Manila Standard - 2017 February 9 - Thursday by Manila Standard

TIT FOR TAT

Reds vow to step up ‘actions’

AFP tells NDF: Give up or run like rats

By John Paolo Bencito

HE Communist Party of the Philippines on Wednesday told its cadres to intensify both armed and nonarmed actions against the government, a day after President Rodrigo Duterte declared an all-out war on them. “The Filipino people must intensify both their armed and non-armed struggles against all forms of oppression and exploitation,” the CPP said in an editorial in its ofﬁcial publication, Ang Bayan. “They must vigorously carry forward the national democratic revolution in order to lay down the conditions for a just and lasting peace.” The communists also scored Duterte’s refusal to release all political prisoners as the NDF has demanded. “[Duterte] makes the absurd claim that the release of all political prisoners is equivalent to a surrender... He disregards the basic fact that they have been charged with trumped up cases and are victims of a ﬂagrant injustice,” the editorial read. “Over the past months, Duterte has adamantly refused to release all political prisoners through a presidential amnesty proclamation, contrary to his promise,” the group said. Next page

By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Rey E. Requejo

PUSH FOR PEACE TALKS. Kadamay, an organization of urban poor Filipinos, mobilizes thousands Wednesday in front of the

National Housing Authority ofﬁce in Quezon City hours before the arrival of President Rodrigo Duterte to attend the Housing Summit, stressing it is in the best interest of poor Filipinos to continue canceled peace talks. Manny Palmero

ARMED Forces chief General Eduardo Año on Wednesday vowed to go after National Democratic Front consultants and told them to surrender or spend the rest of their lives “hiding like rats.” “I’ve reports that most of these people are now going into hiding but do they really want to spend the rest of their lives hiding like rats?” said Año when informed that communist leaders Wilma and Benito Tiamzon were already in hiding. He noted that the order President Rodrigo Duterte was very clear following the termination of peace negotiations with the communist rebels. Año issued the warning following reports thaf NDF consultants had reportedly gone in hiding after Duterte ordered them rearrested. Last year, Duterte had ordered the detained communists freed so they could take part in peace talks in Oslo. But a spate of rebel attacks on government troops prompted Duterte to call off the peace talks. Año said they would follow the President’s order to arrest the NDFP consultants who were in jail but given a temporary pass to participate in the peace talks with the government. The NDF insists that all of its 17 consultants are protected from rearrest because they are covered by the Joint Next page

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House to dig deep into mining order By Maricel V. Cruz TWO lawmakers have filed a resolution seeking a congressional probe into Environment Secretary Gina Lopez’s order to close 23 mining companies and suspend five others, saying the action was selective and taken in the absence of due process. Kalinga Rep. Allen Jesse Mangaoang and Coop-Natcco partylist Rep. Anthony Bravo, in filing House Resolution 756, sought the investigation in aid of legislation to protect the mining industry, which contributes significantly to

the national economy. “Some sources revealed that the announcement of these closure and suspension came on the heels of allegations that personal prejudices of her ofﬁce mired the mining audit process and the choices of who or what company gets to be closed and suspended,” Mangaoang and Bravo alleged. “The apparent whimsical acts of closing and suspending these mining companies, if made arbitrarily and oppressively, constitute [a] violation of substantive due process,” they said. Next page

On death penalty bill: Plum posts at stake By Maricel V. Cruz

INFORMAL SETTLERS. Fireﬁghters (above) extinguish a ﬁre eating up hundreds of houses in an informal settlers community in Manila’s water-

front district of Tondo while thousands of ﬁre victims (below) seek refuge at a basketball court at the Del Pan Gymnasium after the 10-hour blaze. Norman Cruz

Ex-Colombian president warns Du30 on drug war By John Paolo Bencito FORMER Colombian president César Gaviria, who battled drug kingpin Pablo Escobar during his campaign against drug trafﬁcking, said President Rodrigo Duterte’s war against drugs was

wrong and would likely backﬁre. But Duterte scoffed at his advice and called him an “idiot.” “Throwing more soldiers and police at the drug users is not just a waste of money but also can actually make the problem worse,” Next page

THE leaders of the House of Representatives will be stripped of their posts if they vote against the passage of the Palace-backed death penalty bill, Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said on Wednesday. He said the members of the House would have to toe the line or resign if they refused. “It is a party stand. If you do not agree with the party stand, you might as well quit,” Alvarez told reporters before the holding of a caucus of the administration’s Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan.

He said the House leadership will pass the death penalty bill at all costs and even at the expense of losing his speakership. Alvarez, the principal author of the bill, said the policy will apply to all deputy speakers and committee chairmen. “The deputy speakers who will not support the bill [will] be replaced―otherwise they will be in an awkward situation if they do not agree with the leadership,” Alvarez said. That was contrary to his earlier pronouncement that the anti-deathpenalty lawmakers belonging Next page

China downplays Trump rhetoric 30 generals, 5 envoys ok’d THE Commission on Appointments on Wednesday confirmed General Eduardo Año as the 48th chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and 29 other generals and senior officers. Following Ano’s confirmation, the CA also appointed to the rank of Major General the following: Herminigildo Francisco Aquino,

Enrique Reyes, Joselito Reyes, Jon Aying, Rhoderick Parayno, Robert Arevalo, Danilo Pamonag and Paul Atal. Those who were appointed to the rank of Brigadier General were Jose Antonio Carlos Motril, Emmanuel Joaquin Guina, Edmund Dante Janda, Bienvenido Next page

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SYDNEY―Beijing has played down the prospects of conflict with the United States over the South China Sea in the wake of aggressive rhetoric by Donald Trump’s administration, saying both sides would lose. China asserts sovereignty over almost all of the resourcerich region despite rival claims from its Southeast Asian neighbors and has rapidly built reefs into artificial islands capable of hosting military planes. In Manila, officials said

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Wednesday the Philippines is seeking US and Chinese help to guard a major sea lane as Islamic militants shift attacks to international shipping. Manila does not want the Sibutu Passage between Malaysia’s Sabah state and the southern Philippines to turn into a Somalia-style pirate haven, Coast Guard ofﬁcials said. The deep-water channel, used by 13,000 vessels each year, offers the fastest route between Australia and the manufactur-

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ing powerhouses China, Japan and South Korea, they said. In the past year Abu Sayyaf gunmen from the southern Philippines boarded ships and kidnapped dozens of crewmen for ransom in the waters between Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines, raising regional alarm. Meanwhile, the islands in the South China Sea are considered a potential ﬂash point and recent comments from White House spokesman Sean Spicer

Next page Secretary Delﬁn Lorenzana

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Argosino demanded P50-m bribe—Sombero R By Macon Ramos-Araneta

Sombero said businessman Atong Ang, Lam’s lawyer Raymond Fortun and his two interpreters were at the meeting when the sacked BI ofﬁcial made the demand. Ang is reportedly a partner of Lam in the casino junket operation at the City of Dreams in Pasay City. Argosino had repeatedly denied any involvement in the P50million bribe scandal at the BI, and insisted he was merely doing his job in building cases against

Lam and his cohorts. While conceding that he accepted P50 million from Lam given through Sombero, Argosino insisted he brought home the money to be used as evidence in the case that they were planning to file against the gambling mogul and the former police officer. Argosino and lawyer Michael Robles, also a dismissed BI deputy commissioner, filed charges of bribery and corruption of public officials against Lam and Sombero before a

Parañaque court. Under intense grilling by Senator Chiz Escudero, Argosino broke down and cried, saying they were already being made to appear as guilty of corruption and bribery. Robles also denied his involvement in the alleged bribery, and explained that he was made to believe that the P20 million given to him was for the bail of the Chinese workers arrested for working without permit in Lam’s casino at Fontana Park in Clark, Pampanga. A Senate source said that Sombero bared that he received a second call from Argosino asking for an additional amount which he did not mention. Sombero said he ignored Argosino’s demands since he said nothing happened in the case of the illegal Chinese workers despite Argosino receiving the P50 million. The source added that Sombero heeded the advice of busi-

Reds... From A1

privileges of the NDF consultants in leass than 30 days. “Immunity guarantees will remain. That is the reason why these guarantees were agreed upon by the parties. It is not the military’s say-so that should be followed. It should be the principal,” he said. He said the Communist Party agreed to the talks because of the Jasig, which ensures free movement and immunity from arrest, surveillance, interrogation, and other such actions for those involved in the peace talks. Olalia also urged the President to talk to his former teacher, Sison, “in the spirit of good faith, a long friendship and student-teacher afﬁnity.” Sison questioned Duterte’s decision to cancel peace talks even with the recent successes. “One more important question for everyone: Why terminate the peace negotiations when the third round of formal talks in Rome was successful and [we] scheduled the fourth round in Oslo for April 2-6,” Sison said in a Facebook post. Duterte had earlier said that he is no longer keen on talking with Sison and the other rebel leaders “until they come to their senses.” Agcaoili played down Duterte’s moves as the “usual threat” against the revolutionary movement. “They ordered the arrest of our consultants, called us terrorists and terminated the Jasig and, in effect, the peace negotiations. Those are very drastic moves after a very successful round of negotiations,” he said. “This is not the ﬁrst time that an all-out war has been declared against the revolutionary forces. President Cory Aquino did it in 1987 after the Mendiola massacre. [Ousted President Joseph] Estrada too after signing the VFA [Visiting Forces Agreement]. We are used to these threats,” he said. Malacañang, however, questioned the CPP’s unity, citing the

disconnect of its leaders in The Netherlands and their ground forces here in the country. Leftist members of the Cabinet questioned Duterte’s decision to end the peace talks even as they vowed to remain in government to “engage” within the Cabinet. The leftists in Cabinet lamented the end of talks that made progress. “The foremost concern of both parties in the peace negotiations is the interest of the Filipino people to address the roots of poverty and achieve a just and lasting peace. It is unfortunate that the talks have now come to a standstill,” said Social Welfare Secretary Judy Taguiwalo, Agrarian Reform Secretary Rafael Mariano, and National Anti-Poverty Commission Chairman Liza Maza in a joint statement Tuesday. Duterte should not waste the gains achieved in the negotiation table, the leftist members of the Cabinet said. “As heads of national government agencies tasked to address poverty and improve the quality of life of the Filipino, we believe that the GRP [government of the Republic of the Philippines] should move the peace negotiations with the NDFP [National Democratic Front of the Philippines] forward,” they said. “This time, by pursuing peace, and through the political will of President Duterte, the talks have been productive. The government and the NDFP have never been closer in their articulation of a shared vision of a society that addresses the root causes of war, poverty and inequality.” The three Cabinet members noted, the two sides were already discussing the Comprehensive Agreement on Social and Economic Reforms, considered the “heart and soul” of the peace talks, when Duterte scrapped the negotiations. Agcaoili said that it will be now up to leftist members of Duterte’s Cabi-

ETIRED police Supt. Wally Sombero disclosed on Wednesday that former Bureau of Immigration deputy commissioner Al Argosino demanded “ﬁve folders,” which means P50 million, allegedly as bail money for the arrested Chinese workers in the casino operated by gambling tycoon Jack Lam during their meeting on Dec. 1.

The communists also accused Duterte of offering a bilateral ceasefire “to pacify revolutionary forces” while peace talks were going on. In a letter dated Feb. 7 addressed to CPP founder Jose Maria Sison and NDF chief negotiator Fidel Agcaoili, Peace Process Secretary Jesus Dureza relayed Duterte’s instructions to formally end the peace talks with the termination of the 22-year Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (Jasig), which guaranteed free and unhindered passage to communist negotiators. The agreement, formalized in 1995 under the Ramos administration, mandates the government to send the NDF a written notice of termination of the peace talks that would take effect only 30 days after the their receipt of the notice. An NDF consultant confirmed that Sison had received the letter. Leading to the termination of the Jasig, Duterte had earlier terminated the peace negotiations with the communists over a series of attacks on government troops, in violation of the rebels’ own unilateral ceasefire. The Defense Department earlier called the communist rebels threats to national security after the President’s branded them as terrorists. But the communist editorial accused the military of being the biggest stumbling block to the release of political prisoners. The group also said the NDF negotiating panel would remain open to reopening peace talks with the Duterte administration. The NDF chief legal counsel Edre Olalia said the communists would oppose any government move against their consultants. Olalia denied that the Jasig cancellation would remove the immunity

On death... From A1

China... From A1

to the majority would not be penalized for it. But Rep. Lito Atienza slammed the House leadership’s “arm-twisting” tactic to force lawmakers to vote for the bill. “The minority has not forced anyone to take his position. As you can see, we are free to follow our own conscience. It is a sad day for the 17th Congress if Speaker Alvarez is twisting the arms of the majority,” Atienza told reporters. He warned Alvarez for forcing the members of the House to vote for the passage of the death penalty bill. “That is threatening, arm-twisting, coercion,” Atienza said. “The issue of the death penalty is a matter of principle―whether you value life or you value something else.” Atienza said he was hopeful that the lawmakers would not succumb to the pressure and “arm-twisting” tactic of the House leadership under Alvarez. The Death Penalty Law was abolished in 1986 during the term of President Corazon Aquino. It was restored by President Fidel V. Ramos in 1993 and was again suspended in 2006 by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. The House committee on justice earlier approved the measure contained in a consolidated version, including House Bill 1 authored Alvarez. Alvarez filed HB 1 that seeks to reimpose the death penalty on heinous crimes such as human trafficking, illegal recruitment, plunder, treason, parricide, infanticide, rape, qualified piracy and bribery, kidnapping and illegal detention, robbery with violence, car theft, destructive arson, terrorism and drug-related cases. Alvarez earlier stressed the need for Congress “to reinvigorate the war against criminality by reviving a proven deterrent coupled by its consistent, persistent and determined implementation, and this need is as compelling and critical as any.

and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson have raised the temperature. But Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on a visit to Australia that war would benefit no-one. “For any sober-minded politician, they clearly recognize that there cannot be conflict between China and the United States,” he said in Canberra through an interpreter late Tuesday, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported. “Both will lose and both sides cannot afford that.” Spicer last month said the US “is going to make sure we protect our interests” in the South China Sea while Tillerson said China’s access to the islands might be blocked―raising the prospect of a military confrontation. Wang said the US-China relationship had defied “all sorts of difficulties” over decades and pointed to more recent statements by US Defense Secretary James Mattis that it was important to give priority to diplomatic efforts, ABC said. On a trip to Japan last week, Mattis said Beijing “has shredded the trust” of regional countries with the military

30... From A1 Datuin, Gavin Edjawan, Samuel Gotico, Isidro Purisima, Ernesto Ravina Jr., Earl Baliao, Roy Devesa, Roseller Murillo, Custodio Parcon Jr., Simplicio Lumantas Jr., Gilbert Gapay, Jesus

Manangquil Jr. and Peter Suchiangco. Also promoted were Narciso Vingson as Vice Admiral and Rene Medina as Rear Admiral, Rommel Jason Galang and Erick Kagaon as Commodore and Amador Magdamit as Colonel, Judge Advocate General Service. Meanwhile, ﬁve ambassadors were also conﬁrmed by the CA without any

objections from its members. They are Evan Pumaren GarciaPermanent representative of the Republic of the Philippines to the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland; Celia Anna Mallari Feria- Ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to the Portuguese Republic; Eduardo Kapunan Jr.,-Ambassador extraordinary

nessman Atong Ang not to trust Argosino. Norma Ng, Lam’s interpreter, said that Sombero was not employed as Lam’s aide, and added that Lam called up Sombero on Nov. 25. Sombero reportedly promised to facilitate the meeting between Lam and Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II. Ng, who was at the meeting at the Shangri-La Hotel in Global City last Nov. 26, said she does not know what Sombero and Aguirre talked about. He said Sombero was whispering to Aguirre all the time. Ng also disclosed that a total of P60 million was given to Sombero contrary to the P50 million the former police had declared. He said the money came from casino stakeholders. Argosino said he got only P28 million of the P30 million that was left with him since Sombero pocketed the P2 million for himself. He initially gave to Robles the P20 million for safekeeping.

net whether they wanted to remain amid the fall of the peace talks with the government. “It is Duterte’s decision, as well as theirs, whether to remain or not in their respective positions,” he said. “It depends on the perception of those Cabinet officials on whether, by remaining, they can still continue to be of service to the people or not,” he added. Also on Wednesday, Iglesia Filipina Independente Bishop Felixberto Calang said he was saddened by the termination of the peace talks. “This curtain call on the talks diminishes the significant agreements signed and the high level of optimism that we saw in the third round of talks in Rome, Italy,” Calang said. “We believe it is still possible for the negotiations to continue even if armed skirmishes will serve as a thorny backdrop to the talks, as this had been the prevailing condition under the Estrada, Ramos, and Arroyo governments,” Calang added. The leftist Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) said the termination of peace talks signaled “intensifying fascist repression against the people.” “Only the fascists, imperialists and local oligarchs are rejoicing over these grim developments. Meanwhile, it will be the people who will carry the brunt and suffer the effects of increased military operations. There are already reports of attacks and harassment even against non-combatants and personalities of the legal mass movement,” the group said. Bayan said it is an established fact that no “all-out war” approach, not even during the height of the USbacked Marcos government, has ever succeeded. The root causes of the armed conflict cannot be solved by intensified military operations, Bayan said. With Sandy Araneta, Lance Baconguis and Rio N. Araja fortification of islands it controls, but balanced the message with a call for disputes to be settled through arbitration and diplomacy. After scheduled strategic dialogue talks with Wang, Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop on Wednesday said Beijing was keen for a close relationship with the Trump government. “Beijing certainly welcomes a deep engagement with the United States,” she told Sky News. “They are looking forward to an era of cooperation, they see opportunity with the new administration to deepen the connections and as he [Wang] said, the United States and China have too much to lose for there to be conflict between them. “My impression was that China is looking forward to engaging positively with the United States,” she added. Under President Barack Obama’s administration, Washington insisted it was neutral on the question of sovereignty over the South China Sea islets, reefs and shoals. But, while calling for the dispute to be resolved under international law, the US supported freedom of navigation by sending naval patrols through Chinese-claimed waters in a move supported by Canberra. AFP and plenipotentiary to the Republic of the Union of Myanmar; Bienvenido Villamor Tejano-Ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to the independent state of Papua New Guinea and Abdulmaid Kiram MuinAmbassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste. PNA

Duterte okays return of ROTC program PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has approved the return of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program for Grades 11 and 12 students in public and private schools, Malacañang said Wednesday. “The Cabinet has approved the Mandatory ROTC Program in grades 11 and 12,” Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella said. He said the Cabinet approved the return of the ROTC program after the Defense Department recommended it and Duterte consented. The ROTC was made optional in 2002 after the death of Mark Chua, a University of Santo Tomas student who was allegedly slain by course officers after he exposed their mismanagement of ROTC funds. Abella said an amendment to Republic Act 7077 or the “Citizen Armed Forces of the Philippines Reservist Act” will be forwarded to Congress and will be certified as urgent by Duterte. “ In his 2016 State of the Nation Address, the President made a policy pronouncement to strengthen the ROTC program to instill love of country and good citizenship among the youth, and to make it once again mandatory,” Abella said. An Army official earlier said the country’s reserve force went down drastically when the National Service Training Program Law was passed in 2001. John Paolo Bencito

AFP... From A1 Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (Jasig). Senator Francis Pangilinan said President Duterte was being “rash and impulsive” in cancelling peace talks after only six months. “It is crucial that the administration take a broader view of the challenges and demands of peace negotiations. We need greater patience and understanding rather than anger and the ease to resort to violence and more killings,” Pangilinan said. On Wednesday, the Justice department put 20 NDF consultants under an immigration lookout bulletin order. Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II issued a memorandum order to Immigration Chief Jaime Morente, and Prosecutor General Victor Sepulveda after a Cabinet meeting in Malacañang. Aguirre ordered both Morente and Sepulveda to coordinate with National Bureau of Investigation Director Dante Gierran for the information about the people subject of the lookout bulletin order, including known

House... From A1 Mangaoang and Bravo argued that the Department of Environment and Natural Resources should instead allow the mining firms affected by the order to correct the supposed mistakes in their operations. “Secretary Lopez decided to immediately close and suspend these mining companies instead of giving them other corrective measures or penalties,” Mangaoang and Bravo said. The two lawmakers said the immediate closure and suspension were announced without giving these mining companies the opportunity to even respond or answer for the alleged finding of irregularities and violations of various environmental laws by the DENR. Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers earlier slammed Lopez for her decision, saying many of the companies affected by her ruling were legitimate and responsible in their operations. Barbers also said Lopez could have been misled by one of her consultants, former Environment Undersecretary and chief of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau, Leo Jasareno, who headed the audit team but was later sacked by President Rodrigo Duterte. “When Secretary Lopez was appointed as DENR chief, she ordered the audit of all mining firms nation-

Ex-Colombian... From A1 Gaviria wrote in an opinion piece, “President Duterte is repeating my mistakes,” in The New York Times. “Locking up nonviolent offenders and drug users almost always backfires and instead strengthens organized crime. “That is the message I would like to send to the world and, especially, to President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines. Trust me, I learned the hard way.” Gaviria, who was president of Colombia from 1990 to 1994 and was involved in taking down international drug trafficker Escobar, said using brute force in combating illegal drugs just creates more problems. “Not only did we fail to eradicate drug production, trafficking and consumption in Colombia, but we also pushed drugs and crime into neighboring countries,” he said. He said that strategy ultimately failed in Colombia, and that the heavy-handed approach to drugs “did little to diminish the drug supply and demand in Colombia, much less in markets like Western Europe and the United States.

aliases, date and place of birth, copy of passport and latest photo. People covered by a lookout bulletin order must get Justice department clearance before leaving the country. The Ofﬁce of the Solicitor General, meanwhile, said it would ﬁle a manifestation and motion with the Supreme Court and regional trial courts where the cases of the NDF consultants are pending, for a recommitment order. Solicitor General Jose C. Calida pointed out that the Supreme Court resolution dated Aug. 2, 2016 imposed conditions for the provisional liberty of the NDF consultants, which were adopted by the concerned RTCs. He said one of the conditions is that once their participation ceases or the peace negotiations are terminated, their respective bonds shall be deemed automatically canceled. “Supreme Court decisions form part of the law of the land. Hence, the Resolution dated Aug. 2, 2016 supersedes the defunct 1995 Jasig agreement between the parties which has become moot and academic,” Calida said in a statement. With Lance Baconguis and F. Pearl A. Gajunera wide. Unfortunately, despite his dismissal, Jasareno was retained as the head of the audit team,” Barbers said. The Palace on Wednesday said mining companies affected by the order would be given a chance to respond. “The President and his Cabinet collectively decided to observe due process with regard to the mining issue,” Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella said, referring to Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting. “This means companies affected by mining closures for violations of environmental laws and regulations will be given the opportunity to respond or dispute the audit, or make the necessary remedies to ensure compliance with government standards,” he added. Abella said that the Finance Department will have further discussions with the DENR to convene the Mining Industry Coordinating Council meeting soon. Also on Wednesday, the Chamber of Mines thanked Duterte for deciding to observe due process. “We welcome the decision as this gives hope to our mining communities comprised of the many women and men who rely on the industry for their living,” the group said in a statement. “We commit to work closely with government and the Minerals Industry Coordinating Council regarding issues raised to ensure that a fair and just conclusion to the mines audit is reached.”

“Tens of thousands of people were slaughtered in our anti-drug crusade. Many of our brightest politicians, judges, police ofﬁcers and journalists were assassinated. At the same time, the vast funds earned by the drug cartels were spent to corrupt our executive, judicial and legislative branches of government.” Gaviria also said taking a tough stance against criminals may be popular for politicians, but the human costs were enormous. “I was also seduced into taking a tough stance on drugs during my time as president,” he said. “The polls suggest that Mr. Duterte’s war on drugs is equally popular. But he will ﬁnd that it is unwinnable. “They started making a positive impact only when they treated drug use as a social problem and not a military one. This is a test that many of my Colombian compatriots have failed. I hope Mr. Duterte does not fall into the same trap.” Duterte recently said he would enlist the military to combat drug gangs and kill addicts. Following the death of South Korean businessman Jee Ick Joo, Gaviria said, Duterte’s idea of using the armed forces in the war on drugs would be “disastrous.”

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Du30 tells Faeldon: Prepare for threats By John Paolo Bencito

UNANIMOUSLY CONFIRMED. Armed Forces Chief of Staff, Gen. Eduardo Año, thanks members of the powerful Commission on Appointments shortly after his interim appointment as the military chief along with 29 newly promoted generals and senior ofﬁcers in Wednesday’s plenary session at the Senate in Pasay City. Ey Acasio

IN BRIEF Aguirre orders NBI to probe Surigao shooting THE National Bureau of Investigation has been directed to investigate the circumstances behind the attack against a Surigao City Prosecutor and possible relation to the killing of a former judge. Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II ordered the NBI to probe the attack against City Prosecutor Manuel Navarro Tesioma, 47, who was shot outside his home on Monday morning, four days after a retired judge was killed in the same city. Tesioma was shot in the chest, neck and back by a motorcycle-riding gunman. According to Aguirre, they have provided ﬁnancial assistance to the family. “We helped his family ﬁnancially and will be asking other prosecutors nationwide to help likewise. We have airlifted him to Cebu City for better treatment,” he said, in a text message. “I have also ordered the NBI to conduct a parallel investigation,” Aguirre said. Tesioma is the third prosecutor attacked since October 2016. Mati City Prosecutor Rolando Acido was shot to death outside Mati City Hall of Justice on Oct. 26, 2016. Rey Requejo

DAR vows end to Hacienda farmers’ disputes THE Department of Agrarian Reform vowed Wednesday to end the disputes within the ranks of the farmers at the Hacienda Luisita Inc. in Tarlac, and install at least 42 certificates of land ownership to award holders from Barangay Lourdes in a 28-hectare farm lot in Barangay Austria not later than April 23. Undersecretary for Field Operations Marcos Risonar, Hacienda Luisita task force chairman, said the days leading to the deadline would be considered as the transition time for its implementation. According to provincial agrarian reform program officer Ileona Pangilinan, each would receive 6,600 square meters. Secretary Rafael Mariano said Tuesday’s dialogue with the Alyansa ng mga Manggagawang Bukid sa Asyenda Luisita (Ambala) was a “productive one.” He said the Hacienda Luisita farmers would now reap the fruits of their fight as he ordered DARofficials to uphold the 2012 Supreme Court ruling. Rio Araja

DoJ chief denies claim inmates’ perks restored By Rey Requejo

USTICE Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II on Wednesday debunked an allegation of Senator Leila De Lima the former restored the privileges of Bilibid inmates who testiﬁed against her during the inquiry of the House of Representatives on the proliferation of illegal drugs at the New Bilibid Prison.

