canceled or not renewed, the company’s license to operate would immediately stop, leading to the shutdown of its operations as well as of the 286 e-Games outlets. Each outlet is operated by a Pagcor licensee, who is generally well connected in the local community.

notice to proceed with the construction of the C5 Link Expressway, part of the existing Cavitex network and a ₱10-billion project spanning 7.6 kilometers to link C-5 Road in Taugig to R-1 (Coastal) Expressway. Construction is expected to start by the ﬁrst quarter of 2017 upon approval of the ﬁnal engineering design.

Business

MONDAY, AUGUST 8, 2016 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Stocks seen moving sideways By Jenniffer B. Austria

TOCKS are expected to move sideways this year, as investors will likely remain on the sidelines on mixed-earnings results.

Analysts said with the stronger-than-expected US jobs data, investors would likely remain tentative, as they waited for US Federal Reserve’s guidance on rate hikes. The US Labor Department reported over the weekend that employers added 255,000 jobs in July, far more than investors expected. This marked the second straight month of strong jobs data. Before the positive July jobs report, analysts were expecting

the US Fed to leave rates unchanged, which would beneﬁt emerging markets such as the Philippines in terms of portfolio inﬂows. BDO Unibank Inc. chief investment strategist Jonathan Ravelas said the market continued to support a near-term high of 8,118.14, which was achieved on July 22. “Look for a break below the 7,960 levels to support further test towards the 7,500 to 7,800 levels. Only a break above the

8,000 to 8,030 levels could signal a retest of the 8,100 levels,” Ravelas said. The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company benchmark, closed flat in the first trading week of August at 7,970.35, while the boarder allshare index declined 0.2 percent to 4,740.95. The sectoral indices closed mixed with holding firms, services and mining and oil posting weekly declines, and financials, industrial and property registering week-on-week gains. Foreign investors were net buyers last week of P3.14 billion, as total foreign buying reached P20.8 billion while foreign selling amounted to P17.65 billion. Average daily trading also dropped to P8.36 billion from

last week’s average of P10 billion. Top gainers last week were D&L Industries Inc. which climbed 6.1 percent to P10.54, Bank of the Philippine Islands which gained 5.5 percent to P101.30 and Cebu Air Inc. which jumped 5.5 percent to P115. Stocks owned by embattled businessman Roberto Ongpin— PhilWeb Corp and Atok Big Wedge Co. Inc.--were among the heavy losers last week, declining by 46.4 percent and 15.2 percent, respectively. Ongpin was named by President Rodrigo Duterte as one of the alleged oligarchs that his administration wanted to destroy. Ongpin resigned from his post as chairman and director of PhilWeb last week.

PLDT set to borrow P10b to fund capex By Darwin G. Amojelar PLDT Inc. said it plans to borrow P10 billion from local banks to partly fund capital expenditures in 2016. PLDT chief ﬁnance ofﬁcer Anabelle Chua said the P10-billion loan from local banks would depend on the timing of the capex. Chua said the budget was raised to P48 billion from the original P43 billion, because of

THE MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS WEEKLY STOCKS REVIEW STOCKS

AUGUST 1-5, 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

3.67 47.65 115.00 101.30 38.1 4.00 1.56 16.7 20 7.00 0.63 2.03 580.00 0.670 91.15 0.91 14.7 25.40 63.00 102 400 276.8 32.6 224 1415.00 73.00 1.51

Aboitiz Power Corp. Agrinurture Inc. Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. Alsons Cons. Asiabest Group Bogo Medelin C. Azuc De Tarlac Cemex Holdings 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. Liberty Flour LMG Chemicals Mabuhay Vinyl Macay Holdings Manila Water Co. Inc. Maxs Group Megawide Mla. Elect. Co À’ MG Holdings Panasonic Mfg Phil. Corp. Pepsi-Cola Products Phil. Petron Corporation Phil H2O Phinma Corporation Phoenix Petroleum Phils. Phoenix Semiconductor Pryce Corp. À’ RFM Corporation Roxas and Co. Roxas Holdings San Miguel ‘Pure Foods À’ Splash Corporation Swift Foods, Inc. TKC Steel Corp. Trans-Asia Oil Universal Robina Victorias Milling Vitarich Corp. Vivant Corp. Vulcan Ind’l.

45.55 3.32 0.87 1.98 12.56 53.95 190.00 12.3 18.1 140.1 160 22.4 57.5 2.22 5.98 12.9 10.540 7.79 5.89 9.24 1.73 24.7 71 12.10 16.40 5.66 2.400 255.00 40.00 2.08 4.2 28.50 26.2 31.3 11.04 324.80 0.265 4.30 3.48 10.72 3.09 11.66 6.02 1.69 3.37 4.27 2.22 3.76 216 3.04 0.162 1.91 2.36 203 4.4 1.6 31.00 1.25

Abacus Cons. À’ Aboitiz Equity Alliance Global Inc. Anglo Holdings A Anscor À’ ATN Holdings A ATN Holdings B Ayala Corp À’ BHI Holdings Inc. Cosco Capital DMCI Holdings F&J Prince ‘A’ F&J Prince ‘B’ Filinvest Dev. Corp. Forum Pacific GT Capital House of Inv. JG Summit Holdings Keppel Holdings À’ Keppel Holdings `B’ Lopez Holdings Corp. Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp. LT Group Mabuhay Holdings À’ Metro Pacific Inv. Corp. MJCI Investments Inc. Pacifica À’ Prime Media Hldg Prime Orion Republic Glass ‘A’ San Miguel Corp À’ Seafront À’ SM Investments Inc. Solid Group Inc. South China Res. Inc. Transgrid Top Frontier Unioil Res. & Hldgs Wellex Industries Zeus Holdings

0.415 75.45 16.00 1.29 6.47 0.405 0.410 897.5 1400.00 8.3 13.00 6.99 7.01 6.99 0.230 1600 6.60 82.25 5.3 5.82 7.64 0.78 15.94 0.460 7.4 3.1 0.0380 1.290 1.910 2.60 82.10 2.44 678.00 1.29 0.85 195.00 200.000 0.3200 0.2050 0.295

8990 HLDG Anchor Land Holdings Inc. A. Brown Co., Inc. Araneta Prop À’ Arthaland Corp. Ayala Land `B’ Belle Corp. À’ Cebu Holdings Cebu Prop. À’ Cebu Prop. `B’ Century Property City & Land Dev. Cityland Dev. À’ Crown Equities Inc. Cyber Bay Corp. Double Dragon Empire East Land Ever Gotesco Global-Estate Filinvest Land,Inc. Interport À’ Keppel Properties Megaworld

8.090 6.90 1.29 2.510 0.275 40.500 3.15 5.06 5.6 6.35 0.640 1.02 1.020 0.173 0.660 57.9 0.800 0.145 1.05 1.95 1.24 4.70 5.19

Value

FINANCIAL 388,910.00 5,696,845.00 1,127,007,119 839,820,039.50 33,323,870.00 1,373,420.00 3,226,170.00 3,109,708.00 50,633,359.00 220,976 136,200 141,190.00 755,420.00 11,530,070.00 1,515,268,690.00 264,090.00 1,211,424.00 728,610.00 23,080,528.50 93,448.50 35,008.00 8,633,426.00 51,717,795 1,087,307,430.00 653,120 103,502,474.00 215,220.00 INDUSTRIAL 7,889,600 358,177,735.00 6,487,000 21,924,670.00 2,108,000 1,832,010.00 28,061,000 54,887,880.00 33,200 414,108.00 820 42,804.50 150 29,000.00 61,047,200 733,908,534.00 12,710,000 222,193,668 10 1,401.00 5,880 937,198.00 49,645,100 1,107,038,505.00 332,390 18,917,377 7,933,000 18,116,180.00 1,810,800 10,771,545.00 717,200 9,296,356.00 41,788,200 427,704,216.00 6,191,300 47,122,064.00 54,181,700 316,392,699.00 3,315,800 30,670,759.00 87,000 158,400.00 11,910,500 296,252,160.00 843,310 59,785,489.00 7,900 95,010.00 1,255,900 36,200,662.00 1,265,200 7,127,136.00 34,503,030 219,139,888.00 2,598,520 662,793,402.00 4,400 176,000.00 57,000 114,830.00 974,000 4,157,430.00 295,300 8,382,780.00 6,308,400 164,346,755.00 7,469,500 225,570,655.00 73,550,600 771,998,524.00 465,800 150,885,990.00 2,310,000 633,950.00 16,000 68,160.00 11,834,000 40,918,800.00 17,311,000 181,777,938.00 5,000 15,660.00 65,700 762,216.00 2,262,300 13,450,098.00 2,770,000 4,673,840.00 1,507,000 5,388,690.00 12,620,000 53,659,770.00 34,000 75,680.00 64,000 241,010.00 10,320 2,228,148.00 1,268,000 3,855,850 84,590,000 13,799,380.00 6,347,000 12,242,690.00 5,754,000 13,505,660.00 6,582,630 1,338,607,020 1,927,000 8,491,790.00 316,600,000 483,166,730.00 500 15,515.00 1,767,000 2,245,160.00 HOLDING FIRMS 38,120,000 16,083,950.00 13,992,770 1,061,146,171.50 16,273,300 260,430,036.00 166,000 207,310.00 122,700 760,270.00 108,370,000 33,482,050.00 6,280,000 2,570,600.00 1,293,660 1,144,987,085.00 480 644,590.00 19,477,200 159,310,526.00 36,680,500 474,901,992.00 2,149,000 14,775,293.00 88,800 637,983.00 1,378,400 9,638,729.00 1,000,000 222,170.00 567,225 896,144,335.00 238,600 1,595,175.00 7,849,860 649,240,999.00 2,800 14,619.00 100 582.00 12,574,500 96,222,881.00 3,290,000 2,597,630.00 44,306,400 704,470,354.00 120,000 55,800.00 162,115,200 1,199,356,087.00 1,000 3,100.00 1,066,200,000 39,468,300.00 61,000 75,810.00 3,021,000 5,816,820.00 114,000 297,040.00 585,360 47,899,765.50 4,000 9,760.00 1,760,420 1,210,519,395.00 1,334,000 1,694,760.00 237,000 201,620.00 10 1,950.00 59,190 11,606,991.00 14,710,000 4,687,550.00 6,450,000 1,299,610.00 4,190,000 1,269,900.00 PROPERTY 982,900 7,770,736.00 28,900 191,274.00 5,091,000 6,487,640.00 7,883,000 19,515,230.00 1,810,000 511,750.00 36,264,300 1,454,672,780.00 8,688,000 27,891,480.00 143,600 726,555.00 99,100 554,960.00 200 1,270.00 45,037,000 27,990,300.00 135,000 138,000.00 278,000 287,350.00 982,860,000 172,810,420.00 51,132,000 33,746,450.00 6,233,670 347,277,903.50 10,451,000 8,472,280.00 1,830,000 274,910.00 46,838,000 49,617,240.00 112,424,000 218,948,850.00 596,000 727,620.00 11,000 51,680.00 150,683,700 767,174,606.00 110,000 120,800 149,421,242 8,416,210 878,100 341,000 1,954,000 187,200 2,515,700 32,200 210,000 71,000 1,290 17,603,000 16,114,980 290,000 82,400 29,000 366,740 930 80 30,870 1,591,900 4,870,000 455 1,420,500 142,000

JULY 25-29, 2016 Volume Value

3.69 47.4 113.20 96.00 38.1 4.06 1.75 16.5 20.9 7.00 0.7 1.96 590.00 0.610 94.95 0.92 14.7 24.00 62.80 101.7 460 282 32.3 219 1450.00 71.60 1.5

336,000 52,900 10,448,520 6,392,200 398,600 14,827,000 7,053,000 4,907,100 3,410,200 22,800 1,000 529,000 1,030 9,995,000 8,917,330 463,000 614,800 21,300 1,557,770 15,310 220 30,160 298,900 8,270,860 675 1,161,260 788,000

1,216,990.00 2,501,140.00 1,194,538,318 623,462,543.50 15,188,290.00 60,059,610.00 11,992,680.00 82,208,752.00 71,128,475.00 156,094 700 1,029,240.00 614,700.00 6,213,840.00 850,026,760.00 424,780.00 9,057,056.00 516,350.00 99,398,492.50 1,515,639.00 101,600.00 8,412,130.00 9,711,160 1,762,784,768.00 972,375 82,900,114.00 1,231,670.00

45.25 3.5 0.89 1.9 12.9 51.25 200.00 11.9 16.78 152 163 22.2 58 2.33 5.77 12.88 9.930 7.44 5.87 9.70 1.83 25.9 70.8 12.00 16.46 5.74 2.400 255.00 40.40 2.1 4 32.00 25.95 28.5 11.18 324.00 0.270 4.48 3.42 10.68 3.4 11.60 5.98 1.73 3.55 4.28 2.3 3.78 216 3.04 0.151 1.96 2.33 200.4 4.51 1.39 32.95 1.28

10,216,000 12,702,000 19,352,000 28,104,000 80,300 1,000 120 156,030,700 8,599,500 250 8,570 64,479,900 1,340,380 27,129,000 3,660,600 625,800 42,395,000 8,216,100 70,838,300 7,410,200 94,000 14,997,600 1,463,120 153,600 3,896,600 1,378,800 6,963,000 3,734,430 2,700 604,000 532,000 42,100 6,456,200 1,223,300 53,570,800 1,942,340 928,000 30,000 4,227,000 19,361,000 30,000 40,100 3,252,600 20,646,810 4,172,000 3,624,000 8,000 116,000 175,600 4,643,000 32,920,000 19,695,000 25,641,000 7,320,210 3,181,000 612,673,000 800 429,000

460,896,485.00 44,747,470.00 17,697,980.00 41,127,940.00 1,050,298.00 51,211.50 24,320.00 1,922,634,394.00 146,242,072 38,062.00 1,412,317.00 1,385,671,373.00 80,562,250 64,055,000.00 21,734,635.00 7,988,872.00 424,918,805.00 61,653,643.00 418,316,365.00 73,043,102.00 165,610.00 387,400,270.00 105,625,656.00 1,843,478.00 62,442,876.00 7,926,907.00 16,408,460.00 957,426,066.00 109,560.00 1,236,560.00 2,175,720.00 1,330,745.00 170,408,240.00 35,235,235.00 573,590,461.00 624,532,960.00 268,850.00 133,120.00 14,541,240.00 211,828,362.00 99,000.00 467,232.00 19,470,069.00 7,673,070.00 14,933,960.00 15,802,080.00 18,470.00 442,180.00 38,344,214.00 14,114,720 5,181,590.00 40,284,590.00 62,103,480.00 1,470,558,005 14,373,530.00 802,384,000.00 26,360.00 557,120.00

3.950 78.00 16.16 1.25 6.20 0.390 0.395 870 1250.00 8.04 13.02 6.15 6.3 6.91 0.230 1540 6.75 83.50 5.82 5.82 7.64 0.75 15.6 0.470 7.5 3.1 0.0340 1.250 1.970 2.65 82.00 2.7 689.00 1.26 0.86 192.00 193.000 0.3200 0.2040 0.305

