Manila Standard - 2017 February 21 - Tuesday by Manila Standard

BUS CRASHES IN TANAY: 15 DEAD, DOZENS HURT Lopez accused of fund misuse

By Francisco Tuyay

By Christine F. Herrera ENVIRONMENT Secretary Gina Lopez has been accused of “squandering millions” in public funds, displacing indigenous people, cutting trees and using her projections as environment advocate to corner government contracts that benefited her family’s business and foundation, her opponents claim. Artemio Disini, Nelia Halcon and Ronald Recidoro, officials of the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines, made the accusations in the opposition to the confirmation of Lopez that they filed before the powerful Commission on Appointments committee on environment and natural resources on Feb. 10. Next page

AT LEAST 15 students died and dozens were injured, two of them critically, after a bus they were riding lost control and crashed into an electrical pole on a highway in Tanay, Rizal. Initial reports from the Tanay Municipal Disaster Ofﬁce said 10 of the students died on the spot while the remaining victims died in different hospitals where they were taken following the accident that occurred at 8:50 a.m. in Barangay Sampaloc. The bus driver, Julian Lacurda, also died in the crash. Carlos Inofre, chief of the Tanay Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Ofﬁce, said Panda 3 0 T H A N N I V E the R S A RCoach Y was on a downhill road along Sitio Bayucal in Barangay Sampaloc when the driver lost control after its brakes failed. Inofre said the bus carrying about 45 students was fast. “The impact was too strong and the roof of the bus almost got detached,” Inofre said. The victims were students from Bestlink College of the Philippines, who were on their way to XPERIENCE•XCELLENCE•XCITEMENT attend a camping tour at the SacraEND OF THE ROAD. Police and rescue workers dash to the site of a vehicular accident Monday involving a tourist bus carrying students from Best- mento Adventure Camp in Tanay, Rizal as part of the National Serlink College in Novaliches at the Magnetic Hill in Barangay Sampaloc in Tanay, 60 kms away, killing 15 people including the driver when the tourist vice Training Program. Next page bus lost control and hit an electric post. Manny Palmero

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VOL. XXXI • NO. 11 • 4 SECTIONS 20 PAGES • P18 • TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2017 • www.thestandard.com.ph • editorial@thestandard.com.ph

‘Duterte created DDS’ Ex-cop reverses self, blames ex-mayor for killings By Macon Ramos-Araneta

RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte formed the Davao Death Squad when he was Davao City mayor and paid up to P100,000 depending on the status of the target he ordered executed, a retired policeman and self-confessed hitman said Monday.

At a news conference organized by Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, SPO3 Arthur Lascañas retracted his testimony before the Senate in October 2016, in which he denied the existence of the DDS. At the time, he also disputed the testimony of Edgardo Matobato, who tes-

tiﬁed that Lascañas was his team leader in the DDS and that he was Duterte’s “right hand.” But at Monday’s press conference, Lascañas sang a different tune. “The existence of Davao Death Squad or DDS is real,” he said. “He [Matobato] was our member and I was one of its leaders. We are being paid here by Mayor Duterte,

Newsmen denounce bribe tale

‘It’s only political drama’

By Sandy Araneta

By Macon R. Araneta

COMMUNICATIONS Secretary Martin Andanar said on Monday that several Senate reporters who attended the press conference of alleged Davao Death Squad team leader Arthur Lascañas were offered bribes of $1,000 each. Andanar made the accusation in a TV interview after Lascañas retracted his Senate testimony last year that the DDS did not exist. Andanar said he could not say if any of the reporters accepted the offer. “Somebody offered the money but I do not know if they

MALACAÑANG said Monday that the disclosures made by a retired policeman are all part of a political drama aimed at ousting President Rodrigo Duterte. “The demolition job against President Rodrigo Duterte continues,” Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said after former SPO3 Arthur Lascañas identiﬁed Duterte as the head of the vigilante group, the Davao Death Squad, when he was still mayor. “The press conference of selfconfessed hitman SPO3 Arthur Lascañas is part of a protracted political drama aimed to destroy the President and to topple his administration,” Andanar said. “Our people are aware that this character assassination is nothing but vicious politics orchestrated by sectors affected by the reforms initiated by the Duterte administration,” the Palace ofﬁcial said. Andanar also pointed out that the Commission on Human

DARTS DESPITE. President Rodrigo Duterte is elated Sunday after seeing his former dorm mates during the Reunion of the Knights of Galahad at the President’s Hall in Malacañang, a day before retired SPO3 Arthur Lascañas, a self-confessed hitman, disclosed in a news conference then Mayor Duterte formed the Davao Death Squad. Ey Acasio

Leila’s cases rafﬂed off, arrest looms Raiders attack Vietnam ship, kill one, abduct six By Rey E. Requejo Secretary Martin Andanar

and Macon R. Araneta

accepted,” Andanar said in Filipino. “Somebody told me about it. That’s the story circulating now—but they did not say if the reporters accepted the huge sum offered by the opposition to topple this administration.” Andanar declined to say who in the opposition was involved. “I cannot categorically say [the offer] came from Senator [Antonio] Trillanes [IV],” Andanar said. Next page

SENATOR Leila de Lima faced imminent arrest after the cases of trading in illegal drugs against here were rafﬂed off to three different courts in Muntinlupa City on Monday. Solicitor General Jose Calida supported the Justice Department’s move to indict De Lima before the Muntinlupa City regional trial courts over the drug charges, saying those courts had jurisdiction over cases involving

violations of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act. But De Lima on Monday urged the three courts to hold in abeyance the issuance of an arrest warrant against her as she sought to invalidate the charge sheet against her. De Lima ﬁled motions to quash, judicial determination of probable cause and hold in abeyance the issuance of a warrant of arrest. She moved to quash the Information or charge sheet against her as she insisted that the courts had no jurisdiction over her but only

the Ofﬁce of the Ombudsman. The cases against her had been assigned to Regional Trial Courts Branch 204, 205 and 206. In the ﬁrst complaint, De Lima’s co-accused are her former driver and lover Ronnie Dayan and National Bureau of Investigation deputy director Rafael Ragos. Her co-accused in the second complaint is her nephew Jose Adrian Dera, and in the third complaint her co-accused include former Bureau of Corrections chief Franklin Bucayu, his alleged bagman Next page

By Francisco Tuyay A VIETNAMESE sailor was killed while six others were believed to have been abducted after armed men attacked a Vietnamese-ﬂagged cargo vessel off Tawi-Tawi on Sunday morning, an ofﬁcial said Monday. Armed Forces spokesman Edgard Arevalo said 10 other Vietnamese sailors were rescued, adding they were still to determine exactly how many men

were involved in the attack. Initial reports said the victims were on board the MV Giang Hai 05 off Tawi-Tawi when the vessel was attacked around 8:25 a.m. on Sunday. Philippine Coast Guard spokesman Fernando Balilo said the MV Giang Hai 05 was heading for Iloilo from Singapore. He said responding marines along with police and Coast Guard personnel proceeded to Next page

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

News

Rogue police officers go Awol By Joel E. Zurbano

EVERAL police ofﬁcers who were included in the list of rogue cops set to be reassigned to Mindanao due to their alleged involvement in illegal activities and other abuses, went AWOL (absent without ofﬁcial leave). This was discovered shortly after National Capital Region Police Office director Oscar Albayalde led the accounting and sendoff ceremony for the Metro Manila policemen held early Monday morning in Taguig City. The Mindanao-bound policemen has been dubbed as Task

Newsmen... From A1

“We received information that as much as $1,000 was paid to reporters during the press conference. I will not name my source but there were those who were given this amount to cover the event,” Andanar said. Journalists covering the Senate shot back at Andanar and demanded he apologize for making an unproven claim. “We, broadcast, online, and print journalists covering the Senate strongly protest the unsubstantiated and irresponsible claims made by Press Secretary Martin Andanar that reporters were given as much as $1,000 each to cover the press conference of alleged former Davao Death Squad leader Arthur Lascañas this morning. To our knowledge, no such incident occurred. Such practice is not tol-

’It's... From A1

Rights, the Ofﬁce of the Ombudsman and the Senate Committee on Justice already cleared the President of extrajudicial killing and his involvement in the Davao Death Squad. In testimony before the Senate last year, Lascañas had denied the existence of the DDS and contradicted the testimony of self-confessed hitman Edgardo Matobato, who said his group was responsible for killing suspected criminals and Duterte’s enemies from 1988 to 2013. More than 10 policemen from Davao City, including Lascañas, however, debunked Matobato’s DDS claim. Andanar said the Duterte administration remains unfazed by Lascañas’ revelations. “Bringing change is not an easy task. The Duterte administration has disturbed... the establishment. However, we remain undistracted in delivering goods and services to serve the people, not just the interest of the few,” Andanar said. Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II, meanwhile, cast doubts on the credibility of Lascañas, and said the timing was suspicious as well. “He could be another Matobato as he was presented by Trillanes,” Aguirre said. “This is diversionary tactic to deﬂect the seriousness of the crimes committed by [Senator Leila] De Lima,” he added.

Bus... From A1

The bus was the ninth vehicle in a convoy that left Bestlink College in Quezon City at about 6 a.m. heading for Tanay, Rizal. Berlito Bati Jr., training ofﬁcer of the Tanay disaster agency, said the injured students were brought to different hospitals in Camp Mateo Capinpin; the Tanay Provincial Hospital, and the Tanay Community Hospital. Others needing more serious medical attention were taken to Amang Rodriguez Memorial Medical Center. Dr. Manuel Bueno at the Amang Rodriguez Medical Center said the 19 students—13 male and six females, were in the operating room undergoing serious procedure. Three were in critical condition while one died. Eight other buses reached the resort without incident.

Force South. In a statement, the NCRPO said 311 police personnel are to be assigned to the Southern Command as ordered by President Rodrigo Duterte. Some of these cops, however, went on AWOL. But when asked on the exerated among Senate reporters,” the journalists said. “We would like to ask the secretary to prove his allegations as such statements placed our credibility and our respective media entities under a cloud of doubt. Otherwise, we demand a public apology from Secretary Andanar for spreading ‘fake news,’ truly unbecoming of someone who, just a few months ago, came from the media industry,” they added. Trillanes also denied Andanar’s accusation. “First of all, I categorically deny that I gave [or somebody else] gave $1,000 to reporters who covered our press conference. We don’t do that and we highly respect the Senate media,” he said. “I believe this is just to divert the issue of the President’s complicity in multiple murders,” Trillanes added. With Macon Ramos-Araneta

Senator Panfilo Lacson on Monday said Lascañas is open to perjury if he will again testify in the Senate on the alleged existence of DDS and the alleged links to President Rodrigo Duterte. “The problem was, he was under oath when testified. So if he will again testify under oath, he’s open to perjury. He will definitely be charged. It’s not possible two different statements are true,” Lacson said. Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said Lascañas was not credible. “Personally, I find it hard to believe the incredible alternative facts that Lascañas is now asserting. After all, he was singing a completely different tune just a few months ago,” Gatchalian said. “Taken all together, it is clear that there are serious doubts about his integrity and the credibility of his new testimony. Unless Lascañas can provide actual concrete evidence to link the President to extrajudicial killings, I would not rely too much on this retired cop’s tall tales,” he added. Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III said Lascañas’ statements needed to be tested through cross examinations and research. “So we should not be surprised or jump with joy just because what was said was very explosive. Remember, they were just said. It’s not yet proof.” He said it would be up to his colleagues if they believed his al-

Leila's...

From A1 Wilfredo Elli, high-profile inmate Jaybee Sebastian, De Lima’s former bodyguard Jonel Sanchez, Dayan and Dera. Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said the courts were expected to issue arrest warrants against De Lima and her coaccused once those courts found probable cause to have her arrested. He said once the arrest warrants were out, prosecutors would seek the issuance of hold-departure orders against De Lima and her co-accused to prevent them from fleeing the country. He disputed De Lima’s assertion that the cases against her should have been forwarded to the Office of the Ombudsman. “It is the RTC that has original and exclusive jurisdiction over the three cases regardless of the high position of the respondent,” Aguirre said. “Trading in

act number of those who went AWOL, NCRPO spokesperson and chief information officer Kimberly Molina replied “I don’t know. You should ask the NHQ [National Headquarters] po.” Molina earlier sent invitations to members of the media to cover the accounting and sendoff of the police officers at the NCRPO grandstand where Albayalde personally discussed with the policemen the details of their flights and reassignments. “We are not saying that you are all bad policemen. Some are. This is your chance to prove that you are not. Now is the right time to show your discipline. Your reassignment is not punitive. This is the prerogative of the President and the Chief PNP. So we must follow

directives. All erring policemen, not only those with cases, are included in the effort to cleanse our ranks,” said Albayalde during the sendoff ceremony. “If you honestly believe that you are a good policeman then you must show a good attitude on this situation,” Albayalde added. “All of us has been in our career were assigned in Mindanao so you must take this reassignment as a challenge and not a punishment. This is all but temporary. You have time to prove your worth.” Albayalde, on the other hand, advised those who went AWOL to think first before making a decision that will aggravate their problems. “Those who didn’t report [today], they brought more problems.

You will be having more time in the service, so you should be the role model for the young police officers,” he said. The rogue cops are composed of police commissioned officers including one superintendent, four chief inspectors, nine senior inspectors, three inspectors; and 293 non police commissioned officers. These cops came from the regional headquarters and five police districts in Metro Manila, broken down as follows: 49 from the Northern Police District, 10 from the Eastern Police District, 72 from the Manila Police District, 51 from the Southern Police District, 35 from the Quezon City Police District, and 94 from NCRPORegional Headquarters.

National Capital Region Police Office chief Police Director Oscar Albayalde leads the sendoff ceremony for rogue cops and officials with qustionable records in a ceremony held at Camp Crame. Some of the police officers, however, were confirmed to have gone AWOL (absent without official leave). Norman Cruz

legation should warrant another inquiry. But opposition senators said they believed Lascañas. His revelations, said Senator Risa Hontiveros, were a direct blow at the credibility of Duterte and undermined his moral capacity to lead. Senator Paolo Benigno Aquino IV called for a Senate inquiry into the latest allegations. De Lima said Lascañas’ revelations were explosive. “When Lascañas came out, we were all surprised. I didn’t expect him to expose this. The investigation on this should resume. The investigation on this should be intensive. This shouldn’t be taken lightly again. On its face, what Lascañas is saying is corroborative. He can disclose more because he knows more than Mr. Edgar Matobato, since he is one of the leaders [of the DDS],” De Lima said. “Matobato was right, as I’ve been saying. What he said was true. They ridiculed and questioned my credibility and for producing Mr. Matobato. And here comes this very explosive development from Mr. Lascañas,” she said. “It seems that their reason for exposing this is the same, that they needed to give a public confession because of their conscience, it’s time to make amends. Their conscience couldn’t handle it,” she added. With Rey E. Requejo, PNA illegal drugs has no connection with the performance of her duties as [former] secretary of Justice, The Justice Department on Friday filed criminal charges against De Lima before the Muntinlupa RTC in connection with her alleged involvement in the illegal drug trade in the New Bilibid Prison in four consolidated complaints filed by the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption, the National Bureau of Investigation, former NBI deputy directors Reynaldo Esmeralda and Ruel Lasala, and high-profile inmate Jaybee Sebastian. De Lima did not show up during the hearing on the drug charges against her at the Justice Department and instead asked that all the cases against her be transferred to the Office of Ombudsman. When the prosecutors rejected her motion, she sought relief from the Court of Appeals, which denied her plea for the issuance of a temporary restraining order.

Lopez...

From A1 They opposed Lopez’s confirmation even as the indigenous people in Surigao del Sur affected by the mine closures and suspensions on Monday also filed their opposition to Environment Secretary Regina Lopez’s confirmation. “Once the mining operations stop, [the indigenous people] will be poor again,” the indigenous people’s tribal chieftains said. Finance Department estimates show that about P821-million in local government revenues will be lost due to the Environment Department’s order to close or suspend the operations of 28 mining sites across the country. Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said in a statement Monday a total of 17 cities and municipalities in 10 provinces would be affected by the department’s order. Dominguez, who earlier ordered local treasurers to submit their respective reports on the complete revenue impact of the order, said three of the municipalities would lose revenues representing over 50 percent of their operating income if the affected mine sites were shut down or forced to suspend operations. In an 11-page opposition letter, the Chamber of Mines officials claim that Lopez’s recent actions show an “undeniable bias against and antagonism towards largescale mining, rendering her unfit and incapable of a responsible, fair, just and balanced implementation of the Constitution, the Philippine Mining Act and related laws and regulations, and of upholding personal interest and advocacies over public interest.” They say Lopez has a poor track record for leading and managing environmental and eco-tourism projects and cite three environment projects that were awarded to her. They also cite Lopez’s conflict of interest involving her family’s ABSCBN Foundation Inc., for which Lopez was managing director, and its affiliates such as Bantay Kalikasan in acquiring contracts and making money out of the projects. They say these were multi-million-peso projects that spanned several years under the previous administrations at the expense of the government. They identified the projects as the Sabsaban Falls Eco-tourism project in Palawan, the La Mesa Ecopark project in Quezon City and the Pasig River Rehabilitation project. Commission on Audit documents submitted by the complainants to the CA show that, in 1999, the Save La Mesa Watershed Project was started by the Lopez-led AFI’s Bantay Kalikasan in partnership with the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System. The project’s aim was to restore the 33-hectare La Mesa watershed that became a spoiled eco-location due to widespread illegal poaching

and logging. Five years after the rehabilitation plan, the La Mesa watershed was reopened to the public, and this time as the La Mesa Ecopark that now charge P50 per head upon admission and additional fees for swimming, biking, horse-back riding, and other recreational activities within the park. A 2004-2009 COA audit report revealed that AFI had unilaterally decided to get another 15 percent over its 30-percent share in the La Mesa Ecopark’s net income. Under a Memorandum of Agreement signed between the AFI, the MWSS and the Quezon City government, the parties agreed that the income from the La Mesa Ecopark would be shared three ways: Some 40 percent to go to the MWSS, 30 percent to the QC government and 30 percent to AFI. “It was reported that since 2005, AFI, led by Lopez, has held on to all income from the project, and no distribution of the MWSS’ share has been done by the [Lopez] foundation,” the complainants said. To remedy the breach, they said, the COA recommended that ABS-CBN Foundation immediately submit the annual financial reports and remit to the MWSS its corresponding share of income as required under the MOA. Under the stint of then President Benigno Aquino III, the Lopezes were identified as among Aquino’s closest allies. In 2010, the opposition letter says, Lopez was appointed by Aquino to head the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission project. “Instead of removing rubbish, the PRRC, headed by Lopez, had created more junk bungling its P17.7-million cleanup of Metro Manila’s biggest waterway,” the opponents said. “The COA said that millions of pesos worth of recycling equipment had been rendered junk because the PRRC had only one working materials recovery facility or MRF out of the 10 recycling centers it committed to build over the last four years,” they said. “The COA report concluded that ‘(This is) tantamount to wastage of funds and deprived the beneficiaries of the benefits that could have been derived therefrom’,” the CMP officials said. Asked by television host Solita Monsod in her program about the fiasco on July 4, 2016, Lopez replied that she had not foreseen the need for the local government unit’s or LGU’s consent to provide space for the MRFs so they did not have a place to put up the planned facilities. “To avoid further wastage, Lopez said she just gave away the equipment to LGUs and nongovernment organizations, and in the same breath implying that her responsibility over the equipment were now also transferred,” the CMP officials said. With Anna Leah E. Gonzales and Julito G. Rada

’Duterte...

From A1 oftentimes, P20,000 or P50,000 and depending on the staus of the target, sometimes P100,000. I even received [an] allowance from office of the mayor—P100,000. Accompanied by lawyers Jose Manuel Diokno, La Salle Law Dean Alexander Padilla and Arno Sanidad of the Free Legal Assistance Group, Lascañas also said Duterte spent as much as P4 million for the killing of radio broadcaster Jun Pala in 2003. He said he was hired by Duterte, through the latter’s trusted aide SPO4 Sonny Buenaventura, to assassinate Pala, a broadcaster of Davao-based radio dxGO who was critical of Duterte. He was offered P3 million as reward, Lascañas said. P500,000 was set aside for operational funds. “Sonny said Mayor Rody was very angry at Jun Pala because he attacked him (Duterte) on radio everyday,” said Lascañas. He remembered planning the murder, together with a certain SPO1 Jim Tan, who tapped “players” or hitmen to help in the murder. He said they ambushed Pala on two occasions, but the latter survived both instances. Lascañas said they paid Pala’s part-time bodyguard Jerry Trocio P350,000 to help provide them with information. They finally killed Pala in a card game. “In short, Jun Pala was killed two days after Mayor Duterte paid us P3 million through SPO4 Sonny Buenaventura,” Lascañas said. He said the money was divided among those who planned the murder. Lascañas said Duterte gave him a P1-million bonus for killing Pala on Sept. 6, 2003. “This is the whole truth in Pala murder case. This is now considered solved. I am one of those who killed Jun Pala,” he said. In September last year, Matobato claimed Duterte ordered Pala killed and one Jun Ayao was behind the killing, reportedly upon the orders of Duterte. But during another Senate hearing in October, SPO3 Enrique “Jun” delos Reyes Ayao denied Matobato’s testimony. Lascañas also said Duterte was behind the murder of a religious leader, Jun Barsabal, in 1993. Barsabal, who was arrested in Samal island, was ordered killed for grabbing and squatting on lands in Davao. Matobato had claimed that five mayors, including Duterte, “plotted” the operation to kill Barsabal. Lascañas said they were told by Duterte in Bisaya to kill Barsabal. The former police officer said he and other Davao cops were investigated for the murder and were grilled about it by the Commission on Human Rights, which was then headed by Senator Leila de Lima. But they were assured by Duterte that the investigation would not prosper. He also said Duterte ordered the bombing of a mosque in 1993 and the killing of Muslims in retaliation for the bombing of the Davao Cathedral in the same year. He said the former mayor later ordered them to arrest and kill the Muslim suspects. Lascañas, who turned emotional, then admitted having a hand in the killing of his own brothers— Cecilio and Fernando, who were both involved in illegal drugs. Sanidad said Lascañas has executed an affidavit and is ready to testify before any government agency, including the Senate. Diokno said FLAG will provide him legal assistance. “When he appears under oath before the proper bodies, you will be in a position to assess whether he’s telling the truth or not,” he said. He said they believe Lascañas is credible. Otherwise, he added, they would not be defending him. Meanwhile, Lascañas appealed to his fellow policemen, saying that killing is not the solution to crime. “Whether I die or get killed, I’m content with the thought that I have fulfilled my promise to God to make a public confession,” he said.

Raiders...

From A1 the area and boarded the vessel, where they found 10 crewmen but were told that six other crew members were missing and presumably abducted. They also recovered spent shells from Armalite rifles. “We are still investigating the group who took the six crewmen and the exact number of attackers,” Arevalo said. He said there were no clear indications yet if the terrorist group Abu Sayyaf was involved in the attack. The Abu Sayyaf are still holding an undetermined number of Indonesian sailors that they abducted in separate incidents in Tawi-Tawi last year and they brought to Sulu or Basilan.

News IN BRIEF Comelec asked to address big data breach THE National Privacy Commission on Monday asked the Commission on Elections to take “serious” steps to address the second large-scale data breach of the country’s 55,195,674 voters. At a news conference at the Department of Information and Communications Technology, the University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City, NPC executive director Jose Tolentino Jr. disclosed a computer at the ofﬁce of the election ofﬁcer in Wao, Lanao del Sur was stolen on Jan. 11. He said the stolen computer contained data from the voter registration systems, voter search application and national list of registered voters “containing the personal information of roughly 55 million voters.” “Why did it take Comelec two weeks before reporting the breach?” he asked. “Why did Comelec treat the case as simple robbery only?” In its compliance order, the NPC directed Comelec to erase all copies of the NLRV in its computers in different municipalities and cities should it fail to secure the database using appropriate organizational physical and technical measures. Tolentino asked Comelec to notify all data subjects affected by the personal data breach within two weeks and data subjects with records at the VRS in Wao. Rio Araja

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Palace pushes continuation of talks with communists By Sandy Araneta

RESIDENTIAL Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza on Monday welcomed the Communist Party of the Philippines/New People’s Army/National Democratic Front’s call to proceed with the bilateral ceaseﬁre negotiations.

In a statement released by the Ofﬁce of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, Dureza said: “We welcome and respect the positive position coming from the leadership of the CPP/NPA/NDF.” “On the part of the Philippine government, we share the same commitment to work for just and lasting peace in the land,” said

Dureza. “When ‘compelling reasons,’ as President Duterte earlier announced, are present, then we in government shall take the next necessary steps,” Dureza said. Last Sunday, the CPP ordered its armed wing, the NPA to release six prisoners of war as a “positive gesture.” The communist leadership

said if the military cooperated, the POWs would be able to “return to their families before or during the scheduled negotiations in The Netherlands.” The negotiating panels of both the National Democratic Front of the Philippines and the government were scheduled to meet in Utrecht, The Netherlands from Feb. 22 to 27 to discuss the bilateral ceaseﬁre agreement. The meeting was scheduled ahead of President Rodrigo Duterte’s announcement he was terminating the government’s peace talks with the Reds earlier this month. Duterte said on Feb. 4 the peace talks would remain canceled unless he saw a compelling reason to resume the negotiations. In Malacañang, Presidential

Spokesman Ernesto Abella said: “Following the abrupt lifting by the NPA of their unilateral ceaseﬁre and attack on government troops, President Rodrigo Duterte in response lifted the GRP [government of the republic of the Philippines] unilateral ceaseﬁre.” “GRP has in fact moved closer to the NDF position, much closer than previous administrations have,” Abella said. Abella said Duterte had instituted socio-economic reforms, moved towards political and constitutional reforms; charted an independent foreign policy; opened up to national industrialization and land reform. Duterte also opened his Cabinet to the participation of political “progressives.”

YOLANDA REHABILITATION.