“That is absolutely untrue. She must be thinking of the time when she was the Secretary of Justice,” Aguirre said in an interview. Aguirre dared De Lima to prove her charges, instead of just making statements in the media. “If she has the evidence, then present it,” Aguirre said, adding since he started his stint as DoJ chief, such “privileges” to the inmates had been cut. Meanwhile, De Lima has prodded the Court of Appeals to issue a temporary restraining

order enjoining the Department of Justice from proceeding with its preliminary investigation on charges filed against her, in connection with her alleged involvement in the illegal drug trade. De Lima filed a second petition before the CA on Tuesday, particularly asking the appellate court to issue a temporary restraining order enjoining the DoJ from resolving the complaint filed by the NBI against her, her former driver-lover Ronnie Dayan and alleged drug lord Kerwin Espinosa.

The embattled senator already filed a similar petition with the CA early last month asking the Justice department to restrain the DoJ from proceeding with the preliminary investigation on the first four complaints filed against her by the NBI, crime watchdog group Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption, former NBI deputy directors Reynaldo Esmeralda and Ruel Lasala and highprofile inmate Jaybee Sebastian in relation to her alleged involvement in illegal drug trade in New Bilibid Prison. The appellate court has since not acted on her petition following the inhibition of the justices from the case. In her new petition, De Lima reiterated her argument the DoJ had no jurisdiction over the cases, which has exclusive jurisdiction of graft cases against elected officials. De Lima again argued the DoJ probe “is a waste of time and government resources if the DoJ would still pursue the investigation on these cases,” citing media pronouncements by Aguirre the

prosecutors would submit their findings to the Office of the Ombudsman. She also branded the preliminary investigation as mere “charade” aimed at persecuting her for being vocal against the government’s war on illegal drugs. De Lima lamented there had been violation of her rights by the agency she headed for over five years under the previous administration. Lastly, petitioner questioned the impartiality and objectivity of the DoJ in resolving the charges. “The integrity of the investigation in the cases, however, appears to be seriously tainted and deeply compromised, as no less than the President and the DoJ Secretary in tandem with each other, and, at numerous times, acting separately, have prejudged the guilt of respondent Senator De Lima,” she stressed. The fifth drug trafficking complaint against De Lima involved Espinosa’s testimony in the Senate that he delivered P8 million in drug money to De Lima and Dayan.

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday ordered Bureau of Customs chief Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon to prepare for any possible threats down south with the return of the barter trade between Philippines and Malaysia this February. “Commissioner Faeldon, you have your hands full because you will have the communist front confronting us. I terminated the ceaseﬁre talks because they went overboard,” Duterte said in a speech during the 115th anniversary of the Bureau of Customs Wednesday. “Then, you have the drug front and the coming of the ISIS. They will come I am sure. They have already anointed a leader from Sulu who is now in Central Mindanao. And the war there is going on until now,” he added. He was referring to the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria which is an extremist militant group that rules by Wahhabi/Salaﬁ law. In Arabic, the group is also known as Daesh. An example of ISIS is the terrorist group that is known for kidnapping western journalists and aid workers as part of their tactics. To combat the extremist threat, Duterte said Faeldon needs to collect more revenue for the governemnt to fund its counter-terror operations. “I would need money to buy the equipment and the things that they would need to keep this country in order,” the President said. “I’d like to thank the Bureau of Customs for raising the revenue, at least a big chunk of the money comes from your toil and sweat,” he added. Duterte said extremist threats were not present in Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi provinces until after the Malaysian and Philippine governments suspended the barter trade between the two countries. “I really do not know why they cut it. And that was the time when they had a very serious problem about law and order in that place,” he said. “There’s a war going on in the Central Mindanao. So that’s the bigger problem.” Malacañang earlier announced that cross-border trade between Malaysia and the southern Philippines would resume Feb. 1, after being shut for a year due to kidnapping incidents.

Power to appoint employees disputed Environmental protection CHAIRMAN Martin Diño of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority has disputed an interpretation by a senior Presidential Management Staff ofﬁcial the appropriate appointing authority in the SBMA is the administrator, not the chairman. Diño cited the 1987 Constitution and asserted, in a seven-page letter to Assistant Secretary Erwin Enad, that the Civil Service Commission resolution on which the PMS interpretation was based “has been reversed by the Court of Appeals.” “Hence, [it] cannot be the basis of any opinion, or at the very least, should not have been cited,” Diño wrote. It was Dino’s reply to Enad’s Jan. 30 letter in which the PMS ofﬁcial claimed the “appoint-

ing authority of the SBMA employees is its Administrator and Chief Executive Officer,” citing CSC Resolution No. 110154 dated March 29, 2011. The said resolution, according to Enad, based its decision of Executive 340 s. 2004. Diño earlier asked the PMS for clarification who between the two senior SBMA officials, chairman or administrator, had the power to appoint lowerranked officers in the agency. Diño reminded Enad that “in all commissions, including the Constitutional Commission, and boards, the Chairman is the appointing authority.” As such, the SBMA Chairman “is thus vested with the sole power to appoint lower-ranked officers” of the agency.

LIVELIHOOD PROGRAM. Leyte 1st District Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez (center) discusses with

Eastern Visayas State University president Dr. Dominador Aguirre Jr. (right) her advocacy in livelihood program for women in her own district. At left is Babatngon Mayor Marife Rondina. Ver Noveno

remains a priority—Poe By Macon Araneta SENATOR Grace Poe has given assurances that environmental protection will remain a top priority in the implementation of projects in the traffic-related emergency powers. “We will definitely not sacrifice the environment and natural resources for this because if we do so, then we are just creating one problem after attempting to solve one,” said Poe. During the opening of the plenary debates on Senate Bill No. 1284 or the Traffic and Congestion Crisis Act, Poe said while the process for securing permits was streamlined and certain licenses were being waived including the grant of an environmental compliance certificate, she suggested the Department of Environment and Natural Resources be part of an advisory council that would make recommendations to the Traffic Crisis Manager. “What’s sad even in the rightof-way issues [is that we see] one government agency against another government agency, when in fact the reason why we are doing this is we are all in this together in a crisis,” he said. “So I think the least of our worries should be our own agencies throwing hurdles in front of us, rendering this Emergency Crisis Act inutile,” she said. “We will streamline this and if they need to have a representative in the board or in the advisory council then maybe that’s one area that we need to put as safe-

guard,” she added. Poe, chairperson of the Senate committee on public services, however, hopes that while environmental protection is very critical, it should not hold hostage the key projects to be implemented under the emergency powers since the duration of the special powers to be granted to the Executive will be less than three years. According to Poe, “experience tells us” that the issuance of an environmental compliance certificate usually takes six to seven months, “so we really need to expedite the process.” Under Section 16 of the emergency powers bill, provisions of the Local Government Code on the issuance of building permits and requiring prior consultation, the National Building Code requiring building permits before any work is started, Presidential Decree No. 1586 and its implementing rules and regulations, and the Labor Code requiring clearances for foreign employment are temporarily suspended to expedite the process and effectively roll out transportation projects. The grant of an ECC— a document issued by the Environmental Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources indicating the proposed project will not cause significant negative environmental impact—is mandated under PD 1586 issued in 1978 but which the emergency act could suspend for a short duration, while the traffic crisis is being addressed.

Opinion

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2017

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

Time to take a stand

“U

NFORTUNATE” was how leftist Secretaries Judy Taguiwalo, Rafael Mariano and Liza Maza described the decision of President Rodrigo Duterte to halt peace negotiations with the National Democratic Front. The three left-leaning Cabinet members said the objectives of the talks were to address the roots of poverty and achieve a just and lasting peace, and pointed out the initial gains that have been made before the talks broke down. But whatever gains there might have been are now for naught. President

Duterte has branded the communists as terrorists. With the latest round of talks in Rome ending inconclusively —the parties were deadlocked over the communists’ demand to release rebels in detention—the latter launched attacks on the government even before the declared suspension of the ceasefire. At the outset it was clear that the Duterte administration was prepared to bend over backwards just so the talks would progress. It accepted and considered the demands of the communists. Most tellingly, the President appointed Taguiwalo, Mariano and Maza to his official family—a clear invitation to be part of nation-building. A Cabinet position, after all, is not an ordinary

government post. To be a secretary is to be an alter-ego of the President. And being so demands that the alter ego act and speak and harbor ideas similar to the President’s. Any less would be an aberration. In November, there was outrage from some sectors over the burial of former President Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. Mr. Duterte allowed it—and the Supreme Court removed all obstacles to it. The three Cabinet members registered their opposition to the burial, but did not step down saying they could agree to disagree within the official family. Now that the peace talks have broken down again due to apparent bad faith, it makes little sense for Taguiwalo, Mariano and Maza to stay on. How can

they faithfully carry out their duties as part of the Duterte administration, the same administration that now sees their comrades as terrorists? How can they work within the government that their groups now despise and attack for not giving in completely to their demands? The breakdown of the talks is more than unfortunate. It is tragic. Peace is always the end in mind but the manner in achieving it is a giveaway to its eventual quality. At some point in the future, the talks must resume but either party must ensure it bears no ill will against the other. Meanwhile, the three officials must take a stand now where they refused to do so, before. Their ability to perform their Cabinet functions are now compromised by their ideology. DUTY CALLS FLORENCIO FIANZA

The President’s about-face

rorist organization and ordered the military to clean their rifles in preparation for the resumption of war with the Communists, the rebels were again suing for peace. And those like me who had been observing the actions of the CPP-NDF-NPA since the resumption of the peace talks under the Duterte administration now believe that public opinion is overwhelmingly on the side of the government. Duterte called the Communists’ bluff. And he cleared the table when the rebels folded. *** I remain hopeful, however, that the Communists and the government will return to the negotiating table sometime in the near future. And even if an agreement that will finally put a permanent end to hostilities between both war-weary sides is not signed during Duterte’s time, as long as both sides keep talking to each other, I believe that the prospects for peace remain bright.

IT TOOK the death of three soldiers with about 76 slugs in their bodies for the President to make an about-face and terminate the ongoing peace negotiations with the CPP/NDF. And in keeping with his customary decision process, this move was done so abruptly that it caught even his closest advisers by surprise. He now considers Joma Sison and the CPP/ NPA terrorists, ordered the arrest of all NDF leaders who had been granted bail so that they could participate in the peace negotiations, directed government negotiators still in Rome to come home and then told the Armed Forces to go on offensive operations against the CPP/NPA. It is now back to square one. What now? Is this decision of the President permanent or will he again change his mind as he often does? Most of the leaders in government are urging the President to continue the peace process but it seems that he has come to the realization that negotiating with the CPP/NDF is difficult—tricky business, to say the least. While government panels change every time there is a new administration, the negotiating team from the CPP/NDF have remained the same with Luis Jalandoni heading or advising the CPP/ NDF panel and Joma Sison directing everything from the background. Also, each new administration has its own agenda to pursue while the ultimate objective of the CPP/NDF is constant: To take over the reins of government. This time, however, the CPP/ NDF may have pushed the envelope too far. Of all the recent presidents, it is the current president who is prepared to give the CPP/NDF the most. To the consternation of many, he has appointed members of the NDF to his cabinet. The NDF reciprocated by calling him brother revolutionary who has supported the movement for the past 30 years. This President also released core leaders of the CPP/NDF so they can participate in the peace negotiations, something that previous administrations have refused to do. To top it all, in the recent anniversary of the CPP, the head of the govern-

Turn to A5

Calling the bluff LOWDOWN

JOJO A. ROBLES THE Communists recently learned an important lesson when dealing with the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte that poker players everywhere already know: Don’t bluff too much if you don’t have the hand because your opponent just might call it. The collapse of the peace negotiations between the Philippine government and the Communist Party of the Philippines-National Democratic Front-New People’s Army has obviously hurt the revolutionaries more than the state. This is why the radicals are now engaged in a charm offensive to woo the government back to the negotiating table—the same government the NPA suddenly hit with a withdrawal of its unilateral ceasefire, the event that sparked the talks’ collapse.

The rebel line these days states that the peace talks can still continue even if the unilateral ceasefires are no longer in effect. In fact, ceasefires like those called by the government and rebel forces in this country whenever they decide to go to the negotiating table are unheardof in other places with similar experience with insurgencies, the Communists say, and are often counter-productive because they raise expectations of peace to unreasonable levels. It sure is refreshing to hear the rebels make an appeal to reason and to express a willingness to compromise. Never mind if by their recent actions, the rebels actually brought the current unfavorable (to them, anyway) state of affairs upon themselves. The Communists’ obvious original strategy was to bluff the government into releasing the 400 or so remaining political detainees that the CPP-NDF-NPA wanted freed. The NPA’s decision to lift the ceasefire—even as the negotiating panels of both

sides had just concluded the second round of talks in Rome— probably came as a surprise even to the rebel panel itself, which was still in the thick of negotiations with the government side

The rebels must prove that theirs is still a legitimate revolutionary movement with real popular support.

on various issues that did not yet include the ceasefires declared earlier by both protagonists. The only inkling anyone had that the negotiations were im-

periled was the escalation of charges between the military and the rebels of violations of their respective ceasefires. But then, without the existence of an independent monitoring group that would act as a referee and decide on the reported violations, many dismissed the reports as the usual propaganda efforts of both sides, in a bid to sway public opinion. To his credit, Duterte didn’t immediately tell state negotiators to leave the table. Until days later, that is, when the bloody killing by rebel partisans of three off-duty soldiers in Malaybalay, Bukidnon took place. It was while visiting the wake of the slain soldiers that Duterte decided to call the Communists’ bluff. Not only did he order the end of the government’s own ceasefire, he also told the government to get out of the negotiations and ordered the re-arrest of the entire NDF advisory panel that he had freed. By the time Duterte had declared that the NPA was a ter-

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Opinion

IN ONE of his rambling and firms is the fact-finding body profanity-laden speeches, Pres- on the audit reports of Lopez ident Duterte said he would no and her anti-mining allies. This longer push through with the will be through the Mining Increation of the Truth Commis- dustry Coordinating Council, sion. This body was supposed which Dominguez heads. President Duterte should to get to the bottom of what truly happened in Mamasa- have known from the start that pano, Maguindanao where 44 Lopez, a self-proclaimed enmembers of the Special Action vironmentalist and a staunch Force of the Philippine Na- anti-mining advocate, was a tional Police were killed a little square peg in a round hole. She is obsessed about killover two years ago. I don’t know if this was the ing the mining industry in the aftermath of an alleged text Philippines. She is on record message of former presidential as saying that if she had her sister Kris Aquino, who suppos- way, there would be no mining edly pleaded with the President at all in the Philippines. Santa Banana, without minnot to send her brother to jail. I think Mr. Duterte was ing, would she have a cellclear enough when he said that phone, or iPad to use and utenhe would rely on the Office of sils with which to eat? Where the Ombudsman to resolve the would Lopez get her trinkets pending cases relating to Ma- to wear and a vehicle to go to work? Where does she think masapano. But why rely on BS Aquino- the helicopter she used to fly appointed Conchita Carpio over mines to inspect come Morales, who excluded the from? My gulay, some 1.2 million former President from those accountable for the massacre? direct jobs and induced emCan we truly expect Morales ployment have been lost. And Lopez does not care. to be fair? *** I cannot see the logic behind In an obvious attempt to the Ombudsman’s exclusion of mollify the BS Aquino even relatives of the Fallen 44, the as probNational Police able cause With the Commission was found is pushing for against his proposed Medals of Valor subordito be given to nates, for- commission now the men who mer SAF died in MamasaChief Getu- in limbo, how pano. lio Napeñas can the bereaved Together with and PNP the medal is a chief Alan families of the monthly pension P u r i s i m a . Fallen 44 ever get of P20,000 and Recall that several incenP u r i s i m a justice? tives and priviwas on preleges. ventive susThey deserve pension at to have some commendation, the time of the operation. With the proposed commis- but not Medals of Valor which sion now in limbo, how can the are given only to soldiers and bereaved families of the Fallen policemen who died in the line of duty, performing some he44 ever get justice? I wonder if we would ever roic acts. What the relatives of the find the answers to these questions: Why did BS Aquino Fallen 44 deserve is justice. break the chain of command This can only be had if peoin bypassing Interior Secre- ple responsible for feeding tary Mar Roxas and then PNP the SAF 44 to the dogs get the Chief Leonardo Espina? Puri- punishment they deserve. *** sima was suspended for alFor all intents and purposleged graft. Why didn’t BS Aquino, as es, the move of the adminCommander-in-Chief of the istration and its allies in the Armed Forces, assist the be- Senate to bring back the death leaguered SAF in the face of a penalty is dead. This is becombined force of Moro Islam- cause of the country’s interic Liberation Front, the breaka- national commitments signed way Bangsamoro Islamic Free- by the President and ratified dom Fighters and other armed by the Senate. In fact, the Senate hearing groups already butchering the on the death penalty was susSAF contingent? What was the role of the pended by Senator Dick Gordon, Blue Ribbon committee Americans in that debacle? chairman, until the Depart*** As far as I am concerned, the ment of Justice comes up with biggest mistake of President a legal justification that the Duterte from the beginning of Philippines would not violate his term was the appointment any international treaty if the of Gina Lopez, heiress to the Senate were to enact the law Lopez clan, owners of ABS- reimposing the death penalty. One such treaty is the SecCBN, as secretary of environond Optional Protocol of the ment and natural resources. If it was the idea of the Presi- International Covenant on dent to get the support of one Civil and Political Rights of the largest radio-television which committed the country networks of the country, he is not to imposed death penalty. now being proven wrong. What Since it is basic in law and that commitments Lopez is doing to the mining in- international dustry—she closed down 23 big form part of the law of the mine firms and suspended five land, violation of such interothers—creates bigger probnational commitment would lems. Lopez has become a big isolate the country. problem to him. Aside from this fact, there My gulay, the President is no empirical data to support should listen more to Finance the claim that death penalty is Secretary Carlos “Sonny” a deterrent to crime. Anybody Dominguez, his senior ad- who abides with the moral law viser. Dominguez said there will know that life is sacred, would be no less than P653 and only God can terminate it. million in foregone govern- It is barbaric, to say the least. ment revenues. In any case, I can almost Dominguez said that of predict that the reimposition of the total P441.92 million rev- the death penalty will not pass enue losses from the affected Congress. While Speaker Panmining firms, the remaining taleon Alvarez and the DuterP211.72 million would repre- tards are all for it, the House is sent taxes lost. Worse, closure divided on the issue. Since the of mines in mining commu- Senate must also enact the law nities would have adverse ef- reimposing the death penalty, fects on communities. I foresee that the death penalty The light at the end of the will not succeed. tunnel for the affected mine Wanna bet?

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

A bad signal

TO THE POINT EMIL P. JURADO

A national tragedy

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2017

OVERSIGHT DANILO SUAREZ TELECOMMUNICATIONS is a public utility whose management is granted by the government through Republic Act No. 7925 to private enterprises, via legislative franchise. A franchise carries with it the responsibility of operating and managing the public utility, to the service and satisfaction of the public. More than ever, telecommunications plays an essential role in our lives. We can’t imagine living without a cellphone, or being connected to the internet. In the past years, Twitter and Facebook have been replete

with hashtags “Globe sucks” and “Smart sucks”, among other creative expressions. Our netizens bewail missing and delayed text messages, dropped calls, static on the line, weak signal, slow connection, low internet speed, unresponsive technical support, exaggerated and erroneous billings, unexplained deduction on prepaid load, and misleading advertisements. This appears to be the pathetic standard of service the telcos have been providing. In a span of 20 years, various House Resolutions and House Bills, calling for investigations, and proposing amendments to the provisions of telecommunications laws and franchises, have been filed as a result of public grievances. I would have hoped that this would prompt the service providers to im-

prove their services. The outcry fell on deaf ears. Maybe the telcos have weak signals too. We need radical solutions to address the deplorable state of telecommunications in our country. In the absence of any urgent measures to be taken by these companies, I would urge the government to revoke these franchises for failure to responsibly operate and manage public resources. What makes this situation even more egregious is these telco companies have the guts to religiously charge its consumers, both postpaid and prepaid subscribers, despite the lack of acceptable level of service. From personal experience, I have a postpaid line that has not been able to make and receive calls for a month. Neither have they responded to our requests

for technical visits. Should I pay my monthly dues when service was not available to me for an entire month? We cannot let these telcos make exponential profit while services continue to deteriorate. Corporate greed has no place in the operation of public utilities. At the start of his administration, the President said, the Philippines is open for business. What business climate can we present, if telecommunications appears to be failing endeavor? The Minority will also examine if there are administrative weaknesses that contribute to the problem. Has the NTC been vigilant in regulating this industry? I will be filing the appropriate resolutions to determine the source of the problem, and to identify clear, and urgent solutions.

How frustration breeds fanaticism HOW do we explain the phenomenon of millions of people willingly supporting as their head of state a person clearly unfit for leadership on a national scale? This question has baffled many who cannot understand why or how people would throw their support behind someone who is a liar, misogynist, racist, sexist, or possesses other antisocial traits. Quite a few countries around the world, some of them prominent in global affairs, are presently under the spell of rough-talking charlatans who have seemingly bewitched a great number of people into voting them into power and are now sowing dismay, destabilization, and even death among their people. Yet they still have their fanatical supporters, some of whom are social media influencers or government officials whose numerous followers hang on their every word as if it were gospel, even if proven to be exaggerated, misleading, or fake news. Connected to this circumstance is the spike in sales of certain books. Lately, the Amazon sales of George Orwell’s 1984 reached the top position, while also soaring to the top of the charts are Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, Margaret Atwood’s A Handmaid’s Tale, Sinclair Lewis’s It Can’t Hap-

The... From A4

ment negotiating panel attended one program in Mindanao. It is a gesture unheard of in the annals of this conflict. Maybe the CPP/NDF thought that if they keep on pushing, the President will eventually give in. They forget that the President is also the leader of the vast majority of the people who do not agree with the ideology of the CPP/NDF no matter how imperfect the current system of government is. When the news broke out that the President has terminated the peace negotiations, Luis Jalandoni went to the air waves and in many of his interviews, accused the AFP of killing their own men in order to scuttle the peace process. It was a preposterous and unbelievable accusation that should not be given any serious thought.

Calling... From A4 But I hope that the leftist rebels, whose strength has already been much reduced in recent years due to a confluence of many internal and external factors, return to the negotiations with a better understanding of who they’re dealing with—and a new, more credible commitment to crack the whip on their own people on the ground. It only erodes the Communists’ negotiating position, after all, if it cannot prove that the cadres in the countryside no longer take

pen Here, and Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451. The resurgence in interest in these modern classics have been ascribed to the Trump Bump, as people seeking to understand the new president who presents a 180-degree contrast to the highly literate Barack Obama. What these books have in common is that they deal with fictional dystopias, dysfunctional governments, and fanatical followers. People read them looking for answers on how to face the new situations challenging their way of life and, in the case of the Philippines, their very existence (anyone can get mistaken for a drug user or pusher and summarily executed). Another quiet but enduring classic may have the answers. Eric Hoffer’s The True Believer is a non-fiction work published in 1951, after the ravages of two world wars waged by tyrants and autocrats. The book deals with the dynamics of mass movements and what drives the minds of fanatics. Mass movements, says Hoffer, begin with a desire for change by the “frustrated” who “predominate among the early adherents of all mass movements,” joining them of their own accord because they have lost confidence in existing societal structures and culture. While a charismatic leader certainly helps foster the growth of a mass movement, for that leader to be successful the seeds of discontent must already be planted in the hearts of a people. The potential converts to

mass movements, says Hoffer, are often the “new poor.” They are those “whose poverty is relatively recent…who throb with the ferment of frustration. The memory of better things is as fire in their veins.” This brings to mind the predominantly white supporters of Trump who long for a return to what Trump called “the old days,” when someone with only a high school degree could attain the American Dream while working on a manufacturing line, and who cannot accept that the world has drastically changed since then. Also likely to be full of frustration are “the inordinately selfish”. As Hoffer observes, “The fiercest fanatics are often selfish people who were forced, by innate shortcomings or external circumstances, to lose faith in their own selves.” To cope with their low selfesteem, the selfish attach themselves to the service of a cause they deem worthy. “And though it be a faith of love and humility they adopt, they can be neither loving nor humble.” This sounds terribly like some popular Filipino influencers who allow bullying on their cyberpulpits. Hoffer adds that mass movements aggressively promote the use of doctrines that elevate faith over reason and serve as “fact-proof screens between the faithful and the realities of the world.” This sounds very much like “alternative facts” and the ill-considered Philippine drug war recently criticized by former Colombian president Cesar Gaviria, who implemented a

similar action only to realize it was a mistake. There are good and bad mass movements, and the duration of a movement’s active phase depends on whether or not there is a “concrete, limited objective”— “there is a natural point of termination once the struggle with the enemy is over or the process of reorganization is nearing completion.” This sort of “useful” mass movement shakes up moribund and decaying structures to bring about renascence and renovation, as in the case of Japan after World War II. However, when there is no firm objective, Hoffer says “the active phase is without an automatic end.” Examples of such an amorphous goal would be establishing a certain religion above others, as the ISIL caliphate seeks to impose Islam or the Trump supporters’ desire for the country to “return to Christian values,’ threatening the separation of church and state. In the cases of Trump’s America and Duterte’s Philippines, have specific objectives and limits been set? Or are nebulous generalities for a brighter future for a select group of people being bandied about? If the latter, then we the people and the world might have to endure this frightening dystopic reality for longer than is good for us. And this prospect is extremely frustrating.

When asked whether it is possible that the CPP/NDF does not control all elements in the NPA, the best that he was able to do was to side-track the issue. He simply put all the blame on the government side. My own experiences in the anti-insurgency war was that there were many NPA units operating independently simply because of the difficulty of communications and control. Instead, he went back to using the old-style revolutionary jargon about land reform and the people being sympathetic to their cause. How large is the armed cadre of the NPA and how big is its mass base? Current intelligence estimates put the armed cadre at around 3,800 to 4,000 armed men with about half a million mass base. Even if one adds 20 percent, that is less than one percent of the population. This is also reflected during elections. While some of them win as party-list members

of the House of Representatives, not one among them has come close to winning a senatorial seat which is perhaps a better gauge of how the people of the Philippines view and think of their political ideology. *** With the signing of the Columbian government and FARC of their peace deal, the Philippines has now taken over as having the longest insurgency in the world. If there is any lesson that the Columbian peace deal should teach us, it is that negotiating for real peace is an arduous task. But it can be done if both sides go to the negotiating table with sincere objectives to reform the system. It will not work if one goes to the negotiating table to put one over the other. My own thinking is that after letting off steam, both sides should go back to the negotiating table and resume talking toward honest-to-goodness peace.