13,160,000 16,431,580 29,874,400 961,000 46,100 91,840,000 4,600,000 1,564,180 265 15,768,600 50,400,000 345,200 17,300 1,140,100 910,000 1,854,795 510,900 10,094,010 200 3,200 5,404,900 4,692,000 26,139,100 700,000 295,613,400 12,000 71,600,000 316,000 1,425,000 50,000 1,206,610 70,000 1,795,685 1,015,000 939,000 140 88,590 42,850,000 430,000 5,330,000

5,319,400.00 1,317,618,150.00 488,580,790.00 1,211,450.00 284,357.00 36,958,250.00 1,851,100.00 1,394,774,405.00 328,465.00 127,790,390.00 656,205,522.00 2,092,298.00 117,784.00 7,953,100.00 204,520.00 831,095,885.00 3,570,862.00 856,019,354.00 1,164.00 18,624.00 42,231,026.00 3,747,760.00 415,354,992.00 334,400.00 2,205,534,374.00 37,590.00 2,399,200.00 399,280.00 2,806,930.00 132,530.00 99,794,791.00 184,100.00 1,660,724,580.00 1,275,040.00 813,040.00 26,900.00 17,136,500.00 14,455,400.00 86,410.00 1,581,750.00

7.850 6.90 1.27 2.360 0.280 39.500 3.22 5 5.8 5.76 0.630 1.09 1.040 0.162 0.650 57.4 0.830 0.149 1.11 1.95 1.20

3,881,700 23,600 23,607,000 14,844,000 3,388,000 59,006,100 5,796,000 204,500 2,500 15,900 402,288,000 173,000 144,000 365,660,000 308,224,000 9,299,590 8,811,000 1,620,000 40,567,000 104,243,000 1,193,000

31,992,172.00 160,104.00 30,400,540.00 36,933,320.00 960,650.00 2,366,806,395.00 18,808,240.00 1,027,713.00 14,465.00 97,272.00 268,194,980.00 178,810.00 151,130.00 55,134,130.00 229,854,030.00 443,973,564.00 7,371,560.00 257,420.00 46,154,320.00 206,102,250.00 1,390,090.00

5.03

221,288,600

1,129,910,269.00

STOCKS

AUGUST 1-5, 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. Suntrust Home Dev. Inc. Vista Land & Lifescapes

0.137 0.2900 0.470 41.40 15.08 32.50 1.8 3.35 29.90 0.94 1.030 6.000

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. Golden Haven Grand Plaza Hotel Harbor Star I.C.T.S.I. Imperial Res. À’ Imperial Res. `B’ IPeople Inc. À’ IP E-Game Ventures Inc. IPM Holdings Island Info ISM Communications Jackstones LBC Express Leisure & Resorts Liberty Telecom Lorenzo Shipping Macroasia Corp. Manila Broadcasting Manila Bulletin Manila Jockey Melco Crown Metro Retail NOW Corp. Pacific Online Sys. Corp. PAL Holdings Inc. Paxys Inc. Phil. Racing Club Phil. Seven Corp. Philweb.Com Inc. PLDT Common PremiereHorizon Premium Leisure Puregold Robinsons RTL SBS Phil. Corp. SSI Group STI Holdings Transpacific Broadcast Travellers Waterfront Phils. Yehey

7.35 50 1.23 0.600 11.2 5.79 5.89 0.1030 2.83 115 10 1.85 5.45 3.20 950 2248 6.34 15.78 20.30 1.21 63.25 21.05 166.6 11.5 0.0089 9.35 0.325 1.5100 3.28 12.3 6.36 3.01 1.09 2.50 19.98 0.600 2 3.75 5.93 3.510 11.68 5.70 2.65 9.5 129.00 9.01 1940.00 0.465 1.070 47.20 86.00 6.35 3.34 0.620 1.86 3.56 0.330 6.450

Abra Mining Apex À’ Atlas Cons. À’ Atok-Big Wedge À’ Basic Energy Corp. Benguet Corp À’ Benguet Corp `B’ Century Peak Metals Hldgs Coal Asia Dizon Ferronickel Geograce Res. Phil. Inc. Lepanto À’ Lepanto `B’ Manila Mining À’ Manila Mining `B’ Marcventures Hldgs., Inc. Nickelasia Nihao Mineral Resources Omico Oriental Peninsula Res. Oriental Pet. À’ Oriental Pet. `B’ Petroenergy Res. Corp. Philex À’ PhilexPetroleum Philodrill Corp. À’ Semirara Corp. TA Petroleum United Paragon

0.0041 3.10 4.14 10.00 0.221 6.3000 6.8000 0.62 0.460 8.10 0.830 0.290 0.229 0.244 0.0130 0.0120 1.58 5.45 2.85 0.5300 1.0800 0.0120 0.0130 4.13 8.76 3.75 0.0120 117.00 3.73 0.0100

ABS-CBN Holdings Corp. Ayala Corp. Pref `B1’ Ayala Corp. Pref ‘B2’ DD PREF First Gen G GLOBE PREF P GMA Holdings Inc. Leisure and Resort MWIDE PREF PCOR-Preferred A PCOR-Preferred B PF Pref 2 PNX PREF 3B SMC Preferred B SMC Preferred C SMC Preferred D SMC Preferred E SMC Preferred F SMC Preferred G SMC Preferred H SMC Preferred I Swift Pref

49.9 519.5 549.5 105.7 119.5 548 6.01 1.06 111.7 1043 1125 1023 108.7 78.2 81.25 76.15 79 79 79 77.25 77.25 2.35

LR Warrant

2.580

Alterra Capital Makati Fin. Corp. Italpinas Xurpas

4.98 3.61 5.25 16.64

First Metro ETF

131

Value

434,580,000 400,000 330,000 11,800 3,337,500 6,306,100 2,851,000 323,000 70,960,800 3,776,000 5,234,000 19,092,000

60,089,330.00 110,400.00 156,300.00 454,830.00 54,134,252.00 203,295,330.00 5,106,490.00 1,072,170.00 2,078,912,685.00 2,994,210.00 5,395,850.00 114,520,333.00 SERVICES 503,900 3,682,711.00 303,730 15,094,755.00 39,200 50,530.00 3,803,000 2,264,980.00 88,300 937,400.00 75,200 425,516 22,584,000 129,823,875.00 1,315,200,000 142,726,320.00 34,197,000 99,372,070.00 6,585,860 747,498,379.00 8,700 61,870.00 71,002 132,530 2,031,000 10,879,362.00 17,000 54,930.00 700 662,895.00 430,875 968,773,210 595,600 3,758,427.00 1,764,800 27,796,956.00 12,900 262,250 1,695,000 2,044,840.00 3,997,180 255,316,613.50 674,800 14,963,786 3,930 680,107 3,500 40,130.00 392,000,000 3,619,700.00 2,029,500 18,979,825.00 125,780,000 41,203,800.00 44,297,000 69,976,050.00 15,333,000 52,613,910.00 177,400 2,309,494.00 5,223,400 33,958,058 381,000 1,152,940.00 203,000 212,640.00 209,000 526,130.00 300 5,814 416,000 244,180.00 1,553,000 3,277,220.00 55,582,000 196,735,210.00 65,802,200 378,073,788.00 16,323,000 57,868,060.00 4,228,800 48,763,506.00 526,900 2,918,570 53,000 139,570.00 75,000 712,500.00 24,490 3,320,170.00 7,780,400 73,749,282.00 1,295,462 2,521,596,745.00 37,190,000 17,387,400.00 83,904,000 91,292,660.00 5,889,000 280,381,375.00 3,070,310 264,684,112.50 3,713,600 23,684,107.00 46,090,000 152,786,550.00 19,975,000 12,485,040.00 3,000 5,580.00 2,878,000 10,260,760.00 1,940,000 640,250.00 349,100 2,282,391.00 MINING & OIL 2,337,000,000 9,744,000.00 1,588,000 4,966,170.00 1,170,000 4,913,900.00 22,600 232,338.00 3,920,000 879,660.00 49,300 321,684.00 9,500 62,913.00 2,652,000 1,603,020.00 2,520,000 1,177,000.00 70,500 585,741.00 104,692,000 87,759,010.00 15,690,000 4,516,200.00 120,970,000 27,298,460.00 25,840,000 6,230,360.00 375,800,000 4,508,600.00 106,600,000 1,388,400.00 6,195,000 9,723,840.00 28,774,600 162,566,897.00 866,000 2,440,550.00 2,417,000 1,299,180.00 920,000 1,002,920.00 58,600,000 671,400.00 1,200,000 14,900.00 64,000 263,210.00 17,417,100 153,002,964.00 23,886,000 90,594,300.00 103,600,000 1,246,200.00 1,938,630 230,084,134.00 431,000 1,588,870.00 364,200,000 3,646,700.00 PREFERRED 2,540,000 127,185,070.00 61,230 31,809,235.00 4,050 2,207,295 556,520 58,488,674.00 132,120 15,722,285.00 450 246,140.00 12,226,900 5,053,042.00 2,337,000 2,485,840 30,000 3,355,250.00 565 589,295.00 1,850 2,081,250.00 11,605 11,889,755.00 5,000 543,500.00 214,860 16,678,255.00 243,510 19,788,523 51,110 3,888,196.00 631,150 49,747,850.00 78,210 6,177,840.00 56,010 4,459,698.00 793,340 61,115,455.00 464,250 35,892,145.50 28,000 70,060.00 WARRANTS 2,442,000 6,252,530.00 SME 11,088,300 56,131,533.00 208,000 762,840.00 7,444,300 38,652,463.00 8,579,900 148,226,582.00 EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 32,280 4,221,031.00

JULY 25-29, 2016 Volume Value

0.119 0.2900 0.475 39.00 16.32 32.00 1.78 3.26 29.20 0.94 1.050 6.000

207,090,000 350,000 1,330,000 22,700 1,441,100 10,348,700 3,010,000 1,271,000 62,838,000 16,158,000 33,519,000 83,971,000

25,504,520.00 99,700.00 633,450.00 915,205.00 24,069,744.00 341,387,410.00 5,312,940.00 4,339,480.00 1,868,422,145.00 15,623,830.00 37,330,930.00 524,306,480.00

7.35 49.4 1.23 0.610 10.48 5.8 5.60 0.1140 2.87 109 10.1 1.86 5.55 3.26 939.5 2268 6.33 16.18 22.00 1.19 64 21.30 175 11.02 0.0090 9.38 0.335 1.7500 2.66 12.8 6.54 3.02 1.06 2.55 19.98 0.580 2.02 3.21 5.59 3.400 12.04 5.32 2.61 8.35 137.50 15.66 2092.00 0.455 1.120 48.00 86.10 6.34 3.19 0.640 1.85 3.6 0.330 6.660

3,268,100 405,460 53,000 15,476,000 800 268,200 42,685,300 2,053,470,000 19,918,000 7,317,840 4,000 72,000 3,628,700 45,000 960 354,835 982,100 2,056,800 228,900 5,106,000 7,581,040 1,032,500 3,190 19,100 134,000,000 1,720,200 74,870,000 10,771,000 439,000 58,700 1,970,600 1,429,000 1,174,000 61,000 2,700 3,396,000 19,000 47,946,000 79,033,000 28,223,000 80,400 334,600 87,000 6,300 10,470 722,900 540,260 11,090,000 17,882,000 12,873,600 5,212,780 5,408,500 19,025,000 27,566,000 88,000 20,075,000 930,000 934,900

23,958,495.00 20,466,301.00 64,670.00 9,234,790.00 8,422.00 1,559,633 246,965,582.00 228,876,530.00 56,974,740.00 765,948,938.00 40,270.00 138,420 21,528,090.00 154,610.00 899,165.00 802,699,070 6,196,772.00 34,280,468.00 4,951,690 6,208,590.00 441,825,517.00 23,663,565 577,039 211,936.00 1,203,400.00 16,100,078.00 25,828,150.00 19,174,870.00 1,187,230.00 747,586.00 13,128,651 4,401,900.00 1,228,380.00 155,550.00 51,758 2,179,220.00 37,870.00 171,956,230.00 434,180,852.00 99,981,140.00 968,484.00 1,757,136 232,140.00 53,965.00 1,472,467.00 11,515,500.00 1,133,510,650.00 4,929,550.00 20,319,790.00 624,107,330.00 449,018,421.50 34,935,344.00 61,469,290.00 17,788,390.00 165,490.00 72,242,620.00 310,250.00 6,167,023.00

0.0043 3.19 4.25

5,574,000,000 10,937,000 1,045,000

23,503,700.00 33,531,450.00 4,437,840.00

0.230 6.8500 7.1000 0.62 0.485 8.56 0.870 0.290 0.230 0.245 0.0130 0.0130 1.79 5.72 2.92 0.5600 1.0900 0.0110 0.0120 4.13 8.70 4.00 0.0130 119.40 3.65 0.0110

1,500,000 70,700 14,000 11,770,000 4,180,000 110,900 42,370,000 3,940,000 99,980,000 16,330,000 165,700,000 186,100,000 2,376,000 24,216,300 3,275,000 2,028,000 7,093,000 135,700,000 12,600,000 57,000 11,683,200 32,695,000 148,600,000 2,237,300 1,989,000 158,700,000

344,870.00 480,473.00 94,880.00 7,764,850.00 2,013,250.00 948,895.00 37,528,540.00 1,135,150.00 23,289,200.00 4,009,850.00 1,998,800.00 2,370,500.00 4,288,500.00 135,214,349.00 9,311,800.00 1,167,580.00 8,009,980.00 1,620,400.00 151,300.00 235,200.00 100,555,270.00 136,360,620.00 1,788,100.00 267,968,037.00 7,500,850.00 1,748,200.00

49.3 520 545.5 104.5 119 544.5 6.1 1.07 112

983,970 23,740 13,750 1,886,190 6,890 14,400 2,591,800 37,000 33,740

50,272,391.00 12,344,780.00 7,499,950 198,882,132.00 819,910.00 7,820,460.00 15,806,542.00 39,610 3,773,126.00

1125 1021 115 76.5 81.7 76.05 79 79 79.85 77 77.1 2.46

130 12,855 3,100 369,010 128,000 51,070 258,850 18,880 46,980 1,371,010 1,111,110 10,000

146,250.00 13,151,400.00 356,500.00 28,238,000.00 10,395,896 3,893,499.00 20,395,850.00 1,490,358.00 3,734,338.00 105,663,193.00 85,628,851.00 24,600.00

2.680

2,930,000

8,100,340.00

4.89 3.56 5.55 17.98

56,648,000 76,000 27,044,700 15,907,900

298,056,673.00 272,370.00 162,123,291.00 286,646,970.00

131

66,850

8,812,295.00

WEEKLY MOST TRADED STOCKS Abra Mining Boulevard Holdings Pacifica À’ Crown Equities Inc. MRC Allied Ind. IP E-Game Ventures Inc. Manila Mining À’ United Paragon Vitarich Corp. Metro Pacific Inv. Corp.

