The Standard - 2015 May 02 - Saturday

VOL. XXIX  NO. 74  2 Sections  24 Pages  P18  SATURDAY, MAY 2, 2015  www.manilastandardtoday.com  editorial@thestandard.com.ph

BACK CHANNEL ALEJANDRO DEL ROSARIO

A8

Time to stop trafficking of domestics

A3

Few strikes recorded since 2010

VELOSO’S KIN SLAM PNOY CREDIT GRAB Next page

Labor Day demand. Protesters burned President Benigno Aquino III in effigy and demanded his resignation during their Labor Day rally in Mendiola, Manila, on Friday. DANNY PATA

Nepal quake sparks call for building audit

Floyd plans to hit Pacman early in bout

B8

A16

s at u r D aY : m aY 2 , 2 0 1 5

A2

NEWS

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Two more victims of recruiter surface By rey e. requejo

Back from Indonesia. Members of the group Migrante International welcome back the members of the Veloso family who went to Indonesia to bid farewell to convicted drug smuggler Mary Jane Veloso, but who was saved from execution after the Indonesian government gave her a reprieve. MAnny PAlMero

Veloso’s family accuses PNoy of credit-grabbing

By Vito Barcelo and Sandy Araneta THE family of Mary Jane Veloso, returning from Indonesia Friday, slammed the Aquino administration for grabbing the credit for saving her from execution on drug charges, saying it was an Indonesian workers group that convinced Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo to grant a stay of execution.

Veloso’s mother Celia, father Cesar, sisters Darling and Marites, brother Christopher, and sons Mark Daniel and Mark Darren arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport early Friday morning where they were welcomed by members of Migrante International and officers from the Foreign Affairs Department.

The father, Cesar, told reporters the DFA offered to take them back to Cabanatuan, but they declined and instead proceeded to the Migrante headquarters in Quezon City, where they have stayed since March to campaign to save Mary Jane from execution.

In a press conference, Veloso’s mother thanked the people for their prayers, and singled out an advocate group in Indonesia that helped save the life of her daughter.

Celia, 55, wearing a “Save Mary Jane” shirt, had harsh words for President Benigno Aquino III, who met with Widodo on the sidelines of a summit in Malaysia to appeal for a stay of execution or clemency.

“We’ve returned home to the Philippines for payback... This

is not about money. The government owes us because they tricked us,” said Celia in Filipino.

“They say they were the reason she was not executed. That is not true.”

In an apparent reference to Aquino, she said: “He is telling the whole world that he helped save my daughter’s life. That is not true. Get ready, we are here to charge you. We will fight you.”

Celia accused the DFA of hiding from them from the Indonesian media while they were waiting for word about their daughter’s fate.

“We wanted to talk to the media. We wanted to thank the president of Indonesia,” she said.

Celia said it was Anis Hidayah, executive director of Migrant Care Indonesia, who really saved their daughter when she met with Widodo, who asked her about Mary Jane’s case.

It was Hidayah who discussed the details of her case and appealed to Widodo to spare Mary Jane’s life, she added.

The family expressed hope that Indonesia would commute Mary Jane’s death sentence after her recruiter turned herself in to the authorities this week.

Widodo stayed Veloso’s execution after Aquino asked that she be made a witness against a human trafficking ring that duped her into smuggling drugs.

Veloso was caught with 2.6 kilograms of heroin at Yogyakarta airport five years ago. She claims the drugs were sewn into her suitcase lining without her knowledge.

Veloso’s sister, Marites VelosoLaurente, said the Aquino administration failed to provide her with a capable interpreter during her trial.

“Had the government not been remiss, my sister would not have been in trouble,” she said.

Presidential spokeswoman Abigail Valte denied the charge, saying that as early as 2011, Aquino asked then president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono for clemency.

Aquino also asked Widodo for clemency and a review of Veloso’s case twice, Valte said.

“The records will bear out the President’s actions very clearly...

It is not an issue of who gets credit, but more importantly, Mary Jane was able to get a reprieve for her sentence,” she said.

Veloso’s alleged recruiter, Ma. Cristina Sergio, is under police custody after she sought protection citing death threats.

The Justice Department is studying whether a human trafficking and fraud complaint against her would merit filing in court.

“We owe it to the Indonesian government to undertake and complete the investigation as soon as possible,” Foreign Affairs

spokesman Charles Jose said this week.

Depending on the outcome of the investigation, Jose said the Philippines may again seek clemency for Veloso.

Her sister thanked Widodo for the reprieve as she renewed an appeal for compassion.

“President Widodo, please study my sister’s case very carefully. Please keep an open mind and heart,” she said.

Marites Veloso said the family last saw Mary Jane at Yogyakarta prison on Thursday.

“There were lots of hugging and laughing. There was no trace of sadness or worry in Mary Jane’s face,” she said.

“We left prison with smiles on our faces because we know that we will see her again soon,” she said.

While Veloso was spared, seven other foreign drug convicts and an Indonesian were executed as Widodo defied global anger.

Among those executed were Australians Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan, ringleaders of the so-called “Bali Nine” drug ring, prompting Canberra to recall its ambassador from Jakarta.

In Cebu City to celebrate Labor Day, the President said his administration was not to blame for creating Veloso’s predicament.

“You must remember, she was arrested. If I am not mistaken, April 20, 2010,” said Aquino during an ambush interview.

Sought for his comment on the claims of Mary Jane’s mother, Aquino said he could not comment intelligently on something he did not hear. – With AFP

JUSTICE Secretary Leila de Lima said on Friday more victims of the alleged recruiter of Mary Jane Veloso, the overseas Filipino worker who was given temporary reprieve from death before a firing squad in Indonesia, have come out.

De Lima said two more people surfaced and claimed they too were victims of the supposed scheme of Ma. Kristina Sergio, who is under police’s protective custody and facing charges of illegal recruitment, human trafficking and estafa by swindling Veloso.

“These two are claiming they were also victimized by the alleged recruiter (Sergio),” De Lima told reporters.

De Lima declined to give more details regarding the identities or whereabouts of the victims pending verification of the National Bureau of Investigation.

But Justice Secretary stressed that these other cases would be treated separately from that of Veloso’s own complaint against Sergio, her live-in partner Julius Lacanilao who introduced Mary Jane to Sergio, and a man of African descent identified only as “Ike.” She said Veloso stands as “witness and complainant” in the criminal complaint filed last week by the NBI against Sergio, Lacanilao and Ike, which the government cited in successfully convincing the Indonesian government to suspend her execution on the eleventh hour.

“This NBI complaint only covers the case of Mary Jane. She has personal knowledge on the circumstances and could prove her claim that she’s just a victim, that she was duped into carrying that luggage with illegal drugs there in Indonesia,” De Lima said.

Reports said another woman surfaced in a popular social networking site claiming that she also encountered Sergio at an airport.

She said the recruiter asked her bring a luggage, but she turned down the request. Authorities are already reportedly looking into this fourth case against Sergio.

The Justice department has already issued subpoena on Sergio and Lacanilao, who were directed to appear before Asst. State Prosecutor Susan Azarcon at 2 p.m. on May 8 and 14 for preliminary investigation on the charges.

De Lima on Thursday said the government will pursue its appeal for executive clemency from Indonesian President Joko Widodo, in the hopes of commuting the death sentence.

“Executive clemency doesn’t have to be in the form of a total pardon, it can be commutation of the death sentence,” De Lima said.

She said she has ordered prosecutors and agents of the National Bureau of Investigation to study Indonesia’s laws and to see how the mutual legal assistance treaty (MLAT) between the two countries might apply in Veloso’s case.

s at u r D aY : m aY 2 , 2 0 1 5

A3

NEWS

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

‘Aquino abandoned workers’ A BIG labor group on Friday accused President Benigno Aquino III of abandoning his commitment to uplift the economic conditions of millions of Filipino workers nationwide.

The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) who joined other labor groups in the Labor Day protest at Mendiola, Manila, slammed the President for his failure to respond to the eight-point agenda raised by the groups in 2012.

“President Aquino’s choice to go to Cebu today rather than confront and respond to the frustrations of the workers on this Labor Day is both an abandonment and a form of cowardice,” TUCP spokesperson Alan Tanjusay said.

Tanjusay said the President’s trip to Cebu was also a sign of the chief executive’s disconnect with the problems of the workers.

“It is now clear that he is still uninterested and disconnected with the... problems confronting the workers and besetting the labor sector,” Tanjusay said.

“With only 14 months left before his administration ends, the workers are expecting nothing from Aquino and what we are now doing is just waiting for the new president in 2016 to decide on the groups’ proposals,” he said.

Included in proposal are the streamlining of contractual job scheme, increasing the wages of private employees and government workers, lowering the cost of electricity and ensuring the reliability of supply, implementing an agro-industrial plan to create stable jobs and allowing public sector workers to form unions.

– Vito Barcelo

Labor Day rally. Thousands of workers from different organizations gathered on Mendiola in Manila to celebrate Labor Day on Friday.

Lino SAntoS

Fewer strikes recorded under PNoy’s watch

By Sandy Araneta CITY OF NAGA, Cebu – President Benigno Aquino III said Friday there have been fewer strikes under his watch than during any previous administration.

“During the previous administration, there were 259 labor strikes. During the present administration, since 2010, the sum total of strikes is 12 only,” said Aquino in his speech during the inauguration of a CEMEX cement plant in this city.

In 2013, he said, only one union held a nationwide strike.

This, he said, was proof that Labor Secretary Rosalida Baldoz was doing excellent work.

Aquino also played up the gains of his straight path policy and his administration’s efforts to raise the standard of living for more Filipinos as the nation observed its 113th Labor Day Friday.

The President also said the country has posted an average 6.3 percent growth in its gross domestic product since 2010, the fasttest pace for the economy in

the last 40 years.

“Our target is to raise our economy by 7 to 8 percent this year.

Our economic managers told us that if we are able to reach this, it will result in a 6 percent a year average as the fastest economic growth since 1955, or within the past 60 years,” Aquino said.

“What does this mean to Juan at Juana dela Cruz?”

He said economic growth would improve investor confidence, and the emregence of new businesses wold create new jobs.

At the same time, he said, improved tax collections would enable the government to invest in more infrastructure and to improve basic services.

“This is what we call virtuous cycle,” Aquino said, noting that he was in Negros Occidental Thursday to launch a rice processing center for farmers, and a cyber center to give jobs in the information technology and business process outsourcing sector.

The CEMEX plant, he said, meant an investment of P3 billion and brought 800 construc-

tion jobs.

He added that the increased output of cement with the new plant would be important to the country’s infrastructure projects.

During the past weeks, he said, he also went to Isabela for the inauguration of the Lullutan bridge, which has made travel easier, cutting a one-and-a-half hour drive to only five minutes.

“We also came from Tarlac and Bulacan for the inauguration of new classrooms and buildings in schools. In the province of Quezon, we visited the SLEX Toll Road 4 project, that we also finished,” he said.

Aquino pointed out that the roads, bridges, classrooms, and other infrastructure built in all parts of the country were not by chance.

“We really rushed and focussed on them because these are part of a comprehensive strategy towards a massive development,” said Aquino.

After citing his administration’s track record in reducing the number of strikes, the Presi-

dent called for a quick and peaceful resolution of a labor dispute at the Kepco Alcon Power Corp., which could result in power outages in Mactan and parts of Negros.

“We should be able to resolve (this) in a peaceful manner that is not disruptive. Kepco is a power producer. Power is important for the continued growth of the economy,” said Aquino during an ambush interview.

Aquino said many people, especially in the province of Cebu, will be geatly affected by the power outage if there is a strike in Kepco.

Earlier, Partido Manggagawa (PM) said that Baldoz should not accede to the request of the management of Kepco to assume jurisdiction of the dispute.

“We call on Secretary Baldoz to give a reprieve to the Kepco unions so that they can exercise their right to strike against low pay and union busting. We hope Secretary Baldoz will remain true to her

Lawmaker seeks P16k/mo pay

By Maricel V. Cruz

new plant. President Benigno Aquino III addresses the workers and families of the 3,433-square-meter, P3-billion APO cement plant during its inauguration on Friday. RALph piezAS

A LAWMAKER on Friday pushed for a 16,000-peso national minimum wage, saying that amount would help every family cope with the rising cost of living.

“There is no debate that the minimum wage set by the government is too little,” Anakpawis Rep. Fernando Hicap said.

“Hence it is only right that the wage hike for the Filipino workers should be supported by other sectors of the country.”

Hicap said the minimum

wages set by the Aquino administration through the regional wage boards were too low to support a family of five to six.

He said the highest daily wage for the private sector was P481 in Metro Manila and the lowest was P205 in Southern Tagalog.

In the public sector, he said, the highest was P9,000 per month or a little more than P400 a day for salary grade one in Metro Manila and the lowest was P6,750 for a worker in a local government unit.

Hicap said the left-leaning

think tank Ibon Foundation had set the family living wage level at P1,086 per day for a family of five to six, while the Philippine Statistics Authority survey on 2012 showed that 6.1 million families were earning less than P7,162 a month.

“As foreign monopolies dominate the business sector in the country, the Filipino people would benefit if the wages were to be increased as it would somehow lessen their profit that goes out and it would remain inside the local economy,” Hicap said.

A4

s at u r d ay, m ay 2 , 2 0 1 5

news

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

All’s fair, Comelec assures bidders

By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan and Merical V. Cruz

IN its decision to hold a separate bidding for the machines to be used in next year’s elections, the Commission on Elections assured the public that the Smartmatic-Total Information Management consortium will not have any undue advantage over other prospective bidders.

Comelec spokesman James Jimenez made the assurance as Isabela Rep. Rodolfo Albano III warned the poll body over plans to negotiate contracts for the repair and refurbishment of 80,000 precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines after the Supreme Court (SC) struck down the deal with Smartmatic.

Jimenez said all potential bidders will have be on equal footing once the poll body opens the bidding for the purchase of 63,000 new Optical Mark Reader (OMR) machines and the repair deal for 81,000 Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) units.

“I don’t see any advantage for any particular bidder,” Jimenez said, reacting to fears that the bidding would also favor Smartmatic.

Jimenez said Smartmatic-TIM does not have an “inside track” on the bidding even though the Comelec had already worked with them in the 2010 and 2013 automated elections.

“When we put out the terms of reference everything that is needed to ensure their cooperativity will be given to them,” Jimenez said.

“When you talk about (voting machine) inter-operability, there are many bidders that will say that they can do it. Plus, it will be put in the terms of reference that the new 63,000 machines should be able to handshake with the 23,000 OMR units,” Jimenez explained.

There are ongoing bidding process for the P75,000 worth of 23,000 OMR voting units that are set to be used as supplement to the Precinct Count Optical Scan machines in the forthcoming national and local elections.

So far, the Comelec is still on its post qualification phase before they formally award the contract to the winning bidder Smartmatic-TIM Inc.

On Thursday, the commission en banc has decided to narrow down its alternative options to automate the 2016 elections by holding a public bidding for the repair of the old PCOS units or hold a separate bidding for the purchasing of new OMR machines.

Always our champion. Artist Jordan Mangosan works on a solar painting of boxing champion Manny Pacquio as an expression of support for the pugilist who fight undefeated Floyd Mayweather in the United States on Sunday. DAVID CHAN

Troops expect ‘Pacquiao truce’

By Florante S. Solmerin THE military and police are confident there will be no battles with any armed group or even clashes with criminal groups when Filipino boxing champion and Sarangani Rep. Emannuel “Manny” Pacquiao fights undefeated American boxer Floyd Mayweather in Las Vegas, Nevada on Sunday.

Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesman and Civil Relations Service chief Brigadier General Joselito Kakilala said AFP chief Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. has directed all major camp commanders across the country to offer free live viewing as part of morale-building.

But Kakilala clarified there is no suspension of military operations (SOMO) against rebel and terrorist groups.

“No SOMO. We also expect that even the enemy will not miss this chance of watching the people’s champ fight Mayweather inside the ring,” he said.

In Camp Aguinaldo, at least 1,000 soldiers and their dependents are expected to watch the fight at the AFP Grandstand.

The multipurpose hall at the AFP Medical Center in V. Luna in Quezon City is also expected to be crowded with

battle injured soldiers.

Catapang said he is confident Pacquiao will win the bout against the undefeated American boxer.

“I strongly believe that Pacman will win this fight based on the judges’ scorecards. I will pray that he will bring him the glory for God, country and our people,” he said.

In Maguindanao, Col. Melquiades Feliciano, commander of the Army 601st Brigade, said his unit will continuously conduct joint law enforcement operations against the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF).

“Those who were part of the security patrols will be out in the field to perform their job. Only those who are inside camp can have the opportunity to watch the live viewing here inside my headquarters in Shariff Aguak town,” he said.

Col. Alan Arrojado, commander of the Joint Task Group Sulu, said his troops will relentlessly pursue the bandits inside their forest lairs despite Pacman’s fight.

“We will not abandon our mandate of protecting the people. On top of our continuous operations against the terrorists, my unit has partnered with AF-

PRESCOM and OPAPP to conduct expanded medical mission and free concert here on May 2,” he said.

Pacquiao is lieutenant colonel in Army’s Reserve Force.

Pacquiao first entered the Army’s reserve force in April 27, 2006 as a sergeant and rose through the ranks through meritorious promotion. He was appointed to his current rank in 2011 after satisfying the requirements for a commission in the military.

Pacquiao will enter the ring for boxing’s “fight of the century” with an entire country in his corner as the Philippines grinds to a halt to dementedly cheer on its favorite son against Mayweather.

Streets will be empty on fight day -Sunday morning local time -- as the impoverished nation of 100 million cheers its “National Fist” in huge open-air screenings, cinemas, bars and homes.

Pacquiao’s image is ubiquitous, emblazoned across giant billboards lining major highways and on shirts, dolls and stamps in stores everywhere.

“The world will stop on Sunday. Everybody is excited,” 32-year-old Manila taxi driver Glenn Yago said on Friday.

No one can do it better than teachers, poll body insists

By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan THE Commission on Elections rejected on Friday a proposal to scrap the mandatory election service for public teachers, saying the fear of a severe shortage of teachers is belied by the number of mentors who have expressed a desire to serve as election inspectors in next year’s elections.

“As we have already said, the Comelec needs the public school teachers. We can’t conceive of any other group of people that can do the things our teachers can do,” Jimenez said in reply to the claim of Teachers’ Dignity Coalition that the Comelec may face a shortage of teachers for the polls.

“But of course, we take into consideration everything that everyone is saying but for now we maintain that we need the teachers. In our experience, a lot of teachers actually want to serve,” he argued.

The Comelec needs at least 240,000 pub-

lic teachers who will serve as a election inspectors and two other assistants for every polling precinct. Before automated elections, the poll body needed at least 800,000 teachers to serve as inspectors.