If both parties could not agree on a comprehensive deal in one sitting, then take it one step at a time. What could be reasonably agreed upon? Can this be realistically implemented? If the result is good, then both parties could proceed until all outstanding issues are resolved. Hopefully, both sides have learned something from the breakdown of negotiations. The government negotiating panel should control its exuberance and not appear willing to give in to every demand from the other side just to be able to sign a piece of paper. For the CPP/NDF, pushing the envelope so far is not helpful just because they consider the President brethren. I hope the next time around, there will be sincerity from both sides. Sison and Jalandoni can still fulfill their lifelong revolutionary agenda and President Duterte can still be that one leader who solved the insurgency problem of this country.

orders from the exiled old men in Europe. And I hope that the rebels let go of their insupportable belief that they are like the Moro rebels in Mindanao who have camps and territories that the military cannot enter. The members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, after all, have an ancestral and cultural claim to the camps and territories that they hold—unlike the Communists, who have never had any real presence for any length of time in the areas where they supposedly hold sway. At this point, the Communist

rebels must prove that theirs is still a legitimate revolutionary movement with real popular support. They should be able to convince the government and the people that they belong to a working organization whose low-level cadres in the field take orders from the highest levels of the politburo in Utrecht. The leaders and members of the CPP-NDF-NPA must be able to reverse the growing perception that they are mere relics of a violent and failed revolution, headed by an irrelevant leadership that still hangs on to an ide-

ologically bankrupt philosophy of class warfare. They cannot be allow themselves to be classified as a terrorist organization whose autonomous local chieftains survive by extortion and banditry in the countryside. It’s harder than ever for the Communists to gain the sympathy of the people whose best interests they are supposed to be fighting for if they keep making mistakes like the ones they made in the past week or so. Nobody wants war to continue, but the radical leftists now seem to be in dire danger of losing the struggle by default.

Dr. Ortuoste is a Californiabased writer. Follow her on Facebook: Jenny Ortuoste, Twitter: @jennyortuoste, Instagram: @jensdecember

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

IN BRIEF Fishing season opens Feb. 15 ILOILO CITY—The fishing season for sardines, mackerel and herring in the Visayan Sea will officially start February 15, according to Western Visayas Regional Director Remia A. Aparri of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources. Aparri said fishery stakeholders will gather Thursday next week in Panay, Capiz for a ceremony that will formally open the fishing season. She revealed that BFAR directors from Regions 5, 7 and 8 will be joining the activity since their coastal waters are also included in the Visayan Sea. BFAR declared a three-month closed season for sardines, mackerel and herrings starting Nov. 15 last year as these are the spawning period for the fish species. She cited that the annual increase of fisheries production as a result of the initiative is at 3.58 percent. Local chief executives of host municipal waters will also be invited so that from what they will see in the presentations during the program they would be able to “come up with plans and policies in managing their waters within the Visayan Sea.” PNA

News

4 ERC officials slammed By Maricel V. Cruz

OUSE deputy speaker and Marikina Rep. Miro Quimbo on Wednesday slammed four commissioners of the Energy Regulatory Commission for ganging up on ERC chairman Jose Vicente Salazar and questioned why they did not make the same outcry during the time of former chairman Zenaida Ducut.

“Why only now when in fact it was [former ERC chairman Zenaida] Ducut who was involved in the Napoles scam where billions of pesos were involved. The ERC as an institution is being dragged [yet] not a whimper from you four,” Quimbo said. Quimbo was addressing Commissioners Josefina Asirit, Gloria Victoria Yap-Taruc,

Geronimo Sta. Ana and Alfredo Non who attended the congressional inquiry looking into corruption allegations that supposedly led to the suicide of ERC director Francisco Villa in November 2016. “It seems to me that you are selectively choosing what matters you cry for justice. This makes me feel like there is a deep-seated resentment among

the commissioners against the current chairman, like there is a divide,” Quimbo added. The four ERC commissioners spoke of a “cloud of mistrust and fear” and at certain points accused Salazar of conflict of interest and having demanded a stop to an internal inquiry into alleged corruption in the agency. But Quimbo cited their deafening silence when Ducut was being asked by lawmakers both in the House and the Senate to either take a leave of absence or resign from the ERC after being implicated in the P10-billion pork barrel scam engineered by Janet Lim-Napoles. In a sworn testimony submitted to the National Bureau of Investigation whistleblower and witness Benhur Luy, a former

Napoles accomplice, claimed that Ducut used to regularly visit Napoles’ 25th floor office at Discovery Suites in Pasig City to get her commission for every pork barrel project she delivered to Napoles. Luy said the former ERC chief demanded a 5-percent commission as kickbacks for other lawmakers she referred to Napoles. He also said in some instances, Napoles would deposit Ducut’s commission through a fund transfer through the latter’s personal bank account. Quimbo said if the commissioners, who were already with the ERC when Ducut was chairman, were so concerned by allegations of corruption, then why did they not raise any objections to Ducut’s tenure in the ERC and her involvement in the multi-bil-

SAF 42 to get Medal of Valor

Jeeps rerouted on February 13 THE Metro Manila Development Authority has started regulating the routes of public utility jeepneys in the National Capital Region in a bid to further ease traffic in the metropolis, especially on Epifanio de los Santos Avenue. Beginning 6 a.m. of Feb. 13, more than 2,600 PUJs in Guadalupe, Makati going to Leon Guinto and Taft Avenue in Manila and areas in Taguig and Pateros will not be allowed to use Edsa and were directed to utilize secondary roads or their original routes, instead. The MMDA will enforce the new measure initially in Guadalupe, citing the area as one of the identified locations with the worst traffic situations along Edsa. The agency announced this Wednesday following a meeting with barangay and other community leaders in Guadalupe who will assist the MMDA in the clearing operations of illegally parked vehicles and other road obstructions, including sidewalk vendors to be affected by the new traffic scheme. “We will be in full force in clearing the sidewalks and vendors. We will send our team from the anti-jaywalking and anti-illegal parking units to tow illegally parked vehicles. We will do this also with the help of the Makati traffic enforcers and barangay officials,” said MMDA Traffic Engineering Office director Noemie Recio. Joel E. Zurbano

DENR, DA to dredge 4 rivers TO AVERT heavy flooding, President Rodrigo Duterte has approved recommendations to start the dredging of four heavily-silted rivers which cause floods that destroy crops and properties every year, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said Wednesday. “[The President] directed the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Department of Agriculture to work with the Department of Public Works and Highways to implement the dredging,” Piñol said in a Facebook post. “The dredging operations will be a stop-gap measure to avert flooding in the areas where the rivers pass through,” he added. Rivers that will be dredged are the Agusan River which flows from the mountains of Davao and ends up in Butuan City which recently overflowed its banks and damaged an estimated 50,000 hectares of farmlands, Rio Grande de Mindanao which flows out of Cotabato City from the plains of Central Mindanao passing through the Liguasan Marsh, Pampanga River which causes flooding in Pampanga Province every year destroying crops and Cagayan River, the country’s longest and biggest river which flows from Quirino Province and ends up in Aparri, Cagayan. The long-term solution agreed by the DENR, DA and DILG during a meeting Monday was to implement the President’s directive of a total log ban in the headwaters of the rivers and to reforest the mountains. John Paolo Bencito

lion peso scam? Section 38 of the law that created the ERC, Republic Act No. 9136, known as the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001, cites that the ERC chairman and commissioners should be persons of good moral character, aside from other qualifications. Salazar during the joint congressional inquiry denied all allegations hurled against him saying he is willing to step down from his position if found he has committed any act of corruption. Asked by Negros Oriental Rep. Arnulfo Teves Jr. pointblank if he was willing to resign if found to have taken a bribe or committed any kind of corrupt act, Salazar said, “Yes your honor, and I believe we will not find anything.”

By John Paolo Bencito

COURTESY CALL. Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez (center) welcomes New Zealand Ambassador David Strachan (2nd from right) who called on the House leader and discussed ways to strengthen relations between the Philippine and New Zealand legislatures. Also present at the courtesy call were New Zealand Embassy Deputy Head of Mission Matthew De Wit (right), Rep. Ann Hofer (left) and Rep. Linabelle Ruth Villarica (2nd from left).

Negros gov: Rehab projects aboveboard NEGROS Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo on Wednesday said he is confident the Sandiganbayan will eventually quash the graft case filed by Ombudsman against him in connection with the P480,775,000 assistance fund to rehabilitate the province that was severely damaged by Typhoon “Sendong” in December 2011 and the 6.9-magnitude earthquake in February 2012 . “In as much as the fund was intended to address the various damages caused by the two succeeding calamities, plus the fact that it was released at the start of the rainy season, the provincial government immediately conducted a bidding for the immediate implementation of the projects covered by the fund re-

leased. The projects were aboveboard and I’m confident we can win this one in court,” Degamo said. On Jan. 27, Degamo went to the Sandiganbayan to post bail after he was ordered arrested. The governor’s appeal to reduce the bail was granted by the court, from P2.23 million to P1.115 million (P100,000 each for the 11 counts of complex crime of malversation through falsification of public documents and P15,000 for one count of graft). The Ombudsman also charged for the same offenses Provincial Treasurer Danilo Mendez and Provincial Accountant Teodorico Reyes for alleged violation of Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft

and Corrupt Practices Act and the Revised Penal Code. Earlier, Degamo said the charges filed against him is “politically-motivated” that stemmed from his landslide victory in the last May 2016 elections. “Ito ay kaso na nai-file sa akin ng mga kalaban ko sa pulitika dahil tinalo ko ang lahat ng mayayaman doon sa amin. I won without money,” Degamo was quoted as saying in a report after he posted bail at the antigraft court. Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales said the respondents ignored a directive of the Department of Budget and Management that issued a “negative SARO” (special allotment re-

lease order) and therefore withdrawing the calamity fund for release to the province. Degamo said he himself had questioned the intent of the issuance of the negative SARO. “I’m confident we will be cleared by the court. Legal ang lahat ng pinagggamitan ng pondo,” he reiterated. In connection with the case, Morales also ordered Degamo dismissed from the service but the Court of Appeals junked the dismissal through a temporary restraining order that also allowed the governor to remain to his post being a reelected government official. The court also downgraded his administrative liability from grave misconduct to simple misconduct.

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday approved the conferment of the highest military honor on 42 police commandos who died during the Mamasapano clash in 2015. Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea wrote Interior Secretary Ismael Sueno of Duterte’s approval of the recommendation to confer Medals of Valor-Posthumous on the 42 Special Action Force members who were not recognized by the Aquino administration. Two of the SAF 44—Chief Inspector Gednat G. Tabdi and Police Officer 2 Romeo Cempron—recognized during the Aquino administration. The other police commandos who will receive the posthumous award are: Chief Inspector Ryan Pabalinas, Chief Inspector Max Jim Tria, Chief Inspector John Garry Erana, Chief Inspector Cyrus Anniban, Inspector Joey Gamutan, Inspector Rennie Tayrus, Senior Police Officer 3 Lover Inocencio, SPO1 Rodrigo Acob Jr., SPO1 Virgel Villanueva, SPO1 Noel Golocan, SPO1 Andres Duque Jr., SPO1 Junrel Kibete, SPO1 Victoriano Acain Jr., SPO1 Robert Allaga, SPO1 Jedz-in Asjali, SPO1 John Lloyd Sumbilla, PO3 Amman Esmula, PO3 Romeo Senin II, PO3 Chum Agabon, PO3 Glenn Bedua, PO3 Richelle Baluga, PO3 Noel Balaca Jr., PO3 Joel Dulnuan, PO3 Walner Danao, PO3 Godofredo Cabanlet, PO3 Franklin Danao, PO3 Jerry Kayob, PO3 Nobel Kiangan, PO3 Ephraim Mejia, PO3 Omar Nacionales, PO3 Rodel Ramacula, PO3 Roger Cordero, PO3 Peterson Carap, PO3 Nicky Nacino Jr., PO2 Russel Bilog, PO2 Windel Candano, PO2 Loreto Capinding II, PO2 Gringo Cayang-o, PO2 Mark Lory Clemencio, PO2 Joseph Sagonoy, PO2 Oliebeth Viernes and PO2 Angel Kodiamat.

Govt welcomes $49-m Surge city devt project By Vito Barcelo THE government welcomed the United States Agency International Development’s $49-million urban development project to help cities outside overpopulated Metro Manila, Cebu and Davao turn into dynamic and progressive cities. The project, dubbed “Strengthening Urban Resilience for Growth with Equity” (Surge) is a five-year project aimed to develop economic growth in second-tier cities and move the Philippines to a sustained and more inclusive growth trajectory on par with other high-performing emerging countries, according to USAID director Susan Brems. She said the Philippine government continues to make significant progress in implementing policy and institutional reforms

and has achieved remarkable improvements in GDP growth and competitiveness. “The Surge project will help cities to plan better, create more attractive and competitive business environments, link urban and rural centers so that more citizens benefit from rapid economic activity, and provide adequate health and other basic social services,” Brems said. Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said that unless the government acts swiftly to upgrade its land governance policies, other areas of the country will suffer the same fate as that of Metro Manila, where high land costs and the lack of provisions for road expansions inhibit the government’s response to the worsening problems related to urban congestion.

SIDEWALK CLEARING. Metro Manila Development Authority swooped down on illegally parked

vehicles in Makati City and cleared the sidewalks of obstructions to pedestrian traffic. Diana B. Noche

Sports

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2017 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Sec. Piñol, Lorenzana to hit ceremonial drive

MARATHON WINNERS. Winners in the 42k of the 7-Eleven Run 2017, shown here during the marathon’s awarding ceremonies, will represent the Philippines in an international marathon in Asia, courtesy of 7-Eleven. Shown here are (from left) Aizel Fleur Dalawampu (Asia Brewery Inc. Assistant Brand Manager); Kristine Mae Regalario (Asia Brewery Inc. Business Development Ofﬁcer); Ping-Hung Chen (7-Eleven VP for Finance and Admin); Azlan Pagay (42km 3rd Placer –Filipino Male); Rafael Poliquit (42km 1st Placer–Filipino Male); Rafael Pescos (42km 2nd Placer–Filipino Male); Maricar Camacho (42km 3rd Placer–Filipino Female); Lizane Abella (42km 2nd Placer–Filipino Female); Lany Cardona (42km 1st Placer–Overall Female & Filipino Female); Luigi Robles (Asia Brewery Inc. Business Development Manager) and Boy Ramos (Host).

Soriano, Doliguez target clean sweep in KL

AGRICULTURE Secretary Emmanuel ‘Manny’ Piñol will hit the ceremonial drive to kick off the 70th edition of the Philippine Airlines Interclub team golf championship starting Feb. 22 to 25 at Rancho Palos Verdes Golf and Country Club and Apo Golf and Country Club in Davao City. A former campaigner in the event while he was still a sportswriter and later on Mayor of M’Lang and Governor of North Cotabato, Piñol will be right at home in opening the Senior’s division hostilities which Canlubang will try to win for the second straight year. Defense chief Major Gen. Delfin Lorenzana (ret.) will hit the first shot in the Regular Men’s action that unfolds March 1 to 4 also at the two Davao courses. Canlubang will be defending its Senior’s championship, while Manila Southwoods will shoot to win the Regular Men’s title for the third straight year using a youth program that is the best in the land at this time. Apo Golf, the old, tree-lined layout that is arguably one of the toughest down south, and Rancho Palos Verdes, a well-manicured, all-weather course, will be the ven-

ues for the tournament. Canlubang coasted to the championship last year at Mimosa in Clark Field, Pampanga and, like what has been for decades now, the Sugar Barons are tipped to encounter their biggest challenge from Luisita. Spearheaded by former pro Eddie Bagtas, the Luisitans will again field a tough squad that will try and dislodge the Sugar Barons, who are likely to miss the ageless Tommy Manotoc this time. Southwoods, on the other hand, has some of the best young talents in the land, with Yuto Katsuragawa, a reedy Japanese who is the club’s reigning champion, and Ryan Monsalve leading the charge. Cebu Country Club and Orchard are the other squads expected to figure prominently in the Men’s division. The 70th edition of the PAL Interclub is being supported by Mareco Broadcasting Network, A&E Networks Asia (History), Radio Mindanao Network, Manila Standard, Fox Network Group, Rolls Royce, TV5, TFC (ABS-CBN) as well as Boeing, GE Aviation (Singapore & Philippines), Asian Air Safari, Airbus, Primax Broadcasting Network, Baron Travel, MX3 and Bombo Radyo.

TWO Filipino homegrown talents will don the Philippine colors on the undercard of ONE: THRONE OF TIGERS on Friday, 10 February at the 12,000-capacity Stadium Negara in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Burn “The Hitman” Soriano locks horns with Malaysian stalwart Saiful “The Vampire” Merican in a threeround bantamweight contest, while

former Philippine boxing champion Roy Doliguez faces strawweight ace Alex “Little Rock” Silva. Both Soriano and Doliguez are seeking to hoist the Philippine flag aloft by winning their respective matches at ONE: THRONE OF TIGERS, which is headlined by a lightweight encounter between Malaysian-Kiwi standout Ev Ting and

La Carlota bets rule Cebuana tennis tilt

Harden’s heroics lift Rockets W

VISITING netters from La Carlota City, led by double winner Alexa Miliam, dominated the recent third leg of the 2017 Cebuana Lhuillier Age Group Tennis Championship Series, now on its 11th year, winning five of the 9 age group categories contested at the Panaad Park & Stadium tennis courts in Bacolod City. Miliam and city mate Jufe Ann Cocoy met twice in the finals with the same results, with the former beating the latter, 8-4, for the girls’ 12-under title and then repeated the win in the 14under, 8-2. Other La Carlota players, who ruled their respective age groups were Kiana de Asis, champion in the girls’ 18-under after her 8-5 win over Shyren Salazar from Pontevedra; Kerwin de Asis, who was an 8-4 winner over another La Carlota bet Khenz Nber Justiniani in the boys’ 12-under; and Giovani Dimate, who easily beat local bet Jake Rodriguez, 4-1, 4-1, in the finals of the 10-under. Dumaguete’s Ibarra Ortega Jr., a native of Dumaguete City, duplicated Miliam’s feat as he also won two titles in the tournament supported by Dunlop as the official ball. Ortega beat Bacolod City’s Fernando Caesar Po, 8-2, for the boys’ 16-under crown and followed it with an 8-3 trashing of La Carlota’s Karl Baran in the finals of the 18-under. “What we are seeing is possibly another generation of young players, who will be carrying the country’s colors in the future,” said Jean Henri Lhuillier, President/CEO of Cebuana Lhuillier and current PHILTA Chairman. Lone winner for the host city was Peter Andrei Rodriguez, who carved out an 8-5 win over Justiniani in the championship match for the boys’ 14-under. Pontevedra’s Salazar, meanwhile, copped the girls’ 16-under title with an 8-3 victory over La Carlota’s Valerie Desayo.

mixed martial arts (MMA) veteran Kamal Shalorus. “It’s an honor to represent the country on a global stage like ONE Championship. I promise that I will do my best to give my beloved nation another spectacular win,” Soriano said. “It’s also a privilege to compete alongside a fighting veteran like

Roy Doliguez. For sure, he is also eager to win his fight for the Philippines. We are aiming to walk away as victors in our upcoming matches in Malaysia,” he added. Soriano is coming off a highlightreel victory over Indonesia’s Mario Sitya Wirawan this past August, scoring a lightning quick 15-second spinning backfist knockout.

ASHINGTON—James Harden scored 25 points and passed off 12 assists to spark the Houston Rockets over visiting Orlando 128-104 in one of only three NBA games played Tuesday. Harden, who ranks third in NBA scoring with 28.9 points a game and first in assists with 11.4 per contest, achieved his 43rd double double of the season as the Rockets cracked 100 points for the 41st consecutive game, third-longest run in NBA history. Houston’s Trevor Ariza scored 20 points, 14 of them in the first quarter, and Eric Gordon finished with 18 off the bench while Patrick Beverley added 17 points, six rebounds

and seven assists as six Rockets scored in double figures. Forward Serge Ibaka scored a game-high 28 points and guard Evan Fournier added 21 for the Magic while Orlando center Nikola Vucevic had 14 points and 19 rebounds. The Rockets improved to 38-17, third in the Western Conference and fourth overall in the NBA, while Orlando fell to 20-34, 13th in the Eastern Conference and five games out of the last playoff berth.

Harden

Portland’s C.J. McCollum scored the last of his game-high 32 points on a last-second jumper to give the Trail Blazers a 114113 victory at Dallas. McCollum scored Portland’s last

seven points to secure the victory. Dallas star Dirk Nowitzki sank a 3-pointer to put the Mavericks ahead 108-107 but McCollum answered with a jumper to put Portland back in front. Devin Harris answered with a basket but a three-point play by McCollum with 12 seconds remaining put the Trail Blazers ahead 112-110. Nowitzki followed with another 3-pointer to lift Dallas in front only to have McCollum swipe the victory with his lastsecond heroics. Portland’s Damian Lillard added 29 points while Harrison Barnes led Dallas with 26, Nowitzki added 25 and Wesley Matthews contributed 23.

World Slasher Cup hails champion SOLO champion Frank Berin received the most coveted World Slasher Cup trophy in an awarding ceremony held recently at the Monet Ballroom of Novotel Manila Araneta Center. Berin’s entry, Sebastian NEJ, tallied 8.5 points to rule over 306 participants at this year’s first edition of the WSC, which ran from Jan. 23 until Feb. 1 at the historic Smart Araneta Coliseum. He has been joining WSC since 1995, using the popular entry Mulawin of former Rep. Rudy Albano, with which he won his first-ever WSC title in January 1999. He won again in June 2002 with his entry Scepter Mulawin. In recent years, he has been fielding the Sebastian entry with his brother Greg from Australia. In this year’s WSC, Berin’s Sebastian NEJ entry outlasted the bird fielded by ARC March 10 in the finals witnessed by about 5,000 aficionados. The second edition of 2017 World Slasher Cup Invitational 9-Cock Derby is set from May 22 to 28 at the Big Dome. Berin expressed interest in joining again to square off with local

and foreign participants intent on returning to the fray after this year’s First Edition. At the awarding, host Pintakasi of Champions also revealed the WSC 2 format in May: 2-cock eliminations on May 22 and 23; 3-cock semifinals on May 24 and 25; with a 4-cock pre-finals on May 26 and 27, and 4-cock grand finals on May 28. The World Slasher Cup is the premier cockfighting derby in the country and has become the most prestigious in the world. A participant from Oklahoma said he flew to the country just to compete this year, and marvelled at the Big Dome for being “one of the biggest facilities (for cockfighting) in the world.” American John Seider, who also flew in just for WSC, noted, “(The World Slasher Cup is) the toughest place to be in.” A man known to many repeat participants as Stickman, also from the US, agreed. “Your participants here (in WSC) are only the best of the best. If you don’t have good roosters, don’t come to the Slasher,” he declared.

World Slasher Cup solo champion Frank Berin, owner of entry Sebastian NEJ

4 schools stay unbeaten FOUR schools marched undefeated into the quarterfinals of the 17-andUnder Competitive Division of the 21st Women’s Volleyball League over the weekend at the Xavier School gym. Escuela de Sophia had to survive a gritty Malabon National High School (1-2), 26-28, 25-17, 16-15, to claim its fourth straight win in as many days and move into the the next round of Group A in the premier division of this tournament organized by the Best Center and backed by Milo King’s Montessori joined Escuela de Sophia in the quarterfinals after an easy 25-14, 25-19 win over winless Colegio de San Lorenzo (0-3). La Salle College-Antipolo also went through the wringer before dealing Chiang Kai Shek College a 28-26, 25-17 beating to claim the top quaterfinal slot in Group B with a spotless four wins. CKSC college also moved into the next round with just this defeat in four games.

PH Bridge Association to hold annual meeting THE PTBA, by email, announced the Annual General Meeting to be held on Feb. 18, 2017. The meeting which the officers, acting in a holdover capacity, will tackle the contravention of the By-Laws of the Philippine Tournament Association which reads: Sec. 1. Annual Meetings—the annual meetings and the members shall be held on the 2nd Saturday of January of each year. Happy to announce the top winners of the Alejandro Duplicate Game at Forbes ParkAbraham Rivera paired with Shrikant Wad to top. Abraham Rivera-Shrikant Wad 79.20 Glory del Rio -Salma Nugent 75.40 Justo Manlongat-Joli Kansil 74.55 Barry Randle-Susan Kwee 72.90 -oOoCAS Hearing for Fantoni & Nunes Fulvio Fantoni and Claudio Nunes filed an appeal to CAS (Court of Arbitration for Sport) against the EBL’s Decision.

The hearing before CAS will be held on April 26 and 27, 2017. CAS hearings are not open to the public. EBL Disciplinary Commission Decision: “The Disciplinary Commission of the EBL has concluded that Fulvio Fantoni and Claudio Nunes have been guilty of infractions of the laws of bridge. Accordingly, they have been banned from playing together for life, and are separately prohibited from playing in any EBL events or activities for a period of 5 years. Additionally, the costs of the investigation and hearing have been awarded against them.” -oOoI introduce Larry Cohen from the Learning Center. His very interesting article: Showing a minor after partner’s 1NT Partner opens 1NT and you have 5 or more cards in a minor suit. What should you do? Unfortunately, some of this depends on methods. You need to know how your partnership shows a minor. Do you play 4-suit transfers? There are many possibilities, but for this article, let’s assume you use what is currently most popular 1NT-2♠= Range ask or Clubs

1NT-2NT=Transfer to Diamonds After 1NT-2♠ opener bids 2NT with a minimum or 3♣ with a minimum. If the responder just has an invite to 3NT (like a flat 9-count), the either passes 2NT, or converts 3♣ to 3NT. If responder has clubs, he can pass 3♣ to make that the contract, or bid anything but 3NT (showing clubs). You and your partner should also discuss what it means in each of these situations: You start with 2♠ or 2NT and next bid a major suit on the 3-level. For example: OPENER RESONDER One possibilityis “natural” (5+♣ and 4♥). 1NT 2♠ 3♣ 3♥ Another possibility is “shortness” with a hand such as: ♠A65 ♥3 ♦K76 ♣KQ7654 Comments to: sylvia.alejandro@yahoo

US guard Kemba Walker, Italian swingman Marco Belinelli and French forward Nicolas Batum scored 17 points each as the Charlotte Hornets snapped a seven-game losing streak with a 111-107 victory over the visiting Brooklyn Nets. The Hornets took advantage of the NBA’s worst team, delivering the Nets a 10th consecutive loss. Charlotte, which lost 12 of the past 15 games, seized a 17-point halftime lead and never trailed from there, but shut down a Brooklyn rally that got he Nets within two points in the final minute before four Belinelli free throws in the last 15 seconds sealed the victory. AFP

Stellar cast vies in CdO net tourney THE top age groupers in Visayas and Mindanao take center stage beginning today as they slug it out for top honors in the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala Butuan Cagayan de Oro regional tennis tournament at the Nazareth Tennis Club. Close to 250 entries mix it up in nine age categories, each raring to trade shots for supremacy and ranking points in the Group 2 tournament, sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop and presented by Slazenger. Sultan Kudarat’s Vince Tugade, Ramon Bentillo and Minette Bentillo, along with Gen. Santos City’s Klyde Lagarde, Mlang, Cotabato’s Tennielle and Jazzele Madis, Reyman Saldivar Jr. of Kabacan and Davaoeños John David Velez, Patricia Velez and Danna Abad head the crack list of seeded entries in the event serving as the fourth leg of the 58-stage circuit put up by the country’s leading pawnshop and remittance center to boost the sport and help produce future national players. “It will be another showcase of topnotch tennis from among our leading agegroupers in the Vis-Min regions,” said Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro. “But we also expect some surprises given the depth of the competing field.” The Sonsona siblings – Steven, Renest and Christopher, and Brent Cortez banner Tubod, Lanao’s bid while Oroquieta’s Nash Agustines, Sidney Enriquez and Heinz Carbonilla of Zamboanga are also tipped to contend for the crown in their respective divisions. Out to defend their turf after local bets Jonnelle Llavore, Gennifer Pagente, Aubrey Calma and Casey Padilla while Ormoc’s Allain Ocat, Khenz Justiniani of La Carlota, and San Carlos, Negros’ Bliss Bayking will lead the Visayans’ charge in the five-day tournament backed by new sponsor Asiatraders Corp. and sanctioned by Philta.

