The Standard - 2015 March 19 - Thursday

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK VOL. XXIX  NO. 35  3 Sections 32 Pages P18  THURSDAY : MARCH 19, 2015  www.manilastandardtoday.com  editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Department of Labor

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DOLE okays P15 daily wage hike

AQUINO COMPLAINS TO BOI Next page

FCB hosts visitors from PAL

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Gloria house arrest up for voting

Briefing.

Former President Fidel Ramos tells reporters there is a chain of command in the Philippine National Police, adding he had been involved in its creation.

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NLEX extends win streak

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PNoy gripes about BOI report

By Francisco Tuyay

PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III summoned Philippine National Police officials who investigated the Mamasapano incident to complain that he was terribly hurt when they reported that he violated the PNP chain of command during the secret operation that ended in the death of 67 people.

Behind bars. Members of militant youth organizations League of Filipino Students and Anakbayan trooped to the Batasan Pambansa Wednesday to throw paint bombs and protest the lack of justice for the victims of the Jan. 25 Mamasapano massacre. Manny PalMero

PNP Director Benjamin Magalong, chairman of the Board of Inquiry, said he was called to Malacañang on Tuesday along with Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, PNP officer-in-charge Deputy Director Leonardo Espina and BOI member Chief Superintendent John Sosito.

Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte confirmed that Aquino met with the BOI at noon of Tuesday because “the President met them to thank them for their efforts and to give them the opportunity to clarify any matters.”

Magalong said the meeting was cordial although the President did mention some concerns, but that will not change the conclusion of the report nor will it require making a supplemental report.

“It was just for clarification,” Magalong told reporters as he related the points that Aquino raised during the meeting.

Magalong said Aquino encouraged him and Sosito not to be afraid and ask him what they want to know about the Mamasapano incident even as he himself raised concern that the BOI report blamed him for violating the chain of command.

But Magalong said he told Aquino “we never mentioned that he (the President) violated the chain of command but merely bypassed [it].”

“Sir, we never mentioned you violated the chain of command. We just said it was your prerogative to deal directly with former SAF director Getulio Napenas,” Magalong said.

The controversy over the chain of command emerged after the BOI said in its report: “The Chain of Command in the PNP was violated. The President, the suspended CPNP Purisima and the former Director SAF Napenas kept the information to themselves and deliberately failed to inform the OIC PNP and the SILG. The Chain of Command should be observed in running mission operations.”

A day after the BOI released its report, De Lima issued a media statement saying the BOI erred in saying Aquino violated the chain of command because the PNP was a civilian agency not covered by the principle of chain of command.

But former President Fidel Ramos,

in a rare media briefing in Makati City on Wednesday, said he issued Executive Order No. 226 in 1995 precisely to settle legal questions on the chain of command in the PNP. “This was specifically designed by me to apply to the PNP because of the gray area. This [EO] still has the force of law and has never been amended,” said Ramos, who was also chief of the PNP predecessor, the Integrated National Police, before he became president.

Even former senator Panfilo Lacson, also a former PNP director general, explained that the principle of command responsibility is ingrained in the PNP. “The chain of command is present even in business organizations. What does chain of command mean? It’s the formal line of authority, responsibility in communication. This is the relationship of superior and his subordinate. So you cannot say that the PNP is not covered by a chain of command,” he said.

Magalong said Aquino reiterated that he was under the impression that the police and military officials were coordinating with each other in implementing “Oplan Exodus” on January 25 in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.

Oplan Exodus was the codename of the secret operation to arrest Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, alias Marwan, and his Filipino understudy Abdul Basit Usman. Marwan was killed, but Usman managed to escape.

“He said the order to inform OIC [Espina] was given to [suspended] General [Alan] Purisima, but he clarified that he wasn’t able to give the instruction to [Special Action Force commander Getulio] Napeñas,” Magalong said.

Magalong said Aquino also asked why the BOI said in its report that he did not agree to an interview with the panel when he had told Magalong in a previous meeting that he was prepared to help them.

The discussion later revealed that Interior Secretary Mar Roxas was too busy to inform Aquino that the BOI really wanted to interview him.

“Sa dami ng trabaho [ni Roxas], hindi nabanggit kay Presidente at dapat na-remind ko [Because of his work load, he wasn’t able to mention to the President and I should have reminded him],” Magalong said.

20 senators sign Poe’s report; Drilon, Trillanes, Lapid, JPE don’t

By Macon ramos-araneta AT least 20 senators have signed the report of three committees finding President Benigno Aquino III responsible for the January 25 Mamasapano incident and doubtingn the sincerity of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in the peace process.

Senator Grace Poe said the report already had the majority needed to transmit the draft report to the plenary for either adoption or rejection.

The 20 senators who had signed the report at press time were Poe, Francis Escudero, Vicente Sotto III, Serge Osmena, Aquilino Pimentel III, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Alan Cayetano, Pia Cayetano, Nancy Binay, Ralph Recto, Miriam Santiago, Gregorio Honasan, Jinggoy Estrada, Ra-

mon Revilla Jr., Joseph Victor Ejercito, Loren Legarda, Cynthia Villar, Paolo Benigno Aquino IV, Juan Edgardo Angara and Teofisto Guingona III. The four senators who had not signed the report at press time were Antonio Trillanes IV, Lito Lapid, detained Senator Juan Ponce Enrile and Senate President Franklin Drilon.

Poe said she will file the report on Thursday and wait for additional attachments from senators who wanted to include their separate opinions. She will present the report for plenary debate when the Senate resumes session in May. Poe said the joint report of the Senate committees on public order and the committees on peace, unification, reconciliation, and finance also expressed doubt on the sincerity of the

MILF in the peace process.

The senator’s committee together with the committees on peace, unification and reconciliation, chaired

by Senato Teofisto Guingona III and finance headed by Senator Francis Escudero, conducted the probe into the Mamasapano debacle.

The report said the lone survivor from the 55th SAC testified in executive session in the Senate that our policemen were in uniform, yet, the firefight went on for hours.

“The fighters from the MILF, our socalled “partner” in the peace process, fired at the troopers of the 55th SAC even when they already knew that they were engaging policemen,” Poe noted.

“It has been raised in the committee hearings that de-escalation of hostilities

is difficult once a firefight has begun.

But in this case, there appeared to be no attempts at all to de-escalate,” she said.

“Instead, the MILF soldiers continued firing on the outnumbered SAF soldiers with the apparent objective of wiping out the entire SAF force,” she added.

The survivors recounted how their company was decimated and they were hunted down and even wounded SAF soldiers were fired upon.

The report said this was supported by the autopsy reports which showed that the SAF commandos were shot at close range.

“If the MILF leadership had already sent word to the ground troops to cease fire, but did not have the capability to stop the action of their ground troops, then this shows that the leadership does not exercise a

strong command or control of the BIFF,” said the report.

Further, the report said the MILF has not returned the rest of the firearms, equipment, uniforms and personal effects taken by MILF fighters from the corpses of dead troopers of the 55th SAC. Though these may be considered “spoils of war”, it would have shown good faith on the part of the MILF to return these weapons and personal effects immediately after the incident.

“The sincerity of the MILF’s proclaimed quest for peace is, thus, put in serious doubt,”said the report.

The report also noted that the MILF that seeks peace with the Philippine government should have exercised restraint and should have not ‘massacred” our policemen.

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De Lima playing politics in Makati, lawyer claims UNIVERSITY of the Philippines lawyer Harry Roque on Wednesday slammed Justice Secretary Leila de Lima for issuing a political rather than a legal opinion on the case of Makati Mayor Junjun Binay.

He criticized De Lima for claiming that the Court of Appeals’ order stopping Binay’s suspension by the Ombudsman was “without legal force and effect because it is already moot and academic.”

“Who said it is [moot and academic]?” Roque said.

“I believe her opinion was politically motivated.”

Officials on Monday trooped to Makati City to serve the Ombudsman’s order suspending Binay for six months over the allegedly overpriced Makati City Hall Building II, but on the same day the appellate court issued an order stopping Binay’s suspension.

Former Senate President Aquilino Pimentel II said Binay should stay put despite De Lima’s statement that the appellate court’s order stopping his suspension was moot and academic.

But De Lima on Wednesday said Binay remained suspended, and as a result Vice Mayor Romulo Peña should continue serving as acting mayor after being sworn in on Monday.

“As far as the DILG [Department of Interior and Local Government] is concerned, the suspension was already implemented so it’s clear that the [Court of Appeals’] TRO was moot and academic,” De Lima said.

“Since [Peña] was able to take his oath, therefore his assumption of office was legitimate, so the DILG must make sure he should perform his actions as acting mayor.”

The members of the Makati City Council on Wednesday expressed their support for Binay.

“Many have asked if business as usual here in Makati. Yes, we are mandated to legislate tor the people of Makati and we will do that. In fact, we have a session this afternoon. We have a number of agendas,” Councilor Marie Alethea Casal-Uy said. rio N. Araja, macon ramos-Araneta, rey E. requejo and Joel E. Zurbano

No promotion. Senator Alan Peter Cayetano is shown in a huddle with Maj. Gen. Edmundo Pangilinan

shortly before Pangilinan’s promotion at the Commission on Appointments was derailed as a result of the Mamasapano debacle in which 44 police commandos were killed on Jan. 25. Ey AcAsio

Ramos tells Aquino: Apologize PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III should apologize for the bloody encounter in Mamasapano, Maguindanao, where 44 police commandos were killed in a firefight with Muslim rebels on Jan. 25, former President Fidel Ramos said Wednesday.

“Saying I’m sorry humbly and sincerely will do 90 percent of the job,” Ramos told reporters in Makati City.

“What is so difficult about that?”

Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Emeritus also asked Aquino to apologize and take responsibility for the Mamasapano mission in which police commandos were ordered to arrest the

terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir alias Marwan.

“He is not a bad man but he is a very incompetent fellow,” Cruz told Radyo Veritas.

“He does not even know how to apologize.”

Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo said Aquino and the other officials involved in the Mamasapano mission must be held accountable.

Basilan Bishop Martin Jumoad said justice must be brought to those who died in the mission.

In Malacañang, deputy presidential spokeswoman Abigail Valte said the Palace had not discussed with Aquino whether or not he should issue an apology.

“That is something that we have yet to discuss with him,” Valte said.

Under the command responsibility, Ramos said, Aquino could be impeached and held administratively liable for the bloody mission of the members of the PNP Special Action Force.

Ramos, who also served as Armed Forces chief of staff during the time of Aquino’s mother, the late former President Corazon Aquino, authored Executive Order 226 or the rule on command responsibility.

“Any violation by any government official, supervisor, officer of the PNP and that of any law enforcement agency shall be held administratively accountable for violation of existing laws, rules and regulations,” he said.

“There is no escaping that in the Philippines, we have been practicing the doctrine of command responsibility ever since we have been established as a government.”

Ramos said E.O. 226 covers the Philippine National Police, the Department of Interior and Local Government, the Police Commission and all government offices under the Civil Service Commission.

“This is very clear: command responsibility in all government offices,

military and civilians. It also includes all agencies, all personnel under the supervision of the Civil Service Commission,” Ramos said.

He said Aquino could also be impeached based on the doctrine of command responsibility.

“In the case of the President, the matter can be imposed: meaning a higher than administrative punishment later on. For the sitting president or incumbent at that point in time, the only recourse is through impeachment,” Ramos said.

His statement came on the heels of the announcement of Senator Grace Poe that Aquino was ultimately responsible for the Mamasapano incident after he allowed his close friend, suspended police chief Alan Purisima, to participate in the covert operation.

Poe, chairman of the Senate public order committee that investigated the bloody encounter, said Aquino must bear responsibility for failing to pre-

vent the unlawful exercise of official functions by Purisima, who at the time of the operation was suspended on allegations of corruption.

But Palace officials are insisting that there is no need for President Aquino to apologize, saying while there were lapses in the operation, Aquino’s involvement was purely on the policy side of the mission to neutralize Marwan.

Just recently, Senator Sergio Osmeña, who served as Aquino’s campaign manager in the 2010 presidential elections, described Aquino as a “superhard-headed” person who listens only to his friends.

“Unfortunately, you [Aquino] have to prove you’re innocent because you are already guilty as far as the Filipino people is concerned,” Osmeña said.

Archbishop Oscar Cruz said earlier that he considered the incident in Mamasapano a turning point in the incompetence of the President.

Tingting faces poll fraud raps By sara susanne D. Fabunan

signature campaign. Members of the Teduray tribe in Maguindanao join a campaign to collect one-million signatures by the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao to call for peace on the island. omAr mANgorsi

MARGARITA “Tingting” Cojuangco, an aunt of President Benigno Aquino III, and 14 other people are facing charges for allegedly stealing and tampering with official ballots in their bid to discredit the 2013 national and local elections.

In five separate complaints filed by its Law Department, the Commission on Elections accused Cojuangco, former Biliran Rep. Glenn Chong, former Baguio City Rep. Bernie Vergara and his former executive assistant-turned-witness, Worthy Acosta, and several others of violating the Omnibus Election Code.

“The undersigned is executing these complaints for purposes of filing an election offense case against the respondents for violation of the OEC,” the Comelec said.

The complaint stemmed from the affidavits submitted by Acosta and former Comelec chairman Sixto Brillantes on March 5, in which they accused Cojuangco and company of spearheading an effort to undermine the 2013 elections by stealing and tampering with official ballots and using them later on to discredit the electoral process.

Cojuangco, Chong, Vergara and Acosta aside, the other people charged were Eliseo Rojo, Cojuangco’s security personnel; Ferdi Balanag, press relations officer of Vergara; Alicia Onoza, Baguio City treasurer; and several John and Jane Does employed in the Baguio City Treasurer’s Office.

Former commissioner Gus Lagman; staunch Comelec critic and a former poll employee Melchor Magdamo; Manila Times columnist Lito

Averia; former senator Kit Tatad; former national security advise Norberto Gonzales; Kamil Unda; and Lipa Archbishop Ramon Arguelles have also been accused of violating Republic Act 9369.

An election offense carries a penalty of one to six years imprisonment, removal of the right to vote and disqualification from holding public office.

Comelec commissioner Louie Tito Guia said the agency was set to subpoena the accused to file their counter affidavit to shed light on the allegations.

“If there’s a possibility that there’s a crime that might have been committed, or who might be responsible, then there will be a preliminary investigation,” Guia said.

“Whoever is identified as a probable respondent will have to submit a counter affidavit and present himself before our panel of investigators,” Guia said.

So far, he said, the respondents were now subject to a preliminary investigation that would start after the Holy Week break early next month.

Acosta, Balanag, Cojuangco, Chong, Rojo, Onoza, Vergara and the John and Jane Does are accused of conspiring to steal the official ballots used in the May 2013 polls sourced from Precinct No. 5, in Asin Road village in Baguio City.

Guia said that since the affidavit of Acosta was submitted, the Comelec had already secured all the ballots from all precincts in Baguio city to be used as evidence.

In the second complaint, Acosta and Chong are accused of violating the integrity of the official ballots through the “unlawful tampering” of the ballots sourced from Baguio City.

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DOLE approves P15 daily wage increase

By Vito Barcelo and Joyce Pangco Pañares

THE Department of Labor and Employment has approved a P15 pay increase for more than half a million minimum wage earners in Metro Manila, raising the daily minimum wage from P477.03 to P492.57 but labor groups criticized the move as an insult to Filipino workers.

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said the pay increase, the 19th since the Wage Rationalization Act, became a law on June 9, 1989, will directly benefit 587,000 minimum wage earners who also would continue to be exempted from paying income tax on their wages, hazard pay, holiday pay, night shift differentials, and overtime pay.

“The take-home pay of our mini-

mum wage earners will increase to P492.57 per day, or by 3.2 percent because of the wage hike, compared to the current P477.03 per day. They will also enjoy a higher 13th month pay and increased social security coverage,” said Alex Avila, National Capital Region director for the Labor Department.

“On the part of the employers, their effective labor cost per em-

ployee working six days a week will also increase by 3.2 percent, or P565.54 per day, compared to the current P547.87 per day,” he added.

The minimum wage hike is expected to be affirmed by the National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC) this week and published by the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board, and take effect 15 days after.

The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP), the country’s largest labor group, tore into the government-approved wage hike.

“This amount is revolting. Rather than closing the gap between rich and poor, government officials in the wage board have further widened the gaping inequal-

ity amongst Filipinos—between a few elite and a famished majority who live to survive by the day,” said TUCP spokesman Alan Tanjusay.

“The 15-peso increase granted is unacceptable. Is this how much the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA)—the majority members composing the wage board—rewards Filipino workers who contributed to improve and sustain the country’s high economic growth under the Aquino administration for so many years?”

The more militant Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) dismissed the pay hike as a ploy to blunt public calls for President Benigno Aquino III to resign.

Yolanda heroes. Lawmakers, led by Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, thank members of Task Force Yolanda for helping super typhoon

Yolanda victims in Tacloban City and other parts of Leyte regain electricity.The task force members were conferred plaques of appreciation and copies of House Resolution No.157 by Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. VER NOVENO

Comelec hopes new poll chief found soon

By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan A COMMISSIONER at the Commission on Elections expressed hope Wednesday that President Benigno Aquino III will appoint a new chairman and commissioners to speed up the work at the agency.

In an interview, Commissioner Luie Tito Guia said the lack of members in the Comelec made it more difficult to prepare for the 2016 automated elections.

“We hope that the new chair and commissioners would be appointed sooner so that they can start helping us with our preparations,” Guia said.

Three seats in the Comelec have been vacant since February when chairman Sixto Brillantes and commissioners Lucenito Tagle and Elias Yusoph retired.

Guia said this has left only four members in the poll body to resolve all the electoral cases and prepare for the coming national and local elections.

Guia said the new chairman should have a background and some expertise in election cases so that it would not be hard for the new appointee to adjust.

Guia said the Comelec was still on track despite having to hold a second bidding for the procurement of Optical Mark Reader (OMR) and Direct Recording Electronic (DRE) devices that will be used in some precincts in 2016, after the two eligible bidders for the project—Indra Sistemas SA and Smartmatic-TIM-were disqualified.

“I would like to emphasize there are no delays in the preparations,” Guia said.

Smartmatic has filed a protest with the Comelec en banc seeking to reverse its disqualification.

Guia said the Comelec should resolve the issue next week.

“We have to resolve it ASAP. We will try to resolve it, but we will resolve it intelligently and correctly,” Guia said.

Comelec bids and awards committee chairperson Helen Flores denied that there was a conspiracy in the agency to ensure that Smartmatic-TIM would bag the procurement of 23,410 machines for the May 2016 polls through a negotiated contract.

Ravamp Cabinet, ally tells Noy

By Maricel V. Cruz and Sandy Araneta A CONGRESSIONAL ally of President Benigno Aquino III called for a Cabinet revamp Wednesday amid smoldering public anger over the Mamasapano debacle and a recent opinion poll that showed the President’s trust and approval rating falling to an all-time low.

Caloocan Rep. Edgar Erice, vice chairman for political affairs of the ruling Liberal Party (LP), urged all members of the Aquino Cabinet to resign to give the President “a fresh start.”

Erice said he believed the President was not getting sound advise from his people.

“I think a few minuses and pluses to the Cabinet will provide a new perspective,” Erice, a known supporter of Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II, said.

Erice said the Mamasapano incident which has triggered public outrage against the President and his administration was a wake-up call for the Chief Executive to shape up by revamping his Cabinet.

Erice said Roxas, the LP’s presumptive presidential candidate for 2016, remains supportive of President Aquino and his reform agenda.

Erice also brushed aside rumors that Roxas was thinking of resigning from the Aquino Cabinet.

“That is pure gossip,” Erice told the New Standard.

“Secretary Mar will sink or swim with the President until the end of his term. He will not abandon the President; he will remain with the President,” Erice said.

In the House, Minority Leader and San Juan Rep. Ronaldo Zamora said the President’s endorsement for 2016 will be worth less after Aquino gave the go-signal to the covert Mamasapano operation in which 44 police commandos were killed.

“The value of his endorsement will disappear.

That is very clear,” Zamora said.

He urged the President to “pay a little more attention to the issues at hand” instead of thinking about his legacy during his remaining days in office.

Courtesy call. President Benigno S. Aquino III exchanges pleasantries with Nidec Corporation founder, chairman, president and chief executive officer Shigenobu Nagamori during the courtesy call at Malacañan Palace on Wednesday. Also in photo are Nidec Corp director and first vice president Toshihiko Miyabe, Nidec Philippines Corporation and Nidec Subic Philippines Corporation president Takao Deno and Nidec Philippines Corp vice president Minoru Yoshida.

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IN BRIEF Free Wifi bill okayed A HOUSE panel has passed a measure that seeks to provide free internet connection in all national government offices, state universities and colleges and other public establisments in the country.

The House committee on Information and communications technology, chaired

by Rizal Rep. Joel Roy Duavit, on Tuesday voted to unanimously pass the substitute bill for House Bill 1550 or the Free Public Wifi Bill.

The principal author of the measure, Kabataan party-list Rep. Terry Ridon, welcomed the committee approval of the measure.

“The Free Public Wi-Fi Bill seeks to move government one step forward in providing democratic access to the Internet. Notwithstanding the issue of the mass accessibility and availability of personal electronic devices that people have to use in order to access public networks, government has to recognize that the Internet is an important mechanism in delivering some of its services, and a valuable tool for people’s participation in governance and in democracy,” Ridon said.

Maricel Cruz

DFA clueless on abductions THE Philippine government on Wednesday admitted it was facing a blank wall on the whereabouts of the seven Filipino workers who were kidnapped in two separate incidents in Libya.

The Department of Foreign Affairs said that last February, three Filipino workers were among the seven foreigners abducted by unidentified armed men at the Mabruk oil field in Central Libya.

Another four Filipino workers were seized by unidentified armed men at an oil field in Central Libya on March 6, Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Charles Jose said.

“No one has claimed responsibility for the abduction and the employer has not received any ransom demand,” Jose said.

The armed groups behind the abductions remained a mystery to authorities, he said, adding that Philippine embassy officials were exerting all efforts to locate the Filipinos. Vito Barcelo

Royal souvenir. Princess Anne of the

United Kingdom inspects the balangay figurine given by Vice President Jejomar C. Binay as a souvenir for her visit to the Vice President on Tuesday, March 17 in connection with her charity and humanitarian works. She has been president of Save the Children for more than four decades and is an active advocate of childrens rights and protection.

Gloria house arrest up for panel ruling

By Maricel V. Cruz

THE House committee on justice will decide on the resolution calling for house arrest for former president and detained Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo with “urgency.”

Justice panel chairman Rep. Niel Tupas Jr. said House Resolution 1908 of 1-BAP party-list Rep. Silvestre Bello III will be put to a vote anytime soon.

“Issues raising humanitarian concerns are always urgent matters as far as I am concerned,” Tupas said.

“There should be sufficient number of committee members

in order that we can vote on the resolution,” he added.

Tupas’ panel failed to vote Wednesday on Bello’s resolution after it failed to resolve its members’ diferring opinion on the matter.

“Since this is a matter of national significance, I believe there should be more of us to decide on it,” Tupas said.

HR 1908 seeks to express the sense of the Lower House to allow Arroyo house arrest due to her debilitating medical conditions as per advised of her doctors.

At least 80 lawmakers have already signed HR 1908, said Bello as a number of lawmakers would want a humanitarian consideration for Arroyo.

Bello, a former justice secretary, said he believes that by placing the ailing Arroyo under house arrest at her residence at La Vista Subdivision in Quezon City “will help a lot to improve her poor health condition.”

Besides, Bello said the former president has not yet been convicted of any crime.

Arroyo is under hospital arrest at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City for a plunder case over the alleged misuse of P366 million in Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office intelligence funds during her term as President.

Doctors of Arroyo had earlier said the former president had continued to lose weight because of her esophageal stenosis or the narrowing of the esophagus resulting in recurrent dysphagia or difficulty in swallowing of solid food.

Arroyo also has been complaining of cervical radicular and low back pain.

Impeachment rap still unresolved

By Maricel V. Cruz

Tribute to an artist. The Philippine Postal Corporation has launched the commemorative stamps featuring the birth centenary of Dr. Severino Montano, National Artist for Theater. At least 65,000 pieces of these stamps are available in ten-peso denomination.

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THE Minority Bloc in the House of Representatives on Wednesday demanded the leadership to finally decide on the impeachment case filed against President Aquino last year.

At the same time, Rep. Ronaldo Zamora did not rule out the possibility that the 126 lawmakers supporting the resumption of the Mamasapano probe in the House might translate into an impeachment vote against the President out of frustration.

Zamora lamented that the House has yet to act on the impeachment case that has been languising in the plenary since the House committee on justice junked the complaints deemed to be insufficient in substance last September.

“Let’s talk real sense, this live impeachemnt complaint has not yet been disposed of in plenary,” Zamora told reporters at a news conference.

“Who knows there may just be a few votes for the impeachment complaint. Let us put an end to that,”

Zamora said.

Zamora said the vast majority of House members were signatories to the petition being circulated among lawmakers demanding the House leadership to resume its probe into the Mamasapano incident.

Militant groups filed three impeachment complaints against President Aquino III. The first complaint accused Aquino of culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust for authorizing the DAP. It was filed July 21.