In the event the Comelec cannot find teachers who can serve poll duty, private school teachers, civil servants and even competent citizens who are registered voters of the city or municipality can be engaged as poll inspectors.

The Comelec will be needing at least one BEI who is an information technology (IT) capable person certified by the Department of Science and Technology.

“Imagine the need for people who are as proven and as responsible as our teachers?

I’m sure there are very responsible people around, for the purposes of the Comelec, in the interest of accountability, there is really no one who can do what the teachers can do,” Jimenez admitted.

He refused however to comment on the proposed House Bill No. 5412 also known as the Election Service Reform Act. “I cannot comment on whether or not that’s correct,” Jimenez said. “We only know what we need and what we need to do. That’s the duty the law imposes upon us, upon them, for now that’s really the only option that we can see,” he added.

Jimenez then assured the teachers that the Comelec will not closes its doors to hear their concerns and needs.

“Hindi naman din sarado yung Comelec doon sa pangangailangan ng mga guro.

Kaya nga over the past few years, marami din tayong dinagdag na benepisyo sa kanila,” he noted.

The Teachers’ Dignity Coalition said on Thursday that the 120,000 shortage can offer Congress a chance to push for the immediate approval of a proposed bill that would scrap the mandatory election ser-

vice for public teachers.

The teachers advocate admitted that as many as 120,000 public teachers who refused to render their services to work as BEIs due to their said experience like delays in payment for their honoraria and allowances; lack of occupational hazards and injury pay; undue harassment; election-related violence; and lack of option for teachers to serve or not in the elections.

Chairman of the House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms Rep. Fredenil Castro said that his committee has studied the matter carefully and believes it is time to give teachers freedom to choose.

“Our teachers are generally willing to serve but we should allow them to make that decision and not use the powers of the State to impose on them,” Castro said, calling on the House of Representatives to join him in pushing for ESRA.

s at u r d ay, m ay 2 , 2 0 1 5

A5

NEWS

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Dry spell cuts rice harvest

By Rio N. Araja

THE dry spell brought about by a weak El Niño episode has lowered the production of rice by at least 20 percent, the National Confederation of Irrigators Association said on Saturday.

NCIA president Silvestre Bonto said the dry spell has reduced the annual rice production of 18.44 million metric tons has gone down to 14.76 million metric tons.

“Of course, there was a reduction of 3.68 million metric tons,” Bonto told The Stan-

dard, adding that the reduction may not be that noticeable because “dry spell has set in after the harvest time.

“But the supply of rice will be enough to meet the requirements of the country,” he said, hoping that rain will come this month in time for the planting season.

NCIA is composed of 1.5 million rice farmers nationwide, said Bonto, who is also one of the board members of the National Irrigation Administration.

Bonto said the farm-gate price of palay has even dipped to P13 to P14 per kilo from P17 to P18 per kilo and some areas in the country, like Cagayan de Oro, is experiencing a rice shortage because of high demand, and not due to dry spell.

“A kilo of palay in Cagayan is being sold at P21,” he added.

Meanwhile, Bonto urged President Benig-

no Aquino III to ensure that the agricultural sector is ready of the a single market set to be implemented by the Association of South East Asian Nations at the end of the year.

“Rice farmers are not yet that ready to compete with their Asean counterparts,” he said, urging the government, particularly the Department of Agriculture, to provide farmers with a subsidy of hybrid seeds good for 100 hectares of farm land, four bags of inorganic fertilizer and 10 bags of organic fertilizer for every delivery of 400 sacks of rice to the National Food Authority.

“Such a subsidy will be a big help to enable us compete globally,” Bonto said.

Meanwhile, the country will continue to experience warm and humid weather due to easterlies, or warm air from the east, as it continues to be the dominant weather system affecting the country, the Philippine

Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said.

In an interview, Pagasa weather forecaster Fernando Cada said the low pressure area hovering in east of Mindanao has already dissipated but the chance of isolated rains are high in the eastern section of the country since it is affected by the easterlies.

He explained that since the easterlies are “warm,” the convective activity brought about by its intense heat triggers the formation of localized thunderstorm clouds.

He added that its “rich in moisture” quality also contribute in the formation of thunderstorm clouds.

Cada noted that within the the next two to three days, the country will be storm free as no weather disturbance was seen near the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).

Answer Cavitex suit, SC tells govt

By Rey E. Requejo THE Supreme Court has ordered the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) to comment on a petition assailing the validity of the P70-billion contract for the Cavite Extension Project signed by the government with the Light Rail Manila Corporation.

In a resolution, the SC also directed LRMC and the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) to answer the petition and the plea for the issuance of a temporary restraining order to enjoy the implementation of the contract.

The high court will resolve the plea for the issuance of TRO once the comments of respondents DOTC, LRMC and LRTA have been filed.

Dean Salvador B. Belaro Jr. of the St. Dominic Savio College of Law in Caloocan City filed the petition seeking to nullify the Cavitex contract, arguing that the DOTC and the LRTA were devoid of power to award a franchise to LRMC as it is only Congress which has the authority to do so.

Belaro said the “closed door” negotiations on the project were violative of the

people’s constitutional right to information.

The Cavite Extension Project refers to the construction and operation of the existing LRT Line 1 to Cavite, by providing trains commencing from the Baclaran end of the existing line, traversing the cities of Paranaque and Las Pinas, and ending in Bacoor, Cavite, including the Satellite Depot at the southern end of the Cavite extension, as well as the continuation of the operation of the existing LRT Line 1.

The petitioner lamented that under the agreement, “the LRTA and the DOTC, as grantors, gave the concessionaire LRMC the exclusive right for a period of 32 years, extendible up to 50 years, to, among others, operate the existing LRT Line 1, the common station to be constructed at the North EDSA end of the existing MRT line, and be entitled to all their income, including commercial revenues from non-rail services, and the income from future development of the land covered by the project in exchange for the construction of the infrastructure and facilities for extending rail services to Cavite.”

Workers united. Thousands of workers from different federations and labor organizations throw tomatoes at a poster showing President Benigno Aquino III and the words: “Straightened out nothing, tided nothing over” in Filipino. LINO SANTOS

Makati students get cash gifts

By Joel E. Zurbano

Vehicle donation. Pilipinas Taj Group Inc. managing director George Blaylock (left) turn over two Tata Ace HT to Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez (second from right) to be used by the congressman’s district office to hasten assistance to the Yolanda stricken areas of Leyte’s first district including Tacloban City. Looking on is the congressman’s son Marty Romualdez. VER NOVENO

MAKATI Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay gave cash incentives to more than 400 honor graduates in 27 public elementary and 10 high schools in line with the city government’s program to motivate students achieve their goals.

The cash incentives, ranging from P6,000 to P10,000, was given during the Gawad Parangal ceremony held at the University of Makati Main Theater.

“Dear graduates, constantly reach for excellence, be consistent in being excellent. That is the only way you can outdo yourself. That is the only way you conquer mediocrity,” said Binay in a speech.

According to Dr. Dominico Idanan, city schools division su-

perintendent, the valedictorians received P10,000 each, the salutatorians P9,000 each, and the first to third honorable mentions each got P7,000. He saud those in sixth to tenth places were awarded P6,000 each.

In previous years until 2014, the city government of Makati had given cash incentives and other rewards to 195 graduates made up of the top five from each of the public elementary and high schools of the city.

“It is a fitting way to reward our outstanding students for having reciprocated the generous investments of the city government in their education through hard work and persistence,” Idanan said.

The incentives, he said, would “encourage them to continue being role models to their

fellow youth.”

Idanan said some 40 brand new laptops were also raffled off among the awardees during the recognition rites, with one laptop allocated per school, except for F. Benitez Elementary School, Pitogo and Benigno Aquino High School, which were allocated two laptops each since they have two sets of honor graduates—one for their regular school program and the other for their specialized curriculum program.

The city government has allocated a total budget of P2.1 billion for its public education programs this 2015 covering preschool to tertiary levels. The city’s education budget this year makes up 17.02 percent of its P12.28-billion total budget for calendar year 2015.

s at u r d ay : m ay 2 , 2 0 1 5

A6

news

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Internet shoppers must be wary of red flags

By Rey E. Requejo The Department of Justice of Justice has issued guidelines for online shopping to protect the public against Internet shopping fraud.

In a 15-page advisory released on Wednesday and available at the department’s Web site (www.doj.gov.ph), the DOJ’s Office of Cybercrime informs consumers of the proper steps to protect themselves in electronic commerce.

“Consumers should exercise due diligence before purchasing online,” according to the advisory.

According to the DOJOOC, online buyers must “know more about the seller and the product or service and the payment mode.

This includes background check and to guard against fly-by-night operators.”

It also reminded the public “to be careful in sharing personal information and to educate themselves on various forms of online fraud.”

“Consumers should also know their rights and report online fraud to government authorities,” the advisory stressed.

The DOJ’s cybercrime office also listed “red flags” to enable the public to spot suspicious transactions.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said they issued the advisory to outline remedies for victims of online fraud given the increasing use of online transactions.

“As citizens enjoy the convenience and choice in online shopping platforms, fraud and abuses are happening. These include false advertising and sale of counterfeit goods as forms of deceptive sales practices,” De Lima added. “existing laws to protect consumers apply with equal force to the internet,” she pointed out.

Mid-air glee. A swimmer does a free fall at Maharlika Falls in Barangay San Rafael, Taft, Eastern Samar. MEL CASPE

Philippines resumes fish supply to European Union

By Macon Ramos Araneta

FILIPINO fishermen can now resume supplying fish products to Europe following the lifting of the “yellow tag” imposed by the European Union.

Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food chairperson Cynthia Villar said this is a welcome development because it would ensure the sustainability of the income of our fishermen.

The yellow tag was im-

posed in June last year on the Philippines for its failure to address illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing (IUUF). A similar ban had been declared against Belize, Guinea, Cambodia, and Sri Lanka.

Villar said the ban put

to risk the fisheries sector which provides direct and indirect employment to over one million people.

The senator added that the ban was so serious that it could lead to trade sanctions against the Philippines.

Consequently, the committee amended the 16-year-old Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998, ensuring that the management of fishery and aquatic resources is anchored on an eco-system based approach.

The committee also said the law against illegal fishing was strengthened by the passage of Republic Act 10654 or the Fisheries Reform law, which ensures the traceability of all the catch of Philippine-flagged fishing vessels through a monitoring, control and surveillance system.

On April 21 this year, the eU announced that the Philippines, along with Korea, have succeeded in instituting reforms in its policies to adequately address illegal fishing.

“We are confident that with this law, we will be able to strike a balance between the requirements for increased production to contribute to food security and the need to conserve and protect our resources for long-term sustainability,” Villar said.

She also urged the active participation of all fisheries sector stakeholders, civil society, government, and the academe for the crafting of the law’s implementing rules and regulations.

Express Buses to ply Mother Ignacia-Ayala route

By Joel E. Zurbano The Metro Manila Development Authority has announced it will open a new route for express Connect Bus system along epifanio de los Santos Avenue.

MMDA chairman Francis Tolentino said the operation of the route— Mother Ignacia Street in Quezon City to Ayala Avenue in Makati City—will start next week.

The move came after Tolentino met last week officials of the Department of Transportation and Communication who are planning to expand the coverage of the express Bus project.

The MMDA initially designated three routes for 50 express Connect buses.

Route 1 takes commuters from Fairview in Quezon City to Roxas Boulevard in Pasay City. In between the two

destinations, passengers can get off at Commonwealth, Ortigas, Ayala Ave., and Gil Puyat.

Route 2 takes passengers from Fairview to Roxas Boulevard but the buses will skip the Ortigas drop-off.

Route 3 buses, on the other hand, travels from Fairview to the Mall of Asia. Passengers taking Route 3 can opt to go down at Commonwealth or Ayala (MRT-3 station) as well.

Tolentino admitted that the people initially got confused on the express Bus because commuters were not familiar with the project. he added there is still a need to determine the viability of the project, particularly the acceptance and patronage of the commuters.

“We have to prove that the project is viable before we talk about expansion,” the MMDA chief said.

The MMDA started the project’s pilot phase on March 23 up to April 23, and exended it for another month.

Under the scheme, 50 passenger buses traverse three routes without stopovers, are exempted from the number coding scheme and are allowed to pass through tunnels along the thoroughfare.

The air-conditioned express buses have a designated color or sticker for identification. The buses also have Wi-Fi, Global Positioning System (GPS) and Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras. express Bus is a project of the MMDA in tandem with the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board and DOTC. The objectives are to shorten the travel time of commuters, lessen the volume of vehicles, and encourage employees to take buses instead of using their vehicles.

Good season. A farmer from Isabela carries his tobacco harvest. REVOLI CORTEZ

s at u r d ay : m ay 2 , 2 0 1 5

A7

news

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Eastern Visayas businessmen ask for better infrastructure

By Ronald O. Reyes

TACLOBAN CITY—Businessmen in Yolanda-hit Eastern Visayas urge the national government to seriously push its build-backbetter programs in devastated areas by reviving tourism through better infrastructure in the region.

“Within the next two to three years we should see the basic infrastructure of our tourist sites to become even better. This is to entice and handle a greater influx of local and international tourists,” said Oliver Cam, point person for trade, industry and information and communication technology of the chamber of commerce and industry in Leyte and the region.

Cam, who also acted a consultant for the Eastern Visayas Business Recovery Center under the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said better support infrastructure should be present to match the massive campaign of the Department of Tourism-Region 8 which is banking on the tourism potential of Eastern Visayas.

“More people worldwide

now know exactly where we are and how to get here. Based on what I see, the national government has funded more tourism development projects and programs for the region in the history of Department of Tourism in Eastern Visayas,” Cam said.

Cam however slammed the government for the “very poor pro-active planning of Department of Transportation and Communication in 2014 up to the present in the Tacloban Airport runway rehabilitation.”

The Tacloban City airport is considered the gateway to the region.

“The ongoing runway repairs give way for the scraping and asphalting works of the remaining 300 meters

of runway…improving vital airport facilities for the safety of the flying public,” the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines said in a statement.

Cam, who has has a hotel/ accommodation business, slammed the effect of the airport repair on the region. “Hotel occupancy rates have actually dropped or decreased by over 30% ever since they re-imposed plane-size limitations back to the turbo-propeller planes last April 14, 2015. We normally have 80-90%+ occupancy during summer season but now we just average around 50-60 percent since the restart of the runway rehabilitation,” Cam said in an online interview.

“In particular we still need more local private sector investments in tourism infrastructure, facilities and programs. Local hotel owners are encouraged to network, develop and offer more competitive tour packages and plans in partnership with local tourist-ready communities, tour operators and the Eastern Visayas’s tourism to continue to build up and sustain the growth of tourism in the region.”

DOT-Region 8 said that as of April 2015, over three million tourists both local and foreign have visited the region from from 2013 to 2014, with the latter year generating more tourists.

This has generated over P3.3 billion in revenues.

Infinity and beyond. Local tourists enjoy a view of Matina Aplaya as they dip into an infinity pool in Davao City. OMAR MANGORSI

Comelec ‘buries’ 1,279 dead Cabanatuan voters

By Ferdie G.Domingo C A BA NAT UA N CITY—The Commission on Elections has “buried” 1,279 of the 5,000 supposedly dead voters whose existence it uncovered six months ago.

City election officer Leo Navarro said they have already removed the list of the dead voters from those eligible to vote in the 2016 synchronized national and local elections.

The list of deceased voters, first discovered in October last year, included a centenarian and 13 nonagenarians (aged 90 and above) who had died between 2012 and 2014.

Navarro said the eldest dead voter to have been struck from the list was 99-yearold Regina Agapito of Barangay Aduas Sur. “We are now in the process of verifying the list of other dead voters and securing death certificates from relatives in the 89 barangays to help fasttrack the cleansing process,” he said.

The purging of the voters’ list is one of two major concerns of the Comelec, which has also embarked on a barangay-based information campaign urging voters to update their records through the biometrics system prescribed by law.

Foreign health workers must have permits before missions

By Dexter A. See BAGUIO CITY—The Department of the Interior and Local Government has released guidelines to be observed by concerned local government units in the conduct of foreign medical or surgical missions by government and private groups in their respective areas of jurisdiction.

In an advisory to all DILG Regional Directors, specifically for Regions I, VIII, CAR and NCR, Undersecretary Austere A. Panadero cited no foreign mission worker shall be allowed to conduct any form of medical and/or surgical mission in the different localities without securing Special Tem-

porary Permits (STPs) from the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC).

“Any head of a government agency or officers of a private firm/institution who will allow foreign health professionals to practice in the country without the said STPs, shall be punished by imprisonment and/or fine under Section 16 of Republic Act (RA) 8981 otherwise known as the PRC Modernization Act of 2000,”Undersecretary Panadero stressed.

The DILG official directed all regional directors to cause the immediate and widest dissemination of the health department’s order to all local government units within their

regional jurisdictions.

Earlier, the government has allowed the conduct of foreign surgical and medical missions in the different parts of the archipelago. In fact, one of the programs of the Department of Health is designed to allow and accept foreign humanitarian missions to provide free health care services to underserved communities in the country.

Panadero explained the issuance of the new guidelines is not to prohibit the numerous conduct of foreign medical and surgical missions but instead regulate the same to be in accordance with existing health standards in the country.

Budding ballerinas. Little girls learn ballet at the Turning Pointe School of Dance and

Music in Kidapawan City. School director Rosa Cecilia Ortiz-Tagunayon says dancing can be therapy, even for autism. GEONARRI SOLMERANO

A8

OPINION [ EDI TORI A L ]

HASTE AND URGENCY

THEY say you can peek into somebody’s mind from the things he chooses to do now and those he chooses to put off for another day.

If this is true, then we get a close look into what things President Aquino holds important from his patterns of action and inaction. Faced with numerous urgent issues competing for his finite attention—and comprehension—the issues that Mr. Aquino does choose to address paint an unmistakable picture of what he values. And what he does not.

For example, almost as soon as Customs Commissioner John Philip Sevilla resigned his post last week, Mr. Aquino’s alter ego, Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, announced the appointment of businessman Alberto Lina to take over the bureau.

Purisima of course first showered praises on Sevilla for his performance during his short stint at the bureau. The Ivy League-educated former investment banker, he said, introduced genuine reform by improving the processes at BoC and clamping down on corrupt Customs officials.

There was, however, a time to rest. And Sevilla was about to go that route.

In separate interviews, Sevilla said he had been pressured to appoint people to key positions based on connections rather than on their merit. And he could not just bear that.

Lina is not new to Customs. He has held this position before, albeit abbreviatedly, because he soon joined the Hyatt 10 in demanding the resignation of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. He is also conflicted – he owns (used to own, they insist) a cargo forwarding company, and several others. One of these companies had even been investigated by the bureau years ago.

Of course, these issues hardly matter to an administration that is hell bent on installing a more malleable official at the notorious agency.

