Manila Standard - 2016 December 31 - Saturday by Manila Standard

War games ‘reformat’ eyed By John Paolo Bencito

VOL. XXX • NO. 322 • 4 SECTIONS 20 PAGES • P18 • SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2016 • www.thestandard.com.ph • editorial@thestandard.com.ph

DEFENSE Secretary Delﬁn Lorenzana said Friday that Manila could “reformat” its military engagements with the United States to appease China. “We need to reformat the land exercises in Fort Magsaysay. Nevertheless they will continue. But those

exercises fronting the [South] China Sea, we’ll transfer it to Mindanao so that our neighbors won’t get pissed off. It’s also [being] sensitive to our neighbors,” Lorenzana said. The defense chief said the idea to move the war games was on the Philippines’ own initiative and not at Beijing’s request. Next page

Terror alliance bared DND chief links Maute, BIFF to bombing plots By John Paolo Bencito

EFENSE Secretary Delﬁn Lorenzana on Friday linked two recent bomb attacks to the terrorist Maute group and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, saying they had formed a tactical alliance to spread terror.

ICONIC CEREMONY. President Rodrigo Duterte, with former president and now Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, Defense Sec-

retary Delfin Lorenzana, Special Assistant to the President Christpher Go, National Historical Commission acting chairman and commissioner Dr. Rene Escalante and other government officials, leads the traditional flag-raising rites Friday morning during the 120th anniversary of Jose Rizal’s martyrdom at the Luneta.

Be willing heroes, emulate Rizal—Du30 PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Friday called on Filipinos to be “willing heroes” and emulate the life and works of Dr. Jose Rizal whose martyrdom the nation commemorated on Friday. “As our nation undergoes a signiﬁcant phase of soci-

etal development and economic growth, a period of national unity that calls for the cooperation, patience and sacriﬁce of our people is necessary,” Duterte said in his Rizal Day message. “Each of us should manifest the same fervor and dedi-

cation that moved and motivated Jose Rizal to action. Let us therefore emulate the traits of Rizal; let us be willing heroes: patriotic, faithful and loyal to our motherland.” Duterte made his statement even as Senator Leila de Lima asked: “How many more lives

must be sacriﬁced before the people act and put an end to violence in the society?” Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada appeared in public early Friday to attend Rizal’s 120th death anniversary together with Duterte. He made his appearance

days after he was hospitalized for overfatigue. “As in his time, the country is still ﬁghting for independence. But today, we are ﬁghting for freedom from the bondage of poverty, crime, illegal drugs and corruption,” Duterte said. Next page

Rody on opioid: Felt like paradise

Who had the worst in 2016?

By John Paolo Bencito

By David Tweed IN A year dominated by Brexit and Donald Trump’s shock US election win, Asia felt like a relatively stable part of the world. A closer look shows that the region endured its own seismic events in 2016, from a Philippine leader embracing China to massive street protests in Seoul to the elimination of 86 percent of India’s hard currency. Here we look at how key leaders performed. They are listed in order of the size of their economy. Chinese President Xi Jinping Xi Jinping, 63, further consolidated power in 2016 after Communist Party leaders declared him the “core,” a designation that strengthens his hand ahead of a twice-a-decade power reshuffle in late 2017. Xi also shone internationally, hosting G-20 leaders for the first time and positioning China as a leading advocate for free trade and the fight against climate change in the wake of Trump’s election win. Biggest challenge in 2017: Responding to Trump’s tougher

SURROGATE SOUND. Barangay Proj. 6 ofﬁcials and residents in Quezon City ﬂaunt their alternative noise instruments, mostly from recycled materials, to welcome 2017 in a safe and non-toxic manner as suggested by the Ecowaste Coalition. Manny Palmero

Mum’s the word on ‘silent donor’ By John Paolo Bencito

By Rey E. Requejo

China may help ease traffic By John Paolo Bencito slammed Congress for lem], not even me pernot giving Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade the budget to solve the problem. “Nobody but nobody can solve the trafﬁc [probtwitter.com/ MlaStandard

sonally if we don’t have money to spend for a new infrastructure,” Duterte said. “It could be a railway, Next page

facebook.com/ ManilaStandardPH

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte described using an entire fetanyl patch to relieve his spinal pains as being “in paradise.” In a TV5 interview, Duterte said he was supposed to use only a fourth of a patch with the opioid painkiller but mistakenly used the whole thing. “I made a mistake and put on the whole patch,” Duterte said in Filipino. “The feeling was great. You have never been to paradise but I’ve been there. It was like paradise when I used the fetanyl patch.” Duterte described his level of spinal pain as a six on a scale of 10 when he was given a prescription of the pain reliever, which is said to be between 50 and100 times more powerful than morphine and faster-acting than heroin. The drug, often prescribed for cancer pain and other chronic ailments, was prescribed to Duterte following a spinal injury from previous motorcycle accidents. He said, however, that his doctor made him stop using it on learning he was “abusing the drug” by using more than the prescribed patches. “You know, if you’re lying to me, you better look for another doctor,” Duterte said, quoting Next page his doctor.

Seven shortlisted for CA vacancy

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Friday sidestepped the question on who was the millionaire who gave him campaign contributions during the May elections. In a television interview, Duterte was asked who the politician was who gave him lots of

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Friday said China could help solve the trafﬁc congestion in Metro Manila and

Speaking on the sidelines of the Rizal Day commemoration at Luneta, Lorenzana said the explosion in Leyte Thursday could have been carried out to divert the government’s intensiﬁed military operations against these groups. “We have this suspicion that the Maute and the BIFF, had this sort of an alliance. Maybe they’re sharing the technology in bomb making,” Lorenzana told the Manila Standard. “It’s a tactical alliance wherein the two groups are helping each other,” he added. Lorenzana said materials used in making the improvised exposive devices could have come from the BIFF. “It’s not farfetched because their home bases-Lanao and Maguindanao are very near. Some members of the Maute group are from Maguindanao, so that’s the connection maybe,” he added. The Maute group was said to be behind the Davao City night market bombing last September that killed 15 people and wounded 70 others. President Rodrigo Duterte linked these attacks and the Christmas Eve bombing in Midsayap to the Islamic State. “The ISIS seems to be everywhere. Samal, there was an explosion. In Midsayap, while the priest was giving a sermon on extrajudicial killings, his church was bombed,” Duterte told an online news service. Next page

CREDULOUS BELIEFS. Round fruits are hawked at the Balintawak mar-

ket to welcome 2017, with some Filipinos, encouraged by business-minded people, believing that preparing 12 different round fruits on the New Year’s Eve table will bring luck and fortune to the family. Manny Palmero

thestandard.com.ph

THE Judicial and Bar Council has submitted to Malacañang a shortlist of the nominees for the seat in the Court of Appeals vacated by Associate Justice Agnes Reyes-Carpio, who reached her mandatory retirement age of 70 on Dec. 1. In a Dec. 2 transmittal letter to President Rodrigo Duterte, the seven-member council endorsed the nomination of Iligan Regional Trial Court Judge Anisah Amanodin-Umpa, the lone Muslim applicant to the post vacated by Carpio. She is the mother-in-law of Davao City Mayor Sarah Duterte, wife Next page of Carpio’s son Manases.

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SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2016

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Mum’s... From A1

donations that he later donated to the village executives in Davao City. He said Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos also gave him money during the election campaign, but it had been very little. Imee claimed that what he gave Duterte was “empanada and softdrinks.” When Duterte was asked again about the inﬂuential businessmen who gave him money, Duterte did not answer. When the news anchor asked if it was Lucio Tan, Dutere insisted that he would resign if he received money from the tycoon. Asked if the big businessman would appear in his statement of contributions and expenditures, Duterte said the businessman always gave him campaign contributions. In a separate interview, Duterte conﬁrmed that his friend and long-time campaign contributor, Davao businessman Samuel Uy, joined a meeting between him and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in October. But he said business was not discussed in the meeting. “We never talked about business, mining,” Duterte said in a Rappler online interview. He said Uy had been a longtime family friend.

News

Condom promo draws Sotto ire By Macon Ramos-Araneta

ENATE Majority Leader Vicente “Tito” Sotto III on Friday vowed to block the conﬁrmation of Health Secretary Paulyn Jean Rosell Ubial with the powerful Commission on Appointments if she pushes through with the Department of Health’s planned distribution of condoms to students next year. “I assure you, the Secretary will not pass the CA if they do that,” said Sotto, who was reacting to the DoH’s plan to distribute condoms to students aged 15 to 24 owing to the alarming

increase in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome among the youth. He considered the DoH’s con-

dom plan a “wrong approach” and said the agency should instead go on an information campaign focused on moral values. Records show that from 1984 until October 2016, 38,114 cases of HIV or AIDS occurred in the country, of which a total of 9,066 youth aged 15 to 24 were HIV-positive. Sotto, who is a member of the CA, also insisted students should not be taught the use of condoms. Instead, “they should be taught about the value of education and encouraged to focus on their studies to become successful in life.”

By Rio N. Araja and John Paolo Bencito

From A1

Be willing... From A1

“Indeed, they are our present enemies; they are the modern invaders that subjugate our people’s hearts, minds and spirits.” Duterte reminded the Filipino people not to forget Rizal’s sacriﬁces. “We are the fortunate recipient of the fruits of Rizal’s sacrifices, the freedom that he fought for, and the self identity and honor that he strongly believed we ought to defend,” Duterte said. “Beyond his prodigious and various talents, Rizal is best honored when we regard him as a beacon and moral compass in these challenging and perilous times.” John Paolo Bencito, Macon RamosAraneta and Sandy Araneta

Digong... From A1

His doctor also warned about him about losing his cognitive ability with too much fentanyl. “He said, ‘Stop it. The first thing that you would lose is your cognitive ability... You are, you know, abusing the drug’,” Duterte said. At 71, Duterte is the oldest elected President and suffers from daily migraine and ailments including Buerger’s disease, a cardiovascular illness characterized by inflammation of blood vessels usually due to smoking. The President cited ill health as the reason for skipping events during summits abroad. Duterte has also warned that he said he might not even finish his six-year term.

consults with the Department of Education. DepEd has indicated it may allow the DoH to proceed with its plan to distribute condoms next year, but only “with great sensitivity” to junior and senior high schoolers. Education Secretary Leonor Briones said top-level discussions have started on how the two agencies could roll out the plan. “This is a very sensitive issue, and the DoH recognized the need for the DepEd to cooperate because the object of their protective project is our learners,” Briones said.

Robredo denies hand in oust-Duterte rallies

Seven... Umpa aside, the others in the shortlist are Taguig City RTC Judge Louis Acosta, who is the brother of CA Justice Francisco Acosta; Las Piñas RTC Judge Joselito Vibandor, Quezon City RTC Judge Mary Angelene Quimpo Sale, Cagayan De Oro RTC Judge Jeoffre Acebido, and Pasig RTC Judge Danilo Cruz. The JBC, the body mandated to screen and vet the nominees to the President for the vacant posts in the judiciary and the Ofﬁce of the Ombudsman and Deputy Ombudsman, is led by Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno and composed of ex-ofﬁcio members Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II, Senator Richard Gordon and Mindoro Oriental Rep. Reynaldo Umali. The other regular members of the JBC are retired high court Justice Angelina Sandoval-Gutierrez, lawyer Jose Mejia representing the academe, Milagros Fernan-Cayosa from the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, and newest member Retired Judge Toribio Ilao, who is representing the private sector.

“We should instill in their young minds to study well to face a brighter future,” said the senator, who has opposed the condom distribution plan even during the last Congress. He also raised concerns that students might be enticed to have sex at an early age, as they would have no fear of pregnancy by using condoms. Sotto has strongly objected to the passage of the Reproductive Health Act, which also provides for the distribution of condoms. Ubial has said the DOH could start handing out condoms to students as soon as it

RIZAL'S KIN. President Rodrigo Duterte is greeted by Katrina Bantug, a descendant of Dr. Jose Rizal, during the commemoration of the 120th anniversary of Dr. Jose Rizal's martyrdom held at the Rizal Monument on Dec. 30, 2016.

Terror... From A1

When pressed if the Midsayap bombings were connected to ISIS, Duterte linked them also to the “Davao bombing.” Earlier, however, Duterte had said that “turf wars” between “Moro people” belonging to rival drug syndicates were behind the recent explosions in Hilongos, Leyte and Midsayap, North Cotabato. So far, no group has claimed responsibility for the latest blasts. “I hope it will not get out of control. I had conference with top guys of the government, military. I saw them with the police. You have to not only appear strong, you have to be strong because this is another problem, it’s no joke,” he said. Lorenzana afﬁrmed that the recent attacks may be part of diversionary tactics by local terror groups, as

Who... From A1

line on issues like trade and Taiwan while ensuring China’s economic recovery stays on track amid the power transition. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe Shinzo Abe, 62, ends 2016 with the sort of support levels that may convince him to call an election in 2017, giving him a chance to become the longestserving leader since World War II. While Trump’s win dealt a blow to Abe’s push for an Asia-Pacific trade pact, he rounded off the year by seeking progress on a territorial dispute with Russia and becoming the first Japanese prime minister to visit Pearl Harbor in decades—both popular moves at home. Biggest challenge in 2017: Navigating relations with China while convincing Trump of the importance of the US-Japan alliance. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi Narendra Modi, 66, dominates Indian politics in a way unseen in decades. His move to abolish 86 percent of hard currency overnight on Nov. 8 showed that he’s willing to risk imposing hardship on millions of people to implement his vision of a modern India: Free of corruption, fewer internal trade barriers and a tougher line against archrival Pakistan. Biggest challenge in 2017: Reviving the economy after his surprise cash ban dented India’s growth prospects, while also fighting a bellwether elec-

China... From A1

a highway elevated somewhere. But if there is a lack of funds, which Congress did not give to Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade. Lack of trust. They do not like him.” Under the P3.35-trillion national budget for 2017, the Transport Department was allotted P55.48 billion or an increase of 25.0 percent from 2016.

government troops continue their offensive against those who have supposedly pledged allegiance to ISIS, such as the Maute group, and the Abu Sayyaf. In a separate interview, the President noted that it could be possible that the terrorist operations could be directed from “inside jail cells.” Lorenzana also said the blasts may still be related to the drug war being waged by the President. He added that both the Maute group and the Abu Sayaff were capable of doing harm “anywhere in the Philippines.” “Especially now that we’re heading to the New Year,” he added. On Thursday, Duterte said he did not intend to declare Martial Law, saying the state of lawless violence was enough. Duterte said it was Senator Panﬁlo Lacson who spoke to him about possibility of Martial Law that triggered “loose talk.”

“If anything could go wrong in Mindanao, Lacson said, it would go wrong. Murphy’s Law. If it gets worse, tell Rody, suggest it to the President, to declare Martial Law for Mindanao,” Duterte told GMA-7 in a live television interview. Following an explosion that ripped through a popular night market in his hometown Davao City, Duterte had earlier declared a “state of lawless violence” in the country which would allow the increase of military and police presence throughout the country to combat not just terror threats, but also to step up his campaign against illegal drugs and to curb the recent rise in extrajudicial killings. The President had earlier said that he wanted the constitutional provisions on the declaration of Martial Law relaxed to make it easier for the chief executive to impose it. This triggered heated criticism from his opponents, including Vice President Leni Robredo.

tion in India’s largest state and rolling out a national goods-and-services tax. South Korean President Park Geun-hye Park Geun-hye, 64, easily had the worst year of all Asian leaders. She was impeached Dec. 9 over an inﬂuencepeddling scandal after weeks of protests drew hundreds of thousands into the streets calling for her resignation. If the constitutional court approves the impeachment motion, Park will lose her presidential immunity and an election will be held in 60 days. The prime minister has temporarily taken charge. Biggest challenge in 2017: Staying out of jail. Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull After Malcolm Turnbull, 62, saw his parliamentary majority reduced to one seat in a July election, he has struggled to stimulate an economy still in transition from a mining boom. Beholden to the right wing of his party, his popularity has sagged as he has adopted policies that appear to run counter to past positions on issues like climate change and same-sex marriage. Biggest challenge in 2017: Staving off a potential leadership battle in his party. Indonesian President Joko Widodo Joko Widodo, 55, asserted his authority over Indonesia’s political establishment in 2016. With a mix of patronage and political savvy, he controls more than two-thirds of seats in parliament—support he used to pass a controversial tax amnesty bill in June to help fund an infrastructure program. Biggest challenge in 2017: Ensur-

ing that his plans to bolster economic growth aren’t derailed, particularly as he looks to placate Islamic groups looking to prevent one of his allies from becoming Jakarta’s first elected Christian governor. Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak Najib Razak, 63, appears to be weighing early elections to secure his grip on power, a move that would display his confidence in weathering more than a year of political attacks over allegations he took $1 billion from a stateowned investment company--charges he denies. This month a court upheld a sodomy conviction for Anwar Ibrahim, effectively sidelining Najib’s chief rival and leaving the opposition in disarray. Biggest challenge in 2017: Najib will have to check rising living costs for his Malay base while keeping the fiscal deficit under control to keep investors happy, particularly as market volatility hits the ringgit. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte Rodrigo Duterte, 71, remains highly popular in the Philippines despite international criticism over a war on drugs that killed as many as 5,000 people since he took power in June. He’s repeatedly questioned his nation’s alliance with the US in expletive-laden outbursts while moving closer to China, a geopolitical shift that has rocked the region. Biggest challenge in 2017: Balancing relations with the US and China in a way that keeps the economy humming and prevents challenges to his rule from business and military elites. Bloomberg

Duterte hopes other countries such as South Korea, Japan and Czechoslovakia would invest in the Philippines to solve the trafﬁc problem. “A lot of those guys are coming in so I’m sure two to three years from now, we’ll be better,” Duterte said. The Transport Department submitted documents containing the list of priority projects and a draft bill to justify the emergency powers for Duterte to reduce trafﬁc congestion. Under the draft bill, the department

proposed to unify the rules on traffic management, which is currently handled by various agencies such as the Land Transportation Office, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority and the local government units. A study by Japan International Cooperation Agency estimated the cost of traffic at P2.4 billion a day. Without intervention, Jica estimated that traffic costs would increase to P6 billion a day.