VOLUME 2,337,000,000 1,315,200,000 1,066,200,000 982,860,000 434,580,000 392,000,000 375,800,000 364,200,000 316,600,000 162,115,200

STOCKS PLDT Common SM Prime Holdings Metrobank Ayala Land `B’ Universal Robina SM Investments Inc. Metro Paciﬁc Inv. Corp. Ayala Corp `A’ Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. Cirtek Holdings (Chips)

VALUE 2,521,596,745.00 2,078,912,685.00 1,515,268,690.00 1,454,672,780.00 1,338,607,020 1,210,519,395.00 1,199,356,087.00 1,144,987,085.00 1,127,007,119 1,107,038,505.00

the rollout of additional frequencies it acquired from San Miguel Corp.PLDT already spent P20 billion in capex as of end-June. PLDT said the higher capex level reflected the group’s continuing program to roll out high-speed data infrastructure on fixed-line network, in the form of more fiber-to-home facilities and on its mobile network, particularly though the expansion of 4G/LTE mobile network. PLDT’s mobile phone unit, Smart Communications Inc., plans to roll out 360 cell sites with facilities using the 700-megahertz to deliver 4G/LTE service in the metro areas of Manila, Cebu and Davao by the end of this year. To date, eight cell sites have been fired up. Smart also switched on additional facilities in 2,221 cell sites in various parts of the country using the 1800Mhz spectrum to add capacity to its 2G services. “Our comprehensive network improvement program highlights our commitment to deliver a higher level of Internet service to both consumer and enterprise customers. This is being accomplished through the deployment of the most advanced network technologies — FTTH [fiber to the home] for fixed and 4G/LTE for mobile,” PLDT chairman and president Manuel Pangilinan said. “This provides the foundation for our digital pivot, enabling the group to deliver an increasingly rich array of digital services and solutions to Filipinos all over the country,” he said. PLDT, partly owned by Hong Kong’s First Pacific Co. Ltd. and Japan’s NTT group, said net income in the first half also declined 33 percent to P12.46 billon from P18.73 billion a year ago.

Belle earned P917m in 1st half PROPERTY and gaming company Belle Corp. said consolidated net income rose 10 percent in the first half to P917 million from P836 million a year ago, fueled by income share from City of Dreams Manila. Belle said in a disclosure to the stock exchange first-half performance comprised 70 percent of its full-year 2015 recurring net income of P1.3 billion. “The company’s operating growth in 2016 was fueled primarily by growth in its share in the gaming income of City of Dreams Manila, through 78.7-percent-owned subsidiary Premium Leisure Corp.,” Belle said. PLC’s gaming income share in the first half almost doubled to P702 million from P361 million in the first half of 2015, due to the ramp-up in gaming operations of City of Dreams Manila, which held its grand opening in February 2015. PLC has an operating agreement with Melco Crown Entertainment Ltd. that accords it a share of gaming revenues or earnings from City of Dreams Manila. Belle also realized higher revenues from its lease of the land and buildings comprising City of Dreams Manila to MCE, with such revenues increasing 4 percent to P1.09 billion in the first half of 2016 from P1.05 billion in the first half of 2015. JBA

Business

MONDAY, AUGUST 8, 2016 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Federal Land begins talks with 3 foreign companies By Jenniffer B. Austria

EDERAL Land Inc., the real estate unit of conglomerate GT Capital Holdings Inc., is in talks with three foreign groups for possible joint venture partnerships in the development of two major mixed-use projects. Federal Land president Alfred Ty said in a recent interview the company was interested in forming partnerships on a project basis, as foreign partners could transfer technology and introduce innovations in projects. “There is a lot of exciting discussions on the property

development. A lot of foreign investors are interested for joint venture partnership. Federal Land, unlike the other property developers, we have more open mind regarding foreign ventures because we like to introduce innovations,” Ty said. “We are just waiting to sign

[the agreement] so we can announce,” he said. Ty said these deals would likely be ﬁnalized before the end of the year. Ty said foreign investors were interested in investing in the domestic property market because of the country’s young population, the English literacy of the people and the growth potential of the Philippine economy under the new administration. “They are very conﬁdent and supportive,” he said. Ty said foreign investors were particularly keen in the company’s 40-hectare property in the Bay Area in Pasay

City called Metropolitan and its 11-hectare, well-masterplanned township project in Bonifacio Global City called Veritown. Federal Land earlier teamed up with Orix Corp. of Japan to develop the 66-story Grand Hyatt Hotel at Bonifacio Global City. Federal Land also forged a joint venture with SM Development Corp, the residential unit of Sy family, in July to develop a high-end residential tower at Makati central business district. The 3,400-square-meter property will be developed as a high-end residential develop-

ment. “This is the last piece of land along Ayala Ave. It will be the most luxurious residential development within the central business district,” Ty said. Final details of the project are expected to be released within the month. Ayala Land announced last month its most luxurious residential development, a twintower ultra high-end residential at the former site of Mandarin Hotel. Units are sold at P300,000 per square meter. The biggest unit, measuring 1,600 square meters, was sold for a record $10 million (P477 million).

IN BRIEF Insurance cuts target THE Insurance Commission revised its 2016 revenue target for the insurance industry following the weak performance in the first quarter. Insurance commissioner Emmanuel Dooc said total premiums were now expected to reach P250 billion this year, down from an earlier estimate of P280 billion to P300 billion. “We’ll be lucky if we hit P250 billion this year,” he said. Latest data showed that insurance industry’s income in the first quarter fell 16 percent year-on-year, following the money laundering heist that hit the Philippine banking industry in February. Total premiums amounted to P47.7 billion in the first quarter, down by 15.2 percent from P56.3 billion recorded in the same period last year. “In the first quarter, there was a dip in the production. It was also affected as variable life production suffered. I think it’s also related to the issues affecting some banks,” Dooc said. The life sector contracted 19.7 percent year-on-year to P38.6 billion while the non-life sector grew 11.3 percent to P9.1 billion. Gabrielle H. Binaday

Naia traffic to ease 18% THE Duterte administration set a target to decongest traffic at Ninoy Aquino International Airport by 18 percent within the year, the National Economic and Development Authority said over the weekend. Economic Planning Secretary and Neda director-general Ernesto Pernia said the traffic situation in the country’s major airport would be decongested following the plan to move general aviation or noncommercial flights to Clark and Subic airports. “The immediate relief would come from moving general aviation to Clark and/or Subic, and that will reduce congestion by about 18 percent in the NAIA,” Pernia said. He said private jet planes were planned to be shifted to Clark International Airport and Subic Bay International Airport. Latest data from the Manila International Airport Authority’s website showed that as of the end of 2015, a total of 36.68 million passengers used the Naia terminals. Gabrielle H. Binaday

ALORICA’S NEW CENTER. Alorica, a worldwide leader in customer experience outsourcing solutions, opens its 18th site in Makati City, in collaboration with prime real estate property developer Majalco Inc. and top real estate brokerage ﬁrm Leechiu Property Consultants, Inc., boosting its presence in the Philippines. This will bring the total number of its seats to more than 28,000, cementing the Philippines role as a key hub in Asia. Shown are (from left) Leechiu Property president David Leechiu, Unicapital Inc. president and chief executive Jaime Martirez, Alorica Asia president David Borja and Majalco Inc. president Gerard Martirez.

Insular Life launches automated underwriting INSULAR Life Assurance Company Ltd., the largest Filipino-owned life insurance company, took the lead in utilizing technology to speed up the insurance policy application process, as it recently launched the ﬁrst automated underwriting system in the Philippines. The new AU system is accessed through the company’s online agent portal and is linked to Insular Life’s My Proposal system. Under the setup, an Insular Life ﬁnancial advisor can underwrite a customer as soon as the latter decides on a product. The automated process ends with an underwriting decision that can

ROAN VELASCOFRANCISCO

GREEN LIGHT IT WAS performance evaluation month. The boss called Liza (not her real name), one of his employees, into his room to discuss her evaluation. She was not expecting too much except maybe a little salary increase. It was her second year in this outsourcing company. The result of her evaluation left her speechless. She was happy to see that her salary was almost doubled. But the next announcement surprised her even more; she had just been promoted to supervisor! She felt that she was not yet ready for the position (but obviously, she liked the salary). Her boss tried to calm her by saying that nothing would change, that she should just continue what she was doing, and that she should make other staff become like her. She couldn’t forget those words. She was proud because her efforts had been recognized. When Liza was in her ﬁrst few years of being a supervisor, she grumbled to the company’s HR consultant

be communicated right away to the client. “The application process and the delivery of the new policy are much faster. The system cuts the waiting period, from the previous two to three days, to as short as a few minutes for an underwriting decision to be given,” said Insular Life president and chief operating ofﬁcer Mona Lisa De La Cruz. The AU system uses a rulesbased underwriting engine that is integrated with Insular Life’s online proposal and application tools. This allows the company’s other systems to quickly render an underwriting decision in

the process. The system is supported by the AllFinanz Interview Server of Munich Re Automation Solutions, the world leading software provider of new business underwriting solutions to the life insurance industry. “The use of the automated underwriting system is increasing steadily worldwide,” said De La Cruz, adding that it was untapped in the Philippines until the launch of their system recently. De la Cruz said the opportunities that automated underwriting gave insurance companies was considerable – from widening distribution channels and shortening the sales

cycle, to increasing business administrative efficiency. “Since adapting the automated underwriting, we have been able to generate a significant amount over P100 million of new business as a direct result of using the AU System,” she said. De la Cruz said for Insular Life, the more important benefit of the system was the bespoke customer experience it brought. “Automated underwriting allows us to better serve our clients by offering a wider range of products that are more suited to their profiles and needs, with much faster delivery times,” she said.

Govt debt rises 2.3% to P5.95t By Gabrielle H. Binaday THE national government’s outstanding debt increased 2.3 percent year-on-year to P5.948 trillion as of end-June this year, on higher external borrowings, the Bureau of Treasury said over the weekend. Latest data from the Treasury showed outstanding debt increased from P5.816 trillion recorded in June 2015. On a monthly basis, the figure increased 1.1 percent or about P62.4 billion from P5.885 trillion in May. Domestic debt dropped 0.3 percent to P3.828 trillion in June from P3.839 trillion a year ago. However, it was up by P31.25 billion from P3.797 trillion recorded in May. Data showed that of the total domestic debt, P598 billion represented loans while the balance were in debt securities. Domestic debt accounted for almost 64.4 percent of total outstanding government debt as of end-June. “For the month, net issuance of government securities and the depreciation of the peso against the US dollar contributed to the growth in domestic obligations equivalent to P31.12 billion and P0.13 billion, respectively,” the Treasury said in a statement. Foreign debt, which accounted for 35.6 percent of national debt, climbed 7.2 percent to P2.119 trillion as end-June period from P1.976 trillion in the same month last year. This was also P31.153 billion higher than the endMay 2016 level. “The increment in external liabilities was the combined effect of currency fluctuations on US dollar- and third currencydenominated debt that raised the peso value of outstanding obligations by P12.65 billion and P21.64 billion, respectively,” the Treasury said. “These far outpaced net repayments on external obligations amounting to P3.14 billion,” the agency said. Meanwhile, national government’s guaranteed debt jumped 40.2 percent to P563.26 billion in June from P401.91 billion recorded in the same period last year. The Treasury said the change was primarily due to the adjustment and reconciliation of outstanding guarantees extended by the national government. The agency said foreign exchange fluctuations against the US dollar and third currencies raised the peso value of external guaranteed debt by P1.85 billion and P9.70 billion, respectively. “This more than offset the effect of net repayments on NG’s domestic guarantees with NFA amounting to P1.58 billion from its credit line with LBP and DBP and repayment on external guarantees amounting to P1.26 billion,” the Treasury said.

Who’s to blame? about how her staff member brought her headache. This employee had an annoying attitude, not delivering output and not following her instructions. She was shocked with the HR consultant’s answer. The problem could be she. And that general assumption would always be “Supervisors greatly inﬂuence and affect employees’ job performance. Poor performance could be a negative effect of the supervisor’s leadership.” From then on, it was instilled in her mind that employees’ poor performance could be due to a misdirected leader. A supervisor is always responsible for his or her staff’s actions. For example: · The supervisor has to shoulder most, if not all, of the penalties the team needs to pay as a result of the staff’s negligence. · The supervisor receives all clients’ complaints, bad words, and ﬁerce looks for poor service done by the staff. · The supervisor has to explain to the boss any unmet deadline or inaccurate report. · The supervisor feels guilty whenever team members have to cram reports and

work on backlogs. From having been a staff member who used to do her own work, monitor her own deadlines, explain herself to the boss, and account for her own actions, Liza had been promoted to supervisor and now needed to do all these things for another person. The role was new to her. “So if my staff do not perform well, there would be no one to blame except me, the supervisor,” she always tells herself. A newly promoted supervisor could be likened to fruit that is forced to ripen and is thus bitter, sour or tasteless rather than to properly ripened fruit that tastes sweet and delicious. Yes, supervisors could be the problem and therefore should be accountable for their subordinates’ poor performance. But this holds true only if the supervisors have been equipped to perform their role. If they had not been trained, who would be responsible for their poor performance? It is assumed that when employees join an organization, their knowledge and abilities qualify them to perform the

work. Employees are highly motivated, and they aim to achieve the company’s objective in the best way they can. Supervisors have the responsibility to draw these abilities and knowledge out of the employees and use them to attain the company’s objectives. Honing these abilities is the supervisors’ critical role. But supervisors need management support in the form of training. Most small and mid-sized businesses (and sadly, some larger companies as well) fail to consider this need. It is common for a company to initially hire staff to multi-task. When they excel, management recognizes them as role models. When the company grows, management promotes them without giving them sufﬁcient training or education, assuming that they would automatically obtain both with the promotion. Not realizing the impact on the supervisors, their subordinates and the organization, they pay attention to front-line training but overlook the need for supervisors’ training. According to the University

of California HR training and development department, supervisors need training in leadership, employee selection and evaluation, diversity, conflict management, communication skills, delegation, team-building, and change. Possessing these skills would boost productivity, increase retention, prevent conflict within the organization and ultimately, achieve the company’s vision and mission. Train them, and see the change. Roan V. Francisco is an MBA student of Ramon V. Del Rosario College of Business, De La Salle University. She wrote this essay for her elective on Strategic Human Resource Management. The views expressed above are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official position of De La Salle University, its faculty and its administrators. roanvfrancisco@gmail.com

Ray S. Eñano, Editor business@manilastandardtoday.com extrastory2000@gmail.com

MONDAY, AUGUST 8, 2016

Business

Dollar strikes back amid strong US July labor data T

HE latest display of strength in the US labor market is breathing new life into the dollar divergence trade.