In sharp contrast, we keep in mind the President’s glacial pace in appointing heads of other, equally important government institutions. Why, for instance, is there no decision yet on who should lead the Philippine National Police? Commission on Elections? Civil Service Commission?

Take the PNP, for example. Complications arose when Mr. Aquino himself chose his dear friend, suspended police chief Alan Purisima, for a sensitive operation which we now know as Mamasapano. The officer in charge of the Police at that time was deliberately kept out of the loop. Given the already precarious peace and order situation in the country, the deaths of the 44 Special Action Force commandos, and the subsequent drop in institutional morale, it perplexes us why Mr. Aquino would take his sweet time in deciding who should next lead this embattled organization.

The Comelec similarly needs decisive action. One of the last official acts of its just-retired chairman was to approve a P300-million deal, without the benefit of a public bidding, for the refurbishment of the thousands of precinct count optical scan machines to be used for the national and local elections in May next year. But the Supreme Court recently struck down this deal and now the poll agency is working hard to make do with what it can to conduct credible elections nonetheless.

The President has no excuse for not acting with urgency. If he does not realize that he must act as soon as possible, that screams incompetence. If he knows how important these decisions are, but still refuses to make them for one reason on another, that is even more sinister. After all, he has demonstrated that he is perfectly capable of acting fast when he wants to.

TIME TO STOP GOVERNMENT’S TRAFFICKING OF DOMESTICS BACK CHANNEL ALEJANDRO DEL ROSARIO THE plight of domestic helper Mary Jane Veloso brings to the fore the need for the government to stop its trafficking of house maids. Because the government cannot provide enough jobs for its citizens, it embarked on a labor-ex-

port policy to become, actually, the biggest trafficker of domestic helpers. This, despite the improvement of the economy--6 percent in the last three years—just behind China, the world’s secondbiggest economy.

“Trabaho sa ‘Pinas, hindi sa labas,” said some of the placards carried by the OFW group demonstrating in front of the Indonesian Embassy in Makati pleading to spare the life of Veloso.

The country’s labor export

policy started in the late sixties and was conceptualized by the late Labor Secretary Blas Ople. There was nothing wrong then because there was a need to send our workers overseas to ease the unemployment pressure that was beginning to build up into a social volcano.

The overriding reason now is to prop up the economy through foreign currency remittances of our overseas workers even at the expense of separating families.

Desperate for money to help their families, these job seekers are exploited by local labor recruiters and lured by foreign syndicates as drug mules.

But what will happen to the millions of unemployed (9 million,according to the latest March 2015 Social

Weather Stations survey) if we stop deploying domestics? The government has plenty of funds for job generation – if only the Aquino administration would stop squandering them on the pork barrel of our congressmen and senators. What we are witnessing instead is a revolving door of evacuating our overseas workers from strife-torn countries and appealing to save the lives of Filipinos on death row.

Our import numbers keep going up when we could be producing many basic commodities. Because of the nearly moribund manufacturing and the neglected ag-

T HSUAT R S D AY : A P RAY IL 30, 2015 D AY THU R SUDRAY : A :PM R I L 223,, 22001155

A8

OPINION OPINION

A9

ADELLECHUA CHUA ADELLE CHUA ADELLE ED ITOR EE DDI TI TOORR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph M O N D AY, A P R I L 2 7, 2 0 1 5 lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

OPINION

EDITOR

POWER VIEW FROM VIEW FROM POINT MALCOM MALCOM ELIZABETH ATTY. HARRY ATTY. HARRY ANGSIOCO ROQUE JR. ROQUE JR.

SHE’S ALIVE! THE SAVING HAS OUR OF MARY COMMISSION ON JANE HUMAN

[ EDI TORI A L ]

THE nation is in celebration mode.

Who ever thought that one woman would have such a uniting effect on our people? Mary Jane Veloso, formerly part of the faceless and nameA HUGE sighdiaspora, of relief greeted less Filipino is nowtheinnews the that Indonesia granted Mary Velohearts and minds of everyJane Filipino. so a reprieve from certain death in the And for good reason. She represents EMBLEMATIC of the hypocrisy and mismanagement hands of a firing squad last April 28. the modern-day Filipino who was that have become the hallmarks of this administration, We rejoiced. Many praised and the chief of the Bureau of Customs, John Phillip forced byGod economic hardship to seek thanked for the “miracle”.

Sevilla, resigned last week with disturbing allegations employment abroad, apparently This was followed bywas posturing and of political pressure and attempts to turn his agency duped, made into a drug mule, and credit-grabbing by those who want to into a milking cow to raise campaign funds for favored has landed in Indonesian death row ride on the issue, obviously, for politicandidates in the 2016 elections. for it. And to those who haveelections doubts cal mileage.

After all,am national Sevilla was the third Customs commissioner HANOI, Vietnam—I in the capital of on the power of prayersthink again. is just a as year away. People to leave the agency under the administration of Vietnam a resource person and in a groups semiFor in the finalshould analysis, itcredit couldfor only argued on who getRights the President Benigno Aquino III, who has made the fight nar on “National Human Comhave been the prayers of the nation against corruption the touchstone of his leadership. missions: from Region” welcome Experiences development.

Asthe if only one that saved her the for firing squad.

Sevilla’s two predecessors had left the bureau amid sponsored thefrom Konrad Adenaer Stifperson or by group worked this. allegations of corruption, tarnishing Mr. Aquino’s claims tung.

I accepted the invitation of But the reprieve is leave just that—temSuch maneuverings abecause bad taste of good governance. Sevilla took over in December 2013 aporary. to It’s evaluate the affectivity of What should make it permainlong thedesire mouth. a shame that we canwith the promise of cleaning up what is widely perceived our ofis Human Rights notown even transcend innent forCommission Mary Janeselfish to political apprehend as the most corrupt agency in the bureaucracy. since its even establishment through the 1987 terests for a few hours especially the people behind the drug syndicate That promise came crashing down less than two Constitution 28 years ago.

This invitation since the on problem is far from of over. preying the hardships others years later with Sevilla’s resignation. finally gave me to theover opportunity final-of Mulling things my firsttocup in making them modern-day In announcing his resignation, Sevilla said he was ly conduct this long-delayed study. drug coffee, Unless it struck that while Mary mules. we me can being pressured to appoint certain people to “very The starting point hasprove to bethat the Mary very Jane was given a reprieve, she is still Jane’s only fault was to agree to carry sensitive” positions ahead of the 2016 elections, and high expectations of the people that the sentenced to face the firing squad. that will suit help casepromote to alleviate her hardadmitted that he could not finish the job of ending CHR and protect huMoreover, eight other lives when were again tragicorruption at the bureau. man rights in the country they ship, she may find herself back cally lost.

“I don’t compromise on morality,” the resigning created it the Constitution itself. Its before theinfiring squad. am allshould for the rule Bautista, of law, Customs chief said. “The law is clear on what is firstWhile head,I Chairperson Mary Government hopefully alsoI also stand againstforthesafeguarding death penalty. allowed and [what is] not.” should be credited the learn from this experience. Despite Studies pointof outthe that the death penalty In its first statement following the resignation, the independence constitutional body Florpolitical Contemplacion and the other Palace conspicuously ignored Sevilla’s allegations, from interference.

Congress then does not deter commission of crimes. drug mules already put to death in and simply announced his replacement, a person took the Chair and It is the alsoappointment a fact that noofjustice system is China, government apparently has comments on FB posts—manythe of Commissioners BBL,Thus, underscored thecan moral right from the private sector with extensive interests of the Commission perfect. the system err. We all not learned it to lessons. them betray the pathetic ignorance of be athat State its integrity.

None in several brokerage-related companies. A Palace should submitted foris aconformation believe Mary Jane victim, notofa PENSÉES behind them. But again, they to are these points of social justice theory First, we need to modernize and respokesman assured the public that there would be the Commission on Appointments. criminal (and I am hoping against hope red flags that invite close scrutiny,Rightfully if and moral theology were addressed no conflict of interest, as the new Customs chief, so, the Supreme Court ruled juvenate our consular personnel.

Our that we can prove this). Yet, the IndoneFR. RANHILIO only because, in their sheer irratioby the posted comments.

The Alberto D. Lina, would divest himself of his interest that Bautista her comhumble contribution inand saving Mary sianChairperson justice system found her guilty and CALLANGAN nality, they sound the alarm to the in his brokerage company—but said nothing of his bishops were rather reminded that missioners were not among those public Jane was an Application with prayer sentenced her to die.

AQUINO holdings in at least 10 other corporations. intellectual bankruptcy that makes officers whose appointments needed consome priests were pedophiles.

They forFor provisional measures, which we the sake of argument, what The announcement did little to engender firmation byalso Congress.

Thisit insulated theif were told that was shamehope would be filed with the InterFIRST, a disclaimer.

One national another one, or some of the eight who confidence. chair ful andformembers thebeen Commission them to of have involved daily, through an online post, atnational ofwere Justice. ground werein executed alsoThe innocent?

Are we expected to believe that Sevilla’s replacement from political interference. theCourt Pajero scandal. It would be tributed to me the statement that for it is rather unique—breach of the There is no way to bring them back. would truly divest himself of all his lucrative The Constitution enumerates powless bothersome merely to the laugh off the Chief Justice had, in effect, preTheofsuch death penaltyillogicality, cannot be undone.

Vienna on Consular Rebusiness interests to take a job in the government ers the Convention Commission.

These include the obvious but if this judged the Binay case by her line of We can and oughtpower It is ismy hope that Indonesia will listen lations.

Under this Treaty, the nearest in an administration with only a year left? Or is his to investigate, the power to issue how our countrymen, or a good questioning at the oral argument. to the calls of thecontempt international commuappointment part of efforts that Sevilla resisted to summons, cite in andbetter, power to Philippine consular should part of them, reasonofficial (or, fail to raise the bar of I made no such statement. Somemake sure the ruling party stays in power after 2016? nityassistance tobeen review, and eventually its ask from any branch ofrepeal governto do so!), that demonstration of have informed of the arrest and one did call me up however for public discourse and Aquino’s first Customs commissioner, who ment. we law. have a serious obstacle in death penalty aHere, dreadful want in thoughtfulness investigation of Veloso at the outset, an interview on the subject. I gave resigned under a cloud of suspicion when 2,000 task ofreasonability evaluating the performance Another thingthe that struck me asof set more stringentthe and should usI and not when case wasmake already him onIy curt replies though he container vans vanished from the bureau in 2011, the Commission.

For while the courts and was reading people’s reactions to the fearful of democracy’s future inin DOJ Court.

Although seemingly trite, standards for the did attempt, by leading questions, was a close associate of Lina. whose performance be meadeed.

When irrationality reprieve was how many ofmay us prevails, credited it was this reason that prompted to make me agree with him on Lina was also Customs chief during the previous in case or the its exchange in publicsured frightful possible!

Godanything forterms it. It of was as disposal ifofisitJustice wasand/ a miracle.

International Court to issue this assessment—an enticement I administration, before he left abruptly as part of the conviction rate, the CHR can only investiTracing in broad strokes theleadhisWe knew fully well of the events spaces. steadfastly resisted. I made clear: provisional directing the “Hyatt 10” Cabinet members who abandoned the gate but has no power to prosecute. tory ofdecision, themeasures condonation doctrine in ing to the the pressure mountI did not think it was right for me United States not to proceed with the Arroyo government over an election-related scandal In this the case of Carino vs.

Commission of jurisdiction, I pointed out that ed by various groups here and abroad to comment on on-going proceedin 2005, and who now hold considerable influence in Human Rights, the Court defined implementation of death penalty it has been inSupreme ourthe jurisprudence for including Indonesia, the efforts invesof our ings.

What I did, however, was the Aquino administration. the full extent of the Commissions’ against Mexican and German nationsome time now—carried over from government led by the President himwrite a Facebook post on the docAdministration allies in the Senate have been fulsome tigative powers: functionand ofand receiving als the case“The of Mexico Germait impossible for a genuine democAmerican jurisprudence, that it self,in who reportedly, did not give upthe up trine of condonation. Justice Adolf in their praise for Sevilla, but have shown none of their evidence and ascertaining therefrom racy to long endure.

When Archactually has roots in our democratic ny vs.

United States, that is referred to protest actions to save the ex-maid, the execution because she feared due for some good luck, after all, ercomment: evacuated Our skilled leave for to riculture sectors,undiminished. even import offinvestigation to the minute,isand the surveys show and thatrepatriated Aquino’s when poll survey data workers with was dismissive elections Azcuna the first usualremains eagerness towe launch a congressional facts of alast controversy notnot aeventually, judicial funcbishop Soc but Villegas issued convictions.

IIndonesian was advocating as the “Avena” case. who was to as be survey executed the for life, the Philippine governsince he’sinare had nothing the miscaught the deadly crossfire of a statedecision taken by president abroad inabout search of better-pay(often smuggle) farm products like He thattoI had captured numbers continuing to plumb statements justthought continuing Theinto reality, afterwith survey allegations of corruption in the Bureau ofher Customs, tion, properly speaking.ofTothis be piece considered mentthe on the draft BBL, an almost the perpetuation of juHere, the government should learn members ofisand so-called ment wouldn’t even have any basis new, fortune since Joko Widodo to receiving delay the execution. the doctrine He agreed warring factions. particularly since such“Bali a probe might “friendly ingthe jobs; thisofcontributes tosuccinctly. brain rice,shown, garlic onions.

Read the expose such, the faculty of evidence and unfamiliar depthsMamasapano despite his do work governance, Comhas that Aquino isEight” just common comment was: “Bakit risprudence.

I was however arguing that with a diaspora of 11 million Filgroup of hardened drug traffickers. for seeking reprieve. massacre. analysisfear that the doctrine Nothing was secret here. in Yet, many just rather than political opponents. making factual conclusions a controverThe Indonesia drain.

Morea Secretary sadwith andmySergio’s shameful is efforts, fine forces” print of his the toothpaste you munications IPhilippines expect the and campaign to ang simHerminio barely keeping head above the nakikiaalam na naman that it was not unreasonable and ipinos working overseas, weauthority should has its roots in there can be no China doubt that mustnow be of And because Aquino dearly wanted that she would be assassinated by save Veloso.

He just sy must be accompanied by the attributed everything to God. areHethedidn’t onlybahan two Asean countries the sending thousands of our our further intensify.

Coloma says that “there is understanding waters ofBut negative acceptability and use—it’s either made in or Sevilla dito?”. Nowhere was there had in fact been consistently apa dynamic and well-funded encouraged—or compelled—to name names family and popular sovereignty. note ofhave applying thethe law belief to those factual concluFollowing that things hapsomething, anything toThe up Veloso’s isofbased more on the wants usof believe that, which There isto no other option for significant for popularity.

And there is shore nothing still sending domestics abroad. women toroom work as improvement domestics in That Surabaya, Indonesia.

Philipany serious analysis ofis the arguplied by the High Court.

The comprovide a detailed account of what he knows.

His failure sions to the end that the controversy may concurrence, I consider priceless! consular service in every state where pen because of God’s will, was it also his plunging popularity, he went on Novo Ecijano tradition of seeking not the same thing.

Aquino, really.

But history and the ment advanced, no serious examiand... [a] need to continually ascerthat he can do, it seems, to reverse ments I got labeled me a lackey of President Joko Widodo, who gave Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia pinesto has become merely a the disdo so would be a betrayal of morality he claims be decided or determined authoritatively, The next day, I wrote an extended there is an OFW. If only because the God who was behind the trafficking of what even he and his officials bejustice outside of the legal system * * * nation and rebuttal of the reasons the Binays, a fraud, a charlatan— “stickiness” of the popular perceptain the needs of our people. ” the trend. reprieve to Veloso, and hethe Middlearticle East for where some a last-minute tribution hub for mass led to his resignation, andconsumer the public service vowed finally and definitively, subject to such apthis paper—and earned a Mary Jane, her conviction and penalsweat, blood and tears of our OFWs lieved thewhen fool’s errand ofatseekthan outAquino of any belated attack of tion I’ve writtenwill about Nothing more an pathetic actually, ifashilarious, bethat he isadduced. a failure as President seems hell-bent It istowas significant that Malacanang said hisalready government stophow the than peals ofWhat are abused and battered. products and sadly, a office major uphold he took theexBureau ofthem Customs. orkept modes of economically review may beafloat, prolot of flak for it. on I do not mind the ties, cause as well asusthe execution of the eight have attack on bishops and priests.

The they were attacks on me, not ing a stay of clemency for her. conscience – or any action of govAquino always seems to hold his are against him. doing is to continue making public seems to have abandoned the stratIn maids. opening his mouth about corruption and they vided by law. This function, to repeat, the Sometimes, come home inalarmed a practice porter of criticism, but I am that thebecause it is a national other case that the death penalty we owe it argument. to In them our contrast consuls in a personal capacity, onpeople? my In” stark And if from Maria Kristina the ernment. out toArchbishop, anwhy imaginary friend Iofsee no reason Aquino’s numappearances prove that he is still egy“Maid ofinfluence pretending toPhilippines,” ignore repeddling in Sergio, thethe bureau, SevillaYet hasto Commission does not have. kind I gotleaving is symptomatic a more embarrassment.

When will Presicoffin. they keep for hand the in- Mr. is still carried out,resources isofGod blame for discussed necessity of inclusivethe Prof.toJemy Gatshould have the to invoke Nueva Ecija town mate Veloso, Aquino, like how heand aswhen he joins the obligatory “kapitletof the genie outthe of Philippines” theofshow bottle, no amount ofmuch It were is this lackposts of prosecutorial powers would inthe the very much in control sults the surveys which anand working, insidious malady that bers is lethal to improve dent Benigno S.Aquino IIIcoming follow even strife-torn areas like Yemen, steadof “made in it? ness, warned against equating peace dula of the University of Asia and doubletalk from in him orpopularhis former employers now hadn’t surrendered to the Cabanatcended toLibya the presidency, lucked democracy: the possessor of game-changing enirreversible decline his Syria and where theyintolerance are lat- for dissent! in Mindanao is a common joke. withonthe Continuedon onA11 A11 Continued A11 A10passage of Continued can put it back in. uanWhere City police on the day before dorsement into a favorable situation.

There is But goodhe’s reason to ignore Continued on A10 powers.

If subsequent ity. once the palace shrugged

SEVILLA’S GENIE

RIGHTS MADE A DIFFERENCE?

THE REAL THREAT

Standard TODAY Manila

527-2057 (Credit and Collection). Fax numbers: 521-8340 (Advertising) 5275550. P.O. Box 2933, Manilaand Central 6406 P.O. Box 2933, Manila Post(Subscription).

Office, Manila.

Website: www.

Central Post Office, Manila. Website:E-mail: www. manilastandardtoday.com manilastandardtoday.com E-mail: mst@ contact@thestandard.com.ph PublishedMonday MondaytotoSunday Sundaybyby Philippine manilastandardtoday.com Published Kamahalan Manila Standard Publishing at 6/F Publishing Corporation at 2 ndInc. Floor PJI canbe beaccessed accessedat: at: Universal Re Building, 106 Paseo Roxas, can Building, Railroad corner 20th de Streets, www.manilastandardtoday.com ONLINE www.manilastandardtoday.com corner PereaManila.

