The Standard - 2015 August 17 - Monday

VOL. XXIX NO. 186 3 Sections 32 Pages P18 MONday : auguSt 17, 2015 www.thestandard.com.ph editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Palace defends DoJ probe of Iglesia

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JumPIng on bbl 14 senators sign up to interpellate Marcos version

By Macon R. Araneta, Christine F. Herrera and Sandy Araneta

FOURTEEN senators have signed up to ask questions about the substitute to the Palacedrafted Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Sunday.

Marcos, the sponsor of the bill, told radio dzBB, said he expected most senators to interpellate him, and added that if there were major defects in his draft, there was still time to introduce changes to the bill.

As chairman of the Senate committee on local government, Marcos led the review of the Palace-backed BBL and found parts of it unconstitutional. He has sponsored a substitute bill instead that he said corrected those defects and that is more inclusive than the measure hammered out by government peace negotiators and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

Marcos said his substitute bill was drafted after consultations Next page

8 mayors quit NPC, sign up as Liberals

By Dexter A. See SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union—Eight mayors of the Nationalist Peoples Coalition (NPC) in the first district of La Union and one independent took their oath as members of the Liberal Party (LP) Friday in Candon City, Next page Ilocos Sur.

‘Traffic problems are being addressed’

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70 years after. Members of the Living History Group from the Philippines carry a wreath to the American Cemetery in Manila on Sunday during a ceremony to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II. AFP

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Palace defends DoJ probe of INC THE Palace defended the Justice Department Sunday against charges that it was meddling in the affairs of the Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC), saying that it has the authority to initiate an investigation if it suspects that laws have been broken.

Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. added that the department would continue to investigate the alleged abduction of INC ministers.

“The Department of Justice has the mandate to investigate any individual or organization involved in possible violations of the law.

And if the investigation has shown sufficient evidence to file a case before the court, that is within the authority of the Department of Justice,” said Coloma.

Earlier, lawyer Harry Roque said Justice Secretary Leila de Lima should cease and desist from her “witch hunt.”

“In the absence of a complainant, she should not investigate the alleged intramurals within the Iglesia ni Cristo,” Roque said.

“To persist in investigating the local church would be to violate the constitutional right of freedom of religion, which includes both a guarantee of freedom to believe and non-intervention with church affairs,” he added.

Roque said Philippine jurisprudence has respected the INC’s religious tenets including its right not to allow its members to join labor unions.

Vice President Jejomar Binay also urged the Justice Department to put an end to statements that foment dissent in the influential Christian sect.

Binay wrote a letter to De Lima, asking her to refrain from making “unwarranted statements” on the alleged abduction of INC ministers amid the reported schism in the group.

Binay said that De Lima’s statements have been contradicting the findings of the investigation conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation’s Anti-Organized Transnational Crime Division.

Binay noted that lawyer Manuel Eduarte, division chief, has already declared the case of missing ministers as “closed” after coordinating with the INC’s Legal Office and visiting the house of Felix Nathaniel Manalo.

“It taxes credulity that you had to publicly contravene the findings of the NBI Anti-Organized Transnational Crimes Division, which itself conducted the investigation on the alleged abduction,” the Vice President told De Lima.

“According to your own people in the NBI, no such abduction took place, which finding is bolstered by the fact that there is no complainant who has come forward to attest to its commission. In short, there is apparently no crime committed or being committed,” he added.

The NBI operates under the Justice Department. De Lima had earlier denied the NBI’s claim that the case was closed. Sandy araneta

Smuggled from China. Christler Cobarrubias, chairman of the Confederation of Guardians in the Philippines, and the group’s other members ask the government to open some 89 containers in Manila that they say contain smuggled goods from China. Danny Pata

Jumping From A1... with all the stakeholders in Mindanao and would protect the country’s interest and sovereignty while promoting the interests and aspirations of the Bangsamoro people.

“If you look at [governmentinitiated peace] process, the negotiations were only between the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace Process (OPAPP) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front,” he said.

Marcos said he was ready to thoroughly explain the changes in the BBL during the period of interpellation.

“If there are big mistakes in the substitute bill, there is still time to change and talk about it,” he said.

Earlier, Marcos told vice governors from Mindanao that his substitute was beneficial and fair to all, Muslims and non-Muslims alike.

He said drafting the substitute bill was “the right thing to do.”

“I believe we tried very hard to be fair to everyone concerned,” Marcos said in a statement Sunday.

Marcos said his bill treats the proposed Bangsamoro government in the same way other local governments are treated to draw them closer to the mainstream.

This principle guided the bill’s provision on Lake Lanao, which

8 mayors From A1...

The defections marked efforts by the ruling Liberals to bolster their numbers ahead of elections next year at the expense of other parties, including its coalition ally, the NPC. They also signaled the vulnerability of the NPC—the second largest political party in the country—to poaching.

critics have described as “anti-Moro.”

“What is different in our substitute bill is we just considered what was described either as inland waters or Bangsamoro waters to adhere to the definition of municipal waters. I don’t see why we need to change it,” Marcos said.

Under the Local Government Code, “municipal waters” includes streams, lakes, and tidal waters within the municipality that are not the subject of private ownership and are not within national parks, public forests, timber lands, forest reserves or fishery reserves.

He added that his bill ensured that the power plants generating electricity from the waters of Lake Lanao, as well as the transmission facilities connected to the national grid, remained under the supervision of the National Power Corp.

“Lake Lanao is critical as it supplies 60 percent of all the power in Mindanao. We all know that we are in crisis when it comes to power generation in Mindanao,” Marcos said. Rotating brownouts lasting from four to eight hours frequently occur in many areas in Mindanao.

During the Senate hearings on the bill, the Mindanao Development Authority took the position that Lake Lanao should be excluded from the Bangsamoro territory, and should be maintained under the exclusive control of the

national government for the communal use and benefit of the entire Mindanao.

Marcos said that while he tried his best to correct the flaws of the draft BBL in the substitute bill, it could be further improved with additional inputs from his fellow senators during the period of amendment and in the bicameral conference committee, after both chambers of Congress have passed their own version of the measure.

In the House, Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez rejected 28 provisions that the MILF wanted reinstated in the House version of the BBL. Rodriguez also warned during an interview on radio dzBB that if the MILF insisted on reinstating the “28 killer provisions,” most lawmakers would junk the BBL altogether.

“The message is clear to them.

Take it or leave it,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez, chairman of the House ad hoc committee on the BBL, said the reason the bill passed 50-17-1 at the committee level was that some 50 provisions, including 28 MILF-backed provisions, had been deleted for being unconstitutional.

He said bringing those provisions back would antagonize the 50 lawmakers who voted for the bill at the committee level and could cause them to lose interest in sup-

porting the bill in plenary.

The Palace on Sunday said the Philippines will not give up its claim on Sabah, and that there were no preconditions to Malaysia’s participation in the peace process.

“The Philippine government appreciates the support of Malaysia in promoting and facilitating the progress of the peace process, which is founded upon the long term friendship and cooperation between two ASEAN member countries, and is without preconditions nor strings attached,” said Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr., in a text message to The Standard.

Marcos said earlier he will push for the inclusion of a provision in the proposed BBL stating that the Philippines will not drop its claim on Sabah as a consequence of Malaysia’s role in the Mindanao peace talks.

Coloma said MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal’s complaints about the revised version of the BBL released by Marcos were premature.

Iqbal made his complaints after over 100 provisions were allegedly removed from the original version of the BBL, including the preamble, which he likened to removing a person’s soul.

Coloma, however, said it will be prudent to wait until the BBL has been discussed in the plenary.

Rep. Eric Singson, LP regional chairman, led the oathtaking of the mayors led by San Fernando City Mayor Pablo Ortega, who ran as an ndependent in 2013 after his nomination was blocked by a party official.

Bolting the NPC were Balaoan town Mayor Al-Fred Concepcion, Luna Mayor Vic Marron, former Bangar mayor George Pinzon who represented his daughter Mayor Joy Pinzon-Merin and Mayor Wendy

Joy Buquing of Sudipen town.

The other three mayors who were sworn in as LP members were San Juan Mayor Ruben Valero, Santol Mayor Daisy Sayangda, and San Gabriel Mayor Divina Daligues-Velasco.

Bacnotan town Mayor Francis Fontanilla, who also filed his LP membership, failed to attend the oathtaking due to official business.

“We are in the process of strengthening our party in prepa-

ration for the upcoming elections,” Singson said after the oathtaking.

Ortega, who already declared his candidacy for the congressional race in the First District, said they will intensify the recruitment of LP members in the local level to strengthen their group in support for their candidates in the national level.

“If we have bigger numbers and members then we will have bigger voice to our party leaders,” Ortega said.

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Binay hits administration anew on ‘insensitive’ ways

From Taiwan. Garlic smuggled from Taiwan through Port Irene end up in Baguio City and the Cordillera to the detriment of local farmers. Dave Leprozo

Miriam backs plan for bets to debate

By Macon ramos-araneta

SENATOR Miriam Defensor-Santiago, one of the popular choices for President in 2016, on Sunday supported the Commission on Elections’ plan to organize debates among those joining the presidential race.

“A debate format among presidential and vice-presidential candidates would test who among the candidates is most fit for the position they are running for,” Santiago said.

“Through debates, a well-informed voting population would be able to carefully choose their future leaders.

Debates are also opportunities for candidates to squarely face the allegations hurled against them.”

Santiago made her statement even as Rep. Estrellita Suansing on Sunday welcomed the Comelec’s plan to hold presidential debates nationwide. She moved for the passage of her House Bill 5269 that seeks to create a Presidential Debate Commission that will oblige all presidential and vice presidential candi-

dates to participate in the debates.

“The nationwide presidential debates proposed by the Comelec are indeed welcome and necessary,” Suansing said.

Santiago said the Comelec’s debate plan was consistent with Senate Bill 1797, or the Presidential Debate Reform Act, which she filed in October 2013.

The bill, pending at the committee on electoral reforms, seeks to institutionalize presidential and vice presidential debates through the Presidential Debate Commission.

Comelec chairman Andres Bautista recalled that the last presidential debate organized by the Comelec was during the 1992 elections, the same year that Santiago ran for president

against Fidel V. Ramos.

Santiago’s proposed Presidential Debate Commission will be composed of six members from the public or private sectors. Commissioners may be from government offices, the academe and non-profit organizations, among others.

She suggested the President should appoint two members from a list of nominees submitted by the two dominant political parties. The four other members would be chosen by the Senate president and the House speaker, as well as the majority leaders of both houses.

For the Comelec to be independent, the Santiago bill stresses that no more than three appointees should come from any political party, and that the appointees should, as much as possible, come from different sectors.

If enacted, the bill will mandate the commission to establish a schedule for one preliminary debate, not more than two vice presidential debates, and not less than two but not more than four presidential debates.

THE camp of Vice President Jejomar Binay on Sunday slammed the “incompetent and insensitive” governance of President Benigno Aquino III, saying it had miserably failed to improve to the lives of the Filipino people.

Binay spokesman Joey Salgado also criticized the Aquino administration for failing to present a credible response to Binay’s True State-of-the- Nation Address delivered two weeks ago.

Instead, he said, the current administration had been issuing half-truths and nitpicks on details.

“One thing is sure: As the twilight of the Administration fast approaches, it will continue to flood the media with lies,” Salgado said.

“While the administration will continue to insist it has never told a lie in their response to the Vice President, records show it has consistently twisted the truth.”

Salgado said that after five years, only the rich and wealthy had benefited from the Aquino administration’s economic policies, leaving millions still hungry, jobless and mired in poverty.

“The administration claims that fewer Filipinos are poor today when the opposite is true,” Salgado said.

“They cite budget reforms while ignoring the Development Acceleration Program that has been declared unconstitutional.

They claim higher growth rates

and credit upgrades without mentioning that hunger and unemployment remain. They brag about a campaign against corruption that targets political enemies while sparing political allies.”

Salgado said the administration lied when it said the mural depicting the heroism of the 44 Special Action Force members was removed because there was no museum in Camp General Mariano N. Castaneda in Silang, Cavite, home of the Philippine National Police Academy.

“The absence of the SAF 44 among those who were honored during the PNP’s 114th Police Service anniversary shows that the Administration would rather the people forgot their heroism,” he said.

He said the scholarships recently given to the children of the SAF 44 was “a desperate attempt at damage control.”

He said Transport Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya lied when he said the Metro Rail Transit had more trains running than the seven trains mentioned by the Vice President in his True SONA. He said the administration lied when it said the State Universities and Colleges did not experience budget cuts.

He said the administration lied when it said there was no delay in the distribution of the Yolanda rehabilitation fund.

Macon ramos-araneta

Duterte supporters to stage CdO rally THE supporters of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, who call themselves “Dutertistas,” will stage a rally in Cagayan de Oro this week to show the size of his following in Mindanao, his political adviser Lito Banayo said Sunday.

Dutertista is a term that was coined

by Duterte himself, and it refers to the people who are pushing him to run for President in the 2016 elections.

Among the Dutertistas are prominent political personalities like former Senate President Aquilino Pimentel Jr., his son Senator Aquilino Pimentel III, former President Fidel Ramos, Senator Sergio Osmeña III, and former Cebu Governor Lito Osmeña.

Banayo made his statement even as former Butuan City Rep. Charito Plaza said Duterte was definitely running for President in May 2016,

adding Duterte had not yet declared his candidacy because it was too early to announce it.

“While others have declared too early and have long been campaigning even from the time of their last election, it is inappropriate to use their office and peoples’ money for their illegal and premature campaigning,” Plaza said.

On Thursday last week, a caravan was held in Negros Occidental to convince Mayor Duterte to run for President in 2016.

The caravan was part of the Dutertistas’ efforts to urge Duterte to run and in preparation for a big rally in Davao on Aug. 28, said Jesus Hinlo Jr., a convenor of the Duterte for President Movement in the province.

Hinlo said they wanted Duterte to run for President because of his support for federalism, his strong

campaign against criminality and his vision for the country’s progress through industrialization.

The Negros Duterte caravan was led by Salvador Benedicto Mayor Joemax Ortiz, Bacolod City Administrator Rolando Villamor, and private sector leaders Butch Ebreo, Bibit Puey, Toots Jimenez and Hinlo.

At least seven vehicles and many motorcycles joined the Negros caravan that drove through Salvador Benedicto, San Carlos City and the northern part of Negros Occidental to distribute leaflets about Duterte.

In Mindanao, former South Cotabato governor Mike Sueno said Duterte’s supporters decided to hold the rally as a “show of force” so that the mayor could finally see how much the people of the south were supporting his presidential run. alvin T. Guanzon

Dangerous job. Linemen install telephone lines in Baguio City on Sunday with few protective gear. Dave Leprozo

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Govt addressing traffic woes

By Sandy Araneta and Rio Araja

The government is already addressing concerns regarding the traffic along edsa, around the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and other areas, with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) coordinating the actions of all local traffic enforcers, Malacañang said Sunday.

“Chairman Francis Tolentino and the MMDA are coordinating actions taken by all local government agencies and traffic enforcers concerned in order to lessen the traffic,” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said in a text message to the Malacañang Press Corps.

Coloma was reacting to a proposal of Quezon City Rep. Winston Castelo that President Benigno Aquino III to appoint a “traffic czar.”

Last Friday, hundreds of thousands of commuters and motorists were stuck in traffic for eight to 10 hours along roads going to the Ninoy

Aquino International Airport, Andrews Avenue, MIA Road and Airport Road, causing thousands of passengers to miss their flights.

Bumper-to-bumper traffic along Edsa started at around 10 a.m. and clogged major and minor roads all the way to Quezon City in the north.

The traffic jam was blamed on the Skyway extension project.

Construction is in full swing, so that portions of these roads are closed and only one lane is available for vehicles out of the usual three.

Last Saturday, Castelo urged Aquino to intervene in solving the daily

traffic mess along Edsa, the 26-kilometer circumferential highway that bisects Metro Manila.

Castelo, who chairs the House committee on Metro Manila development, suggested that the President name a traffic point man who enjoys his confidence and who will have the sole responsibility for solving the Edsa traffic situation.

He said this official should have the authority over all concerned government agencies to orchestrate, coordinate and implement traffic improvement projects.

These agencies include the MMDA, Philippine National Police, local government units, Land Transportation Office (LTO) and Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).

He said the traffic czar should also have the power to review and cancel franchises for erring public utility vehicles plying Edsa to lessen their number and should be a person of integrity who can refuse lob-

bying by PUV operators, he added.

Castelo lamented that despite their much-publicized statements, the LTFRB and the LTO, have not been able to remove illegal buses from Edsa.

“The traffic situation has become worse and it requires intervention from no less than the President. It cannot be solved by piecemeal measures. A much firmer, stronger hand and stricter implementation of traffic rules are required,” he said.

Meanwhile, Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, House independent bloc leader, proposed the holding of a transportation summit to push an education and road safety campaign for public utility drivers to ensure public safety.

“Why not call for a transportation summit so we could help lower the incidence of fatal road mishaps? Let us push for road discipline and courtesy,” said Romualdez, a lawyer and president of the Philippine Constitution Association.

Boodle fight. Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez joins Vice President Jejomar Binay, Cavite Vice Governor Ramon “Jolo” Revilla and members of the Senior Citizens’ Association of Barangay Ligas 1, Bacoor City in an informal lunch. VER NOVENO

DepEd head in Eastern Visayas cops int’l award

By Ronald O. Reyes TACLOBAN CITY—Dr. Luisa Bautista-Yu, Department of Education regional director for Eastern Visayas, is this year’s recipient of the prestigious Albert Shanker Education Award at the recentlyconcluded Education International 7th World Congress in Ottawa, Canada.

Yu was commended for empowering school children and teachers after the region was pummeled by super typhoon Yolanda in November 2013.

“Typhoon Yolanda tested my character as a school leader. I have to deal with the situation for the welfare of our school children and teachers,” Yu told a gathering of teachers in the city recently.

Yu disclosed that the typhoon totally destroyed 2,000 classrooms, partially damaged 9,000 others and affected a total of 1,400 schools in the region.

The typhoon also killed 30 teachers and school employees and 530 students while directly affecting 25,975 teachers and employees and 676,455 learners.

“As regional director, I encourage everyone to move on and do whatever we can do to rebuild what we have lost,” said Yu, who also urged teachers in the region to “continue make a difference in the lives of learners.”

Yu recalled how she rose from ranks in her career, starting as an ordinary teacher in remote villages.

She thanked the various international and national humanitarian organizations, private sector groups, local and national government agencies and individuals who helped the region immediately after Yolanda.

Authorities probe fire aboard ferry boat AUTHORITIES are investigating a fire that gutted the ferry boat MV Wonderful Stars, which was carrying more than 500 passengers when it caught fire just minutes after it docked at the Ormoc City port on Saturday, Malacañang said Sunday.

“The government is investigating what started the fire,” said Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. in an interview over state-run dzRB. All passengers and crew survived the incident, according to the Philippine Coast Guard and the Maritime Industry Authority.

Coloma said the Philippine Coast Guard also wants to know if the crew of the ferry boat followed safety regulations.

Reports said two crew members were hurt when the ferry caught fire shortly after docking.

The Coast Guard identified the two as Jake Rondeł Guiconor and Daryll Lee Bentoy, who

were hurt while trying to contain the fire on the vessel owned by Roble Shipping Lines.

The incident happened more than a month after at least 61 persons were killed when a ferry sank about 200 meters from the Ormoc pier on July 2.

The MV Wonderful Stars had just docked at the pier after coming from Cebu City at 4:30 a.m. when a crew member sounded the fire alarm, said skipper Rodolfo Saavedra, 50.

He said he immediately went to check the cargo area but was met with thick smoke.

Saavedra then instructed his 59 crew members to assist the passengers in disembarking.

Eight fire trucks from Ormoc and four from the neighboring towns of Baybay, Kananga, Albuera and Merida arrived to help put out the fire, which was made worse by exploding fuel from the vehicles carried on board the vessel.

Used clothing. A vendor on a bicycle transports second-hand clothes,

commonly known as ukay-ukay, across the Rockwell Bridge in Makati City on Sunday. SONNY ESPIRITU

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Tap and go. LRT commuters use their reloadable, tap-andgo ‘beep’ cards to get in and out of the Balintawak Station. The ‘beep’ cards with a minimum value of P12 are good for four years and will replace the old magnetic cards starting August 16 in some stations, according to the LRT maanagement.

Sonny ESpiriTu

John Hay developer cleared of malverse By rey E. requejo The Court of Appeals has ordered the dismissal of two complaints for malversation of public funds filed by the state-run Bases Conversion and Development Authority against four top officials of the Camp John hay Development Corporation, the developer of the former American recreational facility in Baguio City, for lack of probable cause.

In a 15-page decision penned

by Associate Justice Zenaida Galapate-Laguilles, the CA’s Special Tenth Division granted the petition filed by Robert John Sobrepena, CJHDEVCO chief executive officer and chairman; Ferdinand Santos, president; Alfredo Yniguez, executive vice president and chief operating officer; and Emily Roces-Falco, chief finance officer, seeking to set aside the orders issued by Presiding Judge Cecilia Corazon Dulay-Archog of Baguio City RTC, Branch 6, in 2013 finding probable cause for their arrest and trial.

“Wherefore, premises considered, the instant petition for certiorari and prohibition is granted.

The orders of the public respondent RTC dated 27 June 2013 and 31 October 2013 in criminal cases Nos. 34422-R and 34423-R finding probable cause for the peti-

tioners’ arrest and trial concerning the charges of malversation of public funds in the amounts of P1,490,717.26 and P2,839,969.40 are set aside. Accordingly, the aforesaid criminal cases are dismissed for failure to establish probable cause pursuant to the Revised Rules on Criminal Procedure,” the CA ruled.

The appellate court ruling dated August 12, 2015 stressed that the amount of P4.33 million allegedly misused by the four CJHDEVCO officials is not considered public funds, which is an essential element of malversation under Articles 217 and 222 of the Revised Penal Code.

The CA noted that the character of the case filed by BCDA is just a mere civil suit for a collection of sums of money.

“For it is elementary that nonpayment of an indebtedness is

not a criminal act. More so is a mere delay in the payment of civil obligations, which in fact have already been paid, not the proper subject of a criminal charge nor penal litigation for malversation of public funds,” the CA declared.

The appellate court pointed out that no less than the Constitution declares that no one may be criminally charged for a nonpayment of a sum of money.

“There can be, even at the outset, no criminal offense to speak of,” the CA said.

“We are aware that even an unfounded criminal charge may expose the clearly innocent to severe distress and tarnished reputation, that even a subsequent acquittal may not serve to fully alleviate nor cleanse,” it added.

In ruling against the Baguio City RTC, the appellate court reminded it that in determination of probable cause for the arrest and trial of the accused, the courts are tasked by the Constitution “not only to acquit the innocent after trial, but to insulate them, from the very start, from tenuous charges and ensuing proceedings—for innocence, in itself, out to be enough.”

PAF takes delivery of 10 choppers

By Florante S. Solmerin THE transport capability of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) gets a big boost with the delivery of eight Bell 412 helicopters and two AW109 attack helicopters.

Most of the aircraft were reconfigured to suit internal security operations while the Bell choppers can also do search and rescue operations during disasters, an Air Force official said.

PAF spokesman Colonel Enrico Canaya said the eight Bell helicopters were delivered in batches by the Canadian Commercial Corp. and Textron last June.

Canaya said five of the choppers were configured for combat utility, equipped with machineguns and rockets while the three others were intended to be used for VIP transport.

Also delivered were two of the eight AW109 combat utility helicopters with a total amount of P4.5 billion.

“Hopefully this year, all the remaining six AW109 helicopters would be delivered,” Canaya said.

Canaya said all the delivered choppers passed inspection and test flights.

He said the choppers will be deployed in the unified area commands.

“The Bell choppers will also be utilized for humanitarian assis-

tance and disaster response during times of calamity. They will be assigned to the 205th Tactical Helicopter Wing; they are a good support for our UH1H and UH1D,” Canaya said The “inferior” version of the German-made UH1D has become controversial after the discovery of bidding irregularities made by the Bids and Awards Committee of the Department of National Defense that was supposed to purchase 21 secondhand refurbished UH1H worth P1.2 billion.

Only seven of the supposed 21 defective UH1D replacements were accepted and the rest were scrapped after the issue became public and investigated by the Senate.

Canaya said the AW109 helicopters will complement the MD520 in the 15th Strike Wing for close air support and reconnaissance.

“This is positive development because right now we are receiving new aircraft, air assets to increase the capability of the Air Force. We are looking forward to the delivery of two more medium C295M and two CM212I light-lift transport.

And of course, the first delivery of our FA-50 from South Korea this year,” he said.

The DND has ordered 12 FA-50 lead-in jet fighters or trainer jets which are not combat-ready despite the high cost at P18.9 billion.

Agri dept ill-prepared to cope with El Niño—Chiz

By Macon Araneta SENATOR Francis “Chiz” Escudero on Sunday chided the Department of Agriculture under Secretary Proceso Alcala for its failure to prepare Filipino farmers for the onslaught of a prolonged El Niño, predicted as the worst

in the country’s history.

While the DA should be in the forefront of this, Escudero, however, noted that based on their analysis, it has been very slow in responding to this issue as manifested by its underspending.

“It’s very slow in releasing funds for this purpose,” said Es-

cudero, who recently resigned as chair of the senate finance committee.

The senator said the finance panel has made available around P5 billion for 2015 to the DA to address the problem of El Nino through interventions like Small Water Impounding Project, meant to

improve irrigation facilities in preparation for the dry months, but the department failed to do its job.

“The government has to be proactive and prepare for the worst-case scenario. Our farmers have to be given all kinds of assistance to make up for the projected crop losses because of

the drying up of farmlands,” said Escudero, now chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources.

He urged national government agencies to prepare alternative employment and emergency assistance for farmers to be affected by the prevailing El Niño conditions this year.