A broad measure of the greenback extended a rebound from its weakest level since June after Friday’s report on July job growth trounced forecasts and bolstered bets that the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates this year. Traders now see about a 47 percent chance of a hike by December, up from about 35 percent at the end of last week. The Fed speculation revives a scenario favored by dollar

bulls, where the US central bank moves toward tightening policy as other central banks add stimulus to bolster ﬂagging economies. Case in point: the Bank of England cut interest rates this week for the ﬁrst time in seven years, turning the pound into the biggest loser versus the greenback among major currencies. “We’ve been long-term bullish on the dollar and we con-

tinue to be,” said Kathy Jones, New York-based chief ﬁxedincome strategist at Charles Schwab & Co. “This number should push us more towards a rate hike and more divergence.” The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index, which tracks the currency against a group of major peers, rose 0.4 percent this week. The greenback gained 0.8 percent to $1.1086 per euro and sank 0.2 percent to 101.82 yen. The US currency index is still down almost 4 percent in 2016, upending expectations at the start of the year that the dollar would strengthen for a fourth

straight year. Those forecasts faltered as ﬁnancial-market turmoil and the UK referendum on membership in the European Union led the Fed to forgo hiking rates again, following liftoff from near zero in December. The labor report is welcome news for hedge funds and other large speculators in the futures market, who boosted bullish wagers on the dollar the past four weeks, data from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission show. Bets the greenback will rise outnumbered bearish wagers by about 149,000 contracts in the week to Aug. 2, the most

since February. The US currency is projected to strengthen to $1.08 per euro and 105 yen by the end of the year, according to the median forecasts in Bloomberg surveys of analysts. “We’ve seen ongoing divergence for some time now,” said Eric Viloria, a currency strategist at Wells Fargo Securities LLC in New York. “It never really went away. We see today’s solid payrolls data as supportive of a resumption in Fed interestrate hikes, and we expect the US dollar to remain supported in the near term.” Bloomberg

Bitcoin users to lose 36% HONG KONG-BASED Bitfinex said all users will lose 36 percent of their deposits after the bitcoin exchange concluded its review of a $71-million hacking attack. To compensate its customers, Bitfinex said users will receive tokens that may later be redeemed or exchanged for shares in its parent company. Following the announcement, bitcoin climbed to $594 as of 10:55 a.m. on Sunday in Tokyo, based on prices from Coinbase. The virtual currency dropped 12 percent to $577.23 in the week through Friday, its largest weekly decline since June, according to Bloomberg prices. “After much thought, analysis, and consultation, we have arrived at the conclusion that losses must be generalized across all accounts and assets,” the exchange wrote in a blog post on Saturday. “In place of the loss in each wallet, we are crediting a token labeled BFX to record each customer’s discrete losses.” Efforts to reach Bitfinex were not immediately successful. A representative of the exchange, verified by Bloomberg, wrote on Reddit that the 36 percent loss “applies to all assets across the site, so everyone.” The exchange previously said losses would only apply to users who either had bitcoin deposited at the exchange or who were in the process of lending US dollars for margin trading. Bloomberg

President Rodrigo Duterte with Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III and Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez

BEST SONA EVER

POKEMON GO WALK. Participants take a selﬁe with their smartphone during a “PokeWalk” as they play the gaming app Pokemon Go in Hong

Kong on August 6, 2016. Hundreds gathered in Hong Kong to live out their childhood dream of catching Pokemon in what was billed as the city’s ﬁrst Pokemon Go walk on August 6. AFP

Brits lead ‘dream life’ in EU’s poorest nation By Nina Lamparski and Diana Simeonova ALINO, Bulgaria―Every year, hordes of Britons move to Spain’s Costa del Sol or southern France in search of a sunnier, more relaxed lifestyle. But several thousand have found their paradise in a most unlikely place―Bulgaria, the poorest member state of the European Union. With its low living cost, the nation of seven million has become the bloc’s best-kept secret for British citizens wanting to retire or reinvent their existence. At least 10,000 are estimated to now live here either part-time or permanently, although the actual figure could be much higher: a majority don’t register with local authorities. Among those to call the exCommunist country home are Tina and Kevin Brassington, two university lecturers who ditched their well-paid jobs in Kent in 2011 and run a small organic farm in the heart of rural Bulgaria. “Fancy a cuppa?” chirps Tina as she opens the green gates to the estate, set on a dusty road in the small village of Alino, 50 kilometers (30 miles) south of the capital Sofia. Behind the petite brunette, baby goats bounce around a leafy garden drenched in sunshine. Rows of vegetable beds sit amid fruit trees and flower bushes. They also have chickens, geese and pigs. The couple, both in their 40s, say Bulgaria has allowed them to fulfil their “dream of self-sufficiency”. “It’s taken us several years to turn the derelict house and garden into somewhere beautiful where we grow our own food,” said Kevin, taking a sip from a Union

Britain’s Tina and Kevin Brassington walk after their goats on a street in the small village of Alino, 50 kilometers south of the capital Soﬁa on July 12, 2016. AFP

Jack mug. “We’ve learnt to be happy with less,” added Tina, who at one point worked as a marketing expert for banks in London. When they’re not selling their produce at a farmer’s market, they herd village goats, meet neighbors for coffee and improve their Bulgarian. “This isn’t Spain where you can live as an English person in an English community. The adventurous ones come to Bulgaria,” said Kevin. News of Britain’s recent vote to quit the EU proved upsetting even to this jovial pair. “I’m proud to be British but I also love living here. I don’t think the two are mutually exclusive,” said Tina. Starry nights and pools Britain’s romance with Bulgaria began in 2004 when Soﬁa launched a massive tourism campaign in Britain to draw foreign investment. The Bulgarian entry into the EU

single market three years later further eased rules to live and work here. Brits bought around 60,000 homes between 2004 and 2008, according to Rumen Draganov of the Institute for Analysis and Assessment in Tourism. The boom even inspired a nowdefunct comedy TV series on Bulgarian state TV, “The English Neighbor,” about a British pensioner who moves to a fictional Bulgarian village. The influx ebbed off with the financial crisis but people are still coming, Draganov said, especially “young-spirited” pensioners. “Surprisingly, a lot don’t opt for resort places but remote, unusual spots. They seek a community feel and starry nights,” Draganov told AFP. Kim Sayer from Norwich was one of the first Brits to settle in the village of Marcha in central Bulgaria. Many are drawn to the region because of its mountains, lakes

and medieval heritage. “I saw an article on Bulgaria 12 years ago. I always wanted to go abroad and after my divorce I decided to make the move,” the 56-year-old trained plumber and construction expert told AFP. His vast property features several self-built houses and a luxurious swimming pool overlooking a lush valley. “I couldn’t live like this back home,” he said with a grin. ‘My life is here’ In the nearby traditional town of Dryanovo, British accents can be heard on every cafe terrace. “Ten years ago, we thought Brits were exotic but now there are so many that you hardly notice them,” said resident Yanko Stefanov. “I know them all around here. They call me Jacob,” he laughed. His British “mates” include retired Belfast musician Stephen Mulhern and his partner Catherine who own a plot of land off a dirt track in the village of Turkincha. They left London three years ago after realising their pensions would go a lot further in Bulgaria, where big homes can be bought for less than 15,000 euros (€12,600). The couple acknowledge life can be tough in winter during power cuts and heavy snow. “We are not blind to the fact that it’s not a rich country but it doesn’t stop us from thinking it’s a fabulous place,” said Catherine. For all their differences, Brits here have one thing in common: they hope their government will strike a “Brexit” deal with the EU to protect their expat status. “We want to stay if they let us,” said ex-army pilot Keith Davies who runs an expat services company in the village of Gostilitsa. AFP

BEFORE all the past living Presidents—good friends all —start writing fiery Letters to the Editor because of the title of this column, let me just say that each one, and their respective State of the Nation Addresses (SONA), were well-respected in their own right and by their own style at their own time. But because the current Palace occupant is a first in many things—foremost among them as the first-ever President from Mindanao— then it is but proper to pay tribute to his first State of the Nation Address delivered last 25 July 2016 before both Houses of Congress as a SONA like no other. I borrow the title of this column from the seeming millennial penchant for the hyperbole and over-emphasis, and, indeed, it is to the youth groundswell, perhaps, that the President appealed to in his speech: the casual and conversational overtones; the swagger and braggadocio; the diversion from the prepared speech and the teleprompter; the dramatic pauses; the subtle repartees that were really in-your-face… The nervous laughter, the discomfort, the tension… This President wanted you to be uncomfortable about the harsh realities of society now,

and he did not mince words in putting his messages across. Pak. Ganern. What did the President basically want to say? Discard the old, tired, ineffective and, oftentimes corrupt, ways and bring in the new, effective, expedient ones. Transform the governance structure to make it more responsive to the peoples’ needs. Devolve power to the regions through a federalist system and away from “Imperial Manila”. Regain your trust in government and law enforcement. Respect human rights, but don’t use it as a shield. Eradicate the drug menace and drug dependents. Speed up government processes and trim the bureaucracy. Increase infrastructure. Be transparent to the public. Be forceful, but be peaceful. Change, change, change. Change is coming, his campaign slogan said. Forget that. Change IS here. Change the way you think. Change the way you act. Even the past living Presidents would agree with me on that.

With DOJ Sec. Vit Aguirre ; Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bistek Bautista; PAGCOR President Atty. Fred Lim; Dept. of Transportation Sec. Art Tugade

With DOJ Sec. Vit Aguirre

With fellow Boholanos NEDA Sec. Ernie Pernia and Sec. to the Cabinet Jun Evasco

LGUs LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

MONDAY, AUGUST 8, 2016

LIGHT SHOW. Promenaders enjoy watching the Dancing Fountains of the Quezon City Memorial Circle. Revoli Cortez

Closure of Irisan dumpsite cited By Dexter A. See BAGUIO CITY—The former Special 6th Division of the Court of Appeals commended the Baguio City government for the continuous rehabilitation of the closed 5.2-hectare Irisan open dumpsite which was the subject of a consent decree after being subjected to a writ of kalikasan by concerned environmentalists in Baguio and Benguet. In a two-page resolution dated June 27, signed by Associate Justices Ricardo Rosario, Rosemarie Carandang and Japar Dimaampao, the CA cited the local government for the sustained activities leading to the permanent closure of the dumpsite and the adoption of appropriate solutions to address the city’s garbage disposal problems. On March 21, the CA directed the Department of Environment and Natural Resources through the Office of the SolicitorGeneral and the Baguio City government and its officials to submit their respective periodic reports on the implementation of the covenant’s content in the consent decree issued in the environmental case. In its monitoring report on the closed Irisan dumpsite, the DENR informed the CA the facility remained closed for dumping and was secured with a perimeter fence; upon entering the facility, mounds of compost were noted inside the facility; as previously observed, the dumpsite has not been used for dumping and the area has slowly been covered with natural vegetation; the two environment recycling (ER) machines continue to process the city’s biodegradable waste with each machines capable of processing 24 tons of biodegradable waste into compost fertilizer and that the retaining walls, its buttresses, perimeter canals, storm or surface run-off canals, fence and other engineering structures are still intact and functioning. Under its semestral updates on the closure and rehabilitation plan of the dump facility, the city government informed the CA that the two ER machines continue to accommodate and daily process delivered biodegradable waste collected from the city public market as well as commercial and residential barangays; a developmental plan is in place for the conversion of the former dumpsite into an ecotourism center and the 10-year ecological solid waste management plan of the city has already been approved by the National Solid Waste Management Commission.

P60-b project to boost Subic as logistics hub By Butch Gunio

UBIC BAY FREEPORT—A P60-billion investment project to be implemented by an Australian firm here is expected to turn this premier free port into a global logistics center. Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority Chairman Robert Garcia at a press briefing disclosed other new investment projects approved by the SBMA board of directors.

Garcia said the Asian Institute of Aviation will occupy seven hectares of land near the Subic Bay International Airport and will build hangars and food processing stations for its inter-

modal logistics business. Garcia said that AIA will be joined by an Australian firm, which will buy into the company. “The business model of the company is to export from Australia to China, Japan, and other Asian countries, via airplanes,” he said. “The company will import meat, sea food, and other agricultural products from Australia, bring them by plane or by ship to Subic Bay, process and package these products according to customer orders and then

deliver them to customers.” Garcia explained that the Australian partner has been handling the processing in Australia, but because it entails a higher labor cost, it has decided to do the processing in Subic. The operation, the SBMA chairman said, will become intermodal. “They will ship out by air since they have seven jets; they will also ship out via seaport, and their volume for the seaport is 60 containers per month,” he said.

Bunkhouses to be replaced by evacuation center—DSWD

DA creates 11,510 jobs in Mindanao By A. Perez Rimando

By Mel Caspe TACLOBAN CITY—An evacuation center is soon to rise in the area where bunkhouses were hastily constructed to provide temporary shelters for survivors of Super Typhoon “Yolanda” in this city. A two-story evacuation center will be constructed in Barangay 91, Abucay district with the Department of Social Welfare and Development funding the project at a cost of P10 million. The project, which had its groundbreaking last Thursday (July 21) is expected to be finished in 120 days, barring any unforeseen events, said Grace Sudario, social marketing officer for risk reduction management of the DSWD-8. Mayor Cristina Romualdez thanked the DSWD for constructing an evacuation center in Tacloban, ground zero of the world’s strongest typhoon to hit inland. ”As of now, we really lack evacuation centers. So, we’re trying to get more donors. So right now we have to use churches and schools,” Romualdez said. Aside from churches, schools and barangay halls, the city’s astrodome is used as its main evacuation center. Sudario said constuction of an evacuation center in Tacloban was delayed by the lack of location. Abucay village, more than four kilometers away from the city center, was spared from the storm surges that caused the massive destruction of properties and the loss of more than 2,200 lives in the city. About 172 families were temporarily resettled by the government at the bunkhouses in Barangay 91 after Yolanda pummeled this city on Nov. 8, 2013. All the families, who were residents of coastal barangays along Sagkahan district, were transferred to their permanent homes at Ridge View in Barangay Cabalawan in April of this year.

The project will generate 800 jobs, aside from those hired during the construction of facilities, and the company “has also shown interest in providing new equipment for the tower at the Subic airport,” Garcia said. The new investor also plans to build hangars for maintenance and repair operations that will cater to jets in Hong Kong. “It’s expensive to park jets there. You pay $3,000 just to park it outside without a hangar,” Garcia added.

FATHER FIGURE. Caloocan Mayor Oscar Malapitan administers oral multivitamins to elementary and high school students. The children were also vaccinated by city health workers. Andrew Rabulan

365,000 families in Region 9 to receive govt assistance By A. Perez Rimando PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur—The Department of Social Welfare and Development said it registered close to 365,000 poor families in Zamboanga Peninsula (Region 9) during its 2015 year-end “Listahan.” DSWD Undersecretary Florita Villar described “Listahan” as “an objective way of targeting who must be given government social protection and services, which is updated every four years.” Villar said the department uses the list to identify legitimate beneficiaries of the agency’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) to include social pension.

Lawyer Araceli Solamillo, DSWD regional director, said that of 364,723 identified indigent families in the area, 165,485 live in Zamboanga del Sur; 119,493 reside in Zamboanga del Norte; 68,671 in Zamboanga Sibugay; and 11,074 in Isabela City (Basilan), which belongs to R-9’s administrative jurisdiction. Solamillo said the agency in last year’s “Listahan” assessed a total of 704,872 households composed of 3,124,216 individuals and identified 364,723 poor families with 1,034,836 individual members. She disclosed 305,238 or 83.69 percent of the poor households reside in rural communities while 59,485 or 16.31 percent live in urban areas.