LOTTO RESULTS

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

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

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2017

Sports

Morales grabs 2nd Ronda lap win

Ilocos Sur’s Jemico Brioso (right) ﬁnished second behind Stage 3 winner Navy’s Jan Paul Morales (not in photo), while RC Cola-NCR’s Leonel Dimaano (center) and Kinetix Lab-Army’s Cris Joven wound up third and fourth in the LBC Ronda Pilipinas 2017 at the Harbour Square in Subic Bay.

Walkout mars tennis polls; Andrada stays as president F By Peter Atencio

ORMER Philippine Sports Commission board member Salvador Andrada will remain as president of the Philippine Tennis Association for the next two years.

The 82-year-old Andrada, who said there was misunderstanding when he announced his plans to quit his post last year, will remain on his post until the first month of 2019. Eleven of 12 board members showed up for the scheduled board meeting of the PHILTA office yesterday at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Vito

Cruz, Manila, but four of them walked out, including businessman sportsman Jean Henri Lhuillier, who was seeking the post of president. He was joined by Lito Villanueva, his son Randy, and Virgilio Maronilla. Lhuillier was informed that the presidency was not open for voting. He was later offered the post

of vice president instead, which he turned down. “My group is keeping our options open and we’ll take it day-byday. But for sure, I will continue to support tennis in the Philippines as it is my passion,” said Lhuillier. “Bottomline is, we’re not participating today because we didn’t believe the process was done right.” Romeo Magat eventually took the position of vice president in place of Randy Villanueva. He also assumed the post of treasurer and secretary general. Magat was named treasurer in the absence of Edna Olivarez-Nguyen. Board members convinced Andrada not to quit with respect to

the association’s charter. “Sinabi ng board ituloy ko muna. They didn’t want me to go, they wanted me to continue” said Andrada following the meeting, which was observed by lawyer Charlie Ho on behalf of the Philippine Olympic Committee. Andrada explained that he had plans to quit for health reasons and he informed the board last Dec. 14. Since he said he had already recovered, Andrada reasoned he did not push through with the planned resignation. But according to Lhuillier, Andrada had agreed to step down during a meeting with the International Tennis Federation,

Floor defense works wonders for Arellano U

Alido pads golf lead; Harmie in control CANLUBANG—La SalleZobel’s Ira Alido came charging back at the front to shoot a 71 and pad his lead to three over Jolo Magcalayo and Rupert Zaragosa while Harmie Constantino wrested control in women’s play with a 69 halfway through the W Express RVF Cup Amateur Golf Championship at Cangolf’s North course here yesterday. Alido birdied three of the last five holes to turn a two-over card into another under-par effort as the 16-year-old Manila Southwoods mainstay followed up his opening 70 with a 34-37 to firm up his lead at 141 heading to the last 36 holes of the championship held as part of the PLDT Group National Amateur Golf Tour and backed by the MVP Sports Foundation, Cignal and Metro Pacific Investments. Magcalayo and Zaragosa stood at 144 after a pair of 73s with the former settling for a one doublebogey-birdie card and the latter fumbling with three bogeys against two birdies while Carl Corpus rallied with a 71 to move to joint fifth at 145 with Weiwei Gao, who groped with a 74. Korean Joo Hyung Kim shot the day’s best bogey-free four-under 68 to bounce back into contention with a 146 while Yuto Katsuragawa, another Southwoods bet who with Corpus ruled the National Doubles late last year, also rebounded from an opening 77 with a 70 but still lay six shots behind Alido at 147 in a tie with Paolo Wong (76). Alido, who struggled with three bogeys against two birdies at the back, appeared headed for an early foldup with back-to-back bogeys from No. 3 that negated his birdie on No. 2. But the 2016 Philippine Junior amateur champion came through with clutch shots and putts, birdying Nos. 5, 6 and 8 to stay on track of the crown.

the Philta board and the POC last October. “I signified my intention to run for the Philta presidency with the vision of making Philta a worldclass association that will be more inclusive and will produce worldclass players,” said Lhuillier. “I have no vested interest in this; I just want to see Philippine tennis grow. I really believe there’s a lot more that can be done for tennis. In fact I had a great presentation already for today’s meeting but we’re not given the opportunity to cascade it to everybody,” added the team manager of the Davis Cup team and sponsor of tennis tournaments.

SUBIC BAY—Defending champion Jan Paul Morales of NavyStandard Insurance took his second lap victory as he topped the 137-km Stage 3 in the LBC Ronda Pilipinas 2017 that started in Angeles City, Pampanga and ended in front of the Harbour Square here. Morales, 31, showed an impressive mix of sprint and climbing skills as he dominated the stage in three hours, 25 minutes and 46 seconds, less than three minutes of a three-man chase pack of Ilocos Sur’s Jemico Brioso, RC Cola NCR’s Leonel Dimaano and Kinetix Lab-Army’s Cris Joven. Brioso, Dimaano and Joven wound up second to fourth spots, respectively, with identical times of 3:28:32. The recent performance catapulted Morales, who is seeking to become the first back-to-back champion of this annual event considered the biggest cycling race in the country, from 16th the day before to third overall with an aggregate time of 8:33:44. Rudy Roque, wearer of the LBC red jersey symbolic of the overall lead, and No. 2 Ronald Lomotos also of Navy, got stuck inside the peloton that checked in at seventh to 40th places with identical times of 3:29:07. Roque kept the lead with a total clocking of 8:32:10, but his once mighty five-minute lead was chopped to just a little over one and half minute by Morales. Lomotos retained his grip at No. 2 and was 20 seconds off the pace with a time of 8:32:30. It was Morales’ second straight stage triumph after he reigned supreme in the Stage 3 criterium in Vigan, Ilocos Sur Sunday. Morales said he was just determined to get the stage victory to close in on the leaders. “I’m just focused on winning this stage and made my move when I got the opportunity,” said Morales, a native of Calumpang, Marikina City, in Filipino. Morales made the move approaching the mountains of Morong, Bataan where the idle Nuclear Power Plant is located, kept his pace by his lonesome despite the strong winds and never looked back from there. He later said it helped him that he trained on this very same route for a couple of months late last year. “I trained here last November, I’m familiar with the route,” said Morales. Interestingly, Morales also topped the KOM (King of the Mountain) lap in Morong to gain some extra time bonuses.

Nikka Dalisay of San Sebastian College smashes one against Arellano University’s Au Rialen Sante in an NCAA championship game won by the Lady Chiefs, 25-18, 25-20, 25-16. Roman Prospero

Ateneo faces NU, eyes 3 full points in football with former titlist Far ATENEO shoots for anMatches today: Eastern University on top other three full points (Moro Lorenzo Field) against National Univer- 2 p.m. – Ateneo vs NU (Men) of the league table last 4 p.m. – UE vs UP (Men) Sunday. sity today in the UAAP Despite losing set piece Season 79 men’s football tournament at the Moro Lorenzo Field. specialist Mikko Mabanag to graduation, Last season’s best striker Jarvey the Eagles, runners-up to the Fighting MaGayoso will be at the forefront of the roons last year, looked solid as ever. NU, on the other hand, is trying to Blue Eagles’ attack in the 2 p.m. match move on without Paolo Salenga, who with the Bulldogs. Defending champion University of the have already completed his playing eliPhilippines, coming off a scoreless draw gibility, as the Bustillos-based squad is with De La Salle in the season opener, eyeing a breakthrough Final Four stint. The Bulldogs savaged a 2-2 draw plays University of the East at 4 p.m. Both matches will be aired live on against the Red Warriors in last Saturday’s opener, thanks to late S+A Channel 23. Ateneo, with Gayoso netting a goals by Patrick Valenzuela and brace, downed Adamson, 4-0, to level Lawrence Colina.

ARELLANO University’s floor defense worked wonders for them as the Lady Chiefs came away with a 25-18, 25-20, 25-16 triumph over the San Sebastian Lady Stags last Tuesday. This evened up their women’s finals series in the 92nd NCAA volleyball tournament at the Arena in San Juan City. Their blocks kept the Lady Stags at bay all through their three-set encounter, but the loss denied them of maximizing the thrice-to-beat edge that they enjoyed for sweeping the elimination round. With Lady Chiefs’ triumph, the finals’ series has now become a first-to-win-two series. The Lady Stags were forced into errors at the net by the Lady Chiefs, who stepped up with their blocking defense as Arellano University made a huge effort to stop SSC’s dreaded spiker Grethcel Soltones. “Lumabas iyung laro ng mga bata. Lumabas kung ano iyung napag-praktisan. Nag-concentrate sila blocking,” said Lady Chiefs’ coach Obet Javier. Their defense up front allowed the Lady Chiefs to move away, 8-3, early in the third set. Regine Arocha delivered 14 points for the Lady Chiefs, while Andrea Marzan and Mary Anne Esguerra had 10 hits. They took a 12-5 edge in the third off Esguerra’s ace and block. Marzan’s kill and block later allowed Arellano University to take a 9-point edge, 17-8. Games 2 and 3 are set on Friday and Tuesday while a Game 4, if necessary, is on Feb. 16. Peter Atencio

Athletics’ body is NSA of the Year THE Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association won’t be missing the honor roll list of the Philippine Sportswriters Association Annual Awards Night presented by San Miguel and MILO at the LE PAVILLON next week. For adopting a sound program that netted three Filipino tracksters making it to the 2016 Rio De Janeiro Olympics, Patafa was chosen by the country’s oldest media organization as its National Sports Association of the Year during its Feb. 13 event co-presented by CIGNAL/HYPHER HD. Eric Shaun Cray, Marestella Torres-Sunang, and Mary Joy Tabal all met the qualifying

standards needed to earn berths to the Rio Games and ensured the most number of tracksters the country had in the quadrennial meet in recent years, Patafa had been previously named NSA of the Year by the PSA twice, the last of which was in 2009 when the federation delivered seven gold medals during the Southeast Asian Games in Laos. Previous winners of the award include the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, Philippine Taekwondo Association, Wushu Federation of the Philippines, Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines, Philippine Aquatics Sports Association and the Philippine Dragonboat Association,

among others. It will be a double celebration for Patafa as its president Philip Ella Juico will be bestowed the Executive of the Year award in the same gala night with Smart, Philippine Sports Commission, Phoenix Petroleum, Gold Toe, Foton, ICTSI, Globalport, Mighty Sports, and Rain or Shine as major sponsors. A total of 92 personalities and entities make up this year’s list of awardees for the two-hour program backed by the Philippine Basketball Association, SM Prime Holdings Inc., ACCEL, MVP Sports Foundation, PCSO, NLEX, Meralco, and Federal Land.

BSP auction oversubscribed again B3

Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@thestandard.com.ph extrastory2000@gmail.com THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2017

Meralco expects big rate hike By Alena Mae S. Flores

OWER consumers can expect a “signiﬁcant increase” in generation charges this month from an all-time low in January, because of the maintenance shutdown of several plants and higher fuel costs, Manila Electric Co. said Wednesday. “Coming from a record low in January, we expect a signiﬁcant increase in the generation charge due to normalization of capacity fees for Pagbilao and Ilijan [power plants], lower dispatch of plants that went on maintenance [Calaca, Masinloc and

First Gas-Sta. Rita] and higher fuel costs,” Meralco senior vice president and head of utility economics Lawrence Fernandez said. Fernandez did not give speciﬁc details on the impending increase. Meralco will release

the ﬁnal ﬁgures Friday. “We also anticipate higher transmission charges, with the recent approval of the higher MAR [maximum allowable revenue] for NGCP [National Grid Corp. of the Philippines],” he said. Meralco spokesman Joe Zaldarriaga said the generation charge was expected to normalize from January when it hit an all-time low. “If you will recall, generation costs were comparable to October 2004 rates while overall costs were approximate to that of October 2009. There was also a reduction then in the capacity

fees of Pagbilao and Ilijan as a result of the annual reconciliation of outage allowances. This signiﬁcant reduction will no longer be present in the February generation charge,” Zaldarriaga said. He said fuel prices, dispatch levels and foreign exchange would also have an impact on generation charges. Meralco announced in January that rates for households declined by P0.2703 per kilowatt-hour, bringing it down to P8.09 per kilowatt-hour, the lowest since October 2009. Meralco attributed the lower rates last month to the decline

in generation charge by P0.2351 per kWh to P3.9351 per kWh in December. “The decrease resulted from the P0.59 per kWh decrease in the cost of power supplied by PSA [power supply agreement] plants, mainly due to lower capacity charges of Pagbilao and Ilijan. This reduction in capacity fees is due to the annual reconciliation of outage allowances that is done at the end of each year under the contracts approved by the Energy Regulatory Commission. The capacity fees from these suppliers will normalize in the following month,” Meralco said earlier.

PSE COMPOSITE INDEX Closing February 8, 2017

8000 7600 7200 6800 6400 6000

PESO-DOLLAR RATE

Closing FEBRUARY 8, 2017 45.00 46.25 47.50 48.75 50.00

HIGH P49.750 LOW P49.870 AVERAGE P49.823 VOLUME 528.000M

P39.80-P48.90 Unleaded Gasoline P27.90-P33.80 Diesel

OPRICES IL TODAY

UP GOES SOLAR. PNOC Renewables Corp. inaugurates the 240 kilowatt-peak solar rooftop project for Quezon, Melchor and Palma Halls of

P28.50-P36.85 Kerosene

the University of the Philippines as a part of the 15-year partnership between the company and UP Diliman. PNOC RC started the construction of the solar rooftop in September 2016 and completed the project in ﬁve months.

P20.75-P21.75 Auto LPG

BSP approves rules on virtual currencies

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Wednesday, February 8, 2017

F OREIGN E XCHANGE R ATE Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

49.6710

Japan

Yen

0.008902

0.4422

Pound

1.251600

62.1682

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128888

6.4020

Switzerland

Franc

1.003512

49.8454

Canada

Dollar

0.759532

37.7267

Singapore

Dollar

0.705766

35.0561

Australia

Dollar

0.763100

37.9039

Bahrain

Dinar

2.652520

131.7533

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266738

13.2491

Brunei

Dollar

0.703284

34.9328

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000075

0.0037

Thailand

Baht

0.028550

1.4181

UAE

Dirham

0.272287

13.5248

Euro

1.069000

53.0983

Korea

Won

0.000875

0.0435

China

Yuan

0.145220

7.2132

India

Rupee

0.014850

0.7376

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.225530

11.2023

New Zealand

Dollar

0.730700

36.2946

Taiwan

Dollar

0.032187

1.5988 Source: PDS Bridge

Ford’s sales rose 2.5% in January FORD Philippines said sales grew 2.5 percent in January 2,519 units from a year ago, because of trong demand for EcoSport, Everest and Ranger nameplates. “It’s a nice start to the year, with the uptake for Ranger, Everest and EcoSport keeping our showrooms busy around the country,” said Ford Philippines managing director Lance Mosley. The EcoSport compact SUV remained Ford’s best-seller in January with sales jumping 67 percent from a year ago to 922 units. Ford Ranger posted a 32 percent incremental output in January to 722 units. The Everest also contributed to Ford’s strong start with January sales of 718 units. Ford Philippines principal, Ford Motor Company, is a global automotive and mobility company based in Dearborn, Michigan. With about 201,000 employees and 62 plants worldwide, the company’s core business includes designing, manufacturing, marketing and servicing a full line of Ford cars, trucks and SUVs and Lincoln luxury vehicles. Othel V. Campos

Home Credit sees PH clients of 1m

7,234.82 27.82

P471.00-P690.00 LPG/11-kg tank

IN BRIEF

By Julito G. Rada THE Monetary Board, the policymaking body of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, approved the rules on virtual currency exchanges and similar entities in the Philippines. Virtual currency, or digital money, refers to Internet-based form of currency that exhibits properties similar to physical currencies, but allows for instantaneous transactions and borderless transfer of ownership. Bitcoin is a form of virtual currency. Bangko Sentral said in a statement the move was consistent with the policy of the regulator to encourage ﬁnancial innovation while ensuring that the Philip-

pines would not be used for money laundering or terrorist financing activities and the financial system and financial consumers were adequately protected. “The MB decided to move ahead with adopting a formal regulatory framework in recognition of the rapid growth of VC-based payments and remittance transactions, estimated at around $5 million to $6 million per month for certain major players,” Bangko Sentral said. “The new regulation, a pioneer in Asia, seeks to balance the interests of promoting technological innovations with the potential to improve the level of inclusion and efficiency in the fi-

nancial system, and to proactively address emerging risks to the system arising out of these new technologies,” it said. The Monetary Board said the regulation did not cover virtual currency creators but only focused on entities facilitating the conversion or exchange of any VC into currency or vice versa. It said such exchanges served as the crucial link of virtual currencies with the ﬁnancial system. Bangko Sentral said these virtual currency exchanges were considered to be and were similarly treated as companies offering money or value transfer services. The latter are classiﬁed as remittance and transfer companies un-

der the new BSP framework for money service businesses. The bank said the basic requirements for remittance and transfer companies such as registration, minimum capital, internal controls, regulatory reports and compliance with the AntiMoney Laundering Act and its implementing rules and regulations would apply to virtual currency exchanges. “The approach is essentially aligned with the June 2015 Financial Action Task Force Guidance for a Risk-Based Approach to VCs. It also promotes a level regulatory playing ﬁeld for ﬁnancial service providers performing similar services,” it said.

‘5-6’ lenders given 6 months to register By Othel V. Campos

CEMEX-BDO LOAN AGREEMENT. Cemex Holdings Philippines Inc. signs a senior unsecured peso

term loan facility agreement with BDO Unibank Inc. for the peso equivalent of $280 million to reﬁnance a majority of the cement producer’s outstanding long-term loan with New Sunward Holding B.V., a related company. Shown during the signing of the memorandum of agreement are (seated, from second left) BDO executive vice president Edmundo Soriano, Cemex president Pedro Palomino, BDO senior executive vice president Walter Wassmer, and Cemex director and treasurer Vincent Paul Piedad.

THE Trade Department is giving underground lenders or those lending under the ‘5-6’ system six months to register their businesses and be a part of the ofﬁcial lending sector under Pondo Para sa Pagbabago at Pag-asenso program. “What we want to happen is to prevent any incident of undue harassment to befall foreign illegal lenders or loan sharks. There are reports of instances where they are arrested for questioning. We want them to ofﬁcially register their business,” said Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez. He said the government was willing to give loan sharks ample time to legitimize their business with the Securities and Exchange Commission. “First, these lenders will have their legal identity instead of being illegal alien. Then, they’ll have a legitimate business and they can start paying the proper

taxes,” he said. The ‘5-6’ lending system is dominated by Indian nationals, but there are also other nationalities involved in illegal lending. The government is hoping that with the P3 program, illegal lending will be discontinued. P3 program provides micro, small and medium enterprises with easy access to ﬁnance with no collateral and minimal interest, through micro-ﬁnance institutions and cooperatives accredited by the Trade Department and the Small Business Corp. The Trade Department recently called for an inter-agency meeting with the Justice and Foreign Affairs Departments, the Immigration Bureau, National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Philippine National Police, SB Corp. and the Indian Chamber of Commerce to form a technical working group for the program.

A PRAGUE-BASED lender expects its client base in the Philippine to reach 1 million in 2017 amid the robust outlook for the Philippine economy that will encourage “unbanked” customers to spend more. Home Credit Philippines, a company that offers in-store financing of gadgets, appliances and furnitures, said it expected to service 1 million customers in the country before the end of the year, marking a significant increase from last year’s 600, 000. “Looking at the latest statistics, [with] huge mass market in the growing middles class that don’t have access to the financial system, the potential is very big,” said Home Credit Philippine chief executive Annica Witschard. She said as of the first week of February, Home Credit’s clients currently in the country reached 725,000. “This is definitely a unique market, as the Philippines’ low credit card penetration rate combined with the high unbanked rate contributed to a very high demand for non-bank customer financing,” Witschard said. Gabrielle H. Binaday

Globe says core income hits P16b By Darwin G. Amojelar GLOBE Telecom Inc. said Wednesday core income rose 6 percent, but net proﬁt fell 4 percent in 2016 from a year ago amid the stiff competition in the telecommunications industry. Globe, which is led by Ayala Corp., said core income hit P16.01 billion last year, up from P15.13 billion in 2015. “Notwithstanding the heightened market competition in 2016, we still managed to end the year on a high note, marked by alltime high quarterly and full-year revenues and record-level Ebitda [earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization],” Globe president and chief executive Ernest Cu said. Consolidated revenues went up 6 percent to a record P120 billion last year from P113.7 billion in 2015. “Our sustained growth momentum is evidence of the underlying strengths of our superior products and services and our conscious effort to create wonderful experiences for our customers,” Cu said. Globe’s net income, however, fell 4 percent to P15.9 billion last year from P16.5 billion in 2015. The company blamed the decline in net proﬁt to the increased non-operating expenses, which included the P1.1 billion costs related to the acquisition of Vega Telecom Inc. and the company’s share in net losses of joint venture, spectrum amortization and interest expenses related to the additional debt incurred from the VTI transaction.

Business

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Megaworld allocates P60b for 2017 capex By Jenniffer B. Austria CONDOMINIUM and ofﬁcer developer Megaworld Corp. said Wednesday it will spend P60 billion in capital expenditures for 2017 to accelerate developments of existing integrated townships and to acquire more properties for landbank. Megaworld said in a disclosure to the stock exchange the group together with subsidiaries Empire East Holdings Inc., Global-Estate Resorts Inc. and Suntrust Properties Inc. would allot 80 percent of P60 billion to build new residential condominiums, ofﬁce towers, commercial centers and hotels. The remaining 20 percent will be used for land acquisition and investment properties.

Funding for this year’s spending program will be sourced from internally generated funds and a planned bond offering. “Since our company’s cash position remains healthy, we will mostly utilize internallygenerated funds to ﬁnance our capital spending for the year, and we will also tap the debt market through the proceeds of the ﬁrst tranche of our P30billion retail bond program,” Megaworld treasurer Francis Canuto said. Megaworld said it planned to fast-track most of its developments in existing townships, particularly in McKinley West, Uptown Bonifacio, Davao Park District, Iloilo Business Park, Boracay Newcoast, Twin Lakes and Alabang West.