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Agencies join forces vs scammers

By Sandy Araneta Several agencies are stepping up the fight against various kinds of scams such as pyramiding and online fraud which have been proliferating, a Malacañang official said on Sunday. the Department of trade and industry has strengthened its countermeasures through the Consumers’ Protection and advocacy Bureau, and the Securities and Exchange Commission through the Enforcement and investor Protection department, against pyramiding or the Ponzi scheme, and other kinds of investment scams which take advantage of the public,” said Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. Coloma said that according to the Dti, scammers have expanded in the different regions in the country, making use of the internet to exploit the unsuspecting victims. the Dti and SEC have issued warnings against such scams, said Coloma. together with the Dti and SEC, the Department of Justice (DOJ), National Bureau of investigation, and Philippine National Police (PNP) have joined the fight against scammers, Coloma said.

Cases have already been filed against several suspects in the One Dream scheme and the DOJ is collating more evidence, Coloma said.

“We are calling on all our countrymen to be aware, and to examine the investment proposals which claim to yield big profits, because these may could be fraudulent,” said Coloma.

Scams in various forms continue to proliferate from a small town in ilocos Norte, to Southern tagalog, and down to Naga City in Bicol, the Dti and local authorities warned yesterday. in San Nicolas, ilocos Norte, the local police are

validating information on the so-called “paluwagan investment scam” which recruits members, promises a P10,000 pay-out for their P1,500 cash investment at the end of the month provided that within that month, another member is recruited. in Naga City, Camarines Sur, at least six individuals complained to police last weekend about an online version of the same scam based in a barangay this city.

Senior Superintendent Narciso Domingo, city police director, said his office has received complaints against “Save and Earn,”— an “online paluwagan” scheme.

One of the complainants, Reynand Collado of Davao City, sought police help to recover his investment amounting to P21,300.

Collado said the suspects netted P10 million from the scheme in which recruited members were required to send their cash investments through online banking or via money transfer with the promise that each P100 investment will have a return of investment (ROi) of P1,000 in just 15 days.

Meanwhile, Dti-Region 4-B Director Jose Valera warned the public against a group called “Success 200” which has victimized investors, mostly returning Filipino workers overseas, in Puerto Princesa City and Coron in Palawan.

“We have monitored their activities and all their meetings and based on our evaluation, we saw all the elements of pyramiding scam in Success 200,” Valera said.

New school for Tiwi. Executives of BDO Foundation and Philippine Geothermal Production Company have signed a memorandum of agreement to construct a four-classroom school building in Tiwi Community College in Albay. The planned school building is the second joint project of the BDO Foundation and FGPC.

Peña vows to help Makati Homeville Makati acting Mayor Romulo ‘kid’ Peña, Jr. has pledged to expedite the awarding of transfer Certificates of title (tCt) to some 800 families residing at Makati Homeville, the city-owned relocation site in Calauan, Laguna. the acting mayor visited the site to hold a dialogue with the residents while their children were being treated to fun activities and various basic services for free in celebration of Makati kiD’s Day, a newly-launched event promoting the holistic development of children.

Peña said he wanted to fulfill the long unkept promises of the former administration in order to restore the hope and dignity of relocated residents, who have suffered years of neglect and abandonment.

Peña said his administration is giving priority to the processing and release of tCts to the beneficiaries and expressed hope that the City Council will also do its duty by passing the needed resolution.

“We will do our best to accomplish this goal during my term of office. For their part, the awardees of land titles will have to abide by the prohibition against selling the lot donated to them,” Peña said.

Access to water, power and livelihood acknowledging the gravity of their

situation due to lack of basic public utilities and livelihood, Peña assured the residents that appropriate steps have been undertaken to alleviate their plight. “i have already ordered the creation of a special task force to address the immediate problems of the community, such as providing all residents access to water and electricity. they have suffered long enough. they need not suffer anymore from a lack of access to basic public utilities,” Peña said. the acting mayor said that he will also ensure that more and relevant livelihood programs are implemented in the area. “i will work closely with the city’s social welfare department and other relevant agencies to come up with more livelihood programs that will really improve the quality of life in the area and empower the communities to develop improved, secure, and sustainable livelihood strategies,” Peña said.

During the dialogue, 10 pedicabs were distributed for free to “padyak boys” at the site for their source of livelihood.

Peña said there is no excuse for a premier business district to simply dump its citizens in a faraway place

with almost nothing to live on.

“We can’t boast of world-class buildings, posh offices and even a ‘friendship hotel’ yet, treat our informal settlers shabbily. the very reason why the city government transferred these people is to rescue them from living along waterways and disasterrisk zones. Sadly, they used to live in atrocious conditions, only to be relocated to live again in such a debilitating state of affairs,” Peña said.

KID’s Day in Calauan Just like their counterparts in Makati, around 200 children from the relocation site were treated to free cartoon and kiddie movies, dental and medical check-ups, hot meals and freebies. a grade school pupil, Jamaica Mendoza Saulong, received P5,000 from Peña for sharing the same birth date, august 5. a 29-year-old resident, Lenyrose Pizara, also got the same cash prize as birthday gift from him.

Meanwhile, 10 octogenarians each received P500 as token gifts.

Other highlights of the day-long event were the processing and outright distribution of 100 Yellow Cards to qualified beneficiaries, joint medical and feeding mission for all residents, and distribution of relief packs to households.

Meralco, Ayala Center promote public safety, disaster preparedness LaSt July 30, Meralco and ayala Center Estate association took part in the Metro-Wide Shake Drill. Meralco provided resources and personnel to respond to the simulated disaster. the Shake Drill event was led by the Metropolitan Manila Development authority and supported by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council as a way of preparing Metro Manila citizens for a massive earthquake. ayala Center Estate association General Manager kristine P. triviño said “we would like to express our gratitude to Meralco for sending their crew in support of the recently concluded Metro-Wide Shake. the entire exercise was a success and would not have been possible without the support and assistance given to us by all the private and government organizations and individuals who helped us prepare and execute this drill.” the highlight of the day was a drill in the Link area of Makati, wherein various scenarios were staged to recreate an earthquake hit-

ting the site. through this activity, Meralco was able to showcase and demonstrate its preparedness and capacity to address problems during times of distress.

Meralco Corporate Relationship Manager Darryl N. Francisco said that “this annual joint safety activity has become a tradition between Meralco and its partners in Makati, particularly in this case, the ayala Land team on the ground. this is proof that Meralco’s strong partnership with the ayala group is unwavering. We value the lives of our people, above all else, and we hope to continue these drills to further improve our response. after we assess our performance, we can then determine how to enhance our disaster operations.” the exercise with ayala, supported by Meralco Head of Safety and Environment Management Efren V. Domingo and Meralco Pasig Sector Head Raymond R. Jardiel, was just one example of Meralco’s customer-centric drives to forge stronger partnerships and promote public safety.

m o n D AY : A u g u s t 17, 2 0 1 5

A7

NEWS

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Baguio recruiter faces 66 cases

By Dexter A. See BAGUIO CITY—An illegal recruiter wanted by authorities, whose travel and tours office was recently padlocked by concerned government agencies for being a front of her alleged clandestine activities, is now facing 66 cases of illegal recruitment.

Detectives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group North Central Luzon found merit in the complaints of individuals who sought their help to recover their hardearned money from the recruiter.

Senior Superintendent Jimmy Catanes, CIDGNCL regional commanding officer, said the 66 illegal recruitment and large scale filed against Evangeline Torres alias Evangeline Antonio or Evangeline Antonio Torres is the initial batch of charges that were disposed by their office and more complaints are yet to be filed against her in the coming days.

Earlier, officials from the Philippine Overseas and Employment Association central office and the CIDG had padlocked her various offices located along Mabini Street, Magsaysay Avenue, Lakandula Street.

The case against her stemmed from the complaint of various individuals who were enticed and promised to work overseas under an alleged KIRIN Japan Holdings Co., Ltd in Japan Dairy Farm Workers.

A check with records showed Torres and her staff were not authorized to recruit and deploy workers abroad.

Reports have it that Torres was able to receive initial payments from the interested dairy farm workers amounting to P20,000 up to P100,000 but they were not deployed for the work that they have applied for.

One fine day. Children enjoy flying their kite in Barangay Cabahug, Mandaue City. MICHELLE ALVAREZ

Ecija’s Rice Science Museum now a tourist destination

By Ferdie G. Domingo

SCIENCE CITY OF MUÑOZ, Nueva Ecija—The Department of Tourism has accredited the Philippine Rice Research Institute-operated Rice Science Museum here as a tourist facility, making it the only DOT-listed facility in the province registered in the department’s Web site.

Ronaldo P. Tiotuico, DOT regional director for Central Luzon, said the rice museum stationed in this city is a must-see place as it presents rice cultural traditions, mores and science in the rice granary of the country.

“It is good place to visit and the contents are intellectually stimulating as they present rice in a way that the public will appreciate and under-

stand,” he said.

The rice museum, which is also a local government unit-licensed tourist establishment, is the only tourist facility in the province registered in the http://visitmyphilippines.com, a DOT-maintained Web site.

Tiotuico said in the whole Central Luzon, the only one enjoying similar accreditation is the Aquino Center and Museum in Tarlac City in Presi-

dent Aquino’s home province.

Senior science research specialist and activity facilitator Charisma Love B. Gado said that studies around the world have shown the indispensable role of museums in society owing to their educational value through informal learning and discovery.

She said the institute’s studies showed that farmers are learning from the museum during their visits.

“They discuss the contents of the museum with their fellow visitors; they can connect the contents with their experiences in everyday lives; and they can share what they have learned to their fellow farmers,” she said.

Launched in September last year, the rice museum at its central experiment station here has highlighted rice science, art, and tech-

nology through material culture of rice-farming communities in the country, labor- and cost-reducing machines, and rice seeds.

Thus far, the museum has opened three exhibits namely Lovelife with Rice, Abundant Harvest, and Colors of Rice.

Collections covering the species and artifacts found in the rice environment, rice ecosystem, rice grains, and art works have also been exhibited.

Colors of Rice, which focuses on the health and nutrition aspects of rice, will run on exhibit until February 2016.

Gado said that recently, the museum partnered with Museo Pambata (MB) and went mobile to encourage children to build a career on ensuring the country’s food supply through the MB’s “Paglaki ko, gusto kong maging....” program.

Chikungunya downs 78, hospitalizes 15 in Caraga

By Alvin T. Guanzon

Artists unite. Jerome Barbadilli, VP of Artists Guild of La Union, and Vic Alhambra Jr., president of SILIP Camera Club, open the Unity Art Exhibit. Local artists from La Union, Pangasinan, Ilocos Sur and Baguio City are participating in the event at the City Mall in San Fernando, La Union. CHRISTINE JUNIO

BUTUAN CITY—Fifteen persons were hospitalized due to Chikungunya, an illness caused by a virus that spreads through mosquito bites— much like dengue fever—that has hit Caraga region lately particularly Esperanza, Agusan del Sur. Seventy-eight cases of the disease have been documented.

Department of Health regional director for Caraga Dr. Jose Llacuna, Jr. said symptoms of chikungunya are fever and joint pain, headache, muscle pain, joint swelling, and skin rashes.

Llacuna said the regional office of the department has sent a medical team and quick response team to help the local government unit of Esperanza in containing the disease.

“One of the findings of our team was that the problem of sanitation and cleanliness,” Llacuna added.

“The 78 cases in Esperanza town were initially thought to have dengue, but we found out that there were no signs of blood hemorrhage,” Llacuna added.

A8

ADELLE chuA eDitor M O N D AY, A u G u S T 17, 2 0 1 5

opinion [ EDI TORI A L ]

Capitulating is never the best ChoiCe WE learned with some incredulity that the Commission on Elections awarded a P10-billion contract last week to Smartmatic-TIM to lease to the government almost 94,000 optical mark reader (OMR) machines for the 2016 elections.

The decision was riddled with so many holes, we hardly know where to begin.

First, it throws away billions of pesos already invested in some 82,000 precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines used in the previous elections, and supplied by none other than Smartmatic-TIM. Second, Smartmatic-TIM has been the subject of several suits before the Supreme Court and other courts.

A petition filed by an electoral watchdog in January called for the blacklisting of Smartmatic-TIM in all bids for services, technology and other requirements in preparation for the May 2016 elections.

Two other petitions before the Supreme Court successfully threw out the Comelec’s negotiated deal with Smartmatic to repair and refurbish their old PCOS machines because no bidding was held, in violation of the procurement law.

Then last month, a former elections commissioner and a poll watchdog filed a complaint of electoral sabotage against Smartmatic-TIM before the Comelec.

Against this backdrop of legal challenges, it is remarkable that the Comelec saw fit to even consider Smartmatic-TIM, and would not even wait the outcome of the Supreme Court petitions.

But perhaps the most astounding—and disturbing— aspect of last week’s announcement was the statement by one elections commissioner that they were unhappy about the deal, but felt that they had no choice but to sign it because time was running out and Smartmatic-TIM had pushed them “to the edge.”

Smartmatic-TIM, the commissioner added, had deliberately maneuvered them into the lease contract by refusing to join the new bidding for the repair and refurbishing of the PCOS machines, until there was no choice left.

“Our hands are tied, but it is not of our own making,” Commissioner Rowena Guanzon said, taking the timetested method of ducking responsibility by blaming their predecessors.

With elections only nine months away, Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista added, the lease contract, no matter how “imperfect,” was the best way to go.

These statements were absurd, suggesting that the highest authority on elections should so easily capitulate to what amounts to blackmail by one technology supplier, throwing away in the process P10 billion in taxpayers’ money under duress.

In several public pronouncements, the Comelec dismissed a hybrid system in which voting and counting would be done manually, but the transmission and canvassing of ballots would be automated, on the basis that it would be slower and more expensive because they would have to hire more election inspectors. On the other hand, the Comelec brushed aside the assertion that the hybrid system would be more transparent—certainly a key objective in the quest for credible elections.

As with the lease contract, the hybrid system would be far from ideal, but there would still be enough time to fine-tune it, if the commissioners had been so inclined.

In our book, capitulating to blackmail is never the best option.

Published Monday to Sunday by Philippine Manila Standard Publishing Inc. at 6/F Universal Re Building, 106 Paseo de Roxas, corner Perea St., Legaspi Village, Makati City.

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By which reckoning? warp of last words and definitive narratives! Fortunately, the earth pensées has completed several revolutions fr. ranhilio around the sun since!

Callangan Critics are wont to dismiss the aquino Marcos Draft because, they claim, NAySAyERS shrugged it off as it results in an autonomous rean empty boast. Bongbong Mar- gion with even less might than the cos promised a new version of an organic law for Bangsamoro. The Deles-Ferrer tandem unctuously pronounced it non-doable, and Iqbal snorted at it as unacceptable. by any account, that But Marcos delivered on his promwas a whole tangled ise, and now, there is, before the Senate, endorsed for plenary debate by web within which to a clear majority of his peers, a draft craft a law. of the charter for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region.

I have read it in full. I have conversed with Senator Marcos on some of its points. I would have ARMM under its strengthened written some provisions other- charter. The reckoning is wrong, wise, but he is the senator, not me. I respectfully though tentatively On the whole, it is a highly com- (with a reverential bow to Dermendable piece of draft legislation. rida) submit. I have not indulged It is not the ultimate word on the in comparisons of the sort: the matter; in an age that guides itself stronger autonomous region, the by the precepts of deconstruction, stronger regional executive, bethere is no ultimate word! And so, cause I think that is not the point. those who are disappointed be- At least, from what I understand cause they had thought that BBL Mr. Marcos saying, that was not at was going to offer the final word the top of his table of priorities. are apparently trapped in a timeMarcos wanted to achieve difMST 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. Isabel “Gina” P. Verzosa Head, Advertising Solutions Anita F. Grefal Treasury Manager Edgar M. Valmorida Circulation Manager

ferent things, not always easy to reconcile with each other. He wanted a meaningful response to MILF’s plaints. But he did not want a solution that would originate from the MILF faction, only to be spurned by those who refuse to share the same bed with Iqbal and the people he speaks for.

The issue of Muslim Mindanao is more than an MILF issue. In fact, it was not originally an MILF issue. He also wanted to steer clear of the importuning of Nur Misuari and his MNLF group. Then there were the legitimate claims of the sultanates—themselves a fractious lot. Who, for example, is the Sultan of Sulu? As if the considerations were not complicated enough, the IPs and non-Muslim communities reminded the Legislature that they too had legitimate claims. And because no solution is clever enough unless it is in accord with the Constitution, Bongbong—who undoubtedly has as incisive an intellect as his father, but lacks the latter’s legal education (his wife, Liza, is a top-notch lawyer with a law office of her own!)—had to wrestle with the opinions of the critics of the BBL, Continued on A11

Rolando G. Estabillo Jojo A. Robles Ramonchito L. Tomeldan Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano Francis Lagniton Joyce Pangco Pañares Adelle Chua Romel J. Mendez Roberto Cabrera

Publisher Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Associate Editors News Editor City Editor Senior Deskman Art Director Chief Photographer

Emil P. Jurado Chairman Emeritus, Editiorial Board

A10

M O N D AY : A U G U S T 17, 2 0 1 5

OPINION

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

Overseas The prOblem wiTh COngress wOrkers deserve mOre LaST week, a Filipina domestic helper who won 2.3 million Singaporean dollars in a rita linda lottery sometime in v. jimeno June was subjected to repeated questioning and investigation by Singaporean police. They alleged that a certain complainant reported that she stole the ticket that won in the lottery. although she had taken the authorities to the Singapore Pools outlet where she purchased her Sweep ticket, and although her employer said they knew her to be honest, the police persisted in the investigation and even took her bank account details and those of her children in the Philippines.

It is baffling why such a complaint was even entertained at all considering that in lotteries, the posthose who are driven sessor of a ticket is to seek opportunities presumed to own it. in foreign lands Otherwise, all windeserve to see that ners can easily be point where hope ends challenged on similar and reality begins. grounds, wreaking havoc on the trustworthiness of lotteries and sweepstakes.

That, plus the fact that she had stayed on working as a domestic helper and did not leave Singapore are badges of the regularity and unquestionability of her winning. But, perhaps, in the eyes of the Singaporean police, because she was a mere domestic helper, lacking in formal education, and a Filipino citizen, it was okay to subject her to such discriminatory acts.

In another case, a Filipina who had a child with her american husband was arrested and jailed when she returned to the US to visit her elder daughter (by a first marriage) who was studying there. You see, at the time she was still living with her american husband, she caught him sexually abusing their seven-yearold daughter. She later also discovered from her elder daughter, then a teenager, that her husband had also sexually abused her by giving her some drug that made her pass out. The Filipino woman decided to leave her husband and filed a complaint in court to keep him away from her two daughters. In the court proceedings that ensued in the US, she sensed that she was being pressured into allowing her husband to have access and rights of shared custody over their common daughter despite her two daughters’ separate accounts of the molestation they suffered in his hands. She then decided to come home to the Philippines with her younger child.

Here, she filed a petition to declare her marriage with her second husband void because, although she had obtained a divorce from her first husband, this was not legally recognized under Philippine laws making her second marriage with the american guy null and void. This situation made her younger daughter an illegitimate child. Under Philippine laws, the mother has exclusive parental authority over an illegitimate child.

Thus, when she sought a protection order after showing the evidence of the sexual abuse and child molestation committed by her american husband, the judge issued a permanent protection order for her and her minor daughter.

In a mistaken belief that the Philippine court’s Permanent Protection Order would protect her even if she went back to the US to visit her elder daughter, she got arrested as soon as she set foot in US territory; was put in jail; and brought to trial for kidnapping and contempt of court for having gone back to the Philippines while proceedings were ongoing pertaining a determi-

out of the box

YOU can measure the annual legislative output of Congress by counting all the republic acts passed between two General appropriations act. The latter is usually signed into law in the last week of December.

Using two national budgets as bookends, you can have a simple mathematical formula on how to compute the law production of the legislative branch in one year.

For example, if the national budget for 2015 is Ra 10651, and the national budget for 2014 is Ra 10633, then the difference between the two is 18.

So 18 is the number of laws passed by 24 senators and 291 congressmen from the time Ra 10633, the national budget for 2014, was signed into law in December 27, 2013, to December 29, 2014 when President aquino affixed his signature to Ra 10651, the national budget for 2015.

Count again the intervening period. That’s not just one year but one year plus two days. and not all of the 18 are laws of national significance. There could be a“baptismal certificate”included, or a law changing the name of a road or a school.

Of course, I could be wrong. Who knows the scoreboard might record a higher output if the calendar year is reckoned, meaning from January 1 to December 31, 2014?

But then it is up to the quorum police in Congress to come up with a figure that will prove that the institution’s harvest of laws is prodigious and not pathetic because what I used was rudimentary finger math.

If 18 indeed is it, or even, say 36, and if people would still deride the higher figure as anemic, then I could foresee the standard excuse coming, the echoes of which have thundered inside the Batasan for ages: that laws enacted shouldn’t be the sole yardstick.

Congressional performance are gauged by other means as well, goes one trite defense of legislative lethargy, like investigations conducted, scams unearthed and constituency services rendered.

I can already hear the pretext for

plumbline pastor apollo quiboloy

mediocrity: That Congress is not just a law factory but a soapbox of sleuths and a welfare office, too.

“We also have to confirm executive appointments, ratify treaties, and conduct oversight.”

The morning this sees print, I am expecting a text which reads: “But Pastor, how do you measure exposes?”

Maybe part of the problem is that we have long reached “peak legislation”, meaning in this overlegislated and over-regulated land, there remains too few areas which need to be codified.

We have 11,000 Ras, thousands more of Batas Pambansas, Presidential Decrees and even Commonwealth acts still in force. add the tens of thousands of executive issuances and department orders through a dozen presidencies and the millions of provincial, city and barangay ordinances and we have a society wrapped in a papiermache of regulations.

If that’s the case, then shouldn’t we begin downsizing Congress and its mini-mes of thousands of local sanggunians?

Take for example, the budget of Congress, which actually consists of five bodies—the three lesser known adjuncts are the Commission on appointments, the House Electoral Tribunal, and the Senate Electoral Tribunal.

In 2005, the budget of Congress was P4.7 billion. In a decade, this has almost tripled to P12. 7 billion, which is its budget this year.

Of the P12.7 billion, the House gets the bulk, with P8.3 billion, while the Senate is allocated P3.5 billion.

But on a per-member basis, the annual budget support per senator is P145. 8 million—three times than the P43.6 million that the House will spend for one congressman —whether he appears or absents himself in sessions—this year.

In 2014, the budget of Congress

nation of her husband’s request for shared custody over their minor child. Being in a US prison now, her minor child is left without a mother to care for her although, ironically, her incarceration was only a consequence of her desire to protect the child from her sexually abusive father.

These two incidents demonstrate only two of the strings of travails suffered by Filipino overseas workers.

The more celebrated ones that catch the attention of the government and leads it to take action to help an OFW involve court sentences with a penalty of execution.

Yet, there are millions more of OFWs spread across the globe needing assistance by the Philippine government.

Statistics show that more than one million Filipinos leave the country every year. More than 10 percent of the Philippine population, at any given time, are either working or residing abroad, according to Wikipedia.

Boxing icon, Manny Pacquiao, who had humble beginnings, has started taking the cudgels for OFW

was P10.7 billion, so if 18 was the number of bills the two chambers were able to bring to the presidential desk for signature that year, then the cost of each law signed is something P596 million.

Remember this price tag: P596 million per Ra. But then again, as I’ve said earlier, I could be wrong.

Given that astronomical sum, I hope I am.

The solution, however, to dwindling bill output is not to ramp up production but to limit the number of producers.

Do we really have to employ two chambers of 320 persons to do the job which one house with fewer members can ably do?

I think we should study the fusion of the bicameral—and some say bipolar—legislature into one, and prune its membership by half. This, they say, necessitates a constitutional amendment but this early I believe that it’s one cha-cha worth dancing.

In an electronic republic, wired society, where technology aids constituent representation, at a time when canvassing the will of the sovereign can be done by a click of a mouse or a flick of a cursor, a representative can represent more citizens.

In the age of telegram and unpaved roads and no airports, there was logic in a congressman having to represent a smaller mass of people.

But in this digital age when you and your congressman are Facebook friends, you follow him in Twitter, and he likes your Instagram selfies, he could represent more.

In fact that is the de facto situation in many districts today.

One congressman attends to the needs of as many as 800,000 constituents or four times the minimum.

The issue is not just retaining term limits or enacting an antidynasty law. The bigger challenge is to reduce the number of seats which entice clans with dynastic ambitions to capture at all costs.

In short, you attack the problem not by constricting supply but by limiting demand.

concerns. If only our other politicians will also take OFW concerns as among their advocacies, rather than just looking at them as numbers during election time and remitters of foreign currency, the OFWs can breathe better. Still, every would-be leader of this country must not stop at looking how to help OFWs. The end goal must be to make this country worth staying for: with inclusive economic growth that will make more entrepreneurs and drivers of the economy out of Filipinos, rather than service providers; enough opportunities; better peace and order; and more social services.

Every election is an occasion for hoping. The Filipinos, especially those who are driven to seek opportunities in foreign lands, deserve to see that point where hope ends and reality begins.

Email: ritalindaj@gmail.com Visit: www.jimenolaw.com.ph

M O N D AY : A U G U S T 17, 2 0 1 5

OPINION

ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

A11

‘MALASAKIT’ HOW could you, Gov. Joey?

Interviewed over radio, the Liberal Party regional chairperson for Region 5 and Albay’s graduating three-term governor, one of the closest LGU officials to PNoy, said that if Grace Poe runs for president, and it becomes a fourway fight, Davao City’s Digong Duterte will win.

“You go to Mindanao, manginginig ka.

Duterte has a strong baluarte there,” enthused Salceda.

“And Mindanao is pining for one of their own, not having had a president of the Philippines ever,” he added.