COTABATO CITY—The Department of Agriculture, through its Philippine Rural Development Project, generated 11,510 jobs in various regions of Mindanao for the past three years, a project executive reported here recently. PRDP Mindanao Cluster Director Lealyn Ramos told the media that “4,175 skilled workers—including engineers, welders, masons, steel men, heavy equipment operators, drivers, carpenters and foremen—were employed while 7,335 non-skilled persons [like laborers and helpers] were hired by the project during the period.” Ramos said the project hired at least 1,506 workers who were paid P29.69 million in 2013; some 5,232 workers were paid P105.11 million in 2014; close to 3,900 workers received P95.44 million in 2015; and in the first quarter of 2016, some 977 workers who got P23.19 million. She said the workers were involved in infrastructure activities under the Intensified Building-Up of Infrastructure and Logistics for Development (IBUILD) Component, such as farm-to-market roads, bridges, irrigation systems, and potable water systems in collaboration with local government units and private contractors.” Engineer Ma. Fe Gabunales, IBUILD component chief, said some 50 percent of hired construction workers were locally secured “as part of our implementation agreement to promote employment and project ownership among the locals.” Ramos explained that the PRDP—jointly financed by the World Bank, the national government, and local governments in the Southern Philippines—“is a six-year special program of the agriculture department focused on establishing a modern, value chain-oriented and climate-resilient agriculture and fisheries sector.”

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

LGUs

MONDAY, AUGUST 8, 2016

1 SF killed in firefight with NPA By Lance Baconguis CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY—One Special Forces soldier was killed last week during an encounter with the New People’s Army in Barangay Lilingayon, Valencia City, the 4th Infantry Division reported. The soldier’s name was withheld until the army leadership has informed the family of the soldier who belonged to the 1st Special Forces Battalion operating in Bukidnon province. Captain Joe Patrick Martinez said the SF responded to a report from residents of the village that the rebels allegedly took some of their money and food. Lt. Col. Peter Edwin Navarro, commanding officer of the 1st SFbn said they requested police assistance for a law enforcement operation against the Maoist rebels. “We immediately coordinated with the PNP in the area to verify the report,” Lt. Col. Navarro said. Martinez said the SF soldiers reached the village but was fired upon by the NPA, “they were unmindful of the civilians in the area.” The clash between government special forces and the NPA came a week after President Rodrigo Duterte lifted on July 30 the ceasefire he unilaterally declared during his first State of the Nation Address. The Communist Party of Philippines failed to reciprocate the ceasefire on time. The SF troops scoured the area and initially recovered nine high-powered firearms composed of two AK47, two M653, and five M16 A1 rifles; one improvised explosive device; eight AK47, three M14, and one M16 magazines; one rifle grenade; five gallons of gas; three handheld radios, personal belongings and subversive documents with high intelligence value. MGen Benjamin Madrigal Jr., 4th Infantry Division commander, congratulated the SF soldiers for driving away the NPA from the community but expressed grief at the loss of life of another soldier. “Unfortunately, while our troops are performing their duty, one of our soldiers have paid his ultimate sacrifice when he offered his own life just to free our people from NPA atrocities. To our brave soldier, your heroism will always be remembered by the people to whom you dedicated your life and service,” Madrigal said. “For the NPA in that area, this is a lose-lose situation whenever we see Filipinos losing their precious lives in this conflict. There’s nothing noble about making our people miserable. We urge you to heed the call of the government to stop this non-sense armed struggle and start living peacefully with your families,” he added. Republic of the Philippines R EGIONAL TRIAL COURT National Capital Judicial Region BR ANCH 214 Mandaluyong Cit y R AMON FORTUNADO BASL AO, Petitioner, -versusCIVIL CASE NO. MC15 - 9616 For: DECL AR ATION OF NULLIT Y OF MARRIAGE DULCENIA A . SAYNES, Respondent . x- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -x ORDER This is a petition for nullity of marriage filed by Ramon Fortunado Baslao (PETITIONER) against Dulcenia A. Saynes (RESPONDENT) on 26 August 2015. PETITIONER prays that the after due notice and hearing, judgment be rendered declaring his marriage with RESPONDENT null and void ab initio on the ground of psychological incapacity of the RESPONDENT under Article 36 of the Family Code of the Philippines. PETITIONER further prays for such other reliefs just and equitable under the circumstances. To support his claim, PETITIONER cites the following allegations: (1) That the PETITIONER is of legal age, a Filipino citizen, an overseas filipino worker and with address at 288-A Sen. N. Gonzales Street, Mandaluyong City while RESPONDENT is likewise of legal age, a Filipino citizen, with last known address at No. 1317, Legarda Street, Sampaloc, Manila; (2) That PETITIONER and RESPONDENT entered into marriage ceremony on 25 July 1988 in Ermita, Manila and solemnized by minister Rev. Antonio Nacianceno (Marriage Contract is attached to the Petitioner, as Annex “A”) (3) That out of their marriage, PETITIONER and RESPONDENT spouses begot two children named Raymond S. Baslao and Ramon Baslao, Jr., both presently of legal age; (4) That after the birth of the spouses’ first son, RESPONDENT went back to her parents in Quezon Province and when (TS - July 25, & Aug. 1 & 8, 2016)

Davao 911 team to train nationwide counterparts By F. Pearl A. Gajunera

AVAO CITY— The Davao City Central 911 offered to help the Department of Interior and Local Government effectively and efficiently implement the 911 emergency hotline on the national level.

HONESTY. Leyte First District Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez (right) hands over a plaque of recognition and cash reward to Tacloban City Airport porter Ricardo Moreno who returned to the owner a chocolate box with cash amounting to P21,000 he found at the arrival area of the airport last week. Ver Noveno

Smart mobile learning lab rolls into Tawi-Tawi BONGGAO, Tawi-Tawi—Nurhada Rasi had never seen her son Almikhar so excited. The fiveyear-old boy could hardly wait to tell his mother what he learned in class that day. “Ma, I know how to use a tablet! We now use it to learn our lessons,” the boy said, as he rushed out of the classroom and into his mother’s arms. Almikhar is a pupil at the Datu Halun Laboratory Preschool in Bonggao, Tawi-Tawi, which has received two units of Smart TechnoCart, a mobile learning laboratory equipped with 20 tablets, a laptop, projector and mobile WiFi. The carts were donated by mobile leader Smart Communications Inc. to help upgrade teaching in far-flung areas through technological tools.

RESPONDENT gave birth to their second son, RESPONDENT stayed with PETITIONER at their residence in Manila for two months and returned to Quezon province; (5) That PETITIONER and RESPONDENT did not actually lived together as husband and wife because RESPONDENT refused to live with PETITIONER and preferred to live with her parents because the latter’s parents were against the PETITIONER; (6) That in order to support their two sons, PETITIONER worked as an overseas contract worker (7) That since 2008, PETITIONER completely lost contact with RESPONDENT and did not know her whereabouts; (8) That the last known address of RESPONDENT is at No. 1317 Legarda Street, Sampaloc, Manila, and (9) That RESPONDENT is psychologically incapacitated to discharge the essential marital obligations. Consequently, Summons together with its annexes was sent to RESPONDENT in her last known address at No. 1317 Legarda Street, Sampaloc, Manila. However, it was returned UNSERVED with the information that RESPONDENT’s address is nonexistent (Sheriff’s Report of Service dated 04 December 2015). WHEREFORE, finding the petition to be sufficient in form and substance and pursuant to Supreme Court A.M. No. 02-11-10-SC in rel. to Sec. 15, Rule 14 of the Rules of Civil Procedures, let SUMMONS be served upon RESPONDENT DULCENIA A. SAYNES by PUBLICATION in a newspaper of general circulation in the Philippines accredited by the Office of the Executive Judge of Regional Trial Court, Mandaluyong City once a week for THREE (3) CONSECUTIVE WEEKS and a copy of the summons and this Order be sent to RESPONDENT by registered mail to her last known address all at the expense of the PETITIONER. Finally, RESPONDENT is directed to file her Answer to the Petition within SIXTY (60) DAYS from the last issue of this Notice. SO ORDERED. Mandaluyong City. 29 March 2016. (Sgd.) IMELDA L . PORTES- SAULOG Presiding Judge

“Almikhar never tires telling me how much easier and fun learning is with the use of a tablet,” Nurhada said. Each tablet is preloaded with Batibot, the first learning app in Filipino that is aligned with the kindergarten curriculum of the Department of Education. The app can be downloaded for free on Android devices. Kindergarten teachers Marilou Abdurahman and Rosalyn Sansawi wheel the two carts every day from the main school building to their classrooms, across broken concrete paths and mud. Both teachers say their pupils’ enthusiasm is worth the effort. Sansawi observed that with the use of tablets, the children showed improved comprehension. “They become so engrossed in their lessons that they sometimes

forget it’s recess time! They just go on tinkering with the tablets,” she said. Stephanie Orlino of Smart Public Affairs said a study conducted by a development management expert revealed that children, especially in their formative years, could develop essential thinking skills through fun games on the app. “According to the teachers, the children have become more focused and much quieter,” she said. They now also interact in class, asking one another about apps and collaborating on tasks. Jerry Jimenez, Department of Education education program supervisor, said that through the Smart TechnoCart, pupils of Datu Halun Laboratory Pre-school are now at par with students from major urban centers. They are now learning the same subjects

PLEDGE. Navotas Mayor John Rey Tiangco (left) and Vice Mayor Clint Nicholas Geronimo (right) sign the pledge of commitment to pursue and continue to support the Navotas Executive-Legislative Agenda and the Capacity Development Agenda for 2016-2019. Looking on are the city councilors. Jun David

Cotabato farmers get P41-m rubber processing plant THE government has established a rubber processing plant in Banisilan, North Cotabato, raising hopes among rubber planters for processed rubber products and bigger market opportunities. The P41-million processing center was inaugurated Thursday by North Cotabato Gov. Emmylou Mendoza and representatives from the Department of

Agrarian Reform-Mindanao Sustainable Agrarian and Agriculture Development (DAR-MinSAAD) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), which funded the project. Kenji Terada, the first secretary of the Japanese Embassy; Naoyoki Ochiay, JICA-Cotabato head; Itsuo Kihara, team leader of MinSAAD consultants; and

Yoshiyuki Ueno, a JICA representative, witnessed the inauguration. “This project will benefit mostly our rubber planters who have been complaining of lack of post-harvest facilities,” Mendoza told delegates from farmer cooperatives. The project, Mendoza said, is expected to increase productivity and profit

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being taught students in Manila, Cebu, and Davao cities. “Our students now have a chance to compete with those from bigger schools,” Jimenez said. “A little bit of technology can definitely help bridge the gap.” A year since the program launch, Smart has distributed TechnoCarts to 29 public schools from as far as Pangasinan in the North and Tawi-Tawi in the South. Fifteen of these units were donated by Smart, while the rest were sponsored by individuals and organizations wanting to help spread the benefits of digital learning to more public schools. To get more Smart TechnoCarts rolling, prospective sponsors may visit www.smart.com. ph/learnsmart.

Central 911 chief Emmanuel Jaldon said the 14-yearold Davao emergency response unit is willing and ready to help the DILG train the national 911 emergency response team. Launched on Sept. 27, 2002 when President Rodrigo Duterte was city mayor, Central 911 is the first emergency response system in the Philippines and in Asia. It is the third in the world after the US and Canada hotlines. The Davao City response team was also the only 911 which provides free services to people in need. With fire auxiliaries, K9 units, search and rescue teams, police and emergency medical services, Central 911 operates 24/7 and uses the Emergency Computer Aided Dispatch, a computerized mapping system that allows authorities to locate the origin of the distress call and tracks police response time to emergency calls. “This is a basic kind of service that we must have,” Jaldon said. “You can’t be globally competitive if you don’t have a system like this in place.” With the national 911 still in the infancy stage, Jaldon said, it needs a little more time to operate efficiently as a highly computerized and fully integrated emergency and rescue dispatch system that will link Filipinos to the entire emergency resources of the government wherever they may be. “There are still lots of areas that need to be improved. Just give it a little more time and everything will fall into place,” he said. On Aug.1, the Central 911 was launched at the national level following the campaign promise of Duterte.

among rubber planters in Banisilan and nearby municipalities. DAR Secretary Rafael Mariano urged farmers to make use of the processing plant and help maintain it to sustain high productivity. About 26 rubber farming cooperatives are direct beneficiaries of the project, Mariano said. PNA

World

MONDAY, AUGUST 8, 2016

Dictator has an ally in Spain

ARRAGONA, Spain―North Korea may be isolated in the international community but it now has a modest ally on the Spanish coast—the Pyongyang Cafe, a small bar founded to support Kim Jong-Un’s strongman rule. Located in the Mediterranean city of Tarragona where Roman ruins vie for attention, the establishment sports a huge North Korean flag behind the bar, where tea typical from the country and Asian beers are served. Socialist propaganda posters brought all the way from Pyongyang adorn the walls of the modern bar, and in a corner stands a bookshelf full of works by leaders of the Kim dynasty that has ruled North Korea since 1948, translated into Spanish. “North Korea is the world’s big unknown,” says Alejandro

Cao de Benos, founder of the bar that opened mid-July and also president of the Korean Friendship Association, which has delegates in more than 30 countries and is officially recognised by Pyongyang. While North Korean restaurants complete with traditional food and dancing have popped up across Asia, the 41-year-old says this is the only such Western establishment. A restaurant opened in Amsterdam in 2012, but closed several months later. “We want to break with all the

myths, manipulation. And as not many people can go to Korea, because it’s complicated and far, they can come to our cafe,” says Cao de Benos. Appointed special delegate for international cultural relations by Pyongyang in 2002, Cao de Benos is the only Westerner to occupy a post in the North Korean regime, even if it is merely honorary. A staunch communist, his interest in the country peaked after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, and he came to know some North Korean families in Madrid. He started travelling to the country, and says his interest for North Korea eventually “turned into my passion”. As such, Cao de Benos regularly appears in the media to defend a country long criticised for its human rights violations and nuclear tests. In a 2014 report, the United

Nations highlighted a long list of crimes committed in North Korea -- extermination, slavery, torture, rape, forced abortions, political persecution, disappearances among others. Angel Gonzalo, spokesman for Amnesty International, says the situation in the country is “distressing.” “People are completely at the mercy of what Kim Jong-Un decides for them,” he says. “It’s difficult to find a right that is not being violated.” Not so, counters Cao de Benos. “Access to food, a home or work is much more widespread in North Korea than in any other capitalist country,” he says. “Those are the real human rights in which we believe.” He claims that Pyongyang is the victim of defamation for not following Western doctrines or obeying the United States, and dismisses critical reports -- whose

authors are not allowed into the country -- for being based solely on refugee testimonies. But Sokeel Park of Liberty in North Korea, an association that helps North Korean refugees in Seoul, says these are genuine. “We have thousands or ten of thousands of people describing the same picture of the country,” he says. Nevertheless, the mysterious country sparks interest in an otherwise open, globalised world. Cao de Benos says his association counts some 17,000 members and the bar has been welcoming around 35 people a day on average in its first opening days. He aspires to make it a cultural centre complete with talks on gastronomy and tradition, film screenings or lectures. But its first event -- a talk on tourism -- attracted just 10 people.