VICE President Leni Robredo on Friday denied her role in any plan to oust President Rodrigo Duterte, or of joining any rallies that called for the Chief Executive’s ouster. Robredo maintained she did not have plan to unseat Duterte, and said her resignation from the President’s Cabinet “has nothing to do with her expression of her own political views.” The Vice President said she never attended demonstrations against Duterte and the President’s decisions and policies, such as allowing a hero’s burial for the late President Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani and his apparent condonation of extrajudicial killings of drug suspects. “I am not aware of, much less am I involved in, any effort to ‘oust’ the President,” Robredo’s official statement read. “Furthermore, I categorically deny joining rallies that called for the President’s ouster.” Meanwhile, Duterte said he’s already content with the state of lawless violence that he declared in the country amid concerns that he might declare Martial Law. “What I said, Martial Law, didn’t I tell you that I don’t want it? I cannot declare (it), I don’t need it. I’m already okay with [declaring] lawless violence, the present state of things,” Duterte said in a live television interview on Thursday. Duterte admitted it was Senator Panfilo Lacson who spoke to him about the possibility of declaring Martial Law, which he said triggered “loose talk” on the matter. “If anything could go wrong, said Ping (Lacson), in Mindanao, it would go wrong. Murphy’s Law. If it gets worse, tell Rody, suggest it to the President, to declare martial law for Mindanao,” Duterte said in the

War... From A1

same television interview. Robredo, however, appealed to the President and those around him to not misinterpret criticism of his leadership as “plots” to remove him from power. “Criticism is not conspiracy, and the administration is well advised to stop seeing ‘plots’ behind every unflattering news report, irate citizens’ assembly, or angry Facebook post,” the Vice President said. Criticisms against the President “have come about as a reaction to his own actions and statements,” Robredo said, and that expressing one’s opposing opinions was “a cornerstone of our free Republic.” Critics of Duterte, including Robredo’s allies in the opposition, have raised fears of Martial Law following an explosion that ripped through the Roxas night market in Davao City, the President’s hometown, moving him to declare a state of lawless violence. Duterte’s declaration allowed the increased presence of the military and police throughout the country, not just to combat bombings and other terror threats but also to boost the President’s campaign against illegal drugs and to curb the rise in extrajudicial killings. Still, Duterte earlier said that he wanted the constitutional provisions on the declaration of martial law amended, noting that the Supreme Court may not agree with Congress’ approval of the measure. “Congress is made up of politicians. Now, if I go to Congress, they say, go ahead, (extend the declaration of martial law for) another 60 days. Then the Supreme Court says the factual basis for martial law does not exist. It’s pure fiction in the mind, so it is not lawful to declare martial law. So what happens? Who will choose (to declare it)? It would be me,” the President said. ware sales, Lorenzana said. Russia has offered to sell the country intelligence equipment, drones and even a submarine, he said. Highlighting the thaw between Russia and Philippine military relations, two large Russian naval vessels will be paying a goodwill visit to the country from Jan. 2 to 7, 2017. Capt. Lued Lincuna, Philippine Navy (PN) spokesperson, said the Udaloy-class destroyer, Admiral Tributs and the Boris Chilikin-class fleet oiler, Boris Butoma, will arrive at Pier 15, South Harbor, Manila a day after the New Year. The Russian naval delegation will be headed by the Pacific Fleet flotilla deputy commander Rear Admiral Eduard Mikhailov. Despite Duterte’s anti-American rhetoric and its pivot to China and Russia, the US will focus on its broad relationship with the Philippines and uphold their shared democratic values, said US Embassy Deputy Press Attaché Emma Nagy. US Ambassador Sung Kim earlier described relations between the two countries as “a rock solid alliance” with a history of 70 years of friendship. With

President Rodrigo Duterte recently renewed his attacks on the United States, telling it to “prepare for the eventual repeal or abrogation of the Visiting Forces Agreement” after the Millennium Challenge Corp., a US foreign aid agency, deferred a grant to the Philippines over “concerns about the rule of law and civil liberties”--clearly referring to the bloody war on drugs. Asked if he opposed Duterte’s plan, Lorenzana said he simply explained to the President the implications of his decision. Duterte’s rocky relationship with the US is in sharp contrast with his ties with Russia, which Lorenzana said has been wooing Manila with military offers. After visiting Moscow earlier this month, Lorenzana said Russia is open to proposals to strengthen its military ties with the Philippines. “They’re very aggressive in getting into a relationship with us in military terms,” Lorenzana said. While the two countries will not be forming a military alliance, Russia is interested in student exchanges as well as hard- Sara Susanne D. Fabunan, PNA

Opinion

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2016

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

EDITORIAL

Adelle Chua, Editor

‘Willing heroes’

RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte used the commemoration of the martyrdom of national hero Jose Rizal to emphasize the importance of his war on illegal drugs. “As in his time, the country is still fighting for independence,” he said, noting that in the present day, the country fights for freedom from the bondage of illegal drugs, among others. These, he said, were the modern invaders that subjugate the people’s hearts, minds and spirits. In battling these, people needed

to be willing heroes like Rizal—patriotic, faithful, and loyal to our motherland, the President said. It is interesting to hear Mr. Duterte acknowledge that we are now at a significant phase in growth and development. That this is his priority is not apparent. What we see is his unbridled zeal in going after those in the

drug trade—never mind that it clearly takes a toll on his record for respecting basic rights, and that it has attracted the attention of the international community in a less-than-flattering way. Heroism and martyrdom are also dangerous terms to invoke. Rizal lost his life 120 years ago under extremely different circumstances, condemned by foreign conquerors for daring expose their ills and inciting the people to resist them. These days, there is much question—indignation —

over those who are martyred in the name of the fight against illegal drugs. We are led to believe that the menace is an evil so much bigger than the individual and sometimes innocent lives that get snuffed out as collateral damage. A recent survey says most Filipinos live in fear that they, or somebody they know, could fall prey to those claiming to be waging the President’s war. And since Mr. Duterte’s speech may be taken to mean just about anything, it can be argued that he is

asking Filipinos to open themselves up to heroism by blindly accepting that there must be a human cost, unreasonable as it is, in this war. This, we resist. We will never be willing. Rizal died hoping that one day his countrymen would live their days in independence. We also look forward to the day the Philippines would be free of the drug menace—without the ultimate sacrifice of our lives, or our desensitization to the inhumane manner the campaign is carried out. HAIL TO THE CHAIR VICTOR AVECILLA

Martial Law under Marcos

Bidding 2016 goodbye POWER POINT ELIZABETH ANGSIOCO 2016 has not been a good year for many of the world’s peoples. Terrorism, religious extremism, wars, and the rise of ultraright politicians are just some major problems that have dominated world news. Thousands upon thousands of innocent people have been killed in attacks of various forms, with many dying in the most unthinkable brutal manners. These have even been made available online to sow fear among people. Here in the Philippines, 2016, particularly the second half, has been particularly difficult and sad. President Rodrigo Duterte’s electoral victory care of sixteen million voters in the beginning made people hopeful. After all, the non-traditional, toughtalking Duterte ran and won on

the platform of change. Many saw the new president as the complete opposite of our usual politicians who are perceived as corrupt, elitist, or incapable. Thus, the Duterte promise was seen as a refreshing one. As 2016 ends, the world has taken notice of the Philippines again because of Duterte. He has repeatedly cursed at the United Nations (UN); the European Union (EU); and the United States of America (USA), its people and the outgoing president Barack Obama. The Philippine president has threatened to severe the longrunning friendship between our country and the US and has been consistent in expressing preference to be aligned with China, and even Russia. The Philippines’ victory in the West Philippine Sea dispute care of the Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling, much to the disappointment of those who worked hard on the issue, is being sidelined. Observers say that

Duterte’s statements and moves regarding this seem to weaken the impact of the decision and may possibly undermine the country’s territorial sovereignty. Concern about human rights in the country has been rising. Duterte’s “war on drugs” has so far claimed the lives of more than 6,100 suspected drug users and

Meanwhile, ordinary Filipinos continue their daily grind against all odds. pushers mostly the small-time kind, without any semblance of due process. The figure includes those killed by the police and unidentified assailants.

A particularly interesting case involves the killing in prison of former Leyte’s Albuera town Mayor Rolando Espinosa, Sr., father of drug lord Kerwin Espinosa. Those who killed the older Espinosa were policemen belonging to the Region 8 Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG). Despite the findings of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) that the killing was a rub-out, Duterte has insisted that he will not allow involved police to go to jail. In fact, prior to Espinosa’s murder, it was Duterte himself who ordered PNP Chief General Bato dela Rosa to reinstate the controversial CIDG Region 8 Director Marvin Marcos who was removed by the General because of his involvement in drugs. Marcos’ unit assaulted Espinosa in his jail cell. Because of all the killings, Duterte is being severely criticized locally and internationally. In return, the president has threatened human rights advocates, as well

as lawyers of drug personalities. This “war on drugs” has resulted in a general feeling of insecurity and fear among the populace. According to the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey, almost 80 percent of adult Filipinos are scared for their lives. Questions on Duterte’s human rights record as far as this war he is waging has resulted in the US halting aid to the country worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Moreover, the Philippine peso continues to weaken significantly against the dollar with the present exchange rates pegged at almost fifty pesos to a dollar. Duterte also paved the way for the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos’ burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. Sadly, the Supreme Court has also been making very controversial decisions. Outside of allowing Marcos’ burial, the Justices also issued a ruling that made possible negating the very important reproductive health Turn to A5

2016 ends with speculations that President Rodrigo Duterte wants to declare Martial Law and institute one-man rule in the Philippines. The speculations emanate mainly from Vice President Leni Robredo, who merely echoes lines from her political patrons in the Liberal Party who practically gave her the vice presidency on a silver platter. Nonetheless, and as pointed out in the previous essay under this column, Robredo is all empty rhetoric inasmuch as her accusations against Duterte indicate that she does not understand Martial Law, either during the time of President Ferdinand Marcos, or under the 1987 Constitution. President Marcos declared Martial Law in September 1972 pursuant to the explicit provisions of the 1935 Constitution. Marcos explained that Martial Law is not a military takeover but a measure calculated to save the Republic from the communist insurgency. That insurgency was real, and it was one of the reasons why the Supreme Court, in a later decision, refused to overturn the president’s declaration of Martial Law. Martial Law did not cause the creation of the 1973 Constitution. In November 1972, the 1971 Constitutional Convention finished its draft charter. Two days later, Convention President Diosadado Macapagal himself went to Malacañang to personally hand over to President Marcos the official copy of the draft. In January 1973, after citizens assemblies nationwide ratified the proposed charter, President Marcos issued Proclamation No. 1102 declaring that the Constitution proposed by the convention had been duly ratified. In April 1973, the Supreme Court ruled that the 1973 Constitution was in force and effect. Since Martial Law was proclaimed when Congress was not in session, President Marcos took to exercising both executive and legislative powers. Political opposition leader Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, Jr. questioned this in the Supreme Court but the tribunal upheld the president because the transitory provisions of the 1973 Constitution, which was already in effect, expressly Turn to A5

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US nostalgia for regime change IT WAS reported that former should have known that when US ambassador to the Philip- Duterte boldly renewed our pines, Philip Goldberg, is plot- ties with China and Russia, he ting to destabilize the govern- is merely pursuing the counment of President Duterte. The try’s desire for an independent Americans are again up to their foreign policy which at its core old trick of wanting to under- represents our national interest. How Goldberg plans to ormine governments. Maybe the so-called “blueprint” was in- chestrate public dissatisfaction tentionally floated to test just is an admission that the adhow the people will react. As ministration enjoys enormous usual, it seeks to enjoin its in- popular support. Invariably, stitutional allies made up of the the US and its local collaboratYellow-cum-US lackey opposi- ing traitors from the opposition tion and the opportunistic Cath- would have to exert extra effort olic Church to wage propaganda to bring down the government aimed at discrediting the gov- relying mainly on the so-called “mainstream media” to do the ernment of President Duterte. The plotters hope to get an dirty work of systematically instant result, which is to put distorting every word that the on guard the government and President says. To quote from the plan of serve as an indirect warning for the President to refrain former US ambassador, “(it) from giving his blusters and calls for stoking public disinsulting tirades at the US. The satisfaction with the PresiUS ambassador who fractured dent over unfulfilled election the Philippine-US relations promises, isolating the Philipcould console himself that af- pines from the rest of the Aseter being called a faggot, could an by extending military asmake a revenge by intimidat- sistance to member countries ing the Duterte government of except the Philippines, and /or through economic ‘blackmail’ possible coup d’etat. This mob-like strategy of that aims to limit trade by roughing up leaders who refuse some Asean member countries to toe the line is a fantasy be- with the Philippines.” Again, this needs to be claricause it appears to have been hatched by one who is complete- fied. Members of the Armed ly detached from reality. The Forces have never before been dissatisfied in US no longer our alliance command that with the US. much influFirst, many ence or respect of the equipin world poliSuch ment which tics except to we received use what po- observation through the litical scienMutual Detist, Paul Ken- is more of an fense Agreenedy, called ment are the “hard ap- attempt to gloss mostly secproach” of go- over the truth. ond- hand and ing to war. outmoded, As US influand paid a ence continues high price for to decline, it their acquisiwill encounter more maverick political leaders tion, repairs and refitting. Since and they all express the same the Balikatan exercise has bedesire of wanting to escape come a regular undertaking befrom the grapple of US impe- tween the US and AFP, it is now rial domination. The Americans seen by our soldiers as wholly themselves elected their own advantageous to the Americans. maverick President in the per- Our participation is merely to son of Donald Trump. The neo- complete the scenario of a war liberals, the oligarchy and the game with our soldiers serving wolf-in-sheepskin Democrats, as “fillers.” The same can be said about were all dumbfounded. Americans today are com- the decision to stop the delivery plaining about their role of play- of about 26,000 assault rifles. ing bad cop to police the world. US claims that the decision to Instead of them enjoying the stop the delivery was due to the prosperity of their great society, alleged failure by the Duterte admany feel they are now living ministration to comply with rule in a Third World country suf- of law in its war against drugs. Maybe it is no longer for us to fering the same pangs of hunger, poverty, unemployment, judge the conduct of the US on homelessness and indebtedness. the issue of human rights, but They could feel the high price of we can cite the torture of prismaintaining an “alliance” that is oners and suspects at the infano longer based on the wisdom mous US prison camps in Guanof preserving the legacy of their tanamo, Cuba, at Abu Gharaib, Iraq, Bagram, Afghanistan, the founding fathers. Goldberg tries to ridicule CIA “Operation Rendition” President Duterte’s style of by kidnapping suspects out of politics saying that his “views their country to be tortured and are shaped not by ideology or locked up elsewhere, the sopersonal ambition, but by old- called “tiger cases” during the fashioned nationalism where he Vietnam War and on its involveholds the United States account- ment of numerous undeclared able for the Philippines’ current wars where US soldiers routinestate of poverty and depend- ly commit massacre, atrocities, ence.” But such observation is genocide and carnage, all withmore of an attempt to gloss over out regard to international law. Curiously enough, the althe truth that since the country was granted its “independence,” leged destabilization plot it has not managed to economi- failed to mention that what cally take off. When the coun- happened in 1986 was not a try was about to succeed, the US People Power, but a coup d’ worked out a plot to make sure etat initiated by the rightist there would be a regime change. elements in the military only Accordingly, the plot states to be usurped by the oligarchy that “...ideology and old-fash- with the active participation ioned nationalism of castigating of the Catholic Church. It also the US for its current state of remains an inexplicable chappoverty and dependency,” is, on ter in the bloody history of the contrary, an admission that the Left why it supported the the US has failed. Despite be- bogus People Power unminding a career diplomat, Goldberg ful that what was taking place miserably forgot that countries was a counter revolution that are no longer engaged in an ide- would debase our people of the ological contest, but are driven economic gains they earned with a strong shade of national- under the Marcos administraism in what Hans Morgenthau tion. Unfortunately, the Left continues to hanker the issue call “power politics.“ The US, in the likes of Gold- of Martial Law to cover their berg, refuses to accept that treachery in supporting the whatever the President says, he elitist counter revolution. speaks for and in behalf of the (rpkapunan@gmail.com) Filipino people. As diplomat, he

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2016

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Celebrating 2016, history and biography EAGLE EYES TONY LA VIÑA MANY people lament 2016, believing that too many deaths and other bad things have dominated the year. Certainly, if one viewed life just through political lens, there were many things that have been upsetting. Internationally, there was Brexit and the American elections, not to mention the escalation of the war in Syria and the many terrorist attacks. In the Philippines, change has come with the election of Presdent Duterte, but not all of it is good. The massacre of the poor is escalating to become genocide, although some legal gymnastics would be needed for what is happening here to fit in the traditional meaning of this crime against humanity. To complicate things, in the post-truth world, truth has been the main casualty and we are still figuring out what to do with that. 2016 was definitely challenging. But it has also been good. Let me count the ways. First, to start with the obvious and the proximate, 2016 has been good for Philippine movies. The radical change in the rules of the Metro Manila Film Festival, while controversial, is welcome. There is still time to watch the best of the eight movies. I recommend first of all Sunday Beauty Queen, the documentary about Hong Kong OFWs which won Best Picture in the MMFF awards. I also definitely recommend Oro, Saving Sally and Die Beautiful. But if you still have time, do watch the other movies as well: Seklusyon, Babae sa Septic Tank 2, Kabisera, and Vince & Kath & James. Second, also proximate, the passing into eternal life of some famous people. Of course the news of the death of any person is sad, and especially of those who die violently as is happening to many of our poor countrymen or those who are being killed by war and terrorism,

Martial... From A4

allowed Marcos to legislate by way of presidential decrees. In other words, it was the 1973 Constitution, not Martial Law itself, which led to the strongman government characterizing the Martial Law period in the Philippines. It is also incorrect to say that the charter proposed by the 1971 Constitutional Convention was drafted solely by Marcos allies in that assembly. Many delegates who were known foes of Marcos participated in the proceedings of the convention all the way to November 1972 when the proposed draft was finally completed, although they voted against the draft. Those delegates include Pacifico Ortiz, S.J., high-end trial lawyer lawyer Dakila Castro, and lawyer Jose Suarez of Pampanga. While there may have been abuses committed by the military establishment during the Martial Law years, it is unfair to attribute every single abuse to President Marcos under the often-cited principle of “command responsibility.” It was physically impossible for Mar-

Bidding... From A4

(RH) law through the possibility of a total “ban” or stock-out of contraceptives from the market and the public health system. This particular ruling impacts on more than 14 million Filipino women who are either using, or have a need for modern family planning methods. It should also be remembered that the High Court will also need to decide on the electoral protest of Bongbong Marcos against the proclaimed Vice President Leni Robredo. Duterte’s preference for Marcos is no secret. It is possible that the young Marcos will prevail rightly or wrongly. Duterte’s health is another concern. Talks are rife that the president is afflicted with a serious illness. He has missed

whether in Syria, Afghanistan, France or Germany. But when people like Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds exit from human existence, one must pause and give them ovations for their contribution to society, not the least of which is their overcoming bad relationships, illnesses, and many other challenges. Lesser known, but perhaps deserving of louder cheers for lives well led and leaving us a better world, are the passing of Piers Sellers (the NASA scientist who worked to defeat climate change up to the end of his fight against cancer), Dr. Donald Henderson (who led the global effort to eradicate smallpox), and Vera Rubin (astronomer who helped us understood dark matter). Among Filipinos, the passing of Jovito Salonga, Miriam Defensor Santiago, and Lorenzo Tañada Jr. (who like many of his family fought the Marcos dictatorship) deserve more than a passing mention. They passionately loved and served this country. But let’s celebrate the living also, those among us who are walking reminders rthat human beings can be noble and live morally excellent lives. There is Rene Saguisag, who fought Marcos and is now fighting Duterte. Manong Rene, if my memory serves me right, supported Presidents Estrada and Arroyo, and Chief Justice Corona in their most challenging moments. Only a courageous man can be that consistent on human rights and one must have uncompromising integrity to fight for such unpopular causes. Rene Saguisag is truly a national treasure. Also a national treasure is Tony Oposa, the pioneering environmental lawyer. He is the most imaginative and strong willed lawyer I have worked with. His body of work is incredible and has helped people and planet immensely. Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, Vice President Leni Robredo, Senators Grace Poe, Loren Legarda, Risa Hontiveros, and Leila de Lima, Sec-

retaries Leonor Briones, Judy Taguiwalo, and Gina Lopez, CHED Chair Patty Licuanan, Undersecretaries Gloria Jumamil-Mercado and Ipat G. Luna,and of course Ombudswoman Carpio Morales have been awesome in the examples they give to women and men in law and governance. I tell my students all the time, especially the young aspiring lawyers and scientists; you want to be one of these women; they are not perfect, and some have committed serious mistakes of judgment, but they are strong and resilient; they too love and serve this country with passion. Among media people, I celebrate Maria Ressa and the whole Rappler crew for their equanimity in the face of constant attacks by trolls. I am sure they will survive and will be there serving the public by giving us the truth long after the trolls go back to their sad, pathetic lives. I also thank media colleagues like Inquirer’s John Nery and GMA 7’s Howie Severino for constantly provoking us with insightful writing and images. Finally, still on media personalities, I am very grateful to the work of of Patricia Evangelista and Kristine Sabillo on the victims of extrajudicial killings. Because of journalists like them, my conscience will never rest until the killings stop. Writing about the massacre of the poor, Archbishop Soc Villegas, Fathers Joseph Echano (Rector of the National Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help), Hernando Coronel (Parish priest of Quiapo Church), and Aris Sison (Immaculate Concepcion Church), among others, have given courageous witness in protesting the killings. At least when the reckoning comes, it can be said that not all were silent during this terrible time in our history. On a more personal note, 2016 has been a year of transitions for me and my family. My youngest child graduated college and is now a teacher like me while my other sons are also into academic careers. My wife of 30 years is also having inter-

esting professional options. After 10 years and four terms, my tenure as Dean of the Ateneo School of Government ended. I now lead the Manila Observatory but this is only temporary as my priority now is teaching law and policy to future lawyers and scientists. Given the situation of the country, I am also being called back to my roots as a human rights lawyer. Still on a personal note, 2016 has been good for the births and weddings I witnessed, the births vicariously through Facebook as I see older friends become grandparents and the younger ones, becoming parents. Being able to embrace infants and toddlers are the surest way to have a good day. And of course the weddings I was Ninong (godfather) too; how could I not be filled with hope witnessing up close and personal the coming together of Angelique and Sid, Sherwin and Erika, and Roland and Charisse? Two people promising to love each other forever — that is so affirming. I wrote this column yesterday, December 30 after attending the thanksgiving mass, for the beatification last November of a Carmelite priest, Fr. Marie Eugene of the Child Jesus, whose intercessions I have sought in the last 35 years. Blessed Marie Eugene, founder of the Notre Dame De Vie Institute whose spiritual master was Saint Therese of the Child Jesus and who was the one who laid the foundation stones of the National Shrine of the Carmel in Quezon City, led me to God. During the mass, I was able to thank Blessed Marie-Eugene for all the favors granted to me and my family. I was also able to venerate his relics. How could I not rejoice with 2016 ending with such a big bang of grace? So don’t tell me 2016 was bad. It was good, actually; not perfect, but graced. So for 2017, everyone, a year like 2016 but happier is my wish. Happy new year!