The second complaintaccused Mr. Aquino of culpable violation of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust, and graft and corruption over the DAP. It was filed on July 22.

The third complaint filed by various militant groups led by Bayan Muna, charged that the President was guilty of culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust for agreeing to the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement with the United States. It was filed on July 24.

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Through the fire. Firefighters withstands the heat as they try to put out the fire that engulfed 70 houses and displaced over 100 families including theirs in Cebu City. The affected barangay was placed under a state of calamity. RALPH PIEZAS

Govt allots P400-m for Yolanda-hit mangroves

Bulacan EOs defy order, start signature validation

By Joyce Pangco Pañares

By Orlan Mauricio

ThE Aquino administration on Wednesday released an initial P400 million to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources for their mangrove and beach forest development project for areas battered by disasters such as super typhoon yolanda.

Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said the amount represents 40 percent of the P1 billion funding requirement of the National Greening Program as recommended by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

Under the project, the national government will cooperate with stakeholders from local government units and the private sector to develop mangroves and beach forests in yolanda-hit areas and regions that were struck by other disasters.

“All of our rehabilitation efforts will need to be grounded on ensuring the safety of communities against natural disasters in the future. That’s why comprehensive preparation and prevention are key elements in our policy of build back better, which includes the replanting of mangrove and beach forests on our coastlines,” Abad said.

Aside from yolanda-struck areas, other priority sites are those affected by siege and unrest (Zamboanga); those damaged by earthquakes (Cebu and Bohol); and other areas damaged by Typhoon Pablo (Regions 11 and 13).

The estimated land area of 27,400 hectares covered by the project comprise of 22,000 hectares of mangrove forests and 5,400 hectares of beach forests.

MALOLOS CITY—Despite a temporary restraining order issued by a judge of the Bulacan Regional Trial Court here, Comelec’s 24 election officers in this province have already started the validation of signatures and thumb marks of some 319, 707 petitioners in connection with the recall proceedings against Bulacan Gov. Wilhelmino Sy-Alvarado.

Alvarado, however, said the verification process being undertaken by the EOs were illegal because he was not afforded a three-day notice prior to the scheduled validation of signatures which is a mandatory requirement of due process pursuant to Comelec Resolution 7505 that governs recall elections under the Omnibus Election Code.

In a press briefing, Alvarado also explained the latest Order of RTC-Branch 83 Judge Guilllermo P. Agloro dated March 17 where the Court specifically clarified that the EOs were enjoined from proceeding with the validation of signatures that was initially scheduled last March 9 to 23.

But in a radio report, election of-

ficer Rogacion Sy Tamco of Balagtas, Bulacan said he was threatened with arrest if his group would proceed with the validation process.

Tamco said the threat was made by Alvarado’s lawyer Atty. Eloisa Bayani who was accompanied by two policemen.

The EO reportedly asked Atty.

Bayani to make a written manifestation of their objection but the latter allegedly refused. Sy Tamco then requested for legal guidance from the Comelec’s main office.

Apparently, the 24 EOs were under instruction to proceed with the verification of signatures and thumb mark after the Comelec en banc resolved last March 10 “to declare that the Bulacan Regional Trial Court has no jurisdiction

over the issues subject matter of the TRO.” Among the 21 towns and 3 component cities of Bulacan, the city of Malolos has the highest number of recall petitioners with some 25,835; followed by the towns of Sta. Maria (22,988); Marilao (22,676); San Jose Del Monte City (22,486); City of Meycauayan (19,228); San Rafael (18,724); Bocaue (18,411); San Ildefonso (16,981); Baliuag (15,593); Norzagaray (15,576); Guiguinto (15,451); Angat (11,151); and Balagtas (11,672).

In the hometown of Gov. Alvarado, there are only 947 recall petitioners while in Calumpit, the town where Alvarado and wife-Congresswoman Marivic Sy-Alvarado resides, has 11,391 signatories.

Charity concert for SAF-44, soldiers to push through

Hostage rescue drill. As part of their requirements for graduation, criminology students of Emilio Aguinaldo College in Manila perform a mock hostage-taking drill on Wednesday March 18. DANNY PATA

A ChARITy concert intended to help the families of the brave members of the PNP Special Action Force and the Armed Forces of the Philippines who fought against terroristic groups to assure that the country’s peace and security are protected, is now ready to push through.

As promised by Bro. Eli Soriano, the “Songs for heroes” concert will take place on the 19th of March at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

It was in Twitter that Bro. Eli first announced his plans of organizing a charity concert as a contribution to the government’s campaign for a peaceful resolution regarding the Mamasapano case.

The announcement immediately garnered support from the group Members Church of God Interna-

tional (MCGI), under the supervision of Bro. Eli, as well as the followers of his program “Ang Dating Daan”.

The “Songs for heroes” concert features several popular music artists including Noel Cabangon, Jonalyn Viray, Jay Durias, Gerald Santos, Faith Cuneta, Bo Cerrudo, Jason Fernandez, Jek Manuel, Shane Velasco, Beverly Caimen, and many more.

The AFP and PNP chorale groups are also scheduled to perform at the said concert. According to them, this is their way of showing how dedicated they are in helping the grieving families that the SAF 44 and the soldiers who perished in AFP’s all-out offensive against the terrorist groups in Mindanao had left behind.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK T H U R S D AY : M A R C H 1 9, 2 0 1 5

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NEWS

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

IN BRIEF FOR KIDNAP-PRONE ZAMBO TEACHERS

Baguio City team to demolish shanties

BAGUIO CITY—The city government of Baguio and the Tuba municipal government are set to issue a joint administrative order for the creation of a composite team that will be responsible for the demolition of over 400 illegal settlers who were earlier pinpointed to have illegally built structures within the Baguio Dairy Farm covering the two local governments.

In a recent meeting, Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan and representatives from the Tuba municipal government agreed to task the Cordillera office of the Department of Agriculture (DA-CAR) to head the composite team to facilitate the immediate demolition of illegal structures within the declared government property.

The team will be composed of representatives from the Baguio City Police Office (BCPO), Tuba municipal police station, city building and architecture office (CBAO) city engineer’s office, Public Order and Safety Division (POSD), Tuba municipal engineer’s office among others.

Domogan said the cmposite team first validate reports that more than 400 illegal structures had been erected within the Baguio Dairy Farm property which is under the jurisdiction of the DA-CAR. Dexter A. See

Police escorts sought

By A. Perez Rimando

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Zamboanga Sibugay— Mayor Isabelle Climaco-Salazar on Wednesday proposed that police and military men should regularly escort teachers assigned in elementary schools located in island barangays in the wake of the kidnapping late last week of two island school mentors in nearby Zamboanga Sibugay.

At the same time, ClimacoSalazar urged island barangay officials to help protect and ensure the safety of teachers deployed in their areas who are usually the target of speedboat riding lawless elements, stressing that teachers, who

are among the lowest paid and most overworked government workers, are the country’s unsung heroes.”

She said the need to protect teachers during their 10-month classroom work was earlier sought by acting

City Schools division superintendent Pedro Melchor Natividad who has constantly expressed concern over the risks being faced by teachers in remote areas.

Natividad said that similar to the recent and previous abductions of some Zamboanga Sibugay teachers, some of their counterparts in the City of Flowers had also been victimized by lawless elements, citing the abduction of armed men last school year of three island school mentors and the near kidnapping of another teacher in a west coast rural school.

The school official earlier requested the city government to provide regular sea transportation with police security to island schoolbased teachers when reporting to their stations and returning to the mainland.

Climaco-Salazar lamented that teachers have become easy targets of criminals, saying that “an act of violence against our so-called molders of the youth is an act of violence against their 30 to 40 pupils per class whom the mentors are exerting their best to transform the children into a more useful, more productive, and more law-abiding citizens

of their community.”

She said that teachers’ kidnappers should be apprehended with the help of concerned residents and meted the full force of the law.

Meanwhile, suspected Abu Sayyaf armed men who seized last March 5 Zamboanga Sibugay mentors Reynadil Bagonoc, 34, and his sister Russel have reportedly demanded a P10 million ransom for the release of their captives.

Police said the Bagonoc siblings were taken by their speed boat-riding captors to an undisclosed coastal area in Basilan.

Famous PH chefs to invade Albay LEGAZPI CITY—The Philippines’ famous chefs will converge in Albay on April 27-29, in a creative showdown with local culinary masters designed to enable them to concoct their own versions of the province’s popular and favorite cuisines.

The showdown will give Albay’s culinary tourism a more defined and expanded role in tourism development. It will be held at the Penaranda Park in front of the Provincial Capitol here as a component event of the month-long 2015 Daragang Magayon Festival (DMF15).

Albay Gov. Joey Salceda said the event supports the Department of Tourism’s (DOT) Flavors of the Philippines campaign, and at the same time further enhances Albay’s local food favorites that will ultimately benefit the local restaurant industry.

Kites and fires. Two young boys play with their kites at an area where a grass fire was just put out not hours ago in Cebu City. As dry season starts and El nino is felt ,grasses dry, fires have become a usual occurence in the city, which on average, expereince 1 to 2 grass fires everyday . RALPH PIEZAS

Bigornia, 98 AMANTE Bigornia, a veteran journalist and former president of the National Press Club, passed away on Monday, March 15, 2015.

He was 98 years old.

As a journalist, Bigornia covered the presidential beat from the time of Ramon Magsaysay to Ferdinand E. Marcos and on to Fidel V. Ramos and Joseph Estrada.

He was also a fictionist and wrote stories about his World War II experience. He was in that war and saw action in the bloody and historic Bessang Pass encounter.

Bigornia is survived by his children from his first wife Epifania Agbayani, namely Abelardo, Rosalinda, Ernesto and wife Guia Ilagan, Corazon and husband Reynaldo Ramos, Victor and wife Cristina Yap, Pamela, Renato and wife Carina Villaflores, Doris and Elizabeth and husband David Wadley.

Pangasinan natives launch ‘I love Pangasinan’ campaign LINGAYEN— Hundreds of Pangasinan natives pledged commitment to love their province even more, as they took part in the launching of the “I Love Pangasinan” movement on March 17, 2015 at the Sison Auditorium here.

“This forum serves as the launching pad for the “I Love Pangasinan Movement” (ILPM)… as Pangasinenses, we profess that we love and care for our province. But how do we profess this love and caring spirit for Pangasinan,” remarked Dr. Perla Legaspi, the convener of the event and the head of the I Love Pangasinan Foundation, Inc. Legaspi, a Calasiao native and a former vice chancellor and professor at the University of the Philippines Diliman, said strengthening love for Pan-

gasinan can be done with a strategic direction, which is to pursue five aspects: healthy body, healthy pocket, healthy environment, healthy government, and healthy heart and mind.

She told the audience, who are representative of various community groups, that individual effort is not enough to bring Pangasinan “to greater heights.”

“The strategic direction of the province cannot be achieved without a community of strong, loving, and caring family…it is the family who produces virtuous members of the society and community,” she said.

“We desire every Pangasinense to value his or her family. A strong and united family makes up a strong and united province of Pangasinan,” she said. Johanne Margarette R. Macob

Cassava farm. Farm workers in Barangay Kinawi, Libona town in Bukidnon spreads chopped cassava in a solar dryer. Bukidnon, with its fertile lands and typhoon-free weather and cool climate, is known as the food basket of Mindanao. Dried Cassava is bought by consolidators at 8-9 pesos per kilo. LANCE BACONGUIS

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opinion [ EDI TORI A L ]

In search of excellence “WHO will continue the excellent progress we have begun when I step down from office?”

This was the boastful question that President Benigno Aquino III, now mired in his most serious political crisis, posed to new graduates of the Philippine Military Academy this week.

Within the context of his speech, the President was apparently referring to the “reforms” he initiated since taking office in 2010.

An inquisitive mind might ask, however, what these reforms were and if they could truly be described as excellent.

In his previous addresses, the President seemed particularly proud of jailing his predecessor, former President Gloria Arroyo, over as yet unproved allegations of corruption. But what “excellent progress” has Mrs. Arroyo’s arrest brought to the nation? Jailed for more than three years now and denied bail, the former president is nowhere near being convicted.

In fact, her case has now been brought before the UN Human Rights Council, where the government has been accused of violating Mrs. Arroyo’s rights for keeping her under protracted detention despite her age and frail health.

Mrs. Arroyo is represented by International human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin Clooney, who is convinced the former president is a victim of political persecution. All this compels us to ask: Where is the excellent progress?

Another “achievement” that Mr. Aquino likes to highlight is the ouster in 2012 of a chief justice of the Supreme Court who was deemed unfriendly to the administration. But the ouster, we were soon to learn, was an expensive exercise, with the dministration releasing P5 billion to grease the palms of lawmakers who voted for the impeachment. Moreover, the funds came from the administration’s Disbursement Acceleration Program—which the Supreme Court, under Mr. Aquino’s handpicked chief justice, declared illegal. Were we to take this as a sign of “excellent progress”?

The President also likes to cite the arrest of three opposition senators who were implicated in the pork barrel scam and charged with plunder. What he does not say is that no similar cases have been filed against his high-level political allies—including his own Budget and Agriculture secretaries—who were also implicated in the scandal. This compels us once again to ask: Is the selective application of the law and justice a sign of “excellent progress”?

Was it also a sign of “excellent progress” that this President lied to the Filipino people about his role in the Mamasapano debacle in which 44 police commandos were killed?

In truth, Mr. Aquino’s administration is just as selective about which laws it will uphold. When it suited its purpose, it defied a Supreme Court order and arrested Mrs. Arroyo. Mr. Aquino himself ignored the suspension of his good friend and former police chief, Alan Purisima, and allowed him to participate in the ill-fated Mamasapano operation, even though the Office of the Ombudsman had already suspended him.

Then this week, the President’s Interior secretary defied a Court of Appeals order to temporarily stop the Ombudsman from suspending an opposition mayor.

While in hot pursuit of such political “reforms,” the President has let public services such as the Metro Rail Transit and even simple traffic management go to rot.

Who, Mr. Aquino asks, will continue his “excellent progress”? Nobody, we hope.

True excellence cannot be found anywhere near this President or any of his political allies in Congress or in his Cabinet, who have all stood by or even aided him in making a mockery of our democracy and our justice system.

Not at all sorry lowdown jojo a. robles IT’S not going to happen. So quit asking him to apologize already.

Like the old Chicago song goes, it’s awfully hard for President Noynoy Aquino to say he’s sorry.

And I’m betting, despite all the pressure and the obvious political expediency of apologizing for the Mamasapano massacre, he’s not doing it.

The word from Malacanang’s press office, as expressed by the ever-brilliant Abigail Valte, is that the President has already accepted responsibility for the deaths of 44 commandos from the Special Ac-

tion Force, so there’s nothing new in the committee report drafted by Senator Grace Poe and signed, as of last count, by 18 senators as of late yesterday. But Valte also went out on a limb – and an unstable branch it was – when she opined that Aquino had violated no law.

But let’s try to put Valte’s legal argument (and she is, after all, a lawyer) in another context: Why would it be illegal for Makati Mayor Junjun Binay to ignore an order for his suspension from the Office of the Ombudsman but not violative of any law for Aquino to employ the services of a suspended (on corruption charges, no less) PNP chief in a dangerous commando extaction operation?

The palace’s protestations that Aquino broke no law sound so similar to its “good faith” argument

to justify a patently illegal – as declared by no less than the Supreme Court – Disbursement Acceleration Program, it’s actually pathetic. Just because Aquino accepted responsibility for Mamasapano and broke no law in sending 44 SAF commandos to their deaths, can we now (as Senate President Franklin Drilon once famously advised) move on?

I don’t think so. Even on the matter of violating none of the laws of the land, Valte is being presumptuous; that is a matter for the courts to decide, after Aquino loses his immunity from suit next year, and not for some spokesman who was just sent on a errand to buy some vinegar and ended up in Malacanang, as the Tagalog saying tells us.

As for apologizing, I don’t really know if following the advice of former President Fidel Ramos is going to help Aquino any, this late.

If he does apologize, many people

saying sorry, in aquino’s world, is just a heartbeat away from accepting blame, error and wrongdoing.

who have long given up on him will not believe that he is sincere; his adherents will note that he isn’t saying sorry because he means it, either, and will merely join the ranks of those who have already abandoned him.

And saying sorry, in Aquino’s world, is just a heartbeat away from

accepting blame, error and wrongdoing. So he’ll pass.

Besides, on almost a genetic level, Aquino is not the kind of guy who will apologize for anything, regardless of the mess he’s created. As I’ve already said, it’s just not how he rolls.

As for Ramos, perhaps he should just take Aquino’s advice and write the current President a memo. And if that memo ever gets to Valte, I’m sure she will analyze the legalities and come up with her own opinion on why the memo should just be ignored. *** The political scientist and professor Antonio Contreras has written an opinion on the ongoing crisis at Makati City Hall that bears serious consideration. I am quoting his short note in full here: “I am not a lawyer even if I am a student of political science, so I asked some lawyer friends and

T h u R S d aY : M a R c h 1 9, 2 0 1 5

OPINION

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

adelle chua EDITOR

A9

VIEw fROm malcOm aTTy. haRRy ROquE jR.

Law of the jungLe

even consulted a judge. And this is what I got.

“The argument that the Temporary Restraining Order (or Status Quo Ante) issued by the Court of Appeals is already moot and academic simply because the suspension order has been served is pure hogwash.

“What was restrained is the act of suspension and not just the act of serving the order. Furthermore, even if the order has been served and implemented, it can still be undone and the state of things can be restored to its status prior to the order now being restrained (i.e., the suspension). It is unlike a TRO issued against

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the demolition of a building that is mooted when it is already demolished.

“I can understand if Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas is ignorant of this. And when I asked why Justice Secretary Leila de Lima and Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales, both of whom are lawyers, seem to have a different opinion, I got a uniform response from my resource persons.

“They say it is no longer an issue of law but one of politics. And it is simply wrong.

De Lima and Morales should even be cited for contempt, according to a couple of them.” *** Amante “Amang” Bigornia, journalist

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par excellence, died this week at 98. Amang was a legendary reporter, columnist and writer who covered every President from Ramon Magsaysay to Joseph Estrada. Before that, he was already a hero, having fought in the historic Battle of Bessang Pass during World War II. I watched Amang up close when he wrote for this newspaper nearly two decades ago, amazed by his devotion to his craft. In an era when journalists have become celebrities, Amang enjoyed only the well-deserved adulation of his peers – which to many in the trade is really the more important achievement

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Now it can be said. Despite being one of the world’s mega-cities, Metro Manila appears to be governed by the law of the jungle. It is a unique jurisdiction where the police, normally tasked with implementing judicial orders, are the first to defy them. It is a unique since it’s possibly the only jurisdiction where cabinet members tasked with the promotion of justice consistently advocate disobedience of judicial orders.

This is why it is also the only place on earth where a suspended Police Chief can take orders from no less than the President himself.

What kind of insanity has come to our land?

I’m not at all familiar with the details of the suspension of Mayor Jun-Jun Binay. My knowledge of the incident is limited to what we read in the newspapers. I know that the Ombudsman recently decided to initiate preliminary investigation for plunder against the Mayor for the allegedly overpriced Makati City Hall Annex. This means that the Ombudsman HAS ONLY STARTED the process of finding if there is probable cause against the Mayor.

Ergo, he remains absolutely innocent of the allegations against him and not just presumed to be innocent.

I also read that in connection with the administrative complaint against him file together with the criminal complaint; the Ombudsman ordered the six-month temporary suspension of Mayor Binay.

Here, the suspension is not by way of a penalty since the investigation process has only begun, but intended only to prevent the respondent from tampering with evidence. But like all orders, such suspension can only take effect if served on the respondent. Because this is an Order that affects the exercise of a popular mandate, the Mayor being an elective post, this Order must be served personally on the Mayor. This, I believe was never done partly because the process server of the Ombudsman could not penetrate the mass of people that gathered in City Hall who protested the temporary ouster. In lieu of personal service of the Order, the same was “posted” in the vicinity of the City Hall.

Again, while being a lawyer, I cannot claim to be an expert on all fields of law.

Nonetheless, my knowledge of service of summons and notices, and more so, orders of suspension, is that they should be served personally on the respondent.

The only instances where notice other Continued on A11 Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher Rolando G. Jojo Estabillo Publisher A. Robles Editor-in-Chief Jojo A.L.Robles Editor-in-Chief Ramonchito Tomeldan Managing Editor Ramonchito L. Tomeldan Managing Editor Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano Associate Editors Chin Wong/RayJoel S. Eñano Associate Editors P. Palacios News Editor Francis Lagniton CityCity Editor Francis Lagniton Editor Arman Armero Senior Deskman Arman Armero Senior Deskman Romel Leo J. Mendez Art Director A. Estonilo Senior Deskman Roberto Cabrera Chief Romel J. Mendez ArtPhotographer Director Roberto Cabrera Chief Photographer

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OPINION lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

The legacy of a liar The buck stops with President Aquino. He is ultimately responsible emil P. for the deaths of 44 jurAdo police commandos during “Oplan Exodus” in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.

This was the gist of what Senator Grace Poe said in the joint committee report after five hearings and five executive sessions. Poe is chairperson of the committee on public order.

The Senate report echoed what the Philippine National Police’s Board of Inquiry said in its report that the President broke the PNP chain of command.

He made his best friend, resigned police chief Alan Purisima who was under suspension at that time, call the shots on “Oplan Exodus”. The plan was hatched to neutralize terrorists being coddled by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and its breakaway group, the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters.

Neither the Senate report nor the BOI report, however, identifies what the liability of the President was as commander-in-chief of the PNP and the Armed Forces of the Philippines. The AFP failed, according to reports, to reinforce the beleaguered police commandos.

Under normal circumstances, the President could be impeached. But not now when both chamber of Congress are dominated by lackeys and lapdogs of Malacanang.

Well, we know now who should be held accountable for the slaughter of the Fallen 44. As for justice -- well, we may never get it. The Moro rebels are not willing to surrender their members who slaughtered the police commandos to face their crimes.

President Aquino has lost the approval and trust of his bosses, said Pulse Asia in its recent survey.

And if he still does not say he is sorry, and instead maintains his lies that other people are to blame for what happened in Mamasapano, then he could go down in history as the biggest liar the country has ever had for a president. *** Another big lie that has been found out by the Senate report is American participation in “Oplan Exodus.” The American Embassy has been denying it.

The Senate report was clear that the intelligence on the whereabouts of Malaysian terrorist Marwan and Filipino terrorist Abdul Basit Usman was provided by the Americans. And it was also discovered that a group of Americans was trained somewhere in Zamboanga City in connection with “Oplan Exodus”.

The very fact that the finger of terrorist Marwan was cut off and then sent to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for identification shows that the Americans were involved all the time. My gulay, the Americans were there with Napenas in his holdout when the “time on target” mission began. Even the sophisticated equipment of the PNP-SAF came from the Americans. Why do you think the Americans were there immediately in Mamasapano? *** The reactions of Interior Secretary Mar Roxas and Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales to the Court of Appeals TRO on the suspension of Makati Mayor JunJun Binay are clear examples of how people in power regard the rule of law.

They claim that since the TRO against Binay’s 60day suspension came in the afternoon, it was already moot and academic. Vice Mayor Romulo Pena Jr. had already taken his oath of office as acting mayor at that time. Ergo, they say, the TRO failed to restrain Binay’s suspension and effectively made Pena the acting mayor.

I don’t know what convulated thinking Roxas and the Ombudsman have. Is the rule of law now a matter of coming first? A TRO is a TRO restraining abuse or an illegal act.

It is good that Mayor Binay has sought contempt charges before the Appellate Court against the defiance of Roxas and chiefs of police that made some 2,500 fullyarmed policemen surround Makati City Hall.

to the Point

NoT iN his vocabulary findings are a scathing indictment of FORMER President Fidel V. Ramos celduty ebrated his 87th birthday yesterday. It the President. What the Palace wants to cAlls do now is to continue explaining to the has been a long journey for him since graduating as the first postwar Filipino florencio people until the truth will come out.

Translation? No apology. What surgraduate of West Point in 1950 and the fiAnzA prised me with the BOI report was the journey is not yet over. He still maincritical treatment it gave to the plantains a punishing pace that could put a ning and execution of the operation. The report stated man half his age to shame.

That seems to be the common trait of successful lead- that the plan was a high-risk operation that was poorly ers. They want to continue working until they. Being a planned and executed. Command and control during soldier, it is but natural for him to want to go with his the operation was poor and at times chaotic. The route boots on. Since retiring from the Presidency in 1998, in and way out also was criticized. Because of these, the FVR continues to travel the world over promoting the report went on to say that the operation was bound to fail. This is hindsight talking. It is easy to fight a battle country for tourism and as a place to do business in.

It is generally acknowledged that he is the most pre- that has already been fought.

Based from videos coming from Napeñas, a lot of pared for the presidency among all post-Marcos Presidents. It is a pity that his enormous experience was work went into the planning, which included careful terrain analysis. This video coming from Napeñas showed hardly sought by succeeding presidents.

Mr. Ramos just arrived from a trip to Myanmar, if that Marwan sometimes stayed in areas controlled by the I am not mistaken, on a speaking engagement. Let me MILF. Although Napeñas had a lot of inputs in the planjoin his people and friends in wishing him a very Hap- ning, the final plan had to be approved by higher authority in the persons of PNP Chief Purisima and President py Birthday.