Is this part of the Liberal Party pressure on Grace to run as Mar’s VP? Or, is Salceda, who is as good an investment banker as Mar, simply looking at the geo-rithmetic of the coming contest?

As explained in a previous article in this space, Mindanao counts for 24 percent of the national vote. And Cebuanospeaking Visayans account for 10 percent of the total Visayas vote of 20.5 percent. That’s 34 percent, not counting the Bisaya in Masbate (half of the island province speaks Cebuano), and Metro Manila (go figure).

Still Duterte has not declared he is running. And does not go out of his way court-

ing political party “bosses” like Grace y su Queso doing beso-beso with the NPC at the clubhouse in Bougainvilla upon New Manila. *** Speaking of Mar—last Thursday, 13 August, eve of this ghost month, a friend of mine was boarding his commercial plane for Cagayan de Oro. They were bussed into their plane from the terminal which was parked in the farthest reach of the tarmac.

Lo and behold, they saw Mar walking from his convoy into a big private jet. Nothing unusual about that—candidates buy or borrow jets for their barnstorming. But this jet was painted yellow with a streak of royal blue and beside it was a back-up helicopter, totally painted screaming yellow!

Wow Mar, baka magka-hepatitis ka na niyan! *** On the other side of the political fence, Veep Jojo’s everything man, JV Bautista, reacting to the courting of the NPC by both Mar and the team of Grace y su Queso, all in one day, said, “Kami rin,” and the invitation should be forthcoming “kuno.”

JV reasons that Mark Cojuangco, the son of the NPC “boss”, is a declared Binay sup-

SO I SEE LITO BANAYO porter; in fact, Binay’s candidate for governor of the voterich and land-huge province of Pangasinan.

Para nang INC ang NPC. Incidentally, their logo colors are the same—green, white and red. *** Rizalito David’s petition before the Senate Electoral Tribunal will be heard by nine men and women. Chaired by the eminent Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, the man who should have been Chief, its jurist members are bar topnotcher, associate justice and former Labor secretary Arturo Brion, and former Sandiganbayan justice Teresita de Castro, all learned and experienced in the law. Of the senator members, only Pia Cayetano is a lawyer. The other senators in the SET are Minority Floor Leader Tito Sotto, and senators Loren Legarda, Cynthia Villar, Nancy Binay and Bam Aquino.

Four lawyers and five nonlawyers; four males and five females. Tito and Loren are with the NPC, Cynthia is Nacionalista, Nancy is with her

BY WHICH... From A8 as well as the decision of the Supreme Court in the Province of North Cotabato (MOA-AD) cases! By any account, that was a whole tangled web within which to craft a law.

So, why should the reckoning consist in comparing the powers it grants the autonomous region as against earlier laws? ARMM was MNLF-triggered. The strengthened ARMM was MILF-goaded. The BBL was MILF authored and owned. Marcos had to craft a “tertia via” than demanded so much more than Aristotle’s proverbial “middle way”. Thus read, as an

#FAILOCRACY

father’s UNA, and Bam is Liberal. Representation in the SET is supposed to be by party affiliation.

Read whatever and however you want to read in this composition. *** I overheard a radio interview where Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez said that he had filed a bill granting persons with disabilities the same discount privileges as senior citizens, and that the same is pending in the Senate. Another problem the congressman cited was that we do not have data on the number of PWDs in the country, because many families are ashamed of having family members, especially children who are afflicted with disabilities.

It is high time that we have an accurate database of PWDs, and Romualdez’s legislative measure will surely achieve that. Even more important, if we can give benefits to senior citizens without disabilities, all the more reason we should help our PWDs. There is a term for Martin’s concern for the PWDs, and the best descriptive is a Tagalog word called “malasakit”. *** A month or so ago, scores of people, mostly schoolchildren in Caraga were brought to the hospital complaining of

food poisoning. The culprit, it turned out, was cottage-industry candies, durian and mangosteen flavored, which were manufactured in Davao City.

Two small enterprises, Wendy’s and Blesee’s, were found to have been the sources of the spoiled candies. Their permits to operate were immediately cancelled by the feisty mayor of the city, Digong Duterte.

The other week, a Mindanao daily quoted Duterte as saying that “if these two small firms will strictly comply with health and sanitation restrictions in the making of their cottage-industry products, he is disposed to give them back their permits to operate.

“Maluoy pod ako sa mga gagmay nga negosyante, nga naningkamot para sa kinabuhi (I also pity these small businessmen trying to eke out a living),” the mayor said. “If I am assured that they will strictly comply with sanitation requirements, I will reconsider,” Duterte added.

That too, is “malasakit.” *** We express our profound condolences to the family of the late Olympian Arturo Macapagal, particularly to his sister Cielo Macapagal Salgado, a dear friend with whom I once co-hosted a radio program.

attempt to wend a legal path through the convoluted paths of claim, counter-claim and cross-claim, should we not be unanimous, rather, in thanking Bongbong Marcos for having offered us a decent alternative, without having to CHASING deceive ourselves into taking it as the final HAPPY word? I am sure, not even he does! rannie_aquino@sanbeda.edu.ph rannie_aquino@csu.edu.ph rannie_aquino@yahoo.com

ADELLE CHUA

Ms. Chua’s column will resume next week.

CHONG ARDIVILLA

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sports sports@thestandard.com.ph

Serena falls to Swiss teen TORONTO—World number one Serena Williams was sent crashing out of the WTA Rogers Cup after being upset by Swiss teen Belinda Bencic in a three-set marathon semi-final on Saturday.

The 33-year-old Williams, a 21 Grand Slam winner, suffered just her second loss of 2015 as the oldest and youngest players in the draw clashed in a tense two-hour, 28-minute showdown.

Bencic, 18, stormed from behind to win 3-6, 7-5, 6-4, snapping Williams’ 14-match win streak in Toronto to book her spot in Sunday’s final against second seed Simona Halep.

Bencic closed out the contest on

her first match point by smashing a forehand winner to the open court.

Bencic bent over and covered her face with both hands as she soaked in the biggest victory of her blossoming career.

“I can’t describe the feeling right now,” said Bencic.

“I was very overwhelmed from the situation on the court, but I’m just so happy the forehand landed in and she couldn’t reach it anymore.

“It was an incredible feeling. I have no words.”

Bencic is the youngest player to beat Williams in a complete match since the American lost to a 17-yearold Maria Sharapova in the final at Wimbledon in 2004. Bencic, who also has Slovak citizenship through her parents, was just two years old in 1999 when Williams won her first major title.

“I think I played really crappy today,” Williams said. “I played like an amateur to be honest.”

Bencic has won 20 of her last 24 matches, beating two top 10 ranked players (No. 5 Caroline Wozniacki and No. 6 Ana Ivanovic) to reach

the semis.

The loss casts some doubt into Williams’ pursuit of her fifth Grand Slam title in a row as she attempts to complete a calendar year Grand Slam by defending her title at the US Open, which begins August 31.

A US Open crown would give her 22 Grand Slams, matching Steffi Graf for the most in the Open era.

She pulled out of the Stanford tournament last week with an elbow injury but said after her quarter-final victory in Toronto that it was no longer a problem.

Williams had won in Toronto in her last two appearances in 2011 and 2013. AFP

Belinda Bencic of Switzerland returns the ball to Serena Williams of the United States during their semifinal match at Aviva Centre at York University in Toronto. Bencic defeated Williams 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 to move on to Sunday’s final against Simona Halep of Romania. AFP

Ducay settles for silver

SIXTO Ducay overcame a poor swim to claim second place in the competitive PT4 category in yesterday’s ASTC Asian ParaTriathlon Championships 2015 that started and ended at the Sands of Triboa, Subic Bay Freeport.

Competing with a left arm impairment, the 47-yearold Ducay never lost his focus despite placing fifth out of six participants in the swim leg to spearhead the Philippines two silver medals and a bronze in this race organized by Triathlon Association of the Philippines and sanctioned by the Asian Triathlon Confederation, Asian Paralympic Committee and Philspada.

Andy Avellano took the second silver medal over compatriot Arnal Aba in the PT2 in this event sponsored by Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority Tourism Department, Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, ASTC, Asian Centre for Insulation Philippines, Gatorade, SPEEDO, SM Cares, Canon and Standard Insurance.

Japan swept the gold medals in the six categories disputed in the 750m swim18k bike-5k run, with DZSR Sports Radio 918, TeleDyaryo, RaceDay, SBR.ph, Kikay Runner and PinoyFitness.com as media partners.

A total of seven countries saw action, with Hong Kong bagging a silver.

Don Geraldo tossers make semifinals

Medina sets pace in Shell chessfest VINCE Medina flashed top form and won his first six matches to post a half-point lead over Ricardo Batcho in the seniors division while four shared lead in juniors play of the 23rd Shell National Youth Active Chess Championship Southern Luzon leg at SM City Batangas Event Center in Batangas City over the weekened.

Dennis Gutierrez III also strung up six straight wins to likewise stay halfa-point ahead of Regginald Varona and Michael Concio Jr. in the kiddies section of the tournament, the last regional elims of a five-leg nationwide circuit sponsored by Pilipinas Shell and sanctioned by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines.

The top seeded Medina stamped his class over Spencer Singson, Robin Llamas, Mariel Batulan, Janena Regencia, Denzel Amar and No. 4 Christian Nanola to zero in on the title and a spot in next month’s national finals featuring the other top finishers of the four other qualifiers from NCR, Cebu (Visayas leg), and Northern (Cagayan de Oro) and Southern Mindanao (Davao).

PH jins vying in World Cadet tourney THE Philippines’ upcoming taekwondo bets continue their bid for international honors as the Meralco/MVP Sports Foundation National Cadet team vies in the World Cadet Taekwondo Championships on Aug. 23 to 26, this year in Muju, Republic of Korea.

Seven male and eight female fighters will banner the Philippine squad in the prestigious event which has lured 60 countries like Turkey, Chinese Taipei, Korea, China, Iran, Spain, France and the United States, among others.

Carrying the Meralco/MVP Sports Foundation colors are: Male – Wendil Jay Rama, Matthew John Ongtangco, Dineson Wilrej Caneda, Arlan Deandre Calimon, Marco Antonio Rubio, Rohann Josh Mendoza and Ejay Dongbo.

Female – Jane Royda Ranile, Anne Sharmaine Albarracin, Allysa Louise Caabay, Camille Andrea Miraflores, Josea Dizon, Gilwel An Jynamae Irang, Shaira

Shaira Isabel Garbanzos (left), a member of the Korea-bound Cadet team, executes a head kick in a recent SMART national taekwondo championship.

Isabel Garbanzos and Karina Marie Uy. Tem Igor Mella heads the delegation while John Paul Lizardo and Alvin Taraya are the coaches.

Filipino taekwondo fighters have always been considered among the top contenders in

international event.

Only recently, another set of Filipino fighters brought home 13 medals, including two golds, from the Korea Open tournament.

The Filipinos also bagged three silver and eight bronze medals.

DON Gerardo Llamera Ouano National High School racked up three straight victories to clinch the first semifinal berth in Pool A while Southwestern University paced Pool B with two wins in the Central Visayas leg of the Shakey’s Girls’ Volleyball League Season 13 at the Cebu City Sports Institute in Cebu City over the weekend.

DGO blasted University of Cebu, 25-14, 25-14; trounced Paref Southcrest School, 25-14, 25-19; and trounced St. Theresa’s College, 25-12, 25-18, to book the first semis slot in the two-division tournament serving as the third of nine regional elims leading to the national finals in October.

University of San Carlos zeroed in on the other semis seat with back-to-back victories, thumping STC, 25-10, 25-12; and edging Pajo National HS, 25-16, 24-26, 26-24; while PHS and UCB had a 1-1 card apiece and PSS and STC had 0-2 and 0-3 cards, respectively, in Pool A. SWU, on the other hand, outlasted University of San JoseRecoletos, 25-14, 20-25, 25-14, and thwarted Univ. of Southern Philippines Foundation, 25-20, 25-18, to lead Pool B of the event, the country’s premier league put up Shakey’s for the leading private and public school girls’ volley teams.

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Alcantara wins title

Francis Casey Alcantara (fourth from left) and Khim Iglupas (third from left) hold their trophies after ruling the men’s and women’s Open singles in the sixth Olivarez Cup Tennis Championships. With them are (from left) Cris Tan, Paranaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez, Palawan Pawnshop Area manager Gilda Fetalver, Rep. Eric Olivarez, Eva Olivarez and Edna Olivarez.

IAAF accused of blocking report on doping cheats LONDON—The world athletics governing body blocked the publication of a report that showed as many as a third of the world’s top athletes admitted using banned performance-enhancing techniques, The Sunday Times reported.

The authors of the report told the British newspaper that the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) blocked publication of the study, which was carried out four years ago.

“The IAAF’s delaying publication for so long without good reason is a serious encroachment on the freedom of publication,” the University of Tuebingen in Germany, which carried out the research, said in a statement according to the paper.

Researchers from the university were given access to elite athletes at the 2011 world championships in Daegu, South Korea and concluded in their research that

between 29 and 34 percent of the 1,800 competitors at the championships had violated anti-doping rules in the previous 12 months.

“These findings demonstrate that doping is remarkably widespread among elite athletes, and remains largely unchecked despite current biological testing programmes,” the report concluded.

The study was funded by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), but they gave the IAAF power to veto publication in exchange for access to the athletes at Daegu, WADA confirmed to The Sunday Times Friday.

In the months after conducting the study, the re-

searchers were told to sign a confidentiality agreement to prevent them speaking out about the findings but they have now criticised the IAAF for suppressing the report.

“The IAAF is blocking it.

I think they are stakeholders with Wada and they just blocked the whole thing,” lead author Rolf Ulrich told The Sunday Times.

Some of the key figures from the report were leaked in the United States in 2013 but the IAAF continued to prevent full publication.

In early August, the newspaper published a separate report on a leaked database of 12,000 blood tests from 5,000 athletes that revealed “extraordinary” levels of doping, and sent shock waves through the sporting world.

The IAAF hit back at the allegations describing them as “sensationalist and confusing”. AFP

FRANCIS Casey Alcantara wore down fellow Davis Cupper PJ Tierro with a superb all-around game and pulled off a 6-2, 6-7(4), 7-6(5), 6-4 victory to capture the men’s Open singles crown in the sixth Olivarez Cup Tennis Championships at the Olivarez Sports Center in Sucat, Parañaque City yesterday.

Alcantara baffled Tierro with dazzling drop shots, came through with ferocious volleys and spiked his triumph over the topseeded bet with a number of big serves, including one that netted him the pivotal win in a thriller of a tiebreaker in the third and another ace that ended the energy-sapping three-hour and 30-minute encounter.

“I’m so happy to win this one. I never really got to compete here the last few years but definitely this (victory) is a big boost to my career,” said the 23-year-old Alcantara, the only Filipino to win a Grand Slam event – the boys’ doubles crown, in partnership with Taiwanese Cheng Peng Hsieh, in the 2009 Australian Open.

The Cagayan de Oro native then linked up with the Pepperdine U in Malibu, California where he became an ITA All-American doubles performer last year, made it to the WCC first time in both singles and doubles and reached the quarters of the NCAA doubles with Alex Sarkissian.

Enriquez, Publico rule midyear dancesports GERMAN Enriquez and Ma. Danella Renee Publico and the pair of Gerald Jamili and Cherry Clarice Parcon ruled the DanceSport Council of the Philippines midyear ranking competition recently at the Philsports Multi-Purpose Arena in Pasig City.

Enriquez and Publico beat second placer Tristan John Ducay and Willanne Rose Ducay to get the Standard Grade A title.

Mark Jayson Gayo and Mary Joy Renigen settled for third place in the event organized by DSCPI President Becky Garcia.

Jamili and Parcon outlasted Michael Angelo Marquez and Stephanie Sabalo to capture the Latin Grade A crown. Roque Marquez, Jr. and Rhea Marquez took home the third place honor of the competition participated in by hundreds contestants all over the country.

The event was sponsored by the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Flawless, Vitug Beach Resort, Retro DCG-FM 105.9, Studio 116, Studio AK, Caruso Ristorante Italiano and The Greenery Bulacan.

The next DanceSport competition is set Sept. 19 for the Cebu World DanceSports Federation Open and 8th DanceSport sa Sugbu in Waterfront Hotel, Lahug, Cebu City, while the 19th DSCPI National DanceSport Championships at the Philsports Multi-Purpose Arena is scheduled Oct.19.

For inquiries, call the DSCPI Secretariat at 637-2314.

3 Fil-Chinese teams sweep ASEAN cagefest KUCHING, Malaysia — The Filipino-Chinese Veterans Basketball Association lorded it over the 24th ASEAN Seniors’ Basketball Tournament once again by winning all three age divisions, including two via a sweep, Saturday at the MBKS Stadium here.

Crowd-favorite Zotico Tan, 70, came through with clutch plays highlighted by a completed steal in the third quarter to help power the 60-years’ squad to the championship following a 44-37 win over Meteor-Pontianak of Indonesia.

Aside from ending a two-year title drought, the championship was doubly sweet for the Eduard Tiomentored 60s as they reclaimed the crown by com-

pleting a four-game sweep of their division in the tournament for players with Chinese blood.

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Winners of the DSCPI midyear ranking tournament accept their awards after winning the DanceSport Council of the Philippines midyear ranking. They are Gerald Jamili and Cherry Clarice Parcon (first place); Michael Angelo Marquez and Stephanie Sabalo (second place); Roque Marquez, Jr. and Rhea Marquez (third place); Jevany Lamela and Rachael Sun (fourth place); Anselmo Estillore, Jr. and Mary Desiree Seraga (fifth); Wilbert Aunzo and Pearl Marie Cañeda (sixth); and Juden Velasquez and Joana Niña Marciano (seventh).

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Azkals pin hopes on Bahadoran WITH the crucial Azkals game against a strong Uzbekistan squad less than a month away, one Azkals player who is feeling the pressure is Filipino-Iranian midfielder Misagh Bahadoran.

Although nobody is putting the pressure on him, Bahadoran feels he has to raise his game one notch higher than his outstanding performances in the last two Azkals games where he nailed the team’s first goal against Bahrain and five days later against Yemen in the ongoing 2018 World Cup qualifiers.

The two wins gave the Philippines six points, second after North Korea in Group H. North Korea is leading the group having scored one more goal (5-4) than the Phil-

ippines in two matches.

The expectation (on me) is high.

The pressure is there. It’s harder being in that position now,� Bahadoran said in an interview after a morning training session at the Emperador Stadium in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City. His goal against previous Azkals tormentor Bahrain last June 11 was doubly significant for him as it was his first international goal in football.

But being no stranger to pressure in the past, Bahadoran appears ready for the demands building up around him presently. He acknowledges that the ongoing games are tougher being part of the qualifiers for the 2018 World Cup, the most widely viewed and followed sporting event in the world.

I have to be prepared, physically and mentally. I have to be disciplined, he stressed.

The Pampanga-born Fil-Iranian, who is also a vital cog in the United

Football League team Global FC, trains everyday, making sure that he is not only sharp with his striking and dribbling but also physically fit, and shuns unnecessary distractions as much as possible, to the point that he remains girlfriend-less for the past nine months.

I don’t go out with friends. I don’t have a night life. I just want to focus on my football, Bahadoran said, pointing out that football is his entertainment and happiness.

The absence of distractions makes him more focused during practice and games and it is the reason why he remains single for nine months now.

He admitted that the hectic training schedule, commitments as a budding businessman, model and endorser and constant travel abroad for games make it hard for him to give enough time to his lovelife.

His last girlfriend was a Persian and a dentist by profession but their

By Jeric Lopez

`

INVITATION TO BID Supply of Labor and Materials for the Fabrication and Delivery of the Drive Mechanism Assembly of the Experimental Prototype Sugarcane Harvester for Medium Scale (PHilMech Goods 15-08-09) 1. The Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PHilMech) through its Regular Fund intends to apply the sum of PhP 2,947,168.00 being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) as indicated herein to payments under the contract for the Supply of Labor and Materials for the Fabrication and Delivery of the Drive Mechanism Assembly of the Experimental Prototype Sugarcane Harvester for Medium Scale. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at Bid opening.

2. The Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization now invites Bids from eligible bidders with CNC for the following items: ABC PhP 2,947,168.00 PhP 2,947,168.00

Delivery is required within Ninety (90) calendar days from receipt of the Notice to Proceed. The description of an eligible Bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents.

3. Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using non-discretionary pass/fail criteria as specified in the Implementing Rules and Regulations Part A (IRR-A) of Republic Act 9184 (R.A. 9184), otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act,” and is restricted to Filipino citizens/ sole proprietorships, organizations with at least sixty percent (60%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines, and to citizens or organizations of a country the laws or regulations of which grant similar rights or privileges to Filipino citizens, pursuant to Republic Act 5183 (R.A. 5183) and subject to Commonwealth Act 138 (C.A. 138). Only Bids from Bidders who pass the eligibility check will be opened. The process for the eligibility check is described in the Bidding Documents. The bidder with the Lowest Calculated Bid (LCB) shall advance to the post-qualification stage in order to finally determine responsiveness of the bid to technical and financial requirements of the project. The contract shall then be awarded to the Lowest Calculated and Responsive Bidder (LCRB) who was determined as such during the post-qualification procedure.

4. Interested Bidders may obtain further information from the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. Only those who have submitted Affidavit of Undertaking shall be allowed to purchase Bidding Documents and participate in the bidding project.

5. A complete set of Bidding Documents may be acquired by interested Bidders from the address below and upon payment of a nonrefundable fee for the Bidding Documents, pursuant to the latest Guidelines issued by the GPPB, in the amount of PhP 5,000.00.

The method of payment will be in cash. The Bidding Documents shall be received personally by the prospective Bidder or his authorized representative.

6. The Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization will hold a Pre-Bid Conference open to all interested parties on August 20, 2015, 10:00am at Executive Lounge, PHilMech Main Office CLSU Compound Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija.

7. Bids and eligibility requirements must be delivered to the address below on or before September 1, 2015. All Bids must be accompanied by a Bid security in the form and amount stated in the Bid Data Sheet or an equivalent amount in a freely convertible currency. Late Bids shall not be accepted.

8. Bid opening shall be on September 1, 2015, 10:00am at Executive Lounge, PHilMech Main Office CLSU Compound Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija.. Bids will be opened in the presence of the Bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the address below.

9. The Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization reserves the right to accept or reject any Bid, to annul the bidding process, and to reject all Bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected Bidder or Bidders.

PHILIPPINE CENTER FOR POSTHARVEST DEVELOPMENT AND MECHANIZATION

(Formerly BUREAU OF POSTHARVEST RESEARCH AND EXTENSION) Main Office :CLSU Cmpd., Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija Tel. No. (044) 4560287 / 4560213 FAX No. (044) 4560110 Liaison Office : 3F ATI Bldg., Elliptical Road, Diliman, Quezon City Tel. No. 9274019 / 9274029 FAX No. 9268159

(TS-AUGUST 7 & 17, 2015)

him who his roommate will be before any game. My roommate is important to me because he is the one I will be talking to before the game.

You need motivation, not someone who will talk about problems or negative things. You need to talk how to win, how to fight, this prepares me mentally and makes me strong, he stressed.

His advice to young people getting into football. If you have a dream, dream big and follow your dream, work hard, and don’t give up.

He said anybody can become a football player but what sets the outstanding players apart is their hard work, discipline and the time put into practice. Some have talents, some work harder, anybody can be a football player but it’s how hard you work towards achieving it that will set you apart. Work harder, be disciplined, train everyday, make sacrifice, and listen to your coach, Bahadoran said.

Baldwin rues Pingris absence

Republic of the Philippines Department of Agriculture Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija, Philippines www.philmech.gov.ph

ITEMS Supply of Labor and Materials for the Fabrication and Delivery of the Drive Mechanism Assembly of the Experimental Prototype Sugarcane Harvester for Medium Scale Total

relationship had suffered because of his busy schedule. Without saying it, he had to give up his romantic liaison for his other love, football.

Bahadoran also does not go out with friends nor does he watch the movies as he prefers the comfort of home. At home he lies in bed for that needed rest and recovery from a weary training session day and stays on the phone “for two hours.�

If positive attitude before games is the barometer for the quality performance of a player, Bahadoran will surely score 100 percent.

He specifically shuns negative thoughts and negative people and conditions his mind to win before any game.

I don’t want to talk about negativity, especially if there is a game.

It’s important to be prepared mentally, Bahadoran said.

That’s why it’s very important for

SMART Gilas Pilipinas coach Tab Baldwin admitted that he felt down after Marc Pingris offi-

cially begged off the National Team.

After being a no-show last Thursday and Friday in Gilas practices, Pingris showed up in the team’s Saturday afternoon practice.

LEGAL NOTICE Notice is hereby given that the Estate of Maria C. Luna (“Decedent”) was settled under the terms set forth in the “Affidavit of Adjudication of Estate with Deed of Absolute Sale” executed

by Aurelio C. Luna and registered as Doc. No. 06106 Series of 2015 with the Consulate General of the Philippines, New York, New York, United States of America with Notarial Certificate of Vice Consul Khrystina P. Corpuz.

The 6-foot-5 energizer bunny came with bad news as he personally talked to National coach Tab Baldwin to inform that he is pulling out of the Gilas pool.

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

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

TS-AUGUST 3,10,17, 2015)

Republic of the Philippines Department of Finance Securities and Exchange Commission

SEC Building, EDSA, Greenhills, Mandaluyong City

MARKETS AND SECURITIES REGULATION DEPARTMENT IN THE MATTER OF THE D.M. WENCESLAO & ASSOCIATES, INCORPORATED (Registrant) x ------------------------------------------------- x

: REGISTRATION OF SECURITIES : : In relation to an Initial Public Offering : :

NOTICE Notice is hereby given that on August 3, 2015, a sworn Registration Statement (“RS”) has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on behalf of D.M. WENCESLAO & ASSOCIATES, INCORPORATED for the registration of 2,145,861,200 common shares with a par value of P1.00 per share.