Tacloban City Mayor Cristina Romualdez (right) meets with Senate Committee on Housing and Urban Planning chairman Joseph Victor Ejercito during a break in Monday’s Senate inquiry into the ‘Yolanda’ Rehabilitation and Reconstruction program for the province of Leyte. Ey Acasio

Du30 condoles with families of dead troops PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte personally extended his condolences and sympathies to the families of several soldiers who died recently. Duterte on midnight of Feb. 20 first visited the wake of Army Maj. Jerico Mangalus at the Villamor Air Base Mortuary in Pasay City. Mangalus, 38, died due to gunshot wounds from an ambush staged by the Maute terrorist group on Feb. 16 in Marawi City. The intelligence officer received a posthumous award from the President and Commander-in-Chief, who also extended financial assistance to the family of Mangalus as well as educational scholarship for his children. The President also paid his last respects to three other soldiers whose remains lay in state at VAB. He visited the wakes of former Navy officer Libert Chavez, who died of old age; retired Air Force M/Sgt. Leonardo Fernando, who also died of old age; and retired Air Force Col. Oscar Ibarra, killed by New People’s Army rebels in Ifugao. From VAB, the President proceeded to the wake of Col. Orlando Suarez at the Libingan ng mga Bayani Mortuary in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City. Suarez, who served as the Assistant Defense and Armed Forces Attaché at the Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C., died at age 50 on Feb. 11 after suffering from a stroke while on an official trip to Honolulu, Hawaii. Sandy Araneta

“In so doing, Jose Maria Sison, founder of the Communist Party of the Philippines responded by saying, at the start of the Third Peace Talks, that the GRP-NDF are no longer in an ‘adversarial mode’ but in a ‘problem solving mode’,” said Abella. Abella said it might be pertinent to note the NDF probably pushed the envelope too fast and too soon in demanding the full release of political prisoners prior to any signed agreement and for lifting the ceaseﬁre ahead of their deadline. “While it is understandable that suspicions linger about the motives of the parties on opposite sides of the ideological spectrum, some ‘compelling reasons’ need to be provided for talks to resume...” said Abella:

P2.8t released for FY 2016 budget—Diokno By Sandy Araneta A TOTAL P2.807-trillion budget has been released or an equivalent of 93.5 percent of the appropriations for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2016, Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno said on Monday. “Let me go direct to the point. Of the P3.001 trillion budget for FY 2016, P2.807 trillion has been released or equivalent to 93.5 percent of the appropriations,” said Diokno in his opening statement during the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on Public Expenditure at the Senate. “If other releases are included, such as fund releases for continuing appropriations, unprogrammed appropriations, and other automatic appropriations, releases will total P2.877 trillion or 95.9 percent of the 2016 appropriations,” Diokno said. Diokno said the FY 2016 appropriations of the Department of Public Works and

Highways are at P482.03 billion, with an agency specific-budget of P384.29 billion, transfers from other agencies of P84.82 billion, and automatic appropriations of P12.82 billion. Meanwhile, allotment releases totaled P464.33 billion, with P371.99 billion from the agency-specific budget, P84.51 billion from the transfers of other agencies, and P7.83 billion from automatic appropriations, Diokno said. This leaves the DPWH with unreleased appropriations of P17.7 billion for FY 2016, he said. Diokno said the bulk of the unreleased appropriations of DPWH’s agency-specific budget involved Routine Maintenance For Newly-Converted National Roads under Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses. For Capital Outlays, unreleased appropriations stem from: Row (Right of |Way) Payments, Payments of Contractual

Obligations, PPP Strategic Support Fund, and Various Infra Projects (including local projects). Diokno said this totaled P12.016 billion. For automatic appropriations, P4.987 billion was also unreleased coming from SAGF-MVUC (Special Accounts in the General Fund-Motor Vehicle User Charge). These items are presented under the For Later Release (FLR) portion of NBC 561, which were not released due to nonsubmission of Special Budget Request (SBR) and details of claimants/nature of claims in the case of ROW and contractual obligations, Diokno said. Next, for the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the FY 2016 Budget totaled P110.412 billion. Its agency-speciﬁc budget is at P109.977 billion while automatic appropriations totaled P435 million, said Diokno.

House to pass shaved version of death bill By Maricel V. Cruz

BOOK LAUNCHING. Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle graces the launching Monday of the ﬁrst book

published by Serviam Catholic Charismatic Community Foundation Inc. ‘Servant Leadership in the Light of Faith’ in Manila. The book aims to spark in the readers’ awareness a special and distinct appreciation of servant leadership. Norman Cruz

THE House of Representatives is poised to pass next week a watered-down version of the Palace-backed death penalty bill, taking out rape from the list of heinous crimes. House Majority Leader and Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas said the supermajority coalition decided to limit to plunder, illegal drugs and treason being serious offenses to be covered by the death penalty bill. “We agreed we whittle it down to a minimum number of offenses to three: drug-related offenses and then plunder and then treason,” Fariñas, chairman of the House committee on rules, said following the super majority caucus Monday. The three offenses, Fariñas

said, have “compelling reasons.” He said the result of the caucus would be formalized when the bill would be voted on next week. Fariñas said the supermajority excluded the possession of dangerous drugs among the acts to be covered by illegal drugs for fear of “evidence planting” by authorities. But illegal drugs include the acts of manufacturing, trade and ﬁnancing, he said. Meanwhile, Fariñas said the House leadership would be forced to vote on the measure ahead of the scheduled March 8 recess. The House will approve the measure on second reading on Feb. 28, Fariñas said, saying critics of the death penalty bill would be given the chance to be heard.

Congressional spouses group unperturbed By Maricel V. Cruz THE Congressional Spouses Foundation Inc. has remained unperturbed over the decision of Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez to boot out its office from the Batasan Complex—the CSFI office. The group’s president, Emily Alvarez, wife of Speaker Alvarez, said the impending transfer of the CSFI to its new office would not be a hindrance in continuing all its programs, including the flagship projects for the inmates of the Bureau of Jail, Management and Penology Livelihood program known as the “Inmatepreneur.” “Service to the people is in the heart not only in the House but anywhere they are,” Mrs. Alvarez told said at a news conference at the CSFI’s office at the third floor of the North Wing Building of the Batasan Complex. Speaker Alvarez earlier said he wanted the CSFI office moved out from Batasan Complex as it served no legislative function. “The spouses foundation is not a congressional function, and it is quite hard… we cannot just support it because it will look like maybe I will be dispensing public money for a private purpose,” Alvarez earlier told reporters. “It is not a function of Congress, but they [foundation] are occupying a big space… What is happening is that the number of congressmen has increased because more partylists are coming in. So I need more space for their offices,” Alvarez added.

Opinion

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2017

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

EDITORIAL

Martin’s mouth

S A rule, a spokesman is supposed to make life easier for the person he speaks for, and the people to whom that person speaks. He should be a bridge, not call attention to himself. PRESIDENTIAL Communications Office Secretary Martin Andanar is the glaring exception to that rule. Andanar’s obvious main qualification for the job was his experience as a news reader for at least two broadcast networks. This is a vital strength —reaching out to the media is his main task. Knowing their concerns

Adelle Chua, Editor

and constraints in going about their jobs is supposed to occur to him, instinctively. It’s not happening. Not when he was new to the job, and not when he should have learned the ropes already. Worse, Andanar does not just communicate poorly. He deliberately sows misinformation and makes statements that in-

cense, outrage, and distort the truth. The examples over the course of just eight months are many. They range from making an announcement about where President Rodrigo Duterte would be seated at a regional summit to blaming the media for “misreporting” the President’s statement about his inclination to declare martial law. On Monday he accused Senate reporters of accepting bribes of up to $1,000 to cover the press conference of a retired policeman who claims

he was part of the Davao Death Squad and who said Mr. Duterte indeed led the squad when he was mayor of the city. “We, broadcast, online, and print journalists covering the Senate strongly protest the unsubstantiated and irresponsible claims made by Press Secretary Martin Andanar that reporters were given as much as $1,000 each to cover the press conference of alleged former Davao Death Squad leader Arthur Lascañas this morning. To our knowl-

edge, no such incident occurred. Such practice is not tolerated among Senate reporters,” the journalists said in a statement. “We would like to ask the Secretary to prove his allegations as such statements placed our credibility and our respective media entities under a cloud of doubt. Otherwise, we demand a public apology from Secretary Andanar for spreading ‘fake news,’ truly unbecoming of someone who, just a few months ago, came from the media in-

dustry,” they added. Andanar could have many motives for saying what he did, but it was clear he was never circumspect with his words. The President is already a handful. We have already been advised to use “creative imagination” when deciphering the words that come out of his mouth. Mr. Duterte’s convoluted, multi-layered communication style already is bad enough. He does not need a communications secretary to make things even worse.

Political will on mining and peace talks

Fighting for survival LOWDOWN

JOJO A. ROBLES IN CASE you haven’t heard, consider this a heads-up. The high holidays of those of the Yellow persuasion are nearly upon us and by Saturday, Feb. 25, the political noise they have been generating lately can be expected to reach its fevered pitch. On that day, the remnants of the old Aquino political dynasty, unceremoniously removed from power with the ascent of Rodrigo Duterte to the presidency, will hold yet another of their “people power” rallies on Edsa. But unlike in the past decades, when the Edsa Revolution of 31 years ago was remembered mostly in reverential ceremonies by the Yellows, there is a palpable sense of urgency among the remaining faithful to be as shrill and disruptive as they can possibly get.

In the run-up to the 25th, the chief agents of the Yellows in the Senate and outside of it have already been making as big a racket as they can. Thus, Senator Antonio Trillanes, the man who was sprung from jail by the last Aquino president, has revived his old charges that Duterte and his family have billions in illgotten wealth stashed in banks; a retired policeman from Davao, meanwhile, has recanted his testimony absolving Duterte of running an anti-crime vigilante group, which the ex-cop now claims has been paid directly by the former mayor to kill indiscriminately. Over the past weekend, the leaders of the Catholic Church have also stepped up the pressure on Duterte to account for the killings perpetrated in his first months in office in the implementation of his anti-drug campaign. They have made the embattled Senator Leila de Lima their latest ward, ignoring the serious charges made against her

involving corruption and aiding and abetting big-time drug dealers during her term as secretary of justice. The “Walk for Life” rally of the Church is intended as a foretaste of the coming rally on Saturday, when a supposed bigger

Even if you emerge victorious in a battle with Trillanes in the gutter, you will still end up smelling like a sewer.

be assembled on Edsa. But for the remainder of this week, only the Yellows know what’s on their frenetic and febrile schedule. There is a sense of desperation in the Yellow camp, born out of a pressing need to be able to summon up a huge crowd on Edsa by the weekend. The Yellows know that if they can’t come up with a credible show of force on their self-appointed D-Day, they could be finally consigned to the dustbin of the current political scene—and even of Philippine history. And so between now and then, they will be making as much noise as they can. The political survival of their already depleted ranks depends upon it.

*** I actually agree with the Yellows who are seeking to make the Feb. 25 Edsa rally a street referendum, as it were, of their twin goals to bring down Ducrowd than the few thousands terte and to reinstate their facmustered up a week earlier will tion as the dominant political

class. But they must understand that, if they fail to bring out the warm bodies that they need to validate their existence, there is going to be hell to pay for that, as well. Having lost the elections last May, the Yellows need to prove to the people and to themselves that they are still a force to reckon with and that Duterte’s presence in Malacañang is an aberration that they can correct. Besides, if Duterte is somehow removed from office, he would be replaced by Vice President Leni Robredo—a true creation of the Aquino dynasty who is, the Yellows hope, not going to be traitor to the forces that worked to install her to the presidency like Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was in 2001. With no elections scheduled until 2019, the streets are the only legal venue left for the Yellows to use in their quest to regain their base of elitists and elite wannabes. If they fail on Saturday, they will be forced to Turn to A5

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte’s leadership skills and commitment to social change will be put to test in the next few days and weeks. Will he stand by the courageous and visionary leadership of Environment Secretary Gina Lopez who has made decisions on mining that has, overnight, transformed the governance of that sector? Will he decide to put the brakes on a slide back to war and allow his peace negotiators to meet this week in Amsterdam, Netherlands to deliberate and hopefully finalize a bilateral ceasefire agreement? Will the President fully support the Bangsamoro Transition Commission as it begins its work to draft a new version of the Bangsamoro Basic Law? It’s interesting that seven months to his term and with the coming of the Holy Week and Easter break of Congress, leaving only a few more weeks of legislative work left before Duterte’s second State of the Nation Address, there has not been a single new big law, other than the budget, that Congress has enacted under this administration. Unfortunately, so much time is being wasted by the House of Representatives on bad and useless bills like the death penalty and the lowering of criminal liability. Both have zero chance of passage in the Senate. In the meantime, the tax reforms, transportation, and FOI bills are progressing slowly. For tax reforms and FOI, the ball is in the court of Congress. For transportation, it’s the executive department that is not doing its part from what I gather. Both chambers of Congress, with Senate and House committees led by Senator Grace Poe and Representative Cesar Sarmiento respectively, have done excellent work on the bills for emergency powers on transportation. There is unfortunately a lot of backsliding in the corruption area. While you have bright lights like Martin Delgra who is doing a yeoman’s job cleaning up the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, stories from many government agencies at how corruption is rearing its ugly head in so many places abound. The Bureau of Immigration bribery case is the most visible but there are other similar incidents elsewhere in the bureaucracy. The impunity of the Camp Crame killing of a Korean businessman did not help. And now we see the ground being prepared for dismissing the PDAF cases with the legal position of the Solicitor General on the Napoles illegal detention case. The biggest diversion from genuine change is the war against illegal drugs which has resulted in the Turn to A5

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Opinion

MORE people are coming out because democracy is about to criticize the institutionaliza- assent and dissent! tion of extra-judicial killings in the context of President Ro*** drigo Duterte’s war on illegal The camp of Vice President drugs. Leni Robredo is trying all The Catholic Bishops’ Con- tricks in the book to delay the ference of the Philippines led resolution of the election prosome 20,000 Roman Catholics test of former Senator Bongin a protest rally. The war on bong Marcos against her. She drugs has left more than 7,000 has appealed the decision of people dead since Mr. Duterte the Presidential Electoral Triassumed office. bunal finding Marcos’ petition In the rally called “Walk valid in form and substance. for Life,” the Catholic leaders I am, myself, a lawyer. I called for non-violence. The know that when respondents promotion of violence, they appeals for reconsideration, it say, only encourages more vio- is just a ploy to delay the prolence. cess. The Duterte administraWe all know what the Libertion may dismiss this rally al Party and the “Yellowtards” as nothing more than an ex- tried to do during the counting pression of the sentiments of of votes. They tried to make a minority in social media. Roxas win but Duterte’s lead But we should not forget that was so overwhelming that the eight out of 10 task proved Filipinos are impossible. Roman CathoSince Marcos’ lics. margin over I am sure The probRobredo was lem though is President Duterte so much slimthat the Catho- knows what his mer, things lic Church no “happened” in longer has a mentor is talking that particular Jaime Cardirace. about. nal Sin, who never hesitat*** ed to do what I have earlier he thought refrained from was best for the country. We commenting on whether forshould not forget that the par- mer Justice Secretary and now ticipation of the Church led Senator Leila de Lima deserves to the downfall of two presi- what she has been getting from dencies—that of Presidents President Duterte and Justice Ferdinand Marcos and Joseph Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II. I Estrada. am convinced that this is vindicAnd then there is former tiveness that the Liberal Party is President Fidel Ramos, the getting. It is also a violation of man who convinced former human rights since she is getting Davao City Mayor Duterte to tried by publicity. run for president. I cannot say with certainty that But Ramos, a few months De Lima is guilty as charged. into the Duterte presidency, Only the courts of law can decalled the country a sinking termine that. But my gulay, what ship under the former Davao she is getting from the Duterte City mayor. And now he has administration is not something I other issues against the man would wish on my worst enemy. whom he encouraged to seek Since the issue is now in the highest post in the land. court, she would have her day to I am sure President Duterte contest these charges. For me a knows what his mentor is talk- person must be presumed innoing about. He should listen, cent until proven guilty. Indeed instead of lashing out at him there has been miscarriage of as he always does at his crit- justice in many political cases. ics, whom he calls “sons of Still, I believe in the majesty of whores.” the law. Getting the armed forces I don’t know how long the involved in the war against case against de Lima would last, drugs will worsen the culture but knowing our lawyers and of impunity. The military has a judges, we may not even see different mandate from “serv- their finality until after the end ing and protecting the people” of President Duterte’s term in —that is the Police’s responsi- 2022. bility. The only consolation De I also notice that there are Lima can get is that she would more opinion writers criticiz- certainly have her day in court. ing the President’s methods. The way I see it, everything Those in power do not have being experienced by De Lima the monopoly of good inten- these days is politically motitions and patriotism. I repeat vated. She is a staunch oppo—the President must listen, nent and critic of the President.

Fighting... From A4 try other, equally familiar but bloodier methods, like actual rebellion. As for the Duterte administration, I think it needs to focus on its work and not fall into the trap of getting into the political mud-wrestling ring that the Yellows have prepared for it. I think that by ignoring the noise and doing actual work, the government can convince the citizens that the Yellows have already ensured their own irrelevance and are now working on their political extinction. That said, this is why I don’t think Press Secretary Martin Andanar helped the administration’s cause yesterday by accusing the media in the Senate of accepting bribes in order to write stories about Trillanes. This is precisely what I mean about the error of getting down and dirty with a senator whose mission in life is to get Duterte and his people to engage him in a dirt-throwing contest.

Even if Trillanes cannot really win in his chosen venue in a battle using his favorite weapons, there is just no sense in fighting him there—or anywhere. Mudslinging is Trillanes’ game, after all, and even if you emerge victorious in a battle with him in the gutter, you will still end up smelling like a sewer. At the end of the day, the government should just carry on doing its job of helping the poor and the needy. It should let the citizens themselves come to the conclusion that the Yellows are engaged in a futile and desperate attempt to regain power, if not by their rallies and their rehashed, discredited allegations, then by other, more destructive means. If the Yellows are as spent a political force and as irrelevant as I believe them to be, there’s no use getting as het up as them. Let the people decide this referendum with their feet as they steer clear of the old ways that brought the Aquinos and their minions to power 31 years ago.

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Two women

TO THE POINT EMIL P. JURADO

The President must listen

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2017

FORMATION GARY OLIVAR TWO women are very much in the news these days. One is accused, the other is her erstwhile accuser. One is already behind bars, the other will soon join her. I’m referring of course to Janet Lim Napoles and Leila de Lima. And much of what fascinates me about their intertwined stories is how (i) local feminists and (ii) the Yellow crowd (not always so distinct from each other) have reacted so differently to their plight. It simply reconfirms the old aphorism: Where you sit is where you stand. *** Ma’am Janet hit the headlines three years ago, during the PNoy administration, with her scandalous tales of multi-billion peso scams and 100 percent kickbacks at the highest levels of government, not to mention her alleged kidnapping of Ben-hur Luy, a distant cousin turned whistle-blower. The Yellow crowd immediately pounced on all those lurid stories of corruption going back to way before PNoy’s time. And who can blame the feminists for steering clear of their sister in light of all the damning evidence against her? Then-Justice Secretary Leila de Lima jumped into the prosecutorial fray with gusto. Just in time for her senatorial campaign, three sitting senators ended up arrested for plunder, while Ms. Napoles landed in prison for kidnapping her poor cousin. But have you ever experienced

smelling something rotten, no matter how much perfume you spray around you? This must have been what President Duterte was feeling when he complained that so much had been left unexplained in the whole Napoles debacle. Among the questions that must have been bothering him: Why did Luy not behave at all like a kidnapping victim throughout his purported ordeal? Why are there only three senators behind bars, all of them members of the opposition to PNoy? Was it possible that—gasp!—the Yellow crowd has cornered the entire market on virtue? Why did De Lima’s investigation stop at the point when PNoy took office? Was it also possible that—double gasp!—the shining young prince had immediately banished all sin from the land with his sheer beneficent presence? These are the almost-theological questions that will now preoccupy our unassuming new Solicitor General Jose Calida. I’ve learned from him on TV that he’s actually “the people’s tribune” (or, more familiarly, “the 16th Supreme Court justice”) as well as government’s chief prosecutor. It was in the former role that he decided to seek dismissal of the illegal detention case against Ms. Napoles. By thus answering our first question above, we may soon be seeing the answers to the other two. *** The painfully slow movement of the great karmic wheel has finally caught up with Ma’m Leila, who ran after Ms. Napoles with such selective gusto. It was she, too, who, after some hesitation, defied the Supreme Court in 2012 just to keep former President Arroyo from leaving the country for medical treat-

ment abroad. [Of course, PNoy’s grubby hands were all over that incident, and he’s still footloose and fancy-free on Times Street. But, hey, that karmic wheel’s still turnin’, turnin’, turnin’…] As soon as our chief anti-drug crusader came into office last July, it was only a matter of time before all those festering rumors about De Lima’s chumminess with drug lords saw the light of day. And what a show indeed we were treated to: One drug-related witness after another stood before Congress to confirm that, yes, the new senator had been their biggest protector at the Justice department! Some have complained that the witnesses are unreliable because they are criminals. But from whom else might we expect to get knowledgeable testimony about such matters? If some of them—or indeed, maybe all of them— are lying, that is what a court of law, following the rules of evidence and due process, is supposed to find out. On the other side, many others have resorted to shaming De Lima about her physical appetites and the men in her life. Whatever probative value may be found there, I cannot for the life of me understand how such public shaming can be stomached by any man who has a mother, wife, sister, daughter. Only after Ma’m Leila finally faces the judge can she put an end to the appalling sexual innuendoes, by replacing them with the much more gossip-worthy tidbits of a real trial. *** Thus, De Lima should in fact be gratefully embracing our unassuming Justice Secretary Aguirre for bringing her to court. And yet she’s having to be dragged in there, kicking and screaming. And with her considerable dramatic

skills, she’s cobbling together an interesting coalition of supporters: Catholic nuns surrounded Ma’m Leila when she joined the Church’s “walk for life.” They must have been the same nuns who were escorting NBN-ZTE whistle-blower Jun Lozada all over the place years ago, until the courts wised up to his fantasizing. The bishops should really be more careful about whom, and what, they embrace. Feminists are rallying around her as a convenient symbol of oppression by our openly chauvinistic president. I won’t even ask where they were for Ms. Napoles, or earlier for Mrs. Arroyo. But I can certainly ask them if they think victimization by sexist shaming is enough of a free pass for de Lima to get out of a court trial for something as lethal as coddling drug lords. And of course the Yellow crowd has been ratcheting up the level of tension by talking about EJKs and threat of martial law—as if, even if true, these issues had anything to do with the drug charges against her (see “feminists” above). Do these inveterate plotters hope to gain anything from escalating disorder? Secretary Aguirre is a transparently good man who wears his faith on his sleeve. I wasn’t a fan of his when he joined the legal team that impeached the late Chief Justice Corona. But I’ve been won over—wig and all—by his even-handed ways and his doggedness in the pursuit of justice, qualities that he shares with SolGen Calida. The country—and, yes, even these two women—are in good hands with these two men. Let the trials begin. Readers can write me at gbolivar1952@yahoo.com.

Legal impediments to Internet censorship HAIL TO THE CHAIR VICTOR AVECILLA IN THE years before cyberspace became a reality, the dissemination of information was largely done manually. Research work meant trips to libraries and the acquisition, either by sale or by loan, of reference books and materials. In some extreme cases, this meant archival work or trips to dark building attics where dusty crates house rare documents. If one wanted to find a particular photograph of a famous person or a historic event, one had to check out an encyclopedia or a book that specialized in that particular line of interest or concern. In all instances requiring research work, one who had a private library had a pronounced advantage over one who did not. Back then, cinema and television, on account of their inaccessibility to ordinary researchers, did not provide a convenient source of research information. To put it simply, it was basically impossible to cite television, and motion pictures were exhibited at the cinema houses at the whim of the film distributors. The Internet radically changed the information landscape not only for the contemporary researcher but for everyone seeking information about anything. At the touch of a key on a laptop computer or a mobile telephone, anyone can access information on just about any subject of human interest, including pornography and subversive literature. In addition, cyberspace paved

Political... From A4 massacre of the poor. It has diverted resources and attracted domestic and global criticism, including, possibly, a case against Duterte, Bato, and others in the International Criminal Court. The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is understandably worried about being dragged into this unwinnable war as its officers too can be sued later in the ICC. And it is doomed to failure because the strategy being followed has long been discredited and its implementation is led by institutions—the PNP, NBI, DOJ, and now PDEA—that have a history of corruption and complicity in criminal activities. The persecution of Senator Leila de Lima is also wrong. I am certain she will eventually be cleared. Granting convicted drug lords immunity in exchange for testifying against De Lima also creates a bad precedent. More positively, there is real change in the social development and social justice sectors. From the basic sectors and local governments, I hear only good feedback of the work that Secretaries Jun Evasco, Manny Piñol, Judy Taguiwalo, and Paeng Mariano are doing. Likewise, Liza Maza, Terry

the way for the birth of the socalled social media, by which private citizens can be sources of both general and specific information. Because of social media, the dissemination of information, once a lucrative monopoly of the traditional media, can now be undertaken by private citizens through cyberspace. The unprecedented accessibility of cyberspace to ordinary citizens eventually triggered numerous issues and concerns. Many “netizens,” as the users of the social media came to be called, had no regard for the laws on libel and invasion of privacy. Quite a number of “information sources” on cyberspace likewise disregarded the basic rules on news gathering and dissemination, namely, news accuracy and the treatment of victims of heinous crimes. In 1996, the United States Congress enacted the Communications Decency Act, which made it a felony to send indecent material over computer networks. It also prohibited using a telecommunications devise to, among others, transmit obscene material. A year later, the US Supreme Court declared the law unconstitutional on First Amendment (free speech-free press) grounds. More specifically, the Court said that cyberspace is entitled to the fullest possible free speech protection, and that content posted on the Internet deserves the same protection as content printed on paper. The Court likewise held that First Amendment rights to free speech and a free press are essential to online media; that a free Internet is essential to the rights of all Americans; and that government regulation of the content of speech is more likely to interfere

with the free exchange of ideas than to encourage it. Moreover, the Court said, the Internet is not as “invasive” as radio or television because users of the Internet seldom encounter content “by accident.” The Court, however, emphasized that the door is not closed to legal measures designed to protect against copyright violations, invasions of privacy, and consumer fraud. American jurisprudence also posits that a public school library may use cyber filters to block access to pornographic sites by minors, provided that the filters must be removed whenever an adult requests access to the same sites. In fine, the US Supreme Court was unwilling to authorize the construction of humps in what the tribunal called the unprecedented information highway of the world. The Philippine approach to cyberspace regulation is not too different. In 2012, the Congress of the Philippines enacted Republic Act No. 10175, or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012. Under this law, the penalty for libel, if committed through a computer system, was increased one degree higher than that for libel committed through other means. This meant that one who is convicted for cyber libel will not be entitled to probation, and must, therefore, serve time in prison. One provision of Republic Act No. 10175 authorized the Secretary of Justice to close down, without any court authorization, any website or information provider suspected of criminal activity. Another provision required e-mail and mobile phone service providers to submit to the government “traffic data” regarding their clients’ use of their

services. As expected, the constitutionality of Republic Act No. 10175 was challenged in the Supreme Court. Eventually, the tribunal upheld the main provisions of the law, particularly the one regarding cyber libel, but voided the provision authorizing the justice secretary to close down, without the benefit of a valid judicial warrant, suspect websites and information providers, as well as the provision on “traffic data.” The ruling of the Court was welcomed by well-meaning users of cyber technology. There is word that the government intends to filter pornographic sites on the Internet. If that is so, there is a good chance of that measure getting questioned in the Supreme Court. Just recently, however, the Secretary of Health espoused the view that censorship of pornographic sites in the Internet is an effective measure against the spread of HIV among the students and the youth. In fine, that view suggests that internet pornography effectively encourages the youth to be promiscuous, and to engage in unprotected sex. While the Health Secretary’s view appears to be well-meaning, it is legally untenable and impractical because, first, the jurisprudence on cyberspace regulation indicates that it is virtually impossible for the State to impose restrictions on Internet access on the part of adults. Second, Philippine law provides that a person above 18 years of age is an adult. Third, many college students are, legally speaking, adults already. The government’s crusade against the spread of HIV is laudable, but it should not be at the expense of free speech and freedom of expression.