“Lots of people think that you can’t travel to North Korea and that’s not true,” Sergio Guijo, director of the Spain-based agency Travel Corea, told the attendees. Some 50,000 tourists visit North Korea annually, a large majority of these Chinese. Guijo’s agency has organised trips there for 60 Spaniards over a year. But tourism is a double-edged sword for the country, according to Park. Tourism and the foreign currency it brings can help prop up the regime, which is the subject of many international sanctions, but it can also contribute to opening up the country. “A North Korean refugee told me that when she saw these Chinese visitors, it made her think: ‘Chinese people can come to Korea, so why can’t I go to China, why can’t I go to the outside world?’.” AFP

Thais start voting on divisive charter

BANGKOK―Thailand began voting on a junta-crafted constitution Sunday in a referendum where open debate has been banned, as opponents warned the document will perpetuate military power and deepen divisions. The poll offers Thais their first chance to vote since generals toppled the elected government of Yingluck Shinawatra in 2014. The kingdom is split after a decade of political turmoil that has dented growth, seen democracy shunted aside and left scores dead in rival street protests. The military says their new constitution will curb endemic political corruption and bring stability after the dizzying merry-go-round of recent years. But critics say it aims to neuter civilian politicians and tighten the hold of the military -- and their allies in the royalist elite -- over the country. Potchana Surapitic, 53, who voted for the constitution at a Bangkok polling station, said she was convinced the military’s promise to hold full elections next year was the country’s best chance for stability. “I want the situation to return to normal and I want elections,” she told AFP. “But I also want a government that can manage the country, I don’t want it to be a vacuum like before.” Preliminary results of the referendum are expected around 9:00 pm (1400 GMT) on Sunday. Election authorities have targeted an 80 percent turnout but in the run-up to Sunday the referendum appeared to have garnered little public enthusiasm. A low turnout is likely to favour the military, while a big showing from the Shinawatra’s populous northern heartlands could defeat the document.

Toppled premier Yingluck, whose party rejects the draft charter, urged Thais to participate in the poll. “Today is a very important day for Thailand... go and vote,” she told reporters. Thailand has a long history of turbulence. The military has successfully seized power 12 times since the end of absolute monarchy in 1932 and this constitution will be the kingdom’s 20th if passed. But the latest chapter of the political crisis -- dubbed the “lost decade” -- has been particularly painful. Since a 2006 coup, power has flipped between elected governments led by or linked to self-exiled billionaire Thaksin Shinawatra -- Yingluck’s elder brother -- and rule by the army and its establishment supporters. Shinawatra parties have won all general elections since 2001, scooping up votes of the rural poor and urban working class with policies promising greater wealth and opportunity. Their success has riled the military and its political friends who accuse the clan of debasing the country with graft and nepotism and have hit back through coups and the courts. The tension has been compounded by the frail health of 88-year-old King Bhumibol Adulyadej, as elites jostle ahead of any transition. After casting his vote in Bangkok junta leader Prayut Chan-OCha urged people to vote, adding “this is democracy so all eligible voters please come out”. Prayut has banned open debate on the contentious charter and scores of people have been arrested under a special law to curb opposition. AFP

ON PATROL. Indian paramilitary troopers patrol near the grand mosque Jamia Masjid during a curfew in downtown Srinagar on August 7, 2016. More than 50 people have been killed and thousands injured in weeks of unrest in Indian-administered Kashmir, sparked by the death on July 8 of popular rebel commander Burhan Wani in a firefight with government forces. AFP

Hunger is a weapon of war in Syria PARIS―While grain silos in many Western countries may overflow this winter, tens of millions of people risk going without food as hunger is being used more than ever as a weapon of war. More than 50 million people living in 17 conflict-ridden countries are in “severe food insecurity”, two UN agencies warned recently. The protracted conflicts in Yemen and Syria place those two nations at the top of the list established by the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Food Programme.

In Yemen, 14 million people -- over half the population -- are now considered to be facing a food crisis or emergency. Meanwhile in Syria, 8.7 million people or 37 percent of the pre-conflict population, “need urgent food, nutrition and livelihoods assistance”, in particular aid to farmers, said the agencies. The same goes for parts of northeastern Nigeria, which has borne the brunt of an insurgency by Boko Haram islamists since 2009, and where the aid group Doctors Without Borders estimates half a million people face a humanitarian catastrophe.

Maintaining local agricultural production, even traditional small-scale farms, thus often becomes critically important for reducing hunger while helping keep down the number of refugees, said the head of the FAO’s emergency unit, Dominique Burgeon. “It is clear that agriculture plays an important role in the resilience of populations faced with the shock of war,” he told AFP in a telephone interview. In certain parts of Syria this year people who have been displaced from other regions are helping till the fields and take in the harvest. AFP

In Malaysia, making kites is a dying art

FESTIVAL. A Spanish musician plays a bagpipe as she prepares before the traditional street parade of the 46th Lorient Interceltic Festival on August 7, 2016, in Lorient, western France. For more than 46 years, the Lorient Interceltic Festival has celebrated the Breton music and culture with over 5,000 artists from all over the world converging towards Brittany and about 800 000 festivalgoers filling the streets during 10 days. AFP

Fighting in Syria’s Aleppo after siege broken BEIRUT―Sporadic clashes hit the southern edges of Aleppo on Sunday morning, a monitoring group said, hours after rebels said they had broken a threeweek government siege of the Syrian city. An alliance of rebels, Islamists, and jihadists late Saturday said they had opened a new route into Aleppo’s eastern neighbourhoods, home to some 250,000 people.

Thousands of hungry people forced from their homes by fighting there had to wait until the end of July to receive their first food aid. Meanwhile, most of the world’s top wheat producers are enjoying bumper crops, pushing prices down on global commodity markets and benefiting countries like Egypt that are dependent upon imports. But for countries gripped by conflict, importing food is logistically difficult if not impossible and at prices out of the reach of most of the population which have lost their livelihoods.

But the road, which passes through southern edges of the city, remains too dangerous for civilians to use, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Sunday. “There are intermittent clashes and air strikes, but to a lesser degree,” said Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman. “Not a single civilian has left the eastern districts because the

road is too dangerous and not secured,” he told AFP. On Saturday, anti-regime groups overran a series of buildings in a military academy on the southwestern edges of Aleppo. They then pushed northeast into the district of Ramussa, linking up with rebel groups that had fought south from inside the city. Rebels posted footage of their fighters embracing and celebrat-

ing the end of the government encirclement of Aleppo, in place since July 17. An AFP journalist in the eastern districts said a single truck of vegetables entered the neighbourhoods late Saturday to be sold in the markets the following day. Syrian state media, however, denied that the siege had been broken and said the fight was ongoing. AFP

PANTAI CAHAYA BULAN, Malaysia―Shafie Jusoh loves traditional Malaysian kites so much that he can’t get a good night’s rest unless he’s been working on them daily. “I need to make kites everyday, if not I can’t sleep,” the 69-year-old said. He began making them when he was a young boy, skipping classes to entertain his flights of fancy. “If you don’t do it everyday, you will lose the technique,” he added. Shafie is among a diminishing group of Malaysian master kite-makers who have dedicated their lives to breathing life into the ancient craft. A colourful giant two-metre kite with extended wings greets visitors at the entrance of Shafie’s dark and dusty studio in a sleepy village in Kelantan state. “I made this kite 30 years ago. You need 25 men to fly it,” the self-taught kite-maker quipped proudly as he showed a faded photo of it soaring in the air. A wooden table at his studio is lined with several awards from government agencies for his efforts promoting Malaysia’s kites,

a national symbol, worldwide. He recalled one particular visit to Paris many years ago, where he had brought over 30 Malaysian kites to an exhibition and all were sold quickly. “To the foreigners, the kites are just so unique and they love it” he said. The early morning rays stream through a rickety green window, dancing on the thick veins on his arm as he flips and turns his knife, cutting a spiny bamboo stick to perfection. After thinning out several bamboo sticks, he bends and ties them with strings to form the main kite frame. Separately, using a small knife, he cuts out intricate floral designs on an assortment of coloured paper. These are painstakingly pasted onto tracing paper which is then glued to the main bamboo frame. The kite is then left indoors for a day to let the glue dry. A ribbon is attached tightly to two ends of the kites and this produces a loud “swoosh” sound when the kite makes sharp turns in the sky. AFP

World

MONDAY, AUGUST 8, 2016

PERFORMANCE. Performers dressed as Pikachu, the popular animation Pokemon series character, perform in the Pikachu parade in Yokohama on August 7, 2016. Some 50 life-size Pikachu characters, the most famous from the Pokemon game, marched along the city’s waterfront street as visitors took mobile phone pictures and videos of them in scorching sunshine. AFP

IS destroys old treasures T

AL AJAJA, Syria―When the Islamic State group captured Tal Ajaja, one of Syria’s most important Assyrian-era sites, they discovered previously unknown millennia-old statues and cuneiform tablets, and then they destroyed them.

The extremist group, which Ajaja in northeastern Hasakeh has ravaged archeological province in February by Kurdsites under its control in Syria ish fighters. and Iraq, was chased from Tal But the destruction IS wrought

there over two years remains. Perched on a large hill around 50 kilometres (30 miles) from the Iraqi border, the site is now a vision of desolation, riven with long tunnels. Fragments of broken artifacts are strewn throughout and large holes dug by looters pockmark the ground. The Assyrian empire, with its capital in Nineveh in modern-day Iraq, flourished in the first mil-

lennium BC. It produced celebrated artifacts, particularly bas-reliefs often depicting scenes of war. “Tal Ajaja, or ancient Shadikanni, was one of the main cities of Assyria,” said Cheikhmous Ali of the Association for the Protection of Syrian Archeology. Most of the known treasures of Tal Ajaja, discovered in the 19th century, had long been removed and placed in museums

in Syria or abroad. But the jihadists, as well as local looters, dug up artifacts that archeologists had not yet uncovered, destroying or trafficking priceless pieces. “They found items that were still buried, statues, columns. We’ve lost many things,” lamented Maamoun Abdulkarim, head of Syria’s antiquities department. - ‘Barbarians’ -”More than 40 percent of Tal Ajaja was de-

Pistorius returns to prison after fall

Clinton widens lead over Trump WASHI NGTON―Democrat Hillary Clinton has widened her lead over White House rival Donald Trump to eight points after both parties’ nominating conventions, according to a Washington Post-ABC News poll out Sunday. Clinton led Trump 50 to 42 percent among registered voters, according to the telephone survey carried out August 1-4. She got a strong bounce in the support from her nomination -- which unlike the fractious Republican convention, showed a united party -- but has also benefitted from major gaffes by Trump. Ahead of the nominating conventions Clinton had a four-point lead over Trump, according to an

Post-ABC News survey. Among likely voters, Clinton’s lead is 51 to 44 percent, and in a race that includes Libertarian Party candidate Gary Johnson and Jill Stein from the Green Party, Clinton leads Trump 4537 percent, with Johnson at eight percent and Stein at four percent. Clinton and her running mate, Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia, received the nomination to run for the November 8 presidential election during the July 25-28 Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Trump and his vice presidential candidate, Indiana Governor Mike Pence, were nominated in the July 18-21 Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio. AFP

ONSTAGE. Rapper Ludacris takes the stage at the Bud Light Party Convention in Los Angeles on August 6, 2016. Bud Light, America’s most popular and inclusive beer brand, is taking the Bud Light Party on the road with a 13-city Convention Tour from 8/5-8/27 at Barker Hangar on August 6, 2016, in Santa Monica. AFP

UK-China ties at risk over nuclear plant deal LONDON―Britain’s decision to delay final approval for the Hinkley Point nuclear power plant risks cooling relations with economic powerhouse China under new prime minister Theresa May, analysts say. May’s predecessor David Cameron, who quit after the June referendum vote to leave the Eu-

ropean Union, made strong ties with Beijing central to his economic policy. During a state visit last year, Britain rolled out the red carpet for Chinese President Xi Jinping as it sought to attract investment to its austerity-hit economy. Cameron said Britain would

be China’s “best partner in the West” as they signed $40 billion (47 billion euros, $53 billion) of deals, including Beijing taking a $6 billion stake in Hinkley Point, Britain’s first new nuclear plant in a generation. A ceremony to sign the $18 billion Hinkley Point deal was planned

for July 29, the day after the other player in the deal, French energy giant EDF, finally approved the project which had deeply divided its top management as critics fear it could bankrupt the French utility. However, the French government, which owns 85 percent of EDF, has been doggedly deter-

mined to get Hinkley Point approved as it sees the project as crucial for the long-term viability of France’s nuclear industry. But Britain’s new leader May, who took power on July 13, had already decided to delay the final decision on the project, which is now expected in September. AFP

Traditions endure for Tibetan nomads

YUSHU, China―Under a twinkling starlit sky, the glow of an electric light is the only sign that a Tibetan nomad’s way of life has changed in hundreds of years. Yaks are still milked using wooden buckets with rope handles, and the animal’s waste is dried and burned for fuel -- a necessity at the high altitude where trees are scarce.

stroyed or ravaged by IS,” added Khaled Ahmo, director of the antiquities department in Hasakeh. “The tunnels that were dug destroyed invaluable archeological strata” that would have revealed the economic, social and political history of the era, he told AFP. In IS’s extreme interpretation of Islam, statues, idols and shrines amount to recognising objects of worship other than God and must be destroyed. AFP

But the number of Tibetans maintaining the pastoral lifestyle is dwindling, with the Chinese government pushing to decrease the Tibetan nomad population and move them into resettlement villages, sometimes by force. Chinese authorities say urbanisation in Tibetan areas and elsewhere will increase industrialisation and economic development,

offering former nomads higher living standards and better protecting the environment. Since 2000, government statistics show that urban residents have leaped by more than half in the Tibet region itself, where officials launched a programme five years ago to establish Communist cadre teams in every locality. In Qinghai province, much of which is

ethnically Tibetan, the urbanisation rate has increased from 40 percent to nearly 50 percent in the past decade, but one Tibetan member of a Communist party committee in the area told AFP that the process was happening “too fast”. Those sentiments highlight the drastic changes since 1951, when Chinese forces occupied Tibet. AFP

JOHANNESBURG-Convicted murderer Oscar Pistorius has returned to his prison cell in South Africa’s capital after being treated at hospital for injuries sustained in a fall, prison officials told AFP Sunday. “He had to be detained Saturday afternoon at the hospital after falling off his bed,” prison services spokesman Singabakho Nxumalo said. “He’s back in our care now,” Nxumalo said. He added that the double-amputee Paralympian was again in the medical wing of the Kgosi Mampuru II prison in Pretoria where he has been serving out his six-year sentence due to his handicap. According to the South African weekly City Press, citing another inmate at the prison, Pistorius had to go to hospital after intentionally slitting his wrists. When asked about the report, Nxumalo said: “We can’t confirm that, it’s only speculation.” Pistorius was convicted of shooting to death Reeva Steenkamp, a model and law graduate, in the early hours of Valentine’s Day in 2013, saying he mistook her for a burglar when he fired four times through the door of his bedroom toilet. Pistorius, who pleaded not guilty at his trial in 2014, has always denied killing Steenkamp in a rage, saying he was trying to protect her. After first being found guilty of culpable homicide, an appeals court upgraded his conviction to murder in December last year. AFP

Life

Adobong Manok Laing

SIP & SAVOR

Isah V. Red, Editor Bernadette Lunas, Writer isahred@gmail.com

MONDAY, AUGUST 8, 2016

Gastronomic journey for

Pinoy cuisine

cravings

HE Philippines has been gaining popularity as a gastronomic spot globally with more than 7,107 islands that boast flavors worth craving for. Each dish is distinct with its story, each plate made special with local ingredients and traditional ways of cooking.