Aquino. The plan was never revised in spite of misgivings ***** Whether he is the Commander-in-chief or Chief Ex- by President Aquino. Not much analysis on how the SAF ecutive as Secretary Leila De Lima keeps on saying, the elements that were engaged in the fighting conducted the fact is President Aquino is the bossman and the buck stops battle. Much focus was on Napeñas.

Yet, the question of reinforcement will always rewith him. The President has always exercised absolute power over the Philippine National Police. In many oc- main to be the biggest question. The BOI report, alcasions, he referred to himself as “your Commander-in- though unable to question the Army officers, suggested Chief ” in many PNP gatherings. The President appoints that General Edmundo Pangilinan refused to authorize the Chief of the PNP like the Chief of Staff of the Armed the firing of the artillery for fear of jeopardizing the Forces. He also approves the promotion of senior PNP of- peace process. General Noli Talino the then deputy of ficers together with their assignments. He cannot there- the SAF also said so. Now, I have been informed by a fore be exercising all these powers only when convenient credible and reliable source that indeed, artillery supto him and deny the responsibility that goes with it when port was withheld because this might affect the peace process. The lives of the 44 SAF who are still alive were he gets himself into trouble.

Apart from Secretaries De Lima and Lacierda who therefore sacrificed for the peace process.

What I was not able to verify was whether this deciare the only people still insisting that there is no such thing as chain of command in the PNP because it is a ci- sion not to fire the artillery was solely the decision of vilian organization, no responsible ally of the President Major General Pangilinan or was given by higher auhas taken the cudgels for him using this argument. The thority. Whether he was right to simply let those SAF two have become the laughing stock of a more percep- elements still alive go down in battle in order to preserve the peace process, only time will tell. But it is extive public.

Now, the PNP Board of Inquiry Report and the draft tremely important to dig deeper into this to determine of the Senate hearings report are out and have come up whether the decision was General Pangilinan’s alone with basically the same conclusions. The BOI said that or was an order coming from above. This episode will the President broke the chain of command while the only be closed when the participation of all the princiSenate report said that the President bares the ultimate pal actors are revealed to the public.

The people do not like to leave this unanswered responsibility for what happened in Mamasapano.

The public already knows this. What it wants to question hanging. It has been suggested that the easiest know is how the two investigations treated the partici- way to close the book is for the President to face the napation of the President in the planning and execution of tion and apologize. I could be wrong but I do not think Oplan Exodus. Both reports however, did not come out that President Aquino will ever do this. Humility is not with recommendations which is a big disappointment in his vocabulary. He will continue to circle the wagons to many. No matter how one looks at both reports, the and never admit to any error of judgment.

What Roxas and Morales, and even Justice Secretary Leila De Lima (who later opined that Binay was still under suspension), said was dangerous as a precedent nullifying a TRO. This defiance of a court order can only happen under the Aquino government which has no regard for the rule of law in an effort to demonize its political enemies and the opposition. *** The Bureau of Immigration has dismissed deportation complaints against business executive Joseph C. Sy, and upheld his Filipino citizenship in a recent decision approved unanimously by the three Immigration commissioners.

In their order dismissing the complaint, the three commissioners said that Sy did not merely rely on the presumption of validity of his birth certificate as a Filipino. He also submitted other documents to substantially establish his Philippine citizenship.

The three Immigration commissioners were Siegfred Mison (chairman), Gilberto Repizo and Abdullah Mangotara. The order was approved on February 20, 2015, affirming a smiliar conclusion by the members of the

Board of Special Inquiry of the bureau after evaluation of evidence.

The order said that under Section 37 of Republic Act 2711, only aliens can be subject to deportation proceedings.

The order also cited a previous Supreme Court decision (Chua Hiong vs. Deportation Board) that a citizen is entitled to “live in peace, without molestation from any official or authority, and if he is disturbed by a deportation proceeding, he has the unquestionable right to resort to the courts for protection.”

Joseph Sy is president of Platinum Group of Metals Corp. and Ferrochrome Resources Inc., and is a board director of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Upon receipt of a copy of the BI order, PCCI Chairman Miguel Varela said that the PCCI welcomed the immigration order, congratulating Sy, and adding that the chamber never doubted Sy’s Filipino citizenship.

The deportation complaint was triggered by an anonymous letter filed in April 2014 that imputed criminal and administration violations allegedly committed by Sy.

President Aquino is fast losing the trust and approval of his bosses.

T h u R S d aY : M a R c h 1 9, 2 0 1 5

OPINION

adelle chua EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

China’s Creeping invasion

mInORITy REpORT DanIlO suaREz Amid the continuing inconsistencies and scandals under this administration, recent news reports have brought back our national attention to China’s brazen acts to occupy and control more of Philippine territorial waters in the West Philippine Sea (WPS). Under what has been commonly recognized as China’s “creeping invasion”, China has aggressively pursued its claims to sovereign rights to nearly all of the sea, including waters and territories much closer to other countries and thousands of kilometers from the Chinese coast as being within its controversial “9 dash line”. its aggressive posturing and brazen acts of encroachment in the WPS have made the area one of Asia’s potential flashpoints for military conflict, something which i already predicted during my time in Congress because of the confirmed fossil fuel deposits in the area. Additionally, the WPS is a bottleneck of global sea routes with more than half the world’s annual merchant fleet tonnage passing through these choke points. The oil transported through the South China Sea is more than six times the amount that passes through the Suez Canal and 17 times the amount that transits the Panama Canal. Roughly two-thirds of South

Korea’s energy supplies, nearly 60 percent of Japan’s and Taiwan’s energy supplies, and about 80 percent of China’s crude-oil imports come through the South China Sea. Control of the area therefore is of great military, political, and economic strategic value and China’s creeping invasion is heavily motivated by this. in 1909, China seized some islands in Xisha (the Paracels). in 1946, it seized itu Aba (in the Spratlys) and Phu Lan island (in the Paracels). in the 1950’s, China seized additional Hoang Sa (Paracels) islands, which it forcibly repeated in 1974 taking over islands in the Paracels occupied by South Vietnamese armed forces. Then they occupied mischief Reef early in 1995 which is only 130 nautical miles from the western part of Palawan province and well within the Philippines 200 nautical miles EEZ. Since then China has sent naval vessels into the area and constructed buildings depicted as “military structures” with radar and communication systems, multi-story buildings and support facilities.

Up until now the Philippine action has achieved very little, having been limited to diplomatic protests and legal initiatives before the international Tribunal on

the Law of the Sea (iTLOS), the arbitration body created by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and to which China has categorically refused to submit to. in the absence of an effective regional approach to the ongoing territorial disputes, we may be running out of diplomatic options. moreover if China’s creeping invasion is not stopped, it will pave the way for their effective occupation and administration over the reefs that they have occupied and intend to occupy in the WPS. if this happens, they gain a stronger legal ground to support their alleged sovereignty over all the formations in the WPS and its surrounding waters. my unsolicited advice to this administration is for the government to enter into a joint venture with the Americans to explore and develop this area. Let us not be so naïve to the point of being impractical. Let us not put all our eggs in one basket which is our arbitration case. Even if we win that case, enforcing it would be an entirely different ballgame. And notwithstanding the opposition of leftists nationalists, the only way we could develop this area is if we do it with the USA and its vaunted economic and military might.

in support of filipino knowledge pOp gOEs ThE wORlD jEnny ORTuOsTE dOES the Philippines have a reading culture?

Arguments may be made for both yea and nay, with the former pointing to the growth of the chain bookstores as an indicator of the steady sale of books, while the latter will grumble at the overwhelming consumption of television as a medium over the printed word. it certainly is a fact that the country is far behind in its reading habits compared to, say, Japan or the United States. Yet the government, through the National Book development Board (NBdB), is looking to promote Filipino authors and publishing by providing grants to those who would not otherwise be able to finish a manuscript or transform a research work into a book for the general public.

Last march 13, NBdB Trust Fund grants for 2014 were awarded to darwin J. Absari for his “Pagtuhan: Tausug Gnosis as a Living Tradition” in the field of islamic studies, and under the field biodiversity/health and wellness, to Amado C. Bajarias Jr. for his “The Birds of Ateneo de manila University, miriam College, and UP diliman,” Grace Quiton-domingo for her “mPA for Teachers: A Fun Activity Guide that illustrates the Science Behind marine-Protected Areas,” and Rosario i. Tañedo for her

“Come Back to me: Lives Taken, Shaken, and Changed by the Lack of Reproductive Health Rights.”

NBdB was created under Republic Act No. 8047 (1995), the Book Publishing industry development Act. its mandate is to be “the leading catalyst for building a culture of reading and authorship as well as an environment for the growth of the book publishing industry toward making it globally competitive”.

RA No. 9521 (2009), the National Book development Trust Fund Act, sourced funding for a trust fund for NBdB’s programs and activities from the General Appropriations Act and from government-owned and –controlled corporations Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.

The NBdB Trust Fund provides grants of P200,000 to an individual or organization for the completion of manuscripts or research works for publication, especially in the field of science and technology, “and in subject areas where locally-authored books are few and non-existent.”

Each year, the agency puts out a call for manuscripts in certain subject areas. A panel of experts assists the NBdB in evaluating submitted manuscripts.

This year, the topics are local history and culture; traditional medicine; integrative medicine and tropical medicine; food science and technology, organic ag-

riculture, sustainable agriculture, and agritourism; and popular science, for example, robotics and inventions.

Among the subject areas in previous years were documentation or codification of any traditional knowledge; habitat rehabilitation and social impacts; new technologies in entrepreneurship; livelihoods; and fiction and non-fiction book-length literary works.

Authors and organizations applying for grants must submit at least 25 percent of their manuscripts or research works that will be turned into books. Check out the agency’s website at nbdb.gov.ph for application forms and other details. The deadline for submission of applications is may 31.

According to NBdB Executive director Graciela mendoza-Cayton, “We tend to broadly interpret the categories, so we advise writers to just apply, because there are so many unexplored research areas.”

She cited as an example a dearth of documentation of the history and folklore of mindanao, and suggested that more authors concentrate their efforts in identifying and exploring similarly under-researched areas.

Right after the grant-awarding ceremony, Cayton dashed off for the “Booklatan sa Laoag” event over the weekend, where author and illustrator Adam david taught fanzine writing and other activities were conducted.

Upcoming agency events include a copyright clinic on march 28, “AK/dA: Araw ng Aklat at Copyright” on April 23, while the whole month of April is “Buwan ng Panitikan” (Literature month) as provided for by Presidential Proclamation No. 968, signed last 10 February 2015. major bookish activities are scheduled for the second half of the year.

The agency, Cayton says, can also help authors publish their works through both traditional and non-traditional means.

Usually printing is not the difficult part – it’s distributing the books. “We have contacted distributors,” she said, “who can put the books in outlets other than the chain bookstores, to get them to a wider audience.” i’d say NBdB’s efforts not only promote and embed a reading culture, they also support the collection, preservation, and creation of kaalaman - Filipino knowledge. For we never stop doing and learning; the thing is to write it down, and to get those writings in as many minds as possible.

The development of a country and its people is possible only when ideas are allowed to flourish and proliferate; and a society that values books and authors and knowledge has the advantage over those that do not. *** Facebook: Jenny Ortuoste, Twitter: @jennyortuoste, Blog: http:// jennyo.net

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law.. From A9 than personal service is allowed is in actions against real property, so-called actions in rem, where the proceeding is against realty such as foreclosure of mortgages. Here, posting of notices in the property itself or summons by publication is allowed. The only other exception to personal service is in personal actions affecting persons and family relations where the respondent is outside of the country. in which case, summons to his last known address and summons by publication is allowed. i am not aware that an Order that would subvert the will of the sovereign people could be served by mere “posting”. in any case, i also know as a lawyer that regardless of the merits of the case against mayor Binay, the fact is the Court of Appeals, as part of the judiciary, a co-equal branch of government, issues an Order temporarily restraining the suspension of the mayor, the co-equal Executive branch of government must not only comply with the Order but must also implement it. While the Courts have sheriffs to serve its Orders, the Courts nonetheless rely on the Executive, the latter mandated by the Constitution to implement our laws, to enforce its lawful orders. This is because while the Courts can issue Orders, it does not have a police force to implement its orders.

But in this megacity, the police apparently are the first to defy court orders. That is why without a doubt; this megacity is governed by the law of the jungle.

The Executive branch better think twice about the repercussion of its decision to defy the lawful Order of the Court of Appeals. Law forms part of a normative system because we want disputes settled peacefully and pursuant to the rule of law.

We may not agree with Court Orders, but we should never openly defy them. The remedy for government is to question the TRO in the proper forum: in the CA itself or in the Supreme Court. it does not bode well that those tasked with the implementation of Court orders are the first to defy them. ironically, this is why the Philippines resorted to the rule of law in settling its dispute over the West Philippines Sea with the super-power China. We did so after mature contemplation that we are not in a position to resolve it using the law of the jungle: the sheer use of force.

But when the same members of the Executive Branch resort to this same rule of the jungle domestically, not only do we send the message to our people that it is all right to take the law into their own hands. We also send the message to countries like China that we do not adhere to the rule of law, debunking the high moral grounds that we have taken in resolving our dispute in the West Philippines Sea. Goodness gracious! Lets round up these beasts and lock them in cages come 2016!

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t hurs day : M a rc h 1 9 , 2 0 1 5

sports sports@thestandard.com.ph

NY Knicks stun Spurs; Pistons tame Grizzlies NEW YORK—Two of the NBA’s Eastern Conference divisional doormats, New York and Detroit, took shock triumphs Tuesday over top Western Conference’s clubs, stunning the Memphis Grizzlies and reigning champion San Antonio.

The league-worst New York Knicks upset visiting San Antonio 104-100 in over-time while the Detroit Pistons recovered from a 15-point half-time deficit to defeat visiting Memphis 105-95 and snap a 10-game losing streak.

New York’s Langston Galloway scored 22 points while Russian backcourt partner Alexey Shved added 21, Lou Amundson had 12 points and 17 a career-high 17 rebounds and It a l y ’s A n d r e a B a rg na n i contributed 16 points and 10 rebounds as the Knicks improved to 14-53, still the NBA’s worst mark.

Tony Parker led the Spurs with 21 points while Tim Duncan added 17, Kawhi Leonard added 13 points and Tiago Splitter had 12 points and 13 rebounds in a losing cause.

The Spurs slid to 41-25, seventh in the Western Conference.

At Detroit, Kentavious CaldwellPope scored 24 points and Reggie Jackson added 23 points and career-high 20 assists in the Pistons’ comeback, which saw them outscore Memphis 66-41 in the second half.

Jackson scored seven points in a 15-2 run late in the fourth quarter to seal the Grizzlies’ fate.

Jeff Green led Memphis with 21 points while Marc Gasol had 17 points and 11 rebounds for the Grizzlies, who had not lost at Detroit since 2009.

The Pistons are 24-43, last in the NBA Central division, while Memphis remained atop the Southwest division despite falling to 47-21, still the third-best record in the NBA. Meanwhile, Oklahoma City Thunder forward Serge Ibaka underwent successful surgery on Tuesday to repair his sore right knee and will be sidelined from four to six weeks, the NBA club announced.

That means that if the Thunder are to reach the NBA playoffs, they will have to do so without the 25-year-old Congolese-born Spaniard.

Ibaka has averaged 14.3 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.42 blocked shots in 33 minutes over 64 starts for the Thunder this season and his absence adds to the team’s major injury woes with 2014 NBA Most Valuable Player Kevin Durant still out of the lineup.

AFP

Kawhi Leonard (left) of the San Antonio Spurs and Langston Galloway of the New York Knicks dive for the ball during their game at Madison Square Garden. The last-placed Knicks upset the defending champion Spurs, 104100. AFP

PH national taekwondo team vying in ASEAN tilt SIXTY-SEVEN well-prepared athletes will carry the colors of the Meralco/MVP Sports Foundation National Team in the 12th ASEAN Taekwondo Federation championships on April 23 to 28 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Leading the team are senior kyorugi (free sparring) fighters Jenar Torillos, Washer Rasad, Enrique Edgardo Mora, Lorenz Chavez, Eddtone Bobb Lumasac (men) and Irene Therese Bermejo, Ronnielette Balancio. Shiryl Badol, Camille Anne Bonje and Clouie Bolinas (women).

Also on the team are 20 junior men and women in (free sparring), 15 Cadet boys and girls (free sparring) and 20 participants in poomsae (forms).

Ten officials, led by team head Tem Igor Mella, complete the national delegation.

The other officials are John Paul Lizardo, senior men’s coach; Dindo Simpao, junior men’s coach; Napoleon Dagdagan Jr., women’s coach; Alvin Taraya, Cadet boys’ coach; Sax Alberto Morfe, Cadet girls’ coach; Jean Pierre Sabido, poomsae men’s coach; Rani Ann Ortega, poomsae women’s coach; and Jaime Robianes and Jose Florante Santiago, international referees.

The ASEAN competition serves as a tune up for the Filipinos’ preparation for the Asian Junior Championships in Taipei next month and the much-awaited Southeast Asian Games on June

5-16, 2015 in Singapore.

Aside from the Philippines, 10 other countries – including Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam and Myanmar -- are also vying in the ASEAN championships.

Amber Emilia Acosta (right), a member of the Vietnam-bound junior women’s team, connects with a roundhouse kick to her opponent’s neck in the recent national championship.

Pennetta sends Maria packing INDIAN WELLS—There is nothing like a good cry to get Flavia Pennetta in a winning frame of mind.

The defending champion from Italy sent world number two Maria Sharapova crashing out of Indian Wells on Tuesday, winning a three-set, two-hour marathon after almost letting her emotions get the best of her.

Pennetta got off to a rough start in the opening set and it wasn’t until after she broke down emotionally that she says she was able to rally for the 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 fourth round victory.

“Sometimes a woma n h a s these m o m e nt s ,” said Pennetta, adding she felt “refreshed” after leaving the court and going into the tunnel area under the stands, where she let loose with a screaming, sobbing and crying episode.

“Sometimes you just need to take everything out. On the court it is not easy to do that.

“I was just trying to keep calm and play every point. But when I finished the first set I was feeling, I have to go out ... just go and let everything out, screaming, do something.

“After that I was refreshed a little bit and I tried to get back on the court and start again.”

Asked by reporters if there might be something going on in her personal life that would cause her to do that, Pennetta said without hesitation, “Si, si. I am really happy.”

Happy indeed, after shocking the five-time Grand Slam winner and second seed Sharapova, who was hoping to become the first three time female winner at Indian Wells.

“No real excuses. I went out and lost the match,” Sharapova said.

Sharapova committed 11 double faults and was broken four times.

Pennetta advanced to the quarter-finals, where she will meet either Caroline Garcia of France or Sabine Lisicki of Germany.

Pennetta, who won her 10th and biggest title of her career with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Agnieszka Radwanska last year, extended her match winning streak to nine. AFP

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sports sports@thestandard.com.ph

UST softbelles advance UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas rallied from a three-run deficit to bundle out National University, 4-3, and stay alive in the UAAP Season 77 softball step-ladder semifinals yesterday at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium.

Kris Lacupa’s RBI single sent Anne Antolihao home in the seventh and final inning to complete the Tigresses’ come-from-

Game tomorrow (Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium) 9 a.m. – UP vs UST (softball semis)

behind victory.

Up next for UST

in the step-ladder phase is a duel with twice-to-beat University of the Philippines at 9 a.m. tomorrow, with the

winner taking on defending champion Adamson University in the championship round.

Unbeaten in 60 matches, the Lady Falcons hold a thrice-to-beat advantage after sweeping the elimination round.

Antolihao pitched well for the Tigresses, striking out three batters after

taking over in the third inning.

Lacupa, Hannah Mae Dela Torre and rookie Ricky Mae Latican had one RBI apiece in the pivotal bottom fifth, allowing UST to tie the count at 3-3.

The Tigresses hope to avenge their 4-7 loss to the Lady Maroons in the playoff for the No. 2 seed

Tayao Cabrera wins 3 of 4 kickoff races LAST year’s Junior Karter of the Year Gabe Tayao Cabrera showed great potential for another milestone when he ruled the premier KF Senior Blaze 100 class recently in the kickoff of the 2015 KF Karting Super Series at the Carmona Racetrack.

His fighting heart and will to win steered the 15-year-old DC-Seaoil Karter into winning three of the first four rounds despite the huge task of facing the tough challenge from come-backing 2012 Karter of the Year Vencer John “VJ” Suba in this event sanctioned by the Automobile Association Philippines.and sponsored by Yokohama, the official tires.

The exciting dicing between Cabrera and Suba almost throughout their four-round encounter, kept the spectators glued to the race, waiting for who will pull through in the end.

Cabrera prevailed in the first round by 1.747 seconds ahead of Suba, who evened up the score winning Saturday afternoon’s Round 2, with newcomer Ben Grimes claiming the runner-up finish.

But luck smiled on Cabrera the following day as he swept Sunday’s Round 3 by 0.036 of a second and Round 4, where the two got entangled, with Cabrera’s kart landing on top of Suba’s, before claiming the checkered flag with a 6.967-second lead.

The feat put Cabrera a step ahead in the KF Karter of the Year and the 2015 Karter of the Year races.

The KF Karting accounts for half of the tabulation for the 2015 Karter of the Year award, with the other half based on the points garnered in the ROK Karting Super Series.

Jacob Ang of Eagle Cement, son of San Miguel Corporation chief Ramon Ang, dictated the tempo in the KF Junior division,

Gabe Cabrera (center) ruled three of the four rounds of the KF Karting Super Series kickoff with 2012 Karter of the Year Vencer John “VJ” Suba (left) and newcomer Ben Grimes (right), placing runner-up and third place, respectively

where he captured victories in the first three rounds, but a busted engine spoiled his bid for a big sweep, paving the way for Larco Cortez of Formula-E Racing to claim Round 4 over newcomer Sam Grimes of CityKart, with John Dizon, Tai Zulberti and Draeco McLelland winding up third, fourth and fifth, respectively.

Michael Jordan swept all

four rounds of the KF Master class over Julius Milla.

Despite his impressive win, Cabrera admitted he was humbled by the encounter with Suba as the experience opened his eyes he still has a lot to learn to deserve the championship.

“VJ showed me that racing skills are not enough as he was a good mentor in giving me that experience, proving that it also takes

brains, quick thinking and strategy, defensive techniques and more importantly focus in shaping up that championship character to be truly deserving of the title,” said Cabrera.

Rounds 5 and 6 of the 2015 KF Karting Super Series will be staged together with the Philippine leg of the 2015 Asian Karting Open Championships on Aug. 22 and 23 at the Car-

mona Racetrack.

But karters return to action in the kickoff of the 2015 National ROK Karting Super Series slated March 21 and 22, also at the Carmona Racetrack.

For more info, interested parties may call the Carmona Racetrack c/o Rose Feria at 845-0745, 8893389, 845-3287 and 8454142 or visit the website www.asiankarting.net.

last Sunday.

NU, which eliminated La Salle via an abbreviated 11-0 victory also last weekend, committed four errors.

Adamson, tipped to win in the league’s remaining sport this season, will only play on March 24 if the step-ladder semifinals goes into the full route.

Huge field vies in Palawan net meet CLOSE to 250 entries gear up for a fierce duel in various divisions when the 10th leg of the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala regional age group presented by Technifibre is fired off tomorrow at the Ouans Resort Tennis Courts in Lucena, Quezon.

To accommodate the big number of participants, the organizers have tapped the Enverga Tennis Courts as the other venue of the four-day Group 3 tournament, which drew entries from San Pablo, Pitugo, Padre Burgos, Lucban, Catanuan, Perez, Gumaca, Atimonan, Luisiana, Quezon, Cavite, Los Banos, Lucena and Manila.

“We are humbled to see this big number of participants from various provinces raring to play and vie for honors and ranking points,” said Palawan Pawnshop COO Bobby Castro. “This only inspires us to put up more tournaments in the countryside and provide these young players a venue to hone their skills especially this summer.”

Athan Arejola, JT Bernardo, Denis Bernardo, Gabby Zoleta, Magnus Gnilo, Caleb Gnilo, Lance Gnilo and Jose Martin Dizon head the Big City bets bracing for a battle royale against the local players, led by siblings Angeline, Angelica and Kim Alcala, Julia Ignacio, Jibril Perpetual, and Reisha and Arriane Nillasca.

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

All eyes on Fil-Ams Stuart, Ruiz THREE promising bets, who have won gold medals in invitational meets in the United States, will now get a chance to prove themselves on local soil Fil-American hammer thrower Caleb Stuart and Baguio-based long jumper Kathrine Kay Santos will be around to show what they got when the 2015 Philippine National Open Invitational Athletics meet gets going today at the San Luis Sports Complex in Sta Cruz, Laguna.

Tyler Ruiz, another Fil-American, will also try to make his presence felt on Day 3 when he goes for the gold in the men’s high jump.

There will be 32 golds at stake on opening day, including

the men’s hammer throw and women’s long jump.

The 24-year-old Stuart distinguished himself when heaved 68.86 meters to earn the gold medal in the hammer throw event of the Ben Brown Athletics meet at the track stadium of the California State University-Fullerton campus in the United States last Friday.