St., Legaspi Village, Makati City. ONLINE Port Area, Telephone numbers MEMBER Telephone(connecting numbers 832-5554, 832-5556, MEMBER 521-8507 all departments), Philippine Press Institute 832-5558521-5581, (connecting all departments), (Editorial), (Editorial Fax) 521-7381 Philippine Press Institute The National Association (Advertising), 521-8507(Advertising), (MIS) 521-5591 (Editorial), 832-5546, 832The National Association of Philippine Newspapers of Philippine Newspapers (Sales and Distribution/Subscription) and

MST MST

PPI PPI

MST Management, Inc. Philip G. Romualdez Arnold C. Liong Former Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno Jocelyn F. Domingo Ron Ryan S. Buguis

Chairman President & Chief Executive Officer Board Member & Chief Legal Adviser Director of Operations Finance Officer

Ma. Editha D. Angeles Advertising Manager Anita F. Grefal Treasury Manager Edgar M. Valmorida Circulation Manager

Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher Jojo A. Robles Editor-in-Chief Jojo A. Robles Editor-in-Chief Ramonchito L. Tomeldan Managing Editor Ramonchito L. Tomeldan Managing Editor Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano Associate Editors Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano Associate Editors P. Palacios News Editor FrancisJoel Lagniton News Editor Francis Lagniton Editor Joyce Pangco Pañares CityCity Editor Arman Armero Senior Deskman Adelle Chua Senior Deskman Leo A. Estonilo Senior Deskman Romel J. Mendez Art Director Romel J. Mendez ArtPhotographer Director Roberto Cabrera Chief Roberto Cabrera Chief Photographer

A10 OUR CRUSADE TO ISOLATE CHINA HAS BACKFIRED

S AT U R D AY : M AY 2 , 2 0 1 5

OPINION

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

EAGLE EYES DEAN TONY LA VIÑA

GRACE, A DAY AT A TIME

MANY of us were surprised at the turn of events in the case of Mary Jane Veloso last Wednesday. In fact, as The Guardian has pointed out, many Philippine newspapers anticipated events wrongly with distressing deadlines, rooted in political and other biases, such as “Death came before Dawn”, Farewell, Mary Jane”, “PNOY is to blame”, “All hopes fade”, and “No delay in execution”. I will not join in criticizing our media. During a morning mass Thursday, I in fact assumed that Mary Jane had been executed and then prayed for her and for her family. That we were all happily wrong is certainly something to celebrate and not to fight over as some are doing again in social and traditional media.

I do not know how Mary Jane’s story will end. In the end, Indonesia might still execute her if the new evidence about her being duped and trafficked by a fellow Filipina does not hold up. In the meantime though, the country heaves a collective sigh of relief and takes this gift gratefully. Sometimes, we just have to do that – accept moments of grace, with thanks, one day at a time.

That is certainly what many of our overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) do as they toil in different lands.

I have seen this in many of the OFWs I teach in the Ateneo School of Government’s Leadership and Social Entrepreneurship Program in Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Dubai, Hong Kong, and Macau.

It’s a trait I have seen also in encountering our countrymen as someone who has worked abroad, first as a caregiver in Italy in my younger years and then as an international environmental lawyer a decade ago.

One remarkable moment from the events of this week is how the Filipino people – government and citizenry, the whole diaspora – responded as one to the impending execution of Mary Jane. For a country that is so divided, this was a moment of grace.

I am grateful that our government – from the President, the Department of Justice, and our diplomats, who took every possible step to avert a tragic outcome for Mary Jane. It would have been easy to just take perfunctory steps in this case and just let the process reach its expected end. After all, it would have been easy to just say – “We have done everything. There is nothing more we can do.”

But above all, I would like to credit those who fought hard and longest, and never giving up, so that Mary Jane would be saved. This includes of course her family, migrant groups like Migrante, and her lawyers. For the latter, regardless of ideological orientation, the country must credit the lawyers of the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) for their excellent, diligent and steadfast work on this case. I know some of them personally, including some I have taught and I want to tell them how proud and grateful I am of what they had done here. They truly deserve the adjective people’s lawyers and have risen up to the challenge retired Chief Justice Reynato Puno told the

THE Philippines has lately been noisy about China’s reclamation of one of the islands in the Spratlys. In fact, we went as far as accusing China of aggression. It was a high-profile propaganda blitz to get the world’s public opinion in what Secretary of Foreign Affairs Albert del Rosario dubbed as China’s “bullying.”

The latest of our anti-Chinese bluster was to drag the issue of China’s expansionism to the Asean meeting. President Aquino, on April 27 in Kuala Lumpur, stressed the Cold War approach of bolstering regional security in the wake of China’s continued and massive reclamation. But he was promptly rebuffed by Malaysia’s Prime Minister Najib Razak who said Asean would continue to engage China in a constructive way.

He said that it is not to the “Asean interest to confront China, and any attempt to destabilize the region will not benefit China either.”

Surprisingly, it seems only the US is ardently supporting our position, and it is not even a member of the Asean nor is geographically situated to justify its claim that China’s activity is a threat to its national security.

Rather, we appear to act as proxy that is shamelessly committed into integrating the US’ pivot-to-Asia policy as part of the Asean policy towards China. We appear to be so alone that we could not distinguish what constitutes a threat to our security and what is merely detrimental to our interest.

For our clarification, there are three groups of tiny islands in the China Sea. This clustered group of islands stretches from the north in the Sea of Japan to the south of China Sea. The disputed islands in the north are respectively called by the Japanese “Senkaku islands”, to China “Diaoyu” and Taiwan calling it “Tiaoyutai islands”. In the south, we have the Spratly and Paracel group of islands. The Paracel group of islands is located west of Vietnam and south of China’s Hainan Island. South of the Paracel group of islands, is the Spratly Islands which is most proximate to us.

There are several countries claiming and in fact occupying the islands – the Philippines, China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Brunei. Our legal edge to our claim is that they are well within the exclusive economic zone which is recognized under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas.

Claimants to the Spratly Islands virtually face each other eyeball-to-eyeball. But unlike the Philippines, all have taken the position of live and let live by allowing each to reinforce their physical hold of the islands they occupy. No one has raised an alarm about the Chinese activities or reclamation because all have erected and constructed physical structures in those islands with the difference that China resorted to artificially expanding the land area it occupies. They have cleared the area to allow small aircraft to land, built a garrison for the stationing of their troops, installed radar and communications facilities and made improvements China is being singled out. It will not only heighten tension against China but could create a deeply divided useful for their military and other purposes.

Malaysia, Vietnam, Taiwan and Brunei may have Asean that will give rise to justifying the US naval prestheir own reasons not to bring the issue before the ence in the area.

Conversely, while we preoccupy ourselves in antagoAsean forum. They see it far more important to their nizing China, it was reported that interest in seeking to develop furMalaysia has taken two of the islands ther their economic ties with China previously occupied by us. The unthan in making an issue of China’s usual thing is nothing was heard from increased presence in the China Malaysia, Vietnam, the Department of Foreign Affairs to Sea. To give preference to that issue or confirm said occupation. If could divide and even create tension Taiwan and Brunei deny true, the action taken by Malaysia of among the Asean members, with the net effect of endorsing the US’ pivotmay have their own evicting us is an act of war. It is, to some political analysts, more serious to-Asia policy which could make the reasons not to bring than the reclamation being underUS presence in the area the only viaby China for which they have ble force that could “stabilize” the rethe issue before the taken every right to make improvements of gion. In effect, to focus on the issue their infrastructure in their occupied of isolating and containing China Asean forum. island. could only give justification to the In fact, the Philippines’ proposal jingoistic drumbeating of Secretary that Asean ratify the so-called code of del Rosario. conduct for navigation in the China Noteworthy is the fact that only the Philippines used the word “aggression” in refer- Sea has made us appear ludicrous. Such is the observaring to China’s reclamation. Some question our use of tion for while we seek to enforce the rules of navigation the term, for it has no reference to a disputed territory against China, we are silent on other states that have or to an area where the sovereignty of one is disputed. their naval presence in the area. On the contrary, our In fact, our position in seeking the ratification of the support for the unilateral decision to conduct a joint Asean code of conduct for navigation in the China Sea patrol by the US and Japanese navies in the China Sea would have an unproductive consequence, for it seems appears to be at odds with the original position we have

BACK­ BENCHER ROD P. KAPUNAN

NUPL during its founding congress in 2017: “By calling yourselves the ‘people’s lawyer,” you have made a remarkable choice. You decided not to remain in the sidelines. Where human rights are assaulted, you have chosen to sacrifice the comfort of the fence for the dangers of the battlefield. But only those who choose to fight on the battlefield live beyond irrelevance.”

This is a good time also to remember NUPL’s founding chairman, the late lawyer Romy Capulong.

Tireless advocate of the poor and oppressed and one of the country’s greatest human rights lawyers, Romy was the lead counsel of Flor Contemplation in 1995.

By the side of Romy in that case was NUPL Secretary General lawyer Edre Olalia who clearly has applied lessons from that lost fight in Singapore. As someone who knew Romy well, having served as his campaign assistant in his senatorial campaign in 1987 and as someone who worked in the Integrated Bar of the Philippines Legal Committee he chaired in the early 1990s, I know that the great mentor Romy was is now beaming with pride with what the NUPL team achieved in this case. I can see him extolling the NUPL team to his fellow human rights lawyers in heaven – Senator Pepe Diokno, Prof. Haydee Yorac and lawyer William Chua, who will surely agree with Romy.

Once, as Olalia recalled in 2012 when Romy passed away, the latter said: “After long years of experience as a people’s lawyer, I can honestly say it has been a treasured journey of self-fulfillment and rewarding achievement. I know it will be the same for all others who choose to tread this path.” The NUPL lawyers must be understanding clearly their founder’s words during these days.

The story of Mary Jane’s miracle will of course not be complete if we do not mention the remarkable events in Indonesia: in particular, the story of how Migrant Care executive director Anis Hidayah, in tears, made a last-minute appeal to Indonesian President Joko Widodo to spare Mary Jane. The narrative that May Jane was a victim of human trafficking, as the Guardian has pointed out, is a story that has struck a chord among Indonesians, as many of their countrymen and women are also in death row in other countries in similar circumstances. This is empathy in action, a subject I wrote about in my last column.

In the days ahead, as we are already seeing, we will probably go back again to our bickering ways. On Sunday, during the Pacquiao fight, we will of course be one country and if he wins, the euphoria will last a few more days. One of these days, I do hope that we find a national purpose and leadership that always brings us the best in us. That happened this week in the case of Mary Jane. I thank God for that and accept His grace a day at a time.

Email: Tonylavs@gmail.com Facebook: Tonylavs@ gmail.com Twitter: tonylavs taken. Besides, both the US and Japan are geographically located outside of China Sea area, where threat to their territorial integrity and security would not apply.

Likewise, the US and Japan have no claim in the Paracel or in the Spratly, except that their presence is justified by their self-serving claim of keeping that body of water free for navigation. But as some would say, China Sea has been open to navigation since time immemorial, and only after they decided to patrol the area did they start talking of keeping it open to navigation.

Moreover, our endorsement of Washington’s proposal for the US and Japanese navies to jointly patrol the China Sea could only complicate the already-increased tension.

Instead of demilitarizing the area, the Philippines is encouraging the increased presence of other navies which is anachronistic to the proposal of establishing a code of conduct for navigation in the China Sea. We must bear in mind that nobody from among the Asean is prepared to accept the enhanced naval presence of Japan in the area.

Even if some would interpret the joint naval patrol as an indirect admission that the US is reeling the cost of financial burden in stabilizing its empire, that could erase fast the remaining goodwill that the US has established in Southeast Asia. The equation in the balance of power is not alone measured by the support of countries in the area, but borne out of their historical experience with Japan, which to them is totally unacceptable. rpkapunan@gmail.com

S AT U R D AY : M AY 2 , 2 0 1 5

OPINION lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

HAIL TO THE CHAIR VICTOR AVECILLA

ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

A11

THE CONDONATION DOCTRINE MAY BE WORTH KEEPING

suspension order on Binay at his ofIN 1959, the Supreme Court ruled in fice, officials of the Department of the Pascual v. Provincial Board that the Interior and Local Government postre-election of a public official excul- ed it instead at the city hall entrance.

Almost after the Ombudsman’s pates him of administrative liability order was brought to city hall, the for acts committed during his previCourt of Appeals issued a temporary ous term. The rationale – by re-electing the official concerned, the sov- restraining order in favor of Binay. As ereign people want him to continue expected, the Ombudsman brought serving in public office. This ruling is the case to the Supreme Court, arguing that under the law, no court other known as the condonation doctrine.

The doctrine was valid for the re- than the Supreme Court may issue an maining duration of the 1935 Consti- injunction to restrain an investigation tution, and during the years the 1973 being conducted by the Ombudsman.

Applying the condonation docConstitution was in force. It was upheld on at least two occasions under trine, the administrative case against the 1987 Constitution. In 1992, the Binay for acts committed during his Supreme Court en banc upheld the first term (2010-2013) had become doctrine in Aguinaldo v. Santos. It moot and academic in view of his rewas upheld again in 2008 in Ombuds- election to a second term (2013-2016). man v. Torres. As of this writing, the This was the main argument Binay’s lawyers raised in the Supreme Court. doctrine remains valid case law.

It must be emphasized that at the Last week, the doctrine took center stage in the case involving the suspen- time the administrative case was sion of Makati City Mayor Jun-Jun lodged against Binay, the OmbudsBinay, who was first elected mayor in man knew that the condonation doc2010, and who was re-elected in 2013. trine was in force, and that Binay In an administrative case against was entitled to invoke it as a matter Binay pending before the Office of of right. Why the Ombudsman still the Ombudsman, evidence indicated went on to pursue the administrathat the parking building near the tive case against Binay when it had Makati City Hall was overpriced, and become moot and academic is a mysthat Binay had been involved in the tery.

At the hearing held in Baguio City, anomaly since his first term as mayor.

Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Accordingly, the Ombudsman issued an order placing Binay under preven- Lourdes Serreno scolded Binay’s lawtive suspension for six months while yers for invoking the doctrine. This his case was pending. When Binay came as a surprise to many, includlearned about this, he sought an in- ing retired Supreme Court Justice Vicente V. Mendoza, an acknowledged junction from the Court of Appeals.

Because a large, potentially trou- expert in Constitutional Law. Justice blesome pro-Binay crowd outside city Mendoza told the news media that hall made it impossible to serve the the scolding which Binay’s lawyers

got from the Chief Justice is uncalled for because the doctrine remains in force today, and lawyers are expected to invoke established doctrine – especially one which has been repeatedly upheld by the Supreme Court during the past 55 years.

Serreno took the view that the doctrine will wreak havoc on the constitutional framework, and will exempt re-elected officials from penalties imposed by law on erring public officers.

Justice Antonio Carpio remarked that the creation of the Office of the Ombudsman in the 1987 Constitution means that public officials can be held accountable at all times, even after the end of their service. A number of observers said that the doctrine is outdated and ought to be abandoned by the Supreme Court. A congressman even threatened that if the Court does not do so, he would file a bill to kill the doctrine.

For whatever the foregoing views are worth, it appears that abandoning the condonation doctrine may not be a good idea, and may even violate the concept of popular sovereignty.

Under the law, an erring public officer can be charged in either a criminal case or an administrative case. In a criminal case, the public officer faces the possibility of being sentenced to a prison term and being removed from office. The issue in a criminal case is whether or not the public officer incurred criminal liability. In an administrative case, the public officer faces the possibility of removal or suspension from office. The issue in an administrative case is whether or not the public officer is fit to continue

serving the public. The administrative case against Binay must be appreciated from the foregoing perspective.

Thus, when the people of Makati, in their sovereign capacity in matters exclusive to Makati governance, reelected Binay in 2013, it must be assumed, pursuant to the condonation doctrine, that they forgave Binay for whatever administrative liability he may have incurred during his first term as mayor.

To say that it is an outrage for a public official to avoid penalties through the simple invocation of the condonation doctrine is an unwarranted generalization. If the public official did commit anomalies, then the corresponding criminal case should be filed against him. The condonation doctrine does not apply in criminal cases. This was explicitly stated in the jurisprudence cited earlier in this discussion. Thus, if a criminal case had been filed against Binay, the people of Makati cannot condone any criminal liability on the part of their mayor.

Besides, a criminal case against the mayor of Makati will be prosecuted in the name of the People of the Philippines, and not in the name of the people of Makati.

It isn’t the fault of Binay that the condonation doctrine exists, and that it happens to be in his favor. Likewise, the creation of the Office of the Ombudsman under the 1987 Constitution did not render the doctrine obsolete or outdated. As stated earlier, the doctrine was upheld by the Supreme Court at least twice when the 1987 Constitution was already in effect.

Time... From A9

The... From A9

his lead?

Desperate for money to help their families, these job seekers are exploited by local labor recruiters and lured by foreign syndicates as drug mules. There are presently 87 Filipinos languishing on death row in various countries after being convicted of drug trafficking. Not too long ago, China executed a group of drug traffickers, including two Filipinos.

Last Wednesday, the Indonesian government executed by firing squad convicted drug traffickers from Australia, France and Brazil.

Veloso was given a reprieve pending the judicial review of her case on the intercession of President Aquino with President Widodo.

The executions by firing squad had diplomatic repercussion on Indonesia’s bilateral relations with the countries of the death convicts.

Australia, Brazil and France have recalled their ambassadors to Jakarta.

But President Widodo has shown his resolve in following the law to rid his country of the drug menace.

What an admirable leader; how we wish we had one like a Widodo or Lee Kuan Yew.

While I fully respect people’s right to practice religion, It just perplexes me how easy it is for many to attribute everything to God’s will without looking at the whole picture.

The truth is, the mission of saving Mary Grace is an unfinished business.

To truly save her (and others who may be in her shoes in the future) we, as a country need to do important things.

We need to find out what the Philippine Embassy in Indonesia did to assist Mary Jane from the beginning.

Mary Jane was caught in April 2010.

Reports say that she was interrogated in Bahasa, a language she did not understand at that time without an interpreter. Her trial lasted six months and was already sentenced by October of the same year. During her trial, she was given a police-assigned lawyer and her interpreter was a mere student. The first appeal from our government was nearly a year after her conviction.

Where were our representatives in Indonesia at the time of Mare Jane’s trial?

What assistance if any, was given during this period? Is it possible that Mary Jane could have been acquitted if she received adequate help from our officials?

Granting that 2010 was an election year and our new government was reorganizing then, did this also mean that embassies were unable to act on urgent

matters? When did our national government know about Mary Jane’s case and why did it take almost a year to make the appeal?