Ridon, and others like them are working hard making sure their offices deliver to their constituencies among the basic sectors. Their efforts are not noticed by traditional and social media because they are not controversial even as they are making an impact on the lives of the poor. But it is in the environmental sector and potentially in the peace process with both Moro revolutionary organizations and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (which includes the Communist Party of the Philippines and the New People’s Army) where the greatest potential good social change can come. For immediate impact, the decisions that Gina Lopez makes promise to be the most dramatic. For lasting reforms, success in achieving and implementing permanent peace settlements with the Moros and the communists will go a long way to change the country. Unfortunately, the detractors of Lopez have become personal and have launched propaganda attacks against her, distorting things from her past to put her in a negative light. There is also misinformation about the impact of her mining decisions, with the President himself misled into saying that we would lose P70 billion because of this. As Dr. Cielo Magno, a UP economics professor and an ex-

pert on mining economics, has computed, it’s more like P10 billion. There are of course serious issues around the decisions of Secretary Lopez that the President must resolve. On this, I align myself with Finance Undersecretary Bayani Agabin who has said that these decisions must be weighed according to the standards of substantive and procedural due process. As for the peace processes, I am optimistic about the Mindanao talks now that the BTC is about to be launched, but there is uncertainty on the fate of the NDFP negotiations. Negotiators on both sides are supposed to meet this week to discuss and hopefully agree on a bilateral ceasefire. In my view, such a ceasefire is essential for the process to succeed. Yes, the negotiations can go on even when there is fighting but trust will not be built. Unfortunately, as historian Vince Rafael has pointed, the fight between the AFP and the NPA has taken on dimensions of a “rido,” a family feud, as we see in Mindanao, that is difficult to stop once it begins. Definitely, a good step forward as well would be for the President to release the 400-plus political prisoners affiliated with the NDFP. This is a matter of justice and not necessarily a quid pro quo or in exchange for the

ceasefire. In any case, agreement on the ceasefire should not be contingent on the release. Still on the NDFP peace process, I would also propose to the negotiators that they accelerate the timetable of the talks. I have studied the texts of both sides on the Comprehensive Agreement on Social and Economic Reforms (CASER), and my expert opinion, as a negotiations professor, scholar, and practitioner, is that the positions between the government and the NDFP are not far apart. Mostly, it’s a difference language and that is not a formidable obstacle. I believe a CASER agreement can be completed in a couple of months. In relation to the political detainees, maybe the government can release first, upon signing of the bilateral ceasefire, those prisoners who are over 60 years old, those who are sick, and young mothers. After the CASER is adopted, the rest of the political prisoners could then be released. A full amnesty for all involved in this 49-year-old conflict should wait the final political settlement. All eyes are on the President. I hope he makes the right decisions on mining and peace. Facebook: deantonylavs Twitter: tonylavs

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

News

PH declining after 100 days of Rody, FVR says By Sandy Araneta

HE Philippines declined after 100 days under the incumbent administration and urged President Rodrigo Duterte to address the issues of poverty, terrorism, climate change, and basic services, former President Fidel V. Ramos said Monday. “After 100 days, we are declining as a Philippine team. The poor, the veterans, the youth, persons with disabilities are not getting any help,” Ramos said at the Samahang Pla-

ridel news forum at the Manila Hotel. Ramos said only law enforcers are the only ones seeing improvement in their lives because of the government’s war

against drugs “but that is only one part of our society.” One of the basic services that is being neglected is mass transportation. That is also true of the concerns of workers, women, farmers, academe, veterans and several others. Even in meetings of the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council, Ramos said the Cabinet only allows about two minutes for each of these other items. “Hopefully this would be reviewed. Mr. President with due respect to you, I hope you’ll not

get angry,” Ramos said. “[The country is declining] because we are losing friends by telling them that we don’t like them anymore. And sometimes by using bad words,” the former leader said. “It’s okay to court new friends. By all means, let’s romance them. But do not discard or eliminate our trusted friends because they will never come back again,” he said. “No world will exist unless there is international cooperation. So what we need is an interdependent foreign

policy,” said Ramos. “Unilateralism is something deep. That is being alone without any companion,” said Ramos, adding that the Philippines needs more allies to address serious problems. “For some people now who are smart alecks, they say this is our independent foreign policy. Our enemy now is global warming, hunger, no potable water, drying up of watersheds, no natural electric power, no space for a comfortable family life because the population is growing,” he added.

MORE than 420 residents of Barangay 353 Zone 36 in Tayuman, Manila availed of free medical check-up, dental services and medicines during the ‘Libreng Gamutan’ Medical Mission conducted recently by the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Inc. The charity activity was conducted by the FFCCCII Foundation Inc. in partnership with barangay chairwoman Angelina Suansing Gorospe and Mr. and Mrs. Tan Teng Li. The FFCCCII team was led by FFCCCII vice president William Yap Castro, adviser of Social Responsibility Project Committee; and FFCCCII Arbitration Committee vice chairman Tan Teng Li. Barangay leaders led by chairwoman Gorospe thanked FFCCCII for holding the medical and dental mission which helped the community’s poor residents.

THE August Twenty One Movement (ATOM) pledges its active support and participation in the activities for the 31st anniversary of the 1986 Edsa People Power Revolution. “What happened on that day was a magnificent moment in the life of our people that freed us from the shackles of martial law and gained the admiration of the whole world,” the group said in a statement. “However, our celebration should keep us constantly on guard against the return of despotic rule, and reject moves that tread the path of authoritarianism which include shocking treatment of basic human rights and contemptuous disregard for established legal processes,” it added. On Feb. 25, 1986, our people cried tears of joy upon learning that the dictator and his family had left Malacañang and fled to Hawaii. But a mere 31 years after that blissful day in our history, our people are once again crying, this time out of anger and frustration amid signs that the Marcos regime has reared its ugly and fearsome head, group said.

ON THE DECLINE. Former President Fidel V. Ramos explains why he thinks the Philippines is declining under the Duterte administration during the Samahang Plaridel Kapihan sa Manila Hotel forum on Monday. Norman Cruz

Comelec urges voters to register By Vito Barcelo THE Commission on Elections on Monday urged new voters to register for the upcoming village and youth council elections April this year as only 193,229 have so far registered from January to February 10 this year. The Comelec has set a target of six million new voters with still 66 days before the barangay and SK elections—two million regularaged voters, and four million youth. Filipinos aged 18 years and older may register for the village polls, while those as young as 15 may register to vote for the youth elections. Comelec data shows that there are 54.363 million active registered voters nationwide. Comelec spokesman James Jimenez also urged senior high school students to attend its voter

education lecture series which already had five sessions since it was piloted last month. Entitled “#KEBS: Know Elections Better, Superfriends!”, the lecture aims to demystify the process of elections and advocate for an intelligent vote. It is primarily directed at senior high school students who are eligible to register for the SK elections. “Voters as young as 15 years old should be taught the value of democracy. This lecture is an opportunity for us to urge them to register so they can exercise their right to vote,” Jimenez said. Voter registration for the Oct. 23, 2017 Barangay and SK Elections is set to end on April 29. But so far there are only 193,229 SK registrants out of the total number of applications received in November and December 2016 nationwide.

Meanwhile, the Comelec said that several measures have been taken up by the poll body to prevent a breach of personal information of registered voters following report of robbery of a desktop computer in Wao, Lanao del Sur, last month that contained the biometrics data of the town voters and the demographics data of all registered voters in the country. Jimenez said demographic data is the location of the registered voters and not personal data. Comelec Executive Director Jose Tolentino Jr. said unidentified person broke into the Office of Election Officer in Wao, Lanao del Sur and stole the desktop computer containing the Voter Registration System (VRS), an application used to encode demographic data and capture biometric data of applicant voters. Also found in the computer were the National List of Registered Vot-

ers (NLRV), which contains demographic data of all registered voters in the country, and the Voter Search system, which uses the NLRV to determine if the applicant has already registered. The VRS contains the detailed personal information of a total of 58,364 registered voters of Wao, Lanao del Sur, of which 40,991 are for registered voters for the upcoming barangay elections as of October 19, 2016 while 17,373 are for the Sangguniang Kabataan elections as of Sept. 13, 2016. He said the NLRV contains only the demographic data of approximately 75 million registered voters in the country as of Oct. 17, 2016, 55 million of which are active and 20 million are deactivated. The NLRV does not contain the biometrics data of the national registered voters.

PCSO exposes fake FB account PHILIPPINE Charity Sweepstakes Office general manager Alexander Balutan on Monday asked the AntiTransnational and Cyber Crime Division of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group to investigate a fake Facebook account under the name of the agency. “PCSO would like to inform the public that the PCSO Financial Assistance FB page is not in any way connected to the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office,” Balutan said. Balutan was referring to a Facebook account carrying the name and logo of the organization that allegedly insulted a netizen who was merely inquiring about possible assistance for a colleague’s sick baby whose hospital expenses had reached P250,000. FB user Margauxe Bravantes said she posted her inquiry to “PCSO Financial Assistance” FB

FFCCCII holds Tondo clinic

Atom pushes Edsa Revolt celebration

6.5m new jobs seen by 2022, DoT says THE tourism industry is on track in creating about 6.5 million new jobs by the end of the Duterte administration in 2022 as a result of the programs currently being implemented by the government, the Department of Tourism said Monday. Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo announced DoT’s projections as she addressed global leaders and tourism industry stakeholders at the World Tourism Forum– Global Meeting in Istanbul, Turkey last week. Teo said the DoT has just completed its National Tourism Development Plan which will serve as the roadmap of the DoT through 2022. “Poor people in dire need of jobs and income to support their families are the focus of DoT’s inclusive and sustainable program under NTDP which aims to create employment and livelihood,” Teo said. Conversely, the master plan targets to double the number of inbound visitors to 12 million and triple inbound expenditure to $20 billion by the year 2022. “As tourism ministers, we have the responsibility not only to promote our destinations but make sure communities benefit and harness their potentials as entrepreneurs,” Teo stressed. The tourism chief also urged the delegates to share and exchange consumer insights, information and knowledge to allow the development of diversified tourism activities and tour packages. Among the community-based tourism initiatives undertaken by the DoT includes the provision of technical assistance to small and micro local ventures, training of local tour guides and development of tour programs. Tourism industry in the Philippines accounts for 8.2 percent of the Philippines’ gross domestic product valued at P24 billion and employs over five million people. Sandy Araneta

IN BRIEF

account with the agency’s logo on Feb. 15. However, instead of getting a favorable response, Bravantes claimed that she was insulted and sarcastically answered by the handler of the account. Another netizen also sent a message to the FB account’s owner, asking if the page could really help or if the page was only a hoax. The netizen also got a rude reply and was blocked. Balutan confirmed the page is a fake and the only official website of PCSO can be accessed at www. pcso.gov.ph. Balutan assures the public that the PCSO and its personnel are always ready to assist the Filipino people through its various charity programs. As of press time, the fake account is still accessible on Facebook.

AMBULANCE DONATION. Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Ofﬁce general manager Alexander F. Balutan

(5th from left) hands over the symbolic key to a 14 brand new ambulances the PCSO donated to local governments. The turnover was attended by (from left) Mayors Julius Lobrigas of Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte; Carlo Invinsor Clado of Majayjay, Laguna; Salvador Antojado of Kalawit, Zamboanga del Norte; Hermogenes Cordova of Leon B. Postigo,Zamboanga del Norte; Rachel Ferrater of Jose Dalman, Zamboanga del Norte and Lycel Castor Tan of Diplahan, Zamboanga Sibugay. Joseph Muego

“The Agency has now taken steps by asking the CIDG and its cybercrime unit to identify the people be-

hind the fake Facebook account, and is also doing the necessary actions to ensure that other bogus Facebook

pages, social media accounts and websites using PCSO shall be dealt with accordingly,” Balutan said.

Oil firms hike prices anew GASOLINE prices went up by P0.25 per liter and kerosene by P0.15 per liter starting 6 a.m. Tuesday to reflect the movement of world oil prices. PTT Philippines, Seaoil Philippines, Eastern Petroleum, Phoenix Petroleum Philippines, among others, issued separate advisories of the oil price increase. Other oil firms like Petron Corp. and Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. are expected to follow suit. Oil prices have been going up slightly in recent weeks due to the continuing impact of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries’ decision to cut production starting January.

Lake rehab pushed THE fishermen’s group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas pushed the government on Monday to rehabilitate Laguna de Bay so as not to lessen the lake’s fish yield. According to the data of Pamalakaya, Laguna de Bay produces almost 100,000 tons of fish annually, of which comprises 40 percent of the fish supply in Metro Manila. Fish pen proliferation has taken its heavy toll not just on the ecology of Laguna de Bay but also on small fishermen and poor families dependent on the lake’s fishing resources. Fish pens emit 38.6 tons of nitrogen in Laguna de Bay per year through its chemical feeds used in culturing fish, particularly milkfish (bangus). The group said corporate fish pens deploy armed security guards that harass fisherfolk and there are reports that fishermen were being gunned down if they sail near the guarded fish pens. Legally, a corporation and an individual can only lease up to 50 hectares of fish pens for 25 years and renewable for another 25 years but some corporations violate the law by using dummies and through the connivance of crooked officials. Sandy Araneta

Sports

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2017 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Whitehouse lead dwindles By Peter Atencio

AGASBAS Beach, Daet, Camarines Norte—Sprint specialists from many teams made a big push in Stage 3 of the Le Tour de Filipinas 2017. And the forested and famous 7-kilometer winding road called “Bitukang Manok” inside the Bicol National Park in Basud, Camarines became their battleground. The big 177.35-km chase along flat roads to the Daet finish line

from Naga City decided the fate of yellow jersey holder Daniel Whitehose, two Filipino riders and second stage champion Sean Whitfield. Spanish bet Alfredo Grijalba took lap honors after reaching the Camarines Norte Capitol

Bldg. in 4 hours, 14 minutes and three seconds. “I attacked in the last 30-km with the other guys. That’s for trying to get the yellow jersey and for trying to get the win. I’m so happy,” said Grijalba, who spent 10 days acclimating in Dagupan. He towed a 10-man group with him, including Filipino bets Rustom Lim and Arjay Peralta of 7-Eleven Roadbike Philipines to the finish line. His big push saw Whitehouse’ cumulative lead of 8 hours, 15 minutes and 24 seconds shredded to just few previous seconds when it was over.

Whitehouse, who was the Stage 1 winner and is more of a climber, was 37th for the stage and had a cumulative time of 12:30.54. Whitehouse’s edge is now down to just 23 seconds, with Attaque Team’s Gusto Benjamin just a second behind the stage winner. More than a thousand flag-waving schoolchildren from three elementary schools located along the race’s path cheered on as Grijalba made his move in the rolling and winding terrain of Bitukang Manok, with 22 kms left to the finish line. He led a four-man pack that broke away from the main peloton

and merged with a nine-man lead that had been maintaining their grip on the lead since the start. This lead group included Filipino bets George Oconer of the national team, Team CCN’s Mark Bonzo and Peralta. The pack that Oconer, Bonzo and Peralta belonged to was an 11-man bunch at first that led by as much as 6 minutes and 30 seconds, some 33 kilometers out of Naga City, after entering the outand back route of Tigaon town. They kept their advantage until the 120-km mark and after a very patient Grijalba stepped it up.

La Carlota bets rule Iloilo meet TRACY Llamas came away with two titles while Khenz Justiniani pulled off a win and a runner-up finish as the La Carlota bets imposed their will in the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala Iloilo regional tennis tournament at the Ultra Tennis Club yesterday. Llamas overpowered Averille Sacapano twice, scoring a 6-1, 6-3 romp in the girls’ 16-U finals then hacking out a 6-3, 6-4 triumph in the premier 18-U class of the Group 2 sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop headed by president and CEO Bobby Castro and presented by Slazenger. The 12-year-old Justiniani, on the other hand, held off Kyrwin De Asis, 7-5, 6-1, to rule his agegroup but fell short against No. 6 Marben Mosquera of Iloilo, 4-6, 3-6, in the 14-U section of the five-day event which served as the fifth leg of the 58-stage circuit backed by Asiatraders Corp. Llamas and Justiniani also went on to share the MVP honors, joining the early recipients of the coveted title awarded to top performers of each leg in the circuit which also stakes ranking points. Meanwhile, Listup is ongoing for the sixth leg set Feb. 23-27 in Dumalag, Capiz. For details, call Bobby Mangunay, the PPSPEPP sports program development director at 0915-4046464. Four other La Carlota aces ruled their respective divisions with Alexa Milliam matching Llamas’ two-title romp, blasting Jufe Ann Cocoy, 6-1, 6-0, for the girls’ 12-U plum and crushing Avril Suace, 6-3, 6-1, for the 14-U diadem. Karl Baran trounced Ron Diaz, 6-3, 6-1, for the boys’ 18-U crown, Troy Llamas whipped Pete Rodriguez, 6-0, 6-2, for the 16-U title and Giovani Dimate capped the La Carlota bets domination with a shutout 4-0, 4-0 win over Eric Binas in the 10-unisex side.

Spaniard Fernando Grijalba of Kuwait Cartucho.Es Team screams after winning Stage 3 of the Le Tour de Filipinas 8th edition.

New no. 1 Johnson keeps things simple PACIFIC PALISADES—Dustin Johnson made the complicated world golf ranking calculations simple on Sunday, vaulting to number one with a convincing victory in the Genesis Open. “I don’t really understand it,” he said of the math involved in determining the game’s top player “but I can read the ‘one-two-three’. I guess that’s all that matters.” All week at Riviera Country Club, Johnson shied away from talk of ending Jason Day’s 47week run atop the rankings—a possibility that also depended on where Day finished. “I was coming in here to put myself in a position to win and

I did that—and I played really well,” said Johnson, who led by as many as nine strokes on Sunday en route to a five-shot victory with a 17-under par total of 267. “If I get to number one winning the golf tournament, then obviously that’s even a bonus.” After a heartbreaking history of near-misses in major championships, Johnson broke through at the US Open at Oakmont last year. His victory on Sunday was his fourth since June. “Obviously winning the US Open in the summer kind of gave me a little bit of a boost with confidence with my game,” he said. “It was big for me ... to finally win one.

“Today kind of felt a lot like how I was playing this past summer, finally getting back to where I was, driving it really well.” But the rankings are tight at the top—right down to number six Jordan Spieth. Rory McIlroy and Henrik Stenson—ranked second and fourth coming into the week, were absent, but number five Hideki Matsuyama also had a mathematical chance to topple Day at Riviera only to miss the cut. “Number one can toss and turn in the coming weeks a lot of times if the guys keep playing well,” Day said. The Australian also noted that

the number one ranking brings some added pressure, although he thought Johnson had the wherewithal to cope with that. “I think he’s going to do just fine,” Day said. “I think he’s won every single year that he’s been out here. That’s the formula—you’ve got to win as much as you can.” Johnson said he hadn’t considered whether becoming number one could prove a burden. He’d been too busy celebrating his victory on the 18th green with two-year-old son Tatum. Days earlier, his fiancee, Paulina Gretzky, announced on Instagram that the couple are expecting their second child. AFP

Sports Institute launches ‘train the trainers, talent ID’ programs TAGUM CITY—The Philippine Sports Institute Sports Mapping Action Research Talent Identification Train the Trainers’ Program opened recently at at the Rodolfo del Rosario Gym, Davao del Norte Sports and Tourism Complex here. PSI national training director Marc Edward Velasco and PSI national deputy training director Henry Daut, also the head of grassroots development program, spearheaded the three-day event. Joining them also was Sports Mapping Action Research for Talent Technical Experts and Manpower (Smart Team) chief Joy Reyes. The Smart Team, according to Daut, is composed of sports science specialists who will conduct the Smart ID testing. The Smart ID is PSI’s national grassroots tal-

ent identification program. “We are using Davao Region as kick-off point for the train the trainers program of the Smart ID. We will conduct a pilot testing for volunteer secondary and elementary schools in Tagum City. Participants will be trained how to conduct the testing as specified in the manual,” Daut said, adding that participants will also be oriented on PSI’s programs and will also have a practicum where they will conduct the actual testing. The result of the testing will provide data to help PSI identify potential talents. Smart ID, however, is designed for raw talents, not for athletes who have already been competing. Thus, it is open not just for students but also for out-of-school youths and indigenous people (children).

“We want every Filipino child be given the opportunity to be identified for sports excellence,” Daut said. Hitches in the pilot testing will be addressed by PSI for better implementation in Visayas and Luzon areas before the Smart ID nationwide launching. Similar Train the Trainers Program will also be held in Visayas on March 13 to 15, South Luzon on April 9 to 11 and in North Luzon on May 7 to 9. But the nationwide launch schedule has yet to be finalized. Daut also said that they chose Davao Region as venue for the pilot test being a compact area, the provincial government of Davao del Norte is very accommodating, volunteer schools will provide the students and availability of the facilities.

PSI national training director Marc Edward Velasco (center) and PSI national deputy training director and grassroots development head Henry Daut (left) spearheaded the Sports Mapping Action Research Talent Identiﬁcation (Smart ID) Train the Trainers Program at the Rodolfo del Rosario Gym, Davao del Norte Sports and Tourism Complex in Tagum City. With them during PSI’s strategic planning for regional coordinators at the PhilSports Arena Sports Complex Thursday is Philippine Sports Commission Management Services Division acting chief Anna Christine S. Abellana.

Manila Bay Seasports listup begins

The Triton women’s champion team in action during last year’s festival.

THOSE interested to take part in the 2017 Manila Bay Seasports Festival may begin registering with Manila Broadcasting Company starting today. To be held on March 18 and 19, the festival will feature mixed team championships for the Dragon Boat

Race, with stock and formula races comprising the motorized banca competitions in annual summer event presented by MBC and the City of Manila, in cooperation with the Philippine Coast Guard. Water enthusiasts and hobbyists are invited

to cheer on the participants in these spectator sports made popular in island nations such as the Philippines. MBC and its partners have set aside over half a million in prizes for all race divisions. Rowing clubs, student groups, and even top athletes are

expected to see action in the dragon boat race, while bangkeros from all over the country will pit their skills in a show of seafaring brains and brawn. Registration is on first-come, firstserved basis. Call Lida Aquino at mobile number 0915-242-7426.

Cousins to join forces with Davis NEW ORLEANS—The New Orleans Pelicans are hoping to give their playoff chances a boost by acquiring power forward DeMarcus Cousins from the Sacramento Kings, US media reported Sunday night. Cousins would join forces with fellow all-star Anthony Davis who scored 52 points and was named MVP of Sunday’s all-star game. Nothing was official but Yahoo Sports, ESPN and USA Today reported that the Kings were on the verge of dealing Cousins for rookie guard Buddy Hield, swingman Tyreke Evans, guard Langston Galloway, a 2017 first-round pick and a 2017 second-round pick obtained from the Philadelphia 76ers. Speculation of a deal grew on Sunday when Cousins played a team low two minutes in the Western Conference’s 192-182 victory in the mid-season showcase at the Pelicans’ Smoothie King Center arena. New Orleans is 2 1/2 games behind the Denver Nuggets for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Cousins is averaging career highs of 29.1 points and 11.2 rebounds per game, but is also one of the most penalized players in the league. He leads the NBA with 17 technical fouls. AFP

Yap gets rock-star treatment in STI school MOST Valuable Player James Yap of the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters received a rock star treatment from the STI Academic Center Las Pinas community during the institution’s celebration of its annual sportsfest held for the first time at its newly established gymnasium in Alabang-Zapote just recently. Yap graced the affair where he judged the parade of muses and escorts and had fun spending more than an hour with students, faculty members and administrative staff of the institution. The PBA great, who is close to becoming the first millennial player to reach the league’s 10,000-point club, thanked the entire institution for the warm reception. “Pasensya na po kayo, medyo wala akong boses, kakantahan ko sana kayo,”said Yap in jest. “Pero masaya po ako, salamat sa pag-imbita niyo sa akin at magandang pagtanggap.” Despite feeling a little bit under the weather, Yap gamely posed for photo opportunities with high school students doing the tour as well as entertaining questions from the AB Communications Arts students of the institution. Yap’s mother team, Rain or Shine, also donated paints for the school’s NSTP projects. In his conversation with deputy administrator Liz Acedo, Yap also vowed to help out the school’s future community services.

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

P0 M+ P0 M

Sports

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

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2017

Durant’s alley-oop to Westbrook is highlight By Paul Duran A BUNCH of scoring records were shattered at the 2017 New Orleans NBA All-Star game. The biggest combined points in a single quarter was broken right in the first period, while Anthony Davis set a new scoring record with 52, smashing the scoring record of 42 points set by Wilt Chamberlain in 1962. He made 26 of 39 shots from the field, eclipsing Blake Griffin’s 2014 record of 19 field goals in an All-Star game. And it was just fitting for the fourtime All-Star Davis to win the MVP award right in his backyard after the West’s mastery of the East 192-182, yesterday. But the real highlight of the game was Kevin Durant’s alley-oop to Russell Westbrook back in the first quarter. A brewing bad blood was expected between the two in their first game as teammates after KD’s controversial departure from OKC to Golden State. However, bridges seemed intact as the former deadly duo combined for an alley-oop in the 4:58 mark of the game, some 60 seconds after Westbrook’s entry, thereby quashing the obvious tension between the two stars. In the ensuing timeout, teammates teased the two and cheered both after their play, while fans in the arena as well social media erupted in a frenzy of delight. Is this the start of some reconciliation between the two? With the nearing of the NBA playoffs though, that might still have to wait. Westbrook finished with 41 points, seven assists and five rebounds while Durant registered a triple-double with 21 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Giannis Antetokounmpo led the East with 30 points, going unblemished in his first six attempts, while LeBron James and Isaiah Thomas combined for 43 points.

Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder dunks the ball in the ﬁrst half of the 2017 NBA All-Star Game at Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. AFP

Unheralded rider steals Ronda show in Stage 10 T

AGAYTAY CITY—An unknown rider from Mindanao stole the show in Stage 10 of the LBC Ronda Pilipinas 2017 that started and ended at the Tagaytay Convention Center here yesterday.