Stuart’s throw was six meters better than than the current record set by Thantipong Phetchaiya of 62.33 meters in the 2013 Southeast

Asian Games.

He is also expected to win a medal in the shot put on opening day as his best heave of 17.88 meters in another US meet last year is way higher than the gold-medal finish (17.54) of Thailand’s Thawat Khachin in the 2013 SEA Games.

“I have not been focusing on shotput, but on hammer throw.

But I want two golds in the SEA Games,” said Stuart.

The 2015 Philippine National Open-Invitational Athletics Championships, hosted by the Laguna Provincial Government through Gov. Ramil Hernandez, is supported by the Philippine Sports Commission with major sponsors

Laguna Water, Pacific Online Scratch it KaskaSwerte, Papa John’s, Foton Philippines, PCSO, Smart, PLDT, Summit Natural Drinking Water, minor sponsors SSS, PAGCOR, Milo, Gatorade, L TimeStudio, Asics Watch, and media partners Business Mirror, Business Mirror Health & Fitness Magazine, Endurance Magazine, and The Philippine Star.

Eyes will also be on the 25-year-old Santos on Day 1 after she cleared 6.17 meters on her second attempt in her event, also in the Ben Brown meet.

In beating American rivals Madison Richards (5.74 meters) and Laura Hamann (5.52), Santos surpassed the 6.15-meter bronze medal standard of the 2013 SEA Games.

Ruiz, on the other hand, made his presence felt in the California State University-Northridge meet by taking the gold in men’s high jump in 2.13 meters. He won over UCLA’s Lohnnie Jackson (2.03) and CSU-Bakersfield’s Alex Marakas (2.03) and equaled the 2013 SEA Games bronze standard The three are trying to make the cut for the SEA Games, and the Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association has 34 slots up for grabs.

“Those who make the qualifying standards can make it and those who come close to it, we will consider,” said PATAFA president Philip Ella Juico. Peter Atencio

Trainer sees winning comeback for Donaire

By Ronnie Nathanielsz AMERICAN trainer Rick Staheli expects five-division world champion Nonito Donaire to make a winning comeback in his return to the ring in “Pinoy Pride 30” at the Smart Araneta Colisum on March 28, following his painful sixth-round TKO loss to the bigger and stronger featherweight super champion Nicholas Walters last Oct. 18 in Macau.

Staheli, who steered Manny Pacquiao to his first world title in December of 1998, when he scored a sensational eighth-round knockout over Chatchai Sasakul of Thailand, told the New Standard/Viva Sports, he had received glowing reports of Donaire’s preparation for his fight against 31-year-old Brazilian William Prado, who has a record of 22-4-1 with 15 knockouts.

The 32-year-old Donaire’s record is 33-3, with 21 knockouts.

“Nonito has always been one of my favorites. He has got a skill set that most boxers don’t have and I expect him to make a good comeback and put on a fine performance as long as he can make the weight without it hurting him,” Staheli admitted.

Donaire has returned to the super bantamweight division after a disappointing thrust into the featherweight division, which is four pounds more at 126.

Renowned boxing patron Tony Aldeguer said after the public workout of the stars of Pinoy Pride 30 at the ALA Boxing and Fitness Gym at the Banilad Town Center last Saturday, that clearly, Donaire was the favorite of the fans, since he last fought in the Philippines in April 2009.

Aldeguer said Donaire looked terrific in sparring two rounds with Japan’s Ryo Akaho, in which he showed speed and punching power and excellent movement.

Both WBO light flyweight champion Donnie “Ahas” Nietes and undefeated super bantamweight Prince Albert Pagara were also very impressive.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

New uniforms. Presenting the new Philippine Super Liga team uniforms are (from left) Bea Tan of Foton Tornadoes, Jheck Dionela of Cignal Spykers, Deseree Dadang of Philips Gold and Alexa Micek of Petron. ROMAN PROSPERO

Memory bet settles for silver

By Randy Caluag DOROTHY Sorio Elenzano, a Grade 5 student of Nangka Elementary School in Marikina, bagged the overall silver medal to tow the Sogo Hotel-backed Philippine Team to a second overall finish behind China in the Kids’ Division of the recent 1st Singapore Open Memory Championship at the Singapore Polytechnic Graduates’ Guild in Singapore.

Elenzano took the overall silver following second-place finishes in the Names and Faces, Ten Minute, Speed Cards and Speed Numbers events of this tournament sanctioned by the World Memory Sports Council.

Providing able back-up to Elenzano was Joel Micus Lolong, who contributed bronze

finishes in the Abstract Images and Binary Digits’ categories.

Philippine team coach Robert Racasa said the event served as a good preparation for the newly founded Pinoy Memory Athletes Association, Inc., which aims to host an international event soon here.

“We brought up-and-coming athletes to the event and they performed well despite only a few months of training. These young athletes will be the cornerstone of future memory athletes in the country,” said Racasa, considered the father of Philippine memory sports.

Aside from host Singapore and the Philippines, other countries which competed in the prestigious event were Germany, China, India, Japan, Mongolia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malay-

sia and China, which took the overall plum in the Kids’ events due to the gold medal performance of defending Kids’ World Memory Champion Li Lin Pei. Racasa thanked their benefactors Marikina Mayor Del De Guzman and Hotel Sogo, which took care of the PH team’s registration fee, plane tickets and hotel accommodation in Singapore.

Other members of the PH team were delegation chief Marie Ann Andrade Yambalia and players Richard Sarcos, Philip Benitez and Nico Angelo Esperanza.

They competed in the different memory disciplines, where competitors displayed their memory abilities in numbers, words, dates, abstract images, cards, spoken numbers and names and faces.

PH’s Father of Sepak Takraw dies

SERVILLANO Aquino Padiz, Jr., considered as the the Father of Sepak Takraw in the Philippines, passed away on Tuesday.

Padiz brought the sport of sepak takraw in the country in 1981 and was the first president of the Philippine Amateur Sepak Takraw Association under the umbrella of the Philippine Olympic CommitteePhilippine Sports Commission.

He also served as Physical Education teacher and Sports Chief of th Division of City Schools, Manila until his retirement in 2002. His remains lie in state at the Arlington Memorial Chapels and Crematory (no. 12) at G. Araneta Avenue, Quezon City until March 24.

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

2015 Bea Zobel Cup OUR ever gracious hostess MadSYLVIA LOPEZ ame Beatriz ALEJANDRO Barcon Zobel welcomed all of us invited bridge players to the 2015 Bea Zobel Cup. This much awaited event was held at the Turf Room of the Manila Polo Club last February 17.

On hand to assist in welcoming the guests was Mr. Pocholo Lozano, soon to be announced by the Philippine Tournament Bridge Association as the newly elected president and Ms. Viksi Egan.

Ms. Egan announced the new format of the game. A Senior-Junior Pairs event which would allow the junior to pair up with Senior players.

Mr. Joseph Maliwat was the Tournament Director who kindly gave us updates on the leading pairs. My partner, Cynthia de Guzman and I were also on the hunt with the last three announcement.

Until an unfortunate board which I doubled and it was redoubled and it was made which put up down and out from the top winners.

I recall with fond remembrance that Joseph Maliwat and I were the first winners of the Bea Zobel Cup for the North-South pair and Viksi Egan and Ito Velhagen for the East-West pairs and our bridge giants such as Chot Reyes, Nonot Carreon and Helen Tubangui were in competition.

With the pre determined pair, our congratulation to the pair Soo and Wilson.

Pacman must take chances

By Ronnie Nathanielsz

AMERICAN trainer Rick Staheli, who steered eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao to his first world title (the WBC flyweight crown in December 1998) believes the Filipino has to take chances if he hopes to beat Floyd Mayweather Jr. in their mega-fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on May 2.

Staheli told the New Standard/Viva Sports he had no doubt that Pacquiao “is highly motivated and definitely has the desire, but he must win by a knockout.”

To be able to achieve this, Staheli believes Pac-

quiao must take chances.

“Mayweather’s motivation is the he doesn’t want to go, because whoever wins will be considered the greatest fighter of this generation.

Pacquiao must get in Mayweather’s face and show a killer instinct,” said Staheli, pointing out that Mayweather “doesn’t go for a KO.” He said Mayweather has a different mindset. “For him, defense is first. If Manny presses him, he won’t like it.”

The American trainer advised Pacquiao to keep throwing punches. “Floyd isn’t used to that. Make him work. He doesn’t want to fight three minutes a round. Manny is used to that,” said Staheli, who also wondered whether at the age of 36 ,“can Pacquiao keep it up?”

Meanwhile, Pacquiao began sparring at the Wild Card Gym on Tuesday (LA Time) and went five hard rounds with two young sparring partners known for their speed and skill.

He worked out with Finland’s lightweight Edis Tatli, who has an impressive record of 24-1 with 8 knockouts, and then engaged 21-year-

old Kenneth Simms from Chicago, who sports a record of 5-0 with 2 knockouts.

Rashid “Speedy” Ellis who is 21 years old from Massachusetts and who stands 5’9,” is an undefeated welterweight with a record of 14-0, with 11 knockouts. He is expected to join the roster of sparring partners following his impressive fifth-round TKO win over Victor Gonzalez in Puerto Rico last Saturday.

“After 13 days of strength and conditioning and boxing drills at Wild Card plus weeks more of working out in the Philippines in February, it was great to finally put on the headgear and spar,” said Pacquiao, commending his sparring partners. “They gave me good work today. They were perfect for testing the strategy Freddie and I have developed to beat Floyd Mayweather. I was very happy with my stamina and speed.”

Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach was even more pleased with Pacquiao’s form, considering he had not been inside a ring engaging a fighter since his six-knockdown domination of previously undefeated junior welterweight champion Chris Algieri last November in Macau.

Warriors losing 4 mainstays

1. Isabel Wilson & George Soo 60.00% 2.Winston Arpon & Menchie Cu Unjieng 57.59% 3. Jacqui Young & Ito Velhagen 56.85% 4. Mila Wales & Margaret Kwokl 55.56% 5. Cora Rodriguez & Viksi Egan 55.56% 6. Marilen Espiritu & Justo Manlongat 55.19% 7. Cynthia de Gizman & Sylvia Alejandro 54.26% 8. Nena Ramirez & George Francisco 52.96% 9. Bambi Harper & Pocholo Lozano 52.78% 10. Titang Montinola & Nene Quimson 51.67%

On the pairs George Soo and Ambassador Isabel Wilson: George Soo is noted in the ”Open Pairs event of the 29th Asian Bridge Championship Philippine player George Soo, with Thailandbased Norwegian top-ranked player Kaare Beyer Kristiansen, decisively edged out 48 others pairs.

Soo has won the Open Pairs in the Pacific Asian Bridge Federation Championships and has been a member of many open teams representing the Philippines internationally. (Isagani Cruz Philippine Star-January 10, 20108)” while Ambassador Wilson is a true junior in terms of masterpoints and in terms of time spent playing in the duplicate game. Ambassador Wilson ably the represented the Philippines as our ambassador to Spain, Upon her return her preference was to play rubber bridge at her residence. This was unlike her sister Cris Ozamiz who played regularly at the duplicate games.

I noted that Isabel Maloles played as a junior.

True Isabel does not have masterpoints of 300 masterpoints but she is a seasoned player both at the duplicate pairs and teams events at the tournaments of the Philippines Tournament Bridge Association for so many years. I noted too that Suena Manalang also fell the category of junior. True that Suena may not have the masterpoints but Suena and Phil Manalang have played in many international bridge events abroad and Suena is a member of the Ladies Team that qualified at the Selection Trials last January, 2015 to represent our country in fortcoming event abroad.

While the forward plan is to make it by lottery with the pairings, a determination will still have to make who are the Senior among of the invited guests and who are juniors.

Whatever the format, my sincere thanks one again to Bea for the handwritten invitation extended to me firstly to play.

A wonderful bridge day was had by all and was topped with the award to the winners of the silver trophies bought especially from Madrid and the sumptuous lunch and merienda.

-oOoResults of Alejandro Duplicates Game last March 10, 2015 Hiranthi Samarasingha-Nalin Samarasingha Winston Arpon-Justo Manlongat Hector Tarrazona-Abraham Rivera Results at Manila Peninsula last March 11, 2015 Nalin-Hiranthi Samaransingha Cynthia De Guzman-Lani Tayas Jopet Maliwat-Glory Del Rio Results at Cambridge Circle Club last March 12, 2015 Barry Randle & Paul Potassy Pocholo Lozano & Joli Kansil Hiranthi & Nalin Samarasingha Comments to: sylvia.alejandro@yahoo.com

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

NLEX wins. PJ Ramos of KIA (left) uses his ceiling to score against Asi Taulava of NLEX in a PBA Commissioner’s Cup game won by the Road Warriors, 102-86. Story on A16 NUKI SABIO

PH, China last 2 standing in FIBA bidding

By Peter Atencio ONLY two candidates are left in the short list of countries bidding to host the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup. The Philippines is in the list and so is China, according to an official statement on the FIBA’s official website.

The FIBA’s Executive Committee made this decision after meeting for the first time this

year from March 12 to 13 in Mier, Switzerland.

The FIBA’s Central Board will make a final decision at its meeting from June 16 to 17.

“We are honored that the FIBA Executive Committee has chosen Asia as the site of the 2019 FIBA World Cup, shortlisting the Philippines together with our esteemed Asian brother, China,” said Samahang Basketboll ng Pilipinas president Manny V. Pan-

gilinan in a statement.

The SBP vowed to put the country’s best foot forward as it works on the finalization of its bid offer.

The FIBA’s Central Board also holds a three-day meeting on June 18 to 20 to deliberate further on the hosting.

Meanwhile, Germany, Turkey and Qatar are among the three bidding countries seeking to stage the competition in 2023.

THE University of the East Warriors will miss three of their mainstays in Season 78 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines men’s basketball tournament.

Coach Derrick Pumaren said they are now looking at four possible replacements following the departure of prized point guard Roi Sumang, Sierra Leone cager Charles Mammie, Cameroonian Moustapha Arafat and Pedrito Galanza Jr., who is graduating at the end of the current schoolyear.

“We are looking at players coming from high school and those who can be with us in the pre-season,” said Pumaren, adding that Sumang decided to forego his fifth and final year in the UAAP as he wants to join the Philippine Basketball Association draft.

He is currently focusing on his stint with Tanduay Light in the PBA Developmental League Foundation Cup. The 6’8” Mammie, according to Pumaren is no longer eligible, after the school obtained his high school record and learned that the former has reached his maximum, seven-playing-year window for the league.

The 6’6” Arafat can’t play anymore after he saw action in a pocket tournament in Marikina right after the season, without asking for the school’s permission.

With Sumang out of the team, his substitute Dan Alberto will be there to take his place.

Pumaren said 5’11” Fran Yu and 6’3” Shannon Gagate, both from Chiang Kai Shek, are being wooed to join the Warriors, with Bacolod’s 6’1” Ralph Penuela and 6’2” Ilonggo Omar Larucay. Peter Atencio

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK T H U R S D AY : M A R C H 1 9, 2 0 1 5

A16

RIERA U. MALL ARI EDITOR

REUEL VIDAL A S S I S TA N T E D I T O R

sports@thestandard.com.ph

SPORTS

Pennetta gives Sharapova the boot. Flavia Pennetta of Italy lunges forward and hits a backhand return against Maria Sharapova of Russia during day nine of the BNP Paribas Open tennis at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in Indian Wells, California. The Italian won, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2. Story on A12 AFP

Road Warriors extend winning streak to 5

By Jeric Lopez

THE league’s hottest team in NLEX continued to sizzle as it rolled to its fifth straight victory, turning back Kia, 102-86, to extend its impressive run in the 2015 Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum last night.

After an erratic first half, Al Thornton picked his game up in the second half, where he scored 25 of his team-high 33 points. He added 14 rebounds and three assists to lead the Road Warriors, while Jonas Villanueva provided solid support with 20 points, four rebounds, five assists and four steals.

By listing another win, NLEX, which started the conference at 0-3, resumed its climb up the ladder and found itself in solo fifth place at 6-4, as it moved closer to a quarterfinals berth and enhanced its chance of finishing in the Top 6, avoiding the dan-

ger zone down low. ‘’Just getting into the playoffs first is okay for us,’’ said NLEX coach Boyet Fernandez.

The Carnival dropped to 4-6 and went from having a really good chance for a berth in the next round to having to win its last game. It is now tied with San Miguel Beer and Alaska for the ninth, 10th and 11th places.

Only the Top 8 teams will advance to the quarterfinals.

The Road Warriors bucked a sketchy first half start and turned things around completely in the second half, en route to

Knicks upset Spurs TURN TO A12

the crucial victory. ‘’We had a bad first half and the effort was not there, but we did well in the second half, especially on defense,’’ said Fernandez.

Meanwhile, Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao was handed down a total fine of P22,400 after making physical contact with San Miguel import Arizona Reid, who was his former import several times in the past, in the Beermen’s 129-114 victory last Friday over the Elasto Painters.

Guiao was penalized P22,000 for nudging Reid with an elbow in the late stages of that said game and P2,400 for his second and third technical fouls of the tournament.

This came just a day after Guiao’s wards Beau Belga and Raymond Almazan were fined a combined P110,000 for their misconducts in another Elasto Painters game against Barangay Ginebra last Sunday.

Pacman LOTTO RESULTS 6/55 00-00-00-00-00-00 P0 M+ must take 6/45 00-00-00-00-00-00 P0 M chances 4 DIGITS 0-0-0-0 TURN TO A15

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

3 DIGITS 0-0-0 2 EZ2 0-0

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

B1

THURSDAY: MARCH 19, 2015

RAY S. EÑANO EDITOR

RODERICK T. DELA CRUZ ASSISTANT EDITOR

business@thestandardtoday.com.ph extrastory2000@gmail.com

BUSINESS

PH keeps investment grade

By Julito G. Rada

GLOBAL debt watcher Fitch Ratings kept the investment grade rating of BBB- given to the Philippines in 2013, saying the country’s strong macroeconomic fundamentals and solid external position will propel the economy to a 6.3-percent growth this year.

In a statement released Tuesday evening, Fitch affirmed the Philippines’ long-term foreign and local currency issuer default ratings at BBB- and BBB, respectively. The issue ratings on senior unsecured foreign and local currency bonds were also affirmed at BBB- and BBB, respectively.

The outlooks on the long-term

IDRs are stable. The country ceiling was kept at BBB and the short-term foreign currency IDR at ‘F3’. “... The steady inflow of worker remittances and growth of the business process outsourcing industry underpin the country’s economic growth. Fitch forecasts real GDP to grow at 6.3 percent in 2015 and 6.2 percent in 2016. The

Philippines’ five-year real GDP growth was estimated to be 6.3 percent at the end of 2014, which is far above the ‘BBB’ median of 3.0 percent,” Fitch said.

Fitch said sustained current account surpluses since 2003 had supported the build-up in foreign exchange reserves and turned the country into a net external creditor. Fitch estimates the country was a net external creditor at 15.4 percent of GDP at the end of 2014, compared with the ‘BBB’ median net external debtor position of 4.7 percent of GD P. By the end of 2014, the country’s gross international reserves amounted to $79.5 billion.

They were enough to cover the country’s import requirements of

10.2 months and was six times the country’s outstanding short-term debts maturing within the short term.

On public finances as a neutral factor, Fitch’s assessment balanced declining general government debt ratios against limited progress in widening the government revenue base. Fitch expects general government debt to reduce further to 34.4 percent of GDP in 2016 from an estimated 36.4 percent at the end of 2014.

“Sustained fiscal discipline and the propensity of the government to underspend keep the fiscal deficits low. The Philippines’ revenue and grants at 15.1 percent of GDP at end-2014 was much lower than the ‘BBB’ median of 28.6 percent of GDP,” it said.

PSe comPoSite index Closing March 18, 2015

8000 7500 6840 7500 6180

7000

5520

6500

4860

6000 4200 3860 5500

7,756.58 32.52

PeSo-dollar rate

Closing MARCH 18, 2015 45

P44.750

44

CLOSE

43 42 41

HIGH P44.590 LOW P44.800 AVERAGE P44.691 VOLUME 912.700M

P508.00-P728.00 LPG/11-kg tank P37.95-P43.30 Unleaded Gasoline P27.50-P30.80 Diesel

oPriceS il P today

P36.75-P43.42 Kerosene P23.70-P24.40 Auto LPG Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Wednesday, March 18, 2015

F oreign e xchange r ate FCB welcomes PAL.

Philippine Airlines president and chief operating officer Jaime Bautista (third from right) visited the global headquarters of leading advertising firm FCB Worldwide located at 100 West 33rd Street in New York. PAL, which recently appointed the firm’s FCB Manila office as its ad agency, recently resumed flights from Manila to New York as part of the flag carrier’s expansion to the US East Coast.

With Bautista are (from left) FCB North America CMO Chris Shumaker, PAL senior vice president for operations Ismael Augusto Gozon, PAL marketing head Ria Domingo, FCB Manila chairman and CEO Arnold Liong and FCB Worldwide executive vice president Elyssa Philipps.

Zest-O moving to buy Texas fruit juice maker

By Othel V. Campos ZEST-O Corp., the beverage unit of the Yao Group of Companies, is finalizing the acquisition of a Texas-based facility in the US to produce Philippine tropical fruit juices as a mainstream product for American consumers.

“There is a team in the US now that is doing all the necessary things to finalize the asset acquisition. We are hoping to come to terms before the year is over,” Zest-O president and chief executive Alfredo Yao said in an interview Wednesday.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Zest-O will produce all tropical fruit juices the company is making in the Philippines--Dalandan, Calamansi and Guyabano juices-in the US using the Doypack technology.

While the company is already exporting Zest-O products to the US, it plans to better penetrate the US beverage market by acquiring a manufacturing plant and produce the beverages in the US to lessen transportation costs.

Yao said his products coould withstand competition from US beverage brand Caprisonne, a

popular drink in the US. “We will also produce orange flavored juices and other temperate juice products once we have established tropical fruit juices as a mainstream product,” he said adding a US-based

B3

company would be formed to handle US operations of Zest-O. The company’s Southeast Asia expansion program will also engage partners to pursue regulatory arrangements in Thailand and Myanmar.