Indonesian President Widodo reportedly asked why the uproar only happened after he rejected the appeal in January of this year. We must ask the same question. What did our government do in the five years that Mare Jane was in death row?

Answers to these questions are crucial if we are to prevent similar problems from happening. And if it is proven that our officials in Indonesia neglected their responsibilities to assist a Philippine national, they should be held accountable.

We should be able to show Indonesia that Mary Jane is innocent and a victim of trafficking.

We cannot afford to bungle the cases against her trafficker and her cohorts in the drug syndicate. We must be very careful especially with technicalities because we do not want the accused to walk because of such.

A lot hinges on our judicial processes.

Mary Jane’s life may be dependent on how successful we are in handling this case against those who victimized her.

If we are able to prove our case, then we may be able to show Indonesia that its justice system is not infallible. This might be a step to help its government to be open to review its death penalty.

We need to address the root causes of massive migration of Filipinos for employment.

We have around eleven million Filipinos living and/or working abroad. This is about twice the population of small countries like Denmark and Sweden.

Such is the magnitude of Filipino migration.

Our OFWs are young. Almost half are between 25 to 34 years and women dominate the age groups 15 to 24 and 25 to 29. One in three OFWs is unskilled including our domestics and construction workers who make up the biggest bulk – 32.7 percent. Service workers like chambermaids, waitresses and waiters come next – 15.5 percent. Professionals only make up 10.6 percent of our OFWs. From this profile alone we can already say that we send our people, especially our women, to take on jobs that make them vulnerable to various forms of abuse. This is the kind of labor export policy that we have.

To truly save our Mary Janes now and in the future, we must seriously address the root causes of massive migration—poverty and lack of gainful employment and livelihood opportunities. It is only when we are able to do these that we can say that we have freed and saved Mary Jane. bethagsioco@gmail.com @bethangsioco on Twitter Elizabeth Angsioco on Facebook

A12

sat urday : m ay 2 , 2 0 1 5

sports sports@thestandard.com.ph

Robert Alomar Castro (18) tries to keep pace with quick-stepping Joshua Garing (left). The jitterbug guards were the two youngest and shortest players to make the JrNBA All-Star squad named during the National Training Camp last weekend. Left panel shows Luisa Martina De La Paz (26) driving hard to the hoop against defender Luisa Krizelle San Juan (29).

Jr. NBA fueling young cagers’ dreams

By Peter Atencio

THE JrNBA/JrWNBA Presented by Alaska selected the 10 best boys and five best girls basketball players from all over the country who are 10 to 14 years old.

Of those players Sebastian Locsin, Miguel Luigi Santos, Lloyd Raphael Oliva, Robert Alomar Castro and Heart Pagara consider themselves very lucky to be chosen from over 7,000 boys and girls to be members of the JrNBA/JrWNBA All-Star teams.

During the final day of the National Training Camp of the JrNBA/JrWNBA Presented by Alaska last weekend at the SM Mall Asia Music Hall Locsin made an effort to show well he hustled and set screens during the all-star game.

His hard work paid off and he eventually became one of 10 boys who became part of the final selection.

Locsin credited his father Noli Locsin,

a former Philippine Basketball Association standout, for teaching the moves that he needed to learn when he was younger.

“Iyung gulang at iyung moves na magpapaiwas ng bola. Iyun po ang tinuro niya sa akin (My father taught me the physical moves to protect the ball),” said the 13-year-old student at La Salle Greenhills.

Standing 5’5”, Locsin has not yet grown to the height and heft of his father during the elder Locsin’s heyday in the professional league. Locsin believes that will soon change.

“Siguro, in four years, mag-iimprove pa ako hanggang gumaling katulad ng father ko (Perhaps in four years I will improve to become a really good player like my father),” said Locsin.

The four boys and one girl are products of the Alaska Basketball Power Camp. According to Alaska Milk VP for Marketing Blen Fernando it’s a testament to the effectiveness of the camp that so many of their campers made it to the final JrNBA/JrWNBA all-star squad.

“The program is meant to help the participants become the best basketball player

they could be through the rigorous drills designed by our Power Camp Director Jeff Cariaso. But more importantly our camps teach the players the important star values of Sportsmanship, Teamwork, the right Attitude and Respect. The participants not only become better players but better persons and members of our community,” said Fernando.

Being part of the JrNBA has inspired Santos to be a role model to his peers at the Ateneo de Manila University.

“For me, I need to stay fit and healthy.

These are the things that the guys will follow,” said Santos, 14, a grade 7 student who was also chosen Alaska Ambassador of Goodwill.

He is upbeat being among the top 10.

The 5’11” Santos said the program taught him how to be part of a team and help his teammate get focused with the things that they need to do to win games.

“It’s about helping my teammates get focused on court. It’s all about giving my 100 percent,” said Santos.

The Alaska Basketball Power Camp, according to Santos, developed his skills on team play and the JrNBA program improved it further.

Because of this, Santos feels confident at finding a spot among Ateneo Blue Eaglets in the coming years.

“I’m not part of the Blue Eaglets varsity team yet. It’s still far. I’m still trying out. I just need to get focused at the moment,” said Santos.

Oliva, on the other hand, started getting serious in the game of basketball only a year ago.

The 13-year-old stands 6’4”. He was encouraged by his uncle John Oliva who used to play for the Lhuillier Jewellers and Mama’s Love in the Philippine Basketball League - to play basketball because of his height.

Last year, his mom Rosemarie requested La Salle Greenhills coach Allen Ricardo to help him work on his game.

Oliva eagerly heeded Ricardo’s teachings and a year later he has improved enough to make it to the JrNBA/JrWNBA NTC. “Displina lang po. Lahat tinuro niya (Ricardo) sa akin para gumaling. Kaya sobrang saya ko po nung napili ako sa JrNBA all-star team (Discipline. I was taught everything by Ricardo to become better. I’m very happy to be selected to the JrNBA team),” said Oliva.

Thai spikers stamp class

Ten boys and five girls accept the honor of being selected to the JrNBA/JrWNBA All-Star teams during ceremonies at the SM MOA Music Hall last weekend. With them are (from left) Alaska VP for Marketing Blen Fernando, coach Topex Robinson, Alaska Power Camp Director Jeff Cariaso, NBA Philippines Country Manager Carlo Singson, coach Chris Sumner, WNBA legend Ruth Riley and Philadelphia 76ers star player Nerlens Noel.

SOUTHEAST Asian superpower Thailand made its presence felt early when it clobbered Uzbekistan, 25-14, 25-10, 25-13, on opening day of the 1st Rebisco Asian U23 Women’s Championship powered by PLDT Home and Smart Live More yesterday at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.

Banking on well-timed combination plays and a relentless defense, the Thais were dominant from start to finish to claim the easy victory in the preliminaries of Group D of this tournament, which stakes two tickets to the World U23 Women’s Championship in Ankara, Turkey.

Also pulling off an easy conquest was India, which smothered Macau,

25-10, 25-14, 25-19, in the first match of Group B. Nirmala fired 15 kills for a total of 17 points, while Muraleedharan Shyamala Poornima scored 13 points for the Indians, who took advantage of Macau’s poor net defense and lousy receptions.

But still, it was Thailand, which generated most of the attention from a supportive Filipino crowd.

With setter Pornpun Guedpard dictating the tempo and hitter Ajcharaporn Kongyot doing damage offensively, the Thais displayed a flawless performance, enough for the opposing coach to predict that they will easily win the crown.

sat urday : m ay 2 , 2 0 1 5

A13

sports sports@thestandard.com.ph

The Bucks stop here MILWAUKEE—Mike Dunleavy scored a teamhigh 20 points as the Chicago Bulls cruised to a 120-66 drubbing of the Milwaukee Bucks Thursday to reach the second round of the NBA playoffs.

The Bulls easily eliminated the Bucks in game six, beating them so soundly that their 54-point win margin was the third largest in NBA postseason history.

They advance to face the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference semi-finals.

The Bulls’ win was just four points shy of the 133-75 shellacking Minnesota delivered to St. Louis in 1956. It was also the most lopsided postseason game for both franchises.

In the other playoff contest Thursday, Blake Griffin finished with 26 points, 12 rebounds and six assists, and the Los Angeles Clippers beat the Spurs in San Antonio 102-96 to avoid elimination and force game seven in their first-round Western Conference series.

Bulls star Derrick Rose tallied 15 points, seven assists and five rebounds and was given the fourth quarter off with the game sewn up. Pau Gasol and Jimmy Butler scored 19 and 16 points, respectively, and Joakim Noah finished with 11 points and 10 rebounds.

The Bucks made it a competitive series with two straight wins after going down 3-0. But they

trailed from start to finish and showed little fight except to land a few cheap shots that resulted in technical fouls and ejections.

Dunleavy was on the wrong end of a Giannis Antetokounmpo body check late in the second quarter.

Chicago was leading by 30 when a frustrated Antetokounmpo hammered Dunleavy as he was shooting a three-pointer.

Dunleavy made the shot despite being blind-sided. Antetokounmpo was ejected and had to watch the rest of the blowout from the locker room.

All 13 players scored for coach Jason Kidd’s team, with Zaza Pachulia’s eight points leading the way. Milwaukee turned the ball over 18 times.

An already action-packed North American sports Saturday, featuring the Kentucky Derby and Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao super fight, now gets a Spurs-Clippers winner-take-all contest.

Chris Paul recorded his second straight double-double with 19 points and 15 assists, DeAndre Jordan finished with 15 points and 14 rebounds, and J.J. Redick added 19 points in the win. AFP

Mapua’s Shaira Hermano dives to keep the ball in play in the 2015 Pista’y Dayat Beach Volleyball in Lingayen, Pangasinan. NANTE AZORES

University of the East, Rizal Tech U spikers clash in finals LINGAYEN– Holding twice-tobeat advantages in the semifinal round, University of the East and Rizal Technological University didn’t waste any time in stamping their class against their less-experienced opponents to arrange an all-Metro Manila championship duel at the Capitol Beachfront in

the 2015 Pista’y Dayat Beach Volleyball tournament here.

RTU volleybelles Jessa Aranda and Jonafer Canete San Pedro bundled out the Lingayen-LGU pair of Joan Marie Fernandez and niece Josephine Caguioa. 21-13, while UE’s Francislyn Cais and Madel Gavarra made short work

of rookies Diane Latayan and Alby Cubilla, 21-12, of Mapua 2 to reach the finals of the tournament organized by former Philippine Sports Commission Commissioner Tisha Abunda, in cooperation with Pangasinan Governor Amado Espino and Lingayen 2nd District Rep. Leopoldo Bataoil.

Zaragosa shoots course record RUPERT Zaragosa shot a course record eight-under-par in the second round, en route to a convincing win in the boys’ 1517 years division in the Philippine Airlines Junior World Golf Championships qualifying tournament recently at the Splendido Taal Golf and Country Club in Nasugbu, Batangas.

Zaragosa eclipsed the old mark of 65 set by professional Miguel Tabuena with nine birdies against a bogey from the gold tees and with his other rounds of 71, 70 and 72, posted a 277 to finish 11 strokes ahead of Jelbert Gamolo, who had 74-73-68-73-288 in the third leg of the ICTSI-JGFP Summer Tour that selected the country’s bets to the coming Junior World tilt in San Diego, California.

Zaragosa will be flown by national carrier PAL to Los Angeles for free as one of the 12 division champions of the qualifier also sponsored by the Philippine Golf Foundation, Golf Depot, Martin Lorenzo, Crystal Catx trophies, Delimondo and Inquirer Golf.

Carl Jano Corpus and Jolo Timothy Magcalayo also snagged free tickets for topping the boys’ 13-14 years and 11-12 years age brackets, respectively.

Corpus claimed a six-stroke win over cousin Aidric Chan, with his 74-70-70-74288, while Magcalayo defied the odds and routed the field with his 71-72-69-74-286.

Zaragosa and Gamolo led the four qualifiers in their age group with Ryan Monsalve and Wei Wei Gao taking the two other berths.

Corpus and Chan will banner the PH bid in the 13-14 class in San Diego, with Wei Yu Gao (297) salvaging the third and last berth.

Magcalayo, meanwhile, was joined as boys 11-12 qualifiers by Riggs Illescas (318), Sean Ramos (325) and Josh Zaragosa Jorge (328).

RTU and UE actually had trouble-free rides to the semis after cruising to the semis with a 2-0 and 3-0 slates, respectively after the preliminaries, leaving Mapua 1, Mapua 2 and Pangasinan teams Lingayen-LGU and Labrador to battle it out in the quarterfinals.

In the quarterfinals, Lingay-

en-LGU easily dispatched the Mapua 1 team of Shaira Hermano and Niella Ramilo, 21-12 to arrange a semis match against LGU-Lingayen, while Mapua 2 posted the same score in ousting the Labrador pair of Maikka Baaclo and Jovy May Sison.

Arman Armero

McIlroy, Spieth keep perfect starts at WGC SAN FRANCISCO—World number one Rory McIlroy and Masters champion Jordan Spieth maintained their perfect starts to the WGC-Championship Match Play on Thursday to stay firmly on course for a place in the last 16.

Northern Irishman McIlroy, an easy winner in his opening group game on Wednesday, defeated Brandt Snedeker by two up at San Francisco’s Harding Park to make it two victories out of two in the lucrative $9.25 million event.

The 25-year-old superstar will now face his 2007 Walker Cup rival Billy Horschel on Friday with a place in the knockout rounds on offer.

Horschel joined McIlroy at the top of Group 1 after notching his second win of the tournament, beating Jason Dufner 3&2.

Friday’s game between McIlroy and Horschel will revive memories of their ill-tempered duels in the Walker Cup eight years ago but the two men have

put their animosity behind them and are now on friendly terms.

Second seed Spieth meanwhile trailed early against world number 41 Matt Every but soon turned things around to wrap up a convincing 4&3 win thanks to a red-hot putting display.

Spieth will face England’s Lee Westwood on Friday with the winner going through to the last 16. Westwood squeezed past Finland’s Mikko Ilonen by one up in a nervy encounter that almost went to sudden death.

Westwood had a short birdie putt to seal victory on the 18th but missed, giving Ilonen the chance to force an extra hole. But Ilonen’s putt to save the match lipped out leaving Westwood a relieved winner.

In other games Thursday, Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee stunned world number five Jim Furyk to keep alive his hopes of qualification for the weekend. AFP

S AT U R D AY : M AY 2 , 2 0 1 5

A14 Decency and class WHEN the pride of the Philippines, eig ht-d iv ision world champion RONNIE NATHANIELSZ Manny Pacquiao steps into the ring at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas tomorrow, shouldn’t we, boxing media and fans lean back for a moment and realize what manner of man is Floyd Mayweather Jr., who, by all estimates, will be around $250 million richer when the so-called “Fight of the Century” is over.

Have we ever realized to what extent this abrasive, arrogant American and his obnoxious father, Floyd Mayweather Sr. have taken advantage of the innate goodness and humility of Pacquiao to insult him and ridicule his talent even after the prestigious Boxing Writers Association of America recognized him as “The Fighter of the Decade?”

Are some of us so enamored with his skill as a boxer and his much-ballyhooed shoulder roll, which five-division world champion Nonito Donaire pointed out, after watching some of the fight videos of the late Hall-of-Famer Gabriel “Flash” Elorde’s in our home, was originally a product of Elorde’s innate skill.

It’s like the “bolo punch,” which most boxing historians attribute to Cuba’s world welterweight champion Kid Gavilan, when the artful practitioner of the “bolo punch” was middleweight Filipino champion Ceferino Garcia, who perfected the wide sweeping uppercut motion when harvesting sugarcane with a bolo in the fields of Southern Philippines.

No question, Mayweather is a defensive genius, but he is nowhere near the complete boxer despite his unbeaten record of 47 wins, which is a number crunched out by picking and choosing opponents he could beat.

One of his early fights against Jose Luis Castillo demonstrated Mayweather’s lock on the officials appointed by the Nevada State Athletic Commission as he won a unanimous 12-round decision in a fight most media and educated fight fans believe he lost.

The strange judging mentality in Las Vegas was clearly exposed when Mayweather dominated Castillo in the rematch, but inexplicably, the scorecards were closer.

Even when Floyd won a split decision victory of Oscar De La Hoya, there were quite a few who felt that Mayweather, as a challenger, didn’t do enough to wrest the title from the champion, although De La Hoya had to share in the blame for not using his jab, which was an effective weapon and for easing off in the last two rounds.

When he faced the much-smaller Juan Manuel Marquez, Mayweather violated the stipulated weight limit and ended up paying a $600,000 fine rather than shed some pounds and negate his huge advantage, which was even more pronounced by fight time.

Mayweather also had the audacity to cockily proclaim that he was superior to two of the acknowledged greats of all time, Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Robinson, both boxers who displayed artistry in the ring and compassion outside.

Mayweather insists he is better than both of them and that he is the best ever as caps and t shirts with the letters TBE are worn by his minions.

He has also insulted our country when he once proclaimed “the Philippines is a fu**ed up country,” yet he has the gall to peddle t- shirts commemorating the “Fight of the Century” with his face embossed on the Philippine flag as background.

If it’s a move to try and win over Filipino fans and non-fans alike, he is sadly mistaken. We love our country and will not condone anyone insulting our people or this beloved land.

We may have our shortcomings and our problems, but we are trying our best to resolve them and one individual who gives us hope to carry on is Manny Pacquiao, whose achievements in the ring are legendary and his caring, compassionate ways especially for the less fortunate anchored on remarkable humility, have won the admiration and respect not merely of his 100 million countrymen, but the whole of Asia and indeed millions even in the United States, South America and Europe.

Mayweather’s record of 47-0 rings hollow when measured against the behavior of the man, who once went to prison for beating the mother of his children, but even after pleading guilty and serving what was perhaps too short a time, had the audacity to claim that he was merely trying to restrain a woman on drugs, further aggravating an already ugly situation as some sectors of the US media, who are not under his spell, have raised the issue of his violence against women and the failure of the American public in general to condemn him rather than acclaim him.

In fact, Katie Couric of Yahoo, bore her fair share of criticism from colleagues in media for the kid gloves treatment she gave Mayweather during the interview, where Mayweather claimed he was a target because he’s black, he’s rich and he’s outspoken, failing to accept the fact that he is a target because if his litany of wrongdoings.

Whether Manny Pacquiao is able to beat Mayweather on Sunday, which is devoutly to be wished, or loses to him, one thing is certain – it will not diminish one bit from the legacy he has left the sport of boxing and the example he has set for the rest of the sporting world and all of us who value his decency and class outside the ring perhaps, even more than his achievements within.

INSIDE SPORTS

SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Pacman must use Cotto blueprint to beat Floyd

By Dennis Principe

SCANNING all the previous fights of Manny Pacquiao in an attempt to find a single opponent, whose style is similar to Floyd Mayweather, Jr., is like trying to locate a needle in a haystack.