Roel Quitoy came through with best performance in his young cycling life as he topped the 10th stage. Quitoy, who is just on his second year in this cycling race considered the biggest in the country today, showed impressive climbing skills as stuck with overall leader Jan Paul Morales from start to finish but took lap honors in three hours, 25 minutes and 29 seconds. Morales, fresh of reigning supreme in the Stage 9 criterium in Sta. Rosa, Laguna the day before, came in second or just two seconds behind with a clocking of 33:30:50 and could have claimed his fifth stage victory had he not decided to just let the 25-year-old Zamboanga City native have a day in the sun. The 31-year-old red LBC jersey wearer said the win was a reward for Quitoy for

the hard work and fearlessness he showed during the race. “He was the one who towed us when we made the move to catch up with the lead pack and he was also with me when we broke loose in the ascent in Sampaloc,” said Morales in Filipino. Quitoy, whose father Romeo competed in the fabled Tour back in the old days, was a little bit emotional when he received his first ever paycheck worth P20,000. “I dream of having a good life through cycling and I hope this is a start for me,” said Quitoy, who gave up mountain biking for road racing after figuring in a major accident that saw him hurting his left knee and being sidelined for three years. Quitoy also attributed his success to his accidental bike change.

After his cheap aluminum bike worth P12,000 broke down in the Angeles-Subic Stage 3 more than two weeks ago, Quitoy almost quit but changed his mind when his manager Paul Tan lent him his lighter carbon bike amounting to over P100,000. “I’m really thankful to Paul Tan for allowing me to use his bike. I’m also using a mountain bike gear in my old bike, unlike this new one,” he said. Kinetix Lab-Army’s Ronnilan Quita checked in at third, while Navy’s Jay Lampawog finished at No. 4 with the two given the same time of 3:26:50. Navy’s Rudy Roque, who held the overall lead in the first seven stages before Morales snatched it away from him in Stage 8 in Daet, Camarines Norte, was at No. 5 while Kinetix Lab-Army’s Marvin Tapic and Cris Joven, Navy’s Lloyd Lucien Reynante and Joel Calderon and Ilocos Sur’s Jheffson Sotto comprised the top 10 with 3:27:49. After 10 stages, Morales remained unperturbed at No. 1 with an aggregate time of 33:26:24, or 4.26 minutes ahead of Roel Quitoy Roque, who has 33:30:50.

Mighty Sports falls short

SENIORS INTERCLUB. The 2nd team captains’ meeting of the PAL Seniors Interclub last Feb. 19 at Rancho Palos Verdes Golf and Country Club signaled the start of the 70th edition of the country’s longest running team golf championship that unfolds this year in Davao City. Photo shows PAL and tournament ofﬁcials with captains of the 90 teams seeing action in the 31st Seniors Interclub at Rancho Palos Verdes and Apo Golf from Feb. 22 to 25.

DUBAI—Mighty SportsPhilippines put on another gallant fight, but its upset bid was dodged for the second straight night as it bowed to Sagese of Lebanon, 95-92, in the Dubai International Basketball Championship Sunday at the Dubai Indoor Stadium here. Like in its 84-82 defeat to Egypt national team Saturday, Mighty Sports had a chance to salvage the game, but to another disappointment of a huge Filipino crowd, Beau Belga’s potential gametying three fell short. With its third straight loss in as many games, Mighty Sports’ semis bid in the tournament considered by many as much tougher than the

Death duel for Ginebra, Star By Jeric Lopez ONE will have a crack at glory, while the other is bound to go home. It’s all or nothing for Barangay Ginebra and Star as they lock horns one last time in their bestof-seven semifinals series, with a trip to the finals on the line in Game 7 of the 2017 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup playoffs. The Gin Kings and the Hotshots go for all the marbles with their war’s concluding game at 7 p.m. today at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City. Six games weren’t clearly enough as the evenly matched teams ended up tied at 3-3 following adjustments and counter adjustments.

For the third time this conference, Barangay Ginebra staved off elimination and stayed alive, mauling Star with an impressive 91-67 rout in Game 6 Sunday night to tie the series and force a decider after trailing 2-3 in the series. But Gin Kings’ coach Tim Cone was quick to move forward and stated that it now boils down to one single game. “Game 7 is anyone’s game,” said Cone. “Whoever comes out and has a better night is going to win and take it. Game 7 is a players’ game. It all boils down to who wants it more.” After yet another solid performance that saved their campaign, Cone commended his wards’ survival skills this conference as they

continued their journey. “My guys have shown great resilience and resolve all conference long. So many times we could’ve quit and say ‘no mas’ but that’s not going to happen with us,” Cone said. While Ginebra drew a lot of contribution from LA Tenorio, Sol Mercado, Japeth Aguilar, Joe Devance and Jervy Cruz the last time out, Star lacked firepower from the likes of Paul Lee, Allein Maliksi and Rafi Reavis. With Game 7 ahead, it will now be a matter which cast shows up more. In their own do-or-die Game 7, defending champion San Miguel Beer and TNT KaTropa are going all out as of this report to see who takes the other finals spot.

Games Today

(Al Ahli Indoor Stadium) 5 p.m. – Al Riyade vs Ball Above All 7 p.m. – Egypt vs Sagese 9 p.m. – Homenetmen vs Mighty Sports

Jones Cup was put in peril. It will face the fancied Homenetmen on Tuesday before going up against early semifinalist Al Riyadi on Wednesday. Homenetmen and Al Riyadi are two of Lebanon’s welldecorated teams. While Mighty Sports made a huge improvement when it comes to outside shooting, its defense was still a suspect as it was shattered time and again by prodigious American import Terrell Stoglin. The shifty guard erupted for a season-high 46 points, high-

lighted by 9 triples to negate Kiefer Ravena’s 25-point show. The crowd went wild as Chris Tiu buried his second triple to give Mighty Sports a 78-71 lead early in the fourth. But Stoglin led the team’s 11-1 counter attack as Segase regained the lead which they protected gallantly to frustrate Mighty Sports. The Scores SAGESE 95—Stoglin 46, Todd 18, Efebra 17, Bou 8, Ammoury 3, Godfrey 2, Ibrahim 1, Ghottas 0, Beyrouthy 0. MIGHTY SPORTS 92 —Brownlee 27, Ravena 25, McGuire 10, Douthit 7, Tiu 6, David 6, Belga 5, Teng 4, Miller 0, Thabeet 0. Quarters: 16-21, 46-41, 69-74, 95-92.

PSA Forum resumes at Golden Phoenix THE Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum resumes its weekly session today at the Golden Phoenix Hotel at D. Macapagal Sunrise Dr in Pasay City with officials and members of the Philippine Volcanoes as the main guests. Led by coach Matt Cullen, the national rugby team is expected to discuss its plans and programs for the year, including the coming campaign in the Southeast Asian Games. The forum, suspended for two weeks to give way to the holding of the PSA Annual Awards Night, is being aired live over DZSR Sports Radio 918 and presented by San Miguel Corp., Accel, Shakey’s, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. The other half of the public sports program will feature the Pilipinas Run 2017 set March 12 at the CCP/Mall of Asia complex. Meanwhile, the successful PSA Awards Night presented by San Miguel Corp. and MILO and held last Feb. 13 at the LE PAVILLON in Pasay City, will be aired on Feb. 25 at 7 p.m. over HYPER SD Channel 91 and HD Channel 26 of CIGNAL TV.

Bullpups eye 4th title in 6 years Game today

(Filoil Flying V Centre) 2 p.m. – NU vs FEU (Jrs Finals)

DEFENDING champion National University and Far Eastern University-Diliman duke it out for the UAAP Season 79 juniors’ basketball championship, which starts today at the Filoil Flying V Centre. Coach Jeff Napa is mum of his Bullpups’ chances, but he simply looks forward for the team’s quest for a fourth crown in six years. “I expect a very exciting game,” said Napa. Gametime is at 2 p.m. to be aired live on S+A Channel 23. Despite losing Justine Baltazar to graduation, NU was still able to make this far behind John Lloyd Clemente, Rhayyan Amsali, Karl Peñano, Paul Manalang and Winderlich Coyuca. But the Bullpups are expected to have a battle with the Baby Tamaraws, who have last made it to the Finals in 2012 by winning the championship under coach Mike Oliver. While NU made quick work of De La Salle-Zobel in the Final Four, FEU-Diliman needed two games to eliminate Ateneo in the other pairing. Definitely, the Baby Tamaraws will head their Finals series against the Bullpups battle-ready.

Meralco’s rate hike plea reviewed B3

Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@thestandard.com.ph extrastory2000@gmail.com TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2017

Peso plummets to 50.23 a dollar IN BRIEF

By Julito G. Rada

HE peso plummeted to a new 10-year low of 50.23 against the US dollar Procter and Gamble Monday, weighed down by the expected backs sari-sari stores THE Trade Department and Procter interest rate hike by the US Federal Reserve and Gamble signed an agreement to help micro-entrepreneurs develop their next month and geopolitical concerns in business skills and gain access to startEurope. up capital. The P&G Angat Kita Program is designed to help sari-sari storeowners and other micro-entrepreneurs advance their skills through seminars provided by the agency’s Negosyo Centers. “This agreement is a huge lift for our micro-entrepreneurs especially that we are targeting those who are at the bottom of the pyramid. We are a step closer to achieving the trabaho at negosyo agenda of the administration,” Trade undersecretary for regional operations group Zenaida Maglaya said. The P&G Angat Kita Program will also help micro-entrepreneurs gain access to start-up capital in the form of goods or products and network linkage they need to help grow, maintain businesses and lift their current status. The agreement will also provide P2,500 worth of P&G start-up package after successfully ﬁnishing a basic merchandising seminar in Negosyo Centers to 1,000 initial participants of the program. In total, there are 448 Negosyo Centers operating since its inception in 2014. Othel V. Campos

The peso lost P0.23 to ﬁnish at 50.23 a dollar from Friday’s closing of 50 a greenback. It was the local currency’s weakest level since it settled at 50.23 on Sept. 26, 2006. Total volume turnover reached $723 million, higher than $532 million previously. “The peso movement this morning tracked the softness in most regional currencies,

and was also driven by riskoff sentiment amid geopolitical concerns, especially in Europe,” Bangko Sentral Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. said in a statement. “As you know the BSP does not target any exchange rate level, but we continue to watch out for excessive market volatility,” Tetangco said. Bangko Sentral Deputy Gov-

ernor Diwa Guinigundo earlier said external market uncertainty was driving the weakness of the peso, particularly the anticipated rate hike by the Fed in March. Guinigundo said in real terms, the peso remained competitive and Bangko Sentral was continuously monitoring the exchange rate. ING Bank senior economist Joey Cuyegkeng said the peso remained under pressure although seasonal inflows in March could provide some strength. The peso ended 2016 at 49.72 a dollar. Economists from First Metro Investment Corp. and University of Asia & the Pacific said the peso was estimated to trade at 51 a dollar this year. A widening trade deficit hurt the value of the peso last year. Data from the Philippine Statis-

tics Authority showed the country incurred a record trade deficit of $25 billion in 2016. This resulted in a balance of payments deficit of $420 million last year. Bangko Sentral said the BoP position yielded another deficit of $9 million in January, although this was lower than the $813-million deficit in the same month last year. The January deficit was also lower than the $214-million deficit in December 2016. Bangko Sentral Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo said the January deficit was a carryover of the negative sentiment that was seen in December 2016. “We don’t have yet the trade, services and financial components but the headline numbers indicate that debt payments by NG [national government] and

FX [foreign exchange] operations of the BSP brought about the small deficit during the month,” Guinigundo said. “Some partial offsets were seen in the NG FX deposits as well as BSP’s investments income from abroad. We expect a turnaround during the year on account of the country’s continued resilience and strong macroeconomic fundamentals,” Guinigundo said. BoP summarizes the country’s economic transactions with the rest of the world, with a deficit indicating that foreign exchange payments exceed foreign inflows. A BoP deficit weighs on the value of the local currency and eats into the country’s gross international reserves.

PSE COMPOSITE INDEX Closing February 20, 2017

8000 7600 7200 6800 6400 6000

7,281.19 36.40

Mindanao WESM seen to open in June THE Energy Department is pushing for the establishment of the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market in Mindanao on June 26 in time for the entry of 1,208 megawatts of additional capacity in the grid. The department said in a statement that 782 MW was already added to the Mindanao grid last year, increasing the region’s power reserves. The department said despite the additional supply, power interruptions continued in Mindanao especially in the franchise areas of distribution utilities which did not have sufﬁcient power supply agreements to cover their increasing demand for electricity. It said power generation companies were hesitant to operate their plants without an approved supply contract or any compensation mechanism duly approved by the Energy Regulatory Commission. “Thus, the establishment of the WESM will serve as the mechanism to efﬁciently tap the excess capacities in the area to avoid rotating brownouts and ensure 24-hours continuous electricity service,” the department said. It said that given the excess in power generation capacity in Mindanao, the government was now undertaking preparatory activities for the launch of WESM in Mindanao. Alena Mae S. Flores

PH wants air talks with five countries By Darwin G. Amojelar THE Philippines wants to hold air talks with at least five countries this year, according to the Civil Aeronautics Board. CAB executive director Carmelo Arcilla said the Philippine air panel planned to hold air talks with Japan, South Korea, India, Canada and Papua New Guinea. The Philippine air services negotiating panel is composed of officials from CAB, Transportation, Tourism and Foreign Departments, Clark International Airport Corp. and representatives of local airline companies. Arcilla said local carriers wanted to expand their operations in these five markets. Philippines Air Asia and Cebu Pacific earlier applied with CAB to fly to India. Philippine Airlines also wants to expand operations to South Korea, Japan and Canada. “We are using the good offices of the Department of Foreign Affairs so that our foreign offices, the ambassadors can help us make representations with our counterparts in our target countries,” Arcilla said. “Hopefully, by the second quarter we could have something,” he said. The country’s air talks are aligned with the priority of the government to attract more foreign tourists.

PESO-DOLLAR RATE

Closing FEBRUARY 17, 2017 45.00 46.50 48.00 49.50

P50.230 CLOSE

51.00

HIGH P50.050 LOW P50.230 AVERAGE P50.182 VOLUME 723.000M

P471.00-P690.00 LPG/11-kg tank P39.80-P48.90 Unleaded Gasoline P27.90-P33.80 Diesel

TELEPERFORMANCE’S DONATION. Teleperformance, the world’s leading provider of outsourced omnichannel customer experience management services, turns over P200,000 to the Philippine Red Cross in support of its relief operations for families and communities affected by typhoon Nina, which hit the Bicol and Visayas regions late last year. Shown is Teleperformance human resources senior vice president Jeffrey Johnson (fourth from left)) presenting the check worth P200,000 to Philippine Red Cross ofﬁcials, Hilarion Dimagiba (third from left) and Ria Rivera (second from left). They are joined by other Teleperformance ofﬁcers.

Filinvest cancels 19-hectare Cebu lot purchase By Jenniffer B. Austria FILINVEST Land Inc., the real estate unit of the Gotianun family, rescinded an agreement to acquire a 19.2-hectare reclaimed lot in South Road Properties in Cebu, which it won in June 2015 through a public bidding. Filinvest Land said in a disclosure to the stock exchange it decided to void the deal after the local government of Cebu City “failed to comply with several covenants, undertakings and obligations that was required to fulﬁll for more than a year ago.”

The company said while ample extensions were given to the Cebu City government, it did not appear that the city would be able to comply within a foreseeable reasonable period of time. This prompted the company not to push through with the acquisition pursuant to a provision of the sale document. Filinvest Land said Cebu City ofﬁcials and Filinvest representatives would work out the details and the processes to consummate the rescission after Mayor Tomas Osmeña interposed no objection to a letter sent by Filinvest.

Filinvest said despite the development, it would continue to pursue other real estate developments in Cebu, including the 40-hectare City di Mare, a joint venture with the city government. The Filinvest Group has existing and planned developments in Cebu covering residential, commercial, hospitality and office buildings with investment value of over P20 billion. Filinvest Land along with office development subsidiary, Cyberzone Properties Inc. and central business district affiliate

Filinvest Alabang Inc. bagged the 19.2-hectare SRP property at an offer price of P6.8 billion in 2015. The property is intended for commercial, ofﬁce and residential developments. The 19.2-hectare SRP property was one of the two lots auctioned by Cebu City in June 2015. The other lot, a 26.5-hectare property was jointly acquired by SM Prime Holdings Inc. and Ayala Land Inc. Share price of Filinvest Land dropped 1.7 percent to P1.77 Monday.

OPRICES IL TODAY

P28.50-P36.85 Kerosene P20.75-P21.75 Auto LPG Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Monday, February 20, 2017

F OREIGN E XCHANGE R ATE Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

49.9870

Japan

Yen

0.008861

0.4429

Pound

1.242500

62.1088

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128858

6.4412

Switzerland

Franc

0.997705

49.8723

Canada

Dollar

0.763359

38.1580

Singapore

Dollar

0.704920

35.2368

Australia

Dollar

0.766800

38.3300

Bahrain

Dinar

2.652731

132.6021

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266638

13.3284

Brunei

Dollar

0.702445

35.1131

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000075

0.0037

Thailand

Baht

0.028584

1.4288

UAE

Dirham

0.272301

13.6115

Euro

1.061500

53.0612

Korea

Won

0.000870

0.0435

China

Yuan

0.145584

7.2773

India

Rupee

0.014912

0.7454

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.224669

11.2305

New Zealand

Dollar

0.718500

35.9157

Taiwan

Dollar

0.032469

1.6230 Source: PDS Bridge

Solar Philippines seeks battery deal with Tesla By Alena Mae S. Flores RENEWABLE energy developer Solar Philippines said it is in talks with US technology company Tesla Inc. for the supply of batteries for solar farms in the Philippines. “Batteries will be the game-changer of 2017,” Solar Philippines president Leandro Leviste said in a statement. Batteries are crucial to enable the supply of reliable solar energy 24-hours a day. Solar Philippines said it was negotiating with battery suppliers including Tesla―the company founded by Elon Musk—for its solar farms. Tesla is doubling the world’s battery manufacturing capacity to accelerate cost decreases and will soon complete the world’s largest solar-plus-storage project to supply evening power in Hawaii. Solar Philippines offered one of the lowest solar power rates to Manila Electric Co. at P5.39 per kilowatt-hour. “Even at today’s prices, solar-plus-storage is already cheaper than expensive diesel and natural gas. We aim to complete our first such project by mid-year, to show that the age of 24/7 solar is already here, and hopefully urge others to pause before investing in expensive fossil fuels,” Leviste said. The company earlier said it would complete the first phase of the 150-megawatt Tarlac solar project this year, which would be among the first solar farms to be equipped with batteries.

OFW SUPPORT. Sterling Paper Group of Companies signs a partnership with ‘Buhay OFW’, a

documentary program that tackles various issues and celebrates the triumphs of Filipino overseas workers. The collaboration will provide assistance to OFWs on how to make investment upon their retirement in the country. Shown signing the agreement are Sterling Paper chairman and chief executive Henry Lim Bon Liong (seated, center) and Buhay OFW producer/host Marissa Del Mar (right).

Business

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market rises; D&L, Semirara up JDVC eyes Apollo S for backdoor listing TOCKS rose Monday, following a positive lead from Wall Street and other Asian markets and as investors await the release of fourth-quarter earnings of major companies.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company benchmark, gained 36 points, or 0.5 percent, to close at 7,281.19, as all six sectoral indices advanced. The bellwether was also up 6.4 percent since the start of the year. The heavier index, representing all shares, went up 19 points, or 0.5 percent, to settle at 4,408 on a value turnover of P5.6 billion. Gainers edged losers, 97 to 96, while 45 issues were unchanged. Seventeen of the 20 most active

stocks ended in the green, led by chemical producer D&L Industries Inc. which climbed 3.5 percent to P13.48 and Semirara Mining and Power Corp. which rose 2.9 percent to P141. Megawide Construction Corp. added 2.9 percent to close at P16.46. Meanwhile, most Asian stocks also traded higher Monday. The Hang Seng Index was up 0.33 percent, or 78.1 points, to 24,111.85. The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index gained 0.79 percent, or 25.25 points, to 3,227.33, while the

Shenzhen Composite Index, which tracks stocks on China’s second exchange, climbed 0.33 percent, or 6.43 points, to 1,951.54. Tokyo stocks overcame early losses to end modestly higher as yen weakness prompted late bargain-hunting. Shares opened in negative territory even though US stocks hit new highs Friday for the sixth time in seven sessions, with investors focusing instead on dollar-yen movements. Stocks moved into positive territory in the afternoon as the yen weakened. “Players bought on dip as they felt relieved to see the yen losing ground,” Toshikazu Horiuchi, a broker at IwaiCosmo Securities, told AFP. The Nikkei 225 index edged up 0.09 percent, or 16.46 points, to close at 19,251.08. The Topix

index of all first-section issues advanced 0.16 percent, or 2.47 points, to 1,547.01. “We’d had Japanese shares perform poorly last week as investors kept their eyes on the yen, but the currency is calming down a little now,” Takuya Takahashi, senior strategist at Daiwa Securities, told Bloomberg News. The dollar rose to 113.23 yen late Monday in Tokyo, up from 112.87 in New York on Friday. It had traded near 114 yen in Tokyo at the start of last week. A weaker yen is generally positive for Japan’s exporters as it inflates the value of their overseas profits when sent back home. SoftBank rose 3.18 percent to 8,789 yen, after media reports that it was considering selling struggling US subsidiary Sprint to rival T-mobile. With AFP, Bloomberg

By Jenniffer B. Austria THE Philippine Stock Exchange suspended the trading of dormant company Apollo Global Capital Inc. which is being eyed for the backdoor listing of black sand miner JDVC Resources Corp. Apollo Global said in a disclosure to the stock exchange its board of directors approved the subscription by Hyung Rae Doo, Napoleon De Leon Jr., Garry Lincoln Taboso and Daniel Chua Go to 247.396 billion common shares in the company

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2017

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 3.24 8,000 48.4 20,200 95.15 1,552,160 116.4 1,808,490 1.36 553,000 40.3 64,400 16.18 1,000 19.96 857,900 0.66 15,000 835 520 0.71 5,265,000 79.55 480,260 0.74 527,000 14.26 68,200 25 16,300 60 63,690 240 450 91 170 40.6 207,300 210.6 256,810 1,775 430 79.1 89,810

25,770 976,765 147,189,532 210,779,048 757,290 2,590,215 16,182 17,146,500 9,920 441,300 3,726,360 38,216,604.50 390,800 971,272 412,650 3,819,430 108,000 15,470 8,431,880 54,136,890 769,650 7,102,316

876,025 23,132,144.50 26,836,794 -1,620 532,895 1,050,973 293,035 -21,600 -2,993,110 -5,687,624 44,750 791

42.9 5.08 0.86 1.4 19.08 0.26 9.15 16.42 170 22.8 14.8 58 95 99.6 2.06 6 11.8 13.06 7.96 7.08 5.81 1.7 21.95 73.5 12.3 17.12 6.7 1.71 204 68 6.3 3.74 30.05 26.55 16 286.6 0.285 6.2 3.42 9.15 3.85 2.37 6.94 1.89 78.6 4.8 269 4.95 2.91 12.54 4.22 0.146 1.48 161.1 4.39 1.62 1.1

INDUSTRIAL 43 1,360,200 5.2 306,500 0.88 190,000 1.4 368,000 19.9 34,100 0.265 22,090,000 9.18 6,227,900 16.56 599,900 198.5 100 23.45 299,800 15.12 10,600 58.5 4,060 96.5 2,340 100 300 2.1 414,000 6.1 581,900 11.8 13,600 13.48 11,990,700 8.18 313,200 7.1 258,300 5.84 893,900 1.7 1,000 21.95 976,000 73.7 61,540 12.3 100 17.12 29,600 6.79 692,800 1.74 862,000 205 115,630 68 40 6.35 811,600 3.74 5,000 30.5 975,700 27 1,100,700 16.46 7,499,000 286.6 282,110 0.285 154,360,000 6.5 138,200 3.44 513,000 9.2 631,400 3.85 5,000 2.37 226,000 7.1 1,980,400 2.09 20,901,000 80 1,781,150 4.8 772,000 270 7,800 5 1,382,600 2.91 208,000 12.7 251,300 4.22 140,000 0.149 1,300,000 1.52 145,000 162.6 595,900 4.43 4,293,000 1.66 3,620,000 1.1 11,000

58,509,675 1,566,857 164,410 517,150 679,312 5,908,350 57,470,094 9,914,448 18,425 6,976,785 159,586 235,514 223,960 29,964 867,790 3,502,217 161,022 161,548,260 2,531,644 1,830,077 5,210,249 1,700 21,568,790 4,578,892.50 1,230 507,210 4,692,026 1,509,900 23,704,922 2,720 5,263,208 18,880 29,813,080 29,705,980 122,869,228 81,048,602 50,023,600 905,014 1,755,420 5,803,155 19,300 540,050 13,863,239 44,578,520 141,156,077.50 3,711,020 2,105,960 6,911,353 606,900 3,180,926 590,800 192,110 221,180 96,564,113 18,932,300 6,056,700 12,140

2,130,665 530,528.00 23,582,619 -8,156,672.00 -35,175 111,550 -21,000 4,190 98,119,968 369,192 -762,663 1,706,019 4,863,810 -2,659,867.50 -398,958 -180,708 110,850 -4,550,564 16,375 3,816,245 -246,570 39,056,324 -13,903,498 -6,766,950 1,080,450 -2,761,198.00 3,900 26,290 -374,100 -840,590 5,238,826 2,731,200 -2,046,600 3,827,620 -83,884 590,800 5,837,713 65,200.00 -

0.42 73.1 12.94 1.15 6.2 0.385 0.37 789.5 9.06 13.32 8.14 6.52 7 0.205 1,250 6.03 76.3 1.03 7.9 14.46 0.455 6.89 0.062 2.01 2.55 107.6 2.88 682.5 0.86 1.49 187 269.8 0.31 0.19 0.255

0.365 72.75 12.82 1.15 6.08 0.36 0.37 778.5 8.99 13 7.95 5.95 7 0.195 1,225 6.03 74.6 0.99 7.84 14 0.445 6.79 0.058 1.98 2.55 106 2.75 673 0.86 1.49 187 268.2 0.3 0.188 0.255

HOLDING FIRMS 0.4 29,430,000 72.8 223,300 12.84 7,527,800 1.15 10,000 6.08 700 0.365 27,270,000 0.37 450,000 787 132,850 9.02 1,171,300 13.2 16,329,800 8.1 13,400 6.52 106,100 7 10,000 0.195 1,040,000 1,239 108,535 6.03 100 76.3 386,450 1.01 1,850,000 7.9 124,500 14.44 2,265,400 0.455 260,000 6.83 12,604,600 0.058 285,260,000 2 259,000 2.55 8,000 107.5 513,270 2.8 17,000 680 84,650 0.86 20,000 1.49 161,000 187 20 269.8 28,530 0.3 220,000 0.19 1,930,000 0.255 630,000