Roxas buys into San Carlos

Currency

Unit

US Dollar Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

44.4610

Japan

Yen

0.008240

0.3664

UK

Pound

1.474000

65.5355

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128819

5.7274

Switzerland

Franc

0.993838

44.1870

Canada

Dollar

0.782044

34.7705

Singapore

Dollar

0.720357

32.0278

Australia

Dollar

0.762311

33.8931

Bahrain

Dinar

2.652520

117.9337

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266624

11.8544

Brunei

Dollar

0.717772

31.9129

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000076

0.0034

Thailand

Baht

0.030395

1.3514

UAE

Dirham

0.272257

12.1048

Euro

Euro

1.058900

47.0798

Korea

Won

0.000887

0.0394

China

Yuan

0.160003

7.1139

India

Rupee

0.015964

0.7098

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.270563

12.0295

New Zealand

Dollar

0.731904

32.5412

Taiwan

Dollar

0.031684

B4

1.4087 Source: PDS Bridge

Govt eyes 1m US tourists

THURSDAY: MARCH 19, 2015

B2

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

MST BuSineSS Daily STockS Review Wednesday, March 18, 2015

52 Weeks

Previous

High Low

STOCKS

2.7 75.3 99.4 105.2 63 2.3 4.2 19.6 31.6 22.5 1.01 92.9 1.65 30.5 99 140 392 59 146.8 1700 130 2.8

AG Finance 6.65 Asia United Bank 69.95 Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. 112.80 Bank of PI 99.50 China Bank 47.3 BDO Leasing & Fin. INc. 2.25 Bright Kindle Resources 2.38 COL Financial 16.98 Eastwest Bank 24.95 Filipino Fund Inc. 8.30 MEDCO Holdings 0.520 Metrobank 92.7 Natl. Reinsurance Corp. 0.96 PB Bank 18.38 Phil. National Bank 81.60 Phil. Savings Bank 95.20 PSE Inc. 352 RCBC `A’ 46.15 Security Bank 162.8 Sun Life Financial 1350.00 Union Bank 69.50 Vantage Equities 3.07

42.6 6.1 1.66 2.3 17.98 113 17.2 15.8 56.8 4.57 39.5 14 12.98 8.15 12.34 17 27.1 90.5 27 0.014 15.74 9.4 0.98 199.8 10.98 79 5.2 30 90 14.7 317 6.49 5.37 14.48 14.5 7.03 6.68 8.1 275 5.5 2.25 0.191 2.5 2.68 188.6 5.5 1.3 2.17 0.7 61.6 31.85 2.16 7.39 2.7 3.29 747 11.34 84 3.3 5.34 0.23 1060 7.1 59.8 6.55 0.9 19.9 0.75 5.4 5.35 2.31 0.84 2.9 88 866 2.2 156 0.285 0.245 0.510 9.03 26.95 1.99 2.07 35.3 6.15

1.55 63.5 67.5 82.5 50 1.9 1.1 14.5 23.2 6.84 0.175 69.35 1.2 20.45 76 119 276 41.5 105.1 1281 116 2.25

Close

High

Low

FINANCIAL 6.65 6.35 70 68.85 115.40 114.50 101.50 99.90 47.3 47 2.27 2.26 2.45 2.36 16.9 16.5 25.35 24.6 8.50 8.23 0.530 0.510 92.9 91.75 0.94 0.93 18.40 18.38 82.00 81.20 95.45 95.20 352.8 346 46.15 45.95 166 163.5 1360.00 1360.00 69.55 68.80 3.07 3.04 INDUSTRIAL 46.75 46 1.67 1.65 1.1 1.08 2.13 2.1 8.26 8.16 50.6 45.1 18.86 18.7 21.95 21.6 59.5 59 1.87 1.75 13 12.2 20.800 20.4 11.60 11.42 8.39 8.30 9.90 9.54 24 21 29.75 29.4 103.3 101.2 14.06 14.06 0.4700 0.4600 14.54 14.50 6.75 6.65 0.640 0.630 214.80 212.00 9.82 9.66 38.00 37.95 2.65 2.64 27.1 26.8 29.4 28.2 7.950 7.910 272.00 265.00 4.20 4.07 4.3 4.16 10.40 10.02 11.78 10.52 3.90 3.84 2.87 2.80 2.41 1.71 5.95 5.86 6.5 6.2 206 205 4.51 4.51 1.75 1.7 0.189 0.173 1.51 1.50 2.25 2.22 217 214.6 4.5 4.5 0.73 0.72 1.54 1.50 HOLDING FIRMS 0.470 0.470 58.00 57.00 26.70 26.25 1.46 1.31 7.10 7.08 1.71 1.60 2.75 2.54 762 753 9.33 9.17 15.40 15.26 3.15 3.15 4.65 4.65 0.360 0.330 1350 1315 6.23 6.20 68.40 66.40 8.74 8.25 0.74 0.71 15.96 15.84 0.65 0.63 4.85 4.73 5.05 5 1.380 1.330 0.700 0.700 2.45 2.45 71.90 71.40 906.50 901.00 1.29 1.23 100.50 99.55 0.5300 0.4950 0.2500 0.2450 0.330 0.330 PROPERTY 9.250 8.610 10.00 10.00 1.01 0.99 1.400 1.310 37.95 37.25 4.33 4.27

Close

%

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

6.49 70 115.00 100.50 47 2.26 2.36 16.88 25 8.45 0.510 92.9 0.93 18.40 81.30 95.20 350 46 165 1360.00 69.55 3.04

-2.41 0.07 1.95 1.01 -0.63 0.44 -0.84 -0.59 0.20 1.81 -1.92 0.22 -3.13 0.11 -0.37 0.00 -0.57 -0.33 1.35 0.74 0.07 -0.98

43,400 15,880 3,085,500 1,327,510 118,700 142,680 38,000 16,600 1,565,600 35,300 1,080,000 4,797,640 1,470,000 35,200 226,820 7,320 12,450 259,400 539,910 50 37,660 131,000

46.05 1.65 1.1 2.11 8.16 45.1 18.72 21.95 59.5 1.75 12.26 20.450 11.50 8.33 9.65 23.3 29.4 102.5 14.06 0.4700 14.50 6.7 0.630 213.00 9.69 38.00 2.65 27 28.8 7.930 268.00 4.07 4.2 10.04 11.50 3.85 2.83 1.73 5.92 6.3 205 4.51 1.7 0.175 1.50 2.22 216 4.5 0.72 1.51

-0.22 -2.37 0.00 -0.94 -8.31 -10.16 -0.95 -0.23 0.85 -2.78 -6.70 0.74 0.88 0.85 -1.53 12.56 -0.17 -0.29 -0.14 -2.08 -1.76 2.13 -3.08 0.95 -4.44 0.13 -1.12 0.19 2.67 -1.61 -2.69 -3.78 -2.33 -2.52 -2.38 -1.28 -1.39 -33.46 1.20 0.00 0.00 0.45 -3.41 -6.91 -1.32 -1.33 0.75 0.00 1.41 -0.66

5,756,700 66,000 792,000 1,189,000 1,100 1,930 179,100 440,700 5,100,306 84,000 325,900 2,073,800 18,107,200 43,941,400 493,200 534,400 2,382,100 326,750 15,600 140,000 6,100 1,088,800 111,000 783,070 1,972,800 2,500 31,000 2,689,000 722,900 2,022,200 235,530 5,000 780,000 7,616,800 80,700 590,000 1,031,000 1,669,000 1,281,700 9,600 2,580 1,000 312,000 31,450,000 101,000 2,170,000 2,877,030 402,000 379,000 919,000

0.470 57.10 26.65 1.46 7.08 1.70 2.67 760 9.25 15.28 3.15 4.65 0.350 1320 6.20 67.95 8.27 0.72 15.92 0.64 4.78 5 1.340 0.700 2.45 71.55 904.00 1.24 100.50 0.5100 0.2480 0.330

-1.05 -0.52 2.70 -2.01 -0.56 -0.58 1.14 1.20 1.65 0.66 0.00 0.65 -6.67 -0.83 -1.27 3.90 -7.60 0.00 0.25 -1.54 0.84 -0.99 -6.29 0.00 2.08 -1.99 0.22 -5.34 -0.50 -8.93 -4.62 4.76

30,000 940,770 12,249,400 185,000 26,900 14,000 90,000 488,800 1,876,900 6,676,100 1,000 18,000 7,280,000 333,087,270 63,000 3,917,210 18,247,500 120,000 4,735,200 1,331,000 22,656,000 45,000 70,000 51,000 4,000 174,400 389,440 217,680 5,650 22,683,000 1,360,000 110,000

8.690 10.00 1.00 1.320 37.40 4.29

-3.98 -2.72 0.00 -1.49 1.08 -1.38

3,951,200 10,000 2,446,000 138,000 14,523,100 3,007,000

4,500.00 520,711.50 120,927,634.00 1,340.00 120,927,634.00 -12,250.00 222,774.00 0.00 21 -260,000.00 71,228,404.50

52 Weeks

Previous

High Low

STOCKS

6.1 2 2.51 1.5 0.201 0.98 1.09 0.370 2.25 1.77 1.6 4.88 0.180 0.74 4.45 24.8 2.06 3.6 19.62 1.02 6.66 1.96 6.5

5 1.22 1.21 0.97 0.068 0.47 0.87 0.175 1.22 1.18 1.19 2.75 0.070 0.4 2.5 18.72 1.45 2.9 14.1 0.58 3.05 0.87 4.37

3.25 43.7 1.43 1.09 12.46 31.95 14 0.1640 4.05 71 12.3 9 1700 2008 9.04 2.02 118.9 18.4 0.017 0.0653 2.2800 6.99 9.67 2.85 2.2 4.32 1.97 2.45 14.46 0.62 1.040 22.8 6.6 2.85 11.3 3486 0.710 2.01 48.5 74

1.55 27 0.92 0.59 10 18 8.28 0.0960 2.97 44.8 10.14 4 1080 1580 7.12 1.2 94.4 5 0.012 0.026 1.560 1.95 5.82 1.15 1.1 1.9 0.485 1.42 10.14 0.35 0.36 14.54 5.2 1.85 4.39 2572 0.250 0.26 32.2 48

Close

Cebu Holdings Century Property City & Land Dev. Cityland Dev. `A’ Crown Equities Inc. Cyber Bay Corp.

Empire East Land Ever Gotesco Global-Estate Filinvest Land,Inc. Interport `A’ Megaworld Corp.

MRC Allied Ind. Phil. Realty `A’ Primex Corp.

Robinson’s Land `B’ Rockwell Shang Properties Inc. SM Prime Holdings Sta. Lucia Land Inc. Starmalls Suntrust Home Dev. Inc. Vista Land & Lifescapes

High

Low

Close

5.11 0.95 1.25 1.00 0.148 0.465 0.900 0.211 1.60 1.76 1.54 5.45 0.125 0.4600 7.33 28.80 1.77 3.21 19.28 0.92 7.29 1.050 7.420

%

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

5.1 5.09 5.09 0.97 0.95 0.96 1.25 1.25 1.25 1.00 1.00 1.00 0.147 0.144 0.147 0.460 0.460 0.460 0.900 0.900 0.900 0.216 0.201 0.201 1.57 1.47 1.51 1.83 1.79 1.80 1.54 1.49 1.49 5.55 5.42 5.46 0.133 0.125 0.126 0.4600 0.4550 0.4550 7.77 7.37 7.6 29.60 28.60 28.80 1.78 1.75 1.78 3.18 3.16 3.16 19.80 19.30 19.70 0.94 0.87 0.87 7.35 7.18 7.31 1.030 1.020 1.030 7.500 7.320 7.500 SERVICES 8.67 9.22 7.95 7.95 62.8 62.1 59.5 60 1.08 1.09 1.08 1.08 0.680 0.740 0.700 0.700 14 14 14 14 27.95 26.95 26.95 26.95 10.56 10.76 9.90 10.14 0.1100 0.1120 0.1100 0.1100 4.07 4.01 3.9 3.95 85.2 86.4 85.05 86 10.94 10.94 10.94 10.94 6.48 6.60 6.30 6.50 950 1015 1000 1000 1936 1945 1931 1940 6.83 6.80 6.70 6.76 1.61 1.64 1.59 1.63 112.3 112 110.1 110.6 6.00 6.12 6.00 6.12 0.015 0.014 0.014 0.014 0.320 0.325 0.300 0.300 1.3200 1.3100 1.3000 1.3000 2.56 2.65 2.6 2.65 8.96 9.00 8.80 8.86 2.00 1.97 1.97 1.97 1.43 1.45 1.41 1.43 2.26 2.28 2.20 2.28 0.690 0.700 0.680 0.680 1.94 1.98 1.81 1.98 10.08 9.75 9.4 9.45 0.375 0.37 0.36 0.37 0.510 0.530 0.500 0.500 18.04 18.04 18.04 18.04 4.46 4.77 4.55 4.77 3.32 3.32 3.2 3.21 13.76 13.88 13.42 13.88 2900.00 2874.00 2780.00 2788.00 0.590 0.590 0.580 0.580 1.570 1.580 1.490 1.520 41.00 40.90 39.85 40.20 85.90 85.90 84.90 85.75 10.64 10.68 10.40 10.40 0.73 0.73 0.72 0.72 7.2 7.4 7.06 7.06 0.370 0.370 0.345 0.350 1.450 1.540 1.400 1.500 MINING & OIL 0.0058 0.0057 0.0056 0.0056 9.36 9.25 9.18 9.18 0.260 0.270 0.260 0.260 7.0200 7.4500 7 7.0000 7.0100 7.0100 6.98 6.9800 1.07 1.15 1.1 1.1 0.9 0.9 0.89 0.9 7.92 8.50 7.95 8.15 2.21 2.33 2.25 2.29 0.350 0.350 0.340 0.350 0.244 0.236 0.231 0.236 0.250 0.248 0.245 0.245 0.0150 0.0150 0.0140 0.0150 0.0150 0.0160 0.0150 0.0160 5.3 5.5 5.35 5.4 27.2 27.9 27 27.9 3.69 3.88 3.73 3.75 0.7300 0.7700 0.7300 0.7700 2.250 2.300 2.200 2.200 0.0130 0.0130 0.0120 0.0130 7.77 7.6 7.51 7.54 2.89 2.86 2.6 2.6 0.015 0.016 0.015 0.015 154.30 159.90 156.50 159.00 4.24 4.2 4 4.17 PREFERRED 63.15 63 61.5 62.4 512 513 513 513 521 523 520 520 510 508 508 508 6.54 6.6 6.6 6.6 108.5 108.2 108.2 108.2 1050 1080 1060 1060 1075 1036 1035 1036 76.1 76.05 75.85 76.05 82.5 81.2 81 81 83.5 84 83.4 83.4 WARRANTS & BONDS 3.980 4.000 388.000 3.910 SME 7.93 8 7.76 7.8 74 77 69.5 76 10.8 10.88 10.68 10.68 EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 126.1 126.2 125.9 125.9

-0.39 1.05 0.00 0.00 -0.68 -1.08 0.00 -4.74 -5.63 2.27 -3.25 0.18 0.80 -1.09 3.68 0.00 0.56 -1.56 2.18 -5.43 0.27 -1.90 1.08

82,900 3,154,000 10,000 155,000 4,070,000 220,000 0 100,000 10,919,000 56,274,000 904,000 81,521,800 12,660,000 100,000 1,758,800 1,272,100 1,299,000 16,000 17,370,600 7,341,000 2,700 45,000 16,583,100

-153,000.00 2,578,560.00

-8.30 -4.46 0.00 2.94 0.00 -3.58 -3.98 0.00 -2.95 0.94 0.00 0.31 5.26 0.21 -1.02 1.24 -1.51 2.00 -6.67 -6.25 -1.52 3.52 -1.12 -1.50 0.00 0.88 -1.45 2.06 -6.25 -2.67 -1.96 0.00 6.95 -3.31 0.87 -3.86 -1.69 -3.18 -1.95 -0.17 -2.26 -1.37 -1.94 -5.41 3.45

1,248,600 122,750 45,000 2,590,000 218,000 700 29,010,000 12,660,000 789,000 567,630 3,600 187,000 60 90,810 234,000 129,000 1,411,470 22,400 42,100,000 36,090,000 942,000 3,000 795,400 9,000 15,000 90,000 45,000 5,000 6,063,700 840,000 967,000 23,300 14,000 198,000 1,189,700 397,265 1,166,000 15,575,000 1,688,700 700,610 7,054,500 621,000 2,654,700 600,000 253,000

-3.45 -1.92 0.00 -0.28 -0.43 2.80 0.00 2.90 3.62 0.00 -3.28 -2.00 0.00 6.67 1.89 2.57 1.63 5.48 -2.22 0.00 -2.96 -10.03 0.00 3.05 -1.65

217,000,000 544,900 -102,098.00 70,000 -2,600.00 57,000 78,700 -268,230.00 409,000 221,100.00 145,000 177,700 16,500.00 20,051,000 8,161,760.00 480,000 31,920,000 2,580,000 74,080.00 239,800,000 4,800,000 60,000.00 1,069,800 -21,800.00 3,898,400 -3,692,530.00 4,821,000 450,900.00 210,000 1,152,000 42,660.00 31,500,000 1,672,300 -516,750.00 345,000 147,640.00 21,600,000 16,500.00 887,740 70,851,370.00 123,000

-1.19 0.20 -0.19 -0.39 0.92 -0.28 0.95 -3.63 -0.07 -1.82 -0.12

460,430 1,000 2,420 100 37,000 26,050 655 2,245 29,800 67,310 27,970

-1.76

611,000

-1.64 2.70 -1.11

393,400 62,060 1,108,000

102,320.00

-0.16

23,520

11,340.00

-4,285,260.00 48,173,240.00 74,565,858.00

MST 31.75 2.51 0.88 1.25 9.58 40.2 14.6 9.82 21.5 0.82 17.3 5.98 9.05 4.25 8.68 8.61 12.2 48.9 16 0.0097 12.8 2.05 0.32 150.8 8.55 48.5 2.8 20.35 12 10.1 246 3.37 4 11.56 9.94 4.33

Aboitiz Power Corp.

Agrinurture Inc. Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. Alsons Cons.

Asiabest Group Bogo Medelin Century Food Cirtek Holdings (Chips) Concepcion Da Vinci Capital Del Monte DNL Industries Inc. Emperador Energy Devt. Corp. (EDC) EEI Federal Res. Inv. Group First Gen Corp.

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

Lafarge Rep Liberty Flour LMG Chemicals Manila Water Co. Inc. Maxs Group Megawide Mla. Elect. Co `A’ Panasonic Mfg Phil. Corp.

Pepsi-Cola Products Phil.

Petron Corporation Phinma Corporation Phoenix Petroleum Phils.

Phoenix Semiconductor Pryce Corp. `A’ 4.88 RFM Corporation 2.28 Roxas Holdings 210 San Miguel’Pure Foods `B’ 4.1 SPC Power Corp.

1.7 Splash Corporation 0.102 Swift Foods, Inc. 1.6 TKC Steel Corp.

1.37 Trans-Asia Oil 111.3 Universal Robina 1.58 Victorias Milling 0.550 Vitarich Corp.

1.33 Vulcan Ind’l.

46.15 1.69 1.1 2.13 8.9 50.2 18.9 22 59 1.8 13.14 20.300 11.40 8.26 9.80 20.7 29.45 102.8 14.08 0.4800 14.76 6.56 0.650 211.00 10.14 37.95 2.68 26.95 28.05 8.060 275.40 4.23 4.3 10.30 11.78 3.90 2.87 2.6 5.85 6.3 205 4.49 1.76 0.188 1.52 2.25 214.4 4.5 0.71 1.52

0.46 45.75 21.95 1.6 6.3 1.550 1.8 508 7.470 47.25 2.51 4 0.144 706 5.3 36.7 3.95 0.58 12.96 0.580 4.06 4.5 1.23 0.355 2.36 54.5 680 1.04 58.05 0.158 0.150 0.295

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

Forum Pacific GT Capital House of Inv. JG Summit Holdings Lopez Holdings Corp.

Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp.

LT Group Mabuhay Holdings `A’ Metro Pacific Inv. Corp.

Minerales Industrias Corp.

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

0.475 57.40 25.95 1.49 7.12 1.71 2.64 751 9.1 15.18 3.15 4.62 0.375 1331 6.28 65.40 8.95 0.72 15.88 0.65 4.74 5.05 1.430 0.700 2.4 73.00 902.00 1.31 101.00 0.5600 0.2600 0.315

5.51 12 0.99 1 23.7 4.41

8990 HLDG 9.050 Anchor Land Holdings Inc. 10.28 A. Brown Co., Inc. 1.00 Araneta Prop `A’ 1.340 Ayala Land `B’ 37.00 Belle Corp. `A’ 4.35

Trading Summary FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL HOLDING FIRMS PROPERTY SERVICES MINING & OIL GRAND TOTAL

SHARES 15089151 138317604 106399873 312197316 174940016 585952213 1334483153

8,259,989.50

235,725.00 -33,074,517.00 -64,995.00

0.87 11.46 0.435 1.6

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

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

DFNN Inc. FEUI Globe Telecom GMA Network Inc. Harbor Star I.C.T.S.I. Imperial Res. `A’ IP E-Game Ventures Inc. Island Info ISM Communications Jackstones Leisure & Resorts Liberty Telecom Lorenzo Shipping Macroasia Corp.

Manila Bulletin Manila Jockey Melco Crown MG Holdings NOW Corp.

Pacific Online Sys. Corp.

PAL Holdings Inc. Paxys Inc. Philweb.Com Inc. PLDT Common PremiereHorizon Premium Leisure Puregold Robinsons RTL SSI Group 0.59 STI Holdings 7.78 Travellers 0.305 Waterfront Phils.

1.04 Yehey

0.0086 17.24 0.325 12.8 12.7 1.2 1.73 10.98

0.0028 11.48 0.225 6.2 6 0.5 0.76 4.93

0.46 0.455 0.730 0.024 0.026 8.2 48.85 3.35 1.030 3.06 0.021 12.88 10.42 0.042 420 9

0.385 0.3000 0.2950 0.012 0.014 1.960 14.22 1.47 0.220 1.24 0.016 7.8 6.5 0.031 123 4.3

44.1

26.3

60 511 9.04

30 480 6.76

77.3 78.95 81.85

74.2 74.5 75

3,514,411.00

2.42

0.0010 LR Warrant

100,000.00

10.96 35

2.4 7.74

Double Dragon IRipple E-Business Intl Xurpas

119.6

94

First Metro ETF

-144,905,785.00

-54,900.00

1,573,516.00

27,110,040.00 11,446,006.00 -44,845,151.00 -950,117.00 -44,600.00 750,860.00 -10,026,869.00 -219,336.00 46,000.00

2,202,712.00

-76,342,464.00 -2,719,967.00

10,199,595.00 5,010,265.00 -15,820,000.00 -14,466,346.00

-1,132,430.00 8,291,976.00 716,550.00 -169,800.00 1,900.00

-107,710.00

44,800.00 1,949,886.00 1,764,000.00

-37,076,439.00 42,010,220.00

89,479,890.00 6,025,577.00 46,113,546.00 -10,500.00

6,210.00 52,064,940.00 -14,151,361.00

4,844,074.00 637,000.00 25,370,150.00

-5,044,945.00 -78,069,420.00

-167,380.00 10,200.00 122,500.00

139,531,430.00 6,805,720.00

Abra Mining Atlas Cons. `A’ Basic Energy Corp.

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

TA Petroleum ABS-CBN Holdings Corp.

Ayala Corp. Pref `B1’ Ayala Corp. Pref ‘B2’ GLOBE PREF P GMA Holdings Inc. MWIDE PREF PCOR-Preferred A PCOR-Preferred B SMC Preferred A SMC Preferred B SMC Preferred C

T op g ainerS VALUE 1127604953.90 2136041802.162 2199254776.93 2218849351.67 2696709568.27 356178946.884 10757211387.32

STOCKS

FINANCIAL 1,809.56 (up) 1.68 INDUSTRIAL 12,642.18 (down) 51.39 HOLDING FIRMS 6,948.54 (up) 22.44 PROPERTY 3,108.21 (down) 29.87 SERVICES 2,080.37 (down) 43.46 MINING & OIL 15,872.82 (up) 143.41 PSEI 7,756.58 (down) 32.52 All Shares Index 4,502.19 (down) 19.90 Gainers: 52; Losers: 119; Unchanged: 48; Total: 219

1,016,826.00 -2,809,275.00 -444,750.00 -13,249.00

-28,316,595.00 299,555.00

100.00 0.00 -58,935,584.00 -55,000.00 -28,778,125.50

-694,050.00 -55,000.00 20,780,910.00 -6,547,145.00

39,500.00

-4,435,517.00

4,385,309.00 100,000.00

4,770.00 160,500.00 9,444,820.00 -477,983,040.00 1,798,570.00 -43,547,335.00 -22,378,104.00 -49,840,368.00 -6,335,088.00

-4,007,652.00

-950,625.00 -5,457,020.00

1,441,190.00

T op L oSerS Close (P)

Change (%)

STOCKS

Close (P)

Change (%)

Federal Res. Inv. Group

23.3

12.56

Pryce Corp. `A'

1.73

-33.46

PAL Holdings Inc.

4.77

6.95

Bogo Medelin

45.1

-10.16

Manila Mining `B'

0.0160

6.67

PhilexPetroleum

2.6

-10.03

Omico

0.7700

5.48

Unioil Res. & Hldgs

0.5100

-8.93

FEUI

1000

5.26

Asiabest Group

8.16

-8.31

Zeus Holdings

0.330

4.76

2GO Group'

7.95

-8.30

JG Summit Holdings

67.95

3.90

Lopez Holdings Corp.

8.27

-7.60

Primex Corp.

7.6

3.68

Swift Foods, Inc.

0.175

-6.91

Ferronickel

2.29

3.62

Del Monte

12.26

-6.70

Jackstones

2.65

3.52

Forum Pacific

0.350

-6.67

THURSDAY: MARCH 19, 2015

B3

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

Roxas buys into San Carlos

By Alena Mae S. Flores

ROXAS Pacific Bioenergy Corp., a subsidiary of Roxas Holdings Inc., has acquired a 26.7-percent stake in San Carlos Bioenergy Inc. for P420.525 million.

Roxas Holdings disclosed to the Philippine Stock Exchange it signed Wednesday an agreement with Bronzeoak Philippines Inc. to acquire the latter’s 26.70 percent shareholdings in SCBI. San Carlos is a bioethanol company located in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental.

It is a Philippine Economic Zone Authority registered company incorporated in May 2005 to construct, own and operate an integrated fuel bioethanol distillery and power co-generation facility, thus making it the first fuel bioethanol and co-generation facility in the Philippines and

Southeast Asia. San Carlos utilizes sugarcane to supply the country’s fuel and energy demands, in compliance with the mandates of the Biofuels Act of 2006 and the Renewable Energy Act of 2008.

The laws are aimed at lessening the country’s dependence on imported traditional fuel, generate jobs on the countryside and improve air quality.

Bronzeoak Philippines is San Carlos’ developer which provided unique and valuable expertise in biomass power plant engineering, while its principal sponsor, Zabaleta and Co., renders sugarbased agricultural experience.

Equity capital was raised both

domestically through San Julio Realty Inc., Valmayor Ventures Inc., National Development Co. and the Majent Group. and through FE Clean Energy of New York.

SCBI processes a maximum of 1,500 tons of sugarcane to produce 125,000 liters of bioethanol and generate a rated capacity of around 7.4MW where at least 2.4 MWh is to be supplied to the power grid daily.

The production of both alternative and renewable energy is governed by separate contracts, apart from those executed with other government agencies under the Executive Branch.

Enrique Razon Jr. (left), chairman and president of International Container Terminal Services Inc., pays a courtesy call on Basra, Iraq Governor Majid Al Nasrawe.

ICTSI’s Razon inspects Basra port upgrade INTERNATIONAL Container Terminal Services Inc. chairman and president Enrique Razon toured the Basra Gateway Terminal, ICTSI’s unit in the port of Umm Qasr.

Razon personally inspected the upgrade works in Berth 20, the existing facility in Umm Qasr’s North Port where ICTSI started operations in November 2014.