Market dips; Globe, PhilRealty advance S TOCKS fell for a second day, with conﬁdence hit by worries over Donald Trump, while the euro struggled on uncertainty about France’s political outlook and another crisis brewing in Greece.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company benchmark, shed 27 points, or 0.4 percent, to close at 7,234.82. Despite the loss Wednesday, it was still up 5.8 percent this year. The heavier index, representing all shares, lost 6 points, or 0.1 percent, to settle at 4,379.55, on a value turnover of P6.5 bil-

lion. Losers outnumbered gainers, 99 to 93, while 46 issues were unchanged. Six of the 20 most active stocks ended in the green, led by developer Philippine Realty & Holdings Corp. which rebounded 20.3 percent to P0.89. Globe Telecom Inc., the second

largest telecommunications company, climbed 2.9 percent to P1,750, while conglomerate SM Investments Corp. gained 1.3 percent to P691. Meanwhile, most Asian markets also traded lower Wednesday . Wall Street continues to touch record highs on hopes Trump will enact business-friendly measures, but Asian dealers are less sanguine following a series of outbursts that have included warnings of protectionism and labelling Japan and China trade cheats. Against that background, traders are now growing increasingly concerned about rising populism

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2017

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

AG FINANCE ASIA UNITED BANK PH ISLANDS BDO LEASING BDO UNIBANK BRIGHT KINDLE CHINABANK COL FINANCIAL EAST WEST BANK FILIPINO FUND IREMIT MANULIFE MEDCO HLDG METROBANK NTL REINSURANCE PB BANK PHIL NATL BANK PHIL STOCK EXCH PSBANK RCBC SECURITY BANK SUN LIFE UNION BANK

3.2 48.3 91.45 4.1 113.4 1.26 38.5 16.1 19.94 6.85 1.68 825 0.8 79.3 0.77 14.24 56.45 239 89.05 37.45 213.4 1,750 78.75

3.45 48.3 91.45 4.14 114.3 1.29 38.65 16.1 19.96 7.47 1.68 825 0.84 79.3 0.77 14.24 58.8 239 89.1 39.7 213.8 1,755 78.85

3.2 48 90.85 4.1 112.8 1.25 38.5 16.02 19.84 6.85 1.64 825 0.77 76.2 0.75 14.24 56.25 239 89 37.35 212.6 1,745 78.5

FINANCIALS 3.45 87,000 48.2 19,300 90.9 1,845,760 4.14 14,000 113.6 3,071,380 1.26 208,000 38.6 35,400 16.1 1,000 19.88 351,900 7 24,500 1.65 49,000 825 820 0.79 17,676,000 77.3 7,549,140 0.77 1,889,000 14.24 700 58.8 123,150 239 500 89.1 3,980 39.7 310,900 213.2 986,670 1,745 195 78.7 21,640

288,910 929,440 167,878,005 57,440 349,011,202 263,540 1,367,085 16,084 7,001,826 175,257 80,940 676,500 14,233,710 583,030,412 1,427,330 9,968 7,101,576.50 119,500 354,226 12,001,975 210,352,946 340,900 1,704,090

818,710 -21,936,923 -3,774,498 1,189,888 -38,922 1,640 -155,856,214.50 8,250 4,977,977.50 119,500 6,079,035 3,383,404 -68,500

ABOITIZ POWER AGRINURTURE ALLIANCE SELECT ALSONS CONS ASIABEST GROUP BASIC ENERGY BOGO MEDELLIN CEMEX HLDG CENTURY FOOD CIRTEK HLDG CNTRL AZUCARERA CONCEPCION CONCRETE A CROWN ASIA DAVINCI CAPITAL DEL MONTE DNL INDUS EEI CORP EMPERADOR ENERGY DEVT FIRST GEN FIRST PHIL HLDG GINEBRA HOLCIM INTEGRATED MICR IONICS JOLLIBEE LIBERTY FLOUR LMG CHEMICALS MABUHAY VINYL MANILA WATER MAXS GROUP MEGAWIDE MERALCO MG HLDG PANASONIC PEPSI COLA PETRON PHINMA PHINMA ENERGY PHX PETROLEUM PHX SEMICNDCTR PILIPINAS SHELL PRYCE CORP PUREFOODS RFM CORP ROXAS HLDG SHAKEYS PIZZA SPC POWER SWIFT FOODS TKC METALS UNIV ROBINA VICTORIAS VITARICH VULCAN INDL

43.35 5.2 0.86 1.43 18.18 0.325 96 11.3 16.32 23.2 14.56 59.9 94 2.02 6.11 12.02 12.9 8.01 7.04 5.81 22.25 72.2 12.18 17.1 6.26 1.72 207.4 69 4 3.8 30.15 27.1 14.66 288 0.28 5.39 3.28 9.5 11.4 2.44 7.36 1.54 78.2 5.05 269 5 3.39 12.66 4.16 0.152 1.55 167.4 4.55 1.81 1.09

43.35 5.23 0.86 1.46 18.88 0.415 96 11.36 16.44 23.5 15.48 59.9 94 2.03 6.3 12.06 12.92 8.3 7.1 5.81 22.5 72.25 12.18 17.1 6.44 1.74 207.4 69 4.12 3.8 30.3 27.45 14.66 290 0.285 5.42 3.4 9.5 11.58 2.48 7.4 1.54 78.55 5.05 269 5 3.39 12.66 4.3 0.164 1.58 167.4 4.55 1.85 1.14

43.1 5.03 0.86 1.43 17.8 0.27 95.6 11.02 16.2 22.75 14.56 59 92.3 2.01 6.1 12.02 12.62 8 7.03 5.77 22.05 72.1 12.18 17.02 6.25 1.69 206 69 3.98 3.42 30.15 27.05 14.6 285.4 0.265 5.22 3.28 9.35 11.4 2.42 7 1.49 77.5 4.83 265 4.94 3.15 12.24 4.16 0.15 1.52 163.1 4.54 1.77 1.09

INDUSTRIAL 43.1 1,128,900 5.11 514,200 0.86 167,000 1.46 1,118,000 18.7 600 0.28 393,620,000 95.6 80 11.06 7,216,600 16.4 270,000 23.5 196,600 15 36,100 59 390 94 880 2.02 103,000 6.25 314,700 12.06 4,300 12.7 3,659,100 8.17 2,248,400 7.1 705,600 5.79 12,103,500 22.1 827,600 72.2 168,960 12.18 400 17.1 29,100 6.25 716,100 1.71 730,000 206 305,110 69 70 4.12 195,000 3.44 9,000 30.25 980,700 27.45 172,700 14.66 2,935,600 288.6 222,700 0.27 2,920,000 5.22 22,500 3.3 120,000 9.45 1,662,200 11.58 26,400 2.46 12,140,000 7.1 2,056,500 1.49 122,000 77.9 1,117,470 5 192,300 267 2,840 4.95 221,600 3.19 545,000 12.28 6,308,700 4.3 161,000 0.151 48,330,000 1.58 373,000 164.5 1,440,640 4.54 6,000 1.78 1,284,000 1.14 110,000

48,729,130 2,636,641 143,620 1,615,670 11,110 133,733,150 7,652 80,092,050 4,409,608 4,545,390 537,488 23,100 82,140 208,110 1,930,793 51,756 46,618,586 18,356,343 4,982,430 70,160,814 18,332,475 12,191,181.50 4,872 496,754 4,529,511 1,246,940 62,896,008 4,830 780,680 32,740 29,659,925 4,733,055 42,975,536 64,026,154 801,150 121,324 396,700 15,724,187 301,640 29,699,180 14,773,642 184,490 87,164,149.50 946,965 756,374 1,097,270 1,745,670 78,153,490 672,920 7,532,060 570,260 236,702,338 27,290 2,298,410 120,400

14,069,860 -7,210 136,900 -20,648,336 428,332 1,204 4,999,304 -1,854,078 -1,510,734 44,248,451.00 -8,308,495 9,951,354.50 98,716 -13,482 139,400 -21,148,446 -3,403,050 -135,550 -1,623,458 1,564,768 13,060 -2,750,798 3,960,790 3,828,137 18,730,751.50 21,606 -574,440 3,200 774,042 -12,510 -46,980 -19,220,108 -188,690 -

ABACORE CAPITAL ABOITIZ EQUITY ALLIANCE GLOBAL ANGLO PHIL HLDG ANSCOR ATN HLDG A ATN HLDG B AYALA CORP COSCO CAPITAL DMCI HLDG FILINVEST DEV FJ PRINCE A FORUM PACIFIC GT CAPITAL HOUSE OF INV JG SUMMIT LODESTAR LOPEZ HLDG LT GROUP METRO PAC INV PACIFICA PRIME ORION SAN MIGUEL CORP SM INVESTMENTS SOC RESOURCES SOLID GROUP TOP FRONTIER UNIOIL HLDG WELLEX INDUS ZEUS HLDG

0.395 74.1 12.56 1.17 6.29 0.34 0.34 787 9.1 12.98 8 5.25 0.225 1,272 5.9 74.5 1.06 7.83 13.16 6.7 0.043 2.01 103 693 0.9 1.43 265 0.32 0.22 0.265

0.4 74.2 12.7 1.2 6.29 0.36 0.34 790 9.11 13.18 8.14 5.25 0.27 1,285 5.91 74.5 1.08 7.9 13.62 6.78 0.047 2.1 103.6 693 0.9 1.43 265 0.34 0.22 0.315

0.385 73.65 12.5 1.11 6.1 0.33 0.34 784 9.05 12.96 8 5.24 0.224 1,267 5.9 73.3 1.03 7.83 13.04 6.68 0.043 2.01 102.6 686 0.86 1.39 262.8 0.32 0.2 0.26

HOLDING FIRMS 0.395 2,100,000 74 2,235,110 12.62 4,189,400 1.11 173,000 6.25 22,700 0.345 3,280,000 0.34 130,000 787.5 104,460 9.09 2,697,000 12.98 9,823,500 8 255,500 5.24 30,000 0.237 14,760,000 1,279 214,660 5.91 200 74.3 1,549,980 1.03 4,199,000 7.9 227,000 13.58 6,951,900 6.76 24,004,500 0.044 320,100,000 2.03 752,000 102.8 396,090 691 184,530 0.9 157,000 1.4 643,000 265 7,650 0.325 3,020,000 0.2 10,680,000 0.28 22,180,000

822,250 165,441,427 52,781,706 201,710 140,527 1,134,500 44,200 82,228,020 24,526,394 127,553,570 2,044,582 157,400 3,588,970 274,450,785 1,181 114,699,535.50 4,378,050 1,792,113 93,759,200 161,992,903 14,412,900 1,554,090 40,871,836 127,391,905 137,080 899,740 2,024,610 997,750 2,198,040 6,415,450

15,240,967.00 -8,846,300 -5,625 44,200 -28,765,890 10,233,135 -22,165,646 -196,800 -77,650 120,692,005 -18,147,062 105,040 857,079 16,608,888 15,874,231 -182,000 -328,170 108,159 58,274,765 -145,630 27,100 -58,800 -8,400

8990 HLDG A BROWN ARANETA PROP ARTHALAND CORP AYALA LAND BELLE CORP CEBU HLDG CENTURY PROP CITY AND LAND CITYLAND DEVT CROWN EQUITIES CYBER BAY DOUBLEDRAGON EMPIRE EAST EVER GOTESCO FILINVEST LAND GLOBAL ESTATE MEGAWORLD MRC ALLIED PHIL ESTATES PHIL REALTY PRIMEX CORP ROBINSONS LAND ROCKWELL

7.17 1.09 2.6 1.5 35.85 3.3 5.13 0.57 1.08 1.28 0.166 0.58 53 0.72 0.16 1.68 1.04 3.85 0.162 0.41 0.71 4.77 25 1.7

7.21 1.09 2.78 1.52 35.95 3.36 5.13 0.57 1.1 1.3 0.172 0.59 53.8 0.73 0.188 1.7 1.04 3.92 0.172 0.41 0.9 4.86 25.25 1.7

7.14 1.06 2.6 1.38 35.25 3.29 5.13 0.54 1.05 1.26 0.162 0.57 52.5 0.72 0.158 1.66 1.01 3.78 0.159 0.345 0.69 4.69 24.9 1.67

6,212,719 1,967,500 10,632,320 31,226,120 238,830,305 3,601,080 513 38,958,110 214,240 303,300 3,681,720 4,321,640 8,667,479 146,720 8,574,830 70,708,270 1,248,830 157,512,620 5,552,590 5,894,100 131,847,220 11,549,700 22,598,750 271,500

-5,599,274 716,100 -25,588,490 -851,180 -13,175,310.00 189,440 -11,690 -58,000.00 2,115,339.50 -137,970 12,180 2,380,350 83,915,080 35,500 812,360 -28,740 4,507,080 -59,500

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

SHANG PROP SM PRIME HLDG STA LUCIA LAND STARMALLS SUNTRUST HOME VISTA LAND

3.26 30.45 1.03 6.7 0.92 5.04

3.33 30.6 1.04 7 0.94 5.12

3.26 29.7 1.02 6.7 0.92 4.96

3.26 29.95 1.03 7 0.93 5.05

102,000 5,285,600 5,644,000 10,500 564,000 20,738,500

334,680 158,557,040 5,801,400 72,000 524,840 104,794,671

-53,488,395 -700 -83,018,784

2GO GROUP ABS CBN ACESITE HOTEL APC GROUP APOLLO GLOBAL ASIAN TERMINALS BERJAYA BLOOMBERRY BOULEVARD HLDG CALATA CORP CEBU AIR CENTRO ESCOLAR DFNN INC DISCOVERY WORLD FAR EASTERN U GLOBE TELECOM GMA NETWORK GOLDEN HAVEN HARBOR STAR IMPERIAL A IMPERIAL B INTL CONTAINER IP EGAME IPEOPLE IPM HLDG ISLAND INFO ISM COMM JACKSTONES LBC EXPRESS LEISURE AND RES LORENZO SHIPPNG MACROASIA MANILA JOCKEY MELCO CROWN METRO RETAIL MLA BRDCASTING NOW CORP PACIFIC ONLINE PAL HLDG PAXYS PHIL SEVEN CORP PHILWEB PLDT PREMIUM LEISURE PRMIERE HORIZON PUREGOLD ROBINSONS RTL SBS PHIL CORP SSI GROUP STI HLDG TRAVELLERS WATERFRONT

7.52 46.5 1.51 0.53 0.057 10.52 5.31 7.1 0.066 2.5 96.2 9.8 8.84 2.26 960 1,721 6.25 16.84 3.8 16 125 76.8 0.01 12.4 9.07 0.199 1.39 3.03 14.5 4.08 0.93 2.49 2.04 4.68 3.9 18.96 2.7 11.12 5.35 3.3 139.9 9.36 1,497 1.39 0.43 44.8 81.2 6.29 2.66 1.08 3.21 0.51

7.78 46.5 1.6 0.57 0.058 10.52 5.31 7.3 0.067 2.53 97.5 9.8 8.9 2.35 960 1,757 6.26 16.84 3.81 16 125 77 0.011 12.48 9.08 0.206 1.4 3.08 14.8 4.09 0.93 2.49 2.04 4.68 3.96 18.96 2.83 11.12 5.35 3.44 140 9.4 1,497 1.41 0.44 45.5 81.3 6.4 2.7 1.12 3.21 0.51

7.52 46 1.46 0.53 0.054 10.52 5.31 7.08 0.065 2.4 96.2 9.6 8.66 2.26 960 1,721 6.25 16.58 3.65 15.5 125 75.8 0.0098 12.4 9.05 0.196 1.37 2.95 14.5 4.07 0.93 2.49 2.04 4.57 3.88 18.96 2.68 11.08 5.3 3.2 139.9 9.06 1,450 1.39 0.42 44.55 80.75 6.29 2.64 1.07 3.2 0.425

SERVICES 7.57 46.4 1.49 0.56 0.055 10.52 5.31 7.2 0.066 2.44 96.4 9.6 8.66 2.26 960 1,750 6.25 16.8 3.7 16 125 75.9 0.01 12.48 9.07 0.204 1.37 2.95 14.8 4.07 0.93 2.49 2.04 4.68 3.96 18.96 2.75 11.08 5.32 3.2 140 9.1 1,451 1.41 0.425 44.65 80.75 6.3 2.68 1.11 3.21 0.47

181,300 16,900 163,000 1,622,000 103,880,000 200 7,700 5,375,600 17,890,000 4,572,000 491,120 21,200 327,700 246,000 330 104,235 83,500 14,500 4,223,000 4,200 170 1,133,350 50,200,000 8,200 563,000 16,450,000 401,000 44,000 1,500 600,000 5,000 1,000 1,000 5,564,000 822,000 100 3,744,000 3,600 11,500 502,000 141,210 350,900 111,805 4,180,000 9,600,000 3,648,300 1,964,140 41,200 1,207,000 27,447,000 278,000 17,300,000

1,392,808 785,425 247,380 908,320 5,735,930 2,104 40,887 38,626,316 1,176,220 11,142,280 47,435,464 203,648 2,885,286 558,320 316,800 182,334,575 521,997 242,750 15,618,760 66,214 21,250 86,473,476.50 502,480 101,936 5,105,530 3,309,040 551,640 132,500 21,780 2,446,400 4,650 2,490 2,040 25,864,510 3,221,000 1,896 10,281,210 39,892 61,315 1,622,070 19,769,386 3,200,630 163,403,710 5,887,510 4,138,300 163,467,720 158,673,762 259,932 3,208,290 30,280,760 890,200 7,853,100

66,460 -26,550.00 -22,606,111 52,730 2,528,204.50 -691,160 44,678,400 -639,930 -7,801,071 -102,400.00 8,700 -1,243,250 -10,541,150.00 -987,650 -300,900 372,389 -139,865 -69,350,090 -2,820,000 808,650 29,016,845 6,704,364.50 -126,100.00 -1,348,160 -1,309,310 444,800 175,500

ABRA MINING APEX MINING ATLAS MINING BENGUET A BENGUET B CENTURY PEAK COAL ASIA HLDG DIZON MINES FERRONICKEL GEOGRACE LEPANTO A LEPANTO B MANILA MINING A MARCVENTURES NICKEL ASIA NIHAO ORNTL PENINSULA ORNTL PETROL A ORNTL PETROL B PETROENERGY PHILODRILL PX MINING PXP ENERGY SEMIRARA MINING TA PETROLEUM UNITED PARAGON

0.0032 2.47 5.5 2 2.14 0.53 0.47 11.3 2.51 0.26 0.18 0.19 0.012 1.68 7.01 2.6 0.93 0.011 0.011 4.06 0.014 9.28 3.58 135.4 2.95 0.0095

0.0032 2.71 5.55 2 2.15 0.53 0.47 11.3 2.54 0.28 0.182 0.19 0.012 1.79 7.16 2.66 0.99 0.013 0.013 4.08 0.016 9.42 3.6 136 3 0.0098

0.0032 2.47 5.39 2 2.14 0.51 0.45 11.06 2.49 0.25 0.179 0.19 0.012 1.68 7.01 2.58 0.93 0.011 0.011 4.06 0.014 9.23 3.52 135.4 2.95 0.0095

MINING & OIL 0.0032 261,000,000 2.57 6,230,000 5.39 3,826,600 2 1,000 2.14 38,000 0.52 2,989,000 0.465 1,970,000 11.08 33,400 2.52 3,813,000 0.27 3,740,000 0.182 5,770,000 0.19 60,000 0.012 100,000 1.78 1,181,000 7.04 6,403,900 2.58 20,000 0.93 98,000 0.011 277,400,000 0.012 53,400,000 4.08 40,000 0.014 2,693,200,000 9.39 581,900 3.55 1,305,000 135.7 686,940 2.97 60,000 0.0098 23,000,000

835,200 16,457,940 20,981,951 2,000 81,330 1,551,050 906,200 370,266 9,562,730 999,300 1,042,520 11,400 1,200 2,075,300 45,359,166 51,900 92,120 3,334,400 659,500 162,500 41,179,500 5,439,110 4,623,180 93,217,509 178,040 221,400

96,000 8,101,010 -451,887 -22,160 -1,082,670 -3,380,638 -570,000 -107,748.00 -59,620 -20,422,514.00 -

ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B1 AC PREF B2 ALCO PREF B DD PREF FGEN PREF G GMA HLDG PDR GTCAP PREF B MWIDE PREF PCOR PREF 2B PF PREF 2 SMC PREF 2B SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2G SMC PREF 2H SMC PREF 2I

46 542 527 105.2 105 114.5 5.88 1,035 109.4 1,099 1,020 77.3 81.5 79.85 78 77.3 78.5

46 542 527 105.2 105 115 5.89 1,035 109.4 1,099 1,020 77.3 81.5 79.85 78 77.5 79

45.85 542 527 105.2 104.9 114.5 5.88 1,035 109.4 1,099 1,019 77.3 81 79.85 77.5 77.15 78.5

PREFERRED 45.85 82,600 542 120 527 100 105.2 270 104.9 17,110 115 135,010 5.89 2,140,200 1,035 1,850 109.4 1,700 1,099 5 1,020 330 77.3 10 81 129,000 79.85 2,300 77.5 7,000 77.25 38,900 79 42,800

3,792,815 65,040 52,700 28,404 1,796,530 15,526,145 12,605,478 1,914,750 185,980 5,495 336,520 773 10,500,625 183,655 542,560 3,003,410 3,366,500

-1,408,950 -647,900 -8,394,500 159,700 -

LR WARRANT

2.12

2.05

WARRANTS 2.1 379,000

789,790

ALTERRA CAPITAL ITALPINAS XURPAS

6.3 4.1 7.85

6.3 4.1 8.03

6.15 3.86 7.8

6.16 4.04 7.88

1,710,269 1,664,890 12,997,567

-203,785 -355,690 -4,640,722

FIRST METRO ETF

119.4

119.1

290,769

PROPERTY 7.15 1.07 2.7 1.42 35.25 3.33 5.13 0.54 1.05 1.28 0.166 0.58 53.45 0.73 0.158 1.7 1.02 3.89 0.165 0.365 0.89 4.86 25.25 1.67

868,300 1,837,000 3,921,000 21,848,000 6,726,200 1,087,000 100 70,735,000 197,000 237,000 22,110,000 7,472,000 162,650 201,000 49,470,000 41,989,000 1,224,000 40,617,000 33,360,000 16,280,000 160,140,000 2,404,000 898,900 160,000

TRADING SUMMARY

FINANCIAL

34,270,773

INDUSTRIAL

510,045,032

HOLDING FIRMS

435,765,081

PROPERTY

518,074,424

SERVICES

288,645,784

MINING & OIL

3,348,084,131

GRAND TOTAL

5,137,221,784

SME

275,600 424,000 1,634,200

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 119.2 2,440

VALUE 1,752.79 (down) 10.71 1,358,444,949.41 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 11,127.73 (down) 66.21 1,156,680,529.71 HOLDING FIRMS 7,362.45 (up) 47.24 1,533,342,971.465 PROPERTY 3,306.91 (down) 35.08 1,414.39 (down) 14.24 1,094,101,755.26 SERVICES MINING & OIL 11,971.85 (up) 64.20 1,067,839,437.815 PSEI 7,234.82 (down) 64.20 249,436,437.815 All Shares Index 4,379.55 (down) 6.22 6,476,511,853.55 Gainers:93; Losers: 99; Unchanged: 46; Total: 238

across the world―particularly following Trump and Brexit―with far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen echoing many of the tycoon’s themes. There are also elections in Germany, Italy and the Netherlands this year, with similar issues in those countries fueling worries the EU could break up. Against this backdrop the euro sank Tuesday to $1.0656, from highs above $1.08 at the start of the week, and remained under pressure in Asia. “While it is premature to draw any deﬁnitive conclusion, the political landscape in both France and Italy are coming under immense scrutiny from investors, which should keep euro upticks limited,” said Stephen Innes, senior trader at Oanda. “If we factor in a possibly divisive German election, risks are rising immensely on the European political stage.” Greece’s debt saga also reared its head after the International Monetary Fund warned the country would likely not reach targets laid out for it to qualify for bailout cash. While Athens dismissed the report, the comments sent the cost of borrowing for Greece soaring on bond markets and raised the spectre of another crisis for the EU to juggle. In Asian trade Tokyo gave up early gains to end the morning 0.2 percent lower as the yen strengthens against the dollar. With Bloomberg, AFP

SteelAsia investing P5.5b in three mills By Othel V. Campos THE SteelAsia Group and other local steel mills are expanding their capacity to support the growing construction and infrastructure sector with a projected combined capacity of over 11 million metric tons by 2025. Philippine Iron and Steel Institute president Roberto Cola said major players were seriously expanding capacities while new players committed to increase investments. “SteelAsia expansion will address the industry needs for rebar, wire rods, small and medium sections and steel plates. The total production capacity for all these ﬁnished steel products will total around 11 million tons including [those of] other companies. This capacity is enough to satisfy demand of these steel products until 2025,” Cola said Wednesday. Steel Asia announced the biggest investment of P5.5 billion for the construction of three steel plants to support the local production of reinforcing bars, steel plates, section bars and wire rod. Other players such as Chinese miner Nicua Mining Corp. also announced its intention to diversify into steel manufacturing with $250-million mill in Leyte while Capitol Steel Corp., Pag-Asa Steel Works Inc. and other smaller players would pour in a total of $250 million. SteelAsia said it settled its P5.45-billion ﬁnancial obligations for the Davao, Batangas and Cebu mills last year. SteelAsia president Ben Yao said the three mills were mothballed assets that were rehabilitated, modernized and upgraded.

Business

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

PH nickel miners also slam Lopez’s decision

LENDING REGULATION. The Department of Trade and Industry holds an inter-agency meeting to work on a transition that will allow

illegal foreign money lenders to legalize their resident status and register their lending business with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez leads the meeting, along with SEC chair Tess Herbosa and representatives from the Departments of Justice and Foreign Affairs, Immigration Bureau, NICA, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Philippine National Police, SB Corp. and the Indian Chamber of Commerce. (Related story on B1)

THE Philippine Nickel Industry Association Inc. expressed disappointment over the decision of Secretary Gina Lopez of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to suspend and shut down the operations of 28 mining companies in the Philippines, “We believe that the Secretary’s action is not only bereft of transparency, due process and factual basis, but likewise detrimental to the mining industry and the Philippine economy as a whole and a serious threat to the livelihood and economic well-being of the affected communities,” the group said in a statement. Lopez announced the suspension and closure of the 28 mines in a press conference last week, claiming that they did not comply with laws and regulations. The DENR chief made the announcement after ignoring the results of a a government audit showing many of those meted with suspensions and closure of operations passed the test. “We find it highly irregular that no official of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau was present during the announcement. MGB, being the lead agency in the mining audit, should have been present to discuss and explain the results of the audit,” PNIAI said. “Mining operations are highly technical and scientific, and should not be based merely on a lay person’s visual appreciation. Yet, vague, unauthenticated aerial videos of the mine sites and its surrounding areas were presented to support the Secretary’s decision. No scientific data was presented. Actual studies and data from technical experts who took part in the audit were withheld,” it said.

BSP auction oversubscribed again By Julito G. Rada

HE auction for P180 billion worth of term deposits offered Wednesday by Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to banks and trust entities is again highly oversubscribed by more than P82 billion on excess liquidity in the ﬁnancial system. Data showed the seven-day P30 billion deposits attracted total bids of P55.498 billion and fetched a weighted average accepted yield of 3.02. The 28-day P150 billion deposits lured total tenders of P207.4 billion and had a weighted average accept-

ed yield of 3.41 percent. Despite the oversubscription in the weekly auction, Bangko Sentral Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo said the current volume of P180 billion would be kept for the meantime. The auction calendar posted on the

Bangko Sentral web site showed that the offering on Feb. 15 and 22 would still amount to P180 billion. “We are on a wait-and-see [mode] because it would be hard to increase the volume and then render the market in a tighter condition. That is bad because we want to ensure that we help sustain the momentum of economic growth,” Guinigundo said in an interview. “And if we reduce the volume, amid the continued M3 growth at 12.4 percent in December and 17.2 percent for domestic credit, it might result in too much liquidity... So at current levels of domestic liquidity, I think it is

easier to manage at this level of liquidity and credits…,” Guinigundo said. Guinigundo, however, said the possibility of reducing the reserve requirement of banks “remains on the table,” adding there were speciﬁc criteria for judging whether it was time to adjust it. The reserve requirement stands at 20 percent for universal and commercial banks. Reserve requirement is a central bank regulation used by most of the world’s central banks that set the minimum fraction of customer deposits and notes that each commercial bank must hold as reserves rather than lend out.

Pampi warns of higher prices THE impending removal of import quotas for rice traded under the World Trade Organization will increase the production cost of processedmeat manufacturers, triggering price spikes down to the level of retailers, the Philippine Association of Meat Processors Inc. said. Pampi executive director Francisco Buencamino said the lifting of the quantitative restriction on rice on July 1 would make mechanically deboned meat—the raw material used in making processedmeat products—more expensive. Buencamino said this could cause the price of some processedmeat products to go up by at least 12 percent in the second half of the year. “We are bothered by the raw- material concern, because in July, when the rice QR is lifted, the preferential tariff rate of MDM will go up,” he said on the sidelines of a signing ceremony between some Pampi members and Aboitiz Power Corp. held recently in Bonifacio Global City. “If government reverts MDM tariff back to 40 percent, that will move prices up by 12 percent to 17 percent. We are talking about the price of processed-meat products from the supplier to the outlets. Therefore, the suggested retail price of processed-meat products could even be higher,” Buencamino added. The Philippines’s rice quota waiver to the World Trade Organization is set to expire on June 30. As part of its concession for the second extension of the rice quota in 2012, the Philippines lowered its tariff on MDM to 5 percent, from 40 percent, for the duration of the extension. Under Executive Order 190, signed by former President Benigno Aquino III, the Philippines will restore its tariff on MDM to the original rate of 40 percent starting July 1 this year.