cos to monitor each and every move of the military establishment. That job belongs to General Fidel Ramos, as head of the Philippine Constabulary which was in charge of arresting and detaining rebels and insurgents, and to Juan Ponce Enrile, the Minister of National Defense who, as the alter ego of President Marcos, is the civilian overseer of all activities of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Before Marcos is made to answer for those abuses, these two individuals should be made to answer first. It is argued that because Ramos and Enrile were key players in the 1986 Edsa people power revolt that ended the Marcos administration, the people have apparently forgiven the two for their roles during Martial Law. If that is so, with greater reason should Marcos be absolved of his alleged “command responsibility” for the abuses. The important question is not how Marcos is to be held responsible for the abuses, but whether or not Marcos himself would have countenanced the abuses if he knew about them. Unfortunately, there is no empirical data to that effect. There are, how-

ever, records which indicate that many innocent people who were arrested during the dragnet following the proclamation of Martial Law in September 1972 were subsequently released when it was established that their arrests were baseless. Ninoy Aquino himself is a testament that Martial Law under President Marcos was not all about abuses. On many occasions, Aquino was given a furlough so he can go home in Quezon City to be with his loved ones. He was also allowed to celebrate his silver wedding anniversary at home, with no less than Jaime Cardinal Sin officiating the mass. Under ideal circumstances, of course, a citizen like Aquino should not have been detained. It must be stressed, however, that Martial Law was firmly in place, and that the State saw Aquino as a communist coddler. The skeptical are invited to historical documents currently available which cite many instances when Aquino gave support to the communist insurgency that bedeviled the Marcos administration. That’s not all. Although Military Commis-

sion No. 2 sentenced Aquino to death by musketry back in 1977, President Marcos had the death warrant held in abeyance. In 1978, and despite his being in detention, Aquino was allowed to run for one of 21-seats alloted to the National Capital Region in the interim Batasang Pambansa. To make up for his limited campaign mobility, Aquino was granted a live, uncensored television interview where, for about an hour and a half, he subjected Marcos and his administration to seemingly endless criticism. Later in 1980, Marcos even allowed Aquino to seek medical treatment in Texas, USA for his failing heart. After the surgery, Aquino was allowed to stay in the USA for an indefinite period. He was even warned against coming home to the Philippines in August 1983 when the government learned about a threat to kill him. No less than then First Lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos relayed the information to Aquino when they held a meeting in New York City. These are not indications of abuse. Martial Law in the Philippines was officially lifted by President Marcos in January 1981.

important events on account of not feeling well. Recently, there were reports that the president has collapsed on the way to a meeting. Expectedly, Malacañang denied this. The issue of the president’s health has prompted Senator Panfilo Lacson to call on Duterte to make public his medical records. In response, the president publicly announced that he is afflicted with Buerger’s disease, Barrett’s Esophagus, migraines, and spinal issues for which he used Fentanyl patches. He said that he was “abusing” fentanyl, a highly addictive pain reliever. This is the same drug the Michael Jackson and Prince overdosed from according to news reports. A week later, amidst calls for him to make his health records public, in characteristic Duterte fashion, he retracted his state-

ments on his health problems. He was only joking, he said. Meanwhile, ordinary Filipinos continue their daily grind against all odds. Traffic in Metro Manila remains horrible. This robs people of four to six hours of their lives on a daily basis. These are hours that we will never be able to recover. People’s energies are sapped and productivity suffers. Family time is drastically reduced in favor of traveling time to and from work. Poverty remains an acute problem both in urban and rural areas. In Mindanao, terrorist groups remain active and bombings still happen victimizing civilians. The country is always threatened by natural calamities. Indeed 2016 has not been a good year. No wonder, people are eager for the year to end. However, a new year will not au-

tomatically bring in better times. People need to work so the country will move forward. Work here includes struggling against the wrong decisions and actions being made by government and others in power. We cannot just accept things as they are. We cannot just shrug off the problems we face. They will not go away. We need to put to task those who ought to look after public welfare. We criticize and protest when needed, and compliment when deserved. The Filipino citizenry must take action. A new year is not a solution. It is another opportunity to make things better. If we want 2017 to be better, we work for it.

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SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2016

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Solon threatens to charge ERC officials By Maricel V. Cruz A MILITANT lawmaker has threatened to file charges against officials of the Energy Regulatory Commission for failure to present the report on its findings why electricity rates had been jacked up during the 2013 Malampaya shutdown. Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Carlos Zarate said ERC officials were guilty of “obstructing the people’s desire for justice and fairer practices in public utilities” when they refused to release the report on what he described as “conspiracy to raise power rates through such a shutdown.” “ERC executives can be charged under Republic Act No. 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, Section 3, Paragraph E, for injury to the public and Paragraph F for failing to resolve a pending matter before them,” Zarate warned. “This has gone far enough. It has been three years since the Malampaya shutdown happened and the Filipino people were about to bear the brunt of the highest power rate hike in history should there be no case filed before the Supreme Court questioning it,” Zarate said. Zarate said now that Malampaya shut down again and the Manila Electric Company would want additional charges despite the absence of the final report on the alleged collusion between the ERC and the Meralco on the Malampaya shutdown in 2013. “They are indeed being remiss of their sworn duty and it can be traced to former ERC Chairperson Zenaida Ducut and is now being continued by the current board. Is not doing their job a tradition of the ERC leadership? With this kind of board leadership, it is no wonder that corruption charges are being leveled at them left and right,” Zarate said. “This has taken far too long and the people do not want to be taken hostage by the collusion of energy players while the regulatory body tasked to guard them is not only dilly dallying but may also be involved in covering it up,” Zarate argued. ERC chairman Jose Vicente Salazar has been implicated in corruption cases—which prompted him to take a onemonth leave of absence.

LUCKY CHARMS. Hundreds of lanterns as well as trinkets and pieces of jewelry are on display and sale for the year of the rooster in Manila’s heavily Chinese populated district of Binondo. Lino Santos

‘Nina’-affected roads, bridges now passable

By Rey Requejo THE Supreme Court has ordered the dismissal from the judiciary of a lady judge of the Pasay City Metropolitan Trial Court for gross insubordination and gross misconduct, particularly for non-compliance to a lawful order designating her to night court duties and conduct unbecoming for sending alarming messages with sexual undertones to a fellow magistrate. In an 85-page decision, the SC ordered the immediate removal of Judge Eliza B. Yu of Pasay City MeTC, Branch 47, after finding her guilty of several administrative offenses, including non-compliance with SC Administrative Order No. 19-2011 establishing night courts, and sending inappropriate messages with sexual undertones to a fellow judge. “A judge embodies the law; she cannot be above it. She should not use it to advance her personal convenience, or to oppress others. She should be obedient to the rules and directives enunciated by the Supreme Court for the effective administration of justice; otherwise, she becomes an arrogant tyrant. Being a magistrate of the law, she must comport herself in a manner consistent with the dignity of her judicial office, and must not commit any act that erodes public confidence in the Judiciary,” the SC ruling stated. The ouster of Yu from the bench came after the SC found her guilty of gross insubordination, gross ig-

Lanao mayor slain in Iligan ambush By Lance Baconguis

Paolo Bencito

LL NATIONAL roads and bridges thwacked by the typhoon “Nina” are now passable to all types of vehicles, which would allow thousands of travellers to and from the provinces to reach their destination this coming new year, the Department of Public Works and Highways said on Friday.

SC orders dismissal of Pasay City lady judge norance of the law, gross misconduct, grave abuse of authority, oppression, and conduct unbecoming of a judicial official. The high court ordered the forfeiture of all her benefits, except accrued leave credits, as well as her being perpetually barred her from being reinstated or appointed to any public office or employment, including to any government-owned or government-controlled corporations. Aside from dismissal, Yu is also facing possible disbarment after the tribunal directed her to show cause in writing within 10 days from notice why she should not be disbarred for violation of the Lawyer’s Oath, the Code of Professional Responsibility, and the Canons of Professional Ethics. The case stemmed from Yu’s refusal to comply with her designation for night court duties in Pasay City, pursuant to 2011 Court’s AO No. 19-2011, which had been issued in response to the specific request of the Department of Tourism to establish night courts in the MeTCs of Pasay City and Makati City purportedly to expeditiously hear and try cases involving night time apprehensions, special cases under the Rule on Summary Procedure, and criminal cases involving tourists. However, Judge Yu, when assigned night court duties by then Pasay City MeTC Executive Judge Bibiano G. Colasito in a memorandum dated Feb. 14, 2011, refused and instead wrote Court Administrator Jose Midas P. Marquez and questioned the Court issuance.

Duterte to ﬁll up BTC panel PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte is expected to name 21 individuals who will comprise the new and expanded Bangsamoro Transition Commission by January, a senior Cabinet official said Friday. “By January, the President is expected to appoint the members,” presidential peace adviser Jesus Dureza said. Dureza added that the old Bangsamoro Basic Law, which the last Congress did not pass, will be the basic document that members of the BTC will work on. “The old BBL already underwent scrutiny but failed to be passed because of the Mamasapano incident, which put doubts on the level of trust in the talks. There were also issues on its constitutionality, but there are sectors affirming that the old BBL is constitutionallycompliant,” he said. Increasing the number of BTC members, according to Dureza, will bring together all key peace actors and stakeholders in the implementation of all Bangsamoro accords. John

By Vito Barcelo and Anna Leah Gonzales

Public Works Secretary Mark Villar said all national roads and bridges clobbered by “Nina,” especially in the Bicol region, were now cleared of silt and debris. In other developments: • The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has deployed 30 units of chainsaw to help speed up the clearing operations in areas devastated by Nina on Christmas Day. “This is to assist our local government units and the Department of Public Works and Highways in the clearing operations

IN BRIEF

and in harnessing fallen trees cluttering in roads, which affected the delivery of relief assistance to affected communities,” said DENR Undersecretary for Field Operations Isabelo Montejo. • The bypass road around the Ninoy Aquino International Airport that will connect the NAIA Expressway and Skyway is now open to traffic which would cut travel time by as much as 40 percent from Naia terminal 1 to Cavitex, Macapagal Boulevard and in Baclaran, the DPWH said. Villar said the opening of Circulo

Del Mundo Bypass road this Friday would also ease traffic congestion in the area as thousands of Filpino balikbayans and visitors were expected to arrive in the country to celebrate New Year’s Day here. “Circulo Del Mundo bypass road is a 125-lineal meter bypass road which will further reduce traffic congestion around the vicinity of Naia Terminal 3. It is now open to the public,” Villar said. “At the first advisory of PAGASA that Typhoon Nina had entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility, the Regional and District Engineering Offices already activated the Disaster Risk Reduction Management Team or the Incident Command System,” Villar said. “Prior to the landfall—as early as Dec. 21, we had already prepositioned all available or operational equipment with operator including designated inspectors to the landslide prone areas,” he added. Villar said the Department has established a priority category of damage which involves the immediate rehabilitation of col-

THE mayor of Pantar, Lanao del Norte was killed in an ambush in Iligan City Thursday night around 9:30 p.m., police said Friday. Mayor Mohamad Exchan Limbona, 52, sustained multiple gunshot wounds after he was ambushed in Barangay Dalipuga, Iligan City. Limbona was brought to the Adventist Medical Center but was declared dead by attending physicians less than an hour after the incident. Limbona’s escort, Police Officer 1 Russel Jay Paltingca and PO1 Saidamen Haji Naim were both hit in the legs. Limbona’s wife Ginima and daughter Sittie

lapsed bridges, cut road sections, breached seawalls and dikes to quickly restore mobility and ensure safety of the affected areas. The department also rushed the repair works such as patching potholes, resurfacing of washed out roads and slightly destroyed flood control structure. He said the DPWH had conducted round-the-clock clearing operations on national roads, highways and bridges affected by Nina since Dec. 25. Meanwhile, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III directed all regional offices in areas affected by typhoon Nina to fast-track the provision of emergency employment and other assistance to displaced workers. “The DOLE regional directors of the affected regions are under instruction to fast-track the profiling of displaced and affected workers so that we can implement the DOLE’s emergency employment program and other interventions, including livelihood,” Bello said in a press statement.

Aisha were unhurt. Iligan City Police Director Police Supt. Roy Ga told Magnum Radio in an interview that an undertermined number of men fired on the driver’s side of Limbona’s Ford Everest hitting Limbona. Ga said the possible motive for the killing could either be politics or Rido, a family feud that permeates Maranao culture. In 2015, on the last day of the filing of election candidacy, a combined force of Regional Public Safety Battalion, a platoon of army soldiers and 4 Simba light armored vehicle of the Philippine Army prevented armed confrontation between Limbona’s men and acting mayor Jabar Tago.

EXPLOSIVE FIREWORK. PNP chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa, surrounded by Bulacan Police

Provincial Director Sr. Supt. Romeo Caramat and PNP Firearms and Explosives Unit ofﬁcer Chief Supt. Cesar Binag, inspects illegal ﬁrecrackers seized during police operations in Bocaue the other day. Manny Palmero

Uber, Grab drivers told: Display IDs PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has required Uber, Grab, and taxi drivers to prominently display identification cards on car seats to make it easier for passengers to report abuse. “From now on, this January, I’ll issue the regulations. All of you put your face at the back of your seat, your name, a sort of an enlarged identification card,” Duterte said, adding that reports of abusive drivers have reached his office. Duterte warned that drivers who charge more than they should, based on the meter, are committing estafa or swindling. The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board earlier ordered transport network companies Uber and Grab to limit their “surges” to only twice their rates. The decision came three days after the agency called the attention of the two ride-sharing companies for charging their passengers excessive fares during the Christmas holidays. John Paolo Bencito

Sports

SATURDAY, DECEMBER31, 2016 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Federer makes return at Perth’s Hopman Cup

This ﬁle photo shows Spain’s Rafael Nadal celebrating his victory against Switzerland’s Roger Federer during their men’s singles semi-ﬁnal match at the 2014 Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne. Spanish great Nadal will be hoping the season-opening Brisbane International gives him the chance to kick-start his career following an injury-plagued 2016. AFP

PERTH—Roger Federer makes his long-awaited return to tennis after six months out with a knee injury in Sunday’s mixed teams Hopman Cup in Perth ahead of next month’s Australian Open. The Swiss 17-time Grand Slam champion has not played a match since July when he tumbled during the final set of a loss to Milos Raonic in the semi-finals at Wimbledon. Federer, 35, had surgery for the first time in his career on his left knee in February and after the Wimbledon set-back he did not finish the season, missing out on the US Open and Rio Olympics. During his time out of the game Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic fought out the world No.1 ranking and his Swiss compatriot Stan Wawrinka won the US Open. Federer makes his return with his world ranking down to 16, his lowest since 2001. The Swiss legend, who will partner with Belinda Bencic, said

he was looking to ease his way back before the start of the Australian Open in Melbourne on January 16. “I’m really positive about how I’m feeling right now, and practice is going well,” said Federer, who was watched by 5,000 fans at a practice session in Perth on Thursday. “Expectations are low because I don’t have the matches yet and it’s going to be best-of-five from the get-go at the Australian Open. “I’m happy I’ve got the Hopman Cup and I’ve got my three matches there to ease my way in.” Nick Kyrgios also makes his return in the Hopman Cup, but from a playing ban, after his spectacular meltdown at the Shanghai Masters in October resulted in an initial eight-week suspension. A condition of the ATP reducing the ban to three weeks meant the controversial 21-year-old had to consult a sports psychologist to prepare him for the new season. AFP

Nadal to kickstart 2017 in Brisbane

RISBANE —Spanish great Rafael Nadal will be hoping the seasonopening Brisbane International gives him the chance to kick-start his career following an injury-plagued 2016. The 30-year-old has won 14 Grand Slam singles titles in a glittering career, the last coming at the French Open in 2014. But his 2016 campaign was ruined by a wrist injury that forced him out of Roland Garros after the second round and saw him miss Wimbledon. He then lost to Frenchman Lucas Pouille in the fourth round

of the US Open and slipped to number nine in the world rankings at year end. But the Spaniard says he is fit again and insists he can still challenge for a Grand Slam title. “My idea is to stay here for a few more years and I feel enough motivation to be here,” Nadal said after beating Tomas

Berdych of the Czech Republic 6-0, 6-4 at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship exhibition tournament in Abu Dhabi. “I believe that I can compete for important things in the next three years.” Nadal will be making his first appearance at the Brisbane International, a major lead-up tournament to the Australian Open, and one that boasts a high-class field. “I’m ready to play in Brisbane —I hope to be 100 per cent ready to play at a good level,” he said. “I feel I’m healthy enough, and I’m very excited to be coming to

Brisbane for the first time in my life. I’m working hard enough to be competitive. That’s my main thing, to be competitive. “I need a little luck at the beginning and to play matches, because I haven’t played much for the last four months.” Nadal will be the fifth seed in Brisbane, behind world number three and defending champion Milos Raonic of Canada, Switzerland’s three-time Grand Slam winner Stan Wawrinka, Japan’s Kei Nishikori and rising Austrian star Dominic Thiem. The top eight seeds are rounded out by Nadal’s fellow Spaniard David Ferrer, and French duo Pouille

that will prepare you for the big moments, which for me, was winning the Australian Open and going on to be the number one player in the world.” Dominika Cibulkova is seeded second and will head into the tournament full of confidence after beating Kerber to win the WTA Finals in Singapore in late October, the biggest win of the Slovakian’s career. The Czech Republic’s Karolina Pliskova is third seed while Spain’s 2016 Wimbledon champion Garbine Muguruza is fourth. The tournament begins at the Queensland Tennis Centre on New Year’s Day. AFP

Female runner fastest of ‘em all in 22-k race

Legarde, Vicencio bag PPS net titles KYLDE Lagarde made the most of his Manila stint, claiming the boys’ 16-and-under crown while Mikaela Vicencio snared the girls’ 16-U plum in the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala regional age-group tennis circuit at the Brookside Hills Tennis Club in Cainta, Rizal yesterday. Coming all the way from Gen. Santos City, Lagarde dominated Wilfred Bentillo, 6-0, 6-2, while Vicencio, one of the rising stars from Bulacan, pulled off a come-frombehind 1-6, 6-2, 10-7 victory over Miles Vitaliano as they shared top honors in the Group 2 tournament which served as the final leg of the record, nationwide 46-stage circuit sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop and presented by Slazenger. Both 16, Lagarde and Vicencio, however, failed to complete a twinkill, falling short in the 18-U finals of the event sanctioned by Philta and backed by Asiatraders Corp., exclusively distributor of Slazenger. Top seed Cenon Gonzales Jr. of Ateneo foiled Lagarde, 6-2, 7-6(5), while Vitaliano got back at Vicencio with a 1-0(ret.) win in the premier division of the country’s biggest and longest-running age group circuit that also features a number of Open tournaments for the country’s elite players. “No player actually scored two victories, further underscoring the level playing field that has been the norm of the circuit with new faces continuing to emerge from the big number of participants,” said Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro, adding that a bigger calendar has been lined up for 2017. Lucena City’s Gabrielle Zoleta took the girls’ 14-U diadem with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Justine Maneja; Kaye Ann Emana from Camp Aguinaldo posted a 6-0(ret.) win over sibling Mica Emana; Miguel Vicencio, also from Bulacan, topped the boys’ 14-U class with a 6-2, 6-1 romp over Ross Perpetua; Olongapo’s Axl Lajon Gonzaga captured the boys’ 12-U title with a 6-2, 6-1 triumph over Thomas Bernardo; and Mica Emana crushed top seed Joshua Diva, 4-0, 4-0, in the 10-unisex finals.

and Gilles Simon. The women’s draw is headed by Germany’s Angelique Kerber, who won the Australian and US Opens in 2016 and finished runner-up at Wimbledon on her way to taking over from Serena Williams as world number one. Kerber began her 2016 season in Brisbane where she reached the final, going down to Victoria Azarenka. “It is the best way to start the summer of tennis in Australia,” Kerber said. “For me, Brisbane kick-started the best season of my career this year. “You have to play tournaments

Russell Westbrook #0 of the Oklahoma City Thunder handles the ball against the Memphis Grizzlies in Memphis, Tennessee. AFP

Westbrook ejected as OKC falls to Memphis LOS ANGELES—Russell Westbrook’s tough night in Memphis was cut short when the Oklahoma City star was ejected in the third quarter of the Thunder’s 114-80 NBA loss to the Grizzlies on Thursday. An argumentative Westbrook—who notched his 15th triple-double of the season against the Heat on Tuesday— was tossed with 6:41 remaining in the third quarter after picking up two quick technical fouls. He jawed with officials about the shot clock being

reset for the Grizzlies after a Memphis attempt that he thought failed to hit the rim. Official Brian Forte said Westbrook’s objections were laced with profanity, but Westbrook insisted he didn’t know why he was tossed. “Honestly, it’s crazy, man,” Westbrook said. “Especially to be ejected like that when I didn’t do nothing. It was just crazy... because I feel like I don’t get the benefit of the doubt most of the time. “I get so many techs for just talking. I can’t even say nothing when I’m getting ham-

mered every time I go to the damn basket,” he said. “I just don’t get reffed the same way as other people, and I don’t appreciate it.” Thunder coach Billy Donovan backed Westbrook’s stance that some fouls against him aren’t being called, saying that his star’s speed and explosiveness make him “a really difficult guy to referee.” “I think a lot of times he’s getting hit and fouled and there needs to be more fouls called. ... He should be going to the free-throw line more than he is,” Donovan said.