Chances are you will never find one.

If ever, Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto may be the closest thing to our quest of studying a former Pacquiao foe that resembles at least few of Mayweather’s skills.

Pacquiao vied for the World Boxing Organization welterweight crown of the then oncebeaten Cotto in a 12-round catchweight match on Nov. 14, 2009 at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Cotto was a skillful welterweight champion, whose only loss before facing Pacquiao was an 11th-round TKO loss to Mexican Antonio Margarito.

Controversy soon ruined Margarito’s win when the Mexican superstar’s cornermen were caught tampering his hand wraps when they fought Sugar

Shane Mosley.

The Nevada commission discovered that Margarito used hand wraps that contained sulfur and calcium, which when combined with water forms Plaster of Paris. The discovery instantly casted doubts on his win over Cotto.

While Margarito may not be a defense-first type of fighter, the unassuming Puerto Rican is adept at throwing effective jabs and is good at setting up his right hand.

Cotto displayed those abilities when he dominated certified movers Zab Judah and Paulie Malignaggi before snatching a close but deserving 12-round decision win against Shane Mosley, another proficient ring tactician.

Cotto held his own against Pacquiao in the early rounds as

SECOND OF A SERIES

they traded punches, mostly at the center of the ring.

But after being floored once each in the third and fourth rounds, Cotto was never the same again as Pacquiao blitzed his way to a superb 12th-round technical knockout win.

“I didn’t know from where the punches were coming. And I didn’t protect myself from his punches,” said Cotto afterwards.

Against Cotto, Pacquiao showed the kind of patience he will need once he faces Mayweather this weekend.

A lot of times during the fight, Pacquiao was seemingly on the verge of knocking his physically bigger opponent out.

However, Pacquiao just contented himself in darting in and out and hurting Cotto with 2-3 punch combos,

Mayweather must re-visit Hatton game-plan EIGHT years ago in Las Vegas, unified world welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. fought an unbeaten British buzzsaw named Ricky Hatton.

Like Pacquiao, Hatton was a charismatic, diminutive boxer whose devil-may-care style and explosive hands endeared him to millions of British and non-British boxing fans around the world.

And like Pacquiao, Hatton is smaller than Mayweather, but was considered back then as having a pretty decent chance of winning against the unbeaten American champion.

Hatton fought Mayweather for the American’s World Boxing Council welterweight crown on Dec. 10, 2007 at the MGM Grand Garden.

Entering the fight, Hatton was unbeaten in 43 fights, 31 of those did not last the distance.

But this was his first time to vie for a crown in the 147lb division after dominating the equally tough junior welterweight class.

Mayweather, meanwhile, was also unscathed by that time, winning 38 fights, while stopping 25 of them inside the distance.

The first few rounds saw Hatton connecting some clean shots, while relentlessly moving forward in a bid to disrupt Mayweather’s balance.

“I took my time. I fought inside and outside. A true champion can adapt to anything. I already knew coming in it was going to be a rough night and that it was going to be tougher than most of my fights. I didn’t prepare halfway. I had a great training camp,” said Mayweather.

While Hatton was having some measure of success in the early rounds, it was evident by the middle rounds that the British champion was no more than a gung-ho type of fighter, whose only fight plan was to go forward.

Mayweather’s jab and counter right were already hitting their marks, while making Hatton miss his own shots by way of moving around and using his patented shoulder roll.

“He is very good at making you miss. He was better inside than I thought. He caught me. It was working, but I didn’t quite stick to the game plan. I was a little gung ho,” said Hatton. “He wasn’t the biggest welterweight I’ve seen, but I

punches that were just enough for him not to get robbed of a clear victory in case the bout reaches the scorecards.

“The key to this victory was staying disciplined,” Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach said. “We didn’t panic in the ring.”

In this fight, Pacquiao showed he can be a disciplined fighter and be not the old, aggressive Pacman, who may have won a great number of competitive fights. But that type of aggression also led to a few, but debilitating knockout defeats.

If the Pacquiao who beat Cotto shows up against Mayweather, it is not far-fetched that the Filipino boxing sensation can etch a convincing decision win.

The marquee at MGM Grand Garden Arena advertises the upcoming fight between WBC/ WBA welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. and WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao.

The two boxers will face each other in a unification bout on May 2 (May 3 in Manila) in Las Vegas. AFP

felt the difference. I knew what the tactics were. I wasn’t quite good enough to apply it tonight.”

Mayweather finally threw the coup de grace when he unleashed a powerful counter left hook that saw Hatton crumbling to the canvass, forcing referee Joe Cortez to wave of the fight in the 10th round.

“He’s very clever. He picked up a couple of shots, and that was that. I was forcing it, and I was doing well. I should have been a touch more careful. He knocked me out, but he wasn’t the hardest puncher I’ve ever fought. He’s very accurate. Knock me down, I keep getting up,” said Hatton. Dennis Principe

S AT U R D AY : M AY 2 , 2 0 1 5

A15

SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

LOTTO RESULTS 6/45 00-00-00-00-00-00 P0.0 M+ 4 DIGITS 00-00-00-00 3 DIGITS 00-00-00 2 EZ2 00-00 Floyd... From A16

WBC/WBA welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. (left) and WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao go face to face during a news conference at the KA Theatre at MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. AFP

Tough southpaws give Mayweather problems

By Dennis Principe

MANY are wondering, what’s the blue print when it comes to beating Floyd Mayweather, Jr., or is there really such thing?

After 19 years fighting as a professional, Mayweather has yet to taste a defeat in 47 fights.

Forty-seven tried, a few came close, but in the end, no one among them achieved that distinction of beating the man widely considered as the sport’s pound-for-pound king.

The last time Mayweather lost in a boxing ring was when he was still a 19-year-old amateur fighter campaigning in the 1996 Olympics held in Atlanta.

Mayweather fought Bulgaria’s Serafim Todorov in their featherweight Olympic semifinals match.

Todorov, a three-time world champion, outpointed Mayweather in their three-round

semis encounter.

But reports posted about the result consistently revealed that Mayweather got the raw end of the deal and was actually a victim of unfair judging.

So technically, Todorov had no clear-cut skills or fight plan that would have truly beaten Mayweather.

Soon after, Mayweather turned pro and established what is perhaps the most successful boxing career in history.

Raking in millions and millions in Pay-Per-View money is a strong testament of Mayweather’s marketability.

Mayweather, 38, won his first world crown on his 18th fight by

stopping the late great Genaro Hernandez of Mexico for the World Boxing Council superfeatherweight crown in October of 1998.

Since then, Mayweather fought in 23 world title fights with only a handful able to give the Michigan native some fits.

Mayweather will be fighting in his 24th world title match when he takes on Filipino boxing sensation Manny Pacquiao in a 12-round welterweight unification match on May 2 at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas, Nevada.

While oddsmakers have favored Mayweather to win this battle, which took nearly six years of on-and-off negotiations, most people believe Pacquiao has what it takes to surprise the proud American champion.

One story that is slowly being unearthed, which is believed to serve as a clue on how

to beat Mayweather, is the reported beating he got from fellow American Paul Spadafora when the two were still lightweight champions during the late 1990s.

Like Pacquiao, Spadafora is an aggressive southpaw, a former world champion, who would have been in that Pacquiao-Mayweather equation if only the Pittsburgh-born fighter had discipline in his entire boxing career.

In that six-round sparring session, which happened sometime in the 1990s, Spadafora got the better of Mayweather all throughout after a close first two rounds.

Good for Mayweather, the sparring was not an official record, but it exposed one thing that may turn out to be the brash American champion’s weakness: Fighting aggressive southpaws.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Saturday, May 2, 2015

ACROSS 1 Took cover 4 Mural painter — Rivera 9 Showed fangs 14 Narcissus’fl aw 15 Joinup 16 Like London in 1666 17 “Kidnapped”monogram 18 Minneapolisexurb 19 Waterlogged 20 Littlepi ggy 21 Swisssummi t 23 Where Leo is 25 In the pact 29 Doesbati k 31 Mil.rank 32 Road map no.

33 Indoorbazaars 36 Teenbane 38 Arlene of old films 39 Irish Rose’s guy 40 Frenchdol lars 41 Term paper abbr. (2 wds.)

42 B-moviepi stols 43 Put in the attic 44 Nestbui lders 45 “Sort of like” suffix 46 Dog days in Dijon

47 Swedishi mport 49 Inferior,sl angily 51 It can give one leverage (2 wds.)

55 Kind of bunny (hyph.)

59 Versatilevehi cle 60 Sheet-musicl ine 63 Usualw eather 64 Monk’sti tle 65 Moveemoti onally 66 UFOcapti ve?

67 Evergreen 68 View from an oasis 69 Harbingers 70 Orangeroot DOWN 1 Avis competitor 2 Dome home 3 Gave an Rx 4 Platter spinners 5 Bring about 6 — go bragh 7 Pagoda feature 8 Viking name 9 Igneous rock 10 In a tangle 11 Eighteen-wheeler 12 Joulefracti on

13 22 24 26 27 28 30 31 33 34 35 37 38 40 44 46 48 50 52 53 54 56 57 58

60 Inc.cousi n Actress Susan — 61 NotI Comesungl ued 62 Pantyhosemi shap Loafsaround Burntup FictionalFrome Vales Use a wok, PREVIOUS PUZZLE SOLVED maybe Fast-talks Wizardry Disconcert Notsti ff —-Magnon Hat or race Block,l egally Gamekeepers Historical periods Tarzan’s moniker Mrs.K ramden Vampire slayer Poshhotel lobbies Scrapdetente Canyonrepl y Anastri ngent Hoarfrost 5-2-15 © 2015 UFS, Dist. by Univ. Uclick for UFS

“Even if I am fighting a guy they say is just a regular guy then I am still going to train extremely hard.”

Mayweather told Barkley he doesn’t watch tapes of his opponents because he learns all he needs to about them once they are trading blows in the ring.

“I never watch my opponent. I feel like you can have a certain game plan, but once you get inside that square circle the game plan changes,” Mayweather said.

“Boxers may fight certain guys the same way, but they fight me different.” AFP

Pacquiao... From A16 “We had all the tests done and went out well. When he returned to the gym, there were no flaws and no changes and everything, no gun shy. He took it very well. No concern about that,” said Roach.

Meantime, Mayweather assured that he will be dominating every round once the bell sounds signaling the start of their fight.

A notorious slow starter, Mayweather said he is has prepared for an action-filled match during his entire training camp in Las Vegas.

“I’m in tip top condition. I’m very good at doing what I do best. I’ll go in there and dictate the pace from the beginning,” said Mayweather.

While he is confident of a victory, Mayweather still praised Pacquiao as someone who remains as a solid threat to his 47-fight winning streak.

“I’m not going to take nothing away from this guy. You know, I think that I’m the bigger, stronger guy. I truly believe that. But he’s a solid competitor,” said Mayweather.

The 38-year-old Mayweather (47-0, 26 knockouts) will stake his World Boxing Council and World Boxing Association welterweight crowns, while the 36-yearold Pacquiao (57-5-2, 38 KOs) will be laying on the line his World Boxing Organization title.

They will meet in a highly-anticipated 12-round battle tomorrow morning at the MGM Grand Garden, Las Vegas, Nevada.

Meanwhile, the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight will also be aired live at King of Sports Bar located along Quezon Ave., in Quezon City.

S AT U R D AY : M AY 2 , 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

Floyd Mayweather will need everything from his arsenal, including the nod of the boxing gods to stop a charging Manny Pacquiao. AFP

Floyd plans to strike early against Pacman LAS VEGAS—Floyd Mayweather says he is going to come out swinging and be the aggressor early against Manny Pacquiao when they meet in Saturday’s super fight in Las Vegas.

The 38-year-old Mayweather, who is putting his undefeated record on the line to fight Filipino icon Pacquiao at the MGM Grand, usually needs a few rounds to feel out and adjust to his opponent’s game plan.

“I am going to approach it in a very, very aggressive way and go out there and press the attack early,” Mayweather said Thurs-

day night on the NBA on TNT. “Of course I would love to win by knockout. I am pretty sure he is going to come at me extremely strong.

“I am facing one of the best fighters I have ever faced.”

Mayweather was on the NBA television show with hosts Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Ernie Johnson.

Mayweather’s disclosure Thursday night that he will be the aggressor is welcome news to boxing fans who are being charged a hefty $100 for the pay-per-view to watch the fight in their homes. The 12-round welterweight unification fight is expected to generate a record $400 million in revenue.

Mayweather’s longevity in the sport has been attributed to his brilliant defence and counterpunching skills but it also makes for some boring fights.

Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach said Thursday he goes to sleep watching some of May-

The Bucks stop here TURN TO A12

Jr. NBA fueling youth’s dreams TURN TO A12

weather’s title fights.

Mayweather, who is the world’s highest grossing athlete, said he would spend the next day and half before the fight doing light workouts, watching playoff basketball on TV and trying to stay focused.

“I want to be real relaxed and real calm. I just try to have tunnel vision when I am on my way to the gym,” he said.

Mayweather, who is 47-0 with 26 KOs, told the shows hosts the secret to keeping his unblemished record intact is that he never takes any opponent lightly.

Turn to A15

Pacquiao prepared for foe’s overhand right

By Dennis Principe WHILE Freddie Roach is expecting Floyd Mayweather, Jr. to study the knockout loss suffered by Manny Pacquiao at the hands of Juan Manuel Marquez, the famed trainer thinks the American will be looking at a different punch, other than the knockout blow.

Acccording to Roach, what Mayweather may try to utilize is the punch that floored Pacquiao in Round 3, where Marquez connected with an overhand right that put the Filipino champion on the seat of his pants.

The bout, which happened in December of 2012, saw Pacquiao being floored twice, the first one happening in the third, with the second one, a counter right, turning out to be the dreadful punch that saw the Filipino icon lay motionless for about two minutes.

“I do think Mayweather will come out with a shot like that because he can punch if he wants to.

The thing is, as a coach I would advise my fighter to take advantage of it if he could,” said Roach.

However, Roach assures he has prepared Pacquiao for that type of

blow and that they are more than ready in case Mayweather utilizes his counter-punching abilities.

Roach said the knockout loss is certainly a thing of their past and that Pacquiao has moved on well from the devastating loss.

Turn to A15

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

B1

SATURDAY: MAY 2, 2015

RAY S. EÑANO EDITOR

RODERICK T. DELA CRUZ ASSISTANT EDITOR

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

BUSINESS

Mactan woos more airlines

By Darwin G. Amojelar

THE Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority has proposed to reduce the landing and take-off fees as incentives to bring more airlines to the country’s second busiest airport, which is being expanded by a consortium led

by Megawide ConstructiWon Corp.

Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority general manager Nigel Paul Villarete said in a text message the objective of the proposed incentive plan for landing and take-off fees was to attract more airlines.

MCIAA proposed to offer rebates of 30 percent to 75 percent on landing and take-off charges for long-haul international routes and 30 percent to 65 percent for short to medium-haul routes, depending on the frequency of

flights per week.

The agency also proposed rebates of 25 percent to 65 percent on landing and take-off fees for domestic routes, depending on the number of flights a week.

“The incentive plan is a route development and marketing tool to spur up the routes and frequencies or increase capacities at MCIA,” Villarete said.

Data from MCIAA showed the number of domestic and international aircraft that landed in and took off from the country’s second busiest airport dropped 13 percent to 56,281 in 2014 from 64.945 in 2013.

Passenger volume at MCIA also fell 2.1 percent to 6.8 million last year from 6.9 million in 2013.

Villarete said the incentive plan aimed to encourage more opportunities for travel to and from Cebu, promote tourism and business opportunities and achieve the airport’s ultimate objective of supporting economic and social development in the region and the country as a whole.

Airlines operating at MCIA include Philippine Airlines, PAL Express, Cebu Pacific, Air Asia Zest, Tigerair, Cathay Pacific, Air Busan, Jeju Air, Asiana Airlines, Air Nuguini, China Airlines, Far

Eastern Airlines and Jin Air. “Cebu Pacific welcomes the proposed incentive plan for airlines at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport. Airline incentive programs, which help encourage development of new routes is in line with best practices of successful airports around the world. We look forward to further developing our Cebubased network,” JR Mantaring, officer-in-charge of Cebu Pacific corporate affairs said.

The government handed over the operations of MCIA to GMR-Megawide Consortium in November 2014.

PSe comPoSite index Closing April 30, 2015

8500 8000 7500 7000 6500 6000

7,714.82 110.65

PeSo-dollar rate

Closing APRIL 30, 2015 46

P44.520

45

CLOSE

44 43 42

HIGH P44.400 LOW P44.600 AVERAGE P44.518 VOLUME 547.400M

P508.00-P728.00 LPG/11-kg tank P38.40-P52.05 Unleaded Gasoline P26.90-P43.80 Diesel

oPriceS il P today

P35.40-P39.15 Kerosene P23.70-P24.40 Auto LPG

Dela Rosa Streets in Makati City. Bank of Commerce offers innovative banking solutions as well as an extensive range of products and services tailored to meet the needs of clients. Shown at the opening ceremony are (from left) senior vice president and branch banking south division head Violeta Tirol; branch manager Janice Gonzalez; King’s Court chief operating officer Gerovy King; executive VP and branch banking group head Emmanuel Herbosa; Calmarland chief executive Reynaldo Calayan Jr.; first VP and branch banking systems head Celestino Mendiola; assistant VP and Makati area head Ma. Theresa Soriano; and chief audit officer Reginald Neri.

Metrobank expects economy to expand 6.4%

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Thursday, April 30, 2015

F oreign e xchange r ate Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

44.2500

Japan

Yen

0.008400

0.3717

UK

Pound

1.543600

68.3043

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.129034

5.7098

Switzerland

Franc

1.064283

47.0945

Canada

Dollar

0.832085

36.8198

Singapore

Dollar

0.757002

33.4973

Australia

Dollar

0.805412

35.6395

Bahrain

Dinar

2.652379

117.3678

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266681

11.8006

Brunei

Dollar

0.754148

33.3710

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000077

0.0034

Thailand

Baht

0.030441

1.3470

UAE

Dirham

0.272257

12.0474

Euro

Euro

1.111700

49.1927

Korea

Won

0.000938

0.0415

China

Yuan

0.161298

7.1374

India

Bank of Commerce expansion. Bank of Commerce opened its 125th branch at the King’s Court Building in Pasong Tamo corner

Rupee

0.015785

0.6985

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.281057

12.4368

New Zealand

Dollar

0.772320

34.1752

Taiwan

Dollar

0.032916

1.4565 Source: PDS Bridge

By Julito G. Rada ECONOMIC growth this year is expected to be higher at 6.4 percent from 6.1 percent in 2104, driven mainly by spending for the 2016 national elections, results of a study by Metrobank Research Department showed over the weekend.