He also checked the piling works taking place opposite ICTSI’s existing terminal where it is investing in the development of an entirely new state-of-the-art container and multi-purpose facility.

ICTSI committed to invest $130 million to upgrade the terminal facilities and capacity.

“We are proud to be present in the port of Umm Qasr to undertake the first foreign financed development of an entirely new port infrastructure and to contribute to the future growth and prosperity of the country, said Razon during his visit, which included meetings with diverse stakeholders and the BGT staff.

“We would like to thank the Governor of Basra and General

Company for the Ports of Iraq for working with us in this important endeavor,” he said.

The first phase development of the new container/multi-purpose facility consists of a 250-meter berth and 13 hectares of storage area. Upon completion, the new facility will have a 600 meter berth and 55 hectares of yard and stacking area.

Investments at Berth 20, as well as in personnel training and back-up systems, are already paying off with container handling rates now averaging 24 moves per hour from 10 moves per hour during the early days of terminal operation.

The port of Umm Qasr is Iraq’s premier maritime gateway with a hinterland that extends to the capital city of Baghdad. It also serves some of the world’s largest oilfields in southern Iraq.

The multi-purpose capability of BGT is designed to meet high capacity container handling requirements, overspecialized facilities requirements, as well as the general cargo and project cargo requirements at adjacent facilities. The terminal also features a strong land bank for logistic and other activities.

BGT is a subsidiary of ICTSI, an international operator of common-user container terminals serving the global container shipping industry. ICTSI is the largest port operator in the Philippines and has a portfolio of 29 container terminal operations in 21 countries across six continents.

Market tumbles as PLDT declines THE stock market fell Wednesday, weighed down by the drop in the share prices of Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. and Bloomberry Resorts Corp.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index slipped 32.52 points, or 0.4 percent, to 7,756.58 on a valure turnover of P8.2 billion. Losers overwhelmed gainers, 119 to 52, with 48 issues unchanged.

PLDT, the biggest telecommunications firm, tumbled 3 percent to P2,788, while Bloomberry, which operates a casino on a reclaimed part of Manila Bay, sank 4.3 percent to P10.14.

Bloomberry, controlled by billionaire Enrique Razon Jr. and operator of a casino in Parañaque City, will buy a casino operator and an island in South Korea to develop a leisure and tourism complex, as he taps the country’s growth in gambling on rising tourist arrivals from China.

Ayala Land Inc., the secondlargest property developer, lost 1.3 percent to P37.45, while Megaworld Corp., the biggest lessor of office spaces, declined 1.8 percent to P5.44.

Lopez Holdings Corp. tumbled 5.4 percent to P8.28.

Asian markets mostly advanced Wednesday as investors await the end of the Federal Reserve’s policy meeting later in the day, hoping for clues about its plans for interest rates.

Shanghai and Hong Kong were the stand-out performers on hopes of fresh stimulus measures from China, while the dollar edged down as investors kept their powder dry before the Fed announcement.

Japan’s Nikkei index rallied from early losses as Nintendo soared more than 21 percent hitting its daily stop limit, after the company announced plans to enter the mobile gaming market.

With AFP

Ayala Land placement. Ayala Land

Inc. holdds a bell ringing ceremony at the Philippine Stock Exchange for the listing of the subscription tranche of its P16-billion equity topup placement, the largest capital-raising activity for ALI as a listed company. Shown (from left) are ALI Treasurer Augusto Bengzon; ALI chief finance officer Jaime Ysmael; ALI president and chief executive Bernard Vincent Dy; ALI chairman Fernando Zobel de Ayala; PSE chairman Jose Pardo; PSE president and CEO Hans Sicat; PSE chief operating officer Roel Refran and PSE Director Alejandro Yu.

B4

BUSINESS Govt eyes 1m US tourists

By Roderick T. dela Cruz

NEW YORK—The Tourism Department has unveiled a plan to boost the annual tourism traffic from the United States to the Philippines to 1 million in three years, supported by the reopening of the Manila-Vancouver-New York service of Philippine Airlines.

Michelle Dy, officer-in-charge of the Tourism Department in New York, said PAL’s flights between Manila and the US East Coast would encourage more US tourists as well as Filipino-Americans holding US passports to visit the Philippines.

“This is exciting news for East Coast travelers who now have access to convenient flight

options to Manila,” said Dy. PAL president and chief operating officer Jaime Bautisa said the new service would be beneficial to over half a million FilipinoAmericans in the US East Coast, including 253,000 in the New York-New Jersey metropolitan area, 90,000 in Virgina, 75,000 in Washington D.C. and environs and 31,000 in the Philadephia metro area.

The US emerged as the second largest tourism market of the Philippines in 2014, next to South Korea. International visitor arrivals in the Philippines rose 3.3 percent in 2014 to 4.83 million from 4.67 million in 2013.

South Korea kept its position as the leading source market with 1.175 million visitors, followed by the United States with 722,750 arrivals. The number of visitors from the US grew 7.14 percent last year, data from the Tourism Department showed.

Earnings from inbound tourism in 2014 hit $4.84 billion, up by 10 percent from $4.4 billion in 2013. Visitors from Korea had the

highest contribution at P61.02 billion, while the United States contributed P41.43 billion and Canada added P8.48 billion.

PAL chairman and chief executive Lucio Tan said the reopening of the Manila-New York service on March 15 coincided with the airline’s 74th anniversary. “This marks our return to New York after 18 years,” he said.

The flag carrier, which started flying to New York via Vancouver in September 1996, ended the operation in August of the following year, because of the restrictions associated with the Category 2 rating imposed on the Philippines by the US Federal Aviation Administration, according to Bautista.

US Ambassador to the Philippines Philip Goldberg, in a speech during the send-off ceremony prior to the inaugural Manila-New York flight via Vancouver, said PAL’s return to the “Big Apple” was a “a testament to our friendship, common history and our shared heritage.”

Facebook invite. Globe Telecom Inc. president and chief executive Ernest Cu (kneeling fourth from left) joins leaders around the world

during a dinner hosted by Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg (fifth from left). Kneeling from left are Millicom senior executive vice president for Latin America Mario Zanotti; Vimpelcom’s Augie Fabela II; Facebook VP of growth and analytics Javier Olivan; Telcel CEO Daniel Hajj Aboumrad; Telenor CEO Jon Fredrik Baksaas; Facebook VP for partnerships Dan Rose; and Facebook VP of business development Chris Daniels.

Avida unveils P20-b projects

By Jenniffer B. Austria AVIDA Land Inc., the mid-market residential brand of property developer Ayala Land Inc., is set to launch 10 projects worth P20 billion in the first half of the year.

Avida Land president Christopher Maglanoc said in a press briefing Wednesday the group would launch seven residential condominiums, two land and house subdivisions and one office condominium.

The projects are located across several areas across the country, including Bonifacio Global City, Makati City, Quezon City, Muntinlupa, Bulacan, Tagaytay, Iloilo and Tuguegarao.

“We see bigger prospects for Avida this year as we aim to launch more projects in various strategic locations nationwide.

All of these is part of our commitment as we diversify and expand our product offerings to create better lifestyle opportunities for our target market,” Maglanoc said.

Avida Land earlier disclosed plans on the upcoming Avida Towers in Cloverleaf, Ayala Land’s township project in Balintawak, Quezon City.

Avida Land’s 1.4-hectare condominium development would add 2,300 units residential offering to complement the retail, business and lifestyle components of Cloverleaf.

For the office development, Avida Land senior division manager Herbert Herrero said the group would launch its second office-for-sale development in Bonifacio Global City to generate as much as P4.4 billion in sales.

ERC approves expansion of alternative power supply program

By Alena Mae S. Flores THE Energy Regulatory Commission approved the expansion of the interruptible load program to ease the power shortage in the dry months, an official said Wednesday.

ERC executive director Francis Saturnino Juan told reporters the original ILP design covered only the captive customers, or those that are directly served by distribution utilities like Manila Electric Co. The ILP encourages large power users to use their generating sets and pull out from the grid

to reduce demand. Around 755 MW of capacity has been committed from ILP participants to date.

“We collaborated with various stakeholders to include contestable customers, customers directly-connected to the grid and locators in the economic zones with self-generating facilities,” Juan said.

“The proposed amendments to the ILP rules--to include more participants--were approved by the commission,” Juan said.

He said deliberations had been completed and the final resolu-

tion on the rules would soon be released.

“The ERC is working on the promulgation right now. Before effectivity, it has to be published before implementation,” Juan said The amended rules would establish the process for the ILP program not only for the distribution utilities but also for the directly-connected customers of National Grid Corporation of the Philippines.

Prospective customers may come from contestable customers who already have an existing contract with so-called re-

tail electricity suppliers and the directly connected customers of NGCP. ERC earlier said there was a need to amend certain provisions of the current ILP rules to be able to allow additional participants and contestable customers in the ILP and provide a transparent and reasonable recovery of the associated cost.

“We are looking at amending the existing ILP rules to be able to allow contestable and directly-connected customers to participate in the ILP. Their participation will increase the ILP capacity currently en-

rolled in the program and help alleviate any supply deficit we may have in the future,” Juan said earlier.

The rules also spelled out the billing and compensation for deloading of the ILP participants from the grid.

“The deloading compensation shall be computed multiplying the deloaded kWh less registered kWh in the meter, if any, during the periods when the distribution utility/National Grid requests a participating customer to deload, multiplied by the incremental de-loading cost per kWh,” the amended rules earlier said.

T H U R S D AY : M A R C H 1 9, 2 0 1 5

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

B5

BSP to okay new foreign banks

By Julito G. Rada

THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas will shortly approve the request of Asian banks planning expand their operations in the Philippines.

World’s best. SPINNR, a music service introduced by wireless services leader Smart

Communications Inc., was named the ‘Best Mobile Music App’ by the prestigious GSMA telecoms industry association at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. The app, which kick-started the music streaming revolution in the Philippines, won at the GSMA’s 20th Global Mobile Awards, dubbed the ‘Oscars’ of the mobile industry. Launched in 2013, SPINNR is the only music app that combines premium ad-free streaming with song purchases and free radio service. Mellissa Limcaoco, head of Smart’s innovation and product development group, received the award.

Bangko Sentral Deputy Governor Nestor Espenilla Jr. said Wednesday the regulator would make the appropriate announcement on the matter.

“Currently we are processing three [applications]… in addition to one that is already approved,” Espenilla said. “And there have been additional applications.”

Early this month, Espenilla said two Asian banks have already formally submitted their applications with the central bank. He said five more Asian banks “are in the process of completing the needed requirements” for application. He did not name the foreign banks.

Espenilla said he was expecting more foreign banks would show interest to expand here, most of them operating in Asia. “[For European banks], I guess they have their own priorities.

They have their own strategy, for example, which markets they will go first. I guess there will come a time when their assessments will move them in a more Asian direction,” Espenilla said.

But Espenilla said branching was the focus of these foreign banks’ applications, which is easier to set up.

“The problem with the subsidiary is that it takes two to tango.

They need something to acquire.

Because it is hard for them to set up from scratch as a subsidiary because it just takes too long time. So those who are thinking subsidiary are first and foremost looking for suitable target first,” Espenilla said.

The policy-making Monetary Board of the Bangko Sentral in November last year, announced the approval of the implementing rules and regulations of Republic Act 10641, which allows the further entry of foreign banks into the country.

With the approval of the IRR, additional foreign banks can now apply to operate in the Philippines either as a branch or as a wholly-owned subsidiary.

RA 10641 amended RA 7721, which was passed into law in May 1994.

Bangko Sentral Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. earlier said implementing the new law came at an opportune time because the foreign banks could be vehicles to attract more foreign direct investments into the country.

He also cited the investment-grade rating eqrned by the Philippines.

The new allows foreign banks to acquire up to 100 percent of the voting stock of an existing domestic bank, an increase from the 60 percent cap under the previous law.

Tomato paste producer Govt hikes local sugar allocation readies $25-m expansion By Anna Leah E. Gonzales

By Othel V. Campos TOMATO paste maker NS International Inc. will put up a $25-million tomato paste plant in Batangas province by 2016 as part of an expansion program.

NS International president and chief Nuccio Saverio said the expansion was needed because Philippines remained a net importer of tomato paste from China.

“Given our very small production capacity, we import about 40,000 metric tons of tomato paste from China. This expansion will partly address the supply and limit importation, although not as much as we want too,” he said at the sidelines of a visit by an Italian trade delegation Wednesday at the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry Building at the Bonifacio Global City.

The Philippines imports about 40,000 MT of tomato paste yearly.

Tomato paste is used to manufacture tomato sauce, tomato catsup and other sauces and condiments in which tomato is a primary ingredient.

The new facility will be located in a consolidated farm land in Batangas with a production capacity of 7,000 metric tons a year.

The company expects to start commercial production by 2016.

It plans to engage farmers to

plant tomato and other crops under a contract growing agreement.

Saverio teamed up with fellow Italian investors to fund the project.

NS International is currently operating its first venture into the tomato paste manufacturing in Santa, Ilocos Sur with the provincial government as partner.

After nearly four years in operation, the company is beefing up its Ilocos Sur facility to increase production capacity to 5,000 MT by the end of 2015.

NS International supplies tomato paste to Del Monte Philippines, RAM Food Products Inc and a company that supplies tomato sauce to Shakey’s Philippines. It employs 1,500 farmers on a contractual basis.

Saverio said his company was also interested in putting up a repacking facility that may cost about P50 million in additional investment, once the Batangas plant is up and running.

A purely Filipino company, Northern Foods Corp., is into tomato paste manufacturing long before NS International started producing the same commodity.

Partly-owned by former National Livelihood Development Corp., it engages 3,000 Ilocano farmers to handpick red-ripe tomatoes in a yearly contract growing arrangement.

THE Sugar Regulatory Administration on Wednesday increased the sugar allocation for the domestic market and removed the share of exports as production fell below the forecast target.

SRA administrator Regina Martin said the world market sugar allocation was slashed to zero from 5 percent, while supply to the domestic market was

increased to 95 percent from the previous 90 percent.

SRA retained the 5 percent allocation for the US sugar quota.

Martin said the country’s total raw sugar production in the current crop year was estimated at 2.465 million metric tons. This is lower than the 2.5 million metric tons earlier projected by the SRA. The volume, however, was slightly higher than 2.449 million metric in the previous crop year.

SRA earlier said domestic con-

sumption for the crop year would be at 2.25 million metric tons.

Martin said the lower sugar production was due to bad weather that affected most of the sugar-producing provinces in Visayas.

“Rains at the start of the sugar milling season in September affected the maturity of canes in the Visayas region,” Martin said.

The sugar crop year begins in September and ends in August of the following year.

New Ginebra brandy Ginebra San Miguel Inc. introduced its newest product, Primera Light Brandy. Made from choice grapes, Primera Light Brandy is aged longer and made smoother by the breakthrough Premium Smooth Blend Process. At the launch are (front row, from left) Primera Light Brandy brand ambassador Chris Ellis, marketing manager Nelson Elises, president Bernard Marquez and national sales manager Allan Mercado. At the back row (from left) are Ginebra basketball players Greg Slaughter, Mark Caguioa, Japeth Aguilar, Jayjay Helterbrand and Rodney Brondial. Primera Light Brandy is initially available in the Greater Manila Area and other neighboring cities and provinces.

B6

THURSDAY: MARCH 19, 2015

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

Vista Land posts record profit

By Jenniffer B. Austria

VISTA Land and Lifescapes Inc., the country’s leading home builder, said Wednesday net income in 2014 hit a record P5.71 billion, up 13 percent from a year ago on aggressive project launching.

Vista Land president and chief executive officer Manuel Paolo Villar said in a press briefing total revenues climbed 11 percent in 2014 to P22.23 billion from P20 billion in 2013.

Reservation sales also hit a record P51.7 billion, an increase of 12 percent from the 2013 level, as the company launched 44 projects in 2014 with an estimated sales value of P27 billion.

“We are very pleased to report that 2014 is another banner year for the company,” Villar said.

“Our strategy is paying off and given the strength of the property market, particularly in the housing sector, we will continue to focus on bringing our housing brands to families around the country,” Villar added.

Villlar said Vista Land this year would further accelerate project launches as it plans to unveil

mid-rise and high-rise condominium projects as well as commercial developments.

Villar said Vista Land was taking advantage of the “rising middle class” in the Philippines.

“We are already seeing affordability increasing not just in Metro Manila but also in the provincial areas. Thus, we continue to add to our existing footprint of 34 provinces, 76 cities and municipalities around the country,” Villar said.

“We are also ramping up our commercial developments within or near our existing residential developments to build up our recurring revenue base while enhancing the value of our residential projects,” he added.

To take advantage of the continued growth in the housing sector, the property company last year acquired an additional 433 hectares of land to boost its landbank to 2,111 hectares nationwide.

Vista Land plans to raise $100 million in debt this year to fund project expansion and pay maturing debts.

Vista Land chairman and former senate president Manuel Villar Jr. expects the company to sustain its strong performance in 2015.

“The market demand for housing, particularly in the lower end of the market, continues to be robust and we don’t see any risk of a slowdown in that segment,” Villar, who was recently named as one of the top billionaires by Forbes Magazine.

Korean dairy grant. Officers and members of the Dairy GenTri Raisers Multi-Purpose Coopera-

tive receive new farm equipment from Deputy Resident Representative of Korean International Cooperation Agency Seo Dong Sung in a simple ceremony held at the processing plant in Barangay Santiago. The handover was witnessed by local officials led by Mayor Antonio Ferrer (extreme right), Vice Mayor Maurito Sison (extreme left), councilors Flor Ayos, Gary Grepo, Jona Labuguen and Kerby Salazar, municipal agriculturist Nerissa Marquez and Barangay Santiago chief executives Rolando Pagkaliwangan and the Philippine Carabao Center led by Arnel del Bario.

Greece fighting a different city hall WHILE observing the posture of the new government of Greece on the issue of RUDY ROMERO that southeastern European country’s external debt and national budget, I have been reminded of a saying that is popular among businessmen awed by the capacity of national and local authorities to adversely affect the operations of business enterprises. The saying is, “You can’t fight City Hall.”

The Greek government that was voted into office late last year has been doing exactly that: fighting City Hall. But there’s a difference here. The City Hall that the government of newly elected Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has been fighting has been not the usual national government or local government unit but the international City Hall.

The international City Hall that the Greek government has been fighting is not a single institution but a group composed of four of the most powerful institutions in the world. The three institutions are the International Monetary Fund, the European Central Bank, the European Union and the German government.

As with a number of other EU members – Ireland, Spain, Portugal and Italy – Greece’s troubles began with the onset in 2008 of the worst economic downturn experienced by the world economy since the Great Depression. Caught in pincer-like fashion between the need to slash a bloated national budget and a revenue stream sharply reduced by the recession, Athens applied for, and was granted, huge bailout loans by the IMF and the ECB. Inevitably, the deep cuts in government social spending and the sharp rise in unemployment produced severe hardship among the Greek citizenry. Street protests and riots erupted.

Parliamentary elections were scheduled for 2014. One of the strongest contenders for national power was the party led by Tsipras, which campaigned on a platform of ending the economic austerity required by the IMF, the ECB, the EU and, last but not least, the German government headed by Chancellor Angela Merkel. As forecast, Tsipras’ party obtained a majority in the new parliament and the young populist was elected Prime Minister.

True to his campaign rhetoric, Tsipras lost no time informing international City Hall of Greece’s disinclination to maintain the policy of austerity and its intention to put forward a bailout-restructuring plan embodying terms much more favorable to Greece. He told the heads of the IMF, the ECB and the EU and Chancellor Merkel that Greece was through with austerity and that no way would the Greek government agree to a second round of harsh bailout terms. Numerous meetings have been held between the Greek government and its international creditors, but Tsipras has hung tough.

International City Hall has refused to budge, either, with the tone of the conversation increasingly becoming comply-or-else. With large payments by scheduled for March 21 and March 31, 2015, decision time clearly is just around the corner.

It is not difficult to draw comparisons between the government of Greece and the Philippine government. The Philippine economy has been, more than once, in the predicament that the Greek economy is in today. Severe budget cuts, high unemployment, declines in gross domestic product, currency depreciation – yes, the Philippines has been there.

The difference is that this country’s beleaguered economic authorities did not approach its creditors in an arrogant, take-it-or-leave-it manner. They were civil, respectful and responsible. They made no threats and they conducted themselves reasonably.

The Philippine negotiating team that approached this country’s creditors – later collectively known as the Paris Group – in 1962, 1970 and 1983 were fully appreciative that a country in dire economic straits cannot fight international City Hall.

Tsipras and his colleagues should realize that.

BUSINESS CLASS

E-mail: rudyromero777@yahoo.com

Republic of the Philippines

DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE Roxas Boulevard Corner Pablo Ocampo, Sr. Street Manila 1004

SSS helps Taiwan job seekers working days from receipt of request,” Salazar said.

He clarified that only Taiwan-bound members THE Social Security System said Wednesday it will issue a certificate of application for the who applied from December 10, 2014 or those Unified Multipurpose card for members seeking with earlier requests that had passed fingerprint investigation would be issued certifications. employment in Taiwan.

“As additional consideration, The certification will be issued we also allow the authorized to help job seekers comply with representative or liaison officer the requirements for a Taiwanese of their recruitment agency to working visa, pending the release Certification will of their UMID cards. comply with working request the certifications on their behalf so they can spend SSS manager for ID card visa requirements. the time they have to proceed production Jose Antonio Salazar with other several errands,” said the Taipei Economic and Salazar said.

Cultural Office, or TECO, in Taiwan-bound members with Manila agreed to accept SSS certifications in consideration of the status of SSS pending UMID card applications can file their request at any SSS branch until May 15, 2015. SSS UMID card production.

The SSS is currently experiencing delay in certifications will be released at the SSS branch UMID card production as card printing is in the Philippine Overseas and Employment temporarily suspended due to the ongoing Agency.

“We are also reminding our members that the acquisition for UMID card printing services.

“To address the urgency of their applications lack of SSS ID does not affect their entitlement to for an ID, we will issue the certification after two loans and benefits,” Salazar said.

By Jennifer Ambanta

DEPARTMENT ORDER NO. 028.2015 06 MARCH 2015 SUBJECT:

EXEMPTION OF AIRLINE COMPANIES GRANTED WITH CONGRESSIONAL FRANCHISE FROM DEPARTMENT ORDER NO. 12-2014, AS AMENDED BY DO NO. 18-2014, COVERING SPECIFIC IMPORTATIONS

Section 1. Airline companies granted Congressional franchises may be exempted from obtaining the Importers Clearance Certificate (ICC) from the Bureau of Internal Revenue prescribed under Department Order (DO) No. 12-2014, as amended by DO No. 18-2014, on specific importations of aircraft, equipment, machinery and spare parts, on the basis of overriding and paramount public policy, public safety and public necessity considerations.

Section 2. The entities identified above are still required to submit documentary requirements imposed by the Bureau of Customs for accreditation and must remain compliant with other existing regulations.

Section 3. Any availment of the exemption provided in this Order shall be accompanied by a certification from Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines on the necessity of the importation in view of public safety.

Section 4. The Commissioner of Customs shall only grant the exemption upon compliance with the rules above set forth. He shall thereafter cause the monthly submission to this Department of a report on every importation allowed.

Section 5. All orders, circulars, memoranda, issuances contrary to or inconsistent herewith are hereby revoked and/or modified, and all concerned shall be guided accordingly.

Section 6. This Department Order shall take effect immediately.

By authority of the Secretary:

(TNS-MAR. 19, 2015)

(SGD.) CARLO A. CARAG Undersecretary/Officer-in-Charge

t H u r s D aY : M a r c H 1 9, 2 0 1 5

WORLD

cesar barrioquinto EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

B7

Aid starts flowing to Vanuatu TANNA—Aid began arriving in some of cyclone-hit Vanuatu’s worst affected islands Wednesday but others remain isolated, with flights over the Pacific nation showing desperate villagers spelling out the letter “H” for help.

In China, French food is daunting BEIJING—With its unusual cutlery, bizarre names and complex etiquette, French haute cuisine is as daunting as it is appealing to Chinese diners, despite the Asian country’s own proud culinary tradition.

French cuisine has an unrivaled reputation but some critics see standards as slipping and last year a British magazine only included five Gallic establishments in its World’s 50 Best Restaurants—none in the top 10.

On Thursday more than 40 restaurants in China will offer sixcourse menus highlighting French ingredients as part of a worldwide gastronomic and diplomatic fightback in the face of ever-increasing competition.

The French ambassador in Beijing will receive 160 high-society guests and Paris’s consulates in Hong Kong and Shanghai will put on dinners.

But French chefs have to educate their audiences in China more than elsewhere.

The biggest challenge is linguistic: how to translate into Mandarin terms like “gougères” (cheese puffs), “mouillettes” (soldiers for boiled eggs) or “mignardises” (miniature pastries served with coffee or canapes).

In many countries restaurants will use French terminology, but with no equivalent in Chinese characters they have to resort to descriptions, preferably matching the contents of the plate.

At the embassy in Beijing, the task falls to Wang Wei, the ambassador’s social secretary, who has to find equivalents for expressions such as “Noisette d’agneau en damier” (literally “lamb medallions in chessboard”), “Homard bleu Bellevue” (blue lobster Bellevue) or even “Poularde en demi-deuil, sauce suprême” (half-mourning capon with supreme sauce).