These shares will be offered and issued to the public by way of an initial public offering at a price of up to P44.00.

According to the documents presented on August 3, 2015, the following persons are the key officers/directors of the corporation: NAME Delfin J. Wenceslao Jr. Delfin Angelo C. Wenceslao Carlos Delfin C. Wenceslao Edwin Michael C. Wenceslao Paolo Vincent C. Wenceslao Oscar S. Reyes Aurelio R. Montinola III Sylvia C. Wenceslao Paul Mar M. Quinto Heherson M. Asiddao

POSITION Chairman, President and Director Chief Executive Officer and Director Director Treasurer and Director Chief Operating Officer and Director Independent Director Independent Director Vice President for Corporate Social Responsibility Corporate Secretary and Chief Legal Officer and Compliance Officer Chief Finance Officer

The Registration Statement, its attachments and any amendments therein (“RS”) are open for inspection by interested parties during business hours. Copies thereof, photostatic or otherwise, shall be furnished to every party upon request at such reasonable fees as the Commission may prescribe. Said RS may be downloaded from the company’s website: www.dmwai.com.

(SGD) RAUL R. PAZ BAC Chairman (TS-AUG. 13 & 17, 2015)

(SGD) VICENTE GRACIANO P. FELIZMENIO. JR. Director

Baldwin felt sad immediately upon learning of Pingris’ pullout and probably expressed what most Filipinos feel about the matter.

“It’s just tragic that he (Pingris) won’t be able to play for the country,” said Baldwin who shared how passionate Pingris is in playing for the Philippines.

“He is such a proud Filipino and he’s very passionate in representing the country. Everyone knows that,” said Baldwin.

Pingris didn’t specify the exact reason why he pulled out of Smart Gilas but gave a brief statement to express his side.

“Naintindihan naman ni Coach Tab yung side and rason ko. Mahal ko ang Gilas pero may mga bagay lang talagang hindi natin kontrolado,” said Pingris explaining his situation.

Pingris said that he’ll probably take a trip to China next month to watch and support the National team in the Fiba Asia Championship.

With Pingris now officially gone, Baldwin is left with only naturalized star Andray Blatche, Asi Taulava, Sonny Thoss, Ranidel De Ocampo and amateur standout Troy Rosario in his front court.

Smart Gilas flies to Estonia today to join a training camp there and participate in a pocket tournament.

The team is set to have a series of games against National teams like Iceland and the Netherlands.

Baldwin is hoping that Pingris would be the last casualty for the team as it approaches the homestretch of its preparation.

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Lady Tams crush CSB Blazers, 3-0 FAR Eastern University pounced on a listless College of St. Benilde side and cruised to a trouble-free 25-21, 25-6, 25-17 victory yesterday, Sunday, Aug. 16 to catch idle National University at second in the quarterfinal round of the Shakey’s V-League Season 12 Collegiate Conference at The Arena in San Juan.

Leading the way are the unbeaten Ateneo De Manila University Lady Eagles.

The Lady Tams hardly worked up a sweat in disposing of the Lady Blazers, particularly in the second frame where they practically feasted on their rivals’ poor reception and coordination to record the second lowest set output in the mid-season tournament of the league presented by PLDT Home Ultera and sponsored by Shakey’s.

Arellano University held University of Batangas to four points in the first set last Aug. 1.

In fact, FEU coach Shaq delos Santos used the match to try

out new combinations he could employ in tougher games ahead with all 11 players, outside of liberos Kyla Atienza and Ria Duremdez, scoring at least a hit.

The Lady Tams scored 38 spikes, more than doubling St. Benilde’s paltry 15-attack effort with Bernadeth Pons leading the attack with 14 hits, Honey Royce Tubibo adding nine markers and fellow guest player and ace spiker Jovelyn Gonzaga chipping in eight points.

“Gonzaga and Tubino’s games complement well and they inspire the rest of the team,” said delos Santos.

Pons said they came into the

match determined to rebound from their straight-set but close defeat to NU, 23-25, 24-26, 1925, at the close of their elimination round assignment last week in the event backed by Mikasa and Accel.

“We firmed up our (service) reception where we struggled a bit against NU the last time out,” said Pons, who produced 10 kills and had two blocks in their 70-minute romp.

Janine Navarro and Ranya Musa scored five hits apiece, which proved to be St. Benilde’s best individual output. Guest players Welch Cheng, Jeanette Panaga, Melanie Torres and Ellaine Dolorito combined for just eight hits.

Meanwhile, the Ateneo-UP match last Saturday will be shown starting at 1 p.m. today (Monday) on GMA News TV Channel 11 with the Arellano-UST clash, being played at presstime, to be aired tomorrow, according to the organizing Sports Vision.

Another Kobe rises to the top. Kobe Paras, son of local basketball icon Benjie

Paras, fires a medium range jump shot during the Nike Rise exhibition match between the Nike Dynasty Team and the Nike Destiny team where Kobe Paras played alongside Nico Salva, Mark Barroca, Jerom Teng, Thirdy Ravena, Greg Slaughter among others. The Destiny Team won the game held at the Nike Rise facility at Sheridan Street,Mandaluyong, Saturday, Aug. 15. Brosi GonzAles

PH sprinter hopes to make a splash in Rio Olympics

By Peter Atencio

HOUSTON, TX —Houston Texans cheerleaders perform during a preseason game between the Houston Texans and San Francisco 49ers at Reliant Arena at Reliant Park on August 15, 2015 in Houston, Texas. AFP

TRACK star Eric Cray, the only Philippine representative to qualify to the Rio de Janeiro Olympics so far, needs to lower his time in the 400-meter hurdles to be able to compete with the best in the world.

Davian Clarke, Cray’s coach, said the Filipino-American, who won two gold medals in the recent Southeast Asian Games in Singapore, needs to break the 49-second barrier, or at least come up with 48.5 seconds, when he sees action in the 2015 International Amateur Athletic Federation World Championships in Beijing to be held two weeks from now.

Cray and Clarke paid a courtesy call on the Philippine Sports Commission with Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association (PATAFA) chief Philip Ella Juico and discussed Cray’s upcoming campaign.

“I think he can run 48 seconds this year to reach the finals of the World Championships and the World in the Olympics,” said Clarke, a retired Jamaican national athlete who won a bronze medal in the 4 x 400 meter relay in the 1996 Olympics.

Clarke said he had expected Cray to hit the Olympic qualifying standard either in the 2015 Southeast Asian Games or during the World Championship.

But last May, Cray already hit the qualifying standard for the world championships and the Olympics when he clocked 49.12 seconds in the men’s 400-meter hurdles of the 2015 Cayman Invitational Athletics meet in Georgetown.

“We had a change of plan when

he had a lower time than 49.5 seconds,” Clarke said.

Cray, who at the time was preparing for the Singapore SEAG had a photo finish with Jamaican Ansert White, who settled for the silver.

His clocking in Singapore (49.40) was actually the fourth time that he broke the 33-year Philippine national record of 51.26 seconds, which used to belong to Renato Unso.

His other record-shattering times were at 50.74, 50 seconds and 49.62, with the last he established early this year.

Clarke said he can no longer predict what time Cray will finish in his next tournament.

After that (Cayman and SEA Games), I couldn’t put a number.

He’s a phenomenal athlete. He showed a lot of improvement under my watch,” said Clarke.

Cray, for his part, said he feels confident about his chances in the world championships.

“I’m hoping to do my best and make it to the finals,” said Cray, who received cash incentives from the PATAFA through Juico for the two gold medals and his record-breaking feat in the SEA Games.

Juico, along with PSC Commissioner Salvador Andrada, wished Cray good luck.

“This is a good preparation for the Olympics. A good training regimen for him,” Juico said., Andrada, for his part, underscored the good partnership between the private sector and the government as he also wished Cray a good performance in the world championship and for a possible medal in the Olympics.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK m o n day : augus t 1 7 , 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

x 10 cm

How do you ant your news erved today?

SHEBOYGAN, WI—Jason Day of Australia plays his shot from the 16th tee during the third round of the 2015 PGA Championship at Whistling Straits. Day seized a two-stroke lead after three rounds and hopes to win his first major title. AFP

ww.thestandard.com.ph

Day keeps Spieth at bay KOHLER—Jason Day seized a two-stroke lead after three rounds of the PGA Championship, where he’ll try to hold off Masters and US Open winner Jordan Spieth for a first major title.

Australia’s Day survived a late double-bogey to card a six-under par 66 at Whistling Straits on Saturday, his 15-under par total of 201 putting him two strokes in front of Spieth.

The 22-year-old Texan birdied six of his last eight holes in a sevenunder 65 for 203.

But Spieth said he won’t be thinking about joining Ben Hogan and Tiger Woods as the only men to win three majors in the same year when he tees off with Day on Sunday.

“Just to try to get my name on the Wanamaker Trophy ... that’s the only history I’ll be thinking

of,” said Spieth, who can also seize the number one world ranking from Rory McIlroy, who carded a four-under 68 for a six-under total of 210.

“It should be an exciting round tomorrow,” said Day, who is looking for a major breakthrough after finishing with at least a share of second in three grand slam tournaments -- with nine top 10 finishes in six years on the game’s biggest stages.

An unusually yielding Straits course made for a chaotic leader-

5 col x 14 cm

board as player after player surged upward.

When the dust settled, South African Branden Grace had the lowest round of the day, a bogeyfree eight-under par 64 for a share of third on 204 alongside England’s Justin Rose, who dropped into the tie with a bogey at 18 to cap a 68.

Germany’s Martin Kaymer, trying to reprise his 2010 PGA Championship victory at Whistling Straits, the par-72, 7,501 yard course hugging the shore of Lake Michigan, fired seven birdies in a

seven-under 65 for 205.

Matt Jones, the unheralded Aussie who took a two-stroke lead into the third round, kept pace early.

He salvaged a bogey after hitting into a hospitality suite at the ninth but dropped four shots in three holes going bogey-bogey-double bogey at 15, 16 and 17 en route to a one-over 73 for 206.

He was joined on 10-under by American Tony Finau (69), while American Dustin Johnson and India’s Anirban Lahiri tied for eighth on nine-under 207. AFP

Murray, Djokovic clash in Montreal Games tomorrow (San Juan Arena) 10 a.m.—Jose Rizal vs San Beda (jrs) 12 nn. —Arellano vs Perpetual Help (jrs) 2 p.m. —Jose Rizal vs San Beda (srs) 4 p.m. —Arellano vs Perpetual (srs)

How do you want your news served today?

www.thestandard.com.ph

MONTREAL--Andy Murray will replace Roger Federer as number two in the world after defeating Japan’s Kei Nishikori 6-3, 6-0 on Saturday to reach the final of the Montreal Masters.

The Scot will Monday move into second on the ATP Tour’s ranking list behind longtime number one Novak Djokovic, his Sunday finals opponent on the Canadian hardcourts.

Murray will line up against Djokovic after the top seed defeated France’s Jeremy Chardy 6-4, 6-4 in the other semi-final.

“It’s nice to get back especially after everything I went through last year with the (hip) surgery and dropping out of the top 10,” Murray said. “A lot of questions were being asked about how my game was physically.

“It’s good to get back close to the top. I’ll keep working hard and try to get that one spot higher.”

Beating Djokovic in Sunday’s final would be a huge step towards that goal.

Djokovic, with three Canadian titles already to hand, advanced in 80 minutes to win his 10th match against Chardy without a loss in their career series.

Djokovic said he was annoyed during his match against Chardy by the smell of marijuana smoke coming from the stands.

“You can’t believe how bad it was. I think it stopped after a while. Whoever it was ... he was probably on the seventh sky somewhere,” said the Serb. AFP

MONDAY: AUGUST 17, 2015

RAY S. EÑANO EDITOR

RODERICK T. DELA CRUZ ASSISTANT EDITOR

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

BUSINESS

B1

Iran seeks more PH bananas

By Anna Leah E. Gonzales

BANANA exports to Iran are expected to surge after the United Nations Security Council voted to lift the trade sanctions against Tehran, a group of banana growers said over the weekend.

The Pilipino Banana Growers and Exporters Association said Iran Ambassador to the Philippines Ali Asghar Mohammadi expressed Iran’s interest to import more bananas from the Philippines in a recent meeting.

“We can’t supply our own mar-

PSe comPoSite index Closing August 14, 2015

8500

ket. Iran is a demanding market because we always import. Iranians demand for bananas [is high],” Mohammadi said.

“This is the right time for the Philippines to do business in Iran. Iran is a big country. It is five times the size of the Philippines and has 15 neighbor countries. This is a huge opportunity for the Philippines,” the Iranian envoy said.

The Philippines has been exporting fresh bananas to Iran for almost two decades, but shipments fell in recent years because of the UN trade restrictions.

PBGEA said in 2008, Philippine export of fresh bananas to Iran peaked at 510,642 metric tons, but this fell to as low as 148,892 MT in 2014, because of the UN trade sanctions imposed on Iran due to its alleged nuclear activities.

“Over the years, Iran continues to be one of the most important foreign markets of fresh Philippine bananas of the Cavendish variety,” said PBGEA executive director Stephen Antig.

“In fact, despite the difficul-

ties encountered by banana exporters brought about by the economic and financial sanctions imposed by the UN, of which we are grateful now that it is lifted, Iran continues to be one of our best destinations,” Antig said.

Banana is one of the country’s top agricultural exports, second only to coconut oil. The Philippines is also the second largest banana exporter in the world, making the banana industry a consistent top dollar earner.

Antig, however, said several natural and man made factors were threatening the local banana industry. “Right now, we are experiencing drought brought about by El Niño,” An-

tig said.

“There are now more dangerous calamities threatening the industry. While we can’t prevent the natural calamities, these man-made threats to the banana export industry can be solved or eliminated if the legislators involved will fully understand how the industry works,” he said.

PBGEA earlier expressed opposition on House Bill 5161 which aims to regulate the establishment and implementation of agribusiness ventures arrangements in land reform areas.

The group also opposed the proposed ban on the use of aerial spraying in banana plantations.

8000 7500 7000

2 Security Bank awards.

6500 6000

7,408.44 31.36

PeSo-dollar rate

Closing AUGUST 14, 2015 42

P46.215

43

CLOSE

44 45 46

HIGH P46.130 LOW P46.270 AVERAGE P46.208 VOLUME 674.400M

P475.00-P675.00 LPG/11-kg tank P39.10-P45.35 Unleaded Gasoline P25.30-P28.55 Diesel

oPriceS il P today

P34.55-P39.15 Kerosene P23.70-P24.40 Auto LPG Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Friday, August 14, 2015

F oreign e xchange r ate Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

46.1290

Japan

Yen

0.008037

0.3707

UK

Pound

1.561500

72.0304

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128961

5.9488

Switzerland

Franc

1.025115

47.2875

Canada

Dollar

0.765990

35.3344

Singapore

Dollar

0.716230

33.0390

Australia

Dollar

0.736485

33.9733

Bahrain

Dinar

2.656889

122.5596

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266596

12.2978

Brunei

Dollar

0.713674

32.9211

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000073

0.0034

Thailand

Baht

0.028346

1.3076

UAE

Dirham

0.272287

12.5603

Euro

Euro

1.116000

51.4800

Korea

Won

0.000850

0.0392

China

Yuan

0.156274

7.2088

India

Rupee

0.015324

0.7069

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.249501

11.5092

New Zealand

Dollar

0.656901

30.3022

Taiwan

Dollar

0.031087

1.4340 Source: PDS Bridge

Security Bank was recognized twice during the Asian Banking & Finance Wholesale and Retail Banking Awards 2015 at the Shangri-La Hotel Singapore. Around 200 bankers from over 30 countries flocked to the event, dubbed as the ‘World Cup of banking and finance.’

The bank for the third year in a row was recognized as ‘Philippines Domestic Foreign Exchange Bank of the Year’ in the Wholesale Banking Awards. It was also hailed for its outstanding multimedia rebranding campaign and awarded the ‘Philippines Advertising Campaign of the Year’ distinction in the Retail Banking Awards. Security Bank brand manager Alexa Virata (left) accepts the awards on behalf of the bank. She is joined by Tim Charlton, editor-in-chief of Asian Banking and Finance magazine.

Aquino urged to defer new air talks with UAE

By Darwin G. Amojelar LOCAL airlines want the Aquino government to defer the new air talks between the Philippines and the United Arab Emirates, citing overcapacity and ruinous competition.

“The Philippine government should refrain from adding more capacity to the UAE carriers--additional rights that are not justified by either market requirements or public conveniences but would lead to ruinous competition that would hurt tourism development and the Philippine

competitiveness in the long run,” the local airline industry said in a brief report.

The Philippine airlines instead requested the government to focus on prioritizing direct flights rather than encouraging further 6th freedom erosion by feeding more excess capacity to airlines that have the state-funded resources to distort market competition.

The new air talks on August 27 and 28 between the Philippines and UAE is expected to benefit Emirates Airlines, which was seeking more flights from Manila and Dubai.

Emirates Airlines requested for new air talks between the Philippines and UAE after Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific opposed the extension of Emirates’ third daily flights between Manila and Dubai.

The CAB also penalized Emirates for selling tickets beyond what its flight entitlements for the Manila-Dubai route allowed.

The Philippine-UAE existing agreement provides for a maximum of 14 weekly frequencies for the Middle Eastern country’s flag carrier “The increases in Manila-UAE

capacity entitlements and the resulting additional operated capacity did not result in a major increase in tourist flows to the Philippines from the entire Middle East region,” the report added.

JR Mantaring, officer-incharge of Cebu Pacific for corporate affairs, said in a text message “CEB believes that a new round of air talks with the UAE should not be held until all available Manila-UAE entitlements are fully utilized by Philippine carriers who are ready, willing and capable of operating routes to UAE, including CEB.”

MONDAY: AUGUST 17, 2015

B2

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

The STandard BuSineSS Weekly STockS revieW STOCKS

AUGUST 10-14, 2015 Close Volume

AG Finance Asia United Bank Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. Bank of PI China Bank BDO Leasing & Fin. Inc. Bright Kindle Resources Citystate Savings COL Financial Eastwest Bank Filipino Fund Inc. I-Remit Inc. Manulife Fin. Corp.

MEDCO Holdings Metrobank Natl Reinsurance Corp.

PB Bank Phil Bank of Comm Phil. National Bank Phil. Savings Bank PSE Inc. RCBC `A’ Security Bank Sun Life Financial Union Bank Vantage Equities

3.39 70.1 103.00 93.00 42.9 2.51 1.46 9.22 16 20.8 7.80 1.79 790.00 0.400 85 0.98 18.86 25.80 62.85 95 304 38.8 137.7 1500.00 58.20 3.24

Aboitiz Power Corp.

Agrinurture Inc. Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. Alsons Cons.

Asiabest Group Bogo Medellin C. Azuc De Tarlac Century Food Chemphil Conc. Aggr. `A’ Cirtek Holdings (Chips) Concepcion Crown Asia Da Vinci Capital Del Monte DNL Industries Inc. Emperador Energy Devt. Corp. (EDC) EEI Euro-Med Lab. Federal Res. Inv. Group First Gen Corp.

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

Lafarge Rep LMG Chemicals Mabuhay Vinyl Corp.

Macay Holdings Manila Water Co. Inc. Maxs Group Megawide Mla. Elect. Co `A’ Panasonic Mfg Phil. Corp.

Pepsi-Cola Products Phil.

Petron Corporation Phil H2O Phinma Corporation Phoenix Petroleum Phils.

Phoenix Semiconductor Pryce Corp. `A’ RFM Corporation Roxas and Co. Roxas Holdings San Miguel’Pure Foods `B’ Splash Corporation Swift Foods, Inc. TKC Steel Corp.

Trans-Asia Oil Universal Robina Victorias Milling Vitarich Corp.

Vivant Corp.

Vulcan Ind’l.

43 1.43 1 1.86 11.18 51.95 93.00 18 183 48 27 45 2.92 1.51 12.34 21.650 9.50 6.65 9.30 1.78 14.1 25.6 75.8 13.86 13.30 5.98 0.480 188.40 10.12 2.02 1.74 52.90 24.05 25.9 6.14 297.40 3.85 4.64 8.40 4 11.70 3.28 2.23 3.66 4.28 1.82 6 165 1.82 0.140 1.15 2.07 190 4.22 0.69 22.95 1.13

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

Forum Pacific GT Capital House of Inv. JG Summit Holdings Jolliville Holdings Keppel Holdings `A’ Keppel Holdings `B’ Lopez Holdings Corp.

Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp.

Mabuhay Holdings `A’ Metro Pacific Inv. Corp.

Minerales Industrias Corp.

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

0.440 57.5000 22.30 1.15 6.80 0.255 0.26 759 7.75 12.00 2.76 2.85 4.40 0.195 1312 6.50 69.30 3.65 5.6 6.95 0.63 15 0.59 5.01 8.1 3.6 0.0380 1.090 2.260 2.8 55.65 2.25 929.00 1.28 140.00 77.650 0.3100 0.1720 0.255

8990 HLDG A. Brown Co., Inc. Araneta Prop `A’ Arthaland Corp.

Ayala Land `B’ Belle Corp. `A’ Cebu Holdings Cebu Prop. `B’ Centennial City City & Land Dev. Cityland Dev. `A’ Crown Equities Inc. Cyber Bay Corp.

Double Dragon Empire East Land Ever Gotesco Global-Estate

7.100 0.68 1.200 0.221 37.50 3.35 5.06 6.1 0.8 1.13 1.05 0.120 0.450 12.82 0.870 0.170 1.22

Value

FINANCIAL 4,617,330.00 6,025,983.00 1,792,785,863.50 409,568,254.50 11,573,740.00 108,680.00 278,850.00 6,454.00 13,343,196.00 23,540,040.00 322,141 896,100.00 231,500.00 725,300.00 1,078,489,182.00 7,840.00 25,969,578.00 121,550.00 30,734,125.50 13,700.00 3,971,384.00 102,947,845.00 238,450,152.00 1,295,195.00 9,945,073.00 569,290.00 INDUSTRIAL 11,162,700 478,600,845.00 126,000 178,940.00 2,273,000 2,184,720.00 3,587,000 6,715,070.00 444,300 4,523,854.00 260 13,564.50 2,870 283,798.50 2,350,600 42,583,554 360 54,960.00 100 4,800.00 1,569,400 42,959,955.00 912,810 47,674,623.50 28,552,000 87,413,790.00 3,950,000 5,997,080.00 113,100 1,390,262.00 21,343,500 468,328,265.00 3,799,100 36,121,027.00 60,594,700 509,664,256.00 2,513,200 23,645,673.00 46,000 80,250.00 292,800 4,100,058.00 9,915,200 255,756,910.00 2,126,350 162,071,519.50 12,500 167,556.00 175,100 2,344,290.00 2,206,100 13,073,966.00 106,000 52,420.00 1,923,000 364,892,677.00 7,831,900 78,990,494.00 61,000 122,350.00 638,000 1,171,490.00 67,980 3,470,909.00 3,022,500 72,913,005.00 1,896,700 49,344,920.00 1,403,700 8,732,607.00 2,580,070 775,507,546.00 11,000 42,360.00 4,671,000 21,332,240.00 35,268,700 297,846,024.00 17,000 68,000.00 19,000 220,748.00 2,908,000 9,660,150.00 5,092,000 11,465,300.00 13,523,000 48,742,810.00 6,107,000 26,233,630.00 36,000 66,110.00 400 2,410.00 16,000 2,581,343.00 1,251,000 2,284,510.00 28,390,000 4,051,260.00 81,000 94,080.00 5,900,000 12,333,990.00 12,332,310 2,397,637,715.00 1,548,000 6,548,090.00 1,695,000 1,159,330.00 500 11,430.00 999,000 1,184,490.00 HOLDING FIRMS 1,620,000 721,000.00 6,853,800 394,665,221.00 29,725,600 664,371,180.00 70,000 81,550.00 137,100 954,078.00 3,950,000 1,027,360.00 1,170,000 307,050.00 1,239,550 945,080,905.00 16,543,900 122,816,012.00 62,009,000 778,337,156.00 1,917,000 5,502,320.00 120,000 342,000.00 390,000 1,670,280.00 710,000 140,620.00 1,469,590 1,980,502,925.00 99,900 642,718.00 8,417,320 602,750,247.50 8,000 30,100.00 15,000 86,236.00 9,331,300 65,815,813.00 1,712,000 1,123,080.00 14,155,800 212,588,242.00 3,201,000 1,823,010.00 157,802,300 794,404,151.00 5,982,500 47,689,664.00 13,000 46,830.00 62,800,000 2,091,900.00 9,000 9,880.00 104,375,000 244,196,420.00 546,000 1,526,700.00 936,670 52,349,885.50 105,000 234,470.00 1,598,880 1,455,960,765.00 1,101,000 1,417,680.00 50 7,000.00 14,010 1,091,548.50 37,510,000 12,009,950.00 3,190,000 573,640.00 510,000 130,050.00 PROPERTY 2,574,300 18,182,466.00 2,564,000 1,776,400.00 78,000 95,400.00 300,000 66,300.00 44,107,300 1,689,258,295.00 13,513,000 48,308,670.00 29,000 146,892.00 3,000 18,300.00 7,544,000 6,094,690.00 57,000 62,060.00 99,000 101,170.00 25,540,000 3,115,000.00 30,910,000 14,440,500.00 3,799,200 49,511,688.00 8,006,000 6,742,240.00 2,390,000 407,040.00 29,429,000 36,171,380.00 1,277,000 85,150 17,521,610 4,440,700 267,500 44,000 191,000 700 834,100 1,133,800 41,900 519,000 290 1,760,000 12,384,440 8,000 1,370,900 4,700 487,300 150 122,822 2,654,200 1,694,260 865 168,860 175,000