Guinigundo said it was important to determine an existing tighter or liquid situation. “We have to see all of these conditions for the adjustment in the reserve requirement and then what is going to be the monetary policy stance moving forward. When we talk about the monetary policy stance, we are talking about basically of the policy rate,” he said. Previous over-subscriptions prompted the regulator to increase the weekly volume by P50 billion from the previous P130 billion to P180 billion starting Dec. 1, 2016 to more effectively siphon off excess liquidity

in the ﬁnancial system. The amount of week-long deposits was increased by P20 billion to P30 billion from P10 billion, while the month-long deposits were raised by P30 billion to P150 billion from P120 billion. The adjustment on Dec. 1 was the sixth time that Bangko Sentral increased the volume. From the original volume of P30 billion, it was raised to P50 billion, P70 billion, P90 billion, P110 billion and P130 billion. Bangko Sentral adopted the interest rate corridor system in June last year so that through calibrated auctioning, the transmission of monetary policy would improve.

Study: E-cigarettes safer than smoking

GLOBE-PARASAT PARTNERSHIP. Parasat Cable Television, Mindanao’s only digital television system provider, boosts its services with connectivity solutions from Globe Business, the information and communications technology arm of Globe Telecom Inc., in response to high demand for broadband internet in the region. Sealing the partnership are Parasat Cable TV chairman Elpidio Paras (left) and Globe president and chief executive ofﬁcer Ernest Cu.

SMOKERS who manage to cut out smoking altogether may see a health benefit from switching to e-cigarettes. A long-term study found that former smokers who completely replaced standard cigarettes with e-cigarettes substantially reduced their intake of cancercausing chemicals compared with those who continued to smoke cigarettes. The findings are published in Annals of Internal Medicine. E-cigarettes have increased in popularity but concerns about potential exposure to carcinogens and toxins persist. Some reports claim to show that e-cigarettes are as harmful as smoking but the study authors say those reports are based on studies that bear little relationship to exposure of e-cigarette users in the real world. In the first study of its kind, researchers measured the intake of potentially harmful

chemicals in e-cigarette users and compared them to people using licensed nicotine patches and cigarettes. The study found that when smokers switched completely to e-cigarettes, their intake of cancer-causing chemicals dramatically fell to a level found in people using nicotine patches while their intake of nicotine remains largely unchanged. Using e-cigarettes or nicotine replacement patches while continuing to smoke cigarettes does not seem to offer the same benefit. The authors confirmed that e-cigarettes, like other nicotine replacements, were much safer than conventional cigarettes and might be a useful long-term quitting aid for patients who smoke and have struggled to stop with other available support. The authors cautioned that users must stop smoking completely to achieve health benefits.

Merchandise exports must be a priority LIKE all things in life, the government’s attitude towards various aspects of the Philippine economy’s management has undergone change. One aspect that has undergone a government-attitude change is the management of this country’s balance of payments (BoP). The balance of payments is the aggregate of the balance of a country’s transactions with the world in goods and services (technically known as the current account of the BoP) and the balance of its transactions with the world in ﬁnancial items (technically known as the capital account). The current account may be negative—when imports of goods and services exceed exports—and so may the capital account. Positiveness in both the current account and the capital account of the BoP is the objective of the country’s economic managers. There was a time, not long ago, when a strong current-account position was a top government preoccupation and when the economic authorities made every effort to ensure that this country’s trade with the world in goods and services produced a surplus or was balanced at least. Trade

promotion and export subsidies were the buzzwords of that day and the economic managers and their staffs wasted no effort to rally the Filipino people to the cause of economic development propelled by a vigorous export trade. The armory of government tools—ﬁscal incentives, monetary preferences and advisory services— was deployed to create new exporters and assist already-operating exporters. In a word, it was a time when exports were thought to be—and were pushed by the government as—the key to economic transformation and prosperity. Today, in 2017, I no longer sense that atmosphere. I no longer discern keen government interest in pushing a strongexport-trade agenda, reinvigoration of established export industries and nurturing of new export industries. In the decades immediately following World War II, right up to the 1970s, the development of this country’s economy was largely sustained by the Big Four export industries, namely, coconut products, sugar, wood products and mineral products (especially copper and gold). Of those four export industries only two—coconut products and mineral products—are still slugging it out in the

world markets—no new major export industries have come forward to take the place of those that are no longer there. Once upon a time there was enormous interest in the GSP (Generalized System of Preferences) and bilateral arrangements for encouraging exports from developing countries; today one hardly hears from the government about such export facilitation mechanisms, which have proven to be highly beneﬁcial to many Third World countries. The reason for this diminution of interest, on the economic managers’ part in this country’s merchandise export trade can be summed up in one word: services. Exports of services have replaced merchandise exports as the principal generator of export revenues for this country. This transition from a merchandise-based export regime to a services-based export regime began with the departure of the ﬁrst OFW (Overseas Filipino Worker) for ‘Saudi’—shorthand for the Middle East in the early 1970s. That was followed, in succession, by the development of electronic products industry and the BPO (Business Process Outsourcing) industry. Services have replaced merchan-

dise-export production as the sector that keeps the Philippine economy aﬂoat. Proof of the reduction in the importance that the economic managers attach to the country’s merchandise account is their non-display of concern over the erratic performance of the export sector in recent years. Yet, they have been quick to express alarm every time that the ﬁgures for OFW remittances or BPO revenues had registered decreases. Is the government doing the right thing in lowering the priority that it accords to this country’s merchandise export trade? I don’t think so. I offer two reasons. First, the export sector growth is a matter of addition, not substitution, and service exports should not be promoted at the expense of merchandise exports. Second, the structure of the world economy is subject to the forces of change and the streams of OFW remittances and BPO revenues could well weaken in the years ahead. Summing up, Philippine merchandise export trade should be accorded once again the high policy making priority that it enjoyed in the not so distant past. E-mail: rudyromero777@yahoo.com

Ray S. Eñano, Editor business@thestandard.com.ph extrastory2000@gmail.com

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2017

Business

Euro struggles amid uncertainty

HE euro struggled in Asia Wednesday on increasing uncertainty about France’s political outlook and fears of another debt crisis brewing in Greece.

Most major equities markets reversed early losses to push higher but conﬁdence remains shaky over worries about Donald Trump and uncertainty about his impact on the global economy. Wall Street continues to touch record highs on hopes Trump will enact business-friendly measures. But Asian dealers are less sanguine following a series of outbursts that have included warnings of protectionism and depictions of Japan and China as trade cheats. Against that background,

traders are growing increasingly concerned about rising populism across the world—particularly following Trump and Brexit— with far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen echoing many of the tycoon’s themes. There are also elections in Germany, Italy and the Netherlands this year, with similar issues in those countries fueling fears the European Union could break up. The euro sank Tuesday to $1.0656, from highs above $1.08 at the start of the week. It edged up slightly in Asia but

was still under pressure. “While it is premature to draw any deﬁnitive conclusion, the political landscapes in both France and Italy are coming under immense scrutiny from investors, which should keep euro upticks limited,” said Stephen Innes, senior trader at OANDA. “If we factor in a possibly divisive German election, risks are rising immensely on the European political stage.” Greece’s debt saga also reared its head after the International Monetary Fund warned the country would likely not reach targets prescribed for it to qualify for bailout cash. While Athens dismissed the report, the comments sent Greece’s cost of borrowing soaring on bond markets and raised the

specter of another crisis for the EU to juggle. In Asia, Tokyo ended a volatile day 0.5 percent higher as early gains in the yen abated, boosting Japan’s exporters. Hong Kong ended 0.7 percent higher and Shanghai closed up 0.4 percent. Both markets recovered from morning losses triggered by news that China’s foreign exchange reserves fell below $3 trillion in January for the ﬁrst time in six years as it battled to support the yuan in the face of huge capital outﬂows. Analysts said that while the breach was not a big issue, the downward trend was a worry. “In the current context of President Trump threatening to declare China a currency ma-

nipulator, and his clear desire for a weaker US dollar, China’s reserves management and how that interplays with the (dollar-yuan) rate could be another ﬂashpoint between the world’s two biggest economies,” said Greg McKenna, chief market strategist at FX and CFD provider AxiTrader. Oil prices extended losses after a reading showing US stockpiles soared last week, leading to worries a government report later Wednesday will also point to an increase. However, the commodity pared initial drops after Qatar’s energy minister, the current Opec president, said world oil markets were “responding positively” to output cuts implemented by the cartel and some non-cartel producers this year. Bloomberg

Greece, IMF split on outlook of economy WASHINGTON―The International Monetary Fund and Greece are at odds over the outlook for the troubled European nation’s economy, a split that likely will continue to hold up further IMF financing. Greece Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos said the IMF report on the economy, released Tuesday, “fails to do justice” to his country by underestimating growth and the progress made through years of sacrifice. The fund’s long-delayed analysis of the Greek economy, known as the Article IV review, says Athens is relying on overly optimistic calculations for its estimates of growth and budget. But the report recognizes the recovery under way, which should produce growth of 2.7 percent this year after just 0.4 percent in 2016. Months of bickering have delayed progress on Greece’s 86-billion-euro ($92.4 billion) bailout program agreed in 2015. European officials insist on IMF participation, and the IMF will not lend more unless the country’s long-term debt is sustainable, and that requires further substantial debt relief and realistic budget targets. The central focus of the dispute is whether Greece can deliver a primary balance, or budget surplus before debt repayments, of 3.5 percent of GDP, far in excess of the 1.5 percent the IMF says is feasible. And the policies underlying the more ambitious goal “appear unduly optimistic, especially given pent-up demands for spending.” “Reaching and sustaining such a high surplus for an extended period will be challenging... and given that doubledigit unemployment rates are expected to persist for several decades.” That feat is something few countries have managed for extended periods of time, and “even fewer (one in Europe) have done so while also experiencing double digit unemployment rates,” the report said. The IMF’s European Department chief and main negotiator, Poul Thomsen, warned that the consequences of aiming for the higher surplus are serious. “We should be under no illusion that going from 1.5 to 3.5 (percent), getting there it will take a toll on growth,” he told reporters in a conference call. But Tsakalotos, in a letter responding to the IMF assessment, said the argument that “Greece cannot sustain high fiscal surpluses that surpass 1.5 percent of GDP is in contradiction to recent developments.” AFP

An electric quotation board ﬂashing share prices on the Nikkei key index of the Tokyo Stock Exchange is displayed in Tokyo on February 8, 2017. Tokyo ended a volatile day 0.5 percent higher as early gains in the yen abated, boosting Japan’s exporters. AFP

Japan’s ’16 trade numbers firmed up TOKYO―Japan last year logged its biggest annual current-account surplus since the 2008 financial crisis, figures showed Wednesday, as the country’s prime minister prepares to meet protectionistleaning Donald Trump. The new president has assailed Japan for allegedly devaluing the yen to boost exports, grouping it with other countries he says are taking “advantage” of the United States. The surplus in the current account―the broadest measure of Japan’s trade with the rest of the world―comes at a tricky time for Shinzo Abe, who heads to Washington this week. “I think Japan having a sizeable current-account surplus is definitely a political liability now,” Takuji Okubo, chief economist and principal at Japan Macro Advisors, told Bloomberg News. “It basically gives ammunition to the Trump administration that the yen is too cheap.” Japan’s current account surplus hit 20.65 trillion yen ($184 billion) last year, the highest level since a record surplus of 25 trillion yen in 2007, the finance ministry said. The indicator includes trade both in goods and services as well as tourism and returns on foreign investment. Data released by the US Commerce Department on Tuesday showed the United States ran its second largest trade deficit with Japan, after China. On Wednesday, Japan’s top government spokesman Yoshihide Suga commented on the issue, saying the allies’ economics relations were “maturing,” and noted the country was a major US job creator. The comments come after Trump slammed car giant Toyota over a planned vehicle factory in Mexico. Japan’s 2016 current account figure grew 26 percent from 2015 as it posted the first annual surplus in goods and services trade since the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster sent the country’s energy import bills soaring. Energy prices have since fallen while record tourism has boosted the services sector. AFP

Wine beats sake in Japan as women drive record drinking By Aya Takada and Hiromi Horie JAPAN’S swelling ranks of working women have grape growers 10,000 miles away cheering. Chilean vintners have emerged as the biggest beneﬁciary of Japan’s booming wine market. Their low-priced, fruit-driven product has found a receptive niche among women in their 40s and 50s, who have helped boost wine consumption to a new record every year since 2012. “Women drink more as their participation in the labor market is increasing, and their disposable incomes are expanding,” said Naoko Kuga, an analyst who tracks lifestyle changes at NLI Research Institute in Tokyo. “This trend works positively for wine consumption.” And for Chile. The Latin American nation overtook France as Japan’s top wine supplier in 2015, commanding a dominant presence in supermarkets and convenience stores―fertile ground for marketers targeting women. Vina Concha & Toro SA, the Santiago-based producer of Casillero del Diablo cabernet sauvignons and merlots, reported a 24 percent jump in third-quarter sales volumes to Japan in November. Japan imported 74.6 million liters of wine from Chile in the 11 months through November, compared with 57.7 million liters from France, data from the Agriculture Ministry show. Aeon Wine Aeon Co., the nation’s largest supermarket-chain operator, hired wine judge Yumi Kunimi in 2014 to help promote sales through instore tastings in Osaka, Japan’s industrial heartland. “Some customers said they’d never tried wine before, and became big fans from the tastings in our shops,” Kunimi said. Featured lines are typically priced at less than 2,000 yen ($18) a bottle and picked by an annual gathering of female sommeliers, wine buyers and consultants as be-

The female wine professional judges at The 4th Sakura Japan Women’s Wine Awards 2017, the biggest international wine competition in Japan selected by women judge held between January 28th and February 1st at Agnes Hotel and Apartments Tokyo. More than 400 female wine professionals and expert such as sommeliers, wine journalists, wine-school instructors, wine makers judged 4212 items. Bloomberg

ing the most appealing to women, and the best to enjoy with Japanese food, Kunimi said. Sake, made from fermented rice, is the dominant wine consumed in Japan, though sales volumes haven’t increased since 2011, according to Euromonitor International. In contrast, consumption of still wines made from grapes has increased an average of 4.5 percent a year in Japan over the past six years, Euromonitor data show. Consumers in their 20s and 30s are starting to drink wine at home after trying it in tapas bars, which have become popular in Japan, the market researcher noted in August. On a per-capita basis, consumption of wine from grapes has swelled 50 percent since 2006 to an average of 2.4 liters (81 ounces) a year, Euromonitor estimates. Still, Japanese consumption is a fraction of the 40.2 liters of wine the average person in Portugal swills in a year and much less than the 8.6 liters Americans knock

back.

‘Big Potential’ “Wine consumption in Japan is still four bottles a year per person,” said Kiyoshi Yokoyama, president of Mercian, the wine-making subsidiary of Kirin Holdings Co., and the chairman of Japan Wineries Association. “We have a big potential for growth.” Mercian plans to boost sales by 3 percent to 7.22 million cases this year, helped by a 10 percent expansion in imported wine and 7 percent growth in sales of wine made from locally grown grapes, said Hirofumi Mori, a director in the company’s marketing department. Sales of wine made by Mercian from imported grapes are predicted to decline 3 percent. “Our main target is women,” Mori said in an interview in Tokyo. “We want to increase products that will attract their attention.” Midori Saito, a 32-year-old music teacher in Tokyo, said she drinks wine almost every day af-

ter work, and chardonnay is her favorite. “We emptied four bottles in ﬁve hours,” Saito said after having drinks with three of her friends in a Spanish-style bar in Tokyo. “We all love to chat over good food and wine.” Saito is fairly typical of the clientele at the bar Kiyofumi Iwasaka runs in downtown Tokyo. “A majority of our customers are women working in nearby offices,” Iwasaka said. “They come here after work with their colleagues, and enjoy drinking with a casual bite to eat.” In volume terms, wine sales will probably grow only marginally through 2020, researcher Euromonitor International predicted in August. Kuga at the NLI Research Institute said Japan’s stagnating economy has meant fewer businessmen are going out drinking with work associates, hurting demand. Industry stalwart Yumi Tanabe is

trying to bolster growth. Tanabe, whose father Kaneyasu Marutani founded Japan’s ﬁrst public winery on the northern island of Hokkaido 54 years ago, is working to double per-capita consumption in the decade through 2020. Tanabe began the Japan Women’s Wine Awards three years ago to help match wine with Japanese food, and help other women ﬁnd jobs in the industry. This year’s event attracted 4,212 entries from 37 countries including Australia, Chile and the US. The results, decided by more than 400 female judges, will be announced on Feb. 14. Rose for Yakitori “We’re the only organizer of a global wine competition that selects the best bottle for sushi,” she said, noting that a sparkling wine from Spain won that title last year. Judges said the best pairing with yakitori, or Japanese-style grilled chicken with vegetables, was a locally made rose from Suntory Holdings Ltd., Japan’s second-largest winemaker. Chilean wines featured prominently too, with more than a dozen garnering top “double gold” honors, including bottles from Concha & Toro and Spanish producer Miguel Torres SA. Chile is expected to continue to expand sales volumes through 2020, according to London-based Euromonitor. Tariffs on Chilean wine will be gradually reduced to zero by 2019 from 4.6 percent in 2015, giving it a major price advantage over other countries, the company said. The average value of Chilean wine imported by Japan in 2015 was $2.97 a liter, compared with $9.74 for wine from the US and $7.95 for French wine, the US Department of Agriculture said in June. “Japanese favored French wine for a long time, but the trend is changing,” Tanabe said. “Chilean wine is seen by Japanese as affordable and tasty to drink.” Bloomberg

Jimbo Owen Gulle, Editor Roger M. Garcia, Assistant Editor jimbo.gulle@gmail.com mslocalgov@gmail.com THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2017

LGUs LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

JUMP IN. Unmindful of the polluted waters, streetchildren dive into the Pasig River at the section behind the Post Office building in Manila. Ed Usapdin

3,000 families lose homes in Parola fire V By Sandy Araneta

ICTIMS of the fire that razed squatter houses in Parola Compound in Tondo, Manila, which left 3,000 families homeless, heaved a sigh of relief as the city government led by Mayor Joseph “Erap” Estrada immediately came to their aid and provided their basic needs. “I have ordered all the serviceoriented departments of the city to help the victims of the fire. We will provide them with construction materials and conduct ‘bayanihan’, led by the city engineering department, in fixing houses that were destroyed. You know the residents of Tondo are close to me because of their support since I was still an actor,” Estrada said. The mayor assured the city government will provide whatever the fire victims need to re-

build their homes and start their lives again. “We have to assure that they are in a better situation now and their basic needs are given,” he added. The massive fire started around 9:38 p.m. at the house of a certain “Andang” in Area B, Gate 7, in Parola, fire investigators said. Senior Superintendent Wilberto Tiu, chief of the Bureau of Fire Protection-National Capital Region, said the fire quickly spread

to adjoining shanties. It destroyed 1,200 houses and P6 million worth of properties before being put out at 7:24 a.m. on Wednesday, Tiu said. Estrada mobilized the Manila Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, Manila Department of Social Welfare, and Manila Health Department to ensure the prompt evacuation of the victims and the treatment of the injured. He personally called MDSW chief Nanet Tanyag to rush to Parola and help the victims. “[Our office] acted as part of the incident management team last night. We supported the BFP in fire management. Initial evacuation plans and procedures were implemented. Evacuation centers were opened and coordinated all necessary activities with different departments,” MDRRMO chief Johnny Yu said. “All forces were mobilized: evacuation, food, health and security,” Tanyag added, saying a

medical team worked round the clock at the Delpan evacuation center, where the victims were temporarily moved. Firefighters had difficulty getting through the narrow alleyways of Parola, causing their operation to drag on. Some of the residents complained there were not enough responding firefighters, and they appeared to have been arguing among themselves during the blaze. But Tiu stressed 90 firetrucks were deployed to quell the fire, and that firefighters followed protocol. Many residents spent the night sleeping on the pavement near the charred ruins of their homes. About 600 families sought shelter at the makeshift evacuation center at Delpan. The BFP is still investigating what caused the fire. Initial reports said the fire may have been caused by faulty electric wiring or an unattended gas stove.

Taguig ‘excellent’ vs red tape—CSC By Joel E. Zurbano THE city government of Taguig announced Wednesday it has received an “excellent rating” from the Civil Service Commission for its continuing program against red tape and other forms of corruption in city hall. “We are ecstatic to again receive this achievement. It shows that Taguig, as a community, is very committed to its advocacy in delivering exemplary public service to the people,” said Mayor Laarni Cayetano, adding such a rating was the third such citation for the city from the commission. She said the local government will continue its best practices in government procedures and will not cease to find ways to provide convenience to the transacting public. In its 2016 report card results, the CSC, the implementing body of the government’s Anti-Red Tape Act, found Taguig as one of the most compliant cities in the country, with all the sub-areas covered by the ARTA survey conducted from March to December last year.

Company, National Orchestra Company, and National Choral Company. The framework is based on contestability and capacity building. HB 4783 also establishes the selection committee for the National Performing Arts Companies, composed of 15 members, chosen from panels of experts in the artistic and technical aspects of the performing arts, and designated by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts and the Cultural Center of the Philippines. The committee is tasked to draw up appropriate guidelines for the selection of the national performing arts companies, involving the following procedures: call for applications of performing arts companies based on set guidelines and criteria; first screening for assessment by the Secretariat; second screening and evaluation by the Selection Committee.

By Rio N. Araja

FEDERALISM TALK. Muntinlupa Mayor Jaime Fresnedi speaks in a forum about the fundamentals and principles of federal government, as endorsed by the Duterte administration, at Vivere Hotel in Alabang. The ‘Federalism: Benefits and Opportunities in the Philippine Setting’ forum is organized by the Rotary Club of Muntinlupa North with the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Muntinlupa. Other speakers at the event were Dean Pacifico Agbin, UP Law Center; PDP-Laban Executive Director Jonathan Malayan, Dean Ronald Mendoza of the Ateneo School of Government; Con-Federalism Ambassador Herminigildo Couz, and UP Political Science Prof. Gene Pilapil.

‘Report Makati crimes, don’t post it on Facebook’ MAKATI Mayor Abby Binay on Wednesday urged city residents and other stakeholders to immediately report crime incidents to the local police, rather than simply posting them on Facebook. Based on its latest report, the Makati Police recorded 21 cases of robbery in the city since January. “Victims or witnesses of a

crime should report it right away to the Makati police or the nearest authorities for prompt action,” Binay said. Merely posting such incidents on Facebook and other social media outlets cannot substitute for reporting them directly to the authorities, and could even delay crime resolution and the apprehension of suspects, the mayor

Turn to C2

QC backs mental health measure

Bill to create national art performer groups passed PERFORMING arts and cultural groups now have reasons to be happy. The House Committee on Culture recently approved House Bill 4783, filed jointly by Albay Rep. Joey Salceda and Samar Rep. Mel Senen Sarmiento, which provides the framework and criteria for designating the country’s national performing arts companies, recognizing their contribution to the preservation of Philippine arts and culture, and providing financial subsidies. Chaired by Sorsogon Rep. Evelyn Escudero, the House Committee on Culture also created the technical working group for HB 4783, titled “Philippine National Performing Arts Companies Act.” The measure designates one national performing arts company from various performing arts genres, as follows: National Ballet/Contemporary Dance Company, National Theater

The areas of the survey include the Citizen’s Charter, Anti-Fixer Campaign, wearing of Identification Cards and nameplates, No Hidden Costs, Public Assistance and Complaint Desk, No Lunch Break, Frontline Service Provider, Service Quality, Physical Setup and Layout, Basic Facilities, and Respondent-Client Satisfaction. The CSC collated the data by sending personnel who anonymously conducted interviews of taxpayers or by posing as taxpayers who transact with government frontline offices, including Business Permits Licensing Offices, treasury, health services, and civil registry. City chief license officer lawyer Joy Panga-Cruz said Taguig always strives to enhance its procedures for frontline services, while keeping them aligned with the provisions of the AntiRed Tape Act of 2007. To help maintain these standards in day-to-day frontline operations, Public Assistance and

said. Binay noted some incidents where the police took several days to trace the whereabouts of the victims who posted about the crimes on Facebook. She also encouraged victims and their families to file charges against suspects who are apprehended by the police, and pursue the cases in court.

“I urge victims or their relatives to help the police keep criminals off the streets by filing charges against suspects already in custody and pursuing these in court,” the mayor said. Binay also called for increased police visibility through mobile and foot patrols to deter criminal activities, especially in areas with high crime incidence and

during critical hours. Earlier, robbery charges have been filed against three suspects who allegedly robbed female customers of Mando’s Wingshack in Barangay Poblacion last January 28. A CCTV footage of the incident showing three male suspects robbing the customers at gunpoint was posted on Facebook.

THE Quezon City council has passed a resolution supporting the passage of House Bill No. 584, which seeks to incorporate and institutionalize comprehensive mental health services into the country’s health system. District 1 Councilor Lena Marie Juico authored City Council Resolution 6947 “to underscore the need for government to adopt a national mental health policy, and to provide a fair and effective delivery of mental health care to Filipinos, especially the poor and those who are at risk of affectation.” A copy of the resolution has already been furnished to the Department of Health, city health office and other concerned agencies for reference and information. Apart from the House bill’s passage, the Quezon City health office is beefing up the capability of the city’s community health workers to enable them to provide mental health care, especially to individuals with drug problems.