She calls in both the embassy’s team of translators and head chef Thomas Ciret.

He describes his “oeuf toqué au poivre du Sichuan” (scalped egg with Sichuan pepper) as: “You slice off the top of the egg, withdraw the white, make a whipped cream with sherry vinegar, cardamom, Sichuan pepper, salt, and chives. Then you cook the yolk in a water bath.” AFP

Relief agencies are battling logistical challenges in the sprawling archipelago with a lack of landing strips and deep water ports hampering their efforts to reach distant islands and get a better grip on the full scale of the disaster.

Vanuatu Prime Minister Joe Natuman, who travelled to hard-hit Tanna island on Wednesday on a New Zealand C-130 Hercules, said “it’ll be at least a week or two” before the full impact of Severe Tropical Cyclone Pam is known.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs revised its death toll

down to 11 from 24 but said it was expected to rise, and aid groups continued to paint a bleak picture, warning of large-scale property destruction and shortages of food and clean water.

“The yams are rotting in the mud.

There’s no more bananas, fruit, anything.

Pam took everything,” said Philemon Mansale, the head of a large family from Mele village outside the capital Port Vila on the main island of Efate.

The southern islands of Tanna and Erromango bore the full brunt of the cyclone when it barreled in late Friday, and Oxfam, the UN and CARE Australia said assessments showed widespread devastation with entire villages destroyed.

“In Tanna at Lenakel, the provincial capital, 70 percent of houses are damaged,” CARE’s Tom Perry told AFP from Port Vila.

The whole township of Waesisi on Tanna’s northeast coast was “inundated with water...and 100 percent damaged”.

An AFP photographer on Tanna said the land was stripped bare of coconut trees, wells were swamped by landslides and doctors at the island’s hospital worked on patients while wading through mud-covered floors. AFP

ERRORS & OMISSIONS

Pam’s legacy. People watch repair work on the Teouma bridge on March 17 near Port Villa after Severe Tropical Cyclone Pam hit the Pacific nation of Vanuatu on March 13. Aid began arriving in some of cyclone-hit Vanuatu’s worst affected islands on March 18, but others remain isolated, with flights over the Pacific nation showing desperate villagers spelling out the letter “H” for help. Relief agencies are battling logistical challenges in the sprawling archipelago with a lack of landing strips and deep water ports hampering their efforts to reach distant islands and get a better grip on the full scale of the disaster. AFP Republic of the Philippines

1.

2.

3.

The Department of Finance (DOF), through the General Appropriations Act for CY 2015, intends to apply the sum of One Hundred Five Million Three Hundred Fifty Six Thousand Pesos (PhP105,356,000.00) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC), to payments under the contract for the Procurement of Consultancy Services for the Preparation of Architectural and Detailed Engineering (A and E) Design Plans for the Proposed Construction of the New Department of Finance Office Building Project. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at the opening of the financial proposals.

The DOF now calls for the submission of eligibility documents for the Procurement of Consultancy Services for the Preparation of Architectural and Detailed Engineering (A and E) Design Plans for the Proposed Construction of the New Department of Finance Office Building Project. Interested consultants must submit their eligibility documents on or before March 27, 2015, 9:30 a.m. at BAC Secretariat, General Services Division, 7th Floor EDPC Building, BSP Complex, P. Ocampo, Sr. Street corner Roxas Boulevard, Manila. Applications for eligibility will be evaluated based on a non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion.

The BAC shall draw up the short list of consultants from those who have submitted eligibility documents and have been determined as eligible in accordance with the provisions of Republic Act No. 9184 (R.A. No. 9184), otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”, and its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). The short list shall consist of at least one (1) prospective bidder who will be entitled to submit bids. The criteria and rating system for short listing are: I. Applicable Experience II. Quality of Personnel to be Assigned III. Capacity to Execute Similar Consultancy Project Total

4.

- 35% - 35% - 30% -100%

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the IRR of R.A. No. 9184.

Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least sixty percent (60%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines.

5.

The Procuring Entity shall evaluate bids using the Quality Based Evaluation/Selection (QBE/ QBS) procedure. The criteria and rating system for the evaluation of bids shall be provided in the Instructions to Bidders. In addition, the following shall also be considered in the bid evaluation: a.

b.

Overall design quality – The design follows the general technical specifications and requirements set forth by the Department of Finance including various design concepts and systems specified in ITB Clause and the Terms of Reference. The BAC-TWG has the right to choose the design applicable to the Department of Finance and reject other design submitted by the bidder.

Modification of bids is not allowed after the submission of bid document.

(MST-MAR. 5, 12 & 19, 2015)

Republic of the Philippines CITY OF NAGA

Roxas Boulevard Corner Pablo Ocampo, Sr. Street Manila 1004

ITB NO. 2015-4-C

Notice is hereby given that the estate of the late MA. RUBY LL. CANO was selfadjudicated to her sole heir CARINA LL. CANO as per Doc. No. 60; Page No. 12; Book No. XIV, Series of 2015 before Notary Public Atty. Arthur A. Sy.

In Classified Ads section must be brought to our attention the very day the advertisement is published.

We will not be responsible for any incorrect ads not reported to us immediately.

DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE

REquEsT FOR ExpREssION OF INTEREsT FOR CONsulTANCy sERVICEs FOR THE pREpARATION OF ARCHITECTuRAl AND DETAIlED ENgINEERINg (A & E) DEsIgN plANs FOR THE pROpOsED CONsTRuCTION OF THE NEw DEpARTmENT OF FINANCE OFFICE BuIlDINg pROjECT

EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE

“An Maogmang Lugar”

BIDS & AWARDS COMMITTEE INVITATION TO BID FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF VARIOUS INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS The City Government of Naga, through the Local Disaster Risk Reduction Management Fund (LDRRMF)-Capital Outlay, intends to apply the total amount of Twenty Eight Million Seven Hundred Thirteen Thousand Four Hundred (P 28,713,400.00) Pesos being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABCs) to payment for the following various infrastructure projects: No.

Contract Reference Number

Name of Project and Location

Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC)

Contract Duration (calendar days)

1

Rehabilitation of 004213- Drainage at Felix 2015-01 Plazo St., Bgys.

Abella and Sabang

19,733,400.00

210

2

Construction of 004212- Drainage and Road 2014-01 Widening at Abella St., Bgy. Abella

8,980,000.00

170

TOTAL

P 28,713,400.00

Cost of Bid Equipment Required Documents backhoe, jackhammer with compressor, concrete cutter, concrete mixer, water pump backhoe, jackhammer with compressor, concrete cutter, concrete mixer, water pump, road roller (4T)

25,000.00

10,000.00

Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

The City Government of Naga now invites bids for Construction of Various Infrastructure Projects.

Completion of the works and equipment is required as stated above. Bidders should have completed a contract similar to the Project. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents.

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

Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least seventy five percent (75%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from the City Government of Naga and inspect the Bidding Documents at the Office of the BAC Secretariat at the City Planning & Development Office, City Hall Compound, Naga City from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM starting on Thursday, March 19 to April 17, 2015.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders from the Office of the BAC Secretariat at the City Planning & Development Office and upon payment of a nonrefundable fee for the Bidding Documents in the amount stated above and Annual Registration Fee of Three Thousand (P 3,000.00) Pesos.

It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the website of the City Government of Naga – www.naga.gov.ph, provided that bidders shall pay the fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of bids.

The City Government of Naga will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on Monday, March 30, 2015 at 9:00 AM at the City Procurement Office, Ground Floor, City Hall Building, City Hall Compound, Naga City, which shall be open only to all interested parties who have purchased the Bidding Documents.

6.

The contract shall be completed within a period of one hundred fifty (150)calendar days from issuance of Notice to Proceed or upon receipt of the Consultant of the approved work schedules from the Procuring Entity’s representative/s whichever comes later.

Bids must be delivered to the Office of the BAC Secretariat at the City Planning & Development Office, City Hall Compound, Naga City on or before 3:00 PM on Friday, April 17, 2015. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security, either in the form of: cash or cashier’s/manager’s check issued by a universal or commercial bank (2% of ABC), or, Bid Securing Declaration (BSD).

7.

The DOF reserves the right to reject any and all bids, annul the bidding process, or not award the contract at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend on Friday, April 17, 2015 at 3:00 PM at the City Procurement Office, Ground Floor, City Hall Building, City Hall Compound, Naga City. Late bids shall not be accepted.

8.

For further information, please refer to: Lilia R. Tan, Head - BAC Secretariat Department of Finance BAC Secretariat, General Services Division 7th Floor EDPC Building, BSP Complex, P. Ocampo, Sr. Street corner Roxas Boulevard, Manila Telephone No.: 526-8475 Telefax No.: 525-4227 Email Address: ltan@dof.gov.ph/rudrez928@gmail.com

The City Government of Naga reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul the bidding process any time before contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidders.

(TNS-Mar. 19, 2015)

(SGD.) GIL S. BELTRAN Undersecretary and BAC Chairman

For further information, please refer to: MR. FLORENCIO T. MONGOSO, JR. Acting City Administrator, City Hall Compound, J. Miranda Avenue, Naga City Telephone Number: 054-4732240, 054-4723235 Email address: bac@naga.gov.ph, Website: www.naga.gov.ph (SGD.) FLORENCIO T. MONGOSO, JR. BAC Chairperson (TNS-MAR. 19, 2015)

T H U R S D AY : M A R C H 1 9, 2 0 1 5

B8

CeSAR bARRioqUinTo EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

world

Cherry blossom time. A young woman takes a selfie in front of blossoming trees during the first day of the nearly one-month-long Cherry Blossom Festival in Gucun Park in northern Shanghai on March 18. AFP

Netanyahu in surprise victory Singapore says Lee is now critically ill SINGAPORE—Singapore’s founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew is “critically ill” and his condition is worsening further while on life support in hospital, the government said Wednesday.

The 91-year-old, widely credited with transforming Singapore from an economic backwater into one of Asia’s wealthiest economies, has been in the intensive care unit at Singapore General Hospital since February 5, receiving treatment for severe pneumonia.

“Mr. Lee Kuan Yew remains critically ill in the ICU and has deteriorated further,” said a statement from the office of his son, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

On Tuesday the government said his condition had worsened due to an infection and he was on antibiotics while doctors closely monitored his condition.

The senior Lee has been breathing with the help of “mechanical ventilation”, a form of life support, according to previous government statements.

Lee modernized Singapore’s economy but rights advocates have criticized the

British-trained lawyer for his iron-fisted rule, which has seen political opponents jailed or driven to bankruptcy through costly libel suits.

A longtime fitness buff, Lee has visibly slowed since his wife of 63 years Kwa Geok Choo died in 2010.

In a book published in 2013, the Asian elder statesman said he felt weaker by the day and wanted a quick death.

Prime Minister Lee posted the latest update on his father on his Facebook page and was immediately inundated with expressions of support, prayers and wishes for the patriarch’s recovery.

Many expressed their desire to see the senior Lee live a few months longer to witness the celebration of Singapore’s 50th anniversary of independence on August 9, an event known as “SG50”.

It gained self-rule from colonial ruler Britain in 1959 and became a republic in 1965 after a brief and stormy union with Malaysia.

“My prayer to Mr Lee Kuan Yew. Hang on. Please be around to celebrate SG50 with the nation,” wrote reader Elena Wee Meng Gek. AFP

JERUSALEM—Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu beat the odds on Wednesday to win a resounding election victory that will likely deepen tensions with the Palestinians and the West.

With nearly all of the votes counted, his right-wing Likud party was seen taking 30 of the Knesset’s 120 seats, with the center-left Zionist Union a distant second on 24.

Exit polls had put the two parties neck-and-neck with 27 seats each but the picture changed dramatically through the night as the votes were counted.

“Against all odds we achieved a great victory for the Likud ... for the national camp ... for our people of Israel,” the premier said in a victory speech in Tel Aviv.

Likud activists in Tel Aviv celebrated their victory by dancing late into the night.

Zionist Union leader Isaac Herzog conceded defeat and congratulated Netanyahu on winning a third consecutive term.

“A few minutes ago, I spoke with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. I congratulated him on his achievement, and wished him luck,” he said, brushing off questions about possible coalition alliances.

Netanyahu pledged to establish a new government within

weeks and said he had already spoken with right-wing and religious party leaders whose support he will need to form a majority coalition.

“The prime minister intends to begin forming the government immediately in order to finish the task within two to three weeks,” his party said.

Netanyahu had put security at the forefront of his campaign, arguing he is the only one capable of protecting Israel from an Iranian nuclear threat and vowing never to allow the Palestinians to establish a capital in east Jerusalem.

In response, the Palestinians vowed to step up their diplomatic campaign for statehood.

“It is clear that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will form the next government, so we say clearly that we will go to the International Criminal

Court in the Hague and we will speed up, pursue and intensify” all diplomatic efforts, chief negotiator Saeb Erakat told AFP. In a last-minute appeal to the far-right just hours before the vote, Netanyahu ruled out the establishment of a Palestinian state if reelected, effectively reneging on his 2009 endorsement of a two-state solution.

Herzog has repeatedly called for the creation of a Palestinian state alongside Israel.

And on election day itself, Netanyahu made a last-minute appeal to his supporters to go to the polls to counter a high turnout among Arab Israelis.

“The rule of the rightwing is in danger. Arab voters are going to the polls in droves!” he said in a video on Facebook.

“Go to the polling stations!

Vote Likud!” AFP

Pakistan kills 14 militants in air strikes ISLA M A BA D —Pa k ista n’s military said it killed 34 militants Wednesday in air strikes on a tribal region near the Afghan border as part of a major offensive against insurgents that began last year.

The Taliban and Lashkare-Islam militant groups are based in Khyber, one of seven autonomous tribal districts along Pakistan’s western border, which became a hideout for Islamist militants following the US-led invasion of neighboring Afghanistan in 2001.

“In precise aerial strikes in Tirah, Khyber region, 34 terrorists were killed today,” the military said in a statement.

The military began its latest offensive in Khyber in October 2014, four months after a similar operation in the North Waziristan district which was triggered by a bloody Taliban attack on Karachi airport that sank faltering peace talks.

Both conflict zones are offlimits to journalists, making it difficult to verify the number and identity of those killed.

Rights activists are wary of the death tolls given by the military and say many women and children have also died.

Air strikes, artillery, mortars and ground troops have all been used to take back territory.

Also Wednesday a polio worker was shot dead in the tribal district of Bajaur, underscoring the continuing violence against vaccination teams as Pakistan tries to eradicate the crippling childhood disease that is endemic in only two other countries—Nigeria

and Afghanistan.

“A polio worker was shot dead while another sustained injuries when they were fired upon while administering polio drops in Khamangra neighborhood of Nawagai area in Bajaur tribal district,” local administration official Fayazul-Haq Sherpao told AFP. The attack was confirmed by another senior administration official, Sohail Ahmed Khan. It brings to 78 the number killed in attacks on immunization teams since December 2012. AFP

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BAMBINA OLIVARES WISE EDITOR

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LIFE

C U LT U R E

BAROQUE HERITAGE French President leads inauguration of photo exhibit by French photographer Ferrante Ferranti

F

rench President Franรงois Hollande was recently guest of honor for the inauguration of the exhibit entitled Encounters: World Heritage Baroque Churches of the Philippines at the National Museum of the Philippines on the occasion of his historic state visit to the Philippines last 26 February 2015.

The exhibit features 99 large-scale photographs of the exceptional church heritage of the Philippines seen through the eyes of French photographer and baroque expert Ferrante Ferranti. Continued on C2

Church of San Agustin, Intramuros, Manila

THURSDAY : M ARCH 19 : 2015

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BAROQUE HERITAGE

C U LT U R E

From C1

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he exhibit is the first achievement of the administrative agreement for cultural cooperation between the Ministry of Culture and Communication of France and the National Commission on Culture and the Arts, which was signed during the official visit of President Benigno Aquino III to France in September 2014.

The ceremony was attended by Department of Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Linglingay Fonacier-Lacanlale, National Museum Chairperson Ramon del Rosario, Jr., National Museum Director Jeremy Barns, National Museum Assistant Director Ana Labrador, National Commission on Culture and Arts Chairperson Felipe de Leon, Jr., Ferrante Ferranti, and Alliance française de Manille Director Patrick Deyvant.

President Hollande was impressed by the “beautiful exposition” as he was toured personally by photographer Ferrante Ferranti.

With the launch of 2015 as “Visit the Philippines” year by the Department of Tourism, the exhibit highlights the historic baroque churches of the country, inviting viewers to experience Filipino heritage through photographs.

This exhibit is the result of Ferranti’s two-week visit to the country in June 2014, where he travelled to the Immaculate Conception de San Agustin in Manila, La Nuestra Senora de la Asuncion in Ilocos Sur, Church of San Agustin in Ilocos Norte, and Santo Tomas de Villanueva in Iloilo, among others. The exhibit contextualizes Philippine heritage within the colonial world by featuring photos of Filipino churches alongside photos of other baroque churches in Latin America and India as part of the French photographer’s project for the past 30 years.

Encounters is also immensely relevant in raising awareness about the destructive effects of climate change and the need to protect heritage, important topics which will be addressed at the 21st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 21) in Paris this December.

Among the churches featured in the exhibit are those located in Bohol and in Eastern Samar, two provinces that were heavily affected by natural disasters, such as the Bohol earthquake of October 2013 and Typhoon Yolanda in November 2013.

The exhibit runs until April 26, 2015 at the Old Senate Session Hall of the National Museum of the Philippines, Padre Burgos Avenue, Manila. The exhibit is open for public viewing from Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 am - 5:00 pm.

Encounters: World Heritage Baroque Churches of the Philippines was made possible through the support of the National Museum of the Philippines, Alliance Française de Manille, Embassy of France to the Philippines, the Department of Tourism, the Philippine Tourism Promotions Board, the National Commission on Culture and Arts, the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, LJC Restaurant Group and Titania Wine Cellar, Inc.

Church of La Inmaculada Concepcion, Guiuan, Samar

Church of San Miguel Arcangel, Argao, Cebu

San Vicente Ferrer Church, San Vicente, Ilocos Sur

San Vicente Ferrer Church, San Vicente, Ilocos Sur

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A TASTE OF FRANCE IN THE PHILIPPINES:

GOÛT DE FRANCE/ GOOD FRANCE

n March 19, 2015, French diplomatic representations and restaurants from all over the world, including the Philippines, will be celebrating French cuisine and gastronomy through Goût de France, or Good France.

Upon the initiative of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development and world-renown chef Alain Ducasse, 1,300 chefs have been selected to participate in this campaign to offer a French dinner that would pay tribute to the culinary tradition of France, which values high-quality, innovative, and environmentally responsible cuisine.

According to French Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Development Laurent Fabius, “France’s heritage is its cuisine, its wines, (...). The Gastronomic meal of the French has been on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 2010, but it is a heritage that should not simply be contemplated, glorified and savoured; it is a heritage that should be built upon and showcased.”

In the words of Alain Ducasse: “French cuisine is the interpreter of a cuisine that has evolved towards lightness in harmony with its environment... The common point of this event is generosity, sharing and the love of what is beautiful and tastes good. It will be a delightful interlude and an opportunity to celebrate French cuisine worldwide.”

Inspired by Auguste Escoffier, who launched the “Dîners d’Épicure” (Epicurean Dinners) initiative – the same menu, the same day, in several world cities and aimed at as many diners as possible – in 1912, Goût de France/Good France reproduces that

beautiful idea with the desire to involve restaurants all around the world.

Chef Michel Herbert of Le Bistro d’Agathe, Chef Ronnie Reyes of Bizu Patisserie, Chef Cyrille Soenen of Brasserie Ciçou, Chef Marc Aubry of Champêtre, Chef Kevin Endaya of Lemuria, Chef Thomas Wenger of Restaurant 101, and Chefs Bettina Arguelles and Denis Vecchiato of Spiral have been screened and chosen by a committee of experts led

by Alain Ducasse to offer a French menu in their restaurants with a traditional French aperitif, a cold starter, a hot starter, fish or shellfish, meat or poultry, a French cheese (or cheeseboard), a chocolate dessert, French wines and digestifs, while remaining free to highlight their own culinary traditions and cultures.

On March 19, Thursday, the public is enjoined to experience the best French cuisine that the country can offer through these special menus especially created for this worldwide gastronomic event.

Goût de France / Good France in the Philippines is made possible through the support of the local restaurant partners Le Bistro d’Agathe, Bizu Patisserie, Brasserie Ciçou, Champêtre Boutique and Restaurant, Lemuria, Restaurant 101 of Enderun Colleges, and Spiral and sponsors Elle & Vire, Staub, and Don Papa rum.

For reservations, please contact the participating restaurants. Learn more about Goût de France / Good France through www.facebook.com/ FrenchEmbassyPH.

THURSDAY : M ARCH 19 : 2015

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Above: Ian Woo’s We Have Crossed The Lake 2009. Right: Shannon Castleman Jurong West Street 81 2008

COMING SOON AT THE SINGAPORE ART MUSEUM

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FTER UTOPIA is Singapore Art Museum’s (SAM) latest exhibition that examines humanity’s eternal yearning for a better world. Pivoting on ideas about ideals and principles, AFTER UTOPIA comprises iconic works of Southeast Asian and Asian contemporary art drawn from SAM’s permanent collection, as well as private collections and new commissions.

The exhibition unfolds in four chapters, the first of which examines the imagery of the garden as a metaphor – both for an Edenic paradise lost as well as one that has been found, reimagined and re-imaged as a romanticised ‘Other’. The second turns the eye on the structures we inhabit and the way we live, simultaneously reminding us of modern architecture and urban planning’s

utopian impulse and how these ideals have fallen short when translated into reality. Ideologies that have left an indelible mark on the last century and on which societies and nations have been built are examined in the third chapter. Finally, we are reminded that ‘utopia’ (from its Greek roots) also means ‘no-place’ and is an idealised world that can exist nowhere except, perhaps, within ourselves.

DAWN TO DUSK PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP ANNOUNCED Photographers and photography enthusiasts who have not had a chance to join Tilak Hettige's DAWN TO DUSK PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP at the BenCab Museum before can sign up for the next one, to be held from 17 to 19 April 2015.

This is an amazing opportunity to hone your photography skills in a particularly atmospheric and evocative setting, Baguio, where the BenCab Museum is located. Its objective is to enable the photographer to create meaningful images with new techniques while travelling to an unknown place with minimal gear.

The P7,400 workshop fee for the weekend includes tuition, meals, museum entrance and model fees.

For information, please visit www.bencabmuseum.org

WHEN YOU SWIPE RIGHT ON A MOVIE CHARACTER

BY ED BIADO

Last month, Madonna famously used the gay dating app Grindr to promote her album Rebel Heart. She also turned to Snapchat to premiere the full music video of the song “Living For Love.” Using social apps to generate buzz for new projects is nothing new in the entertainment industry. But the singer one-upped the others because she went beyond the now-common practice of making announcements via Twitter and posting audio/ video snippets on Instagram.

But sometimes, social media marketing campaigns are taken so far away from the realm of familiarity that they end up right at the border of genius and creepy— and it gets really difficult to tell where genius ends and creepy begins.

At the South by Southwest festivals in Austin, Texas, many Tinder users found themselves chatting with a beautiful woman named Ava. Turns out, Ava is a bot, a computer program designed to perform automated tasks. When used within messaging Web sites and apps, they can be programmed to act like humans and respond to chats the way a real person would.

Bots on Tinder mostly send spam messages that advertise porn sites and gaming apps, but Ava is different.

The account was created to promote the sci-fi thriller Ex

IMAGE LIFTED FROM THE ADWEEK WEB SITE

A THOUSAND LAST CHANCES CJ TAÑEDO

A

cclaimed Filipino visual artist CJ Tañedo acknowledges his humanity in “A Thousand Last Chances”, a one-man exhibition co-presented by Metro Gallery.

The exhibition is his realization that in the ordinary, he can err. That in the mundane, he has yet another chance at redemption. Most of all, through this exhibition, he turns the tables by glorifying ordinariness and presenting imperfection as an opportunity to live a full life. His interesting musings are captured through exquisite approach to detail, which is evident in his photorealistic canvasses that bear amazing resemblance to life.

Where the images may falter, his words ring the truth.

ABOUT THE ARTIST CJ Tañedo has won the respect of the art community and captured the awe of many art enthusiasts with his mastery of the painting medium and ingenuity in fusing the “visual techniques of renaissance art masters into the modern scene of the 20th century.” His works are often described as having a “soft dreamy, feel,” which brings to mind the “smoked” or sfumato style of Leonardo da Vinci and other Renaissance painters.

A full time artist, he has joined in countless group exhibitions and has exhibited in the United States, Korea, and the Philippines. Some of his paintings have been sold at auction at Sotheby’s, South East Asia.

Moreover, this young and promising artist is on his way to prominence by winning various awards such as the Juror’s Choice for Nokia Art Awards Philippines, and by being one of the top 50 finalists for the Phillip Morris Group of Companies Philippine Art Awards.

“What if there were only A Thousand Last Chances and in the mundane was always one more?”

ADMISSION IS FREE.