11,875,700 16,256,921 96,838,324 11,500 4,278 10,227,600 166,500 104,388,070 10,550,929 215,421,500 107,650 634,430 70,000 205,510 134,426,490 603 29,457,075 1,856,390 983,368 32,163,264 117,750 86,028,958 17,018,000 517,040 20,400 54,869,841 48,150 57,467,535 17,200 239,890 3,740 7,668,880 66,100 365,230 160,650

24,900 -9,120,556.50 -9,035,240 -148,000 -4,997,135 2,894,577 -54,557,640 -19,402,835 21,344,986.50 -387,100 1,129,266 -45,500 -14,586,094 238,000 -39,800 -2,173,883 1,648,505 -472,498.00 -

6.65 1.02 2.68 1.06 36.4 3.6 5.05 0.53 1.11 1.48 0.174 0.57 55.35 0.71 0.174 1.8 1.02 1.4

6.58 1 2.65 0.99 36.05 3.33 5.05 0.51 1.02 1.31 0.169 0.56 54.5 0.71 0.161 1.75 1 1.35

2,284,979 185,000 197,100 49,211,670 424,566,545 31,735,180 150,490 7,293,010 77,810 3,549,040 2,401,450 2,740,370 19,918,440 67,450 180,470 10,593,510 13,787,780 748,750

-249,571 112,390 -39,050,455 164,450 260,000 -29,600 -7,040 -15,270 1,594,480.00 -282,251 -1,700 3,408,840 -250,000 -135,630

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

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

3.16 48.4 95 116.3 1.27 39.55 16.2 19.98 0.67 855 0.69 79.1 0.75 14.3 25.5 60.1 240 91 41 211.6 1,795 79.1

3.25 48.4 95.2 117.1 1.43 40.5 16.2 20.1 0.67 855 0.72 80 0.75 14.3 25.5 60.1 240 91 41.05 211.8 1,795 79.1

3.16 46.7 94.5 116.2 1.27 39.55 16.18 19.9 0.66 835 0.69 79 0.74 14.16 25 59.5 240 91 40.15 210.4 1,775 78.5

ABOITIZ POWER AGRINURTURE ALLIANCE SELECT ALSONS CONS ASIABEST GROUP BASIC ENERGY CEMEX HLDG CENTURY FOOD CHEMPHIL CIRTEK HLDG CNTRL AZUCARERA CONCEPCION CONCRETE A CONCRETE B CROWN ASIA DAVINCI CAPITAL DEL MONTE DNL INDUS EEI CORP EMPERADOR ENERGY DEVT EUROMED 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 PHIL H2O 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

43.5 5.23 0.86 1.41 19.42 0.28 9.25 16.6 170 23.65 14.8 58.9 95 99.6 2.14 6.21 11.94 13.06 7.96 7.12 5.83 1.7 22.3 75 12.3 17.2 6.7 1.76 205 68 6.55 3.83 30.05 26.9 16.02 287.6 0.385 7 3.48 9.2 3.9 2.39 7.1 1.89 78.6 4.8 270 5 2.99 12.68 4.22 0.147 1.55 161.1 4.43 1.73 1.14

43.5 5.23 0.88 1.43 20.4 0.285 9.35 16.6 198.5 23.7 15.12 58.9 99 100 2.14 6.21 11.94 13.64 8.18 7.12 5.84 1.7 22.3 75 12.3 17.2 6.89 1.83 206 68 6.8 3.83 30.75 27.35 16.5 288.8 0.385 7 3.48 9.2 3.9 2.4 7.1 2.3 80 4.94 270 5 3 12.72 4.22 0.149 1.55 163 4.43 1.73 1.14

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 FJ PRINCE B FORUM PACIFIC GT CAPITAL HOUSE OF INV JG SUMMIT LODESTAR LOPEZ HLDG LT GROUP MABUHAY HLDG METRO PAC INV PACIFICA PRIME ORION REPUBLIC GLASS SAN MIGUEL CORP SEAFRONT RES SM INVESTMENTS SOC RESOURCES SOLID GROUP SYNERGY GRID TOP FRONTIER UNIOIL HLDG WELLEX INDUS ZEUS HLDG

0.375 72.8 12.82 1.15 6.1 0.36 0.37 789.5 9 13.04 8.14 5.95 7 0.205 1,225 6.03 75.1 1 7.89 14.02 0.445 6.8 0.06 1.99 2.55 107 2.75 680 0.86 1.49 187 268.2 0.3 0.19 0.255

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 IRC PROP

6.6 1.02 2.65 1.05 36.25 3.33 5.05 0.52 1.02 1.34 0.173 0.57 55.35 0.71 0.173 1.79 1.02 1.35

VOLUME

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

MEGAWORLD MRC ALLIED PHIL ESTATES PHIL REALTY PRIMEX CORP ROBINSONS LAND ROCKWELL SHANG PROP SM PRIME HLDG STA LUCIA LAND SUNTRUST HOME VISTA LAND

3.73 0.173 0.325 0.69 4.91 25.3 1.65 3.32 29.9 1.05 0.95 4.85

3.76 0.176 0.335 0.7 4.98 25.3 1.69 3.32 30.35 1.06 0.95 4.94

3.71 0.165 0.32 0.6 4.88 25 1.65 3.32 29.8 1.03 0.92 4.85

3.71 0.174 0.325 0.62 4.88 25.05 1.69 3.32 30 1.04 0.92 4.9

27,758,000 28,000,000 2,070,000 43,335,000 379,000 799,400 24,000 5,000 4,855,400 5,131,000 56,000 2,043,000

103,419,300 4,780,470 670,250 28,002,850 1,860,520 20,049,895 40,180 16,600 145,740,370 5,332,260 52,110 10,006,460

609,560 -85,000 180,930 -403,900 -3,076,400 -17,214,460 1,045,450 -1,982,720

2GO GROUP ABS CBN APC GROUP ASIAN TERMINALS BLOOMBERRY BOULEVARD HLDG CALATA CORP CEBU AIR CENTRO ESCOLAR DFNN INC DISCOVERY WORLD GLOBE TELECOM GMA NETWORK GOLDEN HAVEN HARBOR STAR IMPERIAL A IMPERIAL B INTL CONTAINER IP EGAME IPM HLDG ISLAND INFO ISM COMM JACKSTONES LBC EXPRESS LEISURE AND RES MACROASIA 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

8.1 47.5 0.53 10.7 7.4 0.068 2.4 93.5 9.8 8.61 2.28 1,790 6.2 16.78 3.95 18 120 75.4 0.011 9.03 0.194 1.42 3.4 14 3.93 3.1 5.1 3.89 17.6 2.79 11 5.13 3.3 140 8.79 1,457 1.28 0.425 44.45 81.45 6.21 2.5 1.15 3.25 0.405

8.19 47.5 0.53 10.7 7.4 0.068 2.4 94.4 9.8 8.8 2.28 1,818 6.2 16.8 4 20.6 120 76.2 0.011 9.06 0.194 1.44 3.4 14.04 3.96 3.12 5.3 3.9 17.6 2.97 11.18 5.35 3.3 140 9 1,461 1.31 0.425 45.05 81.45 6.26 2.5 1.17 3.31 0.43

7.96 47.3 0.51 10.7 7.23 0.066 2.31 93.5 9.7 8.5 2.28 1,789 6.16 16.4 3.6 18 120 75.4 0.01 9.02 0.19 1.38 3.2 14 3.91 2.98 5.1 3.84 17.6 2.79 11 5.13 3.3 140 8.79 1,451 1.25 0.42 44.45 80.15 6.16 2.47 1.14 3.2 0.405

SERVICES 8.02 47.3 0.53 10.7 7.28 0.067 2.32 94 9.7 8.57 2.28 1,793 6.2 16.8 3.84 19 120 76 0.011 9.06 0.193 1.4 3.29 14.04 3.96 3 5.26 3.89 17.6 2.94 11.18 5.32 3.3 140 9 1,457 1.3 0.42 44.9 80.5 6.16 2.48 1.16 3.3 0.41

131,800 2,800 1,057,000 1,000 4,562,100 25,700,000 4,281,000 370,040 2,400 486,000 5,000 106,665 31,600 176,200 6,549,000 258,000 100 2,025,520 143,000,000 481,000 3,750,000 872,000 71,000 3,000 2,918,000 1,585,000 12,346,200 319,000 300 8,448,000 40,200 16,700 6,000 250 158,900 79,180 11,342,000 1,260,000 7,474,000 27,300 223,000 452,000 21,086,000 6,719,000 2,280,000

1,055,392 132,605 551,000 10,700 33,222,008 1,725,250 10,020,020 34,757,660.50 23,310 4,162,955 11,400 191,445,830 195,390 2,933,000 24,865,280 4,946,877 12,000 153,875,996 1,517,600 4,356,770 716,570 1,230,370 231,310 42,042 11,507,940 4,779,750 64,698,020 1,235,960 5,280 24,536,670 448,980 88,084 19,800 35,000 1,417,243 115,364,580 14,610,080 529,300 336,266,940 2,203,860 1,382,016 1,125,860 24,400,850 22,113,320 942,350

-10,700 451,252 -8,040 23,700 -23,329,541.50 -863,150 -89,827,430 -16,800 -384,380 -15,051,465.50 -7,213,200 -567,500 -2,255,224 -318,780 -367,740 15,400 48,999.00 -76,813,310 -672,590 -282,706,150 222,417.50 -434,362 -146,820 -4,970,810.00 -1,581,770 -

ABRA MINING APEX MINING ATLAS MINING ATOK BENGUET B CENTURY PEAK COAL ASIA HLDG DIZON MINES FERRONICKEL GEOGRACE LEPANTO A LEPANTO B MANILA MINING A MANILA MINING B 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 1.99 5.89 9.63 1.94 0.49 0.445 11.2 2.4 0.255 0.184 0.191 0.012 0.012 1.72 6.93 2.44 0.93 0.011 0.012 4.17 0.014 9.28 3.23 137 2.86 0.0093

0.0032 2 5.89 11.48 2.25 0.495 0.47 11.24 2.53 0.27 0.185 0.191 0.012 0.012 1.85 7.05 2.44 1.02 0.012 0.012 4.17 0.015 9.48 3.24 147 2.86 0.0093

0.0031 1.92 5.61 9.63 1.94 0.48 0.445 10.5 2.4 0.249 0.183 0.19 0.011 0.011 1.72 6.9 2.35 0.93 0.011 0.012 4.05 0.014 9.28 3.2 136.9 2.86 0.009

MINING & OIL 0.0032 167,000,000 1.93 3,138,000 5.8 834,600 11.48 600 2.25 2,000 0.49 160,000 0.47 1,020,000 11.24 37,200 2.47 5,718,000 0.26 1,030,000 0.185 1,350,000 0.19 1,080,000 0.012 30,800,000 0.011 22,000,000 1.8 751,000 6.93 4,829,100 2.39 52,000 0.97 348,000 0.012 3,100,000 0.012 1,000,000 4.05 35,000 0.014 86,300,000 9.44 2,155,400 3.24 1,157,000 141 2,992,070 2.86 16,000 0.009 4,000,000

534,300 6,140,300 4,806,902 6,639 4,190 78,600 472,250 413,482 14,157,090 261,800 248,890 205,460 349,600 262,800 1,357,910 33,648,682 123,150 342,850 34,800 12,000 142,080 1,270,700 20,276,941 3,719,270 426,169,588 45,760 36,300

32,000 15,960 -5,140 4,724,050 -6,365,499 1,400 1,174,479 15,990 5,875,462 -

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

47.25 530 529 107 104 115 5.85 1,020 1,030 107.1 1,070 1,016 77 82 78 79

47.9 530 529 107.8 104 115 5.85 1,020 1,035 107.1 1,070 1,016 77 82.75 79.5 79

47.25 527 529 106 104 115 5.85 1,020 1,030 107.1 1,045 1,016 76 82 78 79

PREFERRED 47.9 2,900 527 20,000 529 150 107.8 25,050 104 8,100 115 10,500 5.85 325,300 1,020 50 1,035 110 107.1 10,000 1,045 1,670 1,016 1,000 76 21,800 82.75 5,060 79.5 42,200 79 25,200

138,845 10,545,050 79,350 2,660,450 842,400 1,207,500 1,903,005 51,000 113,550 1,071,000 1,762,650 1,016,000 1,669,179 414,965 3,351,355 1,990,800

134,120 -1,843,920 -1,013,650 -

LR WARRANT

2.17

2.12

WARRANTS 2.12 388,000

830,600

-62,420

PHILAB HLDG ITALPINAS MAKATI FINANCE XURPAS

7.59 3.65 2.95 7.77

7.78 3.65 2.95 8.2

7.37 3.62 2.93 7.7

7.5 3.62 2.93 8.1

1,115,293 396,170 35,180 76,896,192

12,155 14,480 -6,859,342

FIRST METRO ETF

119.6

136,344

PROPERTY 6.65 1.02 2.68 1.02 36.2 3.54 5.05 0.52 1.11 1.37 0.17 0.56 55 0.71 0.168 1.77 1 1.39

345,600 183,000 74,000 48,401,000 11,723,500 9,062,000 29,800 14,013,000 73,000 2,537,000 14,060,000 4,871,000 362,530 95,000 1,050,000 5,985,000 13,749,000 545,000

TRADING SUMMARY FINANCIAL

13,097,546

INDUSTRIAL

252,976,595

HOLDING FIRMS

391,678,254

PROPERTY

248,430,351

SERVICES

271,449,542

MINING & OIL

341,759,753

GRAND TOTAL

1,529,425,081

SME

149,800 109,000 12,000 9,760,400

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 119.6 1,140

VALUE 1,708.25 (UP) 4.39 650,250,794.795 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 11,130.84 (UP) 46.07 1,070,525,503.68 HOLDING FIRMS 7,364.37 (UP) 67.77 1,045,604,699.848 PROPERTY 3,336.18 (UP) 1.94 SERVICES 1,421.50 (UP) 3.71 1,102,038,181.18 MINING & OIL 12,171.27 (UP) 193.06 1,148,961,426.84 PSEI 7,281.19 (UP) 36.40 515,158,302.491 All Shares Index 4,408.00 (up) 19.99 5,611,119,327.833 Gainers:97; Losers: 96; Unchanged: 45; Total: 238

at P0.01 apiece, or for a total of P2.473 billion. The shares to be issued to new investors will come from the proposed increase in the company’s authorized capital stock to P6 billion from P1 billion. New investors will assign to the company their JDVC Resources common shares, which is equivalent to 83-percent stake in the mining ﬁrm worth P2.473 billion. “The purpose of the transaction is to revive the business operations of, and give value to Apollo Global,” the company said. PSE said in a notice posted on its website the share swap between Apollo Global and shareholders of JDVC Resources was covered by backdoor listing rules. “After a review of the relevant disclosures ﬁled by APL, the exchange deems that the above-mentioned transaction is covered by the exchange’s rules on backdoor listing. Given the foregoing, the exchange will implement a trading suspension on APL shares effective at 9 a.m. Feb. 20, 2017,” PSE said. Shares of Apollo Global were last traded on Feb. 17 when it closed at P0.059. JDVC Resources is a company with a mineral production sharing agreement with the government for an offshore mining stake in Cagayan involving 13,240 hectares.

Developer from Cebu prepares P3.8-b IPO CEBU Landmasters Inc., a leading developer in Metro Cebu, plans to raise P3.8 billion from an initial public offering in May. Cebu Landmasters said in a statement it planned to sell 505 million common shares, with an option to issue another 75 million shares, at P6.56 per share, in case of strong demand. This would represent 34 percent of the company’s outstanding common shares, post-IPO. The company said of the firm offer shares, 430 million are new shares forming the primary tranche and 75 million are existing shares forming the secondary tranche. It said proceeds from the fund raising activity would be used for land acquisition and developments in five key cities across the Visayas and Mindanao. “We will use our flexibility to create new developments in the cities of Davao, Cagayan de Oro, Dumaguete, Bacolod, Iloilo and new Cebu locations. These projects will maximize the demand and supply indicators in each location with the best uses for each site,” Cebu Landmasters president and chief executive Jose Soberano III said. A part of the proceeds will also be used for debt repayment and working capital requirements. BDO Capital is the sole issue manager for the company’s maiden share offering. Joint lead underwriters and joint bookrunners are BDO Capital and BPI Capital. Cebu Landmasters is the first Cebu-based real estate developer to apply for an IPO and a leading homegrown real estate developer in the Metro Cebu residential condominium arena. Jenniffer B. Austria

Business

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Tadeco open to review of business partnership By Anna Leah E. Gonzales

RELIEF PACKS. Member of the Aboitiz Foundation and local volunteers load gallons of potable water on a boat during the relief pack distribution in North Cotabato on February 4, 2017. Over 3,800 families in Agusan del Sur and North Cotabato who were affected by ﬂooding in January received relief packages from Aboitiz Power Corp. and the Aboitiz Foundation, in partnership with Agusan del Sur Electric Cooperative and Cotabato Electric Cooperative.

TAGUM Agricultural Development Co. Inc. of the Floirendo family welcomed the call of the government to review their joint venture agreement, saying it has always been transparent with its dealing with the state. Tadeco issued the statement following reports that the Department of Justice had sought a review of the lease contract with the Bureau of Corrections, after receiving complaints that Tadeco’s annual lease payments and proﬁt sharing were just a fraction of the prevailing market rate. Tadeco president Alex Valoria said the contract with the government had been the subject of three congressional hearings by the committee on agrarian reform of the House of Representatives since 2012. “Our relationship with Bucor (Bureau of Correction) is a joint venture, not a lease agreement,” Valoria said.

Tadeco said the executive department had also conducted its own review of the contract. Valoria said even before the call for review was made, Tadeco and the government, represented by Bucor, were scheduled to sit down for their quarterly meeting next month to discuss the agreement and other related issues. The agreement with Bucor resulted in the formation of a management committee to oversee quarterly the implementation of the joint venture and address concerns. The company and government ofﬁcials also meet every month to tackle day-to-day issues. “During the past administrations, the company has always been open to any call for adjustments in the benefits that the government derives from the joint venture as well as the benefits that go to the community and the inmates,” Valoria said.

Meralco’s rate hike plea reviewed By Alena Mae S. Flores

HE Energy Regulatory Commission will decide on the petition of Manila Electric Co. to stagger the power retailer’s P0.92 per kilowatt-hour rate increase as a result of the Malampaya maintenance shutdown. “We will decide before March 3,” ERC Chairman Jose Vicente Salazar said. Meralco asked ERC to approve the staggered rate increase, starting with P0.30 per kWh in March, followed by another P0.30 per kWh in April and the balance of P0.32 per

Tax bill gets ADB support By Julito G. Rada ASIAN Development Bank backed the proposed reforms in the excise taxes of automobiles and petroleum products being pushed by the Finance Department, saying these are highly “progressive tax measures” that will help support President Duterte’s 10-point socioeconomic agenda. ADB president Takehiko Nakao said he agreed with the proposal to adjust the excise taxes on automobiles and petroleum products in a recent meeting with Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, and acknowledged that these were “progressive tax measures.” ADB said the proposed tax reform program would improve the business environment and sustain further growth, and that revenue losses from the proposed reductions in personal income taxes would be offset by broadening the value-added tax base and increasing oil excise taxes. “If successfully implemented, the new government’s development agenda to step up spending on infrastructure, implement tax reforms, and cut red tape will sustain high growth rates and increase job creation,” ADB country director for the Philippines Richard Bolt said earlier. Finance devised a tax reform plan that would make the current system simpler, fairer and more efficient while raising additional revenues for the Duterte administration’s unprecedented public spending on infrastructure, human capital and social protection for the poor. The first package of the Finance-proposed tax reform program is contained in House Bill No. 4774, which was filed in January by Rep Dakila Carlo Cua, who chairs the ways and means committee.

kWh in May to mitigate the impact to consumers. “We know the urgency of Meralco’s application and we are already reviewing it,” Salazar said. Meralco bills its customers usually during the ﬁrst week of the month. Meralco said in an application

with the ERC the Malampaya shutdown on Jan. 28 to Feb.16 forced natural gas power plants to use the more expensive liquid fuel. The Malampaya gas ﬁeld northwest off Palawan, operated by Shell Philippines Exploration B.V., Chevron Malampaya LLC and PNOC Exploration Corp., provides fuel to around 3,000 megawatts of natural gas power plants in Batangas. The facility is now back on line, delivering natural gas to the power plants. Meralco said the shutdown coincided with the maintenance repair of the power plants of Sem-Calaca Power Corp. and Quezon Power

Philippines plant, which collectively contribute 565 MW to Meralco, Meralco said it drew up measures to mitigate the impact of the shutdown on supply and power rates although the power distributor’s blended rates were still expected to rise. “The incremental fuel costs due to the use of liquid fuel is expected to increase the overall rate of Meralco from March 2017 billing by about P0.9171 per kWh,” Meralco said. It said it could automatically reﬂect the full generation costs for the March billing to customers but “it is cognizant of the ﬁnancial burden such rate hike will

place on its customers.” “To mitigate the effect of the abrupt increase in generation costs due to the use of liquid fuel, especially considering that the WESM [Wholesale Electricity Spot Market] prices may also increase during the period, Meralco proposes that instead of reﬂecting the full incremental incremental fuel cost component of the total generation costs in the March 2017 generation charges, it be allowed to implement the increase in three billing months starting March until May 2017,” it said. Meralco said of the estimated incremental fuel cost of P2.4 billion incurred during the shut-

down, only a third or P791 million would be included in the March and April billings and the balance in May. Meralco said the computation was without prejudice “to any adjustments that may be necessary as actually reﬂected for the power bills issued by the power suppliers for the February 2017 supply month.” The company also asked ERC to defer the payment to suppliers during the three-month recovery period. Meralco said “these proposals are without prejudice to any application that may be subsequently ﬁled for the recovery of any appropriate carrying charge.”

Insular Life offering new healthcare plan

ACHIEVEMENT AWARD.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. is conferred the 2016 Outstanding Achievement Award by FinanceAsia, a Hong Kong-based publication that covers investment banking, capital markets, and strategic corporate finance in Asia Pacific. FinanceAsia annually recognizes the region’s most significant transactions, the financial institutions that advised on them as well as outstanding individuals in the field of finance. Tetangco received the citation for his contributions to Philippine economic development and to the improvement of central banking standards in the region.

INSULAR Life, the first and largest Filipino-owned insurance company, has introduced a new, stand-alone yearly renewable term plan that provides a monthly allowance for three years from the time a critical illness is diagnosed. Thirty five critical illnesses are covered under the plan. “Prime Care is the first insurance product in the Philippines that offers someone suffering from a critical illness a monthly allowance for three years. That lessens the burden his family has to carry, as he seeks treatment and recovery,” said Insular Life’s chief marketing executive Amelita Tamayo. Prime Care offers a lump sum amount upon diagnosis of a critical illness, and a monthly allowance for treatment. “The lump sum benefit given after diagnosis can cover for immediate financial needs like laboratory

and diagnostic procedures while the monthly allowance can cover expenses for other treatments and medication. In addition, the insured is entitled to receive a lump sum beneﬁt equal to thirty-six monthly allowances in case he becomes totally and permanently disabled due to the diagnosed critical illness,“ said Tamayo. Prime Care also gives access to the world’s top doctors for second opinion advice, allowing the insured to get the correct diagnosis, medication, and treatment for his illness. “Should the insured want to seek for second opinion, he has access to leading medical experts worldwide through Best DoctorsTM. By being in touch with them, our insured can get a better understanding of whatever health or medical condition he may have and be presented with various options for treatment,” said Tamayo.

America First or Fortress America? IN THE course of last year’s US presidential campaign, Donald Trump promised to “make America great again.” He would achieve that goal by doing two things, viz., putting America First and removing Obamacare and the other Obama Administration policies and programs that he adjudged to be bad. There’s absolutely wrong with an America First policy per se. Every national chief executive was elected to his office by the people upon the understanding that he would put his country first in all his official actions. Donald Trump should put America first every day that he is in the White House; those who voted for him deserve and are entitled to nothing less. The same applies to Rodrigo Duterte with regard to the interests of the Philippines. To keep his America First campaign promise, Donald Trump issued a multitude of executive orders in the days immediately following his assumption of the presidency. The US was withdrawing from the North American Free Trade Agreement and the Trans-Pacific Partnership because those arrangements were not fair to the US American companies. They would instead be given incentives to keep jobs in the US and to not create them overseas. Tariffs would be imposed or raised to give US-made products a competitive advantage in their home market. And immigration policy would be tightened to slow the inflow of foreigners seeking jobs in the US. These executive actions can legitimately be

classified as measures intended to place America’s interests first. However, when they are considered in the context of Mr. Trump’s declared reluctance to maintain America’s longstanding geopolitical commitments—such as its membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and its relationship with its closest southern neighbor, Mexico—the impression that is created is that of the US withdrawing into a Fortress America. Is this impression correct? Is a Fortress America in the making? Is the US on the verge of relinquishing its century-old role as the leader of the West? The US could successfully maintain a policy of autarchy if it wanted to. Physically speaking, it is one of the best-endowed countries in the world. It has within its borders all the agricultural and mineral resources that a country needs, it has the world’s best river system, its industrial infrastructure is the mightiest in the world, its road network is magnificent, it has excellent research facilities—Silicon Valley is the prime example— and it has a domestic market of approximately 320 million people to consume the output of its industries and farms. The US economy can function and survive without the rest of the world. But is a US economy choosing to function in solitary splendor a realistic scenario? From which quarters would opposition to a shift towards Fortress America come? There are a number of reasons why Fortress America will be difficult to achieve in a globalistic 21st century. The first reason is that it is very difficult to

withdraw from international agreements, as the British government, which will shortly begin negotiations with the European Union in the wake of British Exit (Brexit), is ﬁnding out. The process of withdrawal is a very complicated legal process. US withdrawal from Nafta, which went into effect in 1995, is bound to be no less complicated. The process of withdrawal may well still be ongoing at the time Donald Trump’s term ends. America’s longtime partners and major allies—the European Union countries, Japan, Canada, Australia and South Korea—will unite and oppose, through various means and in various fora, any attempt by the US to withdraw to Fortress America. As the world’s only superpower, the US is the democratic world’s leader and it is largely American power that has kept the peace in the world since the end of World War II. The world’s most powerful military establishment—the US armed forces—is certain to oppose any shift to Fortress America. The US military realizes that, given the present geopolitical situation of the world—with numerous power centers, some possessing nuclear weapons, and with rampant Islamic terrorism—America must project its military might around the world if it is to be safe. America is safer with its bombers, surface ships and submarines patrolling the world rather than based close to home. The US’s businessmen and economists are bound to oppose a shift toward Fortress America. Businesses and products are at their most efﬁcient when they are subjected to competition, which would be absent in a Fortress America set-

ting. Moreover, life for America’s citizens would be less exerting without the diversity and novelty that come with international exchanges. A shift to Fortress America would definitely be opposed by the majority (52 percent) of the 2016 popular vote that went to President Trump’s Democratic opponent. Trump has no mandate to effect far-reaching changes in American society and governance. Except for the brief periods of isolationism in its history—such as the period between the two World Wars—the US has always been a good citizen of the world. Certainly, the present Democratic majority in Congress is in no mood to allow Donald Trump to pull the US off the world stage. Last but definitely not least, there’s the American people. The people of a country that was made a modern nation by immigrants, that has engaged freely and congenially with the rest of the world for several centuries, that is welcomed as a participant—the key participant—in the management of the world’s affairs and that has come to enjoy the respect and admiration of much of the international community are unlikely to be pleased with a change in the US’s status from the leading mover in world affairs to a mere bystander. The several-centuries-long record and experience of a nation are not easily set aside; Donald Trump will be in office for only four years. In conclusion, America First is a perfectly good policy, but Fortress America is both undesirable and realistic. E-mail: rudyromero777@yahoo.com

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

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2017

Business

Kraft withdraws Unilever offer

RAFT Heinz Co.’s $143-billion bid for Unilever NV collapsed just two days after it became public knowledge, with the adamance of the Anglo-Dutch target’s rejection said to play into billionaire Warren Buffett’s longtime aversion to hostile deals.