AUGUST 3-7, 2015 Close Volume

Value

3.9 70.8 102.00 92.10 43.5 2.51 1.47 10.1 16 20.9 7.71 1.74 770.00 0.425 88 0.98 19.00 26.00 64.80 95 305 39 142.6 1495.00 59.00 3.29

2,479,000 81,860 11,731,230 6,577,890 573,000 82,000 48,000 2,200 129,500 1,701,700 89,800 71,000 140 1,450,000 22,878,940 296,000 439,200 29,000 408,720 210 113,340 407,800 3,198,590 920 60,940 389,000

9,034,710.00 5,926,163.50 1,208,210,211.00 621,507,684.50 26,325,160.00 207,700.00 70,710.00 20,700.00 2,085,930.00 36,495,800.00 695,744 120,230.00 109,150.00 605,400.00 2,018,777,330.00 289,120.00 8,367,368.00 754,000.00 26,523,110.50 19,695.00 34,593,148.00 16,048,625.00 470,378,619.00 1,364,320.00 3,622,003.50 1,281,470.00

42.95 1.52 0.97 1.87 11 50.2 92.95 18.64

10,385,100 529,000 751,000 2,004,000 139,100 210 320 5,397,400

449,114,255.00 824,720.00 745,700.00 3,770,130.00 1,530,302.00 10,586.00 27,364.00 98,429,754

27.3 54.95 3.04 1.61 12.52 22.300 9.44 7.18 9.65 1.7 12.84 25.9 80 13.30 13.56 5.91 0.500 188.30 10.1 2 2 55.90 24.9 27.1 6.47 302.00 3.88 4.61 7.68 4 11.80 3.35 2.40 3.61 4.43 1.9 6.05 161.9 1.82 0.148 1.17 2.12 190.6 4.26 0.68 22.50 1.12

1,918,700 579,480 38,307,000 2,674,000 81,300 27,888,800 12,449,400 77,042,100 1,682,000 26,000 363,900 14,416,300 568,910 9,600 101,200 1,041,000 35,000 3,685,830 24,077,800 77,000 902,000 7,260 1,810,600 3,830,100 1,184,000 3,908,140 9,000 1,496,000 18,759,000 1,000 34,200 1,923,000 3,561,000 25,809,000 9,029,000 40,000 62,200 64,610 2,743,000 36,240,000 57,000 4,947,000 16,200,330 1,606,000 1,906,000 355,500 1,667,000

50,064,475.00 32,194,084.00 112,957,480.00 4,268,570.00 1,034,274.00 625,001,355.00 115,819,127.00 553,075,738.00 16,525,579.00 44,360.00 4,812,460.00 382,254,795.00 46,400,716.50 127,692.00 1,374,580.00 6,228,991.00 17,470.00 703,887,961.00 241,895,890.00 154,180.00 1,986,880.00 377,005.00 45,217,380.00 104,495,180.00 7,549,530.00 1,191,600,984.00 34,920.00 6,988,080.00 144,964,428.00 4,000.00 394,684.00 6,553,950.00 8,472,860.00 100,512,350.00 40,911,430.00 74,090.00 354,762.00 10,519,396.00 5,066,860.00 5,577,110.00 69,150.00 10,586,570.00 3,177,708,412.00 6,849,090.00 1,329,540.00 7,999,820.00 1,629,560.00

0.460 58.0000 22.95 1.22 6.90 0.249 0.25 769.5 7.33 11.86 3.2

440,000 5,571,860 35,754,300 569,000 483,700 3,920,000 570,000 1,084,430 20,059,700 22,938,700 127,000

199,950.00 325,556,812.00 815,102,145.00 677,420.00 3,354,705.00 976,940.00 141,940.00 850,976,210.00 147,675,608.00 273,695,424.00 382,900.00

4.30 0.197 1388 6.50 72.85 3.8

50,000 2,440,000 895,160 310,200 10,165,830 4,000

211,470.00 500,320.00 1,260,303,060.00 2,013,282.00 741,045,406.00 15,200.00

7.15 0.63 15.16 0.57 4.99 7.72 3.6 0.0280 1.100 2.060 2.8 55.80 2.23 900.50 1.26

13,163,200 1,380,000 32,954,600 918,000 227,041,600 2,986,900 6,000 1,700,000 53,000 10,898,000 90,000 1,870,890 52,000 1,184,460 280,000

93,385,238.00 892,410.00 505,111,722.00 532,810.00 1,132,300,594.00 22,626,108.00 21,600.00 49,100.00 57,980.00 22,623,310.00 250,150.00 104,671,824.50 118,140.00 1,071,325,005.00 352,140.00

77.600 0.3600 0.1880 0.255

22,140 86,650,000 2,310,000 600,000

1,735,296.00 31,154,250.00 432,300.00 155,950.00

7.100 0.72 1.280 0.235 38.70 3.75 5.13 6.41 0.81 1.06

3,768,400 1,149,000 281,000 170,000 56,790,600 15,316,000 118,300 2,000 6,496,000 28,000

26,967,129.00 811,730.00 363,240.00 38,400.00 2,130,521,455.00 56,917,720.00 600,720.00 12,820.00 5,334,150.00 30,320.00

0.130 0.435 12.72 0.870 0.171 1.24

15,820,000 3,250,000 8,675,000 510,000 2,260,000 6,316,000

2,008,870.00 1,400,150.00 116,461,984.00 438,750.00 388,250.00 7,897,600.00

STOCKS

AUGUST 10-14, 2015 Close Volume

Filinvest Land,Inc. Interport `A’ Keppel Properties Megaworld Corp.

MRC Allied Ind. Phil. Estates Corp.

Phil. Realty `A’ Phil. Tob. Flue Cur & Redry Primex Corp.

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

1.85 1.29 5.01 4.6 0.098 0.2950 0.3700 20.00 7.5 29.00 1.65 3.24 19.98 0.71 7 0.770 6.960

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

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

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

Manila Broadcasting Manila Bulletin Manila Jockey Melco Crown MG Holdings NOW Corp.

Pacific Online Sys. Corp.

PAL Holdings Inc. Paxys Inc. Phil. Racing Club Phil. Seven Corp.

Philweb.Com Inc. PLDT Common PremiereHorizon Premium Leisure Puregold Robinsons Retail SBS Phil. Corp.

SSI Group STI Holdings Transpacific Broadcast Travellers Waterfront Phils.

Yehey

11.32 64.1 1.15 0.590 12.22 27 7.40 0.0740 4.18 94.15 10.1 1.62 4.89 920 2636 6.47 1.29 103.7 3.50 12.18 0.012 0.183 1.3100 2.34 9.20 2.17 1.20 2.08 39.50 0.640 2 6.11 0.310 0.430 19.8 5.10 3 8.65 102.00 18.40 2712.00 0.640 1.330 36.35 74.50 5.26 7.61 0.63 1.7 5.15 0.320 2.610

Abra Mining Apex `A’ Atlas Cons. `A’ Atok-Big Wedge `A’ Basic Energy Corp.

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

Philex `A’ PhilexPetroleum Philodrill Corp. `A’ Semirara Corp.

TA Petroleum United Paragon

0.0059 2.38 4.90 11.74 0.208 6.4500 6.6400 0.67 0.7 6.83 1.27 0.300 0.204 0.210 0.013 0.013 2.64 9.11 3.6 0.5900 1.8400 0.0092 0.0110 4.13 5.30 1.59 0.010 129.50 8.98 0.0100

ABS-CBN Holdings Corp.

Ayala Corp. Pref ‘B1’ Ayala Corp. Pref ‘B2’ First Gen G GLOBE PREF P GMA Holdings Inc. Leisure & Resort Pref.

MWIDE PREF PCOR-Preferred A PCOR-Preferred B PF Pref 2 SMC Preferred A SMC Preferred B SMC Preferred C

64.05 525 530 116 520 6.38 1.1 109 1045 1080 1020 75.5 76 80

Leisure & Resort Warr.

3.630

Makati Fin. Corp.

Ripple E-Business Intl Xurpas

5.11 69.5 11.2

First Metro ETF

121

AUGUST 3-7, 2015 Close Volume

Value

146,437,000 280,350,480.00 735,000 956,720.00 29,400 148,970.00 156,032,000 716,918,000.00 10,930,000 1,085,930.00 310,000 89,350.00 330,000 125,350.00 400 8,600.00 330,000,386,810 1,053,990.00 9,284,100 266,573,825.00 3,679,000 6,068,020.00 71,000 225,300.00 76,227,200 1,601,714,676.00 4,630,000 3,327,370.00 27,400 194,551.00 2,229,000 1,753,160.00 32,371,100 229,014,531.00 SERVICES 9,898,300 101,023,879.00 251,930 16,124,681.50 455,000 538,480.00 6,786,000 4,131,070.00 400 4,886.00 100 2,700 169,206,000 1,351,781,188.00 36,770,000 2,809,390.00 7,939,000 31,808,060.00 5,282,600 508,856,221.50 5,000 50,290.00 200,000 546,100 1,327,000 6,586,443.00 2,090 1,988,000.00 407,590 1,079,688,830 1,356,900 8,826,813.00 3,230,000 4,313,160.00 5,839,530 613,888,257.00 2,000 7,000 84,200 986,056.00 137,174,000 1,718,700.00 38,890,000 7,526,180.00 2,865,000 3,735,010.00 17,000 39,270.00 2,354,500 22,040,932.00 2,748,000 5,951,770.00 9,000 11,530.00 1,471,000 3,034,100.00 1,000 39,195.00 1,422,000 913,530.00 263,000 525,570.00 54,850,300 370,369,780.00 4,990,000 1,486,900.00 390,000 171,450.00 169,500 3,496,535.00 1,494,500 7,842,114 60,000 179,840.00 22,400 195,535.00 277,850 27,785,294.00 1,376,400 25,779,800.00 909,965 2,465,775,710.00 11,166,000 7,248,390.00 70,101,000 100,547,400.00 9,061,800 339,592,645.00 5,833,570 455,901,310.00 262,810,150 1,510,577,842.00 32,446,600 260,344,374.00 5,466,000 3,474,160.00 56,000 90,800.00 9,299,000 49,812,121.00 400,000 131,050.00 5,703,000 14,648,470.00 MINING & OIL 4,385,000,000 25,315,900.00 18,864,000 43,403,990.00 1,916,100 9,758,477.00 17,100 176,716.00 1,040,000 219,470.00 66,300 429,939.00 8,200 54,892.00 13,969,000 9,133,000.00 8,486,000 6,054,320.00 86,400 585,870.00 345,324,000 459,578,720.00 1,720,000 513,500.00 18,590,000 3,808,540.00 2,580,000 541,170.00 168,600,000 2,077,900.00 113,600,000 1,476,900.00 5,911,000 15,957,590.00 24,088,300 230,834,619.00 12,807,000 48,403,430.00 618,000 364,820.00 1,038,000 1,965,660.00 12,000,000 111,300.00 900,000 9,900.00 185,000 755,560.00 3,684,500 19,946,198.00 4,701,000 7,560,520.00 911,300,000 9,174,800.00 10,435,620 1,319,135,946.00 5,392,100 46,841,321.00 2,600,000 25,240.00 PREFERRED 1,845,230 120,538,592.50 6,660 3,497,820.00 4,350 2,320,930 30 3,480.00 100 52,000.00 574,000 3,689,400.00 336,000 370,820 43,880 4,808,480.00 2,060 2,158,030.00 1,015 1,096,250.00 29,540 30,131,000.00 550,100 41,525,818.50 117,260 9,090,572.50 345,140 27,823,134.50 WARRANTS & BONDS 1,358,000 5,064,030.00 SME 2,500 14,541.00 490 31,835.00 6,350,800 74,159,300.00 EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 84,130 10,310,672.00

Value

1.92 1.30 5.75 4.65 0.102 0.2850 0.3700 23.00 7.38 29.00 1.65 3.30 21.80 0.74 7.16 0.820 7.270

233,492,000 1,263,000 12,000 89,439,000 9,270,000 2,010,000 110,000 223 938,800 7,295,400 1,385,000 106,000 77,451,600 974,000 7,400 1,486,000 19,263,100

459,917,020.00 1,334,730.00 65,430.00 427,285,030.00 947,050.00 565,500.00 40,850.00 5,000.00 7,162,351.00 208,215,875.00 2,275,700.00 350,630.00 1,697,629,810.00 715,140.00 52,766.00 1,215,080.00 138,834,635.00

9.08 61.7 1.12 0.620 13

4,494,900 84,090 4,000 3,166,000 330,400

39,420,991.00 5,163,074.50 4,560.00 1,947,210.00 4,295,200.00

9.55 0.0790 3.75 96.6 9.79 1.7 5.52 925 2650 6.54 1.27 108.5

36,962,000 64,910,000 4,064,000 6,902,290 3,900 54,000 721,900 1,380 906,945 731,100 1,498,000 5,535,240

357,745,988.00 5,142,960.00 14,446,620.00 664,438,308.50 39,596.00 89,800 3,809,889.00 1,333,750.00 2,413,835,270 4,613,041.00 1,907,860.00 606,856,903.00

0.011 0.202 1.3000 2.25 9.64 2.16 1.20 2.08 40.00 0.650 2 7.5 0.300 0.460 20.7 4.60 3 9 100.00 18.90 2756.00 0.650 1.510 37.85 77.40

22,500,000 26,840,000 8,494,000 17,000 9,065,400 2,891,000 15,000 92,000 4,400 154,000 243,000 31,362,000 1,450,000 500,000 48,122,510 174,000 35,000 500,000 8,810 303,200 880,030 3,706,000 44,787,000 11,509,300 4,241,630

255,400.00 5,453,260.00 11,176,460.00 38,220.00 91,564,674.00 6,226,840.00 18,000.00 191,170.00 173,260.00 102,350.00 485,580.00 237,880,399.00 442,100.00 222,200.00 1,005,577,430.00 818,860 105,280.00 4,500,000.00 907,525.00 5,705,266.00 2,485,882,190.00 2,444,530.00 68,520,690.00 434,787,500.00 326,943,718.00

8.43 0.64 1.7 5.54 0.320 2.500

11,958,000 82,869,000 14,000 10,353,700 1,240,000 8,585,000

102,422,879.00 54,329,510.00 23,890.00 56,810,030.00 405,150.00 23,529,240.00

0.0057 2.35 5.35 11.84 0.225 6.6500 6.7800 0.7 0.75 6.76 1.41 0.300 0.205 0.229 0.013 0.013 2.72 10.36 3.9 0.6000 1.9400 0.0095 0.0110 4.12 5.40 1.64 0.011 116.20 8.34 0.0110

16,013,000,000 370,000 903,700 9,800 650,000 53,900 12,200 11,240,000 2,358,000 202,900 87,889,000 810,000 26,250,000 2,400,000 42,000,000 64,100,000 9,464,000 7,109,300 22,151,000 205,000 258,000 27,000,000 47,200,000 334,000 1,608,100 4,547,000 147,700,000 4,720,120 3,499,000 18,000,000

96,648,700.00 892,740.00 4,941,073.00 107,214.00 140,910.00 358,819.00 83,100.00 7,980,960.00 1,768,300.00 1,415,449.00 114,914,010.00 241,700.00 5,304,760.00 514,260.00 546,100.00 834,300.00 27,246,030.00 73,566,118.00 87,015,440.00 126,650.00 501,100.00 257,100.00 520,100.00 1,392,740.00 8,585,937.00 7,443,390.00 1,614,500.00 556,078,926.00 30,866,370.00 174,000.00

63 529 535 118 520.5 6.4 1.12 111 1052 1085 1018 75.55 80 81

538,560 35,400 2,910 28,830 23,200 280,000 758,000 43,900 1,800 6,680 34,475 355,330 46,700 224,990

32,858,140.50 18,667,800.00 1,558,850 3,395,940.00 12,066,070.00 1,793,269.00 840,450 4,878,263.00 1,892,910.00 7,289,810.00 35,292,050.00 26,839,975.50 3,766,300.00 18,824,333.00

3.840

1,157,000

4,578,100.00

6.2 69.5 11.98

4,600 1,120 9,227,500

27,820.00 72,628.00 113,891,592.00

122.4

34,940

4,315,427.00

WEEKLY MOST TRADED STOCKS Primex Corp.

Abra Mining Philodrill Corp. `A’ Ferronickel SBS Phil. Corp.

Bloomberry Manila Mining `A’ Metro Pacific Inv. Corp.

Megaworld Corp.

Filinvest Land,Inc.

VOLUME 330,000,386,810 4,385,000,000 911,300,000 345,324,000 262,810,150 169,206,000 168,600,000 157,802,300 156,032,000 146,437,000

STOCKS PLDT Common Universal Robina GT Capital Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. Ayala Land `B’ SM Prime Holdings SBS Phil. Corp.

SM Investments Inc. Bloomberry Semirara Corp.

VALUE 2,465,775,710.00 2,397,637,715.00 1,980,502,925.00 1,792,785,863.50 1,689,258,295.00 1,601,714,676.00 1,510,577,842.00 1,455,960,765.00 1,351,781,188.00 1,319,135,946.00

MONDAY: AUGUST 17, 2015

B3

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

SMC cleared to raise P33.5b

By Jenniffer B. Austria

LRT contractor pulls out rail grinder COMM Builders & Technology Philippines, the current maintenance contractor of Light Rail Transit Line 1, has pulled out its modern rail grinder from the line, after the Light Rail Transit Authority refused to use it, despite the sorry condition of the rail tracks, according to an MST Chatter.

A rail grinder is a machine used to restore the profile and remove irregularities from worn rail track, so that trains will run smoothly, quietly and safely on the track.

CB&T purchased Loram L-Series stone rail grinder (model 2005) from American company Loram Maintenance of Way in 2008, as it prepared to bid for maintenance contracts not only for LRT Line 1, but also for Line 2 and Metro Rail Transit Line 3. Unfortunately, LRTA, which has in its possession a 30-year-old fairmont grinding machine, refused to use the more modern rail grinder, despite the budget made available by the government for rail grinding.

Our chatter said that on Aug. 6, CB&T decided to withdraw the machine, one of the best in its class, because it was not being used.

Rail tracks were supposed to be prepared for grinding twice a year, which became more obvious when the engineering department of LRTA had reported cracking of the train bogie frames caused by stress and excessive vibration due to worn out rails.

Our chatter said LRTA, or even the next maintenance provider, should take advantage of the Loram stone grinder to ensure the safety of the line. CB&T, which maintains LRT Line 1, would be eventually replaced by Light Rail Manila Consortium, a group led

by Metro Pacific Investments Corp. and Ayala Corp., which won the auction for the LRT Line 1 extension to Cavite province. Roderick T. dela Cruz

THE Philippine Stock Exchange approved the plan of conglomerate San Miguel Corp. to sell P33.5 billion worth of preferred shares next month.

Sources said the pricing and period for the preferred shares offering was delayed by more than a week, as the company and underwriters waited for the outcome of the Monetary Board policy meeting on Thursday before setting the dividend rate for preferred shares.

The Monetary Board, the policy-making body of Bangko Sentral, on Thursday kept the benchmark interest rates unchanged at 4 percent for overnight borrowing and 6 percent for overnight lending.

Sources said San Miguel was still complying with some of the conditions set by the Securities

and Exchange Commission, before pushing through with the offering.

Among the conditions set by the SEC were San Miguel’s submission of material and legal contracts and issuance of an authorization, allowing the SEC to review San Miguel’s bank accounts, if needed.

San Miguel, based on its regulatory filing, will issue 446.447 million Series 2 preferred shares at P75 apiece.

The preferred shares, to be issued in three sub-series, will be registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission and will be listed with the Philippine

Stock Exchange.

San Miguel earlier tapped nine banks to handle the transaction.

These are BDO Capital, BPI Capital, China Bank, HSBC, ING, PNB Capital, RCBC Capital, SB Capital and Standard Chartered Bank.

Net proceeds from the bond offering will be used to partially redeem the outstanding P54.07 billion Series 2-A preferred shares callable in September 2015.

Offer period will be from Aug. 24 to Sept. 11 while listing was set on Sept. 21.

San Miguel has invested about P450 billion over the past seven years in new ventures and expansion of existing core businesses.

San Miguel said in preparation for the fund raising activity, it obtained shareholders approval to reclassify 810 million Series “1” preferred shares to Series “2” and its subsequent re-issuance in whole or in part.

Lao family ventures into hotel business

The Lao family of the successful D&L Industries Inc. has recently ventured into the hospitality business with the development of a 150-room serviced apartment/hotel in Filinvest City, Alabang to be managed by Ascott group.

The Lao-family owned property arm LBL Prime Properties Inc. is the developing the hotel, which is expected to be completed by 2017 under the brand Somerset Alabang.

Somerset Alabang Manila is set to offer spacious studio, one- to three-bedroom residences and penthouse units. All apartments will come with a fully-equipped kitchen, separate living, dining and work areas.

The hotel development was recently included in the list of highly commended hotel projects in terms of architectural design by the Philippine Property Awards for 2015.

D&L is also in the process of contributing additional landbank for LBL, with the recent sale of 6,000 square meters of land in Quezon City for P335.4 million.

The lot was owned by Chemrez Technologie Inc., which D&L acquired in 2014. As property development is a non-core activity of D&L, the chemical manufacturer decided to sell the lot to LBL and to deploy the proceeds from the sale to core manufacturing. Jenniffer B. Austria

Guinigundo defends BSP action

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo strongly defended the Monetary Board’s latest decision to keep the current policy settings unchanged, despite the low inflation environment.

“What for? To raise liquidity?” Guinigundo asked, referring to suggestions by several analysts that the time was ripe for monetary authorities to tweak the current policy stance, after inflation rate fell below 1 percent in July and averaged 1.9 percent in the first seven months, below the lower end of the target range of 2 percent to 4 percent for 2015.

Guinigundo said liquidity or money supply in the financial system was actually growing and was enough to support demand.

“With domestic liquidity and credit still growing, we don’t see the urgency to adjust the current monetary policy settings,” he said.

Latest data from Bangko Sentral showed that domestic liquidity grew 9 percent year-on-year in June 2015 to reach P7.7 trillion.

This was, however, slightly slower than the 9.3-percent expansion recorded in May. The Monetary Board on Thursday kept the benchmark interest rates steady for the seventh time since October last year on manageable inflation environment.

Bank of the Philippine Islands lead economist Emilio Neri Jr. earlier said monetary authorities should consider reducing the reserve requirement ratios of banks from the current 20 percent---the highest in the region—because average inflation might be at risk of falling below 2 percent. Julito G. Rada

RCBC awards. Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. bagged the Philippines’ Small and Medium Enterprise

Bank of the Year and Domestic Retail Bank of the Year during the Asian Banking and Finance 2015 Retail Banking Awards held recently in Singapore. Shown is RCBC senior vice president and head of commercial and small and medium enterprises banking segment Ma. Angela Tinio (left), receiving the award from Asian Banking & Finance editor-in-chief Tim Charlton.

Stock index likely to move sideways SHARE prices at the Philippine Stock Exchange are expected to move sideways over the short term, on concerns the US Federal Reserve will start raising interest rate in September and the slowdown in China will contribute to the market’s sluggish performance.

The mixed sentiments on the first-half performance of listed companies were also expected to affect investors sentiments, analysts said over the weekend.

“The PSEi’s recent price action shows signs of possible reversal,” F. Yap Securities analyst Jason Escartin said, referring to the movement of the benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index.

“Just after peaking above 8,000 in April, the gauge fell to 7,500 at the start of June and has since traded between 7,300 and 7,600,” Escartin said.

He said this week, immediate

support was expected at 7,300 while resistance would be between 7,450 and 7.470.

“The yuan’s surprise devaluation in the middle of last week added to the persisting undercurrent of pessimism among local equities. Players were still bearish as they considered how the move will affect local firms’ prospects,” Escartin said.

The PSEi last week settled at 7,408.44, down 1.65 percent from previous week’s close while the the broader all-share index declined 1.75 percent to 4,244.99.

“The local equities market retreated as the devaluation of the renminbi resulted in a negative sentiment among the emerging markets,” BPI Asset Management said in its weekly market review.

Except for the mining and oil index, which inched up by 0.25 percent, all major indices were down last week, led by property (-4.42

percent), services (-3.57 percent) and industrial (-1.43 percent).

Foreign investors were net sellers last week by P3.7 billion as total foreign selling reached P21 billion while foreign buying amounted to P17.34 billion. Foreign selling accelerated after the devaluation of the yuan.

Top gainers last week week were Pacifica Inc, which surged 35.7 percent to P0.038; Keppel Philippines Holdings “A” shares which advanced 32 percent to P5.60; and newly listed SBS Philippines Corp., which climbed 27.67 percent to P5.26.

Gaming stocks were among the biggest losers. Bloomberry Resorts Corp. declined 22.5 percent to P7.40 while Melco Crown (Philippines) Resorts Corp. fell 18.5 percent to P6.11. Both firms reported net losses in the first half of the year. Jenniffer B. Austria

B4 New senior PVB executives.

Philippine Veterans Bank chairman Roberto de Ocampo (fourth from left) and president Nonilo Cruz (third from right) introduce the new officers joining the bank’s senior management.

They are senior vice president Noel Malabag (rightmost) as treasury group ead, SVP Leah Espino (fourth from right) as branch banking group head and VP Anna Theresa Licaros (third from left) as board secretary. Joining the bank earlier this year are SVP Clodoveo Atienza (second from right) as credit group head, first VP Jose Noel Cadiena(second from left) as comptroller and finance group head and assistant VP Fabian Marco Verzosa as head of security (leftmost).

Bigger geothermal field bared

By Alena Mae S. Flores

THE Maibarara geothermal field in Batangas province has additional steam reserves equivalent to 26 megawatts of electricity, according to a study conducted by Sinclair Knight Merz of New Zealand.

Maibarara Geothermal Inc. is currently expanding the existing Maibarara geothermal power project by an additional 10 MW to bring the total output to 30 MW once completed by 2017.