Westbrook said that in a physical battle, the officials were “letting one side be more physical than the other.” He had 21 points, five rebounds and zero assists when he departed. He also had six turnovers, all in the first quarter—the most by any player in one quarter in the league this season. He ended up as the Thunder’s leading scorer, but it was an odd-looking stat line for a player who is averaging a triple-double (31.7 points, 10.9 assists, 10.6 rebounds) this season. AFP

Serena announces engagement to Reddit co-founder WASHINGTON—Tennis superstar Serena Williams announced Thursday she is engaged to Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, breaking the news with a poem on her verified Reddit account. Williams, 35, and Ohanian, 33, did not reveal a wedding date in the postings, listed under the Reddit tag ‘isaidyes’. “I came home A little late, Someone had a bag packed for me, And a carriage awaited, Destination: Rome, To escort me to my very own “charming” Back to

where our stars first collided, And now it was full circle At the same table we first met by chance, This time he made it not by chance But by choice, Down on one knee He said 4 words And r/isaidyes,” Williams posted on her account. A reply from his verified account said: “And you made me the happiest man on the planet.” The WTA Tour, which Williams has dominated for much of her career, posted a photo of Williams and Ohanian on Twit-

ter with a message of congratulations. Williams won this year’s Wimbledon crown, the 71st singles title of her career, to match Steffi Graf with an Open Erarecord 22 Grand Slam singles titles, two shy of Margaret Court’s all-time record. She later completed 186 consecutive weeks as world number one, matching Graf for the longest run at the top in rankings history, but she was dethroned from the spot by Angelique Kerber in September. AFP

By Peter Atencio A 22-KILOMETER running event is rarely staged anywhere by organizers here and abroad. Runners usually take part in the standard 21-km races, or in 10-km runs, instead of 11-km events. But when it was held recently, a former varsity athlete conquered the women’s division and became the fastest runner overall in the second staging of the Gatorade Run at the Mall of Asia grounds. “Pacing lang ako. Nu’ng first kilometer, mga lalaki ang nauuna. Nu’ng second kilometer, ako na,” said Nhea Ann Barcena. The 34-year-old Barcena was the first to reach the finish line when it was over. Barcena, a technical operations’ staffer at Ayala Land when she is not coaching and running, surprised everyone when she breasted the tape in one hour, 33 minutes and 39 seconds. She even beat police officer Vander Vizconde, the top finisher in the men’s division. “I was in the lead until the finish. Humina ang takbo ng mga lalaki,” said Barcena, who used to be middle distance runner for University of Santo Tomas when she was still in college. Organizers, led by Gatorade top executive Tony Atayde, said such a race was organized to encourage runners to go for the extra mile, or that extra kilometer. As a result, more than 8,000 enthusiasts took part that morning. The 30-year-old Vizconde claimed first place in the men’s action in 1:39.08, more than five minutes behind Barcena. Silamie Apolistar finished second to Barcena in 1:45.35, followed in third by medical doctor Emilaine Balatibat (1:56.38). Jeremy Remegia took second in the men’s 21km action in 1:34.43, with Alexander Cenzon emerging third in 1:46.30.

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

Sports

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

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2016

Malditas climb to no. 69 in the world By Peter Atencio THE Philippine Malditas national women’s football team has moved up in the FIFA world rankings. After finishing third in the Asean Football Federation women’s championship last July, the Malditas are now no. 69 in the world. This is considered as the highest rank the Philippine women’s team has achieved so far. Its worst ranking was at 128 in 2010. They have also earned 1312 points to move to no. 4 in the Southeast Asian rankings. On the other hand, Australia and Japan are the no. 1 and 2-ranked teams in Asia. Thailand, the leading squad in the SEA region, is no. 30 in the world. The last time they saw action, the Philippine Malditas were eliminated from the 2016 AFF Women’s Championship. But they finished their campaign on a high note when Cristina De los Reyes and Camille Wilson both connected as the Malditas won over Singapore, 2-0, at the Mandalarthiri Stadium, in Mandalay. De los Reyes struck early, scoring the Pinay side’s opening goal five minutes in, while Wilson doubled the lead five minutes into the second half.

Al Horford (42) of the Boston Celtics tries to block LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the second half at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers defeated the Celtics 124-118. AFP

LeBron not celebrating after Cavaliers buck Celtics’ charge L

OS ANGELES —Cleveland superstar LeBron James wasn’t celebrating Thursday, even after the NBA champion Cavaliers escaped with a 124-118 win over the Boston Celtics on the eve of his 32nd birthday. James fell just two rebounds shy of his 46th career triple-double with 23 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds. But eight turnovers and a serious lapse that kept the door open for the charging Celtics had James fuming over his own play. “I was horrible tonight,” James said. “In every facet of the game, I was just pretty bad and it’s unacceptable.”

The Cavaliers were up by 18 points heading into the fourth quarter. After Jae Crowder’s threepointer pulled the Celtics within 113-108 with 3:26 remaining, James listlessly tapped the ball back to Kyrie Irving after receiving the inbounds pass. Boston’s Avery Bradley pounced for the steal and an easy dunk that pulled the Celtics within three. “I just didn’t see him,” James

said. “Definitely got to pay attention to what’s going on in the flow of the game. I was just throwing it back in to Kyrie and (Avery) just jumped it, so if I was paying attention to him, with Avery being the defensiveminded guy he is, I should have seen him. Big mistake.” Irving scored 32 points and handed out 12 assists for his fifth double-double in his last seven games. Kevin Love scored 30 points and pulled down 15 rebounds. ‘So special’ Irving thought James might have been a little hard on himself. “That guy is so special,” Irving said. “He gives himself an ‘F’ and

he still ends up with 23, 8 and 11.” Irving limped off in the final minute with what he said was a tight right hamstring. Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue said he thought Irving would be ready to play on Saturday in Charlotte. Down 101-83 going into the fourth quarter, the Celtics got the deficit to one point four times before succumbing. A driving basket by Isaiah Thomas pulled Boston to 117-116 with just over a minute to play when Irving countered with a driving layup of his own. Thomas was fouled on the Celtics’ next possession and sank both free throws, as Irving departed.

James tried driving past Celtics guard Marcus Smart, who fouled him with 21 seconds to play. James split the free throws to give the Cavs a 120-118 lead. Crowder’s open look at a three-pointer with 10 seconds left bounced off the rim. Cleveland’s Richard Jefferson hauled in the rebound to end Boston’s hopes. “I thought it was good,” Crowder said. “I had a good look at it. My coaches had confidence in me to make that. I’ll step into it a hundred more times.” Thomas led the Celtics with 31 points and Bradley added 23, but Boston coach Brad Stevens said his team’s lack of defense left them in too big of a hole. AFP

Corpus, Katsuragawa score CARL Corpus and Yuto Katsuragawa kept the momentum of their solid play in aggregate format and shot a four-under 64 in foursome yesterday to cruise to a sixstroke victory over Ryan Monsalve and Lanz Uy in the sixth NGAP National Doubles Amateur Golf Championship at Camp Aguinaldo Golf Club in QC. Katsuragawa, who keyed the team’s surge with a 65 Thursday, and Corpus combined for five birdies against a lone bogey, virtually settling the outcome with a 33 at the front before matching Monsalve and Uy’s closing 31 for that 64 to run away with the Group I crown with a 54-hole total of 265. Monsalve and Uy wound up with a 66 and settled for second at 271, Jelbert Gamolo and Gab

Manotoc matched par 68 to grab third place at 278 and first round leaders Ira Alido and Paolo Wong wound up fourth at 281 after a 72. Corpus and Katsuragawa opened with a 66 in fourball and fell by four behind the hot-starting Alido and Wong, who fired a 62, but the former pooled a solid 135 in aggregate play to storm ahead in the event sponsored by the PLDT Group, the MVP Sports Foundation, Smart and Metro Pacific Investment Corp. Monsalve and Uy, who started the final round four strokes behind, pressed their final round bid with a birdie on No. 1 but reeled back with a double-bogey mishap on No. 6, needing to birdie the ninth to save an even par 35. Meanwhile, Corpus and Katsuragawa birdied No. 2 to restore

a four-stroke lead and went six-up with a birdie on the par-3 No. 8 before gunning down two more birdies at the back to underscore their solid partnership in the tournament held as part of the National Amateur Golf Tour and hosted by CAGC. Raymart Tolentino and Carlo Villaroman carded a 69 and tied brothers Jolo and Jonas Magcalayo, who hobbled with a 73, at fifth at 285; Bianca Pagdanganan and Diana Araneta turned in a 70 for seventh at 292; while Carlo Gatmaytan and Tomi Arejola ended up eighth at 296 after a 75. Paqo Barro and Joseph Orbito skied to a 77 and finished ninth at 298 while Harmie Constantino and Gabriel Macalaguim combined for a 76 and ended up 10th with a 299.

pine Ladies Open and the Hong Kong Ladies Amateur Championship following a string of triumphs in Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore to close out the 2015 season. The former US Girls’ Junior champion then added the DHL Amateur crown, campaigned in Malaysia to claim the Kuala Lumpur Amateur diadem then moved to the US to clinch the PNGA (Pacific Northwest Golf Association) plum. She also took the low amateur honors at LPGT Splendido, the Cactus Tour in Palm Springs and the NWGA (National Women’s Golf Association) to cap a

SAN Sebastian College is three games away from sweeping its way to the 92nd National Collegiate Athletic Association women’s volleyball finals. But coach Roger Gorayeb is far more concerned at getting his team improve in time for their playoff battles. “Yes, we want to sweep, who wouldn’t want that?” asked Gorayeb in Filipino. “But I want my team to improve on many aspects like defense and not relying too much on one player but play more as a team.” The Lady Stags have emerged as the only unbeaten team after winning their first six outings and could advance straight to the bestof-three championship round if they could hurdle their last three assignments. San Sebastian College’s last three games though will be against Final Four contenders Perpetual Help (3-2) on Jan. 13, Lyceum of the Philippines University (4-1) on Jan. 23 and defending champion College of St. Benilde (5-1) on Jan. 25. “It’s hard to think of a sweep early because we know our last three games are against strong teams,” said Gorayeb. There was some concern, however, about reigning back-to-back MVP Grethcel Soltones’ conditioning. Soltones has been far from peak form and is currently just second in the league’s best scoring as she averaged just 16.17 points a game, a shade behind last year’s Finals Most Valuable Player and St. Benilde star Jeanette Panaga’s 17 hits.

Laurente is best boxer Yuto Katsuragawa (left) and Carl Corpus exchange high-ﬁves after closing out with a 64 in foursome and scoring a runaway sixstroke victory in the sixth NGAP National Doubles Amateur Golf Championship at Camp Aguinaldo Golf Club in QC yesterday.

Superal, Del Rosario fuel The Country Club’s win drive in 2016 PRINCESS Superal set the pace with back-to-back major wins while Pauline del Rosario racked up three victories to close out another solid campaign by Team The Country Club in the year about to end. The 18-year-old Del Rosario delivered not just one or two but three titles in row to cap a big season for the squad with its compact but intrepid six-player crew racking up 28 victories, including a number of low amateur honors here and abroad. Superal actually stood at the forefront of the team’s charge like she used to, opening the season with big victories in the Philip-

Sweep not in mind of SSC coach

checkered amateur career. Moving to the pros, Superal debuted backto-back wins on the ICTSI Ladies Philippine Golf Tour, winning in a four-way playoff to snare the Sherwood leg title and rallying to nip Del Rosario at Eastridge. But the year didn’t end quite well for the smooth-swinging Superal, who missed the final 70-player cut in the LPGA Tour QSchool Final Stage in Florida. She settled for a Symetra Tour card where she hopes to flourish in the first half of 2017 to gain another crack at an LPGA card during the re-rank midway of the new season.

Despite Superal’s failed bid, Team TCC coach Bong Lopez still expressed satisfaction over Superal’s performance, saying: “Reaching the Final Stage of the tough LPGA School on her first try is quite a feat. She’s young and is sure to have learned her lesson.” There were other near misses, like in the US Four-Ball where Sofia Chabon and Mikha Fortuna dominated and topped the Qualifying, only to falter in the tournament proper and the Superal-Del Rosario tandem losing to eventual runners-up Angelina Kim and Brianna Navarrosa in the Final Four, also in Florida.

ASIAN Boxing Confederation President Serik Konakbayev of Kazakhstan announced the winners of the Asia’ Best in Boxing Awards for 2016, which included three Filipinos. ABAP’s 2014 discovery Criztian Pitt Laurente,16 years old of General Santos City, was cited as Best Junior Boxer in Asia for 2016 for his spectacular Gold Medal win in the Children of Asia Tournament held in Yakutsk, Russia last July. Laurente won the only gold medal for the Philippines in that competition, where Filipinos competed in 9 different sports. Long-time ABAP head coach Patricio Gaspi was acknowledged as the Best Asian Coach, while the Best Supervisor in Asia is Maria Karina Picson, who passed the ITO (International Technical Official) Course and Examinations in Antalya, Turkey in 2011 and the AIBA Supervisor’s Course and Examinations in 2015 in Almaty Kazakhstan.

Asian markets close volatile year B2

Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandardtoday.com extrastory2000@gmail.com SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2016

Initiative vs Laguna fish pens backed

WITH A BANG.

Filipino Inventors Society Producers Cooperative president Francisco Pagayon showcases his newly designed electronic firecrackers that produce loud sounds, without causing actual explosion at the FISPC Showroom at the corner of Quezon Ave. and West Ave. in Quezon City. He says the cannon-type e-firecrackers, which he calls ‘Digong’ and ‘TrumPet,’ consist of electronics that load electricity to produce strong sounds, similar to the explosions caused by piccolo firecrackers.

By Othel V. Campos

PSE COMPOSITE INDEX Closing December 29, 2016

8300 7840 7380 6920 6460 6000

6,840.64 5.80

PESO-DOLLAR RATE

Closing DECEMBER 29, 2016

Govt prepares auction for LRT-1 rail coach deal

43.00 45.40

By Darwin G. Amojelar

46.60

47.80

P49.720

49.00

HIGH P49.700 LOW P49.815 AVERAGE P49.769 VOLUME 286.996M

P430.00-P661.00 LPG/11-kg tank P35.40-P44.10 Unleaded Gasoline P25.75-P29.32 Diesel

OPRICES IL TODAY

P28.50-P36.85 Kerosene P20.75-P21.75 Auto LPG Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Thursday, December 29, 2016

F OREIGN E XCHANGE R ATE Currency

Unit

US Dollar Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

49.8130

Japan

Yen

0.008533

0.4251

Pound

1.222000

60.8715

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128906

6.4212

Switzerland

Franc

0.972479

48.4421

Canada

Dollar

0.737790

36.7515

Singapore

Dollar

0.689655

34.3538

Australia

Dollar

0.718200

35.7757

Bahrain

Dinar

2.654703

132.2387

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266610

13.2806

Brunei

Dollar

0.687285

34.2357

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000074

0.0037

Thailand

Baht

0.027781

1.3839

UAE

Dirham

0.272287

13.5634

Euro

1.040700

51.8404

Korea

Won

0.000825

0.0411

China

Yuan

0.143761

7.1612

India

Rupee

0.014660

0.7303

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.223214

11.1190

New Zealand

Dollar

0.691800

34.4606

Taiwan

Dollar

0.030845

1.5365 Source: PDS Bridge

HE Transportation Department has invited Japanese companies to bid for the P30billion contract to supply 120 brand-new light rail vehicles for the oldest metro rail transit in Southeast Asia.

The agency said in an invitation to bid the project would be funded through a loan extended by the Japan International Cooperation Agency. The Philippine government and JICA signed the loan agreement on March 27, 2013. The Transportation Department said only engineering, procurement and construction companies of Japanese nationality were eligible to participate in the bidding pursuant to the rules

for ofﬁcial development assistance funding. The winning bidder will cover the coaches design, production, veriﬁcation, delivery, testing, commissioning, technical support materials associated with the operation and maintenance of the vehicles and training for maintenance staff, engineers and operators. The agency said interested parties can buy bid documents for the supply contract from

Dec. 28 to April 13, 2017. The submission and opening of bids are set on April 13 next year. The 120 LRVs will be conﬁgured in 30 four-car train sets to allow the rail line to accommodate up to 750,000 passengers daily. The Transportation Department in March declared the bidding for 120 LRVs a failure after no offers were received by the agency from Japanese firms. Marubeni Corp. and Sumitomo Corp. earlier expressed interest to participate in the auction for the procurement of 120 brand-new cars for LRT Line 1. The government allocated P30 billion for the 120 new coaches for the LRT Line 1 under the P64.9-billion LRT Line 1 Cavite extension project, which was

awarded to Light Rail Manila Corp. LRMC will construct the Cavite extension over the next four and a half years, making the entire line operational by the fourth quarter of 2020. LRMC, a joint venture between Ayala Corp. and Metro Paciﬁc Investments Corp., has been operating and maintaining the existing LRT-1 system since the functions were handed over by Light Rail Transit Authority in September last year. LRTA remains the regulator of the railway while the Transportation Department is the implementing agency of the 32-year public-private partnership concession agreement with LRMC. The consortium would spend over P40 billion to rehabilitate and expand LRT Line 1.

PH stock market hikes capitalization to P14.44t By Jenniffer B. Austria THE Philippine stock market expanded by P973 billion in 2016 as total capitalization of listed companies reached P14.44 trillion on the last trading day of the year, up 7.2 percent from P13.47 trillion in 2015 amid volatilities. The PSE in a statement attributed the growth in the local bourse’s market capitalization to fund raising activities that took place this year. Total capital raised through the equities market reached P170.12 billion, slightly lower than P184.60 billion in 2015.

“The market experienced a lot of volatilities in 2016 arising from unexpected developments in the global political landscape as well as the interest rate hikes in the US. Despite this, we churned a relatively healthy capital raising number, considering most of these activities happened during the second half of the year. This is a testament to the strength of the local economy,” PSE president and chief executive Hans Sicat said. Sicat expects fund raising activities in 2017, including IPOs, follow-on offerings, stock rights

offerings and private placements to reach P200 billion. Meanwhile, the PSE is preparing to launch new new products—dollar denominated securities and the listing of Public-Private Partnership companies in 2017—following the approval of rules in late 2016. “We are pleased to add two new products to the list of capital raising instruments available at the PSE. These products should help facilitate additional listing activity and investor participation in the market,” Sicat added. The All Shares Index ﬁnished

the year with a gain of 4.1 percent to 4,156.07, while the Mining and Oil index was the best performing sectoral index after adding 13.7 percent in 2016. “We believe there will be a healthy pipeline of initial public offerings and other fund raising activities in 2017. We will continue to work with our regulators so we can continue to introduce new products for our market in 2017 as we have successfully done so this year,” said Sicat. Daily average value turnover for the year stood at P7.81 billion, down from P8.96 billion in 2015.

Enka of Turkey seeking partnership with PNOC By Alena Mae S. Flores ENKA, a global engineering and construction company based in Turkey, is exploring possible business partnerships with stateowned Philippine National Oil Co. Key executives of Enka, a major Turkish company involved in oil, gas, petrochemicals and power plants, paid a courtesy call on PNOC executives to discuss possible energy projects with the local company. “They (Enka) have a very good product that we are evaluating for island provinces. They provide the power ships and are looking for partners needing power and collect fees for them,” PNOC president Reuben Lista said. Enka is the largest construc-

tion company in Turkey. It is also involved in power generation, supplying around 13 percent of Turkey’s electricity since 2002. Lista said the project might also be good for the National Electrification Administration, which oversees the country’s over 100 electric cooperatives. “We are evaluating which areas and if costing is competitive,” he said. Lista said many groups were interested to team upwith PNOC, the government’s oil and gas arm, which is transforming itself into an operating company from a holding firm. PNOC has now taken over some functions of PNOC Exploration Corp., such as oil and coal trading and venturing into liquefied natural gas projects

THE Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry has backed the initiative of the government not to renew the permits to operate fish pens at Laguna de Bay after their expiration this month. The Chamber also welcomed the announcement of Environment Secretary Regina Lopez to dismantle other big fish pens starting January next year and supported the plan to convert the lake into a eco-tourism zone. PCCI president George Barcelon said the government initiatives would go a long way in preserving Laguna de Bay. The lake provides livelihood to fisherfolk, and serves as source of water for domestic use and for irrigation. PCCI director for environment and climate change Felipe Gozon said the government should also look into the conditions of other lakes in the country, such as Taal. “We need to preserve these lakes as they are major sources of fresh water and are rich in biodiversity,” Gozon said. Barcelon and Gozon stressed that reducing the number of fish pens and fish cages according to the lake’s carrying capacity and a master plan from the Laguna Lake Development Authority would address domestic waste, urban run-off and agricultural pollution. Data from LLDA showed that about 81 percent of pollution come from the domestic sector and 19 percent from the fishing industry operating from the lake. The PCCI as the largest business organization in the country said it can help LLDA in formulating the master plan. Laguna de Bay is a shallow freshwater lake of about 90,000 hectares. As a watershed, some 21 rivers converge into the third largest inland body of water in Southeast Asia.