Salu, The Filipino Kitchen recently opened its doors to those who’d like to feast on the real, genuine taste of local cuisine. Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao dishes are made available to all its visitors. No need for plane tickets, Salu got your cravings covered. “Salu is a Filipino Culinary Authority. We try to explore, experiment and make sure to serve plates that can’t be labeled anything other than tunay na Pinoy. We honor

originality and give tribute to the story of each dish because that’s what makes it unique, that’s what makes it real Filipino,” said Chef Janjie Ocoma, also known as Lakwatserong Kusinero, the executive chef of the restaurant. Some of their famous regional cuisines include Insarabasab and Hardinera ni Quezon for Luzon, Balbacua aand KBL which stands for Kadios, Baboy, Langka are classic favorites in Visayas, Mindanao boasts of its Tiyual Itum, a signature black soup and Beef Kulm Kulma, the island’s version of curry. You can get busy exploring the menu as trivial facts for some of the dishes are also showcased. Another set of interesting eats are called “Likhang Salu”. When creativity meets ingenuingenu ity, a fusion of Pinoy to Pinoy food is born. Try tasting their bestseller, Binagoongang LeKarekare or Pinalutong chon Karekare, na Sisig Hito for a healthier fix. Hinurnong Manok is Salu’s version of sinampalukan with the smoky taste of roasted chicken, or if you’re in the mood for pork, their Sinigang na Lechon is a sure treat. Some of the intriguing The restaurant offers Balbacua to represent the Visayas region

Binagoongang Lechon Kare-kare is a fusion of two Filipino dishes and is one of Salu’s bestsellers

Salu Restaurant’s main pillars (from left): Chef Janjie Ocoma, Romnick Sarmienta, Harlene Bautista and Allan Cordova

creations also include Salu Salad, colors of which are enough to remind you of a beautiful, edible garden, and the Pakbet Soup, a perfect alternative for those who’d like a light and healthy starter. Of course desserts are must-haves. Filipinos love sweets and often ends a bountiful feast with their yummy panghimagas. Brazo de Kalabasa is one of the house favorites, a healthier take on our favorite soft cake. And a must try desert is the recently launched Mayon, Salu’s molten lava cake. It has a really good salty surprise inside which gives a twist to that

rich dark chocolate cake and filling. It’s not part of the regular menu, so make sure to ask your waiter for it on your visit. To complete the Salu experience that the owners, Harlene Bautista and Romnick Sarmenta envisioned, the whole restaurant was divided into Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao Sections. Each is decorated distinctly with the aim of transporting guests to a place beyond Manila, towards the kitchen and sites of different parts of the Philippines. Even their kiddie corner gives the young guests a taste of how it is to be a real Pinoy Kid on the block. “We want the

whole restaurant to feel casual and homey. When you enter a Filipino home there’s always a feeling of warmth and happiness, that’s our basic model for Salu. At the same time we want the guests’ minds and palates to travel para busog ang tiyan at mata, thus the native and locally inspired accents and details unique to each section. You can practically do your selfies everywhere,” said Allan Cordova, managing partner of Salu. Tribute walls are also put up in each section as Salu recognizes our hardworking farmers, poultry providers, fishermen and local craftsmen as the real heroes of the country. Salu supports these men and women who have dedicated their life in providing bountiful feasts for all. Advocacy Programs for our kababayans are being crafted by Salu together with some partners to support this industry. We thought we know it. But to taste it, to see it and feel genuinely Pinoy just by dining and feasting together is still an experience that could bring a whole new layer of appreciation of the familiar. This is what Salu is all about. Fall in love with the food and culture all over again by visiting Salo, The Filipino Kitchen at #26B Sct. Fernandez Cor. Sct. Torillo, Bgy. Sacred Heart Quezon City. For reservations and inquiries, call at (02) 921-2448 or send a personal massage on their facebook fanpage, Saluresto. PHOTOS: LINO SANTOS

Morato’s sweet secret

THE JOYCE OF EATING JOYCE BABE PAÑARES

TUCKED in a building at the corner of Tomas Morato and Scout Castor is an underground cafe by day and a watering hole by night. Dolce Amore, or sweet love, is very easy to miss, especially if you are not paying attention to the signs at Lansbergh Place. Unless, of course, you are one of the regulars of this cozy joint, which according to Chef Alloy Neyra, include high-profile people – from politicians

Dolce Amore’s cake in a jar creations

who want some peace and quiet to actors wishing to unwind without getting mobbed by adoring fans. “This is a place for them to hide even for just a few hours, a place where they can have some alone time where no one will bother them,” Neyra said. “It is a place to keep secrets. But, I guess it is not much of a secret now with this interview. The secret is out,” she added, laughing as she was prodded to name some of the VIPs who have enjoyed a cup of coffee or two at Dolce Amore. “A former president and several members of the House of Representatives and the Senate would frequent my coffee shop. They just sit here like ordinary people, sipping their coffee or perhaps a glass of scotch if they come at night.” Neyra, whose comfort food include her mother’s homemade pasta and pizza, opened Dolce Amore in 2011 after

finishing culinary school and honing her gastronomic chops at two luxury hotels in Metro Manila. “I grew up loving Italian food, and I also love sweets. This is why I chose Dolce Amore for my coffee shop’s name,” added Neyra, who started helping out in the kitchen at the tender age of six. In fact, her coffee shop was the first to offer cake in a jar in Tomas Morato in 2012. “We were really the pioneers on Morato. Other establishments got the idea from us, and soon almost every other coffee shop in the area started offering cake in a jar,” she said. Dolce Amore’s cake in a jar comes in five flavors: mango, chocolate, strawberry, red velvet, and tiramisu. Most customers order these fancy cakes to go, usually as giveaways for birthdays and other special occasions. “Baking for me is therapeutic. It requires a lot of passion to create beautiful cakes,” added Neyra, who also does cupcakes, cookies and made-toorder cakes. Her sweet creations are the perfect partners to Dolce Amore’s imported Italian-blend coffee, which can be surprisingly strong and served in generously huge mugs. Neyra’s love for Italian cuisine is also reflected in Dolce Amore’s hot plate offerings – sausage rolls, chili shrimp pasta, and quattro formaggi and garlic and shrimp pizza, among others. “I like spicy food. Even the Filipino food that we serve, such as the beef salpicao, has a spicy kick to it,” she said. At night, the coffee shop transforms into an underground bar, with chill music adding to the intimate ambiance while guests nurse their choice of cocktails, shooters, beer bombs, vodka, te-

Chef Neyra prepares her sweet creations for Dolce Amore, a little gem of an underground coffee shop in Tomas Morato

quila, scotch, bourbon, or alcopops. Dolce Amore has a wide array of bar chow, including dynamite cheese sticks, calamari, garlic chicken lollipop, parmesan crusted fish fillet, gambas al ajillo, and its all-time cholesterol fix – roasted bone marrow.

“We want people to feel at home, to be able to relax without having to overthink which drink to order or which food goes well with what alcoholic drink,” Neyra said. “Best of all, what happens underground stays underground,” she added.

Life

MONDAY, AUGUST 8, 2016 isahred@gmail.com

HE Art of Ojiya is derived from Khao Tom, which is a breakfast staple in Thailand. It is a delicious combination of rice slowly cooked in your hotpot broth with sesame oil, egg, spring onions and fried garlic. Essentially porridge, it can be served plain or with a variety of ingredients such as meat, seafood, mushrooms and vegetables. At COCA Restaurant, guests are encouraged to continue their hotpot experience with the Ojiya. With two unique variations – the Tom Yum, for those who prefer their base with added kick and spice; and the basic chicken stock, for a more traditional and simple base, no two Ojiyas are ever the same. Each takes in all the f lavor and character of one’s unique hotpot experience, giving a warm and comforting finish. This is ‘The Art of Ojiya.’ Visit COCA at the Sky Park, 5th level of SM Aura Premier in Taguig City. For more information and reservations, call (02) 9552022 or 0917-8139760. Like COCA Restaurant in Facebook and follow @cocarestaurantph on Instagram.

Presenting ‘The art of Ojiya’

COCA Restaurant offers its own version of Ojiya for guests who want to indulge in a unique hotpot experience

LeBron’s Mix brings

‘diskarte’ to the next level THERE is just no limit to how far your diskarte can go especially now that the world-renowned beverage company, Coca-Cola, reveals its latest diskarte campaign for Sprite featuring a tasty mix of flavors from the ultimate King of Diskarte himself, LeBron James On July 26, teens and sports fans alike witnessed the unveiling of the new Sprite LeBron’s Mix at the Green Sun Hotel, Makati City. The brand’s new twist features a fusion of LeBron’s favorite flavors—classic lemon-lime, orange and cherry, kept in eye-catching containers with James’ initials and iconic crown designed in the background.

“Sprite is deeply rooted in its intense refreshment. Drinking an ice-cold Sprite clears your mind and helps you make your diskarte. In addition, the brand has always been grounded in the country’s street culture – and there is no better way to bring street culture to life here in the Philippines than with the sport that everyone loves, basketball,” says Stephan Czypionka, vice president for Marketing of Coca-Cola Philippines. Media guests, Coca-Cola partners and some personalities were the first to experience a whole new level of diskarte as they got to tag along in playing basketball inspired games such as the Doble Diskarte where they try to score points by shooting

From left: Coca-Cola FEMSA Phils. VisMin Commercial Director Manrique Cerdas, Marketing Director Juan Pablo Rodriguez; Franchise Director Carlos Alfredo Gonzales, National Key Accounts Director Patricia Gamboa; Coca-Cola Philippines Systems Planning Director Steve Bonz; Coca-Cola Philippines Commercial Director Bruce Burnett, Coca-Cola Philippines Vice President for Marketing Stephan Czypionka and Coca-Cola Philippines President and General Manager Diego Granizo officially introduce Sprite LeBron’s Mix

through hoops placed on their partners heads and the Spot Your Diskarte Shot where they try to score three points from where the spotlight is located. They also got to take home some Sprite premium and limited edition items, as well.

Familiar faces from Philippine sports world also gave the atmosphere more energy as PBA courtside reporter Mara Aquino and UAAP sports announcer Boom Gonzalez joined in the fun. A popular drink within the basketball

group, Sprite continues to hold its position with the help of its partnership with the King James. With the combination of the traditional taste of Sprite and fusions of sweet and citrus flavors, anyone can diskarte like royalty.

Remedies for the rainy days

Starbucks Philippines celebrates its 3rd anniversary with three new Starbucks Cards designs featuring the ‘Summer Night in Manila,’ Cebu’s Fernan Bridge and Mactan-Mandaue Bridge and a special edition Siren card

New Starbucks Cards commemorate Filipino’s rich culture and heritage FOR years, Starbucks has kept its customers on their toes with regular releases of beautifully-designed Starbucks Cards. This month, in celebration of its 3rd anniversary, Starbucks Philippines offers cards and merchandise with designs evoking a sense of pride about the rich history of the country.

“As a global brand, we look for ways to make Starbucks more relevant to the local market. This year, we want to be closer to the hearts of the Filipinos through cards featuring well-known cultural and geographical landscapes familiar to every Filipino,” said Keith Cole, head of marketing for Starbucks Philippines.

Starting today, Starbucks will offer three new cards: Manila Starbucks Card available only in Metro Manila stores, Cebu Starbucks Card available only in Cebu and a Special Edition Siren Starbucks Card available in all stores. Both the Manila and Cebu Starbucks Cards have a matching tumbler available in the respective stores.

R E C I P E F O R T H E D AY

Butterscotch Mango Sans Rival MAKE your day more flavorful anytime of the day with a bite of your favorite dessert made with your favorite bread. Try this easy-to-create sans rival using Gardenia Butterscotch: Ingredients: 3 pcs Butterscotch Loaf ¼ cup butter 1 tbsp ripe mango, sliced 1 tbsp nuts, chopped 2 pcs chocolate bars 1 tbsp powdered Sugar – 1 tbsp Procedure: 1. Get three slices of Gardenia Amazing Butterscotch Loaf and

trim the sides. 2. Combine butter, evaporated milk and powdered sugar until becomes smooth. 3. Spread the butter cream mixture into the trimmed breads then put sliced ripe mangoes on top and sprinkle chopped nuts. 4. Stack all breads onto each other. Spread the butter cream on the bread sides and apply nuts. 5. Chill overnight. 6. Serve and enjoy! More exciting and innovative recipes using Gardenia breads can be discovered! Just visit www. gardenia.com.ph or follow www. facebook.com/gardeniaph

A LITTLE rain once in a while is a good excuse to re-schedule that outdoor trip with friends so you could stay home, relax and catch up on the things you need to do. King Sue has some remedies on how to spend rainy days. Curl up under the covers. It is the best time to oversleep or even to just stay in bed, to finally finish that book or watch that movie you’ve always wanted to do. Take out some popcorn and juice, or better yet, fry some King Sue sausages and franks and enjoy them while all curled up under that warm duvet. Get ready to go artsy. That scheduled museum visit can wait until the sun comes back. Meanwhile, make your own mini museum. Wash those art brushes and dig up those watercolors and oil paints and start painting again. No one gets bored with board games. Challenge your family to a game of charade, scrabble or cards while eating easy snacks like classic ham sandwiches made from King Sue premium ham. Treat yourself to some pampering. Call in for some salon home service and have your nails done. Now is the ideal time to spoil yourself by relaxing, de-stressing and indulging. Knit, crochet, sew. If you are a mom and a homemaker, check your kids’ clothes that might need sewing. If you are a hobbyist and would love to try something new, why don’t you start on that crossstitch pattern you said you wanted to try. Find tutorial videos online and pick up those knitting needles or that crochet book you got for your birthday. Cook your comfort food. Try a family recipe of your favorite arroz caldo and tweak it a bit by topping it with King Sue bacon bits. Surprise the family with a piping hot menudo, afritada, or tuna and chicken casserole. The trick is to add King Sue chorizos, sausages or ham. Remember how you loved Baked Mac when you were a child? Bring back the good feeling by creating your own Baked Mac version—complete with King Sue Ham, bacon bits, slices of chorizos, salami, and layers and layers of cheese. Write that recipe. Your mom and grandmother have been asking you to add your own recipes to that family recipe book they gave you. Now is the best time to do so. It will be a good feeling to know that you have thumb-marked that family heirloom with your own taste. A glass of wine, slices of cheese, and a platter of King Sue cold cuts is a good reward for a job well done. Call (02) 881-0530 364-5430, 376-6441 and +639199889642 for inquiries and orders. Check out @kingsueham on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or email sales@kingsue.com. Check out www.kingsue.com for more information about their meat products.