The decision not to pursue what could have been the largest-ever takeover in the food and beverage industry came after 3G Capital and Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc., which together own about half of Kraft Heinz, decided that Unilever’s negative response made a friendly transaction impossible, leaving no choice but to walk away, people with knowledge of the situation said. Both also believed that a protracted war of words wasn’t in the best interest of Kraft and

would risk souring future deal opportunities, the people said, asking not to be named because the process was private. While there were minor concerns about opposition from the UK government, according to one of the people, the companies were optimistic that they could win the backing of Westminster with a friendly deal. Prime Minister Theresa May had asked ofﬁcials to study the proposed takeover in the wake of the country’s vote to exit the

European Union. “Kraft Heinz’s interest was made public at an extremely early stage,” spokesman Michael Mullen said Sunday in an e-mailed statement. “Our intention was to proceed on a friendly basis, but it was made clear Unilever did not wish to pursue a transaction. It is best to step away early so both companies can focus on their own independent plans to generate value.” Representatives for Omaha, Nebraska-based Berkshire Hathaway and 3G, based in New York and Sao Paulo, didn’t respond to messages seeking comment Sunday. Unilever, in rejecting the $50-a-share offer, said the proposal “fundamentally undervalues” the household-products maker. Its management fretted behind the scenes about the costcutting model at Kraft, which

sells products like Velveeta and Jell-O, and its lack of vision for cultivating brands, people familiar with the situation said. Shares of Unilever jumped 13 percent to close Friday at a record 44.80 euros ($47.61) in Amsterdam. Kraft Heinz, based in Pittsburgh and Chicago, climbed 11 percent to a record in New York trading. Kraft’s overture followed a 2.5-percent decline for Unilever’s stock in 2016, its worst annual performance since the ﬁnancial crisis in 2008. Shares of European rival Nestle SA fared only marginally better, losing 2 percent. The quick withdrawal of Kraft’s offer is surprising because Unilever’s defenses weren’t very formidable, such as its low stock ownership by management, said Ken Shea, a senior analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence. Kraft’s

credibility may take a hit going forward, he said. “The strange episode suggests that Kraft Heinz acted a bit hastily with its takeover plan, and evidently did not think it fully through,” Shea said. “Also, the timing and size of the bid―coming just after its earnings conference call on Wednesday last week, in which it downplayed the need for acquisitions―likely leaves their Wall Street credibility diminished.” The proposed deal would have created a company with combined sales of $84.8 billion last year, second only to Switzerland-based Nestle. The business would be a packaged-food giant, encompassing brands like Kraft Macaroni & Cheese, Heinz Ketchup, Ben & Jerry’s ice cream and Marmite, a concentrated yeast extract spread. Bloomberg

China firm buys into Abu Dhabi oil venture CHINA National Petroleum Corp. bought a stake in Abu Dhabi’s largest oil concession as the Middle Eastern emirate with 6 percent of global crude reserves looks increasingly to Asia, its biggest market, for investment to raise output capacity. Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. awarded CNPC an 8-percent stake in the onshore venture in return for a $1.8-billion signing bonus, Adnoc said in a statement. State-run CNPC is the venture’s third Asian partner, joining Japanese and South Korean companies alongside BP Plc and Total SA. BP signed on to the project in December, and Total in January 2015. Asia will show the fastest growth in energy demand over the next two decades, according to the International Energy Agency. Abu Dhabi is among Persian Gulf oil producers including Saudi Arabia and Iraq that are tapping Asia for energy investments. While European and US companies have pumped oil in the Middle East for more than a century, their Asian counterparts are relative newcomers. “If you’re Abu Dhabi and looking for demand growth, China is the future and its demand is going to continue to grow,” Chris Gunson, a Dubaibased lawyer at Amereller Legal Consultants, said Sunday. “For the big buyers in Asia, the logical source of that future supply is the Gulf.” CNPC is joining the Abu Dhabi Company for Onshore Petroleum Operations, or ADCO. BP and Total each hold 10 percent stakes in the venture, while Japan’s Inpex Corp. owns 5 percent and GS Energy Corp. of South Korea holds 3 percent. Abu Dhabi plans to retain a 60 percent stake in ADCO and is seeking an investor for the remaining 4 percent, Adnoc said in the statement. Japanese companies are partners in at least four other oil-production ventures in Abu Dhabi, the largest sheikhdom in the United Arab Emirates. Korean and Chinese companies are exploring at smaller concessions in the emirate. CNPC’s engineering arm also helped build an export pipeline in Abu Dhabi. Elsewhere in the region, CNPC is developing Iraq’s biggest oil field, together with BP. China Petroleum and Chemical Corp. is a partner in a refinery in Saudi Arabia, and Chinese firms are developing crude deposits in Iran. Bloomberg

TOY FAIR. A K’NEX building set on display during the American International Toy Fair February 19, 2017, in New York. The fair runs February 18-21. AFP

Japan returns to trade deficit TOKYO―Japan logged its first trade deficit in five months in January, official data showed Monday, as higher energy prices overwhelmed slower growth in exports due to the lunar new year. The country routinely falls into deficit in January due to the lunar new year celebrations in key trade partners such as China, which sees an extended holiday. But Yuichi Kodama, chief economist at Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Co. in Tokyo, said that the export weakness would not last. “Exports are still on the recovery track,” he told Bloomberg News. “The global economy is steadily recovering. “There’s no change to the view that Japan’s economy is driven by external demand while domestic demand is remaining weak.” Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has been trying to kickstart growth for more than four years with a policy of spending, central bank policy easing and structural reform, but the outcome has been mostly disappointing. Inflation and consumer spending are weak, and companies have been reluctant to boost wages in the world’s third-largest economy. For January, the trade deficit came to 1.08 trillion yen ($9.6 billion), expanding 67.8 percent from the same month a year ago. The deficit was the first since August and marked a sharp reversal from a surplus of 640 billion yen in December. Japan’s China-bound exports increased 3.1 percent in January, sharply lower than the 12.4-percent jump seen in December. Imports from China, meanwhile, rose 7.2 percent, resulting in Japan recording its 59th straight monthly deficit against Asia’s largest economy. Overall exports rose 1.3 percent, falling short of the market expectation for a five-percent rise, which was the median estimate of economists surveyed by Bloomberg. Imports increased 8.5 percent, the first rise in more than two years, and came in higher than the market expectation of a 4.8-percent rise. AFP

Brazil’s deep recession puts damper on Rio carnival By Louis Genot RIO DE JANIERO―The Rio carnival is a celebration of joyful excess but deep recession in Brazil means that samba schools are thinking about their budgets as much as their dance moves. “Here the key word is austerity,” says Luiz Carlos Magalhaes, president of the Portela samba school, which has won the prestigious annual parade contest in the Sambodromo more than any other school. Like football teams, the samba schools are organized in divisions and their contests are judged on strict criteria where the slightest slip costs points. That need to pay attention to detail is giving organizers at top-ranked schools a headache as they prepare for battle on February 25-26 at a time of increasingly thin budgets. “We’re living day to day. We raise money with dinner dances at our headquarters and see how much we made before we go out to buy the feathers and sequins,” Magalhaes said. Every school in the ﬁrst division, known as the Special Group, gets six million reais (about $2 million) from a mixture of city subsidies and proceeds from television coverage. They also raise money through sponsorship and― although none openly admit this―funding from illegal gambling rackets. Portela is in trouble, Mag-

Revellers take part in the ceremony to purify the Sambadome (known as Sapucai) in preparation for the worldfamous samba carnival in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on February 19, 2017. AFP

alhaes said, because “our main sponsor dropped us at the last minute. We’ve really had to bend over backwards to make it work.” At another top-division school, organizers ended up giving free meals instead of pay to the small army employed to sew costumes. Scrounging Down in the second division,

things are more complicated. They get only a third of the subsidies given to the top ﬂight and sponsors have little interest in chipping in. “Not only do we have less funds but the materials are more expensive too. That’s why we’ve had to innovate, trying to create an alternative carnival,” said Jorge Silveira, artistic director at the Viradouro, which won the

whole contest back in 1997. “By chance I’ve discovered real treasures in our props department and I’ve got around the crisis by recycling all sorts of things,” he said, seated on a ﬂoat made in the shape of a huge cake. Even if Viradouro’s hangar is smaller and less modern than the facilities used by Special Group schools, Silveira knows the con-

ditions he is working in are a great deal better than those encountered by lower divisions. For the third to fifth levels, the contests are not held in the specially built Sambodromo stadium but along Intendente Magalhaes Road in the working class north of Rio. They do not benefit from television rights. “It’s my fifth carnival and it’s definitely the worst of the lot. It’s a lot harder this year,” said Tatiana Santos, president of the Arranco do Engenho school in the fourth division. “Our subsidy comes in installments and we’ve not got more than 70 percent so far. The rest will only be paid after carnival―we’ll use it to pay our debts,” said Santos, 37, in the dusty hangar where her school puts together its show. One way of surviving this year was to make the parade a homage to first-division school Salgueiro, which was flattered and loaned the samba minnows costumes and a float. Fabio Augusto, president of fifth division Tupy de Vraz de Pina, has also had to go scrounging. “We’re living from donations. We’ve gone from hangar to hangar at the big schools and got all sorts of things,” he said. And things are not as bad as they were. “When I took over the school two years ago, we didn’t even have drum sticks,” he said. AFP

LGUs

Jimbo Owen Gulle, Editor Roger M. Garcia, Assistant Editor jimbo.gulle@gmail.com mslocalgov@gmail.com TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2017

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

VOLCANO PARK. Young men frolic beside the lake at Mahagnao Volcano Natural Park, 800 meters above sea level in Barangay Cagmanaba, Burauen, Leyte. Declared a natural park on Feb. 3, 1998, the park features an extinct volcano crater lake, hot springs with multicolored mud, virgin forests, and rocks believed to be medicinal. Mel Caspe

Ozamiz crowd bats for federalism O By Lance Baconguis

ZAMIZ CITY—Thousands of residents from this city and Misamis Occidental pledged their support to President Rodrigo Duterte’s plan to shift from the present presidential form of government to a federal form in a gathering here on Monday.

The packed Medina gym saw mayors from different towns the province, hundreds of barangay captains from the city and the countryside, eager to hear the discussions on the salient points of the proposed federal form of government.

The Mayor Rodrigo Roa Duterte-National Executive Coordinating Council—the political vehicle that worked for the election of the longtime Davao mayor in the elections last May—is spearheading the information, advocacy and grassroots ground-

work for federalism. Now, the MRRD-NECC is leading the People’s National Movement for Federalism (PeNamFed) to make sure Duterte’s campaign promise could be understood by every Filipino, and turn that promise into a reality. San Luis, Batangas Mayor Samuel Ocampo, the group’s president, said that part of their commitment is people participation, for all to observe and understand what federalism is and why there is a need for it. “What we’re are hoping is that by 2022, there will be a sitting first president of the federal republic, and we are hoping that by 2019, there

will be a plebiscite for the shift towards federalism,” Ocampo said. The mayor said they are hoping the plebiscite will be conducted together with the 2019 mid-term elections. Ocampo said they are hoping people will support the move, “that there is no resistance from the people.” The country’s current regional setup will make up the 18 federal states, the mayor added. “But we are flexible about it, we welcome any suggestions, or additional setups, for the suggestion for 20 to 25 states, but as of now, the regional areas will stand for the states.” He said they are also study-

ing the federal setup of other countries, but “we can copy their setup with a unique addition to our cultures, traditions, there are valid points that we can retain what works for us, and add that to the federal form of government,” Ocampo said. Local government units can plot their self-determination and how they will run their state, he added. In addition, Indigenous Peoples and minorities will have an assured representation in the national government. As opposed to current setup in national income, under the federal government, a federal state will only share 20 percent of its income

Dulay sees BIR hitting target

Cordillera autonomy in Duterte’s Sona By Dexter A. See TABUK CITY, Kalinga—President Rodrigo Duterte will speak about the Cordillera region’s renewed quest for autonomy in his State of the Nation Address or Sona in July this year, Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus P. Dureza committed to local officials on Monday. Dureza said the President will speak about Cordillera’s desire for self-governance once lawmakers file the proposed autonomy bill in the House of Representatives by the first quarter of this year. The peace adviser attended the Regional Development CouncilCAR first quarter meeting here and spoke during the 22nd founding anniversary of Kalinga and its 1st Bodong festival. Dureza said he will also discuss with the President the local proposal of certifying the autonomy bill as an urgent ad-

ministration measure, because “it is in line with his current advocacy on federalism.” He urged Cordillerans to go for autonomy first because it is already enshrined in the Constitution, as achieving federalism will take some time “because of the sensitive national issues involved in the proposed shift in the form of government from presidential to federal.” The adviser stressed that Cordillera could co-exist with a federal state because it could still become an autonomous region, “which is to the greater advantage of the Cordillera in the future, having the authority to govern its affairs and enjoying optimum share from the resources of the region.” “We should listen to everyone. ‘We should always be inclusive in our efforts because it is the right time for the region to achieve its desired autonomous status,” Dureza stressed.

By Ben Moses Ebreo

CLAMPDOWN. Traffic enforcers in Antipolo City show off the wheel clamps they use against erring

motorists who disregard the city’s traffic rules. Once their cars are clamped, violators are fined P5,000 for the first 24 hours and an additional P1,000 every day they don’t redeem their vehicles from the city’s Office of Public Safety and Security. They are also fined P1,000 if they attempt to break the clamp and escape arrest.

QC Animation Fair to gather leading PH cosplayers THE Quezon City government is bringing in several of the country’s top cosplayers to celebrate the best in 2D and 3D digital animation during the 2017 QC Animation and Information Technology Fair, slated Feb. 23 to Feb. 25 at the Quezon City Experience Museum. Mayor Herbert Bautista is the keynote speaker in the event launched inside the

Quezon Memorial Circle. Reynald Paul Imjada, the city’s Information Technology and Development Office chief, said among the cosplayers playing well-loved anime characters and comic super heroes are Captain America, Catwoman, Princess Leia, Kamen Rider Black and Flash. The event is hosted by the city government in partnership with

the Korea-Philippines Information Technology Training Center. Now on its second year, the event is expected to stimulate career opportunities for city-based educators, out-of-schoolyouth, and career shifters to animation and information technology industry in a bid to generate a more creative digital economy environment for the city.

The three-day event, which has as theme “Careers in Digital Arts and Technology,” will feature information technology exhibits, animation forum for educators, lectures on free and paid topics, film showings, virtual reality demonstrations, on-the-spot drawing contest, digital painting, short-film animation challenge, and a museum tour experience. Rio N. Araja

Men who attack, steal from Valenzuela cop nabbed

THREE men who attacked a policeman then robbed him of his service firearm and cellphone during an argument after a vehicular accident have been arrested by the Valenzuela police. Supt. Reynaldo Z. Medina Jr., Valenzuela Police deputy chief for operations, identified the suspects as Danilo Lorenzo, Rho-

to the national government. Ocampo called the share as an “equalization fund” where it can be used for national spending and to help struggling states to level up with progressive states. Urban Poor Commissioner Manuel Serra Jr. said the proposed federal shift is not an amendment of the constitution, but is a revision of the government. Serra said the people will have to decide first if it wants the shift to federalism. “It needs people’s participation, and President Duterte will submit to the will of the people,” Serra said. “Duterte wants a clean and efficient government,” he added.

niel Dave Lorenzo, and Danilo Gabriel. The victim, P02 Rico Valenzuela of the Valenzuela central police station, was on board his motorcycle cruising along Santolan and Gen. T. De Leon streets when he was bumped by a Honda car allegedly driven by Rhoniel Lorenzo, with Danilo his uncle riding in front.

Instead of stopping, the Lorenzos sped away, prompting Valenzuela to give chase until they reached Robinson Mall, where the policeman confronted the two. Valenzuela was introducing himself as a policeman during their altercation, but the suspects ganged up on him. Gabriel also joined in mauling him, per the police report.

Valenzuela tried to draw his firearm but, Danilo grabbed it and used it to pistol-whip the policemen repeatedly. As Valenzuela fell down, Danilo pulled the trigger, but the gun misfired. The policeman ran for safety, but the three chased him down until he slumped to the ground. Jun David

CAUAYAN CITY, Isabela— Faced with a P1.829-trillion collection goal, the Bureau of Internal Revenue vowed to pursue reforms to improve its efficiency in gathering taxes, Commissioner Cesar Dulay said. The BIR chief came to the city to grace their 2017 Tax Campaign Kick-Off for the Cagayan Valley region at the Catholic Pastoral Center here. “There is optimism in reaching our goal because of the present administration’s priority program on massive infrastructure development in partnership with China, Russia and Japan, among others,” Dulay said. He said these ties with other countries will result in the entry of Overseas Development Assistance and investments in the country’s various economic sectors. “These are the kind of spending that the government wants because there is movement in the economy. Even savings should be spent for the economy,” Dulay said. The commissioner also said the BIR has adopted a strategic road map to improve their collection efficiency, such as ensuring the ease in doing business with the agency to encourage more taxpayers to comply with regulations. Dulay said they are also conducting dialogues with other tax practitioners and organizations to draw more suggestions in achieving their collection goals.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2017

LGUs

‘Clark airport should spend P2.6b’ C By Romeo Dizon

LARK FREEPORT, Pampanga—Former Congressman and Vice Governor Yeng Guiao on Monday said the Clark International Airport Corp. is in danger of losing P2.6 billion of its development budget to the national treasury if it doesn’t spend it by December this year. Guiao said the CIAC’s budget, which is under the General Appropriation Acts of 2015 and 2016, “must be obligated so that it will not be reverted to the national government as provided by the law.”

During a media forum here, Guiao said the approved budget was divided into P800 million for 2015 and P1.8 billion for 2016, respectively. For 2017, CIAC has no budget.

“These budgets must be spent for what they have been approved for, otherwise they will be reverted to the national government this December,” Guiao said. Considering the government’s public bidding system, “nine months is too short a period to implement the project, specially if the losing bidders will contest the result of the public auction,” he added. According to Guiao, who worked hard for the CIAC’s budget’s approval during his incumbency as congressman, the P800-million 2015 budget was allotted for the airport’s engineering details and ground work development, while the P1.8 bil-

lion was for the actual construction of the airport. These allocations are part of the P12-billion total budget approved for the airport during the term of President Benigno Aquino III. The project was approved by the Regional Development Council, Department of Transportation, and National Economic and Development Authority and other approving government agencies, Guiao said. “I mean there is an available approved budget, and a plan approved by the government. I do not know why it is not being executed,” he said. Guiao said he had already in-

formed Angeles City Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan, chairman of the RDC, Gov. Lilia Pineda and Alexander Cauguiran, acting president and CEO of CIAC of the available budget for the airport. He is also planning to meet Congresswoman and former President Gloria Arroyo about the airport funds before they will be transferred to the national treasury. He said Cauguiran told him: “I am only an employee and I cannot recommend or suggest to my boss [Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade] what to do.” The two-term congressman of Pampanga’s 1st district said he is “exerting extra effort” be-

cause he worked “very hard” since 2013 for the approval of the budget. Guiao lost to Carmelo Lazatin II of the Angeles City clan in the last election. Vince Dizon, president and chief operation officer of the Bases Conversion Development Authority, said he is also in favor of the development of Clark International Airport, but through a Public Private Partnership and not through government funding. Dizon said Clark’s development will start in 2019 with a new terminal with a capacity of eight million passengers a year, in contrast to the existing terminal that can only hold 4.2 million passengers a year.

Apayao declared drug-free province By Nazario A. Rodriguez Jr. FLORA, Apayao—This province has just been declared “Drug-Free” during the celebration of its 22nd Founding Anniversary on Feb. 13 in the town of Kabugao. Siblings Rep. Eleanor BulutBegtang and Gov. Elias C. Bulut Jr. joined regional directors Marlo L. Iringan of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, Police Gen. Elmo Francis O. Sarona, and Editha S. Puddoc of the National Police Commission in declaring Apayao drug-free at the packed Kabugao Municipal Gymnasium. Joining them were Vice Governor Remy Albano and members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, who passed and adopted Resolution No. 12, declaring Apayao as a drug-cleared province, authored by SP Mailah Haydee L. Ballesteros. The resolution explained the move complied with a request from the Apayao Provincial Police Office “with the mandate of the national leadership to fight and eradicate the illegal drug problem in the entire country,” along with supporting documents such as declarations from drug-infected barangays that their areas are already cleared of the drug menace. Sarona, who was the keynote speaker, commended Apayao for becoming a dynamic province from its modest stature, and thriving to unleash its full economic potential.

ABANDONED. This mosque in Butig, Lanao del Norte is empty after Muslim residents fled the town amid the military’s all-out operations against the Abu Sayyaf and other local terrorist groups, and despite the recent visit of Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana to assure the area’s safety. Mark Navales

App, tech help Pinoys to survive cancer SBMA WITH the recent development of an app that allows doctors and health care providers located anywhere in the country to coordinate better with the St. Luke’s Medical Center Foundation, cancer patients now have better chances of surviving the dreaded disease. Gabriel Georgy, president and chief executive officer of Takeda Healthcare Philippines Inc., and Gordon Cameron, vice president

for Asia Pacific Area of Takeda Pharmaceuticals Inc., revealed this development during the Philippine Cancer Summit last Feb. 8. “Filipino patients don’t have to come to the city to be diagnosed,” Georgy said. “The doctor or the health care provider in the province would only open our app on their phone, send a request to the pathology department at St. Luke’s

in Global City, and then St. Luke’s will, in turn, send the doctor the testing kit and all the instructions and everything they need to do. This will be sent back to the hospital and analyzed. The results will be sent back to the doctor.” With the summit’s theme, “Access to Innovative Medicine,” the organizers said they have narrowed their focus to “cancer targeted therapy,” which means

high-tech medicine that specifically targets cancer cells. “We are committed to bringing more innovative drugs to Filipino patients,” Cameron said. The development of the app was a result of the Takeda Digital Healthcare Innovation Challenge that the pharmaceutical company carried out in cooperation with TechTalks.ph last year.

REMEMBERING AGUINALDO. A

group of Freemasons in Cavite gathers at the Kawit Shrine to commemorate the 53rd death anniversary of President Emilio Aguinaldo, who was a Freemason with the Pilar Lodge No. 203 in Imus town, on Feb. 6. Benjamin Chavez

‘No alternatives to Tide Embankment Project?’ By Mel Caspe (Continued from yesterday) TACLOBAN CITY—Christopher Durana, provincial chairperson of Baskug Han Katawhan ha mga Komunidad nga No Build Zone or Bakhawan, has questioned the rushing of the P7.9-billion Tide Embankment Project or TEP here. Durana, who said he personally saw the storm surges created by Typhoon “Yolanda” three years ago, said the planned 27-kilometer-long, four-meterhigh seawall is not enough to stop any catastrophe. He added it will also destroy food security for the residents and lessen the income of the fisherfolk. He was also surprised why the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Environmental Management Bureau Region

8 issued an environmental compliance certificate for the project when there were no in-depth discussions and scientific models made by the government. He pointed out there were also no alternatives to the Tide Embankment Project offered by the Department of Public Works and Highways outside of its present framework. DPWH promised to shelter affected households, but for local fisherman Christian Apostol, Durana, and many other residents of the coastal barangays, the resettlement sites will make them lose their main livelihood. The Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council estimated a one-percent occupancy rate and the phenomenon of relocated residents returning to government-declared “no dwelling zones.” Marina Duran, 48, of Barangay 90 here, said she is not against the

project, as long as the government fast-tracks the relocation site. “Waray na kami mahimo, waray na kami liwat choice nandiyan na ‘yan. Pero, nadiri kami liwat nga matikangan iton pagtrabaho iton na tide embankment kon waray kami klaro nga babalhinan [We can’t do anything, we don’t have a choice, it’s there now. But the tide embankment will affect our livelihood if there is no immediate relocation site],” she pointed out. Barangay Councilor Ronilo Duran of Barangay 90 said DPWH officials consulted them and explained the purpose of the project to the residents. “At first, residents were against it, but now they’re for it because they have been enlightened,” he said. “Some of them are opposed because they’d have to travel farther for their livelihood.” Duran said the affected fami-

lies will be compensated by the government depending on the type of house they own that would be demolished to give way to the seawall. The relocation of the families, he added, will trigger the merger of their barangay with Barangay 89. Most of the 1,100 households in Barangay 90 were relocated to Barangay Tagpuro. The Tide Embankment Project will cover 43 barangays in Tacloban, Palo and Tanauan, and aims to provide storm-surge protection to 33,185 houses and buildings, according to data from the Center for Environmental Concerns. Geoscientists Kelvin Rodolfo and Narod Eco said the project “dangerously underestimates” the storm surge of “Yolanda” in terms of heights and return periods. They also urged the government to make a “holistic project” that will benefit both the envi-

ronment and the people. “The TEP must be able to carefully factor in social, economic and environmental concerns,” Rodolfo said. “We stand that in mitigating the impacts of natural calamities or reducing risk of disasters… projects for affected communities and the public must be done with due diligence.” “We challenge the Duterte administration to save taxpayers’ money, stop the defective TEP and heed the ‘Yolanda’ survivors’ clamor for alternative approaches to address their wellbeing,” Eco added. As for Christian Apostol, the 21-year-old who still has to earn his living from the sea, he said if only the government implements a holistic project that considers the well-being of the people and the protection of Mother Nature, his hopes will not be hindered by his own hometown’s Great Wall.

sets 6-yr 10-point agenda SUBIC BAY FREEPORT—The new management team of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority has revealed its 10-Point Agenda, which defines the direction of the agency in the next six years. The agenda “is a set of priorities we would like to achieve. It is a direction that would guide us where we want to go and that is revitalizing the Subic Freeport,” SBMA Administrator lawyer Wilma “Amy” Eisma said. The points, she said, focus on Locator Service Excellence, the Green Initiative, Safety and Security, “Build, Build, Build,” Subic Freeport as the Gateway, Community Engagement, Policy Reforms and Good Governance Program, Foreign Direct Investments and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, the Freeport Expansion, and Tourism Star. Under the Locator Service Excellence program, the SBMA will create a “Non-Stop Shop,” a 24/7 online customer service and virtual complaint desk, and a “One-Stop Shop” that would receive suggestions and complaints of the visiting public to Subic Bay through Dial 888 Hotline or personal appearances at their offices. Along with this, the SBMA is institutionalizing the “Red Carpet Treatment” to all locators and investors by implementing the “Cut the Red Tape Project,” which will shorten to three days the releasing of certificates of registration and tax exemptions, building permits, and Environmental Compliance Certificate, among other licenses. For the Green Initiative, the SBMA will start its improved climate change adaptation program through broader coastal cleanup drives and tree planting activities, and the use of renewable energy to mitigate any negative effect of the agency’s operations on the environment and, possibly, to secure ISO 14000 certificate compliance before the end of the year. Butch Gunio

World IN BRIEF 22 migrants flee US for Canada OTTAWA―At least 22 migrants fled the United States for Canada over the weekend, sneaking across the border in Manitoba province to request asylum, authorities said Sunday. Twenty-two people, mostly from Africa, crossed the border on foot overnight Saturday into Sunday, said Greg Janzen, a local official in the city of Emerson. Eight others had arrived on Friday. Emerson, 120 kilometers south of Winnipeg and close to the US states of North Dakota and Minnesota, has seen the porous border -- in many areas with no official crossings -- drawing greater numbers of asylum seekers since US President Donald Trump’s travel ban. The Republican took office in January and promptly signed an order to temporarily ban US entry for nationals of seven Muslimmajority countries, and for all refugees. Under a bilateral agreement, asylum-seekers from the United States are usually turned back at Canada’s border crossings. But this does not apply to those crossing the border illegally in other places. Migrants who crossed into Canada in early February faced harsh, frigid conditions: two had their hands frozen and needed to have several fingers amputated. But temperatures were much milder this past weekend. AFP

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2017

Trump’s boisterous backers urge him to stay on offense M

ELBOURNE―With Donald Trump struggling to keep his presidency on an even keel in a cacophonous first month, die-hard supporters have a message for their champion: stay on offense, never modulate, never change.