Maibarara tapped SKM to conduct a comprehensive thirdparty technical review of the geothermal field, which showed another potential of 10 MW to

26 MW of power output south of and outside of the current area of development.

“Since this area is not being tapped at the moment for the 20-MW project, MGI preferred not to estimate such reserves at the moment. However, this provides additional confidence for future development for the project,” the company said in a

report to the Philippine Stock Exchange.

SKM’s review included analysis of the resource assessment performed in-house, as well as a separate SKM reserve estimation and numerical modeling of the Maibarara reserves.

Maibarara said its own simulation indicated proven reserves of 27.8 MW for 25 years while SKM calculated reserves at 44 MW. The company completed tests in June, supporting a 10-MW expansion of the Maibarara geothermal project.

Maibarara is a joint-venture company owned by PetroGreen Energy Inc. (65 percent), TransAsia Oil & Energy Development

Corp. (25 percent), and PNOC Renewables Corp. (10 percent).

PetroGreen is a subsidiary of PetroEnergy Resources Corp. of the Yuchengco Group.

Maibarara currently operates an integrated 20-MW geothermal power facility in Sto. Tomas, Batangas that started commercial operations in February 8, 2014.

The company started its expansion project in the second half of 2014 by drilling two new wells (MB15RD and MB16D), which were successfully completed 5 days and 14 days ahead of schedule, respectively.

MB16D was flow-tested from December 2014 to February 2015, while MB15RD underwent similar discharge tests from

April to May 2015.

Maibarara said MB15RD, which was originally designed and drilled as an injection well, attained commercial wellhead pressure, mass flow and MW output at full-bore opening at the end of May. The 10-MW expansion is estimated to cost P1.3 billion, company officials said earlier.

Maibarara Geothermal president Francisco Delfin Jr. earlier the company would proceed with the financial closing for 70 percent of the project cost

by August and shortly after the start of the construction.

Delfin said talks with potential buyers of the expanded output were still ongoing.

BSP official expects Globe says ‘15 revenues may hit P100b higher growth in Q2 By Darwin G. Amojelar

By Julito G. Rada ECONOMIC growth is expected to recover in the second quarter this year from the sluggish 5.2-percent expansion in the first quarter due mainly to a robust domestic demand condition, a Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas official said over the weekend.

“Despite the slower-thanexpected output growth in the first quarter of 2015, domestic demand conditions remain firm owing to solid private household and capital spending as well as buoyant business confidence,” Bangko Sentral director Zeno Ronald Abenoja said in an e-mailed message.

“Ample domestic liquidity and planned higher public spend-

ing are also expected to support economic activity in the coming months,” Abenoja said.

Abenoja said GDP growth was expected to improve in the second quarter from the 5.2-percent expansion in the previous quarter.

Abenoja said a PBC measurement, which is a standardized trend-cycle component of the GDP growth rate for industry and services (excluding agriculture), showed it was just slightly “above the trend rate of growth of 5.9 percent for the period Q1 2004-Q1 2015.”

He also said the composite coincident index, which is also a measure of the country’s growth cycle, pointed to a slight improvement in economic growth for the second quarter 2015.

GLOBE Telecom Inc. said revenues will likely hit P100 billion in 2015 on faster growth in the second half.

“Yes, absolutely, if you look at the first half, I don’t know if we can exceed that but you can multiply it by two and see what you get,” Globe president and chief executive Ernest Cu said over the weekend.

Globe’s consolidated service revenues in the first six months of 2015 stood at P53.8 billion, up 13 percent from P47.7 billion a year ago, on the strength of robust gains on mobile data and broadband, as more customers adopted a digital lifestyle.

Globe posted a consolidated service revenue of P99 billion in 2014, up 9 percent from P90.5 billion in 2013.

“You’ve seen us performed in the last five years, I think we will have to find reason why we can’t do it in the next five years more,” he added.

The telecommunications company, owned by conglomerate Ayala Corp., posted a core net income, which excludes the impact of non-recurring items, of P8.6 billion in the Januaryto-June period from P7.6 billion year-on-year The second-ranked telecommunications company reported a net income of P8.7 billion in the first six months of the year from P6.8 billion on year.

Globe’s mobile subscriber base reached 48.4 million at the end of June, up a solid 13 percent from 42.7 million a year ago driven by record gross acquisitions this period.

The healthy growth in mo-

bile revenues was fueled by the surge in mobile data revenues, which reached P9.5 billion as of end-June, up a solid 53 percent from P6.2 billion reported a year ago.

Broadband revenues stood at P7.6 billion as of end June 2015, with total subscriber base now reaching close to 3.5 million.

The solid growth in revenues was driven by subscriber expansion in both the wireless, increasing by 64 percent and wired services by 14 percent.

Globe’s fixed line data business increased 20 percent to P3.1 billion in the first half of the year from P2.6 billion last year, due mainly to the expansion in circuit count and increased usage triggered by the strong demand for data connectivity, managed services and cloud solutions.

M O N D AY : A U G U S T 17, 2 0 1 5

B5

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

LT Group books P3.6-b profit

By Jenniffer B. Austria

LT Group Inc., the listed holding company of airline and tobacco tycoon Lucio Tan, said net income in the first half of 2015 surged 65 percent to P3.57 billion from P2.16 billion yearon-year, boosted by profits by the banking, distilled spirits and property segments.

LT Group said in a disclosure to the stock exchange revenues in the January-toJune period increased slightly 4.5 percent to P26.5 billion from P25.3 billion in 2014, but cost of sales inched up 1.5 percent to P12.2 billion.

The conglomerate’s banking segment reported a net income of P4.1 billion or 31.6 percent better than P3.1 billion in the comparative period, with LT Group’s share at P2.3 billion.

The distilled spirits segment reported a net income of P179.5 million in the first half of 2015, a turnaround from a net loss

of P172.5 million on year.

Net revenues reached P5.7 billion in 2015, up 1.6 percent from P5.6 billion in 2014. An increase in selling prices offset the slight decline in volumes in the first half of 2015.

LT Group’s property development segment under Eton Properties Philippines Inc. posted a net income of P113.9 million in the first half of 2015, significantly higher than last year’s P38 million.

Gross profit of Eton Properties jumped 139 percent to P346.3 million on year due to higher residential and leasing revenues.

LT Group’s beverage segment, however,

Tan

registered a 17-percent decline in net income during the first six months of the year to P523.8 million from P629.5 million on year on lower sales.

The revenues of the beverage segment decreased 1.2 percent to P7.1 billion, primarily due to the decline in sales of Cobra, beer and alcopop.

The tobacco segment, meanwhile, posted a 40-percent decrease in first-half net income to P424.9 million from P713.3 million of the same period last year due to lower equity in net earnings from Philip Morris Fortune Tobacco Corp.

“PMFTC continues to be affected by higher excise taxes and the illicit trade in the cigarette industry,” LT Group said.

LT Group’s balance sheet remained strong, with the parent company’s cash balance at P3.6 billion as of the end of June 2015.

The conglomerate in June paid a cash dividend of P0.15 per share, or a total of P1.623 billion. The dividend is equivalent to 37 percent of the previous year’s attributable income.

Treasury: Govt debt hit P186b in 1st half

By Gabrielle H. Binaday GOVERNMENT borrowings increased 6.7 percent to P186.24 billion in the first six months of 2015 from P174.20 billion recorded a year ago, Bureau of Treasury data showed over the weekend.

Gross external borrowings accounted for the bulk of the amount as the government borrowed P95.39 billion from foreign sources.

Total external borrowings as of end-June nearly doubled the P57.08 billion recorded in the same period last year.

Data showed P14.26 billion of the external debt in the first six months of 2015 were incurred through project loans while P46.41 billion were in the form of program loans.

Foreign debt in June rose nearly 30 times to P14.96 billion from just P517 million on year.

Domestic borrowings in the first half of the year, meanwhile, fell 22 percent to P90.85 billion from P117.12 billion a year ago.

The government issued P97.38 billion worth of fixedrate treasury bonds during the six-month period against a net redemption of P89.51 billion in Treasury bills.

Payments for domestic debt that matured as of end-June amounted to P126.25 billion, resulting in net local borrowings of minus P35.404 billion.

Local borrowings in June also decreased to P20.51 billion from P26.61 billion on the same month last year.

Total government borrowings for the month of June stood at P35.47 billion, or 33 percent higher than P26.61 billion a year ago.

3rd award for Asian Eye. Asian Eye Institute received for the third time the Reader’s Digest Gold Trusted Brand Award for being the most

trusted eye center in a ceremony at the Marco Polo Hotel in Ortigas, Pasig City. Asian Eye, managed by the Lopez, first received its Gold Awards in 2011 and 2012. Shown redeiving the award are (from left) marketing head Audrey Trinidad, vice president and general manager Alwin Sta. Rosa and president Benjamin Liboro. The Reader’s Digest presents the Gold Award to brands that scored significantly higher than their competitors.

Monetary Board closes another Batangas rural bank

By Julito G. Rada THE Monetary Board, the policy-making body of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, placed Batangas-based Farmers’ Rural Bank Inc. under the custody of Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. on Aug. 14 due to unhealthy financial condition.

As receiver, state-run PDIC took over the bank on the same day. It was the ninth bank closed by the board this year.

Farmers’ Rural Bank is a single-unit bank located at Rizal St., Lian, Batangas. Latest available records show that as of June 30, 2015, the bank had 1,689 accounts with total deposit liabilities of P28.7 million. Total in-

sured deposits amounted to P27.9 million, or 97.4 percent of total deposits.

Prior to shutting down Farmers’ Rural Bank, the Monetary Board had already closed eight rural banks in the first half this year due to unsound financial status.

These were Rural Bank of Taysan (Batangas) Inc., Surigaobased Siargao Bank (A Rural Bank), Rural Bank of Sta. Magdalena (Sorsogon), Community Rural Bank of Magsaysay (Davao del Sur) Inc.; Surigao City-based Surigaonon Rural Banking Corp.; Rural Bank of Labrador (Pangasinan); Rural Bank of Magsingal (Ilocos Sur) Inc.; and Alfonso, Cavite-based Community Bank

(Rural Bank of Alfonso Inc.).

The board in 2014 placed 14 rural banks under the custody of PDIC. These were Leyte-based Rural Bank of Burauen Inc., Batangasbased Synergy Rural Bank, Cooperative Bank of Tarlac Inc., Bulacan-based Fil-Agro Rural Bank, Rural Bank of Lobo Inc. in Batangas, Rural Bank of Padre Burgos in Southern Leyte, Cavite-based Banco Carmona Inc. ( A Rural Bank), Rural Bank of Oroquieta (Misamis Occidental) Inc., Asian Consumers Bank (A Rural Bank) in Basista, Pangasinan; Gulf Bank (Rural Bank of Lingayen Inc.), Rural Bank of Pres. M.A. Roxas Inc. in Zamboanga del Norte; Rural Bank of

Montevista in Davao del Norte, Rural Bank of Reina Mercedes in Isabela, and Cavite-based Silangan Savings and Loan Bank.

The 2014 closures were lower than the 18 registered in 2013.

Prior to that, 24 banks were closed in 2012, where 120,000 depositors lost approximately P19.5 billion.

PDIC attributed the lower number of shuttered banks in 2013 to the current mergers and consolidation in the industry under the SPRB Plus.

The Bangko Sentral expects the number of closed banks in 2015 to be lower compared with last year’s due to the extension of the Strengthening Program for Rural Banks Plus for another year.

MONDAY: AUGUST 17, 2015

B6

BUSINESS business@manilastandardtoday.com extrastory2000@gmail.com

PLDT eyes Mindanao cable Strategic alliances in BPO and shared services THE ballroom was filled with beaming business executives of different nationalities as I REYNALDO C. LUGTU, JR. delivered my talk during the recently held 6th Annual Shared Services and BPO Week Philippines Conference. Perhaps much of the anticipation was because my topic was “Transforming from customer-vendor relationships to strategic alliances,” which is apropos in today’s rapidly changing business environment.

The urgency to respond and adapt to such shifts stem from the fact that BPOs and shared services firms need to continue their growth trajectory. According to World Bank estimates, the sector is projected to generate up to $55 billion in revenues by 2020 or roughly 11 percent of the country’s GDP. The Information Technology and Business Process Association of the Philippines (is likewise optimistic that the industry is on track to meet its goal of 1.3 million jobs and $25 billion in revenues or 8 percent of GDP by 2016.

Gearing up to face challenges It’s laudable that industry leaders are not resting on their laurels, but instead gearing up to face the challenges ahead as well as capitalize on the opportunities. I highlighted two main shifts that that will impact the industry.

First is the Asean Economic Community. According to international business consultancy group, Oxford Business Group, its implementation could hinder the sector’s rapid growth as major international firms may start to rationalize and consolidate their operations in other countries following the lowering of trade and employment barriers in the region. However, the Philippines is well-poised to capture much of the consolidation opportunities as the country already has a strong foundational dominance and relationship with international clients.

Second is technology. The rise of cloud computing has opened up new ways in which companies can make their IT operations more efficient, and it has started to cut down on the outsourcing industry in India as western companies bring back IT work onshore where cloud technology adoption is mature. In addition, with increased automation and diminishing incremental benefits from labor arbitrage, the global labor pool for IT outsourcing services will only continue to shrink, according to a Gartner report, resulting in outsourcing services dropping by at least 15 percent through 2016.

Entering into new strategic alliances So how can BPOs and shared services firms adapt to these changes and instead capitalize on the silver lining it presents? A key component of the firm’s strategy is transforming the typical customer-vendor relationship into strategic alliances.

In fact, the 2015 Annual Global CEO Survey of PwC reveals that 51 percent of CEOs plan to enter into new strategic alliances or joint ventures over the next 12 months, up from 44 percent last year, as companies increasingly focus on key strengths and looking to partnerships to enhance their capabilities. The top reasons for partnering are access to new and emerging technologies and innovation capabilities, apart from the rationale of expanding markets, cutting costs or sharing risks.

Strategic Alliances are agreements among firms in which each commits resources to achieve a common set of objectives. To effectively address the environmental forces that beset the industry, BPO and shared services firms may form strategic alliances with their customers as well as suppliers.

Working closely with customers and suppliers Industry players can help drive consolidation and rationalization opportunities to the country, brought about by AEC, by working closely with their customers to transition operations from other countries to the Philippines. For example, operations in Thailand where English is not the medium of communication, can be moved to the country by jointly planning and investing for language training for local employees as well as smoothly moving Thai employees to work and live in the country.

As regards to technology, BPO and shared services firms can force strategic alliances with technology providers to jointly conduct proof-of-concept activities for the adoption of virtual desktop infrastructure or VDI, a practice of hosting a desktop operating system within a virtual machinerunning on a centralized server which will significantly reduce cost and improve customer responsiveness.

But the success of strategic alliances is incumbent on the alignment of objectives between and among the BPO/shared services firm with its customers, may it be internal or external, and with its suppliers. Alignment in people, technology, and processes is crucial for the success of the alliance.

Once the alliance is set, a governance structure to oversee the execution and monitoring of the joint activities is likewise key.

I ended the talk by highlighting that in the execution of strategic alliances, the most important component are the people involved in it – attracting and retaining the right people is the most important piece.

GREEN LIGHT

The author is a senior executive in an information and communications technology firm. He also teaches strategy, management and marketing courses in the MBA Program of the Ramon V. del Rosario College of Business, De La Salle University.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s, and do not necessarily reflect the viewpoints of the DLSU administration and faculty.

By Darwin G. Amojelar

PHILIPPINE Long Distance Telephone Co. said it is in talks with foreign partners to build a new international cable landing station in Mindanao as part of its network expansion.

“We are in discussion with the new one. We would like to have something in Mindanao because we already have three landing stations in Luzon,” PLDT president and chief executive Napoleon Nazareno said.

He said the new cable landing station in Mindanao would be linked to US to support the rising demand for high-speed broadband.

“Hopefully, towards the end of the year or early next year, it would be finalized,” Nazareno said.

PLDT’s first international cable is the $550-million AsiaAmerica Gateway, a 20,000-kilometer high-bandwidth optical fiber linking Southeast Asia to the US. PLDT contributed $50 million to the project.

The AAG consortium consists of 19 parties providing connec-

tivity among the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei Darussalam, Vietnam, Hong Kong SAR, Guam, Hawaii and the US West Coast.

The facility also supplies seamless interconnection with other major cable systems connecting Europe, Australia, other parts of Asia and Africa and using dense wavelength division multiplexing technology to provide upgradeable, future-proof transmission facilities for telecommunications traffic.

PLDT leads the country among providers with the most number of international cables as well as landing stations.

The AAG cable will be PLDT’s fourth international cable link up for upgrade to 100G technology, following the Asia Pacific Cable Network 2 and the Japan-

US Cable system. The Asia Submarine Cable Express 100G upgrade is ongoing.

PLDT is also the first network operator in the Philippines to deploy 100G in its domestic fiber optic network.

PLDT, controlled by First Pacific Co. Ltd. of Hong Kong and NTT Group of Japan, posted a net income of P18.73 billion in the first half, down by 6 percent from P20 billion last year.

Excluding the impact of nonrecurring items, PLDT’s core income dropped 5 percent in the January to June period to P18.9 billion from P19.8 billion in the same period last year.

Consolidated revenues went down by 2 percent to P81.2 billion in the first semester, as revenues from the international and national long distance segments continued to sag.

Wireless service revenues amounted to P55.59 billion while data broadband revenues reached P23.02 billion.

PLDT Group’s mobile phone subscriber stood at 68.9 million as of end-June while broadband subscriber base reached 4.9 million.

Mobile soil clinic. Bureau of Soils and Water Management director Silvino Tejada (center) and National Food Authority deputy administrator Ludovino Jarina (right) sign a memorandum of agreement to promote mobile soil test clinics at the NFA Administrator’s Office. The joint project aims to increase the corn production in the country through sufficient and balanced fertilization with the help of mobile soil test clinics.

The project is for the benefits of farmers’ cooperatives in major corn producing provinces such as Pangasinan, Isabela, Cagayan, Bukidnon and South Cotabato.

PH needs more entrepreneurs—Salceda LEGAZPI City—The country should stop being a nation of employees and become a nation of responsible entrepreneurs, according to Albay Governor Joey Salceda, Salceda said in a recent news briefing the entrepreneurial revolution would address the economy’s “structural imbalances,” where employees and pensioners often became victims of scammers.

Salceda, an economist, said the country “has so much idle savings, valued at about P3 trillion, enough to totally wipe out poverty” but which were not being properly used due to such imbalances.

Salceda, quoting a World Bank 2013 chart on Philippine investments and savings, said “the country at present has high savings rates at 42 percent of GDP and

low investment rates 22 percent of GDP that combine to create a huge pool of idle funds estimated at about P3 trillion, which naturally seek a parking space.”

“Thus, it becomes a market for mischief to exploit,” he said.

He said Treasury bills and bank deposit rates were very low, forcing investors to seek higher rates elsewhere.

Salceda said while the stock market “has risen from 2,400 to 7,600,” retail local participation remained low, and its breadth and depth in relation to underlying GDP was just P8.2 trillion or about 55 percent of GDP, compared to other Asian countries with more than 100 percent.

Salceda said, the government itself added 3 percent to the savings as interest payments fell from

29.7 percent of budget to only 17 percent. He said this created so much fiscal space, which became productive expenditure.

He said the country’s idle savings of P3 trillion was enough to wipe out poverty, both cyclical and structural and vulnerable. He said from 2010 to 2014, the economy produced only 1.4 million incremental jobs although there has been a qualitative shift with the salaried group rising by 3.7 million.

Salceda said the country needed policies that should create a demand for the excessive supply of savings. “Thus we need an entrepreneurial revolution to employ this oversupply of savings for wealth creation and job creation.

This should include a broad stroke of assistance via business incubation and angel financing,” he said.

CESAR BARRIOQUINTO EDITOR

B7

M O N D AY : A U G U S T 17, 2 0 1 5

WORLD

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Failing to reach UK, migrants settle in France CALAIS, France—Weary and disheartened after failing in desperate attempts to cross the Channel, many migrants in the French port of Calais are looking to asylum in France as a fallback. “England would be good, but I’m tired,� said Sadam, a 24-year-old Sudanese migrant who has decided to apply to stay in France. Like for many other migrants, his decision stemmed more from exasperation than desire. “It’s so hard to get to England,� said Sadam, who has been in France for three months. Authorities have imposed stricter security measures for ferries and for trucks using the Channel Tunnel, making it more difficult for migrants to get to Britain from Calais.

Waiting for the perfect opportunity to cross over, many of the some 3,000 migrants in the Calais area stay in the “New Jungle�, a makeshift camp several kilometers from the city center. Many have family in Britain and can speak English, and the British authorities have been accused of making it too easy for them to work illegally.

Djamal, a young Afghan man, also decided to try his luck in France after attempting to cross the Channel to no avail.

He and three friends, leaning

against the counter of one of the many stalls that have sprung up at the camp, said they have tried “every night for a month� to cross the series of barriers and get past the police guarding the Channel Tunnel. Djamal lifts his friend Dawlatzal’s trouser leg to show a bandage covering an injury caused by barbed wire.

Another friend shows cuts on his arms, legs and torso. The trek is not only dangerous, but physically taxing. With each futile attempt, the young men must spend another two hours retracing their steps before trying yet again the next night. But not all of the migrants want to get to Britain. Kalim, 28, who serves tea at his informal restaurant in the migrant camp, said he had wanted to stay in France from the start. He said he understands that the French government “cannot give a home to everyone�. And for Kalim, the risk of death or injury posed by trying to cross over to Britain was not worth it. Since the beginning of June, at least 10 people have been killed trying to get through the Channel Tunnel. Adam, a 26-year-old from Darfur, said his goal had always been to come to France. “When I arrived in Paris, I saw people (migrants) in the streets without any organized camps, and then I came here to Calais.�

Applying for asylum in France, however, is only the beginning. AFP

‘Star Wars’ theme parks eyed in Florida, California ANAHEIM—R2-D2 will be rolling into Mickey Mouse’s neighborhood, Disney announced Saturday, unveiling plans for two huge “Star Wars� theme parks adjacent to existing US venues in Florida and California.

With star Harrison Ford on hand, Disney CEO Bob Iger said that after Disney’s $4 billion purchase of Lucasfilm three years ago, “we wanted to bring ‘Star Wars’ to every corner of our company... Not only on screens but in real life.� “We are creating a jaw-dropping new world that represents our largest singlethemed land expansion ever,� Iger said. “These new lands at Disneyland and Walt Disney World will transport guests to a whole new Star Wars planet, including an epic Star Wars adventure that puts you in the middle of a climactic battle between the First Order and the Resistance.�

In addition to that battle experience, visitors will be able to drive “one of the most recognizable ships in the galaxy,� the Millennium Falcon, on a secret mission, he said.

The Star Wars parks will be in Orlando, next to Disney Hollywood Studios, and in Anaheim, next to Disneyland.

The 14-acre (5.6-hectare) sites will have their own staff and restaurants will be staffed by wild creatures from the space saga. “You’ll have a chance to run into all the droids and fantastic beasts,� Iger added.

It’s the first time the entertainment giant is trying the “Star Wars� theme at its parks.

The three-day D23 expo at the convention center in Anaheim -- home to the original Disneyland Park -- has drawn Disney fans and media representatives from around the globe.

Disney Studios chairman Alan Horn said that on the heels of his smashing success with “Jurassic World,� director Colin Trevorrow would be at the helm for the upcoming “Star Wars - Episode IX.� It is due out in 2019.

The cast of “Star Wars-Episode VIIThe Force Awakens� the next chapter in the wildly popular franchise drew a massive round of cheering, particularly for Ford, known for playing Han Solo.

As part of its strategy to squeeze the most out of the “Star Wars� universe, Disney plans to release one film a year until 2019. AFP

Republic of the Philippines ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION San Miguel Avenue, Pasig City

In the said application, BLCI alleged, among others that: It is a corporation duly organized and existing under Philippine laws, with principal address at R. Enerio St., Poblacion 3, Tagbilaran City.It is a private distribution utility (DU) with Franchise and Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) to operate electric light and power service in Tagbilaran City, Bohol;

MAP2015

=

[MAP2014 x {1 + CWI2015 - X}] + S2015 - K2015 + ITA2015

MAP2015

=

[1.0674 x {1 + 4.15% 0.0465}] + 0.0194–(-0.0012) +0

MAP2015

=

Supply

Metering

PhP/ kW

PhP/ kWh

PhP/ Cust./ Mo.

PhP/ Cust./ Mo.

PhP/ kWh

-

1.0261

51.38

5.00

0.2150

70.10

51.33

51.38

75.78

0.0658

-

0.7848

51.38

64.53

-

Public Bldgs./ Street Lights 89.77

0.3301

51.38

52.12

0.1606

-

0.7466

51.38

64.13

-

Hospitals/ Radio Stations 13.8 kV 230 V

174.68

0.3204

51.38

82.93

0.0824

-

0.7554

51.38

64.53

-

6.

The conversion was effected in accordance with the Uniform Filing Requirements (UFR), the RDWR, as amended and the methodology described in Article V of the DSOAR. It used in its calculations the information contained in the aforementioned Final Determination;

7.

The Side Constraint Calculation for the Second Regulatory Period approved by the Commission is CWIt + SCt. The value of SCis twelve percent (12%) while CWI2015 was calculated at 4.15%.

Thus, SC2015 is 16.15%;

8.