“Research sees 2015 to be a better year especially with spending for the 2016 elections expected to be kick-started in the second half of 2015,” Metrobank said.

“The increase in government spending is seen to cause a rebound in investment spending and will also further boost con-

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

sumption spending,” it said.

Metrobank expects the industry sector to be a top performer this year amid the solid expansions in the manufacturing and construction subsectors. “Full-year GDP growth for 2015 is seen to average around 6.4 percent,” it said.

However, the research said risks to the domestic economy would remain amid the persistent port congestion issues, the looming power supply crisis, uneven global economy and the impact of financial market volatilities.

The Philippine economy grew respectably in 2014, slower than the expansion of 7.2 percent in 2013. Fourth-quarter GDP acceler-

ated to 6.9 percent after a lackluster third-quarter growth of 5.3 percent due to lower public expenditures.

Economists said the government’s cautious and calculated spending stemmed from the administration’s controversial disbursement acceleration program, which was earlier ruled by the Supreme Court as unconstitutional. The high tribunal later reversed the ruling.

The 6.1-percent growth in 2014 was lower than the government’s forecast of 6.5 percent to 7.5 percent.

However, the Philippines remained in the top three of Asean + China in terms of economic growth.

“2014 growth can be attributed to the rebound in external trade,

robust industry sector, and still solid consumption spending,” Metrobank said.

Meanwhile, inflation rate this year is expected to be more manageable compared with the fullyear average of 4.1 percent last year.

Research sees full-year average inflation this year to come in at 2.8 percent as low inflationary pressures are expected due to stable food prices and soft oil prices.

“The high 2014 base will also dampen pressures to the index.

Possible upside risks may come from power costs given shortages in the Luzon grid this summer and a sudden reversal in oil price movements,” it said.

SATURDAY: MAY 2, 2015

B2

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

US keeps India and China on watch list

By Veronica Smith

WASHINGTON—The United States on

Thursday kept China and India on its Priority Watch List of trading partners that fail to protect intellectual property rights, hurting the economy.

In its annual Special 301 Report, the Commerce Department’s US Trade Representative said there were now 13 trading partners on its Priority Watch List, three more than its previous report. Ecuador and Ukraine were newcomers, and Kuwait was added late last year.

The 2015 report also underscored some success stories. Italy, for example, had implemented new regulations in 2014 to combat online copyright piracy.

The Philippines, which came off the Watch List last year, had undertaken enforcement reforms that included increased seizures of pirated and counterfeit goods.

(Related story on B4) Ecuador made the Priority Watch List because of its repeal last year of its criminal IPR provisions. “The current lack of criminal procedures and penalties invites transnational organized crime groups that engage in copyright piracy and trademark counterfeiting to view Ecuador as a safe haven,” the USTR report said.

Ukraine’s government had not

resolved problems identified two years ago by the US that include widespread use of illegal software by Ukrainian government agencies and the failure to adopt effective means to combat online copyright infringement, it said.

While welcoming promising efforts by the Ukrainian authorities, the USTR said it was looking forward to seeing “tangible and lasting improvement, both in legislative reform and in practice.”

Kuwait was moved to the Priority Watch List in November after failing “to introduce legislation resulting in a copyright law consistent with international standards, and resume effective enforcement against copyright and trademark infringement.”

The other countries on the Priority Watch List were Argentina, Algeria, Chile, Indonesia, Pakistan, Russia, Thailand and Venezuela.

China, the second-largest US trading partner, remained on the list despite certain improvements, including an intellectual property law reform effort, the report said.

World IP Day. The Philippines renewed its commitment to eliminate illegal camcording in the

Philippines during the World IP Day 2015 in Makati City. Shown at the event are (from left) Brian Brehaus, US Embassy economic officer; Ronnie Ricketts, Optical Media Board chairman; Mayet Dagsa of the legal affairs department of the Intellectual Property Office Philippines; and Col. Milo Pagtalunan of the Philippine National Police- Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.

Japan inflation up 2.2% in March

By Miwa Suzuki TOKYO--Japanese inflation picked up in March for the first time in 10 months, data showed Friday, but household spending tumbled in a worrying sign for consumer confidence.

Core inflation, excluding volatile fresh food prices, hit 2.2 percent year-on-year, accelerating from the previous month for the first time since May 2014, and offering a sliver of hope for Tokyo’s war on deflation.

However, stripping out the impact of a sales tax rise last year, the rate was a tepid 0.2 percent, well short of the central bank’s 2.0 percent target.

Analysts say central bank policymakers will almost certainly be forced to expand its monetary easing scheme to jack

up prices and counter a downturn in the world’s number three economy.

Sustained inflation is a cornerstone of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s drive to conquer stagnant or falling prices and revive growth.

“Inflation is still close to zero and could drop in the coming months,” said Takeshi Minami, chief economist at Norinchukin Research Institute.

“The reading was a little bit positive, but worries [for the Bank of Japan] have not disappeared.”

Separate figures showed household spending in March dropped almost 11 percent, the worst on record since comparable data started in 2001 and steeper than an 8.2 percent on-year decline in March 2011, when Japan was hammered by a quake-

tsunami disaster and nuclear crisis.

On Thursday, the BoJ conceded the original timeline for hitting its price target would be missed, as it cut its growth and inflation forecasts.

Japan’s gross domestic product will expand 2.0 percent in the year to March 2016, while the inflation rate is seen at 0.8 percent, the BoJ said in a semi-annual report.

That compares with a previous estimate of 2.1 percent and 1.0 percent respectively.

The report--which followed a meeting where policymakers held fire on fresh stimulus --pushed back an already murky timeline for hitting the bank’s inflation target to the first half of fiscal 2016, which runs from April through September next year.

AFP

Villegas challenges foundation scholars

Marriott Hotel partner. The Philippine Institute for Supply Management signed a partnership with the Manila Marriott Hotel for the upcoming 23rd Supplylink conference slated on June 18-19, 2015 at the Grand Ballroom of the Manila Marriott Hotel in Pasay City. PISM president Edwin Constantino (second from left) shakes hands with Marriott Hotel Manila general manager Bruce Winton to formalize their partnership for the upcoming event. With Constantino and Winton are PISM immediate former president Mariel Zamora (left) and PISM vice president for events and conferences Alicia Pascual.

CATHOLIC Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines president and Lingayen Archbishop Socrates Villegas challenged scholars of the Wong Chu King Foundation at its annual meeting in Lingayen, Pangasinan against insensitivity, complacency and lack of ethics.

“You’ll become worthless no matter how educated and intelligent you are if you don’t care for the welfare and moral values of other people,” the outspoken bishop told in a vernacular homily the 200 WCKF scholars who were accompanied by their parents at the gathering held at the Sison Auditorium in the province’s sprawling capital.

“Practice education with social ethics so that you’ll become agents of change and progress in our society,” Villegas said, reminding them that their sponsor, the

WCKF, stands on a strong ethical ground on its social and cultural projects.

The WCKF, the social outreach arm of Mighty Corp., has been in the forefront in selectively rebuilding churches damaged by typhoons and other calamities in various parts of the country and giving out scholarships to deserving students in tobaccoproducing provinces.

The meeting is held annually by the foundation to strengthen its rapport with the students.

One hundred ninety one of the 200 scholars came from the tobacco-producing provinces of Abra, Cagayan, Isabela, Ilocos Norte, Bantay, Pangasinan, Candon and La Union. The rest came fromother provinces.

Traditionally, they are gathered

by WCKF yearly in venues within Northern Luzon.

SATURDAY: MAY 2, 2015

B3

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

Urban poor housing. Social Housing Finance Corp. president Ma. Ana Oliveros (right photo) tours World Bank officials to the housing units of the beneficiaries of the High Density Housing program in Bistekville II, Quezon City. Officials of World Bank in the country for a three-day project site visit (left photo) lauded the efforts of SHFC in promoting community-driven housing projects and in upgrading the lives of the urban poor as seen in the success of the Alyansang mga Mamamayan sa Valenzuela at Caloocan) housing project in Valenzuela City.

Inflation pressures may rise Organism to help in preserving PH trees

THE Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau of the Environment and Natural Resources Department has developed a promising plant microorganism that can help trees survive hostile soil conditions.

Acting ERDB director Henry Adornado said the plant organism called mycorrhiza is known to benefit plants by making sure they survive in any soil condition. It is also cost-effective, environmentfriendly and sustainable. Once it is inoculated in the roots, it will stay in the roots of the plants throughout its lifetime.

“This technology, commercially known as the Hi-Q Vam 1, is helping trees grow much faster, doubling the rate compared with those without mycorrhiza,” said Adornado.

ERDB’s mycorrhizologist Evangeline Castillo in 2000 led the collection of different species of mycorrhiza all over the Philippines in search of the right species that could be used in environmental rehabilitation programs.

Castillo said ERDB’s field experiments revealed mycorrhiza played a “conduit role” in poor soil conditions by actively spreading its roots to obtain the needed nutrients of the plants to survive.

The experiments were patented as a utility model by the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines.

“Since many of the marginal areas such as upland, grassland, mined-out and other areas in the country have been degraded due to unsustainable farming, grazing, and ore extraction activities, the mycorrhiza that is naturally available in many plant species have been lost from the soil,” Castillo said.

By Julito G. Rada

BANGKO Sentral ng Pilipinas Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo sees the buildup of inflation pressures in the second semester, especially with the expected interest rates hike in the United States this year.

“What we see is that some pressures may be building up in the second semester. US monetary tightening could send the US dollar on an upward spiral again and this would have some impact on the peso and on to domestic inflation,” Guinigundo said in an e-mailed statement Friday.

Despite the scenario,

Guinigundo said the inflation rate would still average within the central bank’s previous target range of 2 percent to 4 percent for the year. He also said inflation would not likely average lower than 2 percent in 2015.

“I am not sure if Philippine inflation would average lower than 2 percent. While it’s possible

to have a year on year monthly inflation of lower than 2 percent during the year, the 12-monthly average is expected to keep within the 2-4 percent target for both 2015 and 2016,” he said.

He said upside risks included the El Niño phenomenon and power rate adjustments.

“In short, our baseline forecasts as we indicated in the last board meeting [on March 26] are 2.2 percent and 2.5 percent, respectively, for 2015 and 2016…,” Guinigundo said.

Earlier, economists from First Metro Investments Corp. and University of Asia and the Pacific said in a joint report inflation could further decelerate below 2 percent in July this year if the

current trend of lower consumer prices continued.

In its latest Market Call Capital Markets Research, First Metro and UA&P said inflation might settle at 2.3 percent in April and 2.1 percent both in May and June.

“Headline inflation rate will likely trek the downward path, with stable food prices and soft fuel prices in the horizon. It may even go below 2 percent by July if the current trends continue,” the report said.

“With inflation at the low end of its target and money growth at a single-digit pace until Q2, the [Bangko Sentral] will likely keep rates on hold not only next quarter, but all the way to the end of the year,” it said.

Philippine nickel output not enough to satisfy China

By Alex Davis THE Philippines will fail to satisfy China’s nickel ore demand and that may push up refined metal prices more than 15 percent, according to the largest miner in the world’s top producer.

The Southeast Asian nation won’t be able to supply enough ore

Peace award.

once China exhausts stockpiles built up before last year’s export ban by Indonesia, previously the biggest producer, said Manny Samson, chief financial officer of Nickel Asia Corp. China’s output of nickel pig iron, a lower-grade substitute for the refined metal used to make stainless steel, may fall by about 30 percent when

the country becomes solely dependent on Philippine supply, according to Samson.

“NPI producers would be completely reliant on Philippine ore” after stockpiles of Indonesia ore run out, Samson said. “Chinese stainless steel producers will now have to source nickel elsewhere.”

The tightening supply may

The Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel at Atlanta’s Morehouse College, King’s alma mater, honored Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen with its 2015 Gandhi King Ikeda Peace Award for promoting peace and civil rights. Past recipients of the award include Nobel laureates Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu and Michael Gorbachev, as well as Rosa Parks. Representatives of the Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel, which has presented the award since 2001, say the award is designed to promote the importance of positive social transformation by honoring ‘those who demonstrate extraordinary global leadership toward reconciling differences.’

drive prices to $16,000 a metric ton on the London Metal Exchange, Samson said.

While the Philippines raised output after Indonesia’s export ban started in January 2014, Chinese imports still fell 33 percent last year to the lowest since 2010. Inbound shipments in the first three months of the year are also at the least in five years.

“Any time between the third and fourth quarter, we’ll see the stockpiles being fully depleted,” Samson said in a telephone interview on April 28.

“That would be a strong catalyst for prices to recover.”

China’s inventories of laterite ore, the type shipped from Indonesia, fell to equivalent of about 120,000 tons of pure nickel at the end of March from about 194,000 tons at the start of 2014, Celia Wang, an analyst at Beijing Antaike Information Development Co., said April 24. Current stockpiles of nickel ore, refined nickel and ferronickel can cover three months of the country’s stainless steel production, according to Antaike.

Bloomberg

SATURDAY: MAY 2, 2015

B4

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

In BrIef No blackout on Sunday POWER distributor Manila Electric Co. assured there will be no blackout in its franchise area during the much-anticipated Pacquiao-Mayweather boxing bout on Sunday.

National Grid Corporation of the Philippines, operator of the power transmission grid, said power reserves in Luzon would reach 1,863 megawatts on Sunday, which meant there would be enough reserves to address demand.

Luzon’s power demand is expected to reach 7,541 MW while system capacity would be 9,404 MW. Rolando Cagampan, head of energy management and vice-president of Meralco, told reporters demand was usually lower during the weekend.

“Demand is low [during weekend].

We can assure you that there will be no blackouts. Supply can readily meet the demand,” he said.

Cagampan said with respect to Meralco’s distribution network, “the facilities are in good shape” to ensure a blackout-free Pacquiao-Mayweather fight. Alena Mae S. Flores

PLDT teams up with Samsung PHILIPPINE Long Distance Telephone Co. has expanded its partnership with Korean electronics manufacturer Samsung to deliver full-service packaged business solutions for the large enterprise market.

“We are excited to further strengthen our ties with a globally admired brand such as Samsung. This partnership definitely adds value to the services we provide our customers and bolsters our position as the preferred trusted ICT provider of large enterprises,” PLDT executive vice president and ePLDT president and chief executive Eric Alberto said.

“We are confident that through this continued support and partnership, the PLDT Group will sustain its leadership and bring forth exciting solution bundles, both in hardware and software offerings to the market,” Alberto said.

Under the partnership, PLDT/Smart and Samsung will co-develop specialized business solutions for the enterprise level with an “operated dedicated support” agreement including dedicated aftersales hotlines for business-to-business handset models, and full participation in commercialization and co-branding in marketing efforts. Darwin G. Amojelar

NGCP adds transformers NATIONAL Grid Corporation of the Philippines said it has commissioned the 300-megavolt ampere and 50-MVA power transformers at its La Trinidad and Ambuklao substations, respectively.

The commissioning of the projects aims to achieve system reliability and flexibility, it said.

The 300-MVA transformer in La Trinidad substation accommodates the 130MW peak load of Baguio City, the entire Benguet and Montain Province and parts of Ilocos Sur and Kalinga.

NGCP said to comply with the Philippine Grid Code’s N-1 contingency requirement, which is the ability of the grid to withstand the loss of a major system component with minimal disruption, another 300-MVA transformer was expected to be commissioned at La Trinidad substation in July.

With the 50-MVA transformer at Ambuklao substation, the Philippine Economic Zone Authority might now draw power from either La Trinidad or Ambuklao substation.

The energization of power transformers is a part of the Luzon substation expansion project, which also included substation equipment testing and upgrading of conductors and other associated equipment.

Alena Mae S. Flores

Bankers’ convention.

The Chamber of Thrift Banks, the umbrella organization of Philippine thrift and savings banks, presents a token of appreciation to Bangko Sentral Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. (third from left) after his session at CTB’s National Convention on April 7, 2015 at Dusit Thani Manila in Makati City. With Tetangco are (from left) Edmundo Medrano, CTB trustee, convention co-chairman and Producer Savings Bank vice-chairman and president; Rommel Latinazo, CTB and RCBC Savings Bank president; and George Martirez, CTB second vice-president, convention co-chairman and Malayan Savings Bank president.

USTR cites Manila’s anti-piracy campaign

By Othel V. Campos

THE Philippines has maintained its standing as one of the countries with effective intellectual protection rights policy based on the annual “Special 301” report published by the Office of the United States Trade Representative.

The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines said with the release of the new report, it would continue efforts to curb violations and re-educate the Filipinos about piracy and the protection of intellection property.

“This is a recognition of our hard work and sustained drive to improve the protection and

enforcement of intellectual property rights in the country. It means that our national government gives priority to IP as a tool for economic development,” said IPOPhl acting director general and officer-in-charge Allan Gepty.

Gepty said the good news was a testament of the good coordination and working relationship of various government agencies involved in IP enforcement, particularly members of the National Committee for Intellectual Property Rights, Philippine Judicial Academy and the judiciary for continuously building capacity for special commercial court judges and court attorneys.

“It is also an indication of our productive partnership with the private sector. With an effective and reliable IP regime, we can expect more foreign investments, particularly IP intensive industries, in the country and

improved competitiveness,” Gepty said.

The USTR report said the Philippines, together with Paraguay, had committed to a whole-of-government approach to IPR enforcement that has been critical to enhancing the effectiveness of IPR enforcement and resulted in positive reports from a number of affected stakeholder groups.

It said the Philippines carried out administrative enforcement reforms that had resulted in streamlined procedures, enhanced interagency cooperation and more enforcement action, including increased seizures of pirated and counterfeit goods.

The 2015 report said trading partners on the priority watch list presented the most significant concerns, regarding insufficient IPR protection or enforcement or actions that otherwise limited market access for persons relying on intellectual property protection.

8990 Holdings plans to issue P9-b fixed-rate bonds this month

By Jenniffer B. Austria MASS housing developer 8990 Holdings Inc. plans to issue P9 billion worth of unsecured fixedrate bonds this month to support the construction of new and existing projects.

8990 Holdings said in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission the bonds with a base offer of P5 billion, and another P4 billion in case of oversubscription, would have tenors of five years and three months, seven years and 10-years.

The company appointed BDO Capital and Investment Corp., SB

Capital and First Metro Investment Corp. as joint issue managers and joint lead underwriters for the fund raising activity.

The planned bond sale will provide the company with an alternative source of debt financing and diversify 8990’s creditor base to include other financial institutions and individual retail investors.

A fixed-rate over a long tenor eliminates the risk of interest rate fluctuations, it said.

Proceeds from the fund raising activity will be used to finance rollout of additional low-cost housing projects, land acquisi-

tions and construction of existing projects.

The property firm earlier said it would launch 11,083 units this year, with unit prices ranging from P450,000 to P1.25 million.