IN BRIEF Xeleb resets IPO in February 2017 XELEB Technologies Inc., the country’s ﬁrst and largest celebrity-branded and themed casual games company, plans to conduct a P752-million initial public offering in February next year. The company earlier planned to conduct the maiden share offering this month but failed to secure regulatory approvals. Latest ﬁling with the Securities and Exchange Commission showed that Xeleb slightly increased the size of the IPO to P752 million from original target of P737 million.It plans to sell 296 million primary shares from the initial target of 290 million shares. It set the offering period from February 1 to 7 and the listing date tentatively on February 16. The company maintained the price range for the IPO at P2.04 to P2.54 per share. Xeleb is allocating up to P400 million from the IPO proceeds for expansion in Southeast Asia. Jenniffer B. Austria

PAL starts Incheon ﬂights from Clark

LIGHT-A-HOME PROGRAM. TeaM Energy Corp., along with the municipality of Sual, Pangasinan and the Central Pangasinan Electric Cooperative, distributes 50 units of 10-watt peak solar home lighting systems and groceries to indigent residents from four barangays in Sual, Pangasinan as part of the company’s annual Light-a-Home program. Leading the distribution in Sual are (from left) Roderick de Castro, executive director of TeaM Energy Foundatio, Sual Mayor Roberto Arcinue and Cenpelco general manager Rodrigo Corpuz.

PHILIPPINE Airlines said on Friday it will mount flights to Incheon, South Korea from Clark International Airport starting January 1, 2017. “The excitement continues in 2017 as PAL lines up more aircraft deliveries, inaugural flights, new products and services—starting with new routes that would fly passengers direct to their destinations without transiting in Manila, such as Clark-Incheon (South Korea) on January 1, 2017,” the Lucio Tanled airline said. The airline in 2016 took delivery of seven new aircraft—two Boeing 777-300ERs and five Airbus A321s—bringing the PAL fleet to 81 aircraft by yearend. The aircraft deliveries will continue until 2024. An expanded fleet allowed PAL to fly to four new international destinations (Kuwait, Jeddah, Doha, Saipan) and open new routes. Darwin G. Amojelar

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2016 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Business

Asian markets close volatile year H ONG KONG―Tokyo retreated again Friday despite Toshiba’s shares ending their three-day free fall but Hong Kong rallied as Asian markets brought down the curtain on a volatile year.

With Wall Street inching back further from breaching the historic 20,000 barrier, the Nikkei fell for a third day, dropping 0.2 percent, while the yen lost ground against the dollar. Despite Friday’s fall, Japan’s benchmark index rose 0.42 percent in 2016, marking the ﬁfth consecutive annual increase, with the market clawing back losses earlier in the year after Donald Trump’s election vic-

tory. And shares in troubled Toshiba bounced back following a bloodletting since Tuesday that saw investors dump stock over a massive one-time loss. Hong Kong advanced one percent, with the Hang Seng set to end the year marginally up. Australian stocks ﬁnished 0.6 percent down, paring the year’s gain to seven percent. Seoul was closed for a holiday while

Singapore was trading modestly higher. Shanghai recorded a rise of 0.2 percent but stocks in the world’s second largest economy have endured a torrid year, buffeted by feckless policymakers, massive capital ﬂight and a languishing currency. The falling yuan―lowered seven percent by the central bank over the year in the face of a surging dollar―has driven investors abroad in search of better performance. Trading has been light worldwide this week, with volumes in crude oil, equities and currencies all below average. Jingyi Pan, a market strategist

at IG Asia, told Bloomberg Asian markets had “little inspiration for price direction”. He added: “The market is likely to be repositioning for the New Year with US markets and that could place some pressure on markets that have underperformed lately.” While the London Stock Exchange is ending the year at record levels, Britain has been rocked by the shock vote to leave the European Union in June, with sterling the year’s second-worst performer among major currencies, beaten only by the Mexican peso. On the other side of the Atlantic, the dollar has climbed about

10 percent against the yen since the surprise outcome of the US election propelled Trump to the presidency. The Japanese currency, which rose against the greenback Thursday, was down against the dollar Friday at 116.81 yen. The Dow has also reached new highs as dealers bet Trump’s plans for big state infrastructure spending, tax cuts and deregulation will ﬁre the US economy. Oil also bounced back this year, with West Texas Intermediate recovering from below $30 per barrel to rise above $50. Its performance has been boosted by an Opec production cut deal slated for January.

US crude slipped Friday after ofﬁcial US inventory data showed a surprise rise of 600,000 barrels in crude reserves, while the market had been expecting a 1.5-million-barrel drop in commercial crude stockpiles. But analysts tipped the commodity to continue its recovery in the New Year. “If Opec can honor their agreements, there is a chance that crude oil can go up further and hit $60 per barrel in 2017,” said Margaret Yang, market analyst at CMC Markets. “In addition, it will also depend on the US-Russia relationship under Donald Trump’s administration,” she added. AFP

China stocks among world’s worst in ’16 SHANGHAI―China is the world’s second-largest economy and has one of the fastest growth rates of any G20 nation, but its stock markets have been among the worst performing in the world this year. Starting with a botched attempt to reduce volatility that instead triggered a spectacular meltdown, Chinese bourses have spent the year struggling against feckless policymakers, massive capital flight and a languishing currency. The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index struggled towards the finish line Thursday down 12.5 percent for the year, compared to falls of 0.6 percent by the Hang Seng Index in Hong Kong and 2.2 percent for Japan’s Nikkei 300. Both markets are trading Friday. As of Thursday, it had the worst showing among the 40plus countries tracked by Wall Street Journal’s Market Data Center, behind even debt-ridden Portugal. It is a significantly worse performance than 2015’s wild

ride, when the SCI surged by 60 percent in the first half before plunging by more than 40 percent in under three months. Even so, it finished the year with an overall gain of 9.4 percent. Then authorities brought in a “circuit breaker” mechanism in January to automatically shut down trading if prices plunged. It went into effect twice in one week, kicking off a self-reinforcing selling panic that spread to global markets, and was scrapped after just four days. “The Chinese market had a meltdown this year, and so far it has only half recovered from that,” Northeast Securities analyst Shen Zhengyang told AFP, adding the market was still in “slow and gradual restoration.” The chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission was sacked over the debacle. His replacement, Liu Shiyu, has kept a low profile, hurting market confidence and leaving investors seeking direction, said Oliver Rui, a professor at the China Europe International Business School. AFP

HIGHEST BRIDGE. This picture taken on December 28, 2016 shows the Beipanjiang Bridge, near Bijie in southwest China’s Guizhou province. The world’s highest bridge has opened to trafﬁc in China, connecting two southwestern provinces and reducing travel time by three quarters, local authorities said on December 30. AFP

Britain gets creative in ﬁghting rampant food waste By Rosie Scammell LONDON―One of Europe’s worst offenders on food waste, Britain is beginning to get its act together thanks to a surge in volunteer initiatives that help the poor as well as creating a bit of seasonal cheer. “That’s what I come out for, to have a little chat... It’s not only the food,” said Bassia Hamech, 76, as she was served a bowl of hot soup in a kitchen in east London run by a charity called FoodCycle. The kitchen serves up weekly vegetarian lunches to up to 50 people in Hackney, many of whom have health problems or are at risk of social isolation. One of the volunteers, artist Anne Engel, said the most generous donations come from Turkish greengrocers in the area while big supermarkets are less reliable and today gave only a bag of bread. “We get them to eat all sorts of wild and wonderful things,” said Engel, who brought offerings including mangoes, mint and eggs to a kitchen overﬂowing with fruit and vegetables destined for scrap. Teas are swiftly handed out to volunteers and a menu created―soup, frittata and fruit salad―and the kitchen team pick out a few furry raspberries and other items which are too old to be used. “It’s about changing the attitudes to food. We get a lot of volunteers who are very frightened of food past its sell by date,” Engel said. 2016 has been a landmark year for international campaigners tackling food waste, with both Italy and France passing laws to make it easier for surplus stock to be donated rather than binned. But Britain has fallen behind its neighbors by failing to legis-

Food donated by Waitrose supermarket is made ready for collection by volunteers in London on December 21, 2016. One of Europe’s worst offenders on food waste, Britain is beginning to get its act together thanks to a surge in volunteer initiatives that help the poor as well as creating a bit of seasonal cheer. AFP

late on the issue, leaving community groups and new businesses to ﬁll the gap. Britain wastes around 10 million tons of food a year, according to 2016 ﬁgures from the charity Waste and Resources Action Programme. The EU as a whole has around 88 million tons of annual food waste, according to 2012 estimates. This year’s “War on Waste” BBC television show raised awareness among Britain’s population, starting with a mountain of discarded parsnips exposed by its presenter, celebrity chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall.

‘A carpet of fruit’ Regular customers at the new crop of recycled food cafes and shops opening up in Britain include environmental do-gooders, as well as the poor and those just looking for some company. Even the counters of central London cafes filled with highend coffee and calorific muffins are increasingly making way for products made from salvaged fruit. A former FoodCycle volunteer, Ben Whitehead, said he has rescued nearly 15 tons of fruit since first requesting surplus on a trip to his local market.

“I got offered 12 boxes of really amazing pineapples. I was on my bike! So they looked at me and laughed,” he said of his initial encounter with the traders. After experimenting with different fruits deemed not perfect enough to make it to consumers, Whitehead set up a company in 2015 called SpareFruit that airdries sliced apples and pears to create crisps. “If you drive through the orchards you just see a carpet of fruit. Some of it we wouldn’t eat, but I would say 90 percent of that fruit is perfectly edible,” he said. Snact, a similar fruit jerky maker, got off the ground after

raising 14,000 euro ($17,000, 17,000 euros) through crowdfunding in 2014. Both companies are hoping to further their ambitions in the new year, with plans to make it into the luxury department store Selfridges. The chance to launch in a highend food hall shows how much British attitudes have changed, as Whitehead discovered when he asked consumers whether they would eat something that would otherwise be wasted. “Everyone’s response was, ‘As long as it’s clean and healthy, and ﬁne to eat, why wouldn’t we?’” AFP

Parking garage in HK may cost $2.2b HONG KONG’S government has announced the first sale of commercial land in the city’s central business district in more than 20 years. The site, currently used as a multi-story car park in Murray Road, Central, is about 31,000 square feet, according to a government statement released late yesterday. The plot is valued at HK$15.8 billion to HK$17 billion ($2.2 billion), according to Vincent Cheung, Colliers International executive director of valuation and advisory for Asia. It is the the first commercial development site available in Central since 1996, Cheung said, and rents will set “a new indicator” for offices in Central. The sale of the plot, situated near the Bank of China building and billionaire Li Ka-shing’s Cheung Kong Center, is slated for the first quarter of next year. It comes after some recordbreaking deals in Hong Kong’s office market, driven by strong demand from Chinese companies. In July, Wheelock & Co. sold HarbourGate East Tower to Shenzhen-based company Cheung Kei Group for HK$4.5 billion. In 2015, Chinese developer China Evergrande Group and China Life Insurance Co. bought office blocks in separate transactions worth a combined HK$18.35 billion. The sale may attract attention given the lack of new supply and low prime-office vacancy rates in the area, Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Patrick Wong wrote in an email. The potential high price may “stimulate” investment demand for office properties in Central and sale prices of existing offices in Central may rise further, he said. Bloomberg

Home / Design

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2016 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Easy ways to put the shine back into your floors MIX AND MATCH. Don’t be afraid to mix a couple of colors together to get a good match.

ogs chase kids, pans drop, chairs scrape, and soon you must repair wood floors and erase scratches that make a mess of your narra, Philippine mahogany or Brazilian cherry. A professional floor refinisher will charge an arm and a leg per square meter to apply a new coat of finish. No worries. There are inexpensive ways to remove wood scratches and repair deep gouges in a few easy steps.

Camouflage scratches Take some artistic license to hide minor scratches in wood floors by rubbing on stain-matching crayons and Sharpie pens. Wax sticks are great scratch busters because they include stain and urethane, which protects the floor’s finish. Don’t be afraid to mix a couple of colors together to get a good match. And don’t sweat if the color is a little off. Real hardwoods mix several hues and tones. So long as you cover the contrasting “white” scratches, color imperfections will match perfectly.

Homemade polish Mix equal parts olive oil and vinegar, which work together to remove dirt, moisturize, and shine wood. Pour a little directly onto the scratch. Let the polish soak in for 24 hours, then wipe off. Repeat until the scratch disappears.

Spot-sand deep scratches It takes time to repair wood gouges: Sand, ﬁll, sand again, stain, and seal. Here are some tips to make the job go faster.

GOOD AS NEW. Home-made polish solutions may do the trick.

• • • • • •

Sand with fine-gauge steel wool or lightweight sandpaper. Always sand with the grain. Use wood filler, which takes stain better than wood putty. Use a plastic putty knife to avoid more scratches. Seal the area with polyurethane, or whatever product was used on the floor originally. Apply the polyurethane coat with a lambs wool applicator, which avoids air bubbles in the finish.

Fix gaps in the floor Old ﬂoorboards can separate over time. Fill the gaps with colored wood putty. Or, if you have some leftover planks, rip a narrow band and glue it into the gap.

ECO-SCHOOL USES THERMAWALL TECHNOLOGY. Architect James Jao, an advocate of eco-architecture and sustainable development

in the Philippines, recently won the design bid for the construction of an academic building of the College of the Holy Spirit (CHS) in Tarlac. His design and spatial planning, which coincided with the school’s thrust of “Caring for Mother Earth”, bested four other contenders. The building envelop was built with thermawall technology. The exterior walls are insulated to keep off the heat gain from the sun from entering the structure and provide a more comfortable indoor temperature. Thermawall technology uses HardieFlex® 6mm on the exterior with one-inch polystyrene insulation, and another HardieFlex® 4.5mm panel on the interior to keep the heat from penetrating the walls. “I want the students to experience the paradigm of learning in an eco-school building and contributing to a more sustainable development,” said Jao (seen here beside the 4 storey eco-school building under construction).

JTIP BAGS INVESTORS IN PEOPLE AWARD. Investors in People Philippines recently upgraded its Standard Accreditation to JTI Philippines Inc. (JTIP) to a Bronze Accreditation, for its excellent people management practices.The Bronze Accreditation came two years after JTIP ﬁrst obtained the Standard Accreditation from the same global employee-management watchdog in 2014. Investors in People, or IiP, is an international quality standard for people leadership and management excellence. “When employees are free to speak up on important matters, we are making the workplace conducive to interaction, scrutiny and debate, which often lead to better learnings, improved strategies and excellent results,” said TIP general manager Manos Koukourakis, during the formal awarding rites held at Bonifacio Global City, Taguig . Shown in photo are (from left to right): TJ Valerio of JTI; Rosario Ventura, IiP corporate secretary; Teresita Villanueva, IiP treasurer; Khaye Ybanez of JTI, Imma Basilio of JTI, Mike Macapagal, JTI HR director; Manos Koukourakis, JTI GM; Elma Reyes of JTI; Janet Webster-Watson, IiP chairman; Gerry Plana, IiP CEO; Jeno Sanchez of JTI, Carla Cagandahan and Rayan Antojado of JTI.

NOCTURNAL DELIGHTS AT SANDBOX. The SandBox

in Alviera recently announced extended operating hours for the outdoor adventure park’s attractions until 9 PM every Friday and Saturday. Alviera, an Ayala Land project in partnership with Leonio Land, is located in Porac, Pampanga. SandBox, through the years, has attracted not only visitors from Pampanga, but also those coming from Manila and nearby provinces. The longer and, now tougher Aerial Walk, takes visitors through an obstacle course above ground. The Giant Swing keeps riders thrilled 10 meters up, and many are lined up for the Adventure Tower’s offerings: rappelling, wall climbing and free fall. Other thrill seekers enjoy Avatar One, Asia’s first roller coaster zipline at 180 meters long. The open fields of Sandbox are ready for outdoor activities like camping, kite-flying, field games, and other sports.

BACOLOD ON THE RISE. Megaworld recently announced that it is building an upscale residential village, Forbes Hill, in Northill Gateway, Bacolod City. The community will have 197 lots ranging from 449 sq. meters to 916 sq. meters, or approximately 13 lots per hectare. Future lot owners will have a free hand to design their own homes, which overlook the Negros mountain ranges, and surrounding sugarcane plantation vistas. Residents will also have a big breathing space as Megaworld alloted 5-hectares of open and green spaces for parks Forbes Hill is nestled within the 53-hectare Northill Gateway, a joint development of Megaworld and Suntrust Properties, Inc., in partnership with the Lacson Family. The development will house residential villages, mixed-use ofﬁce and retail developments, leisure and recreational amenities as well as institutional facilities.

Joel D. Lacsamana, Editor Joel D. Lacsamana, Editor jdlacsamana@gmail.com jdlacsamana@gmail.com

B4 B4

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2016 SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2016

here’saabasic basicrule rule here’s ofthumb thumbto tofollow follow of whenchoosing choosing when paintsheens: sheens:The Thehigher higher paint thesheen, sheen,the thehigher higherthe the the shine—andthe thehigher higherthe the shine—and shine,the themore moredurable durableitit shine, willbe. be. will

Flat paint has no shine; high-gloss is all Flat paint has no shine; high-gloss is all shine. In between are eggshell, satin, and shine. In between are eggshell, satin, and semi-gloss, each with its own practical and semi-gloss, each with its own practical and decorative job to do. decorative job to do. Here’s how to choose the right paint Here’s how to choose the right paint sheen for your painting job. sheen for your painting job.

Bestpaint paintfor foryour yourhome home Best For the kitchen, choose a durable, easy For the kitchen, choose a durable, easy to clean paint. to clean paint. Nothing beats high gloss, or semi-gloss Nothing beats high gloss, or semi-gloss finish. finish. For the family room, choose something For the family room, choose something which can be easily cleaned, and can stand which can be easily cleaned, and can stand up to high traffic. up to high traffic. Experts recommend a satin finish. Experts recommend a satin finish. For the dining room, you need clean, For the dining room, you need clean, smooth-looking walls for a low-traffic smooth-looking walls for a low-traffic area. area. Why not try an eggshell finish. Why not try an eggshell finish. For the bedroom, you will need a highFor the bedroom, you will need a highpigment wall coverage (money saving) for pigment wall coverage (money saving) for a low-traffic area. a low-traffic area. A flat, or matte finish could be just what A flat, or matte finish could be just what the doctor ordered. the doctor ordered.

GUIDE TO PAINT FINISHES (soyou youwon’t won’twaste wasteyour yourmoney) money) (so

Highgloss gloss High The most durable and easiest to clean of The most durable and easiest to clean of all paint sheens, high-gloss paint is hard, all paint sheens, high-gloss paint is hard, ultra-shiny, and light-reflecting. Think apultra-shiny, and light-reflecting. Think appliance-paint tough. pliance-paint tough. High gloss is a good choice for area that High gloss is a good choice for area that sticky fingers touch — cabinets, trim, and sticky fingers touch — cabinets, trim, and doors. High-gloss, however, is too much doors. High-gloss, however, is too much shine for interior walls. And like a spandex shine for interior walls. And like a spandex dress, high gloss shows every bump and dress, high gloss shows every bump and roll, so don’t skimp on prep work. roll, so don’t skimp on prep work. High gloss is practical for kitchens, door, High gloss is practical for kitchens, door, and window trim. It has a very high duraand window trim. It has a very high durablity factor. blity factor. Semi-gloss Semi-gloss Good for rooms where moisture, drips, Good for rooms where moisture, drips, and grease stains challenge walls. Also and grease stains challenge walls. Also great for trim work that takes a lot of abuse. great for trim work that takes a lot of abuse. Semi-gloss is practucal for kitchens, Semi-gloss is practucal for kitchens, bathrooms, trim, chair rails. High durabilbathrooms, trim, chair rails. High durability factor as well. ity factor as well. Satin Satin Has an attractive luster that, despite the Has an attractive luster that, despite the name, is often described as velvety. It’s name, is often described as velvety. It’s easy to clean, making it excellent for higheasy to clean, making it excellent for hightraffic areas. Its biggest flaw is it reveals traffic areas. Its biggest flaw is it reveals application flaws, such as roller or brush application flaws, such as roller or brush strokes. Touch-ups later can be tricky. strokes. Touch-ups later can be tricky. Satin is practical for family rooms, foySatin is practical for family rooms, foyers, hallways, kids’ bedrooms. Highly duers, hallways, kids’ bedrooms. Highly durable. rable. Eggshell Eggshell Between satin and flat on the sheen (and Between satin and flat on the sheen (and durability) scale is eggshell, so named bedurability) scale is eggshell, so named because it’s essentially a flat (no-shine) finish cause it’s essentially a flat (no-shine) finish with little luster, like a chicken’s egg. Eggwith little luster, like a chicken’s egg. EggWRONG CHOICE COULD MEAN A DO-OVER. If your paint color is dark and rich but shell covers wall imperfections well and AWRONG CHOICE MEAN DO-OVER. your paint colorsheen is dark andThe richdarker but shell covers wall imperfections well and Ayou don’t want a superCOULD shiny effect, stepAdown at least If one level on the scale. is a great finish for gathering spaces that want a super shiny down least oneboosts level on the sheen scale. The darker anddon’t richer the paint color, theeffect, morestep colorant it at has, which sheen. is a great finish for gathering spaces that you don’t get a lot of bumps and scuffs. and richer the paint color, the more colorant it has, which boosts sheen. don’t get a lot of bumps and scuffs. Eggshell is practical for dining rooms and livEggshell is practical for dining rooms and living rooms. Medium durability. ing rooms. Medium durability.