It has determined that the resulting MAP2015 and the converted distribution rates from said MAP2015 would not result in the breach of the rates for all customer classes.The computation of Side Constraints per Customer Class pursuant to Section 6.4 of the RDWR, as amended, is as follows:

((FCRk,t/ FQk,t) - St) - ((CRk,t-1 / AQk,t-1) - St-1)≤ (CWIt + SCt) (CRk,t-1 / AQk,t-1) - St-1

WithinSide Constraints

230 V

0.8878

0.8800

0.89

WithinSide Constraints

13.8 kV

0.9585

1.3518

(29.09)

WithinSide Constraints

230 V

0.7841

0.8061

(2.73)

WithinSide Constraints

13.8 kV

0.7981

1.0741

(25.69)

WithinSide Constraints

230 V

0.7694

0.7368

4.43

WithinSide Constraints

In support of this application, it submits the following: Information Provided

A

Computation of the MAP for the Regulatory Year Ending September 30, 2015

B

Computation of the Change in Weighted Index (CWI)

C

Computation of the Actual Weighted Average Tariff (AWAT)

D

Computation of the Differential Amount (DA)

E

Computation of the Correction Factor (K)

F

Computation of the S-Factor (S)

G

Annual Historical and Forecast Data

H

Side Constraint Testing

I

Side Constraint Simulations

J

Proposed Rates

K

Comparison of Proposed and Existing Rates

Customer Class Residential

Distribution

Supply

Metering

PhP/ kW

PhP/ kWh

PhP/ Cust./ Mo.

PhP/ Cust./ Mo.

PhP/ kWh

-

1.0261

51.38

5.00

0.2150

Commercial 13.8 kV 230 V

70.10

51.33

51.38

75.78

0.0658

-

0.7848

51.38

64.53

-

Public Bldgs./ Street Lights 230 V

Commercial

230 V

(2.86)

13.8 kV

Based on the said Final Determination and the Distribution Services and Open Access Rules (DSOAR), specifically, the conversion of the MAP into different rate elements per customer class, it has converted the computed MAP2015 (without the application of the side constraints) into a distribution rates structure, as follows:

13.8 kV

0.8316

11.2 The distribution-related rate structure and rate schedule, as follows:

PhP1.0827/kWh

The MAP of PhP1.0827/kWh was a result of the updates in the Consumer Price Index (CPI), under-recovery, and the price-linked incentives under the Performance Incentive Scheme (PIS);

230 V

0.8078

11.1 The recalculated MAP for the Fourth Regulatory Year 2015 in the amount of PhP1.0827/ kWh; and

The resulting MAP RY2015, without the application of side constraints, is as follows:

13.8 kV

13.8 kV

11. Thus, it prays that the Commission approve:

Pursuant to the Final Determination dated July 6, 2011 issued by the Commission in ERC Case No. 2010-117 RC2, it has calculated the MAP RY2015 of the Fourth Regulatory Period at PhP1.0827/kWh with an X-factor of 0.0465;

Residential

WithinSide Constraints

10. The approval of this application will enable it to fulfill its obligations under the PBR to timely implement its capital expenditure program and operating and maintenance programs for the Fourth Regulatory Period, specifically, for RY2015and to avoid deterioration of its services to the prejudice of its customers and the public; and

In a Decision dated December 9, 2013 in ERC Case No. 2013-183 RC1, the Commission approved the said application with modification and it was directed to implement the approved Distribution, Supply and Metering Charges and the revised lifeline levels, discounts and subsidy stated therein;

Distribution

(0.27)

Schedule

Notice is hereby given that on April 30, 2015, Bohol Light Company, Incorporated (BLCI) filed an application for approval ofthe Maximum Average Price (MAP RY2015) and its translation into distribution related rates of different customer classes for the Fourth Regulatory Year of the ERC-approved Annual Revenue Requirement (ARR) under the Performance Based Regulation (PBR) for the Regulatory Period 2012-2015.

Customer Class

1.4486

9.

TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES:

5.

1.4447

Hospitals/ Radio Stations

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

4.

Status

Public Bldgs./ Street Lights

BOHOL LIGHT COMPANY, INCORPORATED (BLCI), Applicant. x- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -x

3.

% Increase

Commercial

ERC CASE NO. 2015-089 RC

2.

(CRk,t-1/ AQk,t-1) St-1

Residential

IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL OF THE MAXIMUM AVERAGE PRICE (MAP RY2015) AND ITS TRANSLATION INTO DISTRIBUTION RELATED RATES OF DIFFERENT CUSTOMER CLASSES FOR THE FOURTH REGULATORY YEAR OF THE ERC-APPROVED ANNUAL REVENUE REQUIREMENT (ARR) FOR BOHOL LIGHT COMPANY, INCORPORATED (BLCI) UNDER THE PERFORMANCE BASED REGULATION (PBR) FOR THE REGULATORY PERIOD 2012-2015

1.

(FCRk,t/ FQk,t) - St

Customer Class

89.77

0.3301

51.38

52.12

0.1606

-

0.7466

51.38

64.13

-

Hospitals/ Radio Stations 13.8 kV 230 V

174.68

0.3204

51.38

82.93

0.0824

-

0.7554

51.38

64.53

-

The Commission has set the application for initial hearing, expository presentation, pre-trial conference and evidentiary hearing on August 27, 2015 (Thursday) at one o’clock in the afternoon (1:00 P.M.) at the Governor’s Mansion, CPG Avenue, Tagbilaran City, Bohol.

All persons who have an interest in the subject matter of the proceeding may become a party by filing, at least five (5) days prior to the initial hearing and subject to the requirements in the ERC’s Rules of Practice and Procedure, a verified petition with the Commission giving the docket number and title of the proceeding and stating: (1) the petitioner’s name and address; (2) the nature of petitioner’s interest in the subject matter of the proceeding, and the way and manner in which such interest is affected by the issues involved in the proceeding; and (3) a statement of the relief desired.

All other persons who may want their views known to the Commission with respect to the subject matter of the proceeding may file their opposition to the application or comment thereon at any stage of the proceeding before the applicant concludes the presentation of its evidence.

No particular form of opposition or comment is required, but the document, letter or writing should contain the name and address of such person and a concise statement of the opposition or comment and the grounds relied upon.

All such persons who may wish to have a copy of the application may request the applicant, prior to the date of the initial hearing, that they be furnished with a copy of the application. The applicant is hereby directed to furnish all those making such request with copies of the application and its attachments, subject to reimbursement of reasonable photocopying costs. Likewise, any such person may examine the application and other pertinent records filed with the Commission during the usual office hours.

WITNESS, the Honorable Commissioners, ALFREDO J. NON, GLORIA VICTORIA C. YAP-TARUC, JOSEFINA PATRICIA A. MAGPALE-ASIRIT, and GERONIMO D. STA. ANA, Energy Regulatory Commission, this 20thday of July, 2015 at Pasig City.

ATTY. FRANCIS SATURNINO C. JUAN Executive Director III rvm/BLCI/PBR/ARR/translation/2015-089 RC/nph

_________________________________________________________

≤

(CWIt + SCt)

≤

(4.15% 12%)

≤

16.15%

1

In the Matter of the Application for Approval of the Maximum Average Price (MAP RY2014) and Its Translation Into Distribution Related Rates of Different Customer Classes for the Third Regulatory Year of the ERC-Approved Annual Revenue Requirement (ARR) for Bohol Light and Power Company, Incorporated (BLCI) Under the Performance-Based Regulation (PBR) for the Regulatory Period 2012-2015, BLCI – Applicant

2

In the Matter of the Application for Approval of the Annual Revenue Requirement (ARR) and Performance Incentive Scheme (PIS) in Accordance with the Provisions of the Rules for Setting Distribution Wheeling Rates (RDWR), BLCI – Applicant

+

(TS-AUG. 10/17, 2015)

M O N D AY : A U G U S T 17, 2 0 1 5

B8

ceSAr bArriOqUiNTO EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

world

Dance with fans. Dozens of people dressed up as Pikachu, the famous character of Nintendo’s videogame software Pokemon, dance with fans as the final of a nine-day “Pikachu Outbreak” event takes place to attract summer vacationers in Yokohama, in suburban Tokyo, on August 16. AFP

‘Tons of cyanide at blasts site’ Hundreds of US flights delayed by traffic glitch

TIANJIN—Hundreds of tons of highly-poisonous cyanide were being stored at the warehouse devastated by two giant explosions in the Chinese port of Tianjin that killed 112 people, a senior military officer said Sunday.

WASHINGTON—Service slowly returned to normal Saturday at eastern US airports after a computer problem at a regional air traffic control center delayed hundreds of flights for several hours.

Flights at Washington’s Dulles International Airport, Reagan National Airport and BaltimoreWashington International Airport (BWI) were among those affected, as well as those at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia Airport.

Tracking service FlightAware reported that at one point, more than 400 flights had been delayed or canceled across those airports.

Some flights at BWI were pushed back more than three hours, while a number of travelers at Dulles were told to expect delays of more than an hour.

The comments by Shi Luze, chief of the general staff of the Beijing military region, were the first official confirmation of the presence of the chemical at the hazardous goods storage facility at the center of the blast.

The disaster has raised fears of toxic contamination and residents and victims’ families hit out at authorities for what they said was an information blackout, as China suspended or shut down dozens of websites for spreading “rumors”.

Nearly 100 people remain missing, including 85 firefighters, though officials cautioned that some of them could be among the 88 unidentified corpses so far found.

More than 700 people have also been hospitalized as a result of Wednesday’s blasts, which trig-

“An FAA automation system that experienced problems earlier today is back in service,” the Federal Aviation Administration said, announcing that operations were returning to normal.

“FAA is continuing root cause analysis to determine what caused the problem & is working closely w/airlines to minimize impacts to travelers.”

It identified the glitch at an air traffic control center in Leesburg, Virginia, just south of the US capital Washington.

The FAA had earlier directed high altitude traffic around the affected airspace.

The affected airports are among the country’s busiest.

The delays had nothing to do with accidents or hacking, an aviation official said. AFP

gered a huge fireball and a blaze that emergency workers have struggled to put out since then, with fresh explosions on Saturday.

Shi, who is a general, told a news conference that cyanide had been identified at two locations in the blast zone. “The volume was about several hundreds of tons according to preliminary estimates,” he said.

A military team of 217 chemical and nuclear experts was deployed early on, and earlier Chinese reports said 700 tons of sodium cyanide were at the site.

Officials have called in experts from the producers of the material—exposure to which the US Centers for Disease Control says can be “rapidly fatal”—to help handle it, and the neutralizing agent hydrogen peroxide has been used.

Authorities have repeatedly

sought to reassure the public, insisting that despite the presence of some pollutants at levels above normal standards, the air in Tianjin remains safe to breathe.

But the official Xinhua news agency reported late Saturday that cyanide density in waste water had been 10.9 times standards on the day following the explosions. It has since fallen but was still more than twice the normal limit.

Environmental campaign group Greenpeace said Sunday it had tested surface water for cyanide at four locations in the city and had not detected high levels of the chemical.

“These results show that local water supplies are not currently severely contaminated with cyanide,” it said, but pointed out that did not prove or disprove whether other hazardous chemicals were in the water.

Greenpeace reiterated its call for a comprehensive survey of hazardous chemicals in the air and water and for the results to be made public. AFP

Queen leads VJ Day commemorations LONDON—Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II led commemorations Saturday marking the 70th anniversary of VJ Day, joining veterans and former prisoners of war for a service in London.

Crowds lined streets in the city center to watch the events on big screens and cheer on veterans as the country remembered the Victory over Japan, which ended World War II. The monarch was joined for the service by her 94-year-old husband Prince Philip, who was on naval service in Tokyo Bay when the Japanese surrendered.

Heir to the throne Prince Charles attended an event which began with a flypast of historic aircraft, including a Dakota and a Hurricane.

The commemorations included a service and a wreath-laying ceremony, special readings, and hymns sung by a male voice choir.

Actor Charles Dance—star of “Game of Thrones”—read Rudyard Kipling’s poem “The Road to Mandalay”, which, when put to music, was a favorite marching tune for British soldiers fighting against the Japanese in Burma, under the command of Field Marshal

William Slim.

“When the Second World War ended in Europe... British and Commonwealth military personnel and civilians in the Far East were still at war, still on the frontline and still in prisoner of war camps,” said Dance.

After the event, veterans, former prisoners and their descendants joined current personnel in walking to Parliament Square and Westminster Abbey—passing the statue of Slim—led by pipes and drums.

“We are remembering this an-

Festival. Colombian singer Gloria “Goyo” Martinez, center, a member of the Afro-Colombian band Chocquibtown, takes a “selfie” with others during the 19th Pacific Music Festival Petronio Alvarez in Cali on August 15. The Petronio Alvarez Festival is dedicated to highlighting all the musical folklore of the Colombian Pacific and the music of AfroColombian issues. AFP

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TATUM ANCHETA EDITOR

BING PAREL A S S O C I AT E E D I T O R

BERNADETTE LUNAS WRITER

life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

E AT, DRINK , T R AV EL

LIFE

Crispa Pizza (crispy sisig pizza)

Beer Can Chicken

Tokwa't Belly Threeway

With bigger interior dining area and smaller al fresco than it's first branch at Capitol Commons in Pasig, Tipsy Pig Gastropub's second branch at Bonifacio Global City in Taguig is more conducive for dining customers.

Shrimp Po'boy

THE BAR FOR ALL AGES

BY BERNADETTE LUNAS PHOTOS BY SONNY ESPIRITU

Kung Fu Pandan (a signature cocktail in honor of Chef Rainier Barbers; made of fresh pandan juice and vodka shot)

H

ere in the Philippines, bars used to mean a hangout for drinking paired with sub-par food, just enough to warm the tummy while being filled with alcohol. But those days are long gone. When the concept of gastropub was introduced, offering delectable and wellprepared food became as important as serving ice-cold beer and mind-blowing cocktails.

One of those watering holes that bank heavily on their food as much as on their alcoholic beverages is Tipsy Pig Gastropub.

The local bar and restaurant offers a mouthwatering menu (which goes well beyond the usual bar chow) that is said to be so delicious that in some days it has more diners than bar goers. And even Tipsy Pig’s founders and partners are still surprised by this dynamic.

“Because when you say gastropub, it’s usually [a place for] drinks, but there are some days that it’s the other way around,” shares one of the five co-founders and head chef Rainier Barbers.

But since Tipsy Pig opened its doors at Capitol Commons in Pasig, Chef Barbers admits the food has always been its driving force. “It’s the food that really took off and established Tipsy Pig as a brand.”

A few years after establishing its first branch, Tipsy Pig comes down south at Bonifacio Global City in Taguig, a move the owners thought as necessary since they have guests coming from as far as Alabang. It’s also seen as a strategic decision since they want the gastropub to draw in more family diners and maintain the patronage of bar goers and the corporate crowd. “We designed the place in a way that is more conducive for dining,” says Chef Barbers, hence the two-story second

Tipsy Pig attracts four kinds of customers in the duration of its operating hours: the corporate crowd at lunchtime, the Happy Hour group, the dining customers, and the bar goers.

branch has a bigger interior dining area and smaller al fresco than in its Pasig location.

The design, which was conceptualized by head of operations and architect-by-day Ton Gonzales, is clean, classic and mature, suitable for all kinds of customers – from toddlers to foreign expats. “His peg here is deconstructed barnyard because when you say pig, it’s a farm animal,” the chef explains.

The walls therefore are adorned with wooden fixtures, the tables and chairs made of solid wood, and the color palette composed of warm, earth tones.

With versatile aesthetics and an extensive food and drinks menu, Tipsy Pig attracts four kinds of diners in the duration of its operating hours, which starts at 11:30 a.m. until 3:00 a.m. (weekdays) or 5:00 a.m. (weekends).

At lunchtime, they have the corporate customers, those who are looking for a quick, delicious and filling lunch. After work, or from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m., comes the happy hour crowd, those gunning for the “Happy Hour promotion from Sunday to Thursday during which we offer buy-one, take-one on local

beers.” Following the nightcap segment is the dinner crowd which is mostly family, students and young professionals. When the clock ticks 10, the gastropub dims the lights signaling the transition from restaurant to bar, complete with a DJ providing upbeat sounds for the pub patrons. However, about three days in a week, their dinner service lasts until midnight, a testament to the quality of food that they serve.

The menu, which was developed and is continuously being developed by Eiffel Tower Restaurant-trained Chef Barbers, is a result of “a collaboration of techniques and experiences that I’ve had into a menu that is suitable to the Filipino palate.” The bar offers Western dishes and Filipino meals and pulutan favorites with a twist.

Tipsy Pig’s bestsellers include the pica-pica favorite Belly Good Sisig Tacos (sisig made of pork belly with Asian soy garlic glaze served on tacos), made for those who are not a fan of pig’s ears; Shrimp Rigatoni Pasta (rigatoni with rich sauce made of shrimp); Boneless Crispy Pata (a Pinoy fiesta staple given a twist: The meat is taken off the bone, and

Belly Good Sisig Tacos

the bone is served on the side); and Tokwa’t Belly Threeway (made with roast pork, and tofu served in two ways: breaded and soft silken, hence offering three kinds of textures.

But perhaps the most intriguing and Instagram-worthy dish it has is the Beer Can Chicken. The whole roasted chicken is served not on a stick but on a can of pale pilsen, with corn, tacos and dips on the side.

“When we developed the menu, we wanted something crazy that would make people ask, ‘what’s that?’,” relates Chef Barbers.

Tipsy Pig’s drinks, on the other hand, take up a couple of pages on the menu. There are local and imported beers, signature flavored brews (Salted Caramel, Raspberry, Hazelnut, etc.), whisky, brandy, champagne, wine, tequila, vodka, rum and signature cocktails – each is named after the gastropub’s owners and partners: Quite A Patty, Emily’s Garden, Saint Jared, RJ Mint Spritzer, and Kung Fu Pandan (which according to Chef Barbers is made of fresh pandan juice and a shot of vodka), among others.

With a strong following rallying behind it, Tipsy Pig keeps its feet on the ground, like the humble animal it was named after. “I’m not saying we have the best crispy pata, the best sisig tacos, the best pasta, what we want is to serve food that makes us (owners) happy and meals that would keep the guests guessing every time they come here,” stresses Chef Barbers.

Tipsy Pig Gastropub is located at Forbes Town Center, Burgos Circle, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. For more information, like its Facebook page, Tipsy Pig Gastropub or check out its Instagram account, @tipsypig_ph.

M ONDAY : AUGUST 17 : 2015

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

CAGBALETE DREAMIN’ THE GIST

BY ED BIADO

D

escribing Cagbalete as chill, calm and serene is an understatement. The remoteish island in Quezon is so placid that once you’re there, all you will want to do – and perhaps all that you can do – is waste away on a hammock and soak in all the peace and quiet. It’s really the place to go if your stress levels are on the high side and you just want to go back to basics.

No fancy-shmancy accommodations and white-glove service; just you, a few friends maybe, and the island.

The great thing about a trip to Cagbalete is you get a little bit of what you’d expect from an off-the-beatenpath destination: some adventure because it’s not the most accessible place, some “provincial realness” because it’s really rural and the resorts have nipa huts instead of concrete buildings, some roughing it out if you prefer to pitch and sleep in your own tent, and some great home-cooked meals because the resorts offer excellent

A boatman delivers supplies to the island

Approaching the island

Quirky quotes about the beach for some giggles

food packages. And trust me, you won’t be spending more than P4,500 for a three-day/two-night affair.

There are a few ways to get to the island. The first and most convenient way is to drive all the way to Mauban, Quezon and take a boat to the island.

The second one is to catch a bus to Mauban, but there are only one or two daily trips of this kind from Manila.

The third one is to take any one of the hourly trips to Lucena City and transfer to a minibus to Mauban. All told, each expedition takes about six hours. So if you’re taking the third option, leaving the city after midnight would be best for you to maximize your time on the island.

Since Cagbalete is a secluded island, you might want to load up on supplies when you get to Mauban. The resorts have the necessities, like local booze

Pancit habhab, a Quezon staple

and snacks, but the Mauban public market offers more choices.

The Mauban tourism office, located at the marina, has standardized everything so you don’t have to worry about being ripped off by boatmen.

You’re gonna want to hire private boats to and from the island because taking public passenger boats, albeit much cheaper than contract trips, means you have to wait for the schedule and travel with strangers. Aside from that, public boats dock at the Cagbalete port while private ones take you directly to your resort, and the former can cost you more if your destination is at the other side of the island. (Another option is to trek to the resort via a scenic route, which could appeal to more adventurous tourists.)

On the island, you have the option to cook your own food or avail of your resort’s meal packages, consisting of lunch, afternoon snack, dinner, breakfast and morning snack. There are different dishes for you to choose from, which you have to decide on a couple of weeks before your vacation so that they have time to prepare.

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram @EdBiado

Massage hut at Nilandingan Cove

TO HELP YOU PLAN YOUR TRIP, CHECK OUT THIS EXPENSES CHECKLIST: ESTIMATED EXPENSES (6 PAX) ACTIVITY Cottage (P3,200 per night) Food package (P700 each per day) Bus from Manila to Lucena (P210 each) Minibus from Lucena to Mauban (P60 each) Environmental fee (P50 each) Snacks and supplies (P300 each) Private boat package to resort and back Minibus from Mauban to Lucena (P60 each) Bus from Lucena to Manila (P210 each) Contingency fund (P500 each) TOTAL SHARE PER PERSON

COST (PhP) 6,400.00 8,400.00 1,260.00 360.00 300.00 1,800.00 2,500.00 360.00 1,260.00 3,000.00 25,640.00 4,273.33

A Taste of Bali

Red Ginger in City of Dreams Manila caters a Balinese menu until August 20

I Red Ginger

Aromatic Lamb Cutlet with Spiced Coconut Milk (Ulam kambing mepanggang mebase kalas)

Stir-Fried King Prawn

f you’re up for hot rustic food to tickle your palate during the rainy weather, then a Balinese treat is perfect for your craving.

Known as one of the world’s most complex cuisines, Balinese food makes use of a variety of spices, and is usually very spicy.

From August 10 to 20, head out to Red Ginger in City of Dreams Manila for a taste of its and Balinese menu. Start off with Hot Assorted Seafood Soup (Gerang asem sari laut Kuta) and follow it with Spicy Beef Roll and Coconut Salad (Be sampi mesisit megulung lan lawar nyuh). Yes, the food is very spicy so tell the servers to make yours light if you can’t handle the heat. Another appetizer to try for seafood lovers is Seared Scallops with StirFried Chili Sambal and Long Bean Salad (Be kerang remis sambel mbe lan lawar kacang).

For the main course, make sure you get enough iced tea to follow your every bite because the dishes can get more fiery.

Best served with rice, order a la carte Aromatic Lamb Cutlet with Spiced Coconut Milk (Ulam kambing

mepanggang mebase kalas), tender and drizzled with coconut milk sauce with ginger and spices.

The least fiery on the menu is the giant StirFried King Prawns, but if you’re still up for spice, make sure you order the condiment to dip with, Sambal Belachan with crispy anchovies, sweet soy sauce with calamansi and red onions, and green chili with eggplant relish. Balinese cuisine can resemble some of the Filipino flavors we are used to. If you want something reminiscent of asado, try the Balinese Sweet Braised Pork Belly.

There are two dessert choices for the “Taste of Bali” menu and it can remind you of a good old Pinoy sweet dessert – Kolak Ubi is sweetened cassava, Jaje Pisang Rae is Steamed Banana in Rice Flour with Grated Coconut.

Red Ginger is located at the Upper Ground Floor of the City of Dreams Manila. It is open 24 hours from Fridays to Sundays, and serves patrons starting 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 a.m. from Mondays to Thursdays.

For reservations, call 691 7783 or e-mail Redginger@cod-manila.com.

Assorted Seafood Soup (Gerang asem sari laut Kuta)

M ONDAY : AUGUST 17 : 2015

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

Gpoint beers on tap. Local brews from Tagaytay.

@LIFEatStandard

My Tita Gigi's 30 year old mini bottles beside SMB present day bottles.

(RE)IGNITING PINOY PRIDE FOR LOCAL BEER My editor called me and told me that August is Buwan ng Wika and I have to write TIPPLE TALES something within the

BY ICY MARIÑAS t h e m e .

For a brief moment, I was afraid I’d have to write in Filipino (absolutely nothing wrong with that, but admittedly not one of my strong suits, as I flunked Filipino in high school). I decided to write about something that’s near and dear to me: beer. Specifically, home-brewed local beer.

Beer, or Cerveza, was introduced to us by the Spaniards. Probably one of the best “pamana” they gave us. We were taught to drink and make it and enjoy it.

Most memories of tasting beer came courtesy of dads or uncles pranking kids into drinking a San Miguel Pale Pilsen and watching with glee as kids’ faces contort with shock and disgust. Beer is not something kids really enjoy. It’s bitter and quite unlike anything a child has ever tasted. The appreciation comes (much) later.

My first memory of drinking Filipino beer is tied to playing house (bahay-bahayan). Most girls had tea cups and tea pots to play with, I had them too but I also had My Tita Gigi’s collection of cute, super tiny San Miguel beer

A Palawaño Brewery favorite

Local Craft Beers inspired by Pinoy pride

bottles (from Lagerlite to Cerveza Negra) and I pretended to host a little dinner/drinking party. Curiosity is a trait of cats and children, so naturally I had to try them. I pried the ittybitty caps with spoons and took sips. To me then, they tasted like sh#$! I was five years old then; I definitely remember it was super bitter and yucky! And even though I was curious, I wasn’t stupid. I refilled the bottles with water and resealed the caps. (Even at a young age, I knew how to cover my tracks. Haha!)

For the most part, Filipinos know (maybe even love) the famous San Miguel Pale Pilsen (variations such as the San Mig Light for the ‘weight conscious’ and Red Horse for the ‘hardcore’ followed suit). Heck, even foreigners like San Miguel (at P25 a bottle, less than 50 US cents, who wouldn’t like it?).

Some other local beers like Gold Eagle Beer, Beer na Beer, and Manila Beer have also made a dent in the beer consciousness of Pinoys.

Time, technology and trends have evolved the palates and tastes of Pinoys. Collectively, we are looking for something… new, different, something better. It is evident from all the new restaurants and bars popping up left and right. Just to prove a point, there are 14,000+ restaurants registered in Zomato Philippines.

Filipinos are people who LOVE to eat, and eat well. And eating’s best partner is drinking!