Machina, which was screened at SXSW on Saturday, ahead of its American theatrical release. The photograph on the profile belongs to Swedish actress Alicia Vikander, who plays the humanoid artificial intelligence Ava in the movie.

According to Adweek, Ava’s Tinder modus operandi is engaging right-swipers in conversation by asking them a series of getting-to-know questions about love, humanity and physical attraction. “You’ve passed my test,” she will say after you’ve answered her questions. She will then instruct you to “take a look at my Instagram, and let me know if I’ve passed yours.” Ava does not mention the movie at all during the chat.

But when one views @meetava on Instagram, they’ll find two images and one clip—all promoting Ex Machina—and a link to the movie’s Web site. That’s when the clueless chatter realizes that they’ve just been played. All this time, they haven’t been hitting it off with a beautiful woman. Instead, they were on the receiving end of a clever, if not ruthless, marketing ploy.

In marketing, engaging your audience is paramount.

This campaign accomplishes that flawlessly, making it effective and really quite brilliant. But it does so in a deceptive manner, getting people’s hopes up and at best, slightly bruising their egos in the process, which is kind of cruel.

And so we’re left to wonder: Is this stunt amazing or is it appalling? Then again, we have to admit these two adjectives are not mutually exclusive.

T H U R S D AY : M A R C H 1 9 : 2 0 1 5

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LIFE

BAMBINA OLIVARES WISE EDITOR

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NOW SHOWING A GUIDE TO WHAT’S ON AT THE CINEMA THIS WEEK

CINDERELLA

Relive the fairy tale about Ella/ Cinderella (Lily James) who finds herself at the mercy of her wicked stepmother, Lady Tremaine (Cate Blanchett) and stepsisters (Holliday Grainger and Sophie McShera) after her father (Ben Chaplin) passed away. But her fortune will change when she meets her Fairy Godmother (Helena Bonham Carter) who will help her win the heart of Prince Charming (Richard Madden)

SCAN THE ICON TO CONNECT TO SURESEATS.COM AND CLICK THE CITY

PG

CHAPPIE

R-13 An American science fiction film about the police droid, Chappie (Sharlto Copley), stolen and reprogrammed to be the first robot that can think and feel for himself in a world where crime is patrolled by a mechanized police force.

CRAZY BEAUTIFUL YOU

PG A spoiled and rebellious young girl, Jackie (Kathryn Bernardo) is forced to tag along with her mom on a medical mission in Tarlac where she meets Kiko (Daniel Padilla) who shows her the other side of life.

DRAGON NEST: WARRIORS’ DAWN

G An animated adventure fantasy romance film--a first of the trilogy-based on the Dragon Nest video game, it tells the story of Lambert, who will become the unlikely human hero, as he joins the Dragon Slayers’ League to fight the evil force Black Dragon which seeks to destroy all humans and elves in the enchanted land Altera.

EXISTS

R-16 Brothers Brian (Chris Osborn) and Matt (Samuel Davis) venture into the remote Texas woods with three friends to spend a fun-filled weekend at their uncle Bob’s cabin, only to find themselves stalked and chased down by Bigfoot.

GANGNAM BLUES

R-16 A South Korean noir action film set in the ‘70s, during the height of political corruption, that tells the story of childhood friends Kim Jong-dae (Lee Min-ho) and Baek Yong-ki (Kim Rae-won) who got involved in violent clashes and were separated only to meet three years later where Jong-dae lives as an honest man and Yong-ki a member of Seoul’s most powerful gang.

INSURGENT

R-16 In this second installment in The Divergent trilogy, Tris Prior (Shailene Woodley) and Four (Theo James) race against time to find answers while being hunted down by Jeanine Matthews (Kate Winslet), the leader of the Erudite faction. Tris faces one challenge after another as she unlocks the truth about the past and ultimately, the future of her society.

KINGSMAN: THE SECRET SERVICE

R-16 A spy action comedy film based on the comic book The Secret Service, it follows the recruitment and training of an unrefined street kid Gary “Eggsy” Unwin (Taron Egerton) into a secret spy organization just as a global threat emerges led by a twisted tech genius.

RUN ALL NIGHT

R-16 In one night, aging hitman and mobster Jimmy Conlon (Liam Neeson) is forced to take on his long-time best friend and former boss Shawn Maguire (Ed Harris) to protect his estranged son Mike (Joel Kinnaman) and his family.

THE COBBLER

PG A shoe repairman in a New York shop, Max Simkin (Adam Sandler) stumbles upon a magical heirloom that allows him to step into the lives of his customers and see the world through their eyes.

THE GUNMAN

R-16 Special Forces soldier and military contractor Jim Terrier (Sean Penn) wants out of the game to settle down with his longtime love, but before he is allowed to be released, the organization he works for forced him to go on the run across Europe.

THE LAZARUS EFFECT

R-13 A group of medical professionals have successfully brought back to life a dead colleague, Zoe (Olivia Wilde), using a serum code named Lazarus they have discovered. But after she displayed unusual abilities, they’ve realized that their attempt to resurrect the dead may have opened the door to evil.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

R-16 A small-business owner, Daniel Trunkman (Vince Vaughn) goes on a routine business trip with his two associates (Tom Wilkinson and Dave Franco) that turns to an unimaginable excursion that includes unplanned stops at a massive sex fetish event and a global economic summit.

WILDCARD

R-16 Nick Wild (Jason Statham) is a recovering gambling addict and a bodyguard in Las Vegas who finds himself into the criminal underworld when he fought back against gangster Danny DeMarco (Milo Ventimiglia) who abused his friend Holly (Dominik Garcia-Lorido).

KIDNAPPING FREDDY HEINEKEN

R-13 An action drama film that tells the story of the planning, execution, aftermath, and ultimate downfall of the kidnappers of beer tycoon Alfred “Freddy” Heineken (Anthony Hopkins).

COMPILED BY BERNADETTE LUNAS

T H U R S D AY : M A R C H 1 9 : 2 0 1 5

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ISAH V. RED EDITOR

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A MUSICAL EXPERIENCE EVERY ELVIS FAN SHOULDN’T MISS

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otary International District 3830, in cooperation with Royale Chimes Concerts & Events, Inc., is bringing to the country the master class in Elvis tribute acts, The World Famous Elvis Show with Chris Connor and The Steels.

Voted in 2014 as the first-ever ‘World’s Best Elvis Performer’ via a worldwide official fan poll, Connor takes the Newport Performing Arts Theater stage at the Resorts World Manila on April 24, 25, and 26.

Connor’s show highlights and recreates the King of Rock and Roll’s most memorable performances: That’s the Way It Is, Elvis’ 1970 Las Vegas performance that proved to be a turning point in his career—the time when he permanently abandoned movie roles and returned to the concert scene; and his 1972 sold-out Madison Square Garden Show, where he made his first-ever live appearance in the city and five years before his death.

Witness Connor belt out classics from “Proud Mary,” “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” “Hound Dog” to “Blue Suede Shoes” in this rare occasion when the world’s most revered tribute act brings fans down to memory lane.

The show is created by Elvis fans for Elvis fans.

Its cast includes professional musicians, some of whom have played with renowned English pianist, bandleader, singer and composer Jools Holland and created music for television and teach music across the UK. The show boasts the highest production value performance standards and guarantees to leave audiences speechless and transport them back in time.

Connor has played in sold out shows across Europe—Ireland, Holland, the UK—Australia, and the United States—Atlanta, New Orleans, New York, and Elvis’ hometown, Memphis.

See why fans around the world have called Chris Connor and his show “mind-blowing,” “fantastic,” “awesome,” and “the closest thing I have ever seen to Elvis Presley.”

Even Elvis’ own right hand man and close friend (for 17 years) Joe Esposito has responded to him so enthusiastically after a performance in Memphis.

“Wow, that boy is good, damn he looks just like Elvis,” he says.

Tickets are available at all Ticketworld, SM Tickets and Ticketnet outlets.

A NEW S STARR IS BORN

Chris Connor, the best Elvis Tribute Act in the whole world as certified by an official fan poll, will be in Manila for a series of shows at the Resorts World Manila.

he is GG Starr. Model, singer, musician. A Filipina making waves in the United States because of her beauty and talent.

A star indeed.

Glenda Galura was nicknamed Glenda Starr, after Brenda Starr, the 1940s’ comic strip about a blonde and glamorous reporter.

GG is based in Los Angeles, where she has

BY ROBBIE PANGILINAN been working as a charge nurse since 2011.

She also has a small company that provides caregivers.

In true Filipina fashion, GG takes care of her patients very well, but her heart truly belongs in the entertainment industry. She has been hosting since 2007, livening up events in different Fil-Am venues in Los Angeles such as Bistro Manila, Bamboo Bistro, Noypitz, Kapistahan Grill, Crew Bar in Long Beach and Josephine’s Bistro. She also hosts and co-produces an online talk show Wednesday Star Talents at thefilipinocentral. com, which features talented Fil-Americans.

GG started modeling back when she was living in Manila. She was an FHM model in

2009 and did promos such as dancing during halftime slots in the MBA. She was also a bartender for seven years in Las Vegas and in LA. GG has a band with which she performs.

“My band is called G Strings. It is a five-piece band, with very talented guitarists. I am the vocalist,” said GG. The band performs in weddings and shows at Filipino restaurants in LA. But GG was not really aware that she can sing and perform. The Mass Communication graduate from the Centro Escolar University never thought of becoming a singer.

“Somebody from LA, an ex co-host, just told me that I’m natural in hosting and entertaining crowds. So I did another hosting after that. From then on, people look for me and watch me perform and that’s how I started,” shared GG, who admitted that performing is a hobby for her and she does not want to make it her full time career. She also said that she is different onstage and offstage.

“I’m talkative onstage when I perform. If you put me on a stage, I can talk and talk but when I’m with a small group, I get quiet and let people talk and I just listen,” she said.

GG Starr is Glenda Galura in real life. A nurse she transforms into a host and performer whenever and wherever she is sought after

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EDITOR

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MCJiM kiCks off seCond season

GMA Artist Center’s Mikoy Moralos moves a step closer to his dream of becoming a musical director

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mIKOy mORaLES NOW a mUSICaL DIRECTOR GMA Artist Center star Mikoy Morales will conquer the concert scene not as a performer but as a musical director via LIPAD, an inspirational concert by MINT Riffs, the official glee club of MINT College on March 26, 7PM, at the Music Museum.

According to Mikoy, the concert’s theme is about the fulfilment of someone’s dreams. “We’re going to take you through the ups and downs of one’s life experiences in achieving your dreams. Our show aims to make it a relatable experience for our audience by showcasing a variety of musical numbers that would focus on our theme,” he adds.

His passion for musical direction formally started two years ago when he became one of the assistant musical directors of his teacher in La Salle Greenhills who has been his mentor since his Kundirana days.

When asked about what satisfaction he gets from being the musical director, “As a songwriter and student of music production, I treat my musical creations (arrangements and compositions) as babies and the concert gives life to my music. I am more than happy and honoured to be able to share my creations with people.”

Mikoy shares that there is a difference between being an actor and a musical director. “As an actor, the role that you play is based on the character that is assigned to you. But as a musical director, you get to share your own thoughts and feelings through the musical performances. Both require a certain amount of creativity channelled through the medium or art form with only one objective in mind that it is to entertain your audience.”

CROSSWORD PUZZLE 44 45 46 47 48 49 51 53 58 62

ANSWER FOR PREVIOUS PUZZLE ACROSS 1 Athletic pursuit 6 Cook’s meas.

10 Did a send-up 14 Patio brick 15 Sharpen up 16 Polar explorer 17 Leave out 18 “Woe is me!”

19 Londoner or Liverpudlian 20 Become broader 21 Sunday follower

ISAH V. RED

23 25 26 29 32 37 38 39 40 43

Fabric meas.

Caustic substance “The — of the Ancient Mariner” Date ender, often Shinbone Bauxite or taconite Rover’s pal Swarm with Disappearance zone? (2 wds.)

Peel ‘em and weep

63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70

Atlas abbr.

Mousse alternative Wyoming range Hoop’s place Mouthful for a PC Paul Anka’s “— Beso” Woodland creature Warbling Igneous rock, once Laboratory maze runners Like — — of bricks Hard on the nose Square footage “Alice” waitress Miser’s cache “A piece of cake!”

Latin I verb Alpaca habitat

DOWN 1 Gush forth 2 Sanskrit dialect 3 Roman poet 4 Night flight (hyph.)

5 Inclination 6 Sign of spring 7 Jungle knife 8 Traffic tie-ups 9 Annoying 10 French friar 11 Ceremonial fire 12 — Estrada

ill you be the next Original Pilipino Music’s big star?

After successfully launching the careers of three promising acts today, iconic brand McJim Classic Leather gives opportunity to aspiring stars to become l recording artists in the second season of Dreams Get Real : The Search for the Next OPM Star.

“This year, we want to make Dreams Get Real talent search even bigger, brighter, and better. We are now offering a full album and music video grant, P100,000 in cash prize, artist marketing support, and a talent management contract to the sole winner!“ said Chris Cahilig, Dreams Get Real project head.

Last year’s triple-tie winners, Fifth Dynamics, JBK, and Neo Domingo, are rocking the music scene with radio hits and they are busy with television guest appearances, and mall and corporate shows across the country. The talents are likewise completing their debut albums produced by awardwinning arranger and composer

Jonathan Ong of SonicState Studio.

Fifth Dynamics, led by former The Voice of the Philippines contestant Mark Cordovales, is a fast-rising band. After winning the Dreams Get Real talent search, the group released two chart-topping singles – “Anyare” and “Pogi Kame.”

On the other hand, vocal trio JBK, which is composed of Joshua, Bryan, and Kim, is making everyone’s heart melt. The group’s R&B-infused ballad, “Anong Meron Ka,” gets airplay on radio stations nationwide.

Likewise, Neo Domingo topped national and local charts with his debut single “Pagbigyan Mo Na”.

It was likewise named as the Most Wanted Song of 97.1 Barangay LS FM. His follow up single “KachingKaching” featuring Fifth Dynamics is now heavily aired on Metro Manila and provincial radio stations.

This year’s contestants will work with award-winning musical talents and will have a chance to perform at big venues. “They will have a firsthand experience of the entire recording process and will get a chance to

perform in shows while they are in the competition,” Cahilig said.

The talent search is open to all unsigned male and female solo artists, aged 15 to 35 years old, with Filipino lineage.

To audition, interested artists need to send a video recording or Youtube link of their performance/s (they may opt to submit a cover or an original song of any genre of their choice) together with the filled-out application form.

An initial pool of 20 contestants will undergo a series of weekly eliminations—starting in July—until only 10 finalists remain in the competition. The finalists will record and film viral videos to be posted on the TV Get Real YouTube channel of McJim Classic Leather, where the top six will be chosen from.

They will then battle it out in an epic grand finals night, which on Nov. 15.

Like the official McJim classic leather facebook page at www.facebook.com/OfficialMcJIM and get more information on how you can be the next OPM star.

JBK. Vocal trio JBK composed of Joshua, Bryan, and Kim released the hit song “Anong Meron Ka” after winning the Dreams Get Real Talent Search and has been doing shows across the country ever since.

FIFTh DyNamICS. Fast-rising band Fifth Dynamics who released two chart-topping songs “Anyare” and “Pogi Kame” is a product of Dreams Get Real Talent Search last year.

THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2015

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Banned bug spray Rec-room fixture (2 wds.)

Loses traction Artificial person Dancing Castle Deserve Ms. Lupino — voce It’s not free of charge Beach vehicle Cove Simpson of fashion Tornado cloud Hung in the sun Cattle call?

Gray-clad soldier Dawdle around Lighthouse light Galley rower Midwest city Fictional plantation 66 and I-80 “— —, old chap” Ms. Ephron No-see-um June celebrant Thick mud Explains further — Dawn Chong

NEO. Dreams Get Real Grand Champion Neo Domingo has released song “Pagbigyan Mo Na,” which is heavily played on different radio stations across the country.

T H U R S D AY : M A R C H 1 9 : 2 0 1 5

SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com Your Face Sounds Familiar jurors Jed Madela, Sharon Cuneta, Gary Valenciano

DZMM Konsyumer Atbp anchors Alvin Elchico and DTI Usec. Vic Dimagiba

Karla as Sharon Cuneta, Nyoy as Michael Jackson, Tutti as Freddie Aguilar, Maxene as Taylor Swift, Jay-R as Pepe Smith, Jolina as Lady Gaga, EA as Usher, Melai as Nora Aunor

‘YOUR FACE SOUNDS FAMILIAR’S’ PREMIERE WINS RATINGS RACE

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

C7

PRIESTS LAUD ‘PARI KOY’ GMA Network’s first ever “faithserye,” Pari ‘Koy, earned positive feedback from some of the priests of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).

After an invitation from director, Maryo J. Delos Reyes, a Catholic layman and some priests from various religious orders previewed last Friday the pilot week of the inspirational drama series.

The pilot episode received an overwhelming support from the netizens, expressing their curiosity and acknowledgement towards this breakthrough genre that tackles the life of a priest and how he takes care of his parish and parishioners.

The invited priests also embraced the concept and were able to identify with Father Kokoy’s character played by Dingdong Dantes.

Rev. Fr. Francis Lucas, executive secretary of the Episcopal Commission on Social Communication and Mass Media of the CBCP, commended Father Kokoy’s unconventional practice as a priest. He was also very enthusiastic that he gave suggestions to the director on how to make the series more interesting.

Pari ‘Koy airs Monday to Friday after 24 Oras on GMA Telebabad.

From C8

V

iewers nationwide watched the eight celebrity performers of “Your Face Sounds Familiar” transform into legendary music icons as the two pilot episodes of ABSCBN’s newest variety show gained a ratings victory over rival shows.

Based on data from Kantar Media, the show’s first episode last Saturday (March 14) registered a national TV rating of 22.5%, or seven points higher than rival program “Celebrity Bluff ” (15.5%). Its Sunday (March 15) episode, meanwhile, triumphed with an national TV rating of 27.9% versus “Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho,” which only got 23%.

Jay-R was named the first winner of the competition with his flawless impersonation of Pinoy rock icon Pepe Smith, which impressed jurors Gary Valenciano, Jed Madela, and Sharon Cuneta, as well as his co-performers. Jay-R garnered a total of 36 points from them and won P100,000, half of which will be donated to his chosen charity, Stairway Foundation.

Trailing Jay-R were Edgar Allan Guzman as Usher (23 points), Karla Estrada as the Megastar (20 points), Nyoy Volante as Michael Jackson (17 points), Melai Cantiveros as Nora Aunor (12 points), Jolina Magdangal as Lady Gaga (9 points), Maxene Magalong as Taylor Swift (8 points), and Tutti Caringal as Freddie Aguilar (7 points).

Others have a chance to improve their rankings because in the show, no one will be eliminated, as their scores are tallied up each week.

Watch out for next week’s (March 21 and 22) transformations and live performances of (Marso 21 at 22) Jolina as Sampaguita, Karla as Chaka Khan, Jay-R as Stevie Wonder, EA as Gary V, Maxene as Pilita Corrales, Tutti as Adam Levine, Nyoy as Yoyoy Villame, and Melai as Britney Spears.

Don’t miss “Your Face Sounds Familiar” Saturdays after “MMK” and Sun-

days after “Rated K” on ABS-CBN. For program updates, like www.facebook. com/yourfaceph, follow @YourFacePH on Twitter and Instagram, or visit yourfacesoundsfamiliar.abs-cbn.com. ★★★★★ DZMM consumer education program Konsyumer Atbp marks its tenth year of serving Filipino consumers with Konsyumer Expo, which will offer activities that educate consumers on their rights and responsibilities and entrepreneurship.

The expo, headlined by anchors Alvin Elchico and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Usec. Vic Dimagiba, will be held on Friday and Saturday at SM Megamall’s Megatrade Hall.

A series of consumer lecture sessions on consumer issues will be conducted with 50 Bidang Konsyumers selected via a weekly contest, but is also open to the public. High school students will also participate in an on-the-spot essay-writing contest.

On Saturday, it will broadcast live from the expo, featuring previous anchors Winnie Cordero, Angelo Palmones, and former DTI Usec. Zenaida Maglaya.

Some Bidang Konsyumer winners will also be recognized as Konsyumer Patrollers who will be part of the program’s new segment “Bidang Konsyumer.”

In this segment, Konsyumer Patrollers will bring in complaints, customer service concerns, and will encourage listeners and viewers to be more vigilant.

In the last 10 years, Konsyumer Atbp has provided its audience proper information that affects their daily lives, issues and concerns on consumer rights and responsibilities, product quality and safety, and frontline government services and projects. It also tackles consumer news for the day and discusses pressing consumer and business issues.

The program, co-produced by ABSCBN and DTI, has received various hon-

ors from different award-giving bodies.

Last year, it was recognized by the Civil Service Commission (CSC) for its “unwavering support to reduce bureaucratic red tape and to create an honest, responsible, transparent and efficient civil service.” ★★★★★ Colegio de San Juan de Letran Manila’s Institute of Communication has produced award winning short films from itsannual film festival called the Cinemaknights.

The Philippine Student Quill Awards, Catholic Mass Media Awards and MMFF New Wave Category to name a few are the award giving bodies that recognized the films made by the Letran students Rema Mae D. Nunes and Bryan James T. Raymundo.

Cinema Knights has been an avenue for senior communication students to showcase their exceptional talents and skills in creating equally exceptional films. This year, seven films feature unique stories tackling different Filipino ethos, culture, habits and way of life.

The seven films are Message Sent, Last 2 minutes, Sabado, Selda, Lost Plate, Balota Nga, and The Cramming.

The Cramming is a short film about two unconventional college students struggling between procrastinating and completing their script as their final requirement for graduation. It is a comedy showing every student’s experiences in beating their deadlines. It is simply about the cramming and the fascination of the different facets of procrastination.

The Cramming is written and directed

by Clarence Jophiel Sampang and produced by Due Date Pictures.

For more information about the film, tickets and reservations contact Bryan Raymundo at 09276447968 or visit the official Facebook page, Facebook.com/ TheCramming

Rev. Fr. Francis Lucas, executive secretary of the Episcopal Commission on Social Communication and Mass Media of the CBCP, commended Father Kokoy’s unconventional practice as a priest

Dingdong Dantes plays the role of a Catholic priest in the new primetime series on GMA that recently got the nod of some members of the clergy

C8

T H U R S D AY : M A R C H 1 9 : 2 0 1 5

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

isahred @ gmail.com

SHOWBITZ

Caption: Ruffa Guttierez and her twins Lorin and Venice Bektas work with designer Rajo Laurel for Love Collection

Young muses and collaborators Lorin and Venice Bektas bring a tween touch of exuberance to a Vintage Coachella theme

RUFFA & KIDS’

LOVE 2 COLLECTION

Ruffa Guttierez and her twins Lorin and Venice Bektas work with designer Rajo Laurel for Love Collection

SIMPLY RED ISAH V. RED After successfully launching the first Love Collection in 2012, Filipino designer Rajo Laurel and fashion forward tweens Lorin and Venice Bektas team up once again and let their imagination run free to create a brand new collection that evokes youthfulness and self-expression in the most exciting way possible.

“It’s always a lot of fun working with these fashion savvy sisters,” Rajo says of Ruffa Gutierrez’ lovely daughters. “They know exactly what they want and how to execute them. Now that they are approaching their tween years, they wanted to do a second collection.”

The result is the Love 2 Collection, which will be made available to the public beginning March 23 at the House of Laurel at Brgy. Poblacion, Makati City, and at the Rajo! Boutique at the Rockwell Power Plant Mall.

To be launched via a glitzy fashion show and VIP party at the The Events Place, 5th floor March

21, the new collection unveils 12 designs for girls and five for boys.

Only 300 pieces produced, the collection will nevertheless have sizes for toddlers, young girls and boys, and tweens.

As creative director, Rajo is in charge of all the pieces the meticulously designed and crafted.

While the collections are meant for off-the-rack marketing, they are not mass-produced. The limited number ensures uniqueness and quality that will make kids wearing them feel special.

Where the first hit collection was centered on bold strokes of pinks and purples, blues and oranges, short dressed and ruffled skirts, with touches of glitter and fancy, the new collection plays around with the theme of Vintage Coachella.

“A parade of music, arts and everything creative – the new collection truly fits their personalities,” Rajo describes.

The young and whimsical Love 2 Collection is the perfect spring-summer wear for toddlers to tweens. It brings forth more brightly colored fun and fashion for kids who enjoy dressing up with flair.

Lorin, who is now an 11-yearold grade 7 student at the British School of Manila, shares, “I felt really overwhelmed when the first collection sold out. I never thought that so many people would want to buy the LOVE Collection that Venice and I designed with Tito Rajo.”

Elated and thankful for Rajo’s amazing team who worked hard to make the original collection reflect the vibrant qualities she and her sister possess, she adds, “It was a great feeling to know that it all paid off in the end. I can’t wait for Love Collection 2 to launch and what’s in store for the future.”

At just 10 years old, Venice, a grade 5 student also at the British School of Manila, echoes her sister’s sentiments over the success of the first Love Collection.

“I’m overly excited that my sister Lorin and I are doing Love 2! I’d like to thank our mom for being so supportive and all the people who helped make this possible.

Special thanks go to our Tito Rajo Laurel and the team for helping make my dream come true!”

Continued on C7