Flator orMatte Matte Flat A friend to walls that have something to hide, A friend to walls that have something to hide, flat/matte soaks up, rather than reflects, light. It flat/matte soaks up, rather than reflects, light. It has the most pigment and will provide the most has the most pigment and will provide the most coverage, which translates to time and money coverage, which translates to time and money savings. However, it’s tough to clean without savings. However, it’s tough to clean without taking paint off with the grime. taking paint off with the grime. Flat or matte’s practical application is in Flat or matte’s practical application is in adults’ bedrooms and other interior rooms that adults’ bedrooms and other interior rooms that wont be roughed up by kids. Medium to low duwont be roughed up by kids. Medium to low durabllity. rabllity.

TIPS FOR THE RIGHT SHEEN. If you’re painting a large, sun-washed, or TIPS FOR wall. THEThe RIGHT SHEEN. If you’re painting a large, sun-washed, or imperfect higher the sheen, the more defects will show.

imperfect wall. The higher the sheen, the more defects will show.

LEAK SOLUTIONS. Living in the Philippines, which LEAK SOLUTIONS. in the Philippines, goes through monthsLiving of monsoon every year, which means

BOSCH FLEXIBILITY. Bosch recently introduced the new G and B BOSCH FLEXIBILITY. Bosch recently the new G and B use Series control panels and systems. Bothintroduced solutions offer an integrated

Series controlphysical panels and systems. Both solutions an integrated use of different security and safety domainsoffer (intrusion, fire, access, ofvideo different physical security and safety domains (intrusion, fi re, access, systems) along with mobile access combined in one system and video systems) access in onewith system and out of one box.along Bothwith are flmobile exible and cancombined be customized market out of one box. Both are fl exible and can be customized with market leading integration platforms. This means more security, greater leading platforms.for This means more security, controlintegration integrated solutions intrusion detection, doorgreater control, video control integrated solutions for intrusion detection, door video integration, fire functionality and mobile access. Remotecontrol, programming integration, fire functionality and mobile access.systems Remotewithout programming reduces cost and allows technicians to service traveling reduces cost and allows technicians to service systemsremotely without traveling to the customer’s facility. Updates can be performed or locally towhile the customer’s facility. Updates can beupgrades. performed remotely or locally providing easy maintenance and while providing easy maintenance and upgrades.

goes months monsoon every year, means longthrough days of rain. Theof smartest way to protect your long days of apply rain. The smartest way to protect house is to sealants to repair cracks andyour leaks. But house to apply sealants to repair cracks and leaks. But most is consumers have different standards of quality most have different standards of quality whenconsumers it comes to sealants. Since they discover leaks when it comes to sealants. they discover only when they’ve startedSince already, they think leaks the only when they’ve started they think quick drying variant is thealready, most effective. It isthe not. The quick drying variant is the most effective. It not. The sealant that easily dries up and hardens likeiscement sealant that easily and hardens like cement has a tendency todries crackup because it becomes brittle. has a tendency to crack because it becomes Sure Seal’s “iwas crack” comes in handy. It brittle. is an all Sure Seal’s“elastomeric “iwas crack”sealant”, comes inwhich handy.has It is an all purpose “iwas crack” purpose “elastomeric sealant”, which has “iwas crack” technology. This slow-curing sealant is transformed technology. This slow-curing sealant is transformed into a tough, rubber-like gasket which offers reasonable into a tough, rubber-like gasket which offers reasonable motion, contraction and expansion, without cracking, or motion, contraction and expansion, without cracking, or losing adhesion. losing adhesion.

LGUs

Jimbo Owen Gulle, Editor Roger M. Garcia, Assistant Editor jimbo.gulle@gmail.com mslocalgov@gmail.com SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2016

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

CHOICE OF NOISEMAKERS. Boys in Quezon City play with their realistic pellet guns while another boy in Laguna tries out a ‘torotot’ or horn (inset) ahead of the New Year revelries. For the government, either noisemaker is preferable to firecrackers or fireworks to welcome 2017. Ey Acasio and Roy Tomandao

Cordillera poor down 2.6% over 3-year span By Dexter A. See

AGUIO CITY—Poverty incidence among families in the Cordillera was pegged at 14.9 percent in 2015, lower by 2.6 percent compared to the 17.5 percent recorded in 2012, the regional office of the Philippine Statistics Authority said Thursday.

In terms of magnitude, poor families in the Cordillera decreased from 65,516 in 2012 to 59,759 in 2015, the PSA-CAR report added. Data showed Apayao had the highest poverty incidence among families with 30.9 percent, followed by Kalinga with 30 percent. Benguet had the least number of poor families at 2.5 percent, the agency added. PSA-CAR also estimated the poverty threshold of the region

for 2015 at P21,770 per capita per annum, which translates to a minimum of P9,071 monthly take-home income for a family of five to meet both basic food and non-food needs and be considered not poor in the survey year. Although Apayao has the most number of poor families, PSACAR said the province still had the biggest drop in poverty incidence at 23.8 percent decrease, while Ifugao’s poor families

dropped by 9.9 percent and Abra’s poor decreased by 7.3 percent. Kalinga, on the other hand, saw more poor families over the last three years, from 20.9 percent in 2012 to 30 percent in 2015, while Mountain Province’s poverty incidence also rose 27.9 percent to 29.5 percent. Within the region, Kalinga had the most number of poor families at 12,884, followed by Abra (12,400), Mountain Province (11,615) and ifugao (11,133). On the other end of the scale, Benguet had just 4,783 poor families, and Apayao with 6,945 families. PSA-CAR also noted that subsistence incidence among families in the region dropped by 2.3 percent, from 7.1 percent in 2012 to 4.8 percent in 2015. Subsistence-poor, or food-poor, families were estimated at 19,200 in 2015, lower than the 26,496 re-

‘Pampanga chiefs coddling druggies’ By Romeo Dizon

corded in 2012, the agency said. Ifugao had the highest subsistence incidence among families at 12.8 percent, followed by Kalinga with 11.2 percent and Apayao with 9.3 percent. Benguet again recorded the lowest subsistence incidence at 0.3 percent in 2015, followed by Apayao at 4.9 percent -- 23 percent lower compared to the 27.9 percent subsistence families noted in 2012. Subsistence incidence among families in the region decreased except for Kalinga, which increased from 8.8 percent in 2012 to 11.2 percent in 2015. Ifugao tallied the highest number of subsistence poor families at 5,445, followed by Kalinga (4,833), Mountain Province (3,613), Apayao (3,043), Abra (1,610) and Benguet (656).

SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga—Police authorities here have accused barangay officials of coddling and protecting drug addicts, pushers, and users in their respective areas. Senior Police Supt. Joel Consulta, officer in charge of the Pampanga Provincial Police Office, said despite the government’s relentless campaign against illegal users and pushers, about 9,663 drug addicts, pushers, and users were lurking in Pampanga’s villages. Earlier, about 9,000 barangay residents divided into 505 groups were fielded throughout the province to as lookouts against pushers, users, and other drug criminals. During a yearend assessment of the anti-illegal drug campaign in the province at the Bren Z. Guiao Convention and Sport Center here, Consulta said village leaders continued to ignore the existence of illegal drug operations in their localities. Despite 10,000 suspected drug addicts who surrendered to the authorities during the first few months after the launch of Operation Tokhang, many drug runners continue to ply their trade because some village leaders refuse to act against their friends, relatives, and voters, Consulta said. To minimize the killing of suspected drug addicts, pushers, and users, village leaders must cooperate with the authorities by reporting such persons in their localities to the nearest police station, he added. “We must all give our cooperation so that the province can be declared a drug-free area as envisioned by the province government,” the police chief said.

Parade vs firecrackers in Project 6

Rody hands out cash to Davao brgy heads DAVAO CITY—President Rodrigo Duterte gave bonuses to the city’s barangay officials during a gathering at the Davao City Recreational Gym on Tuesday, saying the funds came from a politician who donated to his presidential election campaign that went unused. Duterte gave P10,000 to each of Davao’s 183 barangay chieftains and P3,000 each to barangay councilors, apart from grocery packs for all of them. Duterte said he also used some of the money to donate to hospitals and buy medicine for the poor of Davao. “I returned it to him since I have no intention of using it, however, he did not accept it, that is why [the funds are] still with me,” the President said. “I did not declare it in my cam-

paign expenditures since I did not use it. I told myself that I will just use it in cases like this.” He said he felt the need to give bonuses to the barangay officials since he would not be the mayor of Davao for over 23 years if not for their support. The barangay officials played a big role during his campaign as Davao’s chief executive, since they all supported him even from the start of his political career, Duterte added. He reminded the barangay officials to continue their sworn duty “and to never commit corruption since [he] will never tolerate it.” Duterte said he even dismissed 92 of his fraternity brothers who were holding government posts because of alleged corruption in their ranks. F. Pearl A. Gajunera

READY TO OPERATE. Nurses at the Quirino Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City prepare the medical equipment needed for the emergency room, which is ready to take in possible victims of firecrackers and other incidents related to celebrating the New Year. Manny Palmero

Solon calls for aid to ‘Nina’-wrecked towns in Albay LEGAZPI CITY—Albay Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda has appealed for relief assistance and donations for his native town of Polangui and four other towns in his province that were heavily devastated by Typhoon “Nina” on Christmas Day. The destruction wrought by “Nina” on Albay is estimated

to be the worst recorded in the past 10 years, even worse than the devastation inf licted in 2006 by Super Typhoon “Reming.” Power has not yet been restored in the province, Salceda said, and authorities have said it may take much longer to do so. Salceda said Polangui and

the neighboring towns of Libon and Oas, both in Albay’s third district, were similarly ruined along with Tiwi and Malinao in the first district. “They all urgently need assistance,” he said. Polangui, Oas and Libon are rich agricultural towns that account for 72 percent of Albay’s

annual rice harvest, the lawmaker said. Polangui and Oas, both within the eyewall of Typhoon “Nina,” have a combined population of 163,392, and each is bigger than Virac, Catanduanes (population 73,650) that was also hit directly by the typhoon.

Three deaths were reported in Polangui, the only casualties recorded in “Nina’s” aftermath, breaking Albay’s zero-casualty record during disasters when Salceda was governor for nine years. The lawmaker now resides in and represents the second district, which suffered less damage.

IN A last-ditch effort to promote a safe and non-toxic New Year revelry, the EcoWaste Coalition organized the “Iwas Paputoxic sa Project 6” community parade against firecrackers in Quezon City. In collaboration with the Project 6 Barangay Council, Quezon City Councilor Beth Delarmente, and other local groups, the waste and pollution watch group pushed for the use of alternative noisemakers to herald the New Year that will not result in physical injuries, accidental fires and health-damaging emissions. The parade, which brought together 500 residents, members of the fire and police forces, and other groups, hoped to keep Project 6 a zero-injury and zero-fire community during the New Year festivities. “As 2016 is about to end, we urge our community leaders and their constituents to go all out for a harmless celebration of the New Year sans firecrackers,” said Aileen Lucero, National Coordinator of the EcoWaste Coalition.

LGUs

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2016

State college teachers lose appeal B ONTOC, Mountain Province—The First Division of the Court of Appeals has affirmed an earlier decision of the regional and central offices of the Civil Service Commission dismissing 12 faculty members of the state-run Mountain Province State Polytechnic College from government service.

The teachers were ordered dismissed for their involvement in a July 1, 2011 strike that aimed to undermine then-MPSPC president Dr. Nieves A. Dacyon. In a 10-page decision signed

by Associate Justices Andres B. Reyes, Jr., Romeo F. Barza and Agnes Reyes-Carpio released on Nov. 23, the appellate court also upheld accessory penalties against Terence Lief F. Fangasan, one of

the 12 MPSPC faculty members that instigated a strike against the government college. The penalties include forfeiture of their retirement benefits except for leave credits and perpetual disqualification from holding public office. They are also barred from taking the civil service examination. “We find that the assailed decision, both of the CSC central office and CSC-CAR, made a thorough discussion on petitioner’s participation on the strike, and which cannot be simply be categorized as speculative,” the

decision stated. The CA added that the affidavits of Fang-asan’s witnesses were not excluded since they were “taken, calibrated and weighed vis-à-vis the pieces of evidence” presented by Dacyon. Negating Fang-asan’s argument that there was no strike at the state college, the CA noted that classes and work were disrupted, and the campus was even transferred from Bontoc to Tadian. At the same time, the court said Fang-asan could not invoke the teachers’ constitutional right to association or free expression

“since there are already jurisprudence relative to the instances that transpired in the institution.” Fangasan’s exoneration in a criminal case for grave coercion before the Municipal Trial Court in the capital town has no bearing in the administrative cases filed against him, the CA added, since the case was dismissed due to insufficiency of evidence. In criminal cases, the appellate court noted that the quantum of evidence “is guilt beyond reasonable doubt while in administrative cases, mere substantial evidence is sufficient.”

“In the hierarchy of evidentiary values, substantial evidence is the lowest standard of proof provided under the rules of court,” the CA decision added. On Fang-asan’s contention that the penalty of dismissal is too harsh considering “he is a breadwinner, a married man and has been in government service for 13 years,” the CA ruled the law “is solicitous to everyone regardless of his station in life, but to merely invoke being a breadwinner and a family man would open the floodgates to abuse, to the detriment of the public service.” Dexter A. See

2-plus kilos of shabu seized in Bukidnon By Lance Baconguis CAGAYAN DE ORO—Police in Bukidnon have arrested suspected drug traffickers in Barangay Impalutao, Impasug-on town in Bukidnon. Joint operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Region 10, Bukidnon police, Highway Patrol group, Impasug-on police and the Provincial Public Safety Sompany arrested Tha Tho, Nahar Apam, Sohud Salik, and Johari Akmad onboard a carnapped Toyota Altis with plate number UCO-308. The vehicle was stolen from Metro Manila, the police said. Taken from the suspects were two bags containing two kilos of suspected shabu, 10 plastic sachets containing a total of 225 grams of suspected shabu, a caliber .45 pistol, a mag assembly for a caliber.45 pistol with seven cartridgesx, P1,450 believed to be proceeds from drug sales; and one high-end mobile phone. The suspects will be charged for violation of Republic Acts 9165 and 10591, or the Anti-Illegal Drugs Act and the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act.

Bataan State enrolls 120 employees 2,000 Landbankers display volunteerism with SSS Employees of the Land Bank of the Philippines engage in various activities throughout the country under the government bank’s ‘VOLUNTEERific’ program.

BALANGA, Bataan—About 120 job-order and contract-of-service employees, who are mostly college instructors, of the Bataan Peninsula State University are now Social Security System members. BPSU president Dr. Greg Rodis and SSS Balanga brach head Joel Villafuerte recently signed the memorandum of agreement at the BPSU Main Campus to formalize the SSS membership of these employees. Edmundo Tungol, BPSU vice president for Admin and Finance, also signed the MoA. Villafuerte lauded the leadership of BPSU for understanding the condition of their nonregular employees and readily welcoming them. He said the SSS membership fee deduction of BPSU employees will start next year. Butch Gunio

CLOSE to 2,000 officers and employees of the Land Bank of the Philippines joined the government bank’s celebration of Volunteerism Month this December with various activities held all over the country. Earlier this year, the Bank institutionalized its employee volunteerism program dubbed “VOLUNTEERific” through which its nearly 8,000-strong employees are enjoined to volunteer in activities all-year round. This is also in compliance with the Civil Service Commission’s Memorandum Circular reiterating Republic Act 9418 or the Volunteer Act of 2007, which mandates national agencies to run their own volunteer programs.

Since the launch of VOLUNTEERific this year, Landbankers have conducted about 100 different activities all over the country from Northern Luzon to Southern Mindanao. These include feeding programs, tree-planting activities, coastal cleanup drives, relief operations, and various outreach programs. Landbankers from the La Trinidad and Baguio branches held a “Lunch for a Cause” for the construction of Natividad chapel in Ambiong, La Trinidad, Benguet. Head office-based employees distributed school supplies to children at Saclag Settlement Farm School in San Teodoro, Oriental Mindoro under the “Tulong Eskwela” Outreach Program. About 700 volunteers from the

Land Bank head office joined the annual Manila Bay cleanup along Roxas Boulevard and Estero de Abad in Adriatico, Manila, a tributary that leads to Manila Bay. Hundreds of other Landbankers partnered with non-government organizations like the Girls Home of the Manila Boys Town, Kabataang Inyong Dapat Suportahan (KIDS) Foundation, Kindness to Indigent, Deprived and Sick (KIDS2) Kids Foundation, Fostering Education and Environment for Development (FEED) Inc., Bahay Aruga (a free halfway house for pediatric cancer patients), and Couples for ChristGawad Kalinga Cagayan de Oro, among many others. Feeding programs were also conducted in various schools and

barangays nationwide, particularly in Sorsogon City, Dipolog, Iligan, and Famy, Laguna. Landbankers have several other activities scheduled in the coming months. Since 2014, Landbankers have also donated a portion of their salaries to fund the Bank’s Gawad Patnubay scholarship program for college students taking agriculture-related courses. The program has so far financed the education of 121 students from all over the country. The VOLUNTEERific program forms part of Land Bank’s Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives to further nurture the culture of volunteerism within the organization.

Board member leads ‘Dalaw Barangay’ push SAMAL, Bataan—Bataan First District Board Member Benjie Serrano Jr. recently conducted his Dalaw Barangay program in Barangay Gugo here, giving residents haircuts, dental services, meals, massages, and anti-rabies vaccines for free. Serrano, a three-term mayor of Orani town, said he started the Dalaw Barangay during his first term as mayor. Now he is a board member, he also reports to barangay folk the resolutions and ordinances the Sangguniang Panlalawigan has passed. He also conducted the program in Barangay Naparing in Dinalupihan and Barangay Almacen in Hermosa. “The program brings us closer in dealing with the common people and knowing their real problems,” Serrano said. Butch Gunio Bataan Board Member Benjie Serrano Jr. hands out bowls of rice porridge to children in Barangay Gugo, Samal town as part of his ‘Dalaw Barangay’ program. Butch Gunio

World

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2016

Russia to retaliate over US sanctions M

OSCOW―Russia on Friday eyed retaliatory measures against the US after President Barack Obama kicked out dozens of suspected intelligence agents and imposed sanctions in a furious dispute over alleged election interference.