Showbiz

MONDAY, AUGUST 8, 2016 isahred@gmail.com

Child actress Malina Weissman as Rebecca Brand in the “talking animal comedy,” ‘Nine Lives’

ROM the director the worldwide blockbuster action comedy film Men In Black, filmmaker Barry Sonnenfeld brings together a cast of actors in his latest family movie Nine Lives led by Kevin Spacey with Jennifer Garner, Robbie Amell, Malina Weissman, Christopher Walken, and Cheryl Hines. In Nine Lives, an immensely successful businessman who has built an empire at the expense of any sort of true human connection, Tom Brand (Spacey), is surrounded by good people who love him in spite of his skyscraper-sized flaws. But it isn’t until he finds himself with four paws and a tail that Tom realizes how l ucky he ’s b een. A unique mix of heartwarming family fare, supernatural mystery and slapstick comedy, Nine Lives also delivers the thrill of seeing one of the most talented actors of our time inhabiting the

Dad becomes cat in

‘Nine Lives’ body of an adorable cat named Mr. Fuzzypants. Hearkening back to ﬁlms as diverse as It’s a Wonderful Life, Big and Freaky Friday, it’s a concept that should appeal to audiences from 5 to 85 — and one that Kevin Spacey

was excited to join. “For me, this is a great opportunity because I love doing comedy,” explains the two-time Oscar® winner. “People often think of me in a darker, more evil kind of part. But it’s a great joy for me to be able

to come to work every day and do something that’s really funny, really fast and very clever.” Sonnenfeld says the ﬁlm falls squarely in his wheelhouse. “It’s what I do as a ﬁlmmaker: It’s fantasy and it’s funny but it’s also

real,” explains the director. “It’s a very funny movie in a fantastic situation that somehow is totally grounded in reality.” According to co-writer Ben Shiffren, the goal of the script was to tell a story with humor and heart

Chavit sponsors Miss U in Manila FORMER Ilocos Governor Luis “Chavit” Singson is both proud and happy to be one of the major sponsors of the 2017 Miss Universe beauty pageant to be held in the Philippines. “Yes, it’s almost 80 percent sure that we will host next year’s edition of the prestigious beauty tilt which date will be on Jan. 30. What’s lacking are the formalities. Actually, even before our recent elections, I was already in talks with the Miss Universe Organization. They requested me to take a huge and active part in the implementation of the grand project. I committed right away since I know this will be very good for our tourism. It’s also one way to show my support to the Duterte administration,” he reveals. A whopping $12 M is what’s needed in order to mount the production of what is considered the biggest beauty pageant in the world. “That’s true! Well, it really entails a very huge amount to cover such popular event. For this gargantuan venture, I’m partnering with the Department of Tourism headed by Ms. Wanda Teo plus the private sector, which I’m personally coordinating. We are all working hard to come up with the said amount. This will be a big help to our government because it will not shell out money for this event. “So, we’re asking support from various NGO’s (non-government organizations), my companies and other private groups which has resources. Mr. Tonyboy Cojuangco is with me in this endeavour. Also extending their support are Mr. Henry Sy of SM who agreed for the Mall of Asia (MOA) to be used in one of the huge activities of the pageant. And so does the big hotels and the leading casinos like Kazuo Okada’s team, Resorts World, Solaire and City of Dreams which all pledged to help in the accommodations of the candidates and their respective entourage, the media and other important guests. They’ll be staying in the country for almost a month.” Converted to Philippine peso, the total budget will reach P500 million. “And it’s a very huge amount, right? We’re not expecting that we will earn out of this. Of

course, we’ll have sponsors but looking at the amount, it’s difﬁcult to grow your capital. But we don’t mind since all of our local businesses will have exposure in the proceedings,” states Chavit. It is reported that for the Miss Universe beauty pageant, his team will also prepare various modes of transportation to be used by the candidates. “That’s right! We have a 148-seater plane, luxury buses and a mega yacht! The two-decker yacht is made in Italy and will be delivered here from Spain. It’s designed by the world-renowned yacht designer Alpha Marine. As for its name, we’re still choosing between ‘Miss Universe’ and ‘Happy Life,’ the title of my upcoming travel show.” Expectedly, Vigan will be featured in the pageant as one of the pageant’s main destinations. “Oh yes! Especially that it’s ofﬁcially declared as one of the New Seven Wonder Cities of the World. But we agreed that we split destinations, like one preliminary event can be held in Vigan while another one is being staged simultaneously in Davao. I don’t think one province can accommodate everybody,” ends Chavit. ******** Jodi Sta. Maria nixes reports that allegedly, she and Cavite ViceGovernor Jolo Revilla are back in each other’s arms once again. “There’s no truth to that!” she says. “I believe Jolo also cleared that in one of his recent interviews.” It all started when Jolo posted photos of the two of them together in his Instagram account weeks after they announced their break-up. “Oh, that? For one, Jolo and I remain friends until now. I admit that we still hang-out once in a while, but what’s wrong with that, right? It’s normal for friends.” Because of this, many believe that a reconciliation is not far behind. “Well, at this point, I just enjoy what I have. I don’t want to be under pressure with anything, including matters of the heart,” avers Jodi.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Monday, August 8, 2016

ACROSS 1 Bluster and bellow 5 One-time Shea team 9 Long-running beef 13 Burn soother 14 Noted soap vixen 16 Stomachturning 17 ESP, etc. 19 Complimentary 20 — Maria 21 Dolly the clone 22 Caesar’s false friend 24 Impressed, plus 25 Vane dir. 26 Dug 29 Sparkling adornments 33 Lattice 34 Stumble onto 35 Without ice 37 Dodge City’s loc. 38 Gross! 39 Sci-fi Doctor 40 Light bulb, in comics 42 Pub pints 43 Bushed (2 wds.) 45 Hospital worker 47 Stills & Nash partner 48 Throw in

49 Apple, for Apple 50 Sing the blues 53 Galleon cargo 54 Where hippos swim 57 Aria ace 58 Climate determiner (2 wds.) 61 Almost alike 62 Give a lift 63 — up (pay) 64 Pulley part 65 Clueless 66 Magna Carta signer DOWN 1 Enthralled 2 Half a fronton game 3 Ibsen woman 4 Herbal infusion 5 Sounded catty 6 Went wrong 7 Youngest Cratchit 8 Injury result 9 Almost grown? 10 Neutral color 11 Luau strings 12 Tint 15 Previously 18 More recent 23 Bonn connector 24 Uproar 26 Wine served

warm 27 Madrid art gallery 28 Mr. Doubleday 29 Risky 30 Calligraphy fluids 31 Whimpers 32 Bwana, in India 34 Parking lot sign 36 Theater trophy 38 Gridiron gain 41 Insistent 43 Thieves’ jargon 44 London lav 46 Tokyo, formerly

47 Victorian garment 49 Hay holders 50 Tour de France need 51 Like Lex Luthor 52 — and void 54 Stoic founder 55 Four-letter word 56 Portent 57 Pat on 59 Thai language 60 Gandhi foe

about a man who has alienated his family by spending all his time at the office and is forced, through a magical intervention, to reassess his priorities. “We wanted the tone be a bit more mature than just a typical ‘cat hijinks’ movie, so parents are able to appreciate it as well as kids,” he adds. At the same time, the writers wanted to mine the rich comedic potential of a self-centered and controlling person trapped in a pet’s body, says co-writer Daniel Antoniazzi. “Part of Tom Brand’s karmic punishment for ignoring his family is that he gets to hear what they think of him, and hear how they miss him, how they love him. But also how he’s done wrong, the times he’s missed out on life events.” Producer Jonathan Vanger describes Nine Lives as a lighthearted comedy with “a lot of fun things in it, including animals, children and some great actors.” He credits Sonnenfeld with bringing it all together into a fresh, funny, family-friendly fable. “I’ve seen all of Barry’s movies, but I hadn’t met the man before working on this film. He is extremely efficient and knows exactly what he wants. It’s a delight to work with a director who is that well organized, and is able to make the movie he wants, almost editing it in the camera as he goes along. It’s pretty impressive.” Nine Lives opens Aug. 31 in cinemas nationwide from Pioneer Films.

RGMA dominates Cebu, Iloilo, Dagupan RADIO GMA’s (RGMA) ﬂagship stations in the south, Super Radyo DYSS and Barangay RT both topped the recent Nielsen Radio survey in their respective categories, completing a dominating performance for RGMA in the Queen City. RGMA is a subsidiary of GMA Network, which manages its radio operations across the country. Barangay RT, already the number one FM station in Cebu for the past two years, continued its winning streak, getting a 3.08 percent rating which translates to more than a quarter of the total FM listeners, based on the ofﬁcial radio survey conducted by Nielsen for the second quarter of the year. While Barangay RT topped the survey for the fourth consecutive quarter, its sister station, Super Radyo DYSS 999 is jumpstarting its own drive to AM supremacy, ending its competition’s hold on the top spot by registering a 2.67 percent rating, representing almost half

of all AM Cebu listeners in the same survey. The back-to-back wins for RGMA signal a major shift in the battle for radio leadership in Cebu City, as it is the ﬁrst time in two years that one network holds sway in both AM and FM bands. The second quarter ofﬁcial Nielsen survey also saw RGMA’s Iloilo station, Barangay 93.5 duplicate RT’s feat by topping the surveys for the fourth consecutive quarter. With a 2.89 percent rating and an almost 40 percent audience share, Barangay 93.5 completes RGMA’s exceptional showing in the region, moving it closer towards its goal of making Visayas an RGMA country. In Luzon, RGMA continues to make headway as its FM station in Dagupan, Barangay 93.5 also topped the second quarter Nielsen survey. Barangay 93.5 emerged as the number one station in Dagupan with a 1.33 percent rating, reclaiming its throne in a very competitive Dagupan FM scene.

Isah V. Red, Editor Nickie Wang, Writer isahred@gmail.com

MONDAY, AUGUST 8, 2016

Showbiz

Derek Ramsay

to sustain Habitat’s goal of building healthier communities and transforming lives. “We have made the usual slot into a plus sign, symbolizing how every coin you give is a plus for humanity by building homes for families in need,” Ramsay said during the project launch attended by Habitat prospective donors and partners.

lends hand to meaningful cause By Nickie Wang

N 2010, actor Derek Ramsay joined Habitat for Humanity Philippines as the organization’s celebrity ambassador and had his ﬁrst hands-on experience building homes through a project initiated by his friends and supporters on his birthday in December 2011. Since then, the actor has been at the forefront of the organization’s effort to better the lives of the underprivileged sector of the society. It’s an advocacy very close to his heart because it reminds him that he is very fortunate to have a family that gave him the best education and practically the best in life. In an exclusive interview with the Manila Standard, Ramsay looked back to the time he rolled up his sleeves and got his hands dirty in a relocation site in Navotas. “It was during a pressing time because I snapped my entire forearm a month before the build. But it didn’t stop me from getting my hands dirty and have my ﬁrst hands-on experience with Habitat,” the 39-year-old actor and athlete said. He was able to gather about 150 of his friends and supporters to join him, which was a joint housing project of the local government and Habitat. The housing project served as a relocation site for families whose homes were devastated by a calamity that year. Two years later, Derek visited the site and was

surprised at how the area turned into a completely different community compared to what it was when he first saw it. “I saw how many lives were changed by the project that gave them [the beneficiaries] better roofs over their heads. It made me feel so much better about myself, it feels so much better to sleep at night knowing that you’ve helped so many people out there to better their lives,” the actor recalled. Being with Habitat makes Ramsay feel fortunate, and Habitat’s initiatives make him feel that he is part of a bigger family. “And if a member needs help you really need to go out there and lend a hand. That build alone in Navotas is 650 [houses], and then there’s another one in Laguna which is 650 as well, I can’t keep count... but imagine how many people or families have benefited from this effort,” he said. According to the actor, having a decent roof over your head helps open doors to a lot of things including better health, better life and better future. “Because of the homes they now have, they can get

their values intact and teach those values across to their kids. Having your own decent home really makes a lot of difference,” he added. Further extending his passion for charity work and in an effort to encourage members of the public to partner with Habitat for Humanity in building decent places to live for the underprivileged sector of the society, Ramsay spearheaded the “Plus Can” project. Unlike an ordinary donation drive can, the “Plus Can” is a pre-paid coin bank that represents a unique way of getting people involved. Formerly known as “Coin Bank,” Habitat is adding a meaning to the can. The difference is that the new Habitat tin can has a coin slot in a shape of a plus sign (+). Each person who wishes to have a “Plus Can” will need to make a donation of P500.00 to Habitat in exchange for the can and after the initial donation is made, they may be able to use the can to raise funds, or simply as a piggy bank, souvenir or collectible item. The initial donation will be pooled with other generous unrestricted fund donation

CAUSE-ORIENTED. As a celebrity ambassador, actor Derek Ramsay actively supports the mission of Habitat for Humanity Philippines. Sonny Espiritu

ABS-CBN followers ﬂock to dzMM’s grand Kapamilya Day

Dr. Carl Balita (second from left) giving away food carts worth P25,000 as the day’s grand prize

OVER 2,000 people ﬂocked to DZMM’s Grand Kapamilya Day held at the San Andres Sports Complex in Malate, Manila on July 31, where they were able to avail of free medical and legal consultations, learned from lectures on business, farming, disaster preparedness, and health. They also bonded with the anchors and reporters from ABS-CBN’s ﬂagship AM radio

station. Leading the festivities was ABS-CBN Integrated News and Current Affairs Head Ging Reyes, who said it was the perfect way for the station to celebrate its 30th anniversary. “We wanted to have a celebration that’s going to be about not us, but about the people who have stayed with us for the last 30 years. We thought

it best to celebrate by holding a public service event for the people that includes free services like free medicines, check-ups, legal counseling,” Reyes said. The occasion also marked the blessing of DZMM TeleRadyo’s brand new OB van, which Reyes said will aid the DZMM team in their live coverage. Each DZMM program, including the Current Affairs programs that air on the station, had special offerings for the people, some of which were lining up even the night before. Mission Possible gave out wheel chairs; My Puhunan handed out negosyo starter packs, while other programs also provided giveaways. There was Stargazer of Pinoy Vibes giving out aura readings, and Lulu Marquez of Private Night offering tips to couples for their intimate moments, while Usapang De Campanilla assisted those in need of legal help. Salamat Dok and Magandang Gabi Doc also offered additional medical

services, like Ultrasound, ECG, Blood Sugar Testing, Prostate screening, and Hepatitis testing, apart from the free medical and dental check-ups, and free medicine from DZMM TLC and its partner organizations. The event also had a Sunday Market, selling of vegetables from the program Sa Kabukiran of Ka Doroy Broadcaster of the Year awardee Louie Tabing and from Quezon farmers who are supported by the ABSCBN Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation, Inc. There were also lectures in the Red Alert booth on emergency preparedness while ABS-CBN TVplus and the ABS-CBN Store also offered affordable packages to the people. In keeping up with health and ﬁtness, the morning was kicked off by a Zumba session with Dyan Castillejo of Sports U and Ahwel Paz. The children, meanwhile, enjoyed the storytelling and free food from DZMM-TLC and several sponsors.

Two mothers, meanwhile, emerged as the day’s biggest winners after winning the coveted food carts worth P25,000 each, courtesy of Carl Balita of Radyo Negosyo. Both promised to use the prize to help their respective families. Meanwhile, attendees who missed out on the prizes still enjoyed a great day thanks to the

various services being offered by the booths. “Lahat naman ng booths maganda, andoon yung purpose of enjoyment and service na gusto nila ibigay,” said Avelina Clarin, who was able to get a free diamond peel from the Ma-Beauty Po Naman program booth of Cory Quirino.

Some of the Kapamilyas in Sunday Market, a joint project between Sa Kabukiran, ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation, Inc. and Quezon farmers