LGUs

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2017

2 dams needed to secure CL growth C By Romeo Dizon

LARK FREEPORT, Pampanga—Central Luzon contributes 9.3 percent to the country’s Gross Domestic Product, but this productivity is in danger because of the annual flooding that needs immediate solutions, like the construction of two huge containment dams in the region. Manila

Standard

TODAY

NOTICE OF LOSS Notice is hereby given of the loss of the following provisional receipt forms: Serial Number From To 4451 4500 4501 4550 4551 4600

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Consequently, all of the forms described above have been cancelled effective immediately. All transactions for which those provisional receipts were issued shall not be honored. Persons in possession of the provisional receipts are requested to promptly notify this office and to take the necessary measures to prevent the improper or fraudulent disposition or use of the same and surrender said provisional receipts to PDIC.Those who have been issued provisional receipts bearing serial numbers as hereinabove identified are called upon to personally validate with PDIC the status of their payments.All communications may be made thru PDIC’s Public Assistance Department at telephone numbers(632) 841-4630/(632) 841-4631 (for Metro Manila) and 1-800-888-7342 (toll free, for outside Metro Manila) or thru e-mail address pad@pdic.com.ph. (SGD.) MA. ANA CARMELA L. VILLEGAS OIC, Receivership & Liquidation Sector (MS-FEB. 9, 2017)

Severino C. Santos, regional director of the of converting the swamp into an impoundNational Economic and Development Author- ing dam for everybody’s benefit. ity in Central Luzon, said at least two dams The swamp, which is now worth P1 milshould be built immediately in San Antonio, lion per hectare, is planted with rice and Nueva Ecija and the Candaba swamp in Pam- vegetables that farmers harvest twice a year, panga, to serve as catch basins that would pro- thanks to mechanized farming. tect the region’s investments. The swamp can also be harnessed like the Santos, who also serves on the secretariat Tennessee Valley Authority in the United of the Regional Development Council, said States for irrigation, power, tourism, and MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK flooding, especially in Pampanga, comesCYAN others, Santos said. from Nueva Ecija because of the denuded The flooding is also the reason why more forests of the Sierra Madre mountains. investments are poured into Southern Lu“To maintain our annual regional zon than in Central Luzon, said Santos, who growth of 5.3 percent, we need immediate was the former Neda director in Region IV. construction of these impounding dams, Reactivating the Pampanga River Control which can also be harnessed as power and System, meanwhile, would require the govirrigation during summer,” Santos said. ernment dredge and widen all river channels He said the dams may entail several bil- in Pampanga, Bulacan, Bataan and Zamlion pesos, but the benefits justify the price bales. The river system was closed during owing to the annual damages on both pri- the administration of President Benigno vate and government properties brought Aquino III for alleged graft and corruption. about by floods during the rainy season. The RDC findings show the river chanSantos also recommend the immediate nels are heavily silted and narrow, and dotreactivation of the Pampanga River Control ted with illegal fishponds owned “by very System to dredge and widen all river chan- influential persons like big businessmen, nels leading to the mouth of Manila Bay. active and retired police and military officDuring a forum here, Santos said local ers and politicians,” Santos said. government units must enlighten the resi“Before anything else, we first need to dents—mostly farmers in Candaba, Apalit, solve the flooding in the region to mainSan Simon, and San Luis that comprise the tain our growth and invite more investors to 29,000-hectare swamp—on the importance come over in the region,” he added.

Calabarzon police assure safety of Korean residents CAMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna—The Police Regional Office Calabarzon has guaranteed the security of the Korean community living or working in the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon. PRO Calabarzon Regional Director Chief Supt. Valfrie Tabian gave this assurance to Tae Seon Kim, district director for Laguna, and Jong Jin Byun, district director for Cavite, of the United Korean Community Association of the Philippines on their visit to this camp Wednesday. The Korean delegation was worried about the latest events in Angeles City, where businessman Jee Ick Joo was kidnapped and killed by alleged rogue policemen in an ex-

tortion attempt. Kim told Tabian about 10,000 Koreans live or work in Calabarzon, and most of them are stationed in Cavite, Laguna and Batangas. Tabian said the incident in Angeles “will not happen” under his leadership. He also instructed all provincial police directors and chiefs of police to ensure the security of the Koreans in their territory. The Korean community has designated Korean Desk Police Liaison Officer Chief Insp. Yun Won Chang to be stationed at Calabarzon’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group to coordinate the security of the Koreans. Roy Tomandao

Aid for relocation of 25k Cagayan families sought BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya—The Department of Social Welfare and Development has sought the help of the Department of Budget and Management in funding the relocation of at least 25,000 families living in high-risk areas in Cagayan Valley. Franco Lopez, DSWD’s protective services unit head, said the relocation will be undertaken through the agency’s Core Shelter Assistance Program. “This program aims to provide safer places to live for poor families and victims of natural disasters who are living in high risk and hazardous areas in the region,” he said. Lopez said they expect the DBM to ap-

prove their request and proposal soon to carry out the relocation project this year. CSAP beneficiaries will also be given livelihood assistance to support their daily needs and entered in their Food for Work Program during the construction of their houses, he said. Lopez also encouraged indigenous people in Cagayan Valley to avail of their CSAP program by coordinating with their respective municipal social welfare and development officers. “They will be evaluated if they are qualified wherein they will be constructing their own houses based on their culture and tradition,” he said. Ben Moses Ebreo

Medical, dental mission is Bataan BM’s bday treat ORANI, Bataan—Around 3,000 residents of this town benefitted from the medical and dental mission sponsored by board member Benjie Serrano as his treat to them in celebration of his 42nd birthday. Residents received free checkups, medicines, dental services, reading glasses, and free haircut from the mission held at the covered court of Orani North Elementary School on Sunday. The medical and dental mission was in partnership with the Caloocan Filipino Chinese Charity Clinic and the Rotary Club of Caloocan Central. Residents who benefitted from the mission thanked Serrano for “not forgetting

them and being true to his words.” The board member’s birthday falls on Feb. 9, but treated his Orani constituents four days earlier on Sunday. “I have been doing this medical and dental mission during birthday for my constituents since 1993, when I was SK [Sangguniang Kabataan] Orani Federation president,” said Serrano, a three-term mayor of this town. Serrano is also conducting “Dalaw Barangay” services in the villages of the province’s first district. The community services include free haircuts, free dental services, feeding program, free massage, and anti-rabies vaccination, among others. Butch Gunio

Taguig...

municipalities, 213 local water districts, 53 state universities and colleges, and 100 Land Bank of the Philippines branches. The commission initiated the recognition of these offices based on their ratings under the ARTA Report Card Survey. Since the implementation of the ARTA, government agencies have installed various mechanisms to reduce red tape and exhibit customer-driven response to efficiently deliver public service. The CSC closely monitors these acts of curbing red tape through the survey, an instrument used to check agency compliance with the ARTA provisions, and to gauge citizens’ satisfaction with the quality of government services.

From C1

Complaint Desks are situated in all the 16 frontline offices, Cruz added. The complaint desks are manned by specially trained personnel known as Officers of the Day who are tasked to assist the transacting public. The frontline offices strictly observe the “no noon break” policy, by keeping open the windows for transactions during the entire work hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The CSC conducted the ARTA survey in 2016 and included 1,109 government offices—597 first- to sixth-class cities and

World IN BRIEF Data guru Hans Rosling dies at 68 STOCKHOLM―Data guru Hans Rosling, a Swedish public health expert famous for combating scientific ignorance with catchy YouTube videos in his mission to promote a “fact-based world”, has died at the age of 68, his foundation announced. Rosling, who described himself as an “edutainer”, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer a year ago and passed away on Tuesday surrounded by his family in Uppsala, Sweden, the Gapminder foundation said. A professor of international health at Stockholm’s Karolinska Institutet, in 2007 Rosling decided to “drop out” to devote his time to promoting “a fact-based world view by converting the international statistics into moving, interactive, understandable and enjoyable graphics”. Challenging misconceptions about “developing” countries and finding ways to make data interesting, Rosling came to international notice with a 2006 TED talk on “The best stats you’ve ever seen”, which has been viewed more than 11 million times online. In the talk Rosling says with results from one test on knowledge of global health he showed “Swedish top students know statistically significantly less about the world than the chimpanzees”. AFP

Australian appeals death conviction BANGKOK―An Australian man sentenced to death in Thailand this week for the murder of a former Hells Angels member found beaten and naked in a shallow grave plans to appeal his conviction. Wayne Schneider, a 38-yearold Australian, was kidnapped in December 2015 by a gang of masked men from an apartment in Pattaya, an eastern Thai city known for its seedy nightlife and links to organized crime. His body was found days later after investigators tracked a GPS device in a hired van used to carry out the kidnapping. Fellow Australian Antonio Bagnato, 28, was convicted by a court in Pattaya on Tuesday and handed down a death sentence, a punishment that remains on the statute books in Thailand but is rarely carried out. American national Tyler Gerard, 22, was convicted of being involved in the kidnap and given a reduced two-year sentence for cooperating with authorities. Australia, which opposes the death penalty, said Bagnato now plans to appeal. “An Australian man has received a death sentence in Thailand on murder charges and he intends to lodge an appeal,” a spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said on Wednesday. “We continue to provide all appropriate consular assistance to the man and his family,” the statement added. Schneider’s death once more highlighted the foreign criminal elements that ﬂock to Pattaya, a beachside resort with a pulsating red light district and no shortage or grizzly crimes. AFP

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2017

Travel ban defended in court L OS ANGELES―The US Justice Department faced tough questioning Tuesday as it urged a court of appeals to reinstate President Donald Trump’s travel ban targeting citizens of seven Muslimmajority countries, which was put on hold in a legal challenge last week.

The latest twist in the showdown comes four days after a federal judge suspended Trump’s decree, re-opening US borders to the thousands of refugees and travelers who had been suddenly barred from the country. Three judges from an appellate court in San Francisco chaired an hour-long telephone hearing followed online by more than 130,000 people -- a record, the court said -- and broadcast live to millions more on television. During the high-stakes hearing, an attorney for the government argued that Trump’s immigration curbs were motivated by national security concerns and that the federal judge had overstepped his authority in suspending them. “This is a traditional national security judgment that is assigned to the political branches and the president,” Justice Department lawyer August Flentje argued. He said Trump had acted within his constitutional powers and those delegated to him by Congress in issuing the January 27 executive order in the interest of the United States. Tuesday’s hearing was focused on whether to lift the suspension of the ban, not on the constitutionality of the decree itself -- a broader battle that looks likely to go all the way to the Supreme Court. The appeals court would probably rule later this week, a court spokesman said. The three-judge panel often appeared skeptical during the hearing, with Judge Richard Clifton at one point calling the government’s argument “pretty abstract.” The judges questioned Flentje about the evidence connecting the seven targeted countries to terrorism, and pressed him on whether the ban amounts to religious discrimination, as its opponents claim. The White House insists the decree is in the interest of national security, giving the new administration time to beef up vetting procedures to keep potential terrorists out of the country. Its detractors claim it violates the constitution by discriminating against people on the basis of their religion. An attorney representing the states of Washington and Minnesota -- which brought the federal lawsuit against Trump’s ban with support from numerous advocacy groups -urged the judges to keep the decree on hold while the case runs its course. “It has always been the judicial branch’s role to say what the law is and to serve as a check on abuses by the executive branch,” Solicitor General Noah Purcell said. “That judicial rule has never been more important in recent memory than it is today, but the president is asking... to reinstate the executive order without full judicial review and throw this country back into chaos,” he added. The states’ counsel also came under sustained questioning, with Judge Clifton, a George W. Bush nominee, appearing unconvinced by his arguments that the ban amounted to religious discrimination. “I have trouble understanding why we’re supposed to infer religious animus when in fact the vast majority of Muslims would not be affected,” he said, pointing out that less than 15 percent of the world’s Muslims were affected. AFP

RITUAL. Nepalese Hindu devotees led by priests take part in a mass bathing ritual during the month-long Swasthani Festival in Changu Narayan at Bhaktapur, on the outskirts of Kathmandu, on February 8, 2017. Hundreds of married and unmarried women in the Himalayan nation are marking the month-long fast in the hope of a prosperous life and conjugal happiness. AFP

Lawyers say immigrants’ rights violated WASHINGTON―US immigration officials repeatedly violated the rights of legal immigrants who were barred from entering the country under President Donald Trump’s travel ban, two legal rights groups have charged. In a formal complaint filed Monday to the Department of Homeland Security, the groups accused customs and border officials of holding people for hours without food at airports and denying them access to lawyers following the January 27 decree blocking all refugees and immigrants from seven mainly-Muslim countries. The Kathryn O. Greenberg Immigration Justice Clinic and the Center for Constitutional Rights detailed 28 cases, many in which people holding legal visas were

required to sign forms accepting their loss of visa and deportation without being allowed to first contact attorneys. Some did not know what they were signing, but were threatened with a fiveyear visa ban if they did not agree, the complaint said. The two groups called what happened “systemic abuses and violations” of the immigrants’ rights, saying it was a pattern repeated in international airports around the country after the controversial order was signed. The complaint, filed to the Homeland Security Department’s Inspector General, said some people were held more than 30 hours having no idea when or how they would be released.

“Lawyers representing these individuals rushed to airports around the nation, but were categorically prohibited from communicating with the individuals detained inside, even when they presented proof of preexisting attorney-client relationships,” it said. In a Congressional hearing on Tuesday, Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly denied Customs and Border Patrol ofﬁcers had acted inappropriately, even as he admitted that there had been signiﬁcant confusion after the presidential order was issued with little preparation. “Everyone was treated humanely. I’ve read the reports about people standing up for hours on end. Didn’t happen,” Kelly said. AFP

Argentinians drop tops to protest topless ban

Trump says US committed to Nato WASHINGTON―President Donald Trump promised his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday that the United States is committed to NATO, the White House said, despite his past criticism of the transatlantic military alliance. In a call with the Turkish leader, Trump spoke of the “close, longstanding relationship between the United States and Turkey and their shared commitment to combating terrorism in all its forms,” the White House said. It added: “President Trump reiterated US support to Turkey as a strategic partner and NATO ally, and welcomed Turkey’s contributions to the counter-ISIS campaign,” referring to the Islamic State group. Erdogan had congratulated Trump by telephone after the November election, but this was the ﬁrst time the two men spoke since the US president took ofﬁce last month. AFP

PARTY. Actress Shailene Woodley makes faces with fellow cast member Ian Armitage during the after- party of HBO’s ‘Big Little Lies’ at TCL the Chinese Theatre on February 7, 2017, in Hollywood, California. AFP

BUENOS AIRES―Scores of women took to the streets in Argentina Tuesday in a barebreasted demonstration of solidarity with women recently confronted by police for going topless on a South Atlantic beach. The demonstrations in Buenos Aires, in Mar del Plata and Rosario, were prompted by an incident two weeks ago in Necochea, 500 kilometers south of the capital. Three women in bikini bottoms were ordered by 20 police ofﬁcers to put on their tops or head out. Many in Argentina, once one of the world’s wealthiest countries, were stunned. Now used to struggling with economic woes and corruption, they are increasingly tired of what some see as the authorities’ overreach. “There is this macho way of thinking that just has to end,” said a protester named Noelia, 28, who declined to give her family name. “We are the own-

ers of our bodies and we can show our bodies if we like. We are not consumer goods.” As older men in suits and ties scrambled out of nearby ofﬁces during the protest, some stopped to stare. A few laughed or giggled. “You can’t miss a chance to see a bit of tit, can you?” said one man, aged around 60, to nods from others. “Get out, man! Get out!” some demonstrators chanted, with slogans painted on their skin in lipstick. Some of the men took selﬁes with the demonstrators, perhaps not necessarily in solidarity. The leftist politician Vilma Ripoll said, “All people want to see tits on television. The real ones bother you.” Last July, thousands of women took part in topless protests across the country after a woman was kicked out of a public area near the capital for nursing her child, triggering widespread outrage. AFP

Cesar Barrioquinto, Editor

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2017

World

Experts slam China’s presence in meeting V ATICAN CITY―Ethics experts and human rights lawyers slammed the Vatican Tuesday for inviting a top Chinese health official to an organ trafficking summit despite concerns the Asian giant still uses tissue from executed prisoners. The Pontiﬁcal Academy of Sciences invited Huang Jiefu, the man in charge of overhauling China’s transplant system, to the two-day conference in the tiny city state. Wendy Rogers, a medical ethics expert at Macquarie University in Australia and the chair of an advisory committee on tackling organ theft in China, slammed Huang’s presence as “shocking”. Huang told journalists at the summit that the controversy was “ridiculous” and the use of organs from executed prisoners in China “is not allowed under any circum-

China tightens data controls on pollution

stances”. He admitted though that organ transplants from prisoners may still be taking place. “There is zero tolerance. However, China is a big country with a 1.3 billion population so I am sure, deﬁnitely, there is some violation of the law,” he said. Both the European Parliament and US Congress have recently condemned organ harvesting in China amid widespread concerns tissue is sourced from executed prisoners of conscience. Victims reportedly include not only death-row prisoners but also religious and ethnic minorities

such as Uighurs, Tibetans, Falun Gong spiritual practitioners and “underground” Christians. Beijing issued its first regulation banning the trade of organs in 2007, but trafficking remains common as the country suffers a drastic shortage of donated body parts. The practice of using executed prisoners’ organs for transplants was also banned in 2015, but there are fears prisoners may be being reclassified as voluntary donors to get around the rules. Rogers and a group of experts including a former surgeon from Xinjiang in China wrote to Bishop Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo, the academy’s chancellor, to warn that the church risked appearing to sanction the practice. The Vatican “should be aware of how the endorsements -- even indirect -- of prestigious foreign bodies are used by China’s propaganda apparatus,” the letter said.

Sorondo’s short response, seen by AFP, said the conference aimed “to be an academic exercise and not a reprise of contentious political assertions”. A Vatican spokesman declined to comment on the issue to AFP. Pope Francis has slammed illicit organ trafﬁcking as a “new form of slavery”. But the Vatican is also keen not to create a diplomatic incident with China. It is trying to re-establish ties with the country after six decades of estrangement. The hope is to reconnect with China’s 12 million Catholics, who are currently divided between a government-run association and an unofﬁcial church which swears allegiance to the Vatican. Rogers wrote again, insisting the “failure of the academy to examine the evidence that forced organ harvesting has been, and is still happening in China, amounts to a form of complicity in these crimes”. AFP

BEIJING―China has established a single network to monitor air pollution levels across the country, as the government attempts to control the spread of information about the country’s toxic smog in response to rising public anger. The announcement follows instructions from the national Meteorological Administration last month ordering local meteorological bureaus to stop issuing haze alerts, raising suspicions the government was attempting to suppress information about the chronic problem. Until now data has in large part been manually compiled from local stations, but the national network will now track pollutants using a combination of manual sampling stations, satellite sensing and airborne platforms, the People’s Daily state newspaper reported on Tuesday. “Though data collected by ground base stations can be manually forged, real-time satellite data cannot be changed,” He Kebin, a Tsinghua University professor, told the paper. The initiative aims to accelerate pollution reduction and eliminate falsified data, the People’s Daily said. In October, environmental protection officials in Xi’an, Shaanxi province were caught tampering with air quality monitoring equipment to produce fraudulent numbers. The network’s creation coincides with government efforts to suppress reports about the country’s choking pollution, which afflicts most major cities. According to the China Digital Times, this week authorities

directed all Chinese websites to “find and delete” a two-year-old story from The Paper, a Shanghai-based digital news site, about pollution’s health risks. On Wednesday, a link to the story was being circulated on Chinese social media, but clicking on it redirected to a page saying it was “already offline.” The piece cited a Peking University study finding that PM 2.5 atmospheric pollution caused 257,000 excess deaths in 31 Chinese cities. The microscopic particles are linked to higher rates of chronic bronchitis, lung cancer and heart disease. Measures of the toxin in Chinese cities regularly exceed the World Health Organization’s recommended safe limit of 25 micrograms per cubic metre of air, often by as much as ten times. The study contradicts a statement made last month by a National Health and Family Planning Commission official, who told the Economic Daily that “it is too early to make conclusions about the health consequences of smog, particularly long-term”. While national pollution levels have been falling over the past few years, heavy smog this winter -- and the accompanying alarm -- have brought renewed urgency to the issue. The Chinese government has tried to quiet some of the public reaction. Last month, a 29-year-old Chengdu man was detained for five days by local police after he allegedly spread rumors about the smog levels, the Chengdu Commercial Daily reported. AFP

Colombia opens talks with rebels SANGOLQUI, Ecuador―The Colombian government is set to sit down for a first round of peace talks with the ELN rebel group Wednesday, seeking to end a 53-year conflict that has killed more than 260,000. The negotiations with the National Liberation Army or ELN -- the country’s last active rebel group -- mark a new milestone in the Colombian peace process, after President Juan Manuel Santos’ government sealed an historic accord with the country’s largest rebel group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia or FARC, in November. “The dialogue with the ELN fills us with optimism,” Santos tweeted on Monday, hours after a ceremony to open the talks in the host country Ecuador. “New generations and the victims deserve that the talks move forward and we arrive at a complete peace.” The small ceremony took place at a Jesuit retreat outside the capital Quito. “We have before us the opportunity to finally turn the page on this war,” said the government’s chief negotiator, Juan Camilo Restrepo. But experts warn the ELN will be a tougher negotiating partner than the FARC. There was friction between the two sides even as they celebrated the formal opening of talks. Restrepo warned the rebels that if they fail to give up kidnapping, “it will be very difficult to advance.” The ELN’s chief negotiator, Pablo Beltran, for his part called on the government to “take responsibility” for its actions during the conflict -- saying the rebels were prepared to do the same. Colombia is the scene of the last major armed conflict in the Americas. South America’s third economy and the world’s biggest cocaine producer, the country has been torn since the 1960s by fighting that has drawn in multiple leftist rebel groups, right-wing paramilitaries, drug gangs and the army. November’s landmark peace accord with the FARC, the oldest and largest rebel group, leaves the ELN the last active guerrilla insurgency. It has an estimated 1,500 fighters, mostly in the north and west. The talks come after three years of secret negotiations and an embarrassing false start in October, when the ELN refused to release its most high-profile hostage, the ex-lawmaker Odin Sanchez. A flurry of behind-the-scenes negotiations followed, leading to Sanchez’s release on Thursday in exchange for two ELN prisoners. In a further goodwill gesture on Monday, the ELN rebels released a soldier they had captured two weeks earlier. But there will be more bumps in the road, warned Frederic Masse, an expert on the conflict at the Universidad Externado in Bogota. “The ELN has more fundamentalist demands than the FARC,” he said. “They want much deeper social change.” The talks mark the fifth effort to make peace with the ELN, after a string of failed attempts in the 1990s and 2000s. AFP

CEREMONY. German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen attends a welcome ceremony of ﬁrst troops of the NATO enhanced Forward Presence battalion battle group in

Rukla, Lithuania, on February 7 , 2017. Lithuania welcomed several hundred German troops who will lead a multinational NATO battalion, one of four the alliance is deploying on a rotational basis this year to deter Russia by beeﬁng up its eastern ﬂank. AFP

Specter of censorship haunts South Korean artists SEOUL―When a documentary opened on the deep sea divers who retrieved around 300 bodies, mostly schoolchildren, from a South Korean ferry disaster, tickets sold out -- but it played to halfempty cinemas. There was no indication at the time, but “Diving Bell” -- about the controversial 2014 sinking of the Sewol -- was a victim of the sprawling South Korean corruption and power abuse scandal that has brought millions of people onto the streets and seen President Park GeunHye impeached. The ﬁlm’s distributor Kim Il-Kwon was one of thousands of artists secretly blacklisted by the conservative government for voicing “left-wing” thoughts -- meaning criticism of the authorities. “I was so surprised” by the vacant seats, he told AFP. “The movie was the

talk of the town and many people had showed interest before its release.” The explanation emerged last month, when former culture minister Cho YoonSun was arrested over accusations including ordering bulk ticket purchases in a bid to prevent the public seeing “Diving Bell”. The government blacklist was aimed at starving artists of ofﬁcial subsidies and private funding and placing them under state surveillance, according to prosecutors probing the wider scandal. Its existence has sent shivers across the country’s ﬁlmmakers, who say it took a devastating toll on the freedom of expression that helped transform what was once an army-ruled backwater into a celebrated cultural powerhouse. South Korea is now democratic but many describe the cultural landscape un-

der Park as reminiscent of the 1961-79 reign of her own father, the late dictator Park Chung-Hee, who imposed ruthless censorship on the arts. South Korea’s vibrant entertainment industry has since taken Asia by storm, with its TV dramas, films and stars enjoying avid followings in the past decade, and its Busan film festival hailed as Asia’s top cinematic event. Former minister Cho and Park’s powerful ex-chief of staff Kim Ki-Choon were both indicted for abuse of power and coercion over the blacklist on Tuesday, along with two of the impeached president’s former aides. The list of nearly 10,000 artists in film, theater, dance, music, fine arts and literature reads like a Who’s Who of Seoul’s art scene. They include novelist Han Kang, winner of the 2016 Man Booker Inter-

national Prize, and film director Park Chan-Wook, whose “Oldboy” took the Grand Prix at Cannes in 2004. Many had voiced support for opposition parties, or criticized Park, such as over the botched Sewol rescue efforts -and some simply expressed support for the victims’ families. State backing for Kim’s niche distribution firm, Cinema Dal, ended after “Diving Bell”, he said, and he had had to let three of his seven staff go. “Officials told me directly that there would be no government support once I distribute ‘Diving Bell’,” Kim said. Some employees discovered that their phone records had been tapped by police and intelligence authorities, he added. “I’ve been in this business for over two decades but never seen anything like this,” said Kim. “It’s truly frightening.” AFP

Life

Isah V. Red, Editor Bernadette Lunas, Writer isahred@gmail.com THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2017

HEALTH & WELLNESS

The Fuda Cancer Hospital in Guangzhou, China

ANCER treatment is no longer confined to surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. New treatment methods, including cryosurgery, NanoKnife and immunotherapy, have emerged to bring new hope to patients.