The barrage of punishment against Moscow over cyber attacks dragged ties between Russia and the United States -- already at their worst since the Cold War -- to a fresh low less than a month ahead of President-elect Donald Trump taking charge. Making good on a promise to punish Vladimir Putin’s government for allegedly trying to tilt the 2016 election in Trump’s favor, Obama on Thursday unveiled a broad range of steps that have inﬂamed the tensions with Moscow and the president-elect. US intelligence had concluded that a hack-and-release of Democratic Party and Hillary Clinton staff emails was ordered by the Kremlin and was designed to put the Republican real estate mogul in the Oval Ofﬁce. “I have ordered a number of actions in

response to the Russian government’s aggressive harassment of US officials and cyber operations aimed at the US election,” Obama said in a statement. In response to the hacks, dubbed “Grizzly Steppe” by US officials, Obama announced sanctions against Russia’s military intelligence agency, known as GRU, and the FSB -- the KGB’s successor. Obama said 35 Russian “intelligence operatives” based at the Russian embassy in Washington and the consulate in San Francisco have been declared “persona non grata” and ordered to leave the country within 72 hours. US officials also moved to close two Russian compounds in New York and Maryland, while Obama warned of further covert actions against Moscow. The Kremlin quickly rejected the US

accusations of cyber-interference as “unfounded”, and vowed to retaliate. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov accused the Obama administration of trying to “deﬁnitively destroy US-Russia relations which have already reached a low.” Relations between Washington and Moscow are at their worst since the end of the Cold War, and Obama has previously imposed sanctions over Russia’s actions in Syria and Ukraine. Peskov said Moscow would “react in an adequate manner based on the principles of reciprocity.” He added, however, that Putin would take into account the fact that Obama only has some three weeks left in ofﬁce, insisting Moscow would try not to act like a “bull in a china shop” in the hope of normalising ties once Trump takes charge. AFP

Jordanian women challenging the norms AMMAN―Nisrin Akoubeh checks the oil and water before getting into her taxi and pulling into Amman’s heavy trafﬁc for another day of shuttling fellow women across the Jordanian capital. The red-haired mother of three works a grueling 10-hour shift in her taxi -- a rare occupation for a woman in this conservative Muslim society. “I want to break the culture of shame and prove to Arabs and the Arab world that women are strong and are able to work in any area that could be monopolized by men,” she said. “Women have been able to drive normal cars for a long time, so why shouldn’t they drive taxis?” Akoubeh is one of a group of women who want to turn taxi driving into an acceptable profession for women, challenging Jordan’s social norms. The 31-year-old widow and former nurse drives one of a ﬂeet of 10 “Pink Taxis” driven by women ... for women passengers. Most of their customers are nurses on late shifts, university students or mothers whose children they shuttle to and from nursery or school. Wearing a pink shirt and blue tie as she navigates Amman’s congested roads, Akoubeh often also picks up

visiting Saudi women whose husbands don’t allow them to ride unaccompanied with male taxi drivers. “I thank God that I have lots of customers,” she said. Ghena al-Asmar, a 19-year-old student who often uses the service, said she feels safer riding the women-only cars. “When I ﬁnish my studies at university in the evening or when I leave the house at night, I prefer to take these taxis because it’s a woman taking a woman somewhere,” she said. “I don’t think there’s any shame in a woman working as a taxi driver -- it’s a profession like any other profession, and it shouldn’t be limited to men,” she said. Around half a million women in Jordan have driving licenses, about 20 percent of the country’s total drivers, according to the national traffic department. Akoubeh said some people give her encouragement but “there is always someone to remind me that ‘this is men’s work and you should be in the home.’” Jordan is relatively liberal in terms of women’s rights compared to other countries in the region, such as Saudi Arabia which does not allow women behind the wheel at all. AFP

Avoiding food waste better

MINOR BABY BOOM. A girl and a woman cross a street in Beijing. China is undergoing a minor baby boom, with almost one million more newborns expected this year, the National Health and Family Planning Commission said, according to ofﬁcial media reports. AFP

LONDON―One of Europe’s worst offenders on food waste, Britain is beginning to get its act together thanks to a surge in volunteer initiatives that help the poor as well as creating a bit of seasonal cheer. “That’s what I come out for, to have a little chat... It’s not only the food,” said Bassia Hamech, 76, as she was served a bowl of hot soup in a kitchen in east London run by a charity called FoodCycle. The kitchen serves up weekly vegetarian lunches to up to 50 people in Hackney, many of whom have health problems or are at risk of social isolation. One of the volunteers, artist Anne Engel, said the most generous donations come from Turkish greengrocers in the area while big supermarkets are less reliable and today gave only a bag of bread. “We get them to eat all sorts of wild and wonderful things,” said Engel, who brought offerings including mangoes, mint and eggs to a kitchen overﬂowing with fruit and vegetables destined for scrap. Teas are swiftly handed out to volunteers and a menu created—soup, frittata and fruit salad—and the kitchen team pick out a few furry raspberries and other items which are too old to be used. “It’s about changing the attitudes to food. We get a lot of volunteers who are very frightened of food past its sell by date,” Engel said. 2016 has been a landmark year for international campaigners tackling food waste, with both Italy and France passing laws to make it easier for surplus stock to be donated rather than binned. AFP

IN BRIEF

Taiwan prisoners turn artisan chefs as ‘jail food’ takes off

Five dead in India mine collapse

TAOYUAN, Taiwan―If it were not for the locked doors, knives chained to the table and uniformed staff, the food factory inside Taoyuan women’s prison would resemble any commercial kitchen. Inmates wearing masks and hair nets mix cocoa powder to make chocolate, or chop cabbage to marinate for kimchi. They are part of a burgeoning food industry in Taiwan -- artisan snacks, made behind bars. The additive-free delicacies made by

NEW DELHI―At least five workers were killed and scores more feared trapped on Friday after a massive mound of earth caved in at a coal mine in eastern India. The collapse buried at least 23 miners and dozens of vehicles under the debris as hundreds of emergency workers battled overnight to rescue the men at the Lalmatia open cast mine in Jharkhand state’s Godda district. “We have retrieved five dead bodies and another 23 are said to be trapped under the debris,” Harilal Chauhan, Godda police chief, told AFP. Chauhan said the exact number of workers trapped under tons of earth was not yet known, with some unconfirmed media reports putting the number at 50. Authorities dispatched more than 200 rescue workers from the federal National Disaster Management Authority to the site to help with rescue work. The mine is operated by the government-owned Eastern Coalfields Limited, whose top official Niladri Roy told AFP that more than 250 meters of mine collapsed as the workers headed towards the exit gate around 7:30pm local time. There was no immediate explanation for the collapse. AFP

prison inmates have gained a loyal public following, and generate hundreds of millions of dollars each year. Demand is driven by quality and affordability after a string of food safety scandals has made Taiwan consumers extra vigilant. Last year sales revenue reached more than Tw$500 million ($15.62 million), with money going towards victim compensation, improvement of facilities and a wage for inmates.

Some prisoners, like 39-year-old Chen, had little culinary experience before joining the production line in Taoyuan, in the north of the island. The prison rolls out a wide range of snacks, from sweets to fermented tofu. “I’m happy to learn some useful skills,” Chen told AFP. “I didn’t know how to use a kitchen knife properly before as my mother always cooked for me and I didn’t need to go into the kitchen.

LAST-MINUTE SHOPPING. A year-end customer shops at the Tsukiji ﬁsh market in Tokyo. AFP

“I’ve learned that it looks simple to make food, but it’s actually quite complicated.” Inmates near release or parole can apply for the program and are prioritized. Long-term prisoners who are judged to have behaved well or have relevant experience can also apply. The range of jail-made food bought from prisons across Taiwan includes local favorites such as pineapple cake and peanut brittle, as well as soy sauce and free-range chicken. AFP

Attacker of maid facing life in jail

Cesar Barrioquinto, Editor

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2016

World COLD MORNING. Indian people warm themselves around a ﬁre on a cold morning along the roadside in New Delhi. AFP

KUALA LUMPUR―A Malaysian woman faces life in jail after being charged Friday with the attempted murder of her Indonesian maid who was gruesomely beaten, according to court documents. There has been a string of maid abuse incidents including the deaths of domestic workers in Malaysia in recent years. In the latest case, 19-year-old Suyanti Sutrinso was attacked with a kitchen knife and hit with a metal mop and an umbrella last Wednesday by 43-year-old Rozita Mohamad Ali, the charge sheet said. Suyanti sustained injuries to her eyes, head and right lung. Other injuries included blood clots on her brain and a broken cheekbone. “... the injuries could result in the death or severe trauma and with that you [Rozita] have committed an offense under Section 307 of the Penal Code,” the charge sheet said. If found guilty, Rozita could either face life imprisonment or a 20-year-jail term. Rozita, who was freed on bail, pleaded not guilty to the charge, her lawyer Rosal Azimin told AFP. He said his client, who was unwell, sought a “speedy trial”. The court has set February 7 to ﬁx the trial date. One of Asia’s largest importers of labor, Malaysia depends heavily on domestic workers, mainly from Indonesia, but has been criticized for its lack of action to protect their rights and regulate their working conditions. AFP

The Neanderthals were cannibals G OYET, Belgium―Deep in the caves of Goyet in Belgium researchers have found the grisly evidence that the Neanderthals did not just feast on horses or reindeer, but also on each other. Human bones from a newborn, a child and four adults or teenagers who lived around 40,000 years ago show clear

was practiced here,” says Belgian archaeologist Christian Casseyas as he looks inside a cave halfway up a valley in this site in the Ardennes forest. The bones in Goyet date from when Neanderthals were nearing the end of their time on earth before being replaced by Homo sapiens, with whom they also insigns of cutting and of fractures terbred. to extract the marrow within, Once regarded as primitive cavethey say. men driven to extinction by smart“It is irrefutable, cannibalism er modern humans, studies have

found that Neanderthals were actually sophisticated beings who took care of the bodies of the deceased and held burial rituals. But there is a growing body of proof that they also ate their dead. Cases of Neanderthal cannibalism have been found until now only in Neanderthal populations in southern Europe in Spain, at El Sidron and Zafarraya, and in France, at Moula-Guercy and Les Pradelles. The caves at Goyet have been

occupied since the Paleolithic era. The 820-foot-long galleries were dug into the limestone by the Samson, a small stream that still ﬂows a few meters below. They began to reveal their secrets in the middle of the 19th century thanks to one of the fathers of palaeontology, Edouard Dupont (1841-1911). A geologist and director of the Royal Museum of Natural History of Belgium, he searched several caves, including that of

Fragile truce holding in Syria BEIRUT―A fragile calm was holding across Syria on Friday after a truce brokered by Russia and Turkey came into effect, a potentially major breakthrough after nearly six years of conflict. There were reports of isolated violence, including clashes in central Hama province between government forces and jihadist factions, a monitor said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said there were casualties among regime forces in the clashes after midnight with jihadists near the town of Mahardeh. The fighters were believed to be from a faction that did not sign the ceasefire announced Thursday by Russian President Vladimir Putin, and confirmed by Syria’s army and mainstream opposition bodies. The Observatory reported other minor violations, including the firing of a single missile by regime forces in southern Daraa province, but said the truce was largely holding. “There have not been any large violations,” said Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman. “From midnight until 8:00 am (0600GMT) there have been no civilian deaths recorded,” he added. AFP correspondents on the ground in rebel-held territory in northwest Idlib province and Eastern Ghouta outside Damascus also reported calm after the truce began. AFP

Goyet in 1867, and collected an enormous quantity of bones and tools. Just a few years after Charles Darwin ﬁrst expounded his theory of evolution, Dupont published the results of his own research in his book “Man During the Stone Age”. But his discoveries remained in the archives of the museum (now called the Brussels Institute of Natural Sciences) for more than a century. AFP

IN BRIEF Ofﬁcial calls for independent Church

BALL. Debutantes are shown during the 62nd International Debutante Ball at The Pierre Hotel in New York City. AFP

UN urged to intervene in Rohingya crisis UNITED NATIONS―More than a dozen Nobel laureates on Thursday urged the United Nations to “end the human crisis” of Myanmar’s Rohingya minority group, whose members have been ﬂeeing to Bangladesh to escape a bloody military crackdown. In an open letter addressed to the UN Security Council, 23 Nobel laureates, politicians, philanthropists and activists said “a human tragedy amounting to ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity is unfolding in Myanmar.” They also criticized the country’s leader Aung San Suu Kyi -- herself a Nobel Peace Prize winner -- for what they called a lack of initiative to protect the Rohingyas.

“We are frustrated that she has not taken any initiative to ensure full and equal citizenship rights of the Rohingyas,” the group wrote. In recent weeks, more than 27,000 people belonging to the persecuted Muslim minority -- a group loathed by many of Myanmar’s Buddhist majority -- have ﬂed a Burmese military operation in Rakhine state launched in response to the attack of border posts by armed groups. Rohingya survivors say they suffered rape, murder and arson at the hands of soldiers -- accounts that have raised global alarm and galvanized protests around Southeast Asia. Bangladesh’s government has

been under pressure to open its border to the ﬂeeing refugees, but it has reinforced its border posts and deployed coastguard ships to prevent fresh arrivals. “The Rohingyas are among the world’s most persecuted minorities, who for decades have been subjected to a campaign of marginalization and dehumanization,” said the authors -- among them peace prize winners Desmond Tutu, Shirin Ebadi and Jose Ramos-Horta. They asked the 15-member Security Council to add the “crisis” to its agenda “as a matter of urgency, and to call upon the secretary-general to visit Myanmar in the coming weeks” -- ei-

ther current UN chief Ban Kimoon, or his successor Antonio Guterres, who will take over the post next month. “If we fail to take action, people may starve to death if they are not killed with bullets, and we may end up being the passive observers of crimes against humanity which will lead us once again to wring our hands belatedly and say ‘never again’ all over again,” the letter said. The Rohingya have languished under years of dire poverty and discrimination from a government that denies them citizenship. The UN and other rights groups have repeatedly called on Myanmar to grant them full rights. AFP

BEIJING―Catholics in China should build a more independent, socialist church, a senior Beijing official has said, as the government remains at odds with the Vatican on the issue of ordaining bishops. The country’s roughly 12 million believers are divided between those loyal to Beijing, whose clergy are chosen by the Communist Party, and members of a so-called “underground” church which swears allegiance to the Vatican. The Holy See and Beijing have not had diplomatic ties since 1951, and although relations have improved in recent years as China’s Catholic population has grown, they remain at odds over which side has the authority to appoint senior clergy. On Thursday, Chinese Catholics were told to better integrate into the country, adapt to society and benefit the people, according to the official news agency Xinhua. They should “adhere to the principles of self-administration, run religious affairs independently and guide believers to adhere to the Sinicization path of the religion”, said Yu Zhengsheng, chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference National Committee. The comments, which come as the Communist Party has increased scrutiny of foreign influence in the country’s affairs, seemed to imply that believers should distance themselves from the Pope and instead follow Beijing’s lead. Catholics need to “better adapt to society and unify patriotism with affection for the Church,” Yu added. Yu was speaking at a three-day national conference of Chinese Catholics -- the first such meeting in six years, coming as the Vatican has made increased overtures to Beijing. The Vatican had condemned previous conferences because members of the unofficial church loyal to Rome had reportedly been forced to participate. AFP

Life

By Bernadette Lunas

HE year 2016 has been an eventful one—much like any other 12-month period, of course, only this year was one of those replete with highs and lows, wins and fails, and agreements and disagreements in various facets of life in general. And tomorrow, we will welcome a new one.

But before we bid 2016 adieu, we look back at the trends in food, fashion, beauty and health that were all the rage and that were placed on the back burner in the last 366 days.

Isah V. Red, Editor Bernadette Lunas, Writer isahred@gmail.com SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2016

TRAVEL AND LEISURE

Trends that flourished and disappeared in 2016 Active wear, off-the-shoulder and choker all over

Athleisure was such a hit in 2016, so much so that sneakers, varsity jackets and jogger pants were worn almost everywhere. The streetwear style has been embraced even by luxury brands, and updated it to make the pieces more sophisti sophisticated to attract the older market. 2016 has been the year we have seen more white sneakers in boardroom and athletic jackets during casual Fridays, not only on interns and young pro professionals—although it was millennials who have driven this relaxed standard of clothing—but even on executives, too. And it looks like the active wear trend is not going to end soon Off-the-shoulder tops, overalls and choker necklaces were also “trending” this year. We’re just not sure, though, whether these “throw “throwback trends” can keep their hold for long, or at least for a few more months next year.

Hello, Pinoy food abroad and more craft beer brands; and goodbye, overpriced kale chips

Filipino food meets the world

While we are all used to our local food here at home, other countries only had the chance to fully appreciate Filipino cuisine in 2016. In fact, it was considered one of the global food trends even before 2016 kicked in. In an article on forbes.com, food and hospitality expert Mike Thelin said Filipino cuisine “celebrates massive flavors and funky combinations, but with approachability, generosity and downright love.” Thanks to chefs in the US, Anthony Bourdain and other proponents of Filipino food, the world is now enjoying the taste buds delights that are adobo, lechon, halo-halo and more. 2016 has been big for beer lovers, too, as the revolution of local microbreweries—a couple of years in the making—paved the way for more craft beer labels to come to the local mainstream market. Metro Manila, Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao all have their own craft beer offerings to the delight of “happy hour” warriors in the Philippines.

Fashion in 2016 was more about relaxed apparel and less on uncomfortable and tacky clothing

We thankfully said goodbye to sheer dresses which cover only the parts that need to be covered, hippie floral crowns that are worn other than at music festivals, and chunky shoes that were more uncomfortable than stylish in 2016.

Meanwhile, bottled fruit and vegetable juice and kale chips were big in 2015, but looks like their fire was extinguished in 2016 as people started looking for more sustainable ways to lose weight and eat healthy snack that is not a pack of overpriced flavored leaves.

Natural look is the way to go

Highlighting in, contouring out. That was the year 2016 in beauty. Enhancing facial features and attaining that perfect glow through strobing with the use of highlighters was embraced, as natural makeup took over runways, red carpets and magazine covers. Goodbye, unnatural, Kardashian contouring. Thick eyebrows, a la Cara Delevigne and Liza Soberano were also a hit this year—again, as women opted for natural look. Gradient lips were also a trend, thanks to Koreans. Red lips and nothing else was sported by many. But on the flipside, dark but “soft” eye makeup paired with dark lipstick was also worn by ladies in many parts of the globe—letting go of the old beauty rule that says one can’t wear dark makeup on both eyes and lips. The “lob” haircut remained the preferred style among females. But long locks have made a glorious comeback. A number of men and women went to the salon to have their hair colored gray.

Running and HIIT were a hit in 2016, while juicing for the sake of losing weight lost its charm

Less is more health mindset

More opted for fresh, natural look and dumped unnatural and impractical beauty trends this year

We no longer saw, or at least saw a less of, pastel colored tresses in 2016. Big lips, courtesy of fillers, were no longer an aspiration among girls. And this year also marked the end of impractical nail art: pompom nails, furry nails, bedazzled nails.

To be healthy in 2016 meant less is more. Individuals opted for whole foods with less processing over food disguised as “diet food” which in fact laden with preservatives. People welcomed good bacteria in keeping the system healthy and functional as more became interested in probiotics and other products that improve the body from within. The call to be more mindful has led to the rise of demand for meditation apps. Yoga and its new form, acroyoga—which is acrobatics and yoga combined—broke out in 2015 and is currently on the rise, perhaps the popularity will continue until the coming year. Mass participation sports such as running remained a hit this year, as many competitive and non-competitive fun runs were organized in and out of the country. High intensity interval training or HIIT, wherein a person does an intense workout

for a short period, was also big this year. Juicing for the sake of cleansing has lost its appeal in 2016 as people became wary of the high sugar and low fiber content of fruits and vegetables that went through a juicer. Detox tea was also set aside in favor of green tea.

Globe Roaming enables digital travel lifestyle THE best stories come when people least expect it. When it comes to traveling, whether it’s exploring offbeat paths or experiencing the best kept travel secrets across the world, it’s usually the surprises along the way that make the trip worth telling. What better way to share life’s great adventures than with the allnew Globe Prepaid Roam Surf promos? With its extensive range of offers, Globe Prepaid Roam Surf allows Filipino travelers to stay connected with the data roaming promo that fits them best. Prepaid customers can now choose from app-based,

bulk data or unlimited data roaming packs depending on their needs and budget. “The best way we can give back to our customers this holiday season is to let them enjoy their travel to the fullest with data roaming offers that suit their needs” says Globe Vice President for Emerging Strategic Businesses Coco Domingo. “With Globe Prepaid Roam Surf promos, more and more Filipino customers can now experience the benefits of being always connected from anywhere in the world. The fear of data roaming has now been replaced

with the freedom to go and create their own adventures with Globe.” For as low as P199/day, one can enjoy the full features of Roam Viber, including sending and receiving of chat messages, photos, stickers, voice and video messages with location sharing. Video and voice calling are also enabled, making it easier to communicate with those at home and abroad. Roam Facebook is a great choice for digital-savvy travelers for only P299/day. Post status updates, upload photos or better yet, take a Facebook Live video as the action happens.

Making it even more value-for-money is the bundled access to Facebook Messenger and all its in-app features such as exchanging of chat messages, videos, photos, stickers, maps, even voice and video calls. Roam Surf 50 and 80MB packs, on the other hand, give customers the flexibility of using data any way they want it. From googling directions and hailing a ride to taking Snapchats and Instagram Stories, customers will be able to search and share online without having to worry about going over budget. Globe Prepaid Roam Surf gets

even better with discounted rates the longer the usage. Heavy data users get more savings by subscribing to an unlimited data roaming 3 or 5-day pack. The longer the duration, the more affordable the rate per day becomes. Roam Surf 3 days is only P1499 which comes out to be around P500/ day while Roam Surf 5 days is P2,299 or about P460/day. To register to any of the Globe Prepaid Roam Surf promos, dial *143# and choose Roaming & Int’l. This offer is available in over 80 countries around the world.

Life

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2016 isahred@gmail.com

My Travel Gems...In Review T HIS has been a year peppered with travel opportunities for me. I immersed myself in the splendor of attractive destinations abroad, then basked in the glory of the MERCURY RISING equally mesmerizing attractions BY BOB ZOZOBRADO we have in our own country.