Leftover IS bomb kills child shepherds HABBANIYAH, Iraq―Three child shepherds were killed in western Iraq on Sunday when one of them stepped on a roadside bomb planted by the Islamic State group, local ofﬁcials said. “Three children were killed today by a leftover improvised explosive device planted by the Daesh organization north of AlBaghdadi,” said the mayor, Sharhabeel al-Obeidi, using an Arabic acronym for IS. He said the victims, aged between nine and 13, were herding sheep when the bomb exploded under them, just north of AlBaghdadi, about 180 kilometers northwest of Baghdad. “They died on the spot. A police unit went to the site of the explosion and brought their bodies to the morgue,” a local police major said. Al-Baghdadi was brieﬂy under the control of the IS jihadists who seized around a third of Iraq in 2014. It lies in Anbar province, which has yet to be fully retaken by the Iraqi security forces and continues to see frequent IS attacks originating from desert areas on the towns and cities that dot the Euphrates River valley. Unexploded ordnance in retaken areas kills civilians and security forces on a regular basis and is a major obstacle to reconstruction. AFP

Bullring explosion injures 30 BOGOTA―An explosion in Bogota early Sunday injured about 30 people, most of them police guarding a bullring that had been targeted by protests when it reopened last month, officials said. Mayor Enrique Penalosa had said on Twitter that a police officer was killed in the blast, but officials later said that report was a mistake and there were no deaths. The city hall said 31 people were injured, two of them seriously. Police cordoned off the area at the center of the blast, where fragments of rubble lay as police explosives experts inspected the site. The explosion struck near the Plaza Santamaria bullring in the Macarena district. The bullring was beset by protesters when bullfights resumed there on January 22 after a fouryear hiatus. Those injured on Sunday were mainly police guarding the venue, as they have during every bullfight Sunday since the protests, local media reported. Penalosa, who overflew the scene in a helicopter, said the area had been secured. “Anyone who wants to go to the bullfight can do so in safety,” he tweeted. “The terrorists are not going to intimidate us and we are going to do what is necessary to capture them,” he added. AFP

AWARDEES. Tina Fey, left, and Jane Krakowski pose backstage with their awards during the 69th Writers Guild Awards New York Ceremony at the Edison Ballroom on February 19, 2017 in New York City. AFP

Trump refers to non-existent terror attack WASHINGTON-US President Donald Trump was speaking to supporters on Saturday when he apparently referred to the Scandinavian country as the site of a terror incident -- the latest example of his administration naming a non-existent attack. He was addressing a campaign-style rally in Florida when he launched into a list of places that have been targeted by terrorists. “You look at what’s happening in Germany, you look at what’s happening last night in Sweden. Sweden, who would believe this? Sweden. They took in large numbers. They’re having problems like they never thought possible,” he said, provoking mockery on social media. His speech was aimed at defending his order last month that blocked refugees and travelers from seven majority-Mus-

lim countries from entering the United States. The order has been suspended by a federal appeals court, and Trump vowed to introduce a new order this week as a means of protecting Americans at home. He went on to name Brussels, Nice and Paris -- European cities that have been struck by deadly terror attacks. On Sunday, Trump tweeted an explanation of his remarks. “My statement as to what’s happening in Sweden was in reference to a story that was broadcast on @FoxNews concerning immigrants & Sweden,” the US leader wrote. The tweet followed a request from Sweden’s foreign ministry on Sunday seeking an explanation. “We have now contacted the American (State Department) to understand

and receive clarity,” ministry press ofﬁcer Catarina Axelsson told AFP. Sweden’s Employment Minister Ylva Johansson, in an interview with Swedish public television, said she also is seeking clariﬁcation of Trump’s statement. “We want to know what he means,” she said in an interview broadcast on Sunday. “The US president speaks and the whole world listens. He is speaking about Sweden in a way that we don’t understand what he means or refers to -- in connection with acts of terrorism in other countries. It would make sense if we could get an answer to this question.” Users on Twitter, Trump’s favorite communication platform, cracked jokes about the apparent miscue using the hashtags #lastnightinSweden and #SwedenIncident. AFP

Trump is under immense pressure as missteps have plagued his debut, with opposition lawmakers and observers lobbing one assault after another at the new US commander-in-chief. They say he lies, he lacks understanding of crucial issues, his White House is already riven with scandal and warring factions, and he’s dismissing the US Constitution by attacking the media. Even some fellow Republicans are expressing alarm. On Saturday, Trump escaped the fiery cauldron of Washington to host a boisterous rally in Melbourne, Florida, where he was greeted with open arms by loyal supporters who insist his presidency is running smoothly. And they sniffed at charges that Trump, now the world’s most powerful man, is refusing to moderate the aggression, impulsiveness and sniping that defined his 2016 campaign which ended in shock victory. “I want to see more of it,” Steven Migdalski, a 53-year-old unemployed computer technician from Titusville, Florida, told AFP during his seven-hour wait to enter the Trump rally. He gave emphatic approval of Trump’s combative tone with the press and his hasty policy steps including his controversial executive order restricting immigration. “I am totally ecstatic that a Republican president has the balls -- the fight in him -- to push back against not only fake news,” but the political establishment, said Migdalski, proudly displaying his red “Built Trump Tough” shirt. Never mind that Trump’s debut has sent jitters across the Atlantic and Pacific oceans with policy musings that contradict decades-old US policy regarding the Western alliance and post-World War II order. “He’s upsetting the globalists. And I hope they’re afraid,” Migdalski said. Such is the damn-the-torpedoes support Trump enjoys with his core base -- largely white and male, predominantly working class, and increasingly nationalistic. In more than a dozen interviews with supporters, they said they are backing their man, despite -- perhaps even because of -- his controversial actions. But supporters are aware that they too provide the energy, adulation and respect on which Trump feeds -- a symbiotic relationship that was on full display in Melbourne. Washington is not a friendly town for any occupant of the White House, and Trump appeared thrilled to return to a campaign-styled event, complete with a woman holding up a poster with the words “Hillary for Prison,” even though Hillary Clinton was defeated months ago. “I think he needs this. Everyday he hears hatred and negativity each time he turns on the TV,” said Tammy Allen, a self-employed independent distributor in Melbourne who was in the rally crowd with three friends holding “Women For Trump” signs. “He’s been ridiculed and put down. I mean everybody is against him. So he needs to see those Americans that support him, that love him,” she added. AFP

Adolph Hitler’s phone sells for over $240,000 WASHINGTON―Adolf Hitler’s personal telephone, which the Fuehrer used to dictate many of his deadly World War II commands, sold at auction on Sunday for $243,000, the US house selling it announced. Originally a black Bakelite phone, later painted crimson and engraved with Hitler’s name, the relic was found in the Nazi leader’s Berlin bunker in 1945 following the regime’s defeat. The auction house Alexander Historical Auctions, which did not reveal the winning bidder’s identity, had estimated its worth between $200,000 and $300,000. The starting bid was set at $100,000. The Maryland company auctioned off more than a thousand items including the phone and a porcelain sculpture of an Alsatian dog for $24,300. Both winners bid by telephone. More than 70 years old, the Siemens rotary telephone is embossed with a swastika and the eagle symbolic of the Third Reich.

Alexander House dubbed the phone -- which Hitler received from the Wehrmacht, Nazi Germany’s armed forces -- as “arguably the most destructive ‘weapon’ of all time, which sent millions to their deaths.” It said Hitler used it to give most of his orders during the last two years of World War II. Russian officers gave the device to British Brigadier Sir Ralph Rayner during a tour of the bunker shortly after Germany’s surrender. Rayner’s son, who inherited the phone, put it up for sale, its paint now peeling to reveal the original synthetic black resin surface. Andreas Kornfeld of Alexander House told AFP its estimates were based on a number of factors, including “rarity and uniqueness.” “It would be impossible to find a more impactful relic than the primary tool used by the most evil man in history,” the auction house said in a statement. “This was not a staid office telephone.” “This was Hitler’s mobile device of destruction.” AFP

SEARCH. A member of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent runs as he searches for victims following a reported

government airstrike on the rebel-held town of Douma, on the eastern outskirts of the capital Damascus, on February 19, 2017. AFP

Cesar Barrioquinto, Editor

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2017

Pyongyang: No trust in police probe

World

Pence in charm offensive to NATO BRUSSELS―US Vice President Mike Pence meets EU and NATO leaders Monday at the end of a European trip aimed at reassuring allies worried that President Donald Trump might abandon them. Upon arrival in Brussels on Sunday, Pence said he looked “very much forward” to his meetings with EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, European Council President Donald Tusk, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. Brussels follows a visit to the Munich Security Conference, where Pence told European leaders and defence experts: “The United States is and will always be your greatest ally. “President Trump and our people are truly devoted to our transatlantic union.” Trump’s criticism of NATO as “obsolete”, his praise for Britain’s decision to leave the European Union, and his apparent tilt to Russian President Vladimir Putin have unnerved US allies. And they continue to seek reassurance from Washington even though Pence, US Defence Secretary James Mattis and US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson hewed close to seven decades of transatlantic policy during their foray into Europe. Pence said Washington would push Russia to honour the Minsk ceaseﬁre accords in Ukraine and Tillerson said the US would only cooperate with Moscow if it beneﬁts the American people. AFP

Iraq forces converge on airport in Mosul OREIJ, Iraq―Iraqi forces backed by jets and helicopters battled their way to Mosul airport Monday as they prepared to take on the Islamic State group’s stronghold in the city’s west bank. The fresh push in the fourmonth-old operation to retake Mosul has sparked fears for 750,000 trapped civilians who risk getting killed trying to flee and face starvation if they stay. “The federal police has resumed its advance... Our cannons are targeting Daesh defense lines with heavy fire,” federal police chief Raed Shaker Jawdat said in a statement. Federal police forces, as well as elite units from the interior ministry, army soldiers and Hashed al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization) paramilitary fighters, launched a major assault on Sunday. On the second day of the renewed offensive, they pushed northwards towards Mosul airport, which lies on the southern approach to the city, on the east bank of the Tigris. The assault marks a new phase in the broad operation launched on October 17 to retake Mosul, Iraq’s second city and the jihadists’ last major stronghold in the country. The recapture of Mosul would deal a death blow to the “caliphate” which IS chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi proclaimed in the city in June 2014 but has been shrinking steadily for two years as anti-IS forces advanced. But it took the Iraq’s most seasoned forces, the elite CounterTerrorism Service, two months to retake east Mosul, where IS put up stiffer than expected resistance. Commanders and experts believe the city’s west bank could prove even harder to retake, with the narrow streets of the Old City forcing Iraqi forces to undertake perilous dismounted raids. AFP

CARNIVAL. A reveler dressed in masks and period costumes take part at the Venice Carnival on February 19, 2017 in Venice. AFP

KUALA LUMPUR―Pyongyang cannot trust the Malaysian police investigation into the sudden death of a North Korean, the country’s ambassador said Monday, after officers identified the victim as the half-brother of the North’s leader. Kim Jong-Nam was traveling under the alias Kim Chol when he was apparently poisoned by two women at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport a week ago. South Korea has pointed the finger of blame for the attack at the North, citing a “standing order” from its leader Kim JongUn to kill his elder sibling and a failed assassination bid in 2012. “It has been seven days since the incident, but there is no clear evidence on the cause of death and at the moment we cannot trust the investigation by the Malaysian police” even though it has yet to conclude, ambassador Kang Chol told reporters. Malaysia had earlier in the day summoned Kang over his accusation that the investigation was politically motivated and that Kuala Lumpur was conspiring with “hostile forces”. The Malaysian foreign ministry rejected the claim and announced it was recalling its envoy to Pyongyang. Malaysian police initially told the North Korean embassy that a diplomatic passportholder had died of natural causes, according to an English transcript of Kang’s speech handed to journalists. The ambassador, who referred to the victim as Kim Chol, also accused officers of beating the teenage son of the North Korean suspect whom they arrested in Kuala Lumpur last week. Four other North Koreans have been named as suspects in connection with the killing but have fled Malaysia. North Korea has demanded Malaysia return the body and objected to an autopsy being performed, but police have insisted it cannot be released until a family member comes forward to provide a DNA sample. AFP

N. Korean envoy summoned K UALA LUMPUR―Malaysia summoned the North Korean ambassador on Monday for a dressing-down over Pyongyang’s attack on its investigation into the assassination of leader Kim Jong-Nam’s brother, deepening a diplomatic row.

Five North Koreans are in the frame for last week’s airport killing, drawing a furious response from Pyongyang which has accused Kuala Lumpur of conspiring with “hostile forces” to damage its reputation. Malaysia recalled its envoy to Pyongyang and summoned the North Korean ambassador to Kuala Lumpur, who was told his accusation was “baseless”, the foreign ministry said in a statement. “The ministry emphasized that as the death occurred on Malaysian soil under mysterious circumstances, it is the responsibility of the Malaysian government to conduct an investigation to identify the cause of death,” it said. The row erupted when Malaysian police rejected North Korean diplomats’ demands to hand over the body of Kim Jong-Nam after he was apparently poisoned at Kuala Lumpur’s international airport. Ambassador Kang Chol last week told reporters outside the morgue where Jong-Nam’s body is being held that Malaysia was being pressured by South Korea in a bid to defame its northern neighbor. Seoul has pointed the ﬁnger of blame for the attack at the North, citing a “standing order” from Kim Jong-Un to kill his elder sibling and a failed assassination bid in 2012 after he criticized the regime. “The Malaysian government takes very seriously any unfounded attempt to tarnish its reputation,” the statement said, after the ambassador’s meeting with Deputy Secretary General for Bilateral Affairs Raja Nushirwan

Zainal Abidin. Chol spent around 90 minutes at the ministry. The Malaysian ambassador in Pyongyang has also been recalled to Kuala Lumpur for consultations, the statement said. Police said Sunday they believed five North Koreans were involved in the killing, with four having fled the country on the day of the murder. Officers have already arrested one North Korean living in Kuala Lumpur, an Indonesian woman and her Malaysian boyfriend, as well as a Vietnamese woman. Three other North Koreans were wanted for questioning, police said. At least three of four North Korean men at large took a flight from Jakarta to Dubai on the evening of the murder, an Indonesian immigration official said. They had traveled from Malaysia to Jakarta and after Dubai returned to Pyongyang via Russia, Malaysian media quoted official sources as saying. The drama erupted last week as Jong-Nam waited in the check-in area of Kuala Lumpur International Airport to board a plane to Macau, where he has been living in recent years. Footage broadcast on Japanese television, apparently from airport CCTV cameras, showed two women approaching a portly man dressed in light trousers and a jacket, with one of them grabbing him from behind. The man is then seen approaching airport staff and apparently explaining to them what had happened, gesturing to his head. AFP

FASHION WEEK. A model presents a creation by Greek designer Mary Katrantzou during a catwalk show on the third day of the Autumn/Winter 2017 London Fashion Week in London on February 19, 2017. AFP

Japanese men brave the cold for naked festival OKAYAMA―With only a skimpy loincloth to protect their modesty, thousands of men brave freezing temperatures to ﬁght for lucky charms thrown by a priest at Japan’s annual Naked Man Festival. A writhing mass of sweaty worshipers wrestled for elbow-room inside Saidaiji Temple in Okayama, western Japan, late on Saturday night in the hope of catching the sacred batons.

Around 10,000 hardy souls celebrating the religious festival stepped under ice-cold fountains to purify their bodies before risking life and limb in a mysterious ceremony dating back some 500 years. “It can get very rough,” 62-yearold auto mechanic Kazuhiko Nishigami told AFP, bare-chested and ready to rumble. “You have to write down your

blood type on a form and tuck it into your loincloth in case you get seriously hurt.” Most who took on the ‘Hadaka Matsuri,’ or Naked Festival, suffered no more than a few bumps and bruises after scrapping over a pair of wooden sticks, measuring one and a half inches in diameter and eight inches in length, believed to bring good fortune to whoever catches them.

But revelers have been crushed to death in the past in a melee that makes Tokyo’s infamous rushhour trains look like a walk in the park. And it’s easy to see how fatalities could occur when the lights suddenly go off and priests cast the mystical charms from the temple’s rafters into the heaving crowd below. As holy water was splashed

from above, camera ﬂashes illuminated the sea of bodies like disco lights at a rave -- before all hell broke loose. In a scene reminiscent of Dante’s “Inferno”, steam rises as thousands of groaning men, faces contorted with pain, thrust their arms upwards from the suffocating pit below, as if begging for forgiveness -- or if not a pair of trousers and a shirt to keep warm. AFP

A work by Luna Arguelles

Life

Isah V. Red, Editor Bernadette Lunas, Writer isahred@gmail.com TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2017

CULTURE & MEDIA

IMELESS is composed of works by some of L’Arc en Ciel Atelier’s top notch artists, like Alfred Galura (Watercolor intricacies), Luna Arguelles (Romanticizing still life), Pilar Quiros (The divine in nature), Connie Quirino (Classical inspirations), Miguel Buhay (Beauty in realism), Sky de Leon (Renaissance musings), Stephanie Honrado (Unexpected wonders), Alex Sibug (Breathing still life), Christina Cho (Yonder Lanscapes), and L’ Arc en Ciel’s President and Curator Elaine Herbosa (Timeless images).

The show also has an international slant with the participation of guest artists from New York City’s The Art Students’ League. Mia Herbosa and Yana Golikova, both recipients of recent awards from the Ridgewood Art Institute Open Juried competition, will be contributing several pieces to the exhibition. L’ Arc en Ciel Atelier is one of the leading artists groups in the country, which specializes in contemporary art rendered in the school of classical realism. The group prides itself for a brand of “Art without angst, bias and discrimination,” “Art borne from pure passion transformed into skill,” and “Beauty represented in all its incarnation.”

L’Arc en Ciel Atelier’s artists in ‘TIMELESS’ A work by Mia Herbosa of The Art Students’ League in New York City

Visual artist Alfred Galura, who specializes in watercolor intricacies, is part of ‘Timeless’ group exhibition

The exhibit offers contemporary Timeless is L’ Arc en Ciel’s latest en- bring to the public. “God bless us all in our endeavors to works created in the genre of classical deavor to enliven the classical approach of creative expression. Hebosa makes it bring to your fingertips timeless art pro- realism, with the aim of bringing to the public timeless art created in the preclear what she hopes this exhibit would duced in our present generation!”

sent day. The concept was borne out of Elaine Herbosa’s musings while on tour in New York City. “Yesterday we took the train, the bus, and the subway to revisit the Metropolitan Museum and the endless art treasures there. Feeling humbled by the greats who have inspired our atelier to no end (Sargent, Cassat, Rembrandt, Vermeer, Monet, Van Gogh, Klimt), we imbibe beauty around us through endless corridors.” For more information, contact Lorraine Datuin, gallery coordinator at (02) 759-8288 or email artistspace@ayalafoundation.org. For queries on the exhibition, contact Elaine Herbosa at elaineherbosa@ gmail.com Timeless Art at ArtistSpace, Ayala Museum, Greenblet 4, Makati City opens today, 6 p.m. and runs until March 6.

Digital twist at Gateway Gallery ART meets technology as Gateway Gallery celebrates the second year of its SiningSaysay: Philippine History in Art exhibit by launching a digital interface that utilizes augmented reality (AR) to recount Philippine history and make it more interesting to an increasingly digital-savvy generation. Tomorrow, the gallery will launch SiningLakbay: Philippine History in Augmented Reality in connection with its long-term exhibit that depicts prehistoric Philippines up to the time of President Benigno Aquino III in 30 large history paintings by the talented artists of the UP College of Fine Arts. The exhibit aims to be a platform for gallery guests to have a more enriched experience of SiningSaysay,

a collaborative project between the University of the Philippines and the Araneta Center. It also aims to create awareness of history among the youth by appealing to their interest in digital technology. By downloading a free app (on iOS and Android), visitors will be able to see 10 select paintings “come to life” on their Wifi-enabled digital device. Using the app, gallery visitors can point their device to the key paintings to watch the video and hear the narration on chapters of Philippine history. The videos are accurate historical accounts of events depicted in the paintings. The SiningLakbay project is a product of careful and creative implemen-

tation among the artists, filmmakers, historians, curators, editors and technology providers. Gateway Gallery opened on Nov. 21, 2014. The SiningSaysay exhibit celebrates its second year anniversary in the gallery on Feb. 18. The SiningLakbay project will be launched in time for the anniversary of the People Power Revolution on Feb. 25, and with key history players and public personalities in attendance. Located on the 5th level of the Gateway Tower at the Araneta Center, Gateway Gallery is free to the public and is open daily, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. It is supported and managed by the J. Amado Araneta Foundation, the CSR arm of the Araneta Group.

Student artists hailed in art competition

Creating art

and propelling dreams A LOT of times, all it takes is an opportunity to shine, build one’s dreams, and live by the firm belief that one is made for greater things in life. This is especially true for young artists who are newly entering the dynamic Philippine art scene. One such talented painter is 20-yearold Francis Eugene Andrade from Bulacan State University—a threetime winner in the prestigious Shell National Students Art Competition (NSAC) held annually by global leader in power and energy Shell. Andrade first joined the competition in 2014, after seeing the stunning works submitted by his schoolmates in the Fine Arts course. He saw the competition as an important stepping stone to becoming an accomplished artist. Like his contemporaries, Andrade experienced challenges and learned valuable lessons as he was venturing to pursue his passion for the arts. “Sa contest po, natutunan ko na mahirap yung iniisip mo na ang dami mong kalaban. Kung iisipin mo yun hindi ka gagaling. Hindi ka mag e-excel. “Ang iniisip ko lang po noon ay sa bawat sali ko, sa bawat gawa ko ng piyesa eh dapat matalo ko yung sarili ko. Yun dapat yung kalabanin natin eh yung sarili natin, yung matalo yung dating tayo,” he shared. Andrade also got a fair share of discouraging comments from others, as people around him questioned his capabilities to do well in the competition.

Despite it all, he soldiered on, and to his surprise, he ended up taking home the grand prize for his painting that year. His winning piece, an oil on canvas titled “Ipinagkakait na Kalayaan,” depicts paintbrushes sealed in a plastic bag, ready to be buried. The artwork, like all of Andrade’s winning pieces, comes from a personal place. In particular, his background of coming from a broken family inspired him to paint it. After his first win, joining Shell NSAC became a yearly event for Andrade. Winning became annual as well: he was awarded second place for his watercolor painting entry in 2015 dubbed “This is NOT a PAINTING this is a DIARY,” and won third place in 2016 also for the watercolor piece “Forgotten.” At present, Shell NSAC has proved to be a game changer for Andrade. “Nung una po, simple lang ang buhay ko. Nag-aaral para makatapos, para magkaroon ng trabaho, para maging proud si nanay at yung family ko,” he said. “Ngayon po ang laki ng pinagbago. Nakilala ako ng galleries, ng ibang tao, collectors, kapwa artists. Napasok ko yung art scene nang hindi ko inaasahan.” In Shell NSAC’s almost five decades, Shell has leveled the playing field in the Philippine art scene by shining a spotlight on budding talent like Andrade and by propelling them to make their distinctive mark as upcoming artists to watch for.

Ten paintings mounted at ‘SiningLakbay’ exhibit will ‘come to life’ on mobile devices to recount Philippine history through videos and narration

‘Ipinagkakait na Kalayaan’ oil on canvas is one of Francis Eugene Andrade’s winning entries in Shell National Students Art Competition

“Driving young artists to realize their potential gains even more significance for Shell, as the company celebrates Shell NSAC’s 50th anniversary in 2017. Through the years, the innovative competition has become one of the foremost avenues for young Filipino artists to build their dreams and explore who they are as artists,” noted Lans Bularan, Social Investment and Social Performance manager at Shell. Among artists who won in the competition were National Artists Jose Joya, Benedicto Cabrera, Frederico Aguilar Alcuaz, Ang Kiukok, and other Filipino contemporary masters like Juvenal Sanso, among others.