Dr. Chen Jibing of Fuda Cancer Hospital in Guangzhou, China recently introduced Ozone therapy, reputed as the world’s safest cancer treatment method. A biological response modifier, the treatment enhances the body’s immune response to antigens. Ozone is a strong oxidant that aids in the removal of bacteria and viruses, activates the immune system, and improves the microcirculation and oxygen supply. Ozone therapy uses Ozomed Smart, a high precision equipment developed in Europe, that converts oxygen to medical ozone, which is mixed with the patients’ blood. The solution is intravenously infused back to the patient. The process stimulates and augments the leukocyte phagocytosis, which regulate the internal environment and enhance the body’s immunity. Ozone therapy is designed to improve the patients’ health condition and their life quality. As the ozone is infused into the body, it reacts with the body fluid and generates peroxide that can kill cancer cells, regulate the activity of tumor antibody and boost the anti-tumor function of the body. Ozone therapy is especially suitable for cancer patients who are prone to severe side effects caused by highdosage chemotherapy drug. The malignant proliferation rate of cells is monitored by the STK1 test, an internationally recognized cancer screening method used in physical examination, clinical screening of malignant proliferation lesions and posttreatment tracking monitoring. Studies at Fuda Cancer Hospital have shown that Ozone therapy can lower the expression level of STK1 among the progression-free cancer survivors. A significant number of Filipino cancer patients have been going to Guangzhou to seek treatment at Fuda Cancer Hospital, mainly because modern cancer curing methods like cryosurgery, Nanoknife,

OZONE THERAPY

An alternative for CANCER PATIENTS

Fuda has recently introduced Ozone theraphy, reputed as the world’s safest cancer treatment method. The Chinese hospital has a Philippine office at Centuria Medical Makati.

and immunotherapy are not available in the Philippines. Approved in 2012 by the FDA, the Nanoknife procedure is a minimally invasive, probe-based technology that involves the insertion of electrodes that release high-voltage pulses of up to 10,000 volts. The strong surge

can instantly destroy the tumor cells. Pancreatic cancer patients need not undergo Whipple Surgery because the strong electricity can remove the tumor in the pancreas. Another ablation technique for cancer treatment is Cryosurgery. It destroys tumors by cycles of freezing and thaw-

ing. Once the temperature falls below -40°C, ice crystals form within the cells which causes cell death. The development of cancer is closely related to the state of one’s immune system. To prevent the cancer recurrence and matastasis, the physicians at Fuda recommends immunotherapy, a

Unsanitary toilets cause disease among children LAST year, on Nov. 19, as United Nations observed the day of the global sanitation crisis now known World Toilet Day, germ expert Domex led the discussion on toilet sanitation. In the developing world, 443 million days of school are missed because of diseases caused by germs found in unsanitary toilets— that is equivalent to a month of school missed by every child in the Philippines. Maria Luisa Orezca president of the Philippine Public Health Association said, “The issue of toilet sanitation in our country is important. There are several germs found in toilets that cause sicknesses.” The PPHA president cited examples of such germs, like fungi, which cause skin diseases; gram negative bacteria, which cause diarrhea; and myco bacteria, which is the cause of tuberculosis.”

A demonstration to test the effectiveness of Domex; Host Rica PeralejoBonifacio

process that sensitizes the immune system and prevents cancer development. To learn more about the various treatments available at Fuda Cancer Hospital, visit their Philippine office at room 901, Centuria Medical Makati, Century City, Kalayaan cor. 1208 Salamanca Makati Metro Manila.

Filipino Youth unite for YSEALI YOUnified

Domex kills a wide range of germs and can last up to seven flushes

Committed to raising hygiene standards, in the last three years Domex has participated in the One Million Clean Toilets project where they pledge to educate a million people on proper toilet sanitation every year. Last year marks their three-million milestone. “We are very passionate about our mission to fight disease. And we continue to our pledge of clean toilets through our partnerships with the Philippine Public Health Association, Maxicare and UNICEF” said Domex Brand Manager Patricia Deyto-Santos. Last year, Domex looked at an area literally closer to home. Domex wanted to emphasize that you could lead the change for clean toilets, because, after all, proper sanitation practices start at home. It is a common misconception that a toilet that smells nice and looks sparkling-clean is enough. However, a spotless toilet does not guarantee that it is germ-free. Domex’s Research and Development Manager Amor Montefalcon-Prieto said, “In order to stay 99.9 percent germ free, it is essential to use a specialized toilet cleaner that not only cleanses but kills germs. Consumers might be content with using thin bleach and laundry detergent. While they may clean the toilet, they do not kill germs thoroughly.” Domex works in a way that has triple action because it thoroughly cleanses, has effective contact time and has far reach. It kills a wide range of germs such as various fungi, bacteria and viruses. Because it is five times thicker than thin laundry bleach, it also lasts up to seven flushes, while thin bleach lasts only for two. In addition, it is also able to access hard-to-reach areas inside your toilet. It is the firm advocacy of Domex that everything, including proper sanitation, starts at home. By working actively with households PPHA, Maxicare and UNICEF, Domex helps spread awareness on the sanitation issue in our country. Visit Domex Philippines’ Facebook page for more information.

YOUNG Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) members in the Philippines marked the third anniversary of YSEALI by conducting youth-led community outreach projects in 33 locations across the country. YSEALI YOUnified, held on Dec. 3 last year, engaged 640 youth volunteers and more than 4,400 participants nationwide to advance the key YSEALI advocacies of civic engagement, economic development, education and the environment. Projects included a mental health awareness program in Albay; outreach to survivors of Typhoon Lawin in Ilocos Norte; an underwater clean-up on Danjugan Island in Negros; a leadership camp with indigenous youth in Iloilo; English literacy sessions for out-of-school youth in Sulu; and an agri-entrepreneurship workshop for recent drug surrenderees in North Cotabato. In Manila, the culminating YSEALI YOUnified event brought together almost 200 university student leaders to look at ways to work together to address challenges and opportunities for youth in marine conservation, social media, education and social entrepreneurship. Addressing the audience, U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim reminded the students, “Leadership also means public service and public welfare.” He praised the determination of YSEALI members in the Philippines saying, “I think what you did today, engaging in various public service activities throughout the country, is a tremendous model of what leadership really means.” YSEALI members from the other nine Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states also participated in the celebration by conducting additional 70 youth-led projects across Southeast Asia, engaging more than 9,000 participants. Launched in 2013, YSEALI is the U.S. government’s signature program to strengthen leadership development and networking in Southeast Asia. Through a variety of programs and engagements, including U.S. educational and professional exchanges, regional workshops, in-country programs, and seed grants, YSEALI seeks to build the leadership capabilities of youth in the region, strengthen ties between the United States and Southeast Asia, and nurture an ASEAN community. YSEALI focuses on critical topics identified by youth in the region, such as civic engagement, environmental and natural resources management, and entrepreneurship and economic development. YSEALI now has more than 100,000 members across ASEAN and more than 15,000 in the Philippines alone. More than 200 Filipinos have participated in YSEALI exchange programs to the U.S. and other Southeast Asian countries. More than 20 Filipino YSEALI members have also received grant funding to implement their project ideas.

Life

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2017 isahred@gmail.com

HE newest lifestyle community in Quezon City, Victoria Sports, opens its coworking station, making it the perfect go-to place for an immediate business spot need in a snap.

Victoria Sports is a membership club offering a wide array of fitness amenities, sports facilities, aesthetic and sports clinics, and co-working space. It is the current flagship project of proud Filipino developer New San Jose Builders housed in a 45-story, four-tower, mixed-used condominium called Victoria Sports Tower Station 2 located along Edsa. It occupies five floors or a total of 34,180 sqm of amenities that makes it one of the world’s biggest all-indoor sports and social club in a residential setting. Signaling New San Jose Builders’ entry to the health and fitness industry, this new community offers a fresh take on membership with its flexible annual fees instead of the usual club share cost. Victoria Sports’ new co-working space offers a shared environment ideal for freelancers, start-uppers and other independent parties looking for a collaborative space for a minimal fee. Members and guests can take advantage of the collective office equipment, high-speed connections, secretarial and documentation services, and business address while enjoying an upscale site where the work gets done.

Work and Workout pass

Co-workers at Victoria Sports— members or guests—also get a free fitness pass at the gym as the new hub encourages work-play balance where one gets to work and workout in one stop. The gym boasts the latest models of Technogym equipment from functional exercises from strength to body building and power lifting. It is also

Victoria Sports boasts of a spacious club lounge where members and co-workers can converge and take a breather

VICTORIA SPORTS

introduces

co-working space

Co-workers booking a space at Victoria Sports will get a complimentary workout pass to the main gym

the only gym in the country to have the mywellnesscloud app that’s tailored to one’s exercise program based on one’s lifestyle.

Extensive business hub

Apart from the gym, co-workers also have access to the business center’s several function, presentation and board rooms. They may book these rooms for private meetings, trainings and conferences, or for an exclusive event to close an important deal. For co-working space booking and membership inquiries, interested parties may call (02) 833-3333 or visit www.victoriasports.net.

Meeting rooms and private offices for booking at the newest lifestyle community in Quezon City

Globe customers help create a Global Filipino School in GenSan THOUSANDS of Globe Telecom customers who availed of the new iPhone 7 contributed significantly to the creation of a Global Filipino School (GFS) in General Santos City, which allows teachers and students to access 21st century learning within and beyond the classroom. With iPhone 7 and Globe myLifestyle Plan, customers were not only able to get the phone of their dreams but also had the opportunity to give back to various communities through the Globe of Good bundle. For every approved iPhone 7 renewed contract, Globe made a donation to selected partner causes which included the GFS program. For this activity, all proceeds went to General Santos City SPED Integrated School (GSCSIS) where one-fourth of the 4,000 student population comprises of kids with special needs. The transformation of GSCSIS into a GFS not only benefits regular students but also the special children who require online therapy and learning engagements using information and communications technology (ICT). GSCSIS received from Globe and its customers a GFS Creative Space which is a multifunction ICT laboratory complete with netbooks, tablets and projectors powered with superior internet connectivity. The Lab can be used in every class across different subject matters to encourage creativity, communication, collaboration and critical thinking. At the same time, the school was provided with teacher training to empower the teachers with skills to seamlessly use ICT tools in their subject expertise. The teachers were also coached to share such knowledge to their colleagues to benefit more learners. “The importance of ICT in education cannot be overly emphasized as it is a nec-

Teachers and students of General Santos City SPED Integrated School demonstrate the different things that can be done with the mobile lab donated by Globe Telecom and its customers

essary tool in improving learning. Mobile internet adoption and the availability of affordable data-capable gadgets make it easier now for both students and teachers to access a vast library of information previously out of their reach. Thus, we are grateful to all our customers who renewed their postpaid plans for the new iPhone 7. With their support, we were able to bring 21st century learning to more teachers and students in public schools,” said Yoly Crisanto, Globe Senior Vice President for Corporate Communications during the Creative Space turnover ceremonies in GSCSIS. At present, many public schools are still missing out on the benefits of ICT, prompting Globe to help address the concern through GFS. The program,

which started in 2012, intends to transform at least one school in each of the 221 school divisions under the Department of Education into centers of ICT excellence within the next four years. By the end of 2016, Globe expects the program to be implemented in 80 untapped school divisions in the National Capital Region, CALABARZON, Central Visayas, Northern Mindanao and Davao regions—representing 80 schools with combined student population of about 120,000. Thus, Region 12 Assistant School Division Superintendent Mario M. Bermudez, CESE, expressed his gratitude to Globe for helping provide quality education to the students in GenSan. “The implementation of the K-12 cur-

riculum is very challenging to DepEd knowing that there are many trials ahead but then these challenges are lightened by the support coming from our stakeholders like Globe. Educating our 123,000 elementary and secondary school students in the division of General Santos is not that easy if DepEd will do it alone. That is why we are very happy that at last we have come to a point where our partnership with Globe is getting solid, more functional. Our partnership will continue as long as our education officials and our teachers are equipped with the proper attitude, values and skills. Globe Telecom is guiding us, capacitating us and giving us their support. What DepEd needs to do is to sustain what has been started,” he said.

Bermudez’ statement was echoed by Agney C. Taruc, focal person of Adopta-School Program and Brigada Eskwela in Region 12 who represented Regional Director Arthur Bayocot during the turnover ceremonies. “To develop 21st century learners, we need ICT. This is a very inspiring moment because we can now produce global students in a global Filipino school. We want this to be the showcase or highlight of Region 12 and we assure Globe that we will do our best so that the objectives of this program will be immediately realized.” Based on the GFS impact assessment released by Taylor Nelson Sofres (TNS) Global Market Research Company early this year, digital skills among teachers and students particularly on the usage of mobile technology and computer software, showed marked improvement. Students also became more well-rounded due to increased engagements driven by various pillars under the 21st Century Learning Framework. The notable increase in the presence of ICT equipment also resulted in more students and teachers now using ICT in their daily academic proceedings and becoming more engaged in the lessons. GFS was recently recognized by DepEd as an official partner for the Adopt-A-School Program which aims to provide quality and relevant education to the Filipino youth. For TM and Globe prepaid and postpaid customers who want to help public school students achieve their dreams, cash donations may be sent by texting GFS to 21580437 (0GFS) and following the instructions in the text messages. The general public, on the other hand, may deposit any amount to BPI Habitat for Humanity Philippines, Inc., Account No. 2421-0037-45. For inquiries, email bridgecom@ globe.com.ph.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2017

Anna Fegi in Gary V’s

‘Love In Motion’ S

HE is Gary Valenciano’s very special guest in his Valentine concert titled Love In Motion on Feb. 14 and 15 at the grand ballroom of Shangri-La Hotel in Bonifacio Global City, The Fort.

Anna Fegi, who is a three-time AWIT Award winner and recipient of two ALIW Awards, recently performed with Gammy winner Patti Austin. Her special performance in Love In Motion marks her very ﬁrst mainstream and major performance in Manila this 2017. Prior to Love In Motion, Anna has been busy with corporate events as well as with Brown Academy of Music (BAM) – a music school in Cebu that she put up and manages with her husband, American music educator and drummer Adam Brown. The most signiﬁcant event in Anna’s life, however, is the tragic loss of her baby. On Nov. 8, she delivered a stillborn baby whom she named Aria Mikeila. “There’s not a single day that I don’t think about her,” says Anna. “I know that she is up in heaven with The Lord now and I dedicate every performance of mine to her because I

know that she is listening to me. Adam and I even named a music course at BAM in her honor.” It should be noted that this is Anna’s very first major collaboration with Gary Valenciano on the concert stage. “I have performed with Gary during my days with ASAP, but this time it’s different because Love In Motion is a major Valentine concert. I am counting the days and I am very excited. I have been preparing myself for this because I have always looked up to Gary as one of my inspirations as a performer. I have been studying the songs that they gave me and I feel a mixture of nervousness and excitement,” says Anna. Love In Motion is Gary very first solo Valentine concert in Manila in over a decade and it also offers a different and must-see concept as this marks the very first time that Gary will perform with a big band, a 19-piece AMP Band under the musical direction of Mel Villena. Gary’s son, Paolo Valenciano, directs. Proceeds of the concert will go to the Shining Light Foundation, Inc., Operation Blessing Foundation, Inc. (for the benefit of victims of the recent Typhoon Nina) and UNICEF for special causes of children. For ticket inquiries or table reservations, please call (+63917) 539 9584 or TicketWorld (8919999

Fall in Love the OPM Way

Award-winning singer Anna Fegi returns to the concert scene

Lea Salonga’s tribute to musical theater LEA SALONGA comes to mind for many Filipinos when musical theater is talked about. After a plethora of characters portrayed, including the red-haired Annie when Lea was all of nine-years old, it was her phenomenal casting and portrayal of the lead role of Kim in the musical Miss Saigon that earned her international acclaim and various awards like the Tony, Laurence Olivier, and Drama Desk. She was only 18 at that time when she played Kim, one of the most coveted and challenging roles written for the music theater. On Feb. 17 and 18, a repertoire of songs from the music theater will once again fill PICC’s Plenary Hall as Ms. Lea Salonga returns to the concert scene with Songs from the Stage. “This is the first exclusively musical theater concert we’ve done since 2002, which is quite a long time – 15 years! So many new shows have been produced since then and this will definitely be a great opportunity to pay those new musicals a visit. At the same time, we’ll do older shows that we’ve not really visited yet,” quipped Lea. She likewise shared that music by Sondheim, Lloyd-Webber, Miranda, Bareilles, King, plus songs that the public never thought were in musicals will all highlight this much-awaited concert. “The jukebox

medley is one I think we’ll all enjoy,” Lea exclaimed. She added, “I’m just excited to be sharing a lot of musical theater with the audience. It’s not always thought of as a hip art form, until a show called ‘Hamilton.’ This unique art form is a great entry into learning one’s history and culture, and to be a practitioner of it, in whatever way, is always enjoyable and exciting!” Songs from the Stage will be at PICC Plenary Hall, 8 p.m., on Feb. 17 and 18. For tickets, call Ticketworld at 8919999.

OPM greats Hajji Alejandro, Christian Bautista, Ariel Rivera, Nina, and Jinky Vidal

LOVERS will swoon this Valentine’s Day with serenades from some of the country’s top OPM singers. At the PICC Plenary Hall on Feb. 14, 8:30 p.m., #LoveThrowback2 gathers together Ariel Rivera, Joey Generoso, Jinky Vidal, Nina, Christian Bautista, and Hajji Alejandro to make hearts aﬂutter with timeless OPM ballads. #LoveThrowback’s second run celebrates the season once again with OPM songs that stir the heart. Nothing invokes passion and heartache more than Filipino ballads that tell of love, loss, acceptance, and taking another chance. Leading the star-studded lineup is the ‘90s’ Kilabot ng Kolehiyala Ariel Rivera whose hit singles “Sana Kahit Minsan,” “Ayoko Na Sana,” and “Minsan Lang Kita Iibigin” are sure to resonate with sweethearts and hopeless romantics alike this year. Band Royalties Joey G. and Jinky Vidal will also tug on heartstrings with bittersweet melodies. Joey G. is set to perform Side A classics including “So Many Questions,” “Tell Me,” and “Forevermore.” As for

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Thursday, February 9, 2017

ACROSS 1 PIN prompter 4 Film terrier 8 Shoestring 12 Gin-fizz flavor 13 Nae sayer 14 Single-handedly 16 Dr.’s visit 17 Freeze! 18 Shout at a church event 19 I knew it! 20 What a big spender has (3 wds.) 22 Rummage sales 24 Cliff dwelling, now 25 Later, gator! 26 Swerve 28 Tierra — Fuego 31 Districts 34 Quick pull 35 Killer whale 36 Dreaded word at the dentist’s 37 Growlers 38 Unable to play 39 Faint praise 40 Yanks’ foe 41 “The Plague” novelist 42 WSW opposite 43 Coffee containers

44 Not just mine 45 Sanskrit dialect 47 Finger-painted 51 Detained 55 Luau music 56 Diva’s renditions 57 Libra’s stone 58 “Aeneid” or “Beowulf” 59 Night racket 60 Position 61 Comedian Jay — 62 Fit of pique 63 Analyze 64 Oktoberfest need DOWN 1 — Centauri 2 Gold-orange gem 3 Shook hands 4 Out of the water 5 Reads hastily 6 Decorated tinware 7 Lawyer, briefly 8 Blair’s party 9 Suspect’s need 10 Riddle 11 Amtrak driver 12 Foreign car 15 Geological period 20 The “Say Hey

Kid” 21 Starry hikes? 23 Diminish 26 Is and was 27 Joule fractions 29 Grayish-tan 30 Back muscles 31 Author — Rice 32 Harness piece 33 Special case 34 Cherokee, e.g. 35 Maureen of the screen 37 Bear 41 Prompted

43 Storage place 44 Brunch fare 46 Video-game pioneer 47 Ribs, slangily 48 Delhi coin 49 Barely getting by 50 1920s look 51 Univ. degrees 52 Samovars 53 Throw a party 54 Sheriff Andy’s kid 58 Moose kin

Jinky, the crowd is in for a treat with “If I Believe” as well as “One Hello” and “So Slow” from her days with Freestyle. Joining #LoveThrowback for a second time, Nina will deliver another stunning performance with her rendition of “Through the Fire,” “I Love You Goodbye,” and “Love Moves in Mysterious Ways.” Christian Bautista has gone a long way and has captivated many hearts both here and abroad. The Asian Pop Superstar’s chart-toppers “Colour Everywhere,” “The Way You Look at Me,” and his rendition of “Hands to Heaven” will grace audiences this year with sweet musical caresses. Finally to cap off the night, the original Kilabot ng Kolehiyala Hajji Alejandro will take OPM back to its founding years with “May Minamahal,” “Nakapagtataka,” and “Panakip Butas.” Celebrate the passion of OPM at #LoveThrowback2. For tickets, call TicketWorld at 891.9999, TicketNet at 911.5555, or SM Tickets at 470.2222. For more details, ﬁnd us on Facebook and Instagram @RoyaleChimesConcerts and Twitter @RoyaleChimes.

Former Side A frontman Joey Generoso

Isah V. Red, Editor Nickie Wang, Writer isahred@gmail.com THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2017

LizQuen makes emotions stirring

Celebrate young love and relive KathNiel's romantic movie, "Must Be Love"

with load on channel 85 for subscribers in Metro Manila, CAMANAVA, Rizal, Cavite, Laguna, and Bulacan, while SKYcable prepaid subscribers in Cebu, Davao, Bacolod, Iloilo, Baguio, Gensan, and Dumaguete

can catch it on channel 24. For more information, visit mysky.com.ph or follow SKY on their social media accounts at Facebook.com/SKYdirect, and @myskyupdates on Instagram and Twitter.

DATE MOVIE. Young superstars Enrique Gil and Liza Soberano will make you cry and fall in love in the romantic movie produced by Star Cinema

NRIQUE Gil and Liza Soberano, known among ISAH V. RED their fans as LizQuen, continue chasing forever in My Ex and Whys. Star Cinema’s official Valentine offering helmed by Cathy Garcia-Molina, her very first film project with LizQuen, undoubtedly one of the hottest and most successful love teams in showbiz today.

In the movie, Enrique and Liza play ex-couple. Cali (Soberano) can’t move on after she learns Gio (Gil) cheated on her. The two are reunited by an unexpected project that may bring them back together. Gio wants to prove that he is a changed man but Cali refuses to believe him. The estranged couple flies to Korea for an event. Cali realizes she still has feelings for Gio after all. My Ex And Whys is now officially part of Star Cinema’s tradition of bringing high caliber romantic movies in February. It marks the very first Valentine film starring Enrique and Liza. It is the first movie with Enrique and Liza after Everyday I Love You shown in 2015. This is also their first project since the mammoth success of their toprating primetime TV series Dolce Amore on ABS-CBN last year. Individually and as a pair, Enrique and Liza are two of the most influential young actors in the industry today as seen in their non-stop multiple product endorsements and the numerous magazine covers and spreads that they have graced. LizQuen is probably one of the most relatable love teams in the business as

proven by the unwavering support of their countless fans. Fans can look forward to the ultimate feel-good, romantic experience this Valentine season. My Ex And Whys is the perfect Valentine ﬂick not just for couples but for singles as well, or the entire family, so to speak. My Ex And Whys hits cinemas nationwide on Feb. 15. *** Meanwhile, reminisce the songs that have made your youthful years burgeoning with love. Or if you’re still in your teens and early 20’s, the ditties that made your parents fall in love many times. Singer-songwriter Richard Poon and actor-businessman Richard Yap take on classic love songs and make the ladies swoon in their ﬁrst album together, released just in time for the Valentine season. Titled Richard x Richard, the album is co-produced by Star Music and Cornerstone Entertainment, Inc., and marks The Chinito Crooners’ second collaboration following their successful concert last year. “It’s a purely romantic album. We’re both very excited,

especially with the songs and genres. When the project was proposed to us, we felt people would like it and that there is a market for it,” Poom said. Richard x Richard contains covers of 10 love songs -- Poon and Yap with ﬁve songs each -that have been favorites across different generations. The album features Poon’s covers of “Love Boat,” “Can’t Smile Without You,” “Grow Old With You,” “The Last Time,” and “Goodbye.” Yap, meanwhile, croons in his versions of “Never Find Another Love Like Me,” “Nothing’s Gonna Change My Love for You,” “You Can’t Hurry Love,” “Don’t Know What to Do, Don’t Know What to Say,” and “Promise Ain’t Enough.” “I think it’s very interesting because Richard’s genre is big band swing and mine’s pop ballad, and you get that in one compilation. I’m thrilled because this is a dream collaboration for me,” shared Yap. Richard x Richard is now available at all record bars nationwide for only P250, and can be streamed and downloaded on iTunes, Apple Music, and Spotify. *** Stories on young love conquer TV screens with LizQuen, KathNiel, KiMerald Liza Soberano and Enrique Gil become the king and queen of SKY’s “Love out Loud” offerings this February as SKYdirect offers its subscribers nationwide a free screening of the pair’s hit ﬁlm Just The Way You Are, a romantic comedy on mismatched lovers. Drake (Enrique) and Sophia (Liza) s cross paths because of a bet. A special relationship

eventually blossoms as they spend more time together with Drake determined to win over Sophia in 30 days. The SKYdirect free movie is a perfect way to pump up the excitement leading to the premiere of LizQuen’s upcoming Valentine movie, My Ex and Whys from Star Cinema on Feb.15. Two other stories that celebrate young love that will air on SKYdirect are Must Be Love with Daniel Padilla and Kathryn Bernardo and Till My Heartaches End” starring Kim Chiu and Gerald Anderson. SKYdirect is SKY’s directto-home service that brings its popular channels to Filipinos nationwide previously unreached by cable. The three movies will be available for the entire month of February for free on channel 28 for SKYdirect postpaid subscribers and prepaid subscribers with load. Load for SKYdirect may be purchased at SKYzone, SM, Cebuana Lhuillier, 7-Eleven, Load Xtreme, and Load Central partners. Meanwhile, SKYdirect prepaid subscribers may choose to convert their ABS-CBNmobile load to SKYdirect load to get free additional TV viewing days on top of their 30-day plan. To convert, text SKY99/ SKY250/SKY450 <space> <box ID> to 23667 using their ABSCBNmobile SIM. Both SKY99 and SKY250 will get three additional TV viewing days, while availing of the SKY450 plan will allow prepaid subscribers to get ﬁve additional days. The movies of LizQuen, KathNiel, and KiMerald will also be available for free to SKYcable prepaid subscribers

TWO RICHARDS. Record producer Rox Santos is ﬂanked by Richard

Poon (left) and Richard Yap (right) during the two singers' album launch

Get on board RWM’s newest musical joyride ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’ AFTER capturing the hearts of a new generation of musical fans with its all-Filipino production of Annie, the country’s premier entertainment and tourism destination Resorts World Manila (RWM) begins the search for its cast of another beloved family musical-- the visual spectacle Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Open auditions for a total ensemble of 30 and the adult main cast of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang are set on Feb. 16 and 17, from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. The auditions include casting try-outs for the main roles of Caractacus Potts, Truly Scrumptious, Grandpa Potts, Baron Bomburst, Baroness Bomburst, Boris and Goran, among others. On Feb. 18 and 19, open auditions for the roles of the

children, Jeremy and Jemima Potts, will also be held from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. Auditions for both the adult and children cast will be held on the 3rd floor of RWM’s Newport Performing Arts Theater, with registration at 1:00 p.m. RWM is calling out to male and female hopefuls aged 19-50 for the adult cast, with strong singing voices, proficiency in English, and have strong backgrounds in dance. For the children cast, hopefuls aged 8-16 years old (but appear to be younger than 15), with strong singing voices and proficiency in English are called to join the try-outs. Aspirants are requested to prepare any show tune in English and provide a piano score or a minus one track of his/her chosen piece.