As a dyed-in-the-wool practitioner in our Tourism Industry, I am making this year-ender column a tribute to the alluring international destinations that have made my world more beautiful this year. I was happy to have discovered that quaint little community of Port Perry, in Scugog, Ontario. It reminded me so much of those sleepy towns in the US countryside that I see in movies, where the downtown area is just one street and everybody knows everybody. In Port Perry, the picturesque, Victorian-era buildings along the downtown area’s main street gave character to the place; and the beautifully designed gazebo right in the center of the lakeside Palmer Park completed the postcard-pretty picture. Many miles southwest of the town is Toronto where the imposing 554-meter high CN Tower in the center of downtown is the most sought-after photographic subject of every tourist visiting

Canada. The tower used to be the tallest free-standing structure in the world, when completed in 1976. Unfortunately, it now pales in comparison to the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. Nevertheless, the CN Tower continues to attract an average of 2 million visitors a year, more than onethird of the total number of tourists our entire country receives in a year. The grandeur of Niagara Falls, straddling the international border of the province of Ontario, Canada and the state of New York, USA, puts every visitor transfixed by the beauty of it all. It could be the sound of millions of tons of water crashing down the Niagara River, or the perpetual rainbow at the riverbank, I found myself gaping in awe over such wonder of God’s creation. I’ve been to Niagara Falls many times but, each time, I still find myself under its spell. New York City will always be a part of my travel itinerary in North Amer-

actualizacion en Espanol muy necesario (Therefore, my trip to Cabo San Lucas served as a much needed refresher course in Spanish). My visit to the beautiful island of Guam, Where America’s Day Begins, was most special. I had the rare privilege of speaking to about 500 Tourism luminaries from around the globe, and was the special guest of Mario Hardy, chief executive officer of the Pacific Asia Travel Association, the biggest travel organization in the world. The visit also evoked a lot of beautiful memories, having lived on the island for almost a year, many decades ago, as part of an airline team expanding regional operations. I count myself blessed for being a member of the Tourism Industry, enjoying every minute of being a “citizen of the world.” I know there are many more foreign destinations to enjoy... and I haven’t even talked about our own domestic attractions, which will have to be for another column. Meantime, on this eve of a brand new year, I wish everyone A PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR and more international trips in the coming days. So, as my Chamorro friends from Guam would say...Hafa Adai (pronounced, half-a-day).

ica. Not only am I lured by its iconic tourist attractions, there are always many interesting city events to watch or be part of. Although most tourists name the statue of Liberty Enlightening the World (that’s its official name, by the way) as the city’s symbol, to me, the Neo-Gothic St. Patrick’s Cathedral is what comes to mind when I think of the New York. It could be because that’s where I always start my citywide gallivanting or maybe because I know that’s where I draw energy from for my city tour. The playground of the rich and famous is how I see Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, and that’s because the hotels, restaurants and bars along the beachfront are all in the de luxe category. I spent a week in that gem-of-a-place and stayed at the Villa del Arco Beach Resort and Spa, right on El Medrano Beach, with a soothing view of the vast Pacific Ocean. Each room is a spacious suite with a kitchen, and my stay was most enjoyable, not only because of my luxurious accommodations and the resort’s 3-level spa, which I frequented, but also because I got to practice my Spanish. The last time I spoke Spanish every day was many decades ago when, still with the airline, I was assigned to handle a month-long project in Madrid. Por lo tanto, mi viaje a Cabo San Lucas sirvio como un curso de

The iconic 554-meter high CN Tower in downtown Toronto is Canada’s most recognized structure

For feedback, I’m at bobzozobrado@gmail.com

From left: St. Patrick’s Cathedral is my favorite landmark in New York, the beautiful gazebo in the quaint little community of Port Perry in Ontario, the awesome Niagara Falls thrills even the most jaded tourist, and the soothing view of the Pacific Ocean from the poolside of Villa del Arco

YOUR SATURDAY CHUCKLE Pfizer Corp. announced that Viagra will soon be available in liquid form, and will be marketed by Pepsi Cola as a power beverage suitable for use as a mixer. It will now be possible for a man to literally pour himself a stiff one. Obviously we can no longer call this a soft drink, and it gives new meaning to “cocktails,” “highballs” and just a good old-fashioned “stiff drink.” Pepsi will market the new concoction as MOUNT & DO.

Skyjet Airlines make waves to Siargao island

Skyjet’s newly acquired 80-seater British Aerospace (BAe) aircraft will now fly in Siargao

SKYJET Airlines, Manila’s boutique airline, will launch the Manila-Siargao flight in 2017 for the easiest flight to surfing capital of the Philippines. Skyjet will have direct flights to Sayak airport in Siargao island via 80-100seater British Aerospace (BAe) 146 Jet Aircraft SkyJet Airlines also flies to Coron, Boracay and Batanes. The 80-seater

British Aerospace Jets capable of Short Take-off and Landing is perfect for Philippine islands’ small airports. The boutique airline acquired an additional BAE 146-200 aircraft model from Peruvian operator. The aircraft arrived on Dec. 20, boosting flights to Batanes (daily), Coron (Busuanga), twice daily, and Boracay (Caticlan) thrice daily and Siargao.

Explore Middle-earth’s 15 years of grandeur and adventure TO CELEBRATE New Zealand’s 15 years as the real Middle-earth, Tourism New Zealand has come up with a unique way for tourists to explore the country – reimagining its experiences through the eyes of Middle-earth’s most loved characters. Middle-earth travel engages individuals through a unique quiz designed to discover which character they would be. They are then provided with a character-inspired journey throughout New Zealand with an itinerary on Tourism New Zealand’s website newzealand.com. For Wizards, it’s all about magical experiences – stargazing at the Dark Sky Reserve or discovering the underground majesty of the Waitomo Glow Worm Caves. Dwarves are a little more down to earth, and will take a journey that connects to the land and New Zealand’s amazing culture. Traveling as a Hobbit, one will have an itinerary packed with great hospitality, enjoying New Zealand’s best food and wine. For an Elf? They’re all about the luxury – spas, wine and sailing. Since the release of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring 15 years ago, direc-

tor Peter Jackson says nothing has changed, that New Zealand is and will always be the real Middle-earth. “New Zealand has such a variety of landscapes from lush green forests, to soaring mountains. The grandeur of these landscapes saw tourists flock to our shores, and made a huge impact on the tourism industry. New Zealand is the perfect Middle-earth and a real place that visitors can experience for years and years to come,” Jackson said. The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies have had huge appeal and attract thousands of visitors annually, with international tourism contributing NZ$14.5 billion to the economy last year. The International Visitor survey in June 2016 showed 16 percent of international tourists last year cited The Hobbit trilogy as the initial reason they considered a trip to New Zealand. To explore the real Middle Earth, head on over to www.newzealand.com/realmiddleearth. New Zealand reimagines its destinations and experiences for tourists through the eyes of Middle-earth’s most loved characters: wizards, dwarves, hobbits and elves

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2016

Steve McGarrett, REST OF FIVE-0 BACK IN ACTION

ET ready for more heart-pounding action as the hit police procedural action drama, Hawaii Five-0, returns for an all-new season on AXN in January.

After a near-death experience, Steve (Alex O’Loughlin) and his investigative team face a new round of criminals out to sow mayhem in the island paradise – a mysterious vigilante who murders serial killers, a vengeful father out to avenge the death of his son, an assassin that targets environmentalists, a terror group that holds high school students hostage, and even a ragtag death cult, and more. The highly successful reboot becomes even more interesting with the complications in the lives of Hawaii’s elite special task force–Steve embarks on a rescue mission to save his mother from foreign capture while dealing with the return of his ex, Catherine (Michelle Borth), which might give their relationship a second chance; Danny (Scott Caan) struggles with parental blues for his now teenage daughter, Grace (Teilor Grubbs), and deals with the unexpected visit from his sister; Chin (Daniel Dae Kim) ﬁnds himself in the middle of a custody battle he cannot win; Kono (Grace Park) is reunited with husband Adam (Ian Anthony Dale) and starts rethinking their priorities in life; Lou (Chi Mc Bride) copes with his son’s coming-of-age journey into manhood, while Jerry (Jorge Garcia) contends with more conspiracy theories. Hawaii Five-0 Season 7 premieres on Jan. 11 and airs every Wednesday at 9:45 p.m thereafter on AXN AXN is seen on Sky Cable Channel 49, Cable Link Channel 38, Cignal Digital TV Channel 121,Global Destiny Cable Channel 61, Dream Channel 20, and GSat Channel 51. AXN HD is seen on SkyCable Channel 247.

The upcoming all-new season premiere for ‘‘Hawaii Five-0 Season 7’’ will kick off from this string of events featuring lead cast members Scott Caan, Grace Park, Daniel Dae Kim, and Alex O’Loughlin

ABS-CBN, Solar team up for 65th Miss Universe FILIPINOS can watch and cheer for Bb. Pilipinas-Universe Maria Maxine Medina on ABS-CBN when she tries to win the Miss Universe crown and be the 4th Miss Universe from the country on Jan. 30. ABS-CBN inked a deal with Solar Entertainment to become an ofﬁcial network partner of the 65th annual Miss Universe pageant. The country’s leading media and entertainment company will air the highly-anticipated pageant live via satellite from the SM Mall of Asia Arena from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. with a replay on Feb. 5 on Sunday’s Best. Present during the contract signing were ABS-CBN Chief Operating Ofﬁcer of broadcast Cory Vidanes, Solar Entertainment President and CEO Wilson Tieng, ABS-CBN Head of integrated acquisitions and international sales and distribution Evelyn Raymundo,

Solar Entertainment Vice-President for networks operations, marketing and branding Tessa Alviz, and ABSCBN ﬁnance Head of broadcast and integrated news and current affairs

Catherine Lopez. “I’m very happy because it’s been weeks of hard work to get everybody together, and now ﬁnally we have ABS-CBN on board,” said Tieng.

From left: ABS-CBN’s Leng Raymundo, Cory Vidanes and Catherine Lopez, and Solar Entertainment’s Wilson Tieng (second from left)

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Saturday, December 31, 2016

ACROSS 1 Fishing place 5 Incites Rover 9 Snow — 12 Chenille item 13 Terre — 15 Inventor of the telephone 16 Nile sun god 17 Draw conclusions 18 Touch up 19 Fireplace ledge 21 Certain wave catchers (2 wds.) 23 Polio vaccine inventor 25 Not everyone 26 Elf-sized 29 Crater edges 31 Look up to 35 Foreman foe 36 Cold spells 38 Ford’s forerunner 39 Archaeological sites 41 Soul food 43 Alan or Cheryl 44 Hawke of “Alive” 46 Shrimper’s net 48 Zodiac sign 49 Couch 51 Online auction 52 AAA service

53 Glacier breakaway 55 Nimble 57 Morel or shaggy mane 61 Swell 65 Perry’s creator 66 Full-page illustration 68 Casanova type 69 Devers of track 70 Psychic — Cayce 71 Kewpie 72 Grossglockner 73 Enjoys a fine brandy 74 Whack DOWN 1 Wheels for nanny 2 Modicum 3 Black, in verse 4 Takes an apartment 5 One-time British coin 6 Fleming of spydom 7 Link site 8 Cut flowers 9 Sci-fi knight 10 Mishmash 11 Quick lunches 14 Bad move 15 Harass 20 Cornfield sight

22 Revival shout 24 Retail giant 26 Walks in the surf 27 Ruling class 28 Two cubed 30 Skyline feature 32 Elevate 33 Cowpoke event 34 Provide capital 37 Iffy attempts 40 Briefcase 42 Horse traders 45 Just around the corner 47 Orpheus’ harp

50 Flee to the J.P. 54 Dog-ears 56 Football gain 57 MHz part 58 Europe-Asia range 59 Boat mooring 60 Astrologers of old 62 Aloof 63 Storytelling dance 64 Kennel noise 67 Alehouse fixture

“We’re very happy to be part of this with Solar and the other networks to bring to our mga Kapamilya Miss Universe on Jan. 30. So, abangan po ninyo,” said Vidanes. The coming Miss Universe marks the return of the prestigious beauty pageant in the Philippines since it was held in the Manila in 1994, which was aired on ABSCBN. The Kapamilya network has been the home of Miss Universe on Philippine television since 2010, the year Philippines’ bet Venus Raj paved the way for the country’s reentry to the top ﬁve. Aside from ABS-CBN’s freeto-air TV channel, the “Miss Universe” pageant can also be seen on digital television via ABS-CBN TVplus.

Everything has its perfect time T Y P H O O N hit the country, particularly in the Bicol region the night of Christmas, bad timing for the very festive mood that the Christmas season brings. And for a place like the Bicolandia that is so used to such a calamity, that is not much of an issue. But hey, a lot of our kapwa Uragon deserve to enjoy the merriment of Christmas and New Year, right?! **** There is this saying, “good news comes in threes.” So when we asked Vhong Navarro if sooner or later would we also hear him announce his engagement proposal, he smiled and said, “Wala namang pressure but who knows?” After It’s Showtime co-hosts and good friends Anne Curtis and Billy Crawford announced their engagement to their loved ones, Vhong, Jhong Hilario and even Vice Ganda were also asked the same question. While Vice kept his mum and Jhong related his love to his newfound career in politics (as Councilor in Makati City), Vhong quipped, ‘‘Everything will have its perfect timing. I am so happy for my brother and sister Billy and Anne, but I believe dumating na yung right timing for them. Maganda yung moment sa kanila at ibigay natin yun.” The very good host-dancer-actor also reveals that if ever he’d ask Tanya Bautista, an ABS-CBN employee, for a marriage, “I will make sure, siya na talaga ang last. For now kasi, medyo madami pa akong mga bagahe na dapat ayusin. Dun (marriage) din naman kami pupunta dahil ramdam ko naman na siya na talaga. Maghahanap pa ba ako ng iba eh sa dami ng pinagdaanan naming hirap at dusa, siya lagi ang nasa tabi at karamay ko?” His previous marriage to Bianca Lapus, a former Star Magic artist was annulled in 2010. For now, Vhong is busy promoting his movie Mang Kepweng Returns, his supposed New Year treat to his fans and supporters. It will hit the theaters on Jan. 4 with Kim Domingo, Jaclyn Jose, Louise Delos Reyes, Sunshine Cruz, Juancho Triviño, James Blanco, Pen Medina, Valeen Montenegro, Jhong Hilario, Jackie Rice, Jobert Austria, Alex Calleja, Balang, Josh de Guzman, Chun Sa, Tuko, and a lot more. Mang Kepweng Returns is directed by the goodlooking friend of ours, GB San Pedro, under Cineko Productions and Viva Films. **** Hmmm, here’s a blind item welcome for 2017. Can you guess this very good singer, in fact a singing diva who belongs to a group of “biriteras”, who allegedly says “yes” to every singing engagement that comes her way, even if it means bumping off her co-artists? Wheww! According to our ka-chismacker source, this singing diva practically had a daily engagement even before the big Christmas day came. At one time, she was hopping from one place to another and at another time she was seen overdressed for another event. Said our source, “Perhaps she did not have time to change her wardrobe, so when she arrived at an open air gym where she was invited to sing, she was still wearing her posh-hotel outﬁt, while everybody was in his/her casual sporty costumes, ha ha ha!” We understand that she’s in “dire need” for more shows and money and will commit to every event despite the heavy trafﬁc in the metropolis (wonder woman effect to combat those huh!), but the more nagging item here according to the same source, “Ay yung hinaharang niya ang inquiry para sana sa mga kasamahan niya. Siya itong laging nagpiprisinta ng sarili niya. (she mediates in every transaction and presents herself even if such an inquiry wasn’t for her). Well...what do we call that? Go and guess before she belts out “ouch and hello” by Adelle ha ha ha ha! Happy New Year to us all!

Isah V. Red, Editor Nickie Wang, Writer isahred@gmail.com SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2016

Film director Erik Matti (center, seated) with cast of his MMFF entry “Seklusyon,” which had a star-studded premiere via HOOQ Hangouts

HOOQ presents

‘SEKLUSYON’

The world’s biggest DJ, David Guetta, spins his worldwide smash hits in a concert at The Big dome

premiere

SIA’S largest videoon-demand service, and co-presenter of the 42nd Metro Manila Film Festival, concludes 2016 with a special HOOQ Hangouts, a celebrity-studded premiere of Erik Matti’s Seklusyon several days before it’s regular run in theaters nationwide during the Metro Manila Film Festival.

“We started HOOQ Hangouts a few months ago to provide a forum to showcase the vast library of HOOQ, particularly our local content which spans almost ﬁve decades. That is why we are ending the year with this HOOQ Hangouts featuring an exclusive screening of Seklusyon, produced by Reality Entertainment, which incidentally is also our partner in creating OTJ: The Series,” says Jane Cruz-Walker, HOOQ Philippines Country Manager. Seklusyon stars Ronnie Alonte Neil Ryan Sese, Lou Veloso, Rhed Bustamante, Phoebe Walker, Elora Espano, Dominique Roque, John Vic De Guzman, and JR Versales. Set in the 1940s, the movie follows a young deacon (Alonte) who meets the devil in a sacred sanctuary seven days before he is ordained as a priest. Seklusyon is one of the most anticipated entries since the announcement of its inclusion in the festival and is the only horror themed ﬁlm in this year’s MMFF. The movie has also been getting positive reviews since it made its international

premiere at the recent Macau International Film Festival. HOOQ is the home of the largest collection of Filipino movies and TV series spanning almost five decades, ISAH V. RED including close to a hundred winners and finalists of the Metro Manila Film Festival, like Baler, Tanging Yaman, Mulawin the Movie, Muro-Ami and many more. HOOQ continues its collaboration with the Metro Manila Film Festival, major local studios, as well as a slew of independent film-makers in order to bring more of the MMFF entries onboard HOOQ. MMFF entries from recent years, such as Regal Entertainment’s Haunted Mansion, ABS-CBN’s Pagpag: Siyam na Buhay and Girl, Boy, Bakla, Tomboy were made available on HOOQ. HOOQ, a start-up venture between Singtel, Sony Pictures Television and Warner Bros., is an awardwinning service that empowers customers with unlimited online streaming access and an offline viewing option to top Hollywood and Filipino movies and television content, on any device including computers, smartphones tablets, smart TVs via Google Chromecast and now also on Airplay and mobile web. *** Thea Tolentino seduces Kristoffer Martin in the GMA Afternoon Prime series Hahamakain and Lahat. This doesn’t bode well with the Joyce-Kristoffer fans that are religiously following the series. In the series, Joyce and Kristoffer are married and living together but Thea is vent on destroying the relationship by way of seducing Kristoffer. The seduction scene happens while Thea’s character is swimming right at the moment Kristoffer’s Junjun is also in the pool. Rachel (Joyce) Ching isn’t clueless about Thea’s plans for her husband. What happens if Thea succeeds?

Krisstofer Martin, Thea Tolentino and Joyce Ching in a scene from the afternoon soap “Hahamakin ang Lahat”

Smart subscribers get 20% off on

‘DAVID GUETTA

-UNITY TOUR’ tickets SMART continues to bring the ultimate music experience to subscribers as it gives all prepaid, postpaid and Smart Bro users an exclusive 20 percent discount on the Manila leg of David Guetta – Unity Tour at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum on Jan. 5. To enjoy the discount, simply present your active Smart SIM at Ticketnet outlets nationwide upon buying your ticket today. Watch out as Smart is also set to give away free tickets plus updates via its social accounts on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ SmartCommunications) and Twitter (@ LiveSmart). This treat is part of Smart Music Live, which allows the mobile leader to dish out an

unrivaled music experience for all subscribers – from streaming their music on the go, enjoying exclusive content and updates on their concert, to watching them perform live and meeting them in the ﬂesh. Shaping up to be the most explosive concert party to welcome 2017, David Guetta’s Unity Tour in Manila will feature the world’s biggest DJ spinning his worldwide smash hits with massive projections, LED screens, strobes and effects for an unforgettable immersive audio and visual experience. David Guetta – Unity Tour is co-presented by Smart in partnership with Wilbros Live. The concert adds to list of hosted by Smart Music Live.

Pipo is AnakTV’s Sinebata grand winner A SHORT film which focuses on a boy’s dream of having his family picture taken despite the odds recently won the grand prize in the 8-12 fiction category (based on target audience) professional section of AnakTV’s Sinebata (children’s films) competition held at the Quezon City Experience (QCX) museum. Pipo tells the story of a boy (Maliksi Morales) who comes up with a lot of ideas, including making up rumors to convince an old photographer (Lou Veloso) to take a picture of his family at a bargain price. Providing support as members of Pipo’s family are Chanel Latorre, Ramon Palencia, and Katherine Carel. Through the boy’s story, the film highlights problems caused by poverty and environmental concerns. Richard Legaspi also pays tribute to manual film cameras and all the photographers who we often forget to thank for documenting precious moments in our lives. Legaspi is a graduate of Ricky Lee’s 14th scriptwriting workshop and a film directing fellow at the Asian Film Academy in Busan, South Korea. Majority of his works are focused on raising consciousness and creating space for dialogue on communal issues, responsible transformation of society and creative activation through contemporary art. He is a two-time Gawad CCP winner, a Palanca awardee for his screenplay Primera Bella, a UNESCO Laureate and resident artist of Italy’s Università delle Idee (UNIDEE) and Cittadellarte-Fondazione Pistoletto.

On its third year, Sinebata, a festival of video works by, for and about the Filipino youth, has “Ang Nais Ko” (What I Aspire For) as its theme. Media experts from different TV stations, QC ofﬁcials and students from various schools evaluated the entries. Winners were given trophies, gadgets and cash prizes. As one of the Sinebata 2016 winners, Pipo will also represent the Philippines in the Southeast Asian Prix Jeunesse Awards in 2017. Winners in that event will move on to the biannual Prix Jeunesse Festival in Munich, Germany. This year’s Sinebata is seen not only as a continuation of a growing tradition in AnakTV to engage the youth in media education but will also serve as a preparation for a larger, international festival and competition that will usher the Southeast Asian Prix Jeunesse. It will be an ASEAN-wide conglomeration of like-minded researchers, educators, producers and broadcasters who will push the agenda for quality children’s media for the young audiences of Southeast Asia. Sinebata is a joint undertaking of AnakTV, Prix Jeunesse International, the QC government, and Film Development Council of the Philippines. The Prix Jeunesse Foundation was established to promote quality in TV for young people worldwide – as well as enabling the youth to see, hear and express themselves and their respective cultures through mass media. https://vimeo.com/94487558