PETRON, the largest oil refining and marketing company in the Philippines, and a pillar of the industry, supports the many facets of the arts by sponsoring, on an annual basis, Everyone’s Vision Petron, a competition for young and budding artists. With the theme “Tuklas Kapaligiran” (Rediscovering the Best Feature of Our Surroundings), it aims to serve as a venue for filmmakers, musicians, performance artists, art enthusiasts and all Filipinos to converge and be one through their shared love for Philippine art and culture. The competition’s categories include photography, painting (oil, acrylic and water-based media), T-shirt art and design, video-making, and OPM music. Photography, in particular, has touched people’s daily lives—be it a simple shared meal or a commemoration of a milestone, each and every moment must be preserved. For Ysabel Victoriano, a junior Multimedia Arts student at De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde and a photography staffer of the Benildean Press Corps, the official campus journalists’ organization of DLS-CSB, the perfect moment was in Rodriguez, Rizal, where she captured “Sungka at Bernardo Carpio Mountain,” one of her four entries for the Photography in Everyone’s Vision Petron National Student Art Competition 2016, which bagged the Grand Prize. Victoriano and the other winners of the competition were awarded a P50,000 cash prize, and plaques designed by National Artist Napoleon V. Abueva, at the San Miguel Corporation Head Office in Mandaluyong City.

‘Sungka at Bernardo Carpio Mountain’ by Ysabel Victoriano

Her entry was at the site where the legend of Bernardo Carpio, the mythological source of earthquakes and a legendary Philippine counterpart to Hercules, originated. Apart from promoting the place, she said she also wanted to highlight Filipino culture by depicting the fun of playing sungka or mancala, a traditional game played with marbles or stones on a solid wooden block with circular depressions. Asked about how she feels about her triumph, Victoriano said, “It is an honor to be recognized by known photographers in the competition. I was also able to meet other talented artists who share the same passion that I have, ultimately making it a fulfilling experience.”

Life

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2017 isahred@gmail.com

By Pablo A. Tariman

OPERA IN MOTION

RTHUR Espiritu, the first Filipino tenor to sing at La Scala di Milan, is all set for his debut at the Sydney Opera House as Rodolfo in La Boheme mounted by Opera Australia. The glittering production by Gale Edwards set in the bohemian streets of 1930s Berlin offers a perfect showcase for Greta Bradman who is Espiritu’s Mimi with the Marcello of Andrew Jones to be accompanied by Opera Australia Orchestra under the baton of Pietro Rizzo. The Filipino tenor has done the role of Rodolfo at Theater Magdeburg in Germany and finds the role vocally challenging. The role of Rodolfo is his first Puccini opera with the second one in Gianni Schicchi in which he debuted at Frankfurt Opera last year. Said the tenor, “I love singing Rodolfo. I can truly relate to it and it has a special place in my heart. Not so much Rinuccio (Gianni Schicchi) because I don’t really relate to the character as much. Of course, it has beautiful music. But nothing about the role touches me. It is a vocal feat and a lot of fun to sing, but it is not substantive enough for me.” The tenor cites the third act as the most difficult part of La Boheme for him. “Not only it is vocally taxing, it is so emotionally charged. Plus, the orchestra is playing at full tutti mode along with your held high notes. Act 1 finale is also tough. My most memorable moment was when we opened Boheme in Magdeburg. I had no expectations but to do the best I could. That finale always gets me. It’s so emotional that the drama grips you and takes you there.” How the tenor got the role is another story by itself. He was singing Ferrando in a controversial Calixto Bieito version of Cosi fan tutti in Basel when Opera Australia artistic director Lyndon Terracini heard him. He was invited to dinner after his performance along with his Fiordiligi (Anna Princeva). Recalled the tenor, “Mr. Terracini said he was impressed with our voices and said he will cast us in his upcoming productions in Sydney and Melbourne, basically with Opera Australia. So, that was quite awesome to experience. And he paid for the restaurant bill. What a great guy! He is one of the nicest artistic directors I have ever met. So, in that dinner, I got two roles—Rodolfo in Boheme and a role debut as The Shepherd in Szymanowski’s King Roger.” Before Espiritu’s debut, Lea Salonga also debuted at the Sydney Opera House when she sang with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra under the baton of her brother, Gerard Salonga.

FILIPINO TENOR debuts in Sydney Opera

Filipino tenor Arthur Espiritu will debut at the Sydney Opera House in Australia as Rodolfo in ‘La Boheme’ Espiritu plays Rodolfo in a Magdeburg production of ‘La Boheme’ in Germany

In the 80s, Cecile Licad performed in the same opera house with Sir Neville Mariner conducting the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields. A father of one and with a second one coming, Espiritu said last year’s most memorable engagement for him is singing Rinucio in Gianni Schicchi which was a part of Il Trittico presented by Frankfurt Opera. “It was my debut with the company and my role debut as Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi. It was amazing working with Maestro Jakub Hrusa, baritone Zeljko Lucic, and the wonderful orchestra. The company liked me very much so that was a very positive experience.” The year 2016 also saw him singing the Duke in Rigoletto in one notice. “I only had one day to rehearse the entire production with the assistant stage director. It was a lot of stress and lots of watching. I only got one hour to see the stage and walk around it. They have all these maze-like passages backstage. I was lucky I did not miss any cue. It was so exciting with all those things in front of you with people you never saw before and acted with on any rehearsals. It was like walking into a pit filled with lots of wolves. It was scary at first but when I started thinking I’m the Duke and I have done this role many times, it just sort of clicked in and it was smooth sailing after that.”

The good news is that he is also doing La Boheme with Israel Opera in Tel Aviv where he earlier sang Tamino in Mozart’s Magic Flute. “I absolutely love working for the company. They have treated me so well and have been so good and supportive to me. The audience is quite tough like in Milan. If they don’t like it, they will let you know. But most of them are very civil. Fortunately, they appreciate me and I’m very happy about that. I got the part when they asked my agency if I could come over and travel to Tel-Aviv after doing La Sonnambula in Munich. They were interested in me to do Rodolfo in Boheme, so I flew over and sang Che gelida manina for Mr. Michael Ajzenstadt. We had a long conversation after, then he offered me the contract on the spot!” Opera lovers in Manila had a preview of Espiritu’s La Boheme when he sang Che gelida manina in the opera gala at the Maybank Performing Arts Center and a duet from the same opera with Anna Migallos. To be sure, the aria is one of the most feared with opera specialists comparing it to climbing the highest pyramid. The tenor’s performance made it so relaxing to watch with not a trace of fright or fear on his face. He hit the highest note with such grace and power one could hear a pin drop in the concert hall.

EN POINTE

Kitri in Retrospect THERE has been much talk about Don Quixote these days as the country’s premier classical dance company, Ballet Manila, prepares to stage the timeless ballet as a closing show for its 21st performance season. Of course, when one talks about Don Quixote, the subject of Kitri—the feisty Spanish female lead— always comes about. The iconic Kitri is famous for a number of reasons. First, it’s the one role that takes ballerinas away from their usually timid, finesse and calculated forms, and puts them in the shoes of a very light, fiery and playful Spanish girl who almost does nothing but jump and spin around the stage. Second, it’s one of the hardest roles to dance to, and requires an almost unnatural amount of strength and agility to perform. Dancing the role of Kitri, for most parts, may be likened to a double-edged sword. The part can make you or break you, make the world notice your talent and passion, or serve as your ticket to an early retirement. In the case of the country’s only Prima Ballerina, Lisa Macuja-Elizalde, it has served as the launching platform for a most prolific career—spanning over three decades—on which Ballet Manila and The Lisa Macuja School of Ballet Manila were founded. She shares with us some of her fondest memories of Kitri.

Prima Ballerina Lisa Macuja-Elizalde guides the cast in the ‘Don Quixote’ recital (Photo by Noel Salazar)

Her Best Kitri

Lisa accounts her best portrayal of Kitri back in 1990 when she danced the role in Krasnoyarsk, Russia with Osias BarHer First Kitri roso as Basilio. “I was dancing with a partner I was so used Lisa first wore Kitri’s shoes back in 1984 as her gradua- to dancing with so it was like second nature. I was very comtion piece for the Russian Ballet Academy. She received a full fortable with him and with my technique. I was so strong that five-minute standing ovation after the said performance and I actually remember dancing an encore of the coda, doing my was asked to do an encore. fouettes again at the end of that whole act three, and yet after that we still had the energy—because the audience was not Her Most Memorable Kitri letting us go—we actually did our fouettes again.” For Lisa, her most memorable Kitri has to be her first Don Quixote in the Philippines after returning from Russia. It was Her I-Wish-I-Could’ve-Done-Better Kitri her first full-length ballet. She was an artist-in-residence of According to Lisa, each of her performance is always followed by the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP). the thought that she could have done better, however, one that she really wished she could do again happened in Lithuania. “There are Her Most Challenging Kitri some performances that are better than others. There are some perAccording to Lisa, one of her most challenging Kitris was formances where you actually fall or slip or where accidents hapactually one of her earliest. During one of her performances pen. I remember one performance in Lithuania, where I actually fell with the Kirov Ballet in 1986, Lisa ripped a muscle in her left from my fouettes and I had to start over.” thigh during her entrance. The rest of the ballet, according to She says she picked herself up, the only way you can during a her, “was danced on pure adrenalin and pain denial—until I live show. “So I fell, then I started over and I continued. That’s how limped home to Nievsky Prospekt and collapsed on my bed.” you do it. You just start over and continue as if nothing happened.”

Lisa’s performance with the Kirov Ballet in 1986 was one of her most challenging Kitris

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2017

JACKIE CHAN’S take on history

Two contrasting love stories

In "Railroad Tigers," Jackie Chan is a railroad porter that leads his co-workers to ambush their Japanese oppressors, while Darren Wang (inset) is an ordinary Chinese soldier.

ET in 1941 during the Japanese occupation of China, Railroad Tigers is an action-packed, yet fun-ﬁlled movie about a group of Chinese workers eager to ﬁght back.

Jackie Chan plays Ma Yuan, a railroad porter who uses his knowledge of the train network to lead his fellow workers in ambushing Japanese soldiers and stealing their supplies to feed their starving countrymen. With no real weapons, they just make do with hammers, shovels, pipes and other railroad tools for attack and protection. Ma Yuan and his team of freedom fighters find themselves in what could be a suicide mission: blow up a heavily-guarded railroad bridge which even the Eighth Route Army of the National Revolutionary Army of China cannot destroy. “On paper it sounds like a war movie, but during the fighting scenes, almost no blood is shed,” says WHERE did Anne Curtis—actress, TV host, and all-around performer—find “The One?” In her latest TV commercial for the country’s no.1 fast-food brand, Jollibee, Anne reveals the one meal she will never get tired of: Jollibee Burger Steak. With a well-seasoned burger patty made with 100 percent real beef, the Jollibee Burger Steak delivers spectacular flavors and textures to the table. The patty is generously poured with Jollibee’s signature mushroom gravy and is then topped with mushroom slices to bring a delicious and delightful spoonful that Anne—as well as millions of Filipinos—keep falling in love with. “Decade after decade, Jollibee Burger Steak has never failed to deliver a beefy-ever-after experience to Filipino diners,” said Francis E. Flores, Jollibee Global Chief Marketing Officer and Philippines Head of Marketing. “This year, we’re renewing our commitment to continually improve our products—including the best-selling Burger Steak—to guarantee unparalleled flavors and dining experiences for those who have fallen head over heels with Jollibee, including our newest celebrity endorser, Anne Curtis.” 2017 marks Anne’s 20th year in Philippine show business, where she had made waves through a slew of TV shows, critically acclaimed blockbuster hits, and in recent years, sold-out concerts at some of the country’s most prestigious event venues. Her journey to stardom began exactly 20 years ago, at a Jollibee store along Boni Avenue in Mandaluyong City. A 12-year-old balikbayan visiting relatives from her mother’s side, Anne

director Ding Sheng, who also directed Jackie Chan’s movies, Little Big Soldier and Police Story 2013. And, in contrast to the lone heroes in Chan’s previous ﬁlms, Railroad Tigers puts an emphasis on the team instead of a main character. Co-starring with Jackie Chan are rapper, singer-songwriter Huang Zitao, TV idol Wang Kai from the critically acclaimed historical drama All Quiet in Peking, and Taiwanese actor and model Darren Wang, best known for the 2015 ﬁlm Our Times. Wang got the role of a Chinese soldier because of the recommendation of actor Andy Lau, who, incidentally, has a mustsee appearance in the movie. The inclusion of these handsome young actors in the cast attracted extensive media attention. But there’s more to them than just a pretty face. “It is an action movie so everyone must have some training in kung fu,” says the director. “Once the locomotive is set in motion, you can’t simply apply the brakes. Even the veteran martial arts instructors in the JC Stunt Team are scared of the 100-ton steam locomotive when it is in motion. For actors who have never trained

Anne Curtis finds ‘THE ONE’

Twenty years ago, Anne Curtis was discovered by a talent scout at a Jollibee store in Mandaluyong, now the actress-TV host joins the fast foot giant as a celebrity endorser.

was discovered by a talent scout while enjoying Jollibee’s signature offerings. . “At a young age, my mother introduced me to the Pinoy happy place: Jollibee,” she said. “This is where I got to taste the Filipino version of steak: the Burger Steak with rice!” “It’s like love at ﬁrst bite! And what’s great about the Burger Steak is that it’s still has the same savory, delicious, beefy ﬂavors that I’ve loved ever since.”

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Tuesday, February 21, 2017

ACROSS 1 Pantyhose brand 6 Three tsps. 10 Come unglued 14 Long, flat timber 15 Aspiration 16 Say for sure 17 Frosty 18 Together again 20 Eur. airline 21 Borg of tennis 23 Feline nine 24 Let slip 25 Sci. class 26 Food for tots 29 Treat a wound 33 Raise spirits 34 Yet to come 35 Med. plan 37 Clark and Orbison 38 Zones 39 Develop 40 Famous numero 41 Boring tool 42 Mail carrier’s beat 43 Spicy candy 45 Executed poorly 46 “Gotcha!” 47 Heavy weights 48 Caused (2 wds.) 51 Bubbles up

53 Hypo units 56 Government foe 58 LPGA star Lorena — 60 About 2.2 lbs. 61 While away 62 Sulu colleague 63 Sagan’s “The Dragons of —” 64 Drop anchor 65 Kitchen gadget DOWN 1 RN assistants 2 Lamb’s alias 3 Mountain passes 4 Economic ind. 5 Like cornflowers (2 wds.) 6 Strong beat 7 Afrikaner 8 Made a web 9 Kind of pal 10 Mete out 11 Tel — 12 Mr. Hackman 13 Joule fractions 19 Homer opus 22 Wedge in 24 Some tripledeckers 25 Lillie and Arthur 26 Amazon source 27 Beside

in martial arts, it is very difficult to achieve some of the moves…I (insisted) on casting only the most suitable actors.” “When it comes to the train, everyone wants to see us climb aboard it. But we can’t just run after the train and jump straight on it’, Jackie Chan explains. ‘So in order to embellish the scene,” Ding Sheng continues, “the characters used a skateboard, a slide, and a bamboo pole to climb onto the train. Fortunately, all these seemingly incredible stunts were performed safely.” In order to film a real steam locomotive, the shooting took place in Northeast China at a temperature of -20°C. The crew consisted of more than one thousand members. Furthermore, an entire train station was revamped for the film. Railroad Tigers is praised for its hilarious jokes and astonishing spectacle. An audience member was quoted to have said, “The jokes are funny, the explosions are amazing and there’s not a dull moment.” Distributed by VIVA International Pictures and MVP Entertainment, it opens in cinemas tomorrow.

28 Marshy inlet 29 Twitter 30 Cordelia’s dad 31 Lilac, for one 32 Wax theatrical 34 Medea sailed on her 36 Felt grateful 38 Mystique 39 Oodles 41 Committee type (2 wds.) 42 Expires (2 wds.) 44 Female prison guard

45 Benedictine title 47 Spud 48 Mirage image 49 Sooner city 50 Cartoon chipmunk 51 Mutt moniker 52 Peace Prize city 53 Buddy 54 Geologic sample 55 German industrial region 57 “She Done — Wrong” 59 T’ai — ch’uan

The actress added that she never gets tired of the Burger Steak. “It hits all the right spots. The combination of real beef, sauce, and rice is just something that reminds me of comfort, of home.” Anne’s beefy ever after with Jollibee Burger Steak TV commercial airs on most TV stations. The Jollibee Burger Steak is available for dine-in, take-out, delivery, and drive-thru transactions in all Jollibee stores nationwide. Prices start at P50.00.

WE WERE at the Faces and Curves aesthetics clinic in Greenhills when we watched Anne Curtis’ birthday production number in It’s Showtime last Saturday. Using “the story of love” concept, Anne began her number with a brief monologue on her definition of love and went on to singing some of the most memorable love songs and danced with them. “I know I’m not a good singer but you can always bear with my being sintunado (out of tune),” the singer-host-actress said before rendering her love songs in a medley form. It was a well-thought out production number as Anne was able to relate her “puppy love to teen-age love to her heartbreak until she felt to have found her “one” true love. In the so many “love messages” she heard from her friends, managers, co-workers and family members, of course the one that made the whole thing a complete “love story’ is the message her fiancé Erwan Heussaff shared. Said the very good-looking and popular food blogger, “I love you so much and you know I do. I don’t really need to explain it here because you know how much I love you and how you mean everything to me. And even as hectic as things get, I would love to cook breakfast for you for the rest of my life . . . I am looking forward to that.” The two just announced early this year their engagement and everybody is looking forward to their big day, which for sure will be among the most-sought-after weddings in this side of showbiz. The next thing we noticed after Anne finished her number, all of us watching from the said clinic were sighing and having sweet smiles on our lips and wishing them both, great happiness! Ayyy!!! ***** On the other hand, we learned that Daniel Matsunaga and Erich Gonzales seemed they weren’t sour after breaking up when they faced the audience in the US. They arrived in California last Saturday, where they staged some shows together with other Star Magic artists. According to some social media posts about their meeting with producers and would-be audience, “parang walang nangyari sa kanila. Hindi mo iisiping may mga pangit na senaryo sa break-up nila.” They were seen holding hands and seemed to be sweet as friends. Some photos even showed them as always being together despite other artists’ presence. “They also talked and they answered questions in a positive manner,” according to one post. Well, that’s the magic of Star Magic management that tried to pacify the then getting ugly situation before leaving the country. Their “heart-to-heart talking” worked and did wonders for them. It should di ba?, Or else their careers will suffer the most! ***** Look at Vice Ganda. He just had a very successful concert last Valentine’s Day at the Big Dome and among his best- remembered acts was his monologue on his “heartbreak.” Reciting of a poem that narrated his joy and laughter up to his pain and ordeal was a big hit not only to among those who watched but also in the social media. Even though he never mentioned the name of the supposed “boyfriend” that caused those all, everybody believed that it was Terence Romeo. The now very popular PBA player with whom Vice had quite long “friendly association” that started during his collegiate playing days in FEU. There was no denial or admission of their rumored relationship but the sports world and showbiz folks had one same opinion on their special bonding as friends. That they were once lovers, or friends in love? See how can someone like Vice turn his love “pain” into something “gain-able” as after the said show, he reported to have demanded more beneficial “items” when he renewed his contract with ABS-CBN.

Isah V. Red, Editor Nickie Wang, Writer isahred@gmail.com TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2017

TV screens smolders with Maja Salvador, Vin Abrenica and Joseph Marco, stars of the primetime drama "Wildﬂower"

scrub and essential oils that gently exfoliates dead, dry, rough skin leaving skin, baby soft and smooth. * Wet and Dry Dermabrasion works well to even out skin color throughout the body, through exfoliation and infused serums. It also helps skin become lighter and supple to the touch. There are super helpful treatments to address nagging and common problems of the body such as: * Botox Hyperhidrosis is for those experiencing extreme underarm perspiration. Belo’s Botox Hyperhidrosis is the right treatment for you to make you sweat-free and extra confident. E ff e c t s last up to six months. * Laser H a i r

ISAH V. RED

HE sun is out! And quite naturally, Belo is in! The well-loved Liza Soberano, ABS-CBN’s breakthrough young actress in ﬁlm and on television, is the next beautiful face to grace Belo Medical Group’s (BMG) Summer Beauty Goals campaign. Dr. Vicki Belo says, “She is such a sweet, sweet, beautiful girl. We love having Liza with us at Belo. She makes everything look and feel refreshingly young. Our summer campaign is just perfect for her. Liza represents the young and here at Belo, we only offer the best for their beauty needs.” The Filipino-American stunner who has captured the hearts of the people with her performances on projects both on the big screen and on television, understands that beauty is both a cause and a responsibility, especially when one gets thrust into the limelight in a high-proﬁle profession such as acting. And summertime brings everything to a whole new level. That is why Liza, the other half of the very successful love team LizQuen (opposite Enrique Gil), feels a strong commitment to take care of her body and her looks for the sake of all those who have been showering her with love and support, following her career and watching all her projects. “I am very thankful to all my fans, without whom, all of these wouldn’t have been possible. I just want them to know that I

a m serious about my job and I only want to give back to them all the love and devotion that they continue to share with me,” she said. As such, Liza has taken the extra mile to make sure that this season will showcase an even better version of herself. The Belo Medical Group understands her needs and have given her generous support to help maintain her beautiful gorgeous skin, and slimmer, hair-free body, perfect for her #BeloBeautifulJourney this summer. Millenials who also would like to achieve their #SummerBeautyGoals like Liza can be assured that Belo has the right solution for them. To those who need to slim down, here are the options: * V Contour to look slimmer in an instant without surgery, and no downtime. * Exilis offers non invasive solution for skin tightening and reduction of wrinkles, with long-lasting effects. The Exilis procedure uses safe thermal waves to heat your skin and target fat cells. If your skin is the problem, here are the treatments to go for to achieve that glowing skin this summer: * Body Scrub with Bleach is a combination of sea salt/sugar

Removal for hair-free underarms and Revlite for fairer underarms so you won’t need any cream and peels anymore. *** Viewers were instantly captivated by ABS-CBN’s newest romantic drama and psychological thriller The Better Half as its pilot episode led the afternoon ratings games on Feb. 13. The show recorded a national TV rating of 16.8 percent, while its rival show Hahamakin ang Lahat only got 13.7 percent, according to data from Kantar Media. It also generated online buzz and trended on Twitter as netizens posted about the cast’s performances and love scenes. In its pilot episode, viewers were introduced to Camille (Shaina Magdayao), the woman Rafael (JC De Vera) saved from committing suicide as she searched for her lost husband Marco (Carlo Aquino). However, Marco, who suffers from an amnesia after a plane crash, is already living on an island with Bianca (Denise Laurel), who is pretending to be his wife. The Better Half airs weekdays after It’s Showtime on ABS-CBN and ABS-CBN HD (SkyCable 167). *** ABS-CBN’s newest primetime drama Wildflower is off to a good start as its pilot telecast instantly captivated viewers nationwide, garnering a national TV rating of 20.1 percent versus its rival program’s 14.7 percent, according to data from Kantar Media. The show, led by versatile actress Maja Salvador, also created buzz online as its official hashtag #WildflowerBlossoms landed on the top trending topics on Twitter on Feb. 13. In its premiere offering, the series introduced to viewers the young and energetic Lily (Xyriel Manabat) and showed how she and her parents Camia (Sunshine Cruz) and Dante (Christian Vasquez) are starting a new life in Poblacion Ardiente, a town ruled and governed by the powerful Ardiente clan. Lily then found a new friend in Diego, who happens to be the son of Ardiente mayor Emilia (Aiko Melendez) and grandson of patriarch Julio (Tirso C r u z I I I ) . W h a t awaits Lily and her family in this new town? Wildflower airs weeknights on ABS-CBN or ABS-CBN HD (SkyCable ch 167).

Liza Soberano is the new face of the beauty clinic, Belo Medical Group

Denise Laurel

Jc de Vera

Anime hits on

HERO FEBRUARY marks the return of the biggest anime fan favorites Naruto Shippuuden 8, Yugi-Oh! Arc V, and Samurai X on Hero TV. The adventures of Uzumaki Naruto, the host of the powerful Nine-Tailed Demon Fox continues. This time, Konohagure is invaded by the leader of the Akatsuki—Pain. The Akatsuki wishes to kidnap Naruto and bring down the whole ninja world under their command. Join Naruto’s mission in saving not just Konoha, but the whole ninja world, in Naruto Shippuuden at 8 p.m. Wednesdays with replays at 2 and 8 a.m. and 2 p.m., and a three-hour marathon on Saturdays at 9PM. Meanwhile, Yuya Sakaki’s dream is to follow his father’s footsteps and become the greatest “duel-tainer” in history. He then discovers Pendulum Summoning, a never-beforeseen fighting technique that lets him summon many monsters at once! But when countless rivals emerge to steal his spotlight, Yuya needs to gear up his game because dueling has evolved into a non-stop world of action! Witness Yuya and his friends’ duels as they ride their monsters racing through real locations to take down their opponents with their Action Cards in Yugi-Oh! Arc V, airing weeknights at 8:30 with replays at 2:30 and 8:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., and a three-hour marathon on Sundays at 3PM. Then relive the story of Himura Kenshin, formerly known as the assassin Hitokiri Battōsai, as he atones for his murderous past by offering protection and aid to those in need in the Japanese countryside. Join Kenshin on his road to redemption in Samurai X, weeknights at 10:00 with replays at 4 and 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. and a three-hour marathon at 5 p.m. on Saturdays. Feel the beat this February as Hero TV also adds new shows to the table that will surely excite your anime palette. Welcome the story of Kisaragi Ryuiji as he and his cousin Eriko protects a Red Dragon Girl named Rose in Dragon Crisis, 6 p.m. Tuesdays, follow bum teenage genius Junichirou Kagami as he tries his new job as substitute teacher in Ultimate Otaku Teacher starting 10:30 p.m. Thursdays, and watch the finale ofTakeo Goda’s successes and mishaps in confessing to his crush, Kagami, who instead is in love with his best friend, Suna Makoto, in My Love Story on Hero Theatrixx, 12 and 9 p.m. on Feb. 2 . Anime fans will also rejoice as Hero TV brings back their favorite series, A Certain Scientific Railgun S, Captain Earth, Ouran Highschool Host Club,Log Horizon, Hakuoki Season 3, and Folktales from Japan. HERO TV is the only 24-hour Filipino-dubbed anime cable channel, home to international anime hits. The channel also provides the best localized anime experience of adventure and self-discovery through local productions such as My Hero Nation, I-Animate, Comics On Cam, Hero We Go and Hero In Tunes. Hero TV is available on SKYcable Channel 44. For updates, visit and like Hero TV on Facebook facebook.com/ myheronation and follow us on Instagram @herotvofficial and Twitter @myHEROnation.