It said of the housing units to be launched this year, 6,598 would be from 10 ongoing projects with total sales value of P4.1 billion while 4,486 units would be from new nine housing developments with sales value of P4.1 billion.

The company said at least 44 percent of the housing projects would be built in Luzon, 31 percent in the Visayas and 25 percent in Mindanao.

8990 Holdings said it continued to look for land acquisition in line with the target to have 500 hectares of land bank over the medium term.

It said it was close to signing 50 hectares of land in Davao, 30 hectares in Cebu and 20 hectares in Bacolod. It is currently looking at potential sites in Bulacan, Pampanga and Zamboanga City.

Meanwhile, 8990 Holdings’ board approved the investment by the company in a new or existing subsidiary to engage in the provision of cable and Internet services to existing housing developments.

8990 Holdings also approved

the declaration of P0.18 cash dividend to stockholders as of record date March 4. The dividends are payable on March 30.

8990 Holdings posted an unaudited net income of P3.3 billion in 2014, up 52 percent from the 2013 level and surpassing the P3billion net income guidance for the year.

Revenues jumped 48 percent to P7.9 billion from P5.35 billion in 2013.

The company said it expected net income to grow by 21 percent this year to P4 billion and revenues to rise 27 percent to P10 billion.

S AT U R D AY : M AY 2 , 2 0 1 5

B5

ceSAR bARRioqUinTo EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

world

Labor Day rally. Thousands of South Korean workers attend a May Day rally in Seoul on May 1, vowing to fight the government’s planned reforms. AFP

1 in 6 species faces extinction WASHINGTON—One out of six species faces extinction as a result of climate change and urgent action must be taken to save large numbers of animals from being wiped out, an analysis said Thursday.

The study, published in the US journal Science, found that a global temperature rise of four degrees Celsius could spell disaster for a huge number of species around the world.

“We urgently need to adopt strategies that limit further climate change if we are to avoid an acceleration of global extinction,” said study author Mark Urban, an ecology and evolutionary biology researcher at the University of Connecticut.

The analysis evaluated 131 previous studies about the im-

pact of climate change on flora and fauna around the world.

It concluded that with each rising degree in global temperatures, more species were at risk.

A two-degree increase, the study noted, could threaten 5.2 percent of species, while a three degree boost would put 8.5 percent of all species at risk.

“If we follow our current, business-as-usual trajectory (leading to a 4.3 degree Celsius rise)... climate change threatens one in six species (16 percent),” the study said.

Different regions of the world had varied extinction threats.

“Extinction risks were highest in South America, Australia and New Zealand, and risks did not vary by taxonomic group,” Urban said.

In South America, the most vulnerable region, 23 percent of species may face extinction.

Fourteen percent could be threatened in New Zealand and Australia.

Five percent of species in Europe could face extinction, compared to six percent in North America, the study found.

Urban said governments must urgently act to prevent widespread extinction.

“Climate change is poised to accelerate extinctions around the world unless we adopt new strategies to limit it and implement

specific conservation strategies to protect the most threatened species,” he said.

Meanwhile, a related study in Science Thursday found that marine fossils can help identify which animals and ocean ecosystems face the greatest risk of extinction.

A team of paleontologists and ecologists looked at marine animals that died out over the past 23 million years.

They found that some groups were more vulnerable than others and the threat varied regionally.

“Whales, dolphins and seals show higher risk of extinction than sharks or invertebrates such as corals. Clams and mussels— so-called bivalves—had about one-tenth the extinction risk of mammals,” the study found.

Regions of the tropics such as the Indo-Pacific and the Caribbean were most at risk. Climate change and other human-related activities such as fishing contributed to that vulnerability.

“Climate change and human activities are impacting groups of animals that have a long history, and studying that history can help us condition our expectations for how they might respond today,” said lead author Seth Finnegan, an assistant professor of integrative biology at the University of California, Berkeley.

But he said more research is needed to protect vulnerable species.

“There is a lot more work that needs to be done to understand the causes underlying these patterns and their policy implications,” he added. AFP

China biggest investor in Australia SYDNEY—China has for the first time overtaken the United States as Australia’s largest source of foreign investment, according to official data, laying out A$27.7 billion (US$21.8 billion) in 2013-14 as real estate purchases more than doubled.

The Asian economic giant’s spending in Australia for the year ending June 30, 2014, far outstripped the A$17.5 billion from the United States—which was the biggest investor for more than a decade— and Canada’s A$15.4 billion, the Foreign Investment Review Board said

in its annual report.

The Chinese surge was driven by A$12.4 billion in approved investments in property, the report released Thursday said. That compares with A$5.9 billion in the previous financial year.

“For the first time, China was the largest source of proposed foreign investment in Australia, mainly driven by a large increase in residential real estate approvals,” the report said.

The new report followed the Australian government’s move in February to enforce foreign investment rules as concerns grow that foreign

buyers are squeezing local house seekers out of the market.

Chinese investment for 2013-14 also included A$3.3 billion in the manufacturing sector, A$5.7 billion in mining and A$6.2 billion in services.

Rounding up the top five foreign investors were Malaysia at A$7.2 billion and Singapore at A$7.1 billion.

The Australia government in February highlighted plans to crack down on illegal property purchases and charge application fees on all foreign investments. AFP

Feeding the planet. People stand in front of the Chinese Pavillion for the Universal

Exposition Milano 2015, EXPO2015 on May 1 in Milan. The exposition will run from May 1, 2015, to October 31, 2015, on the theme Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life. The fair focuses on food security, sustainable agricultural practices, nutrition and battling hunger. AFP

B6

s at u r D aY : M aY 2 , 2 0 1 5

WORLD

cesar barrioquinto EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Quake survivors desperate MELAMCHI, Nepal— Desperate survivors living at ground zero of Nepal’s earthquake felt abandoned to their fate Friday after losing their loved ones and livelihoods in a disaster that has claimed more than 6,300 lives.

While the joyous rescue of two survivors reinvigorated the search for further signs of life in the ruins of Kathmandu, the Red Cross warned of “total devastation” in far-flung areas of the poor Himalayan nation.

Six days on from the 7.8-magnitude quake, authorities put the number of dead in Nepal at 6,204 while around 100 more were killed in neighboring India and China.

But the full extent of the destruction wrought by Nepal’s deadliest earthquake in more than 80 years was still emerging as relief workers struggled to reach mountainous districts.

The destruction appeared particularly dire in the Sindhupalchowk region, northeast of Kathmandu, where the sense of desperation was mounting.

“One of our teams that returned from Chautara in Sindhupalchowk district reported that 90 percent of the homes are destroyed,” said Jagan Chapagain, Asia head of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

“The hospital has collapsed, and people are digging through the rubble with their hands in the hope that they might find family members who are still alive.”

AFP journalists in another part of Sindhupalchowk saw utter devastation.

“Almost every house in my village is destroyed, and 20 people died. We lost our cattle and our sheep,” said Kumar Ghorasainee, amid the ruins of his hometown of Melamchi.

The 33-year-old English teacher said the school had collapsed and there was nowhere for the children to go.

“No one has come to help us -- the cars and the aid trucks just drive by ... How will we manage now?”

In Melamchi, shops and restaurants were closed and streets were mainly deserted. AFP

Remembering Joan. France’s far-right political party Front National Marine Le Pen, center, lays flowers at the foot of a statue of Joan of Arc during a traditional rally in her honor on May 1 in Paris. AFP

Moscow visit too risky for Kim, say analysts SEOUL—North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un’s decision to cancel his first overseas visit was probably prompted more by concerns about image control than any threat of domestic instability, analysts said Friday.

Announcing that Kim would not be attending Russia’s World War II anniversary celebrations in Moscow next week, President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman said the reason communicated by Pyongyang was “internal North Korean issues.”

No further details were provided, but the wording inevitably triggered speculation that Kim might be facing some sort of domestic challenge to his authority.

“I don’t buy that at all,” said veteran North Korean watcher Andrei Lankov.

“There’s no sign of any collective dissent in the leadership. He’s been playing a game of musical chairs with his top military officers and his position still seems very secure,” said Lankov, a professor at Kook-

min University in Seoul.

Kim’s initial acceptance of the invitation to the Moscow event had set up a number of potentially intriguing diplomatic scenarios for what would have been his first foreign trip since taking power after the death of his father, Kim Jong-Il, in December 2011.

Although he has received a number of high-ranking Chinese officials in Pyongyang, the most prominent foreigner Kim has met in all that time is probably the former NBA basketball star, Dennis Rodman.

He has yet to hold a single summit, having snubbed the president of Mongolia who visited Pyongyang in 2013.

Moscow, therefore, would have been quite a showy debut, given the presence of numerous other heads of state, including China’s Xi Jinping.

“In the end, I think that might have been the real problem,” said Yang Moo-Jin, a professor at the

University of North Korean Studies in Seoul.

“This young man hasn’t had a sit-down with any foreign leader, and suddenly he’s looking at the prospect of walking into a roomful of them,” Yang said.

North Korea is extremely sensitive and protective when it comes to the image of the ruling Kim dynasty, whose members are deified in both life and death.

Although Kim Jong-Un has shown himself to be more spontaneous than his father, his public appearances are heavily choreographed and the images released of them carefully vetted.

“He seems quite impulsive, and it might well be that he genuinely wanted to go to Moscow at first,” said Lankov.

“But the possible pitfalls are obvious. Even Russia couldn’t provide the sort of media control he’s used to.

“And then there’s always the chance of an encounter with an

openly hostile foreign leader who might choose to register his disgust just to score points at home,” Lankov said.

Most analysts agreed that, with Moscow off the cards, the most likely “coming out” for Kim would be a bilateral summit—most probably on North Korean soil.

The Kim dynasty has never been big on overseas trips.

Kim’s grandfather and North Korea’s founding leader Kim IlSung managed to visit most of the former Eastern Bloc, but the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the Soviet Union left fewer destination options for Kim Jong-Il when he took over in 1994.

Kim Jong-Il also hated flying, and limited his travels to train trips to China and Russia.

China remains North Korea’s main diplomatic protector and economic provider and Beijing would normally be seen as the natural choice for Kim Jong-Un’s first overseas trip as leader. AFP

N. Korean envoys slam UN meeting UNITED NATIONS—North Korean diplomats on Thursday stormed out of a UN conference on human rights after lashing out at the United States for inviting three defectors to speak at the event.

Pyongyang envoy Ri Song Chol interrupted the conference when he tried to deliver a statement following the poignant testimony of Joseph Kim who fled North Korea as an orphaned, homeless and hungry teenager.

US Ambassador Samantha Power ordered UN staff to turn off the North Korean diplomat’s microphone and

security guards were dispatched to the conference room at UN headquarters.

The three diplomats then stood up and left the room telling reporters that they were denied the opportunity to speak as a UN memberstate.

Ri accused the United States of “murdering innocent black people” and pointed to the deaths of African Americans in Baltimore and Ferguson as proof that the US “is the true kingpin of human rights violations.”

He blasted the event as a “one-sided political drama.”

Power in turn accused the North Koreans of “bullying,” saying that they were told beforehand that they would have an opportunity to speak.

“The delegation chose instead to try to drown out the testimony of these panelists,” she said.

The conference opened with testimony from Joseph Kim who watched his father die of starvation at the age of 12.

His mother was sent to a prison labor camp for traveling to China where she had sent his sister in the hope that she would be spared from hardship. AFP

Launching. Guests attend the Joico’s Hair Shake Launch hosted by Peta Murgatroyd at The District Restaurant on April 30 in Los Angeles. AFP

S AT U R D AY : M AY 0 2 : 2 0 1 5

PROPERTY jdlacsamana@gmail.com

JOEL D. L ACSAMANA EDITOR

B7

CITY DWELLING FOR YOUNG FAMILIES, PROFESSIONALS.

DataLand, Inc. (DLI) recently launched ‘The Olive Place’, a 50-storey mixed use development in Mandaluyong City. With scenic views of the city’s skyline, and greenery of nearby Wack Wack Golf Club, the project offers a balance between a hectic lifestyle and serene living. At the groundbreaking rites held onsite at 407 Shaw Blvd., in Bgy. Addition Hills, were (from left to right): Susan P. Alcabao, sales & marketing head of DLI; Ruben V. Paguntalan, division head of DLI; Atty. Fely Manaois, legal manager of DLI; Arch. Annette F. Gaddi – Liganor of GF & Partners; Engr. Jose Sy; Engr. Danilo D. Tamayo, chairman of DDT Konstract Inc. (DDTKI); Leo Montenegro, president of DLI; Paul Vincent R. Chua, AVP-business development of DLI; and Joseph V. Garcia, AVP – business development of DDTKI.

TOP OF THE TOTEM POLE. Megaworld recently bagged the most awarded company in the 2015 Property & Real Estate Awards. The International Real Estate Federation (FIABCI) Philippines chapter, organized the event to recognize high-performing property developers in the country’s real estate industry. Megaworld received the “Overall Outstanding Developer” award, while its chairman, Dr. Andrew L. Tan, was named “Property Man of the Year” for his contributions to the industry. The company likewise snagged the “Outstanding Developer for Office” for its 8 Campus Place in McKinley Hill Township in Fort Bonifacio; and the “Outstanding Developer for Townships/Mixed-use Communities” for Eastwood City. At the awards were Megaworld chairman Andrew Tan (third from left); (from left) Florentino Dulalia, FIABCI-Philippines chairman; Pedro Tario, FIABCI-Philippines vice chairman; Robyn Waters, FIABCI world president; and Felino Palafox, FIABCI-Philippines president.

ON THE RIGHT TRACK. Amaia Land recently celebrated its fifth year of building topnotch, yet affordable homes all over the country. Amaia, an Ayala Land company, has touched base with over 12,000 families across the country. It is present in North Luzon (Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac, Urdaneta), Metro Manila (Quezon City, Paranaque, Manila, Caloocan, Iloilo). This year, it will venture to CDO, Mindanao. At the anniversary rites were (from left to right): Francis Mallari, human resource head; Bobby Dy, CEO; Ricky Celis, president; Nikie Lingad, project strategic management head; Petes Gamboa, innovation and design head.

FAN ENGINEERED TO FIT

T

oday’s houses, condo units and offices are a study in restraint rather than excess, utilitarian form instead of impractical ornaments, economy of space, and free-flowing layouts.

The Dyson Cool range of fans is a good addition to the mix, with its bladeless fan that delivers a powerful and continuous airflow without a blade in sight, and no noise.

LESS IS MORE Six years ago, inventor James Dyson bid farewell to the blade by inventing the

world’s first bladeless fan. Previously, fans relied on the spinning blades to cool, but blades chop the air before it hits you.

Dyson’s Air Multiplier™ technology accelerates air through an annular aperture to create a jet of air, which passes over an airfoil-shaped ramp. What you get is a smooth, high-velocity airflow, less the unsightly blades which can pose a risk to curious young children.

Dyson engineers have spent the past few years improving the original design in terms of acoustics and energy efficien-

cy. In the next generation of Air Multiplier fans, airways have been tuned to significantly reduce turbulence. The motor no longer needs to work so hard to generate the same cooling performance—resulting in a 75% reduction in noise levels and 40% less power consumption.

Kenneth Cobonpue—a globally renowned, multi-awarded furniture designer whose roster of clientele includes Brad Pitt and members of the royalty— is impressed. He refers to Dyson Cool fans as “marvels of form and function.”

SMALL FOOTPRINT, BIG STYLE. Local designer Kenneth Cobonpue believes Dyson cool fans have hurdled the most difficult thing for designers to do : “ improve a reliable design that has worked for decades.”

S AT U R D AY : M AY 0 2 : 2 0 1 5

B8

JOEL D. L ACSAMANA EDITOR jdlacsamana@gmail.com

PROPERTY

Magnet for investment.

Booming real estate and property activities up ahead for urban growth spots like Makati with the recovery of the global economy, and excess liquidity in the Asia-Pacific.

2014 FUNDS BEEF UP ASIA PACIFIC PROPERTY SCENE

P

rivate equity funds for the Asia Pacific real estate environment reached US$14 billion in 2014, its highest since the global financial crisis (GFC), though still well below the US$28 billion peak recorded in 2007.

In a recent report, CBRE predicted that 2015 will continue to see a positive environment for fund raising, though does not expect further significant increases given that 2013 and 2014 were both very active years. Fund raising was boosted by 42 APAC private equity real estate funds

in 2014, an increase from previous years driven by the ongoing demand for access to the region.

The majority of raised funds could translate into direct real estate investments in the region in the coming year, helping to drive up the turnover of overall capital activities by 5% in 2015, CBRE predicted.

Asia Pacific remains a major focus for international investors, with an increasing number of new groups looking at the region for the purposes of portfolio diversification and long-term investment.

GETAWAY TO THE SOUTH. Ara Vista Village in General Trias, Cavite is a 50-hectare community with Wi-Fi connectivity, a round-the-clock CCTV system, 24-hour security service, and amenities (e.g. clubhouse swimming pools, tennis and basketball courts, playgrounds, gym, and a church). The village also promotes an eco-friendly lifestyle with its rambling bicycle lanes and jogging paths. From Manila, Ara Vista Village can be reached via South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) through the Carmona Exit; via Coastal Road – Cavitex, from SM Mall of Asia; and through Daang Hari Road, from Alabang, Muntinlupa area.

NEPAL QUAKE PRODS NEED FOR AUDIT OF MM BUILDINGS A Filipino urban planner warned that buildings in Metro Manila should undergo a structural audit to determine if these could withstand a very strong earthquake.

He made the call following the 7.8-magnitude earthquake that devastated hit Nepal last week, killing more than 3,000 people and injuring 6,000 more, Architect Jun Palafox urged that there was a strong need for the country “to address the hazards to architecture and urban planning before they become disasters.”

He explained that if a 7.2-magnitude mega-quake hit Metro Manila, an estimated 20 percent of the structures would probably collapse.

Citing a 2004 study of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Palafox said an estimated 50,000 people would be killed and that Metro Manila would be divided into four since bridges would collapse and roads would be cut.

“Ten-hectare evacuation areas should be identified for metro residents and workers,” the architect added.

But he said that 11 years after the JICA study, no concrete measures have been taken to address these hazards in case of a strong earthquake.

“There should already be a structural audit on buildings, especially government structures,” the architect and urban planner said, noting that 2 percent of tall buildings and 20 to 30 percent of low-rise build-

DISASTER-READY? PATCHWORK SOLUTIONS WON’T HACK IT WHEN THE BIG ONE HITS.

ings would collapse in a strong quake.

He added that the bridges and structures with the tendency to collapse should already be marked and identified.

“There are still structures above the fault line. They should already be identified and transferred to safer areas,” added Palafox noting that addressing the hazards would be 90 percent less costly than rehabilitation.

As for old buildings, the architect explained that these should undergo structural retrofitting to reinforce their strength. Meanwhile, ongoing constructions are advised to have their own earthquake analysis before, during and after construction.

“All should have an emergency preparedness plan,” he added.