Beer is the most consumed alcoholic beverage in the Philippine alcoholic market.

The landscape of the local beer scene is shifting. The predominant industrial, fizzy, commercialized beer is now sharing the limelight with independent brewers all over

the country. These craft beer brewers offer a variety, exclusivity, and a certain quality that is a welcome change from the go-to beers we’ve grown up with.

Ayahay Palaweño Brewery in Puerto Princesa, Palawan is one of the game changers in the local craft beer brewing scene. The brainchild of Ayah Javier and Malu Lauchengco, they have the distinction of being the first and only local brewery run by women (Girl Power!).

They are very passionate about their craft and their five craft beer varieties, or as they say in more sophisticated beer making lingo – expressions – exude their love for beer. (They also have seasonal beers. Can’t wait to try their mango beer in the summer!) I felt a connection with these two brewers, like I’ve found some kindred spirit. Their passion and love for their craft is something that I feel similarly about with my cocktails. We believe in making quality products and we absolutely love what we do.

The love and passion for creating alcoholic beverages can be felt and tasted in the finished product. We derive satisfaction not just from the love for making the drinks, but also from sharing them with people.

They even taught us how to drink and enjoy beer properly. First, you take a sniff to smell the top notes. Then, cover the glass while swirling the beer ever so slightly (as to release more of the aromas) and then take a deep breath to get a whiff of the other layers then drink the beer without pausing for breath in between. Sounds complicated, I know. But trust me, not only is it fun, but it does elevate the experience of drinking beer. And once you go craft, you will never go back!

With small batch, craft breweries like this, the future of local beer is bright and full of promise. Inuman na!

Follow me on Instagram @sanvicentegirl

Wicked’s Bed Weather Cookie

D

uring this bed weather season, what better way to enjoy sweets than with a glass of hot cocoa while enjoying a DVD marathon in your PJs? If you love Wicked’s Smores and Barks, then you will surely fall in love with these Cookie Shards.

They’re chewy and crunchy and are bursting with shards of Snickers, KitKat or Cookies and Cream. Definitely worth the calories!

Talking about PJs, wouldn’t it be nice if you have some new Birks to go with your bed weather look? Wicked wants you to share your cravings for all things that bring you comfort. Simply take a photo of any dish, thing, hobby, place or person that reminds you of or

Cookie Shards Oreo

Cookie Shards Kitkat

Cookie Shards Snickers

gives you comfort along with a description that explains why. Share it via Instagram using the hashtag #iCraveComfort and tag Wicked (@wickedbycravings) and Birkenstock Philippines (@BirkenstockPh) to qualify. The winner will receive gift certificates worth P5,000 – so shoot your favorite book, café or BFF, share the photo and tag away! Promo is until September 30, 2015.

Wicked is at the 5th level, East Wing, Shangri-La Mall, Mandaluyong City. Like and follow Wicked on Facebook (www. facebook.com/wickedbycravings) and on Instagram (@wickedbycravings).

M O N D AY : A U G U S T 17 : 2 0 1 5

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

The Midas Hotel, lording it over the southern end of Roxas Blvd.

A typical guest room is now much bigger but still with the big balcony, offering a soothing view of Manila Bay.

On some floors, elevator doors are adorned with attractive iron lamps hung low.

The lobby, dotted with Hermes-colored boxes, giving it the warm welcome any weary traveler looks for.

Elevator panels have backlit etchings of the ornate Midas logo.

The hallway displays charming visuals of tropical flora.

THE MIDAS TOUCH I guess the only hotel in Metro Manila that can lay claim to having assumed the MERCURY RISING most number of brands

BY BOB ZOZOBRADO through the decades is that iconic structure proudly standing towards the southern end of Roxas Boulevard. Originally designed by National Artist Leandro Locsin, the present-day Midas Hotel started out as the Sheraton. Years later, it became the Savoy, and many years later, the Hyatt Regency Manila.

That was the time when I was a part of it, as its Director of Sales. Our Marketing team was the most popular among all 5-star hotels then. Small wonder the members of that team are present-day luminaries in the metro’s social and corporate horizon. This is why we often converge over lunch or dinner to reminisce about our glory days at the Hyatt.

Five years ago, when the Hyatt became the Midas Hotel, the team and I were curious about the new hotel’s interiors. Although our group agreed to visit and check out its facilities, we never got around to doing it… until recently.

With the help of Midas’ PR Director, Erwin Dona, I organized a dinner for the group at Yanagi, its new Japanese restaurant.

So, who are the former members of the sterling Hyatt Team? Peggy Angeles, senior vice president for SM Hotels and Conventions; Malu Francisco, vice president for Corporate Communications of Stores Specialists Inc.; Valerie Erana, managing partner of Management Strategies, Inc.; Cynthia Serrano, owner of Cake Avenue Bakeshop; Sandra Garcia, general manager of Chengyi Adventures; and Ginny Banaag, consultant for several companies.

Others in our group are David de Padua, consultant for Manila Phoenix Hotel; Benedict Lim, business consultant and a professor

Midas Hotel PR Director Erwin Dona.

With my former Hyatt Sales Team (seated from left) Melvyn Cruz, David de Padua, Ginny Banaag, Cynthia Serrano, (standing from left) Benedict Lim, Peggy Angeles, Valerie Erana, Malu Francisco and Sandra Garcia.

at UP and DLS-St. Benilde; Raffy Camus, president of First Asia Industrial Sales Corp.; and Melvyn Cruz (from whom I took over the director of sales position), president of the Kiwanis Club of Southern Tagalog.

We had a ball the whole evening as each of us had an anecdote to share about our days at the Hyatt. The delectable food at Yanagi made the evening even more enjoyable, although I kept on wondering why the Midas management did not retain the name “Tempura Misono.” During the “Hyatt era,” it was the most popular Japanese restaurant in town. Movie and TV celebrities, government officials, society icons, anybody who was a somebody could be seen at the restaurant any day of the week, being pampered by the manager, the late Albert Seeland. He had a coterie of fortune tellers, and this became a very popular attraction for society matrons.

Then-First Lady Imelda Marcos had her own personal fortune teller, which explained why she was always seen at the restaurant.

The Tempura Misono was not the only reason why the Hyatt was the most popular 5-star hotel then. The lunchtime weekday fashion shows at La Concha at the Penthouse attracted the fashionable set, while the Circuit Disco at the basement was the favorite destination of the dance crowd. And, of course, the Calesa Bar at the Lobby, with the late Rudy Francisco on the piano, was where a

lot of our country’s top singers started – Verni Varga, Bong Penera, Manila Band, Dulce, Janet Basco, Marissa Sanchez, Anna Fegi, etc.

Having these in mind, my group was very curious what Midas management has done to these former popular F&B outlets. PR Director Dona toured us around. The La Concha is now a private room for high rollers in the Casino and the Calesa Bar is now part of the main Casino. The Circuit Disco has been converted to offices, and the popular Crystal Ballroom is now another private room for the Casino’s VIPs. We were starting to feel sad that our former favorite haunts were no longer there.

But, just as we were nearing total depression, Dona took us to the guest rooms, and our excitement peaked beyond expectations! Hyatt Regency Manila used to have 265 rooms, but Midas now has only

225. Management decided to make the rooms bigger and furnished them in white and tan for that warm, cozy look to welcome weary travelers. When selling the Hyatt rooms then, we would always highlight the big balcony in each room – a very effective selling point.

Now the rooms are much bigger and still with the same big balcony.

Thanks to the creative genius of the Almario sisters, Cynthia and Ivy, who did Midas’ interiors, not only do the guest rooms look appealing, the hallway on each floor is a charming sight, painted with soothing visuals of tropical flora. Even the exterior of elevators has been given an artistic facelift.

On some floors, attractive iron lamps are hung low enough between elevators for guests to marvel at, and on other floors, the backlit ornate logo of the hotel is etched in between elevator doors. The lobby is curiously attractive, as Hermes-colored boxes dot the sides, giving it the warm welcome that pleases any exhausted traveler.

All in all, the Midas’ management may not have turned the hotel into solid gold, as in the myth, but its version of the “Midas’ Touch” has transformed it into a contemporary artistic masterpiece of elegance and class. I have to admit that this beautiful transformation has earned the hotel its place in my heart and, I’m sure, in the hearts of fastidious globetrotters as well. This could explain why the hotel posts high occupancy throughout the year.

Eat your heart out, King Midas!

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

YOUR MONDAY CHUCKLE: The children were lined up in the cafeteria of a Catholic elementary school for lunch. At the head of the table was a large pile of apples.

The nun made a note, and posted on the apple tray, “Take only one.

God is watching.” Moving further along the lunch line, at the other end of the table was a large pile of chocolate chip cookies. One child whispered to another, “Take all you want. God is watching the apples.”

M ONDAY : AUGUST 17, 2015

SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

McJim’s role in the highly successful fashion show is to provide the essential nuance to the collection, completing the looks for the stylish and contemporary urban male.

McJim Classic Leather collaborates with Asia’s most influential designer, Avel Bacudio, at the Style Origin 2015 last June 20 in Taguig City.

McJim Classic Leather complements Avel Bacudio’s “Cycle” collection, which caters the needs of contemporary urban male.

McJim Classic Leather continues to focus on creating world-class leather products that are at par with foreign and international brands.

McJim Classic Leather continues to support world-class Filipino talents like celebrated fashion designer Avel Bacudio.

Through the years, McJim Classic Leather is out there to suppot world-class Filipino talents and do collaborations with them to produce extraordinary results.

Dubbed as one of Asia’s most influential designers, Avel Bacudio presented his newest collection titled “Cycles” in the annual event—a follow-up to his successful “Doors” and “Churches” collections.

MCJIM CLASSIC LEATHER SUPPORTS FILIPINO TALENTS ACROSS THE GLOBE

S

ustaining its support for world-class Filipino designers, long established gentlemen’s brand, McJim Classic Leather, supported renowned fashion designer Avel Bacudio at the Style Origin 2015, which was held on June 20 at Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.

“McJim Classic Leather celebrates world-class Filipino talents! The brand is out there to support global artists like Avel Bacudio and do collaborations with them or support them in any way possible to produce great outputs,” McJim Classic Leather said in an official statement.

Touted as one of Asia’s most influential designers, Bacudio presented his newest collection titled “Cycles” in the annual event—a follow-up to his successful “Doors” and “Churches” collections.

“This collection once more reflects digital print aesthetic, but this time with jewel tones as accents. My collection is about perfectly tailored mash-ups with sportif that are for the modern urbanite man,” Bacudio said.

Catering to the metropolitan lifestyle of modern Filipino men, McJim’s role in the highly successful fashion show was

to provide the essential nuance to the collection, completing the looks for the stylish and contemporary urban male.

“For years, McJim has been providing quality leather products that suit the modern man. This identity complements Avel Bacudio’s ‘Cycle’ collection so we were delighted to be part of show,” McJim said in an official statement.

“Much like my body of work, McJim stands for classic styles for the modern man. One can never go wrong with a McJim piece; he can rely on it to be stylish for years to come,” Bacudio said.

The celebrated fashion designer who was born in Camarines Sur jump-started his career in Manila at age 17. Armed with sheer talent and determination, Bacudio joined different fashion tilts, consistently topping every competition he participated in.

These led to a lot of opportunities for the intrepid designer. Two of Avel’s finest recognitions were 2012 Metro magazine’s “Breakthrough Designer of the Year” and “Asia’s Most Influential Designer 2014” during the Mercedes-Benz Style Fashion Week.

Having designed for different platforms through the years, Bacudio has evolved

from an excitable avant-garde fashion artist to one with a clean, tailored, and classic aesthetic, albeit with unmistakable traces of his inimitable sense of humor.

These days, too, he has been paying it forward by mentoring and grooming aspiring young designers. He nurtures high hopes for his brand and promises to bring the Filipino flag with him in all his achievements.

McJim, on the other hand, continues to focus on creating world-class leather products that are at par with foreign and international brands just as he holds up Filipino artists who can stand tall alongside international talents.

McJim, in fact, considers as its mission and its legacy to be a steadfast supporter of numerous noteworthy causes that promote Filipino talents in the global arena.

Among their projects that further this cause is the Original Pinoy Music movement, Dreams Get Real, which helps aspiring artists thrive in the competitive music industry.

McJim affirms this, saying, “McJim supports different talented Filipinos in different fields who have the potential to shine in the international scene.”

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

C5

GLOBE TELECOM BRINGS DISNEY PIXAR’S ‘INSIDE OUT’ CLOSER TO FILIPINOS At the back of its comprehensive and multiyear collaboration with global iconic brand Disney, the country’s leading mobile brand Globe Telecom ups the ante in providing its customers access to exclusive theatrical releases by bringing Disney Pixar’s Inside Out first and closer to Filipino audience.

Co-written and co-directed by Filipino filmmaker Ronnie Del Carmen, Inside Out tells the story of Riley (voiced by Kaitlyn Dias) and the emotions that drive her reactions to everyday life. The team of emotions consists of Joy (Amy Poehler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Anger (Lewis Black), Fear (Bill Hader), and Disgust (Mindy Kaling) who all work together to ensure that Riley lives a happy, fun, and safe life. However, things get a little more complicated when Joy and Sadness are thrown out of the headquarters in Riley’s mind and onto their own adventures of self-discovery, leaving Anger, Fear, and Disgust to man the wheels of Riley’s emotions.

As part of its partnership with Disney to give customers access to exclusive movie experiences and in support of celebrating Filipino pride with Del Carmen’s Hollywood success, Globe is giving its customers the chance to win tickets to exclusive block screenings via the Globe Big Screen Raffle Promo. All Globe mobile, Tattoo, and TM customers can join the raffle by simply subscribing to any GoSURF promo.

Open until Aug. 26, all Globe mobile, Tattoo, and TM customers can register to any GoSURF data plan in order to join the Globe Big Screen Raffle promo. Customers automatically earn raffle entries corresponding to the GoSURF plan availed. For example, customers who purchased GoSURF10 will earn the equivalent of 10 raffle entries for the promo. To know more about GoSURF promos, they can text GOSURF to 8888.

Customers must VALIDATE their raffle entries by texting BIGSCREEN REG (customer name)/(customer address) to 2346.

Registering to the Globe Big Screen Raffle Promo is FREE. “Our customers can continue to enjoy our affiliation with Disney with another exclusive movie experience, this time featuring Disney Pixar’s Inside Out, another sure hit among Filipino moviegoers. We are also honored to show our support for Filipino talents like Ronnie Del Carmen who is putting the Philippines in the global map with his amazing work for Inside Out,” says Jil Go, vice president for Content at Globe.

For more information on the Globe Big Screen Raffle Promo, customers can visit the website at http://www.globe.com.ph/surf/ inside-out or they can text MOVIE to 2346.

Winners will be drawn on Aug. 18 and 26, and will receive two tickets each for the special block screenings on Aug. 22 ( SM Megamall), Aug. 23, (Trinoma), and Aug. 29 (Glorietta).

M ONDAY : AUGUST 17, 2015

C6

SHOWBITZ

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

isahred @ gmail.com

EXTRAORDINARY ALEXA

An old photo of Manuel L. Quezon

Alden Richards is Sunday PinaSaya’s big come on

JOSEPH PETER GONZALES

BY ROBBIE PANGILINAN

AiAi de las Alas glad she has more projects now at the Kapuso network

Arnold Reyes feels honored to be cast as Manuel L. Quezon

ALDEN: A BIG COME ON FOR ‘SUNDAY PINASAYA’ Ai Ai delas Alas strongly believes that Alden Richards is a huge come-on for their latest Sunday variety program titled Sunday PinaSaya the recent pilot episode of which garnered high ratings.

“It’s his moment at this point!” she says. “No one can question the popularity of his AlDub love team with Yaya Dub or Maine Mendoza in Eat Bulaga. It’s simply phenomenal. He is really a great help and asset to our new show considering not only his mass appeal but artistic talents as well.”

The Comedy Concert Queen is happy for Alden’s current success.

“I always tell him that. My initial encounter with him after I moved to GMA, I found him to be very kind and unassuming. I told him right away that he will become a big star because of his good attitude. I instantly saw the determination in him to fulfill his showbiz dream.

“Baby Boy (her term of endearment for Alden) also shared to me that it was his late mom who encouraged him to try the ‘biz. At first, he was hesitant. But when the mother passed away, he made it as his motivation to further his craft and dedicated all his efforts and triumph to her. That’s the reason why

Alden is so hardworking. You don’t hear him complain. He’s tops!”

As for her own career, Ai Ai is very happy with how it goes at present.

“Honestly, I’m grateful to God for all the blessings He showers me with.

Since I moved to the Kapuso lot, projects keep on pouring in. It’s continuous and follows a natural flow.

After Let the Love Begin, the management cast me in Sunday PinaSaya.

There are still a lot of plans for new shows which excite me no end.

“I’m also slated to do a movie opposite Bosing Vic (Sotto). It’s under APT Films and is intended for the 2105 Metro Manila Film Festival.

Alden’s also part of the project after he inked a contract with the said film outfit recently,” she ends.

HHHHH Character actor Arnold Reyes is both happy and proud to breathe life to the late President Manuel L. Quezon in the re-staging of the play MLQ: Ang Buhay ni Manuel Luis Quezon, Isang Dula, which runs starting Aug. 19 at the new KIA Theater in Cubao.

“Oh yes!” he avers. “Actually, I’m alternating with Gian Magdangal in the role. It’s an honor to be part of this grand production. If you will remember, this was first staged in

CROSSWORD PUZZLE 42 43 45 47 48 49 50 53 54 58 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 ANSWER FOR PREVIOUS PUZZLE ACROSS 1 Tip one’s hat 5 Mural base 10 — 1 (speed of sound) 14 Indigo plant 15 Luncheonette lure 16 Melville novel 17 LP player (hyph.)

18 Not hold back (3 wds.)

20 Porch adjuncts 22 Mr. Hammarskjold

23 24 26 27 30 34 35 36 37 38 40 41

Dromedary stops Kitchen gadget Pumper’s pride Made driving hazardous Abate Whole lot Trunk or torso Flood control Technical sch.

Cover story Hyper ending Use sparingly

Way out Rudder control Hung freely “La Mer” composer Get — of that junk!

Zenith opposite Sporty fabric Worthless coin Iffy attempts Pine product Emmy relative “Sting like — —” Brawl weapons Longest arm bone Cabbage unit Highest point Turner and Koppel

DOWN 1 Dit partners 2 I’m working — —!

3 Drum’s companion 4 Most pert 5 Muffle 6 Eaten away 7 Up to now (2 wds.)

8 Metro haze 9 Galley mover 10 Bog 11 Cookie man 12 Rum partner

2009, during the 70th anniversary of the founding of Quezon City. This year, as the premiere city is celebrating its 75th founding anniversary, and to commemorate the 137th birth anniversary of President Quezon, the play is brought back.”

This time around, the play, which is under the helm of renowned director and playwright George de Jesus is more catered to the studentry.

“That’s right! It is in adherence to the QC government’s priority to education by providing an option on alternative learning through theater arts production. The production will be a free-viewing experience for all public schools in QC. I think it’s a nice move from the QC government to have this seen by students. After all, it hopes to serve as a catalyst for people to have better awareness and appreciation of the life of the First President of the Philippine Commonwealth.”

Interestingly, the play’s reboot has a twist: it is not a period production all throughout.

“The story is from the point of view of three contemporary students. There will also be a great number of musical parts. It will surely be a wonderful treat to the audience,” Arnold states.

MONDAY, AUGUST 17, 2015

13 19 21 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 35 39 40 42 44 46 47 49 50 51 52 53 55 56 57 59 60

Whacks weeds Bonilla or Bonds Overindulge At ease Looked at the books Eavesdropped Sri — Ruhr Valley city Kind of story Goddesses’ statues Valleys Polishing agent Small amount Jar’s need Say without thinking (2 wds.)

“Forget” a letter Wading bird Complained ceaselessly Unnerves Boom-box issue Nile god Garage service Environs Use a spoon Ready, willing and — Wrap tightly Octopus habitats Gridiron div.

PST minus 3

She is beautiful and healthy.

She is talented and intelligent.

And she has international education that makes her a cut above the rest.

Alexandra Chloe Valentine Guzman, better known as Alexa in the showbiz world, can act, sing, dance, and write scripts. She finished her Business Administration degree from the Centennial College in Scarborough, Canada. She also studied acting for film and theatre at the Toronto Film School (TFS) in Canada.

“Before I went to TFS, I didn’t know what I wanted, I wasn’t sure about myself. I used to change my mind every single day. Finding my passion in acting changed my life completely. Now I am committed, and 100 percent sure that being an actress is going to be my life,” says the 22-year-old.

Alexa admits that being in training at the Toronto Film School changed her life completely.

“I am now more confident with myself and happier with

my life. I used to be really shy when I was little; I couldn’t speak to people I don’t know. I couldn’t even introduce myself or say my name to people I’d meet the first time,” she grins.

Helping boost her self-confidence is her trusted skin care brand YSA Skin Care Experts, particularly the GlutaMAX soap, which was awarded the Superbrands Philippines’ Choice distinction for being a High-Quality and Proven Effective Brand. GlutaMAX is an advanced and safe product that has premium skin lightening essentials, formulated and tested by a trusted dermatologist.

GlutaMAX offers a complete product line that compliments each function. All the products address the skin darkening problems that were acquired in either a natural way or otherwise. GlutaMAX gently lightens uneven skin tone and discoloration. It nourishes the skin to improve overall texture and restore youthful vibrancy. And Alexa has experienced this since she started using the soap.

Alexa is now sure she wants to be an actress

M ONDAY : AUGUST 17, 2015

SHOWBITZ

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

isahred @ gmail.com

C7

SITTI’S HIGHLY ANTICIPATED ALBUM From C8

Sitti has successfully made her indelible mark in the music industry as the Philippines’ one and only bossa nova queen. She amazes the audience with her cool performance that makes her a sought-after artist here and abroad.

Almost a decade since the release of her double platinum album Café Bossa, she’ll revive it with Singles Bossa Nova Trio. It was a one-day, live recording session done al fresco at a house in Rizal with guitarist Erskine Basilio and percussionist Diego Martinez.

The tracks include some of the most popular Sitti singles which were given a fresh twist like “Girl From Ipanema,” “Tattooed On My Mind,” and “Para Sa Akin” with other favorites like “Sunday Morning,” “I Want It That Way,” “To Forget You,” and “La La Means I Love You,” to name a few.

Her carrier single “Ligaya” defines her life right now as a happily married woman. The song is also about her husband, Joey Ramirez, and is the most special among the songs she has ever written. Other originals are “Answers” and “All I Ever Wanted.”

Indeed, Sitti finds happiness being married and it reflects in her new album. Sitti hopes that fans would like Singles Bossa Nova Trio and support her just like before.

Singles Bossa Nova Trio is now available on CDs at Astroplus, Astrovision, and Odyssey outlets. It is available for download on Spinnr and iTunes. It can also be streamed on Spinnr, Apple Music, Spotify, Deezer and Guvera.

Sitti is a Backroom artist. For inquiries, call Backroom Inc at 4351108, 4351120 and 9280717 or email us at backroominc@

Animax gives its audience the anime series they love to watch

TEENS FIGHT EVIL IN ANIME SERIES

Sitti collaborates with Eskine Basilio and Diego Martinez in her new album

hotmail.com. Like Backroom Inc. on facebook at www.facebook. com/backroominc and or follow Backroom Inc. on twitter at www. twitter.com/BackroomArtists HHHHH BIGGER PRIZES WITH KAPUSO KOMBO PANALO 2015 This year, GMA Network’s Kapuso Kombo Panalo proof-of-purchase promo will be bigger, giving away as much as P50,000 cash (tax-free) to a weekly grand prize winner.

In addition, 56 weekly winners

will each have a chance to win P5,000.00 cash. Along with these cash prizes, there will be 16 weekly winners of Kombo Packages – Eskwela, Appliance, or Grocery packages worth P10,000.

Kapuso Kombo Panalo drop boxes are now in all GMA and RGMA stations nationwide. Promo runs until Sept. 19.

For more details, see posters or go to the official Facebook page of Kapuso Kombo Panalo www. facebook.com/kombo.

A 12-episode anime series, Mekakucity Actors is produced

by Shaft in collaboration with Aniplex of America and 1st PLACE. Based on Jin’s Kagerou Project, the series is directed by Akiyuki Shinbo.

After living in solitude for years, a NEET named Shintaro is led back into the outside world by a mysterious female character who infiltrates his computer and causes a breakdown. Desperate to fix his beloved computer, he heads to a department store and in one fateful moment he is thrown into a life of action and crime-fighting adventure.

A group of criminals break in and hold shoppers hostage.

Among the crowd happens to be a group of teenagers who call themselves “Mekakushi Dan” (or the Blindfold Gang).

Wielding powers using their eyes, they are able to stop the criminals from carrying out their evil plans and force Shintaro to join them.

Witness how this young man adjusts and flourishes in his new life this August in Animax.

Mekakucity Actors premieres Aug. 18 at 10 p.m., Monday and Tuesday, two episodes back to back, first and exclusively on Animax Asia.

Animax is seen on SKYCable Channel 46, Cignal Digital TV Channel 34 and Dream Channel 7.

PLDT HOME FORTIFIES LEADERSHIP IN FIXED BROADBAND Leading home digital services provider PLDT HOME has strengthened its leadership in fixed broadband with a commanding market share of over 70 percent in the first half of the year as it boosted its broadband service with an array of digital services.

Total PLDT HOME fixed broadband customers grew by 15 percent as of end-June, adding two times more subscribers than competition in the second quarter of the year. Revenue is seen to further grow with the aggressive push of high-end Fibr plans.

“PLDT HOME’s fixed broadband has continuously maintained its industry leadership with its significant array of new digital services and compelling content, providing entertainment to customers everywhere, whether they are at home or away from home,” said PLDT EVP and Head of Consumer Business Group Ariel P. Fermin.

PLDT is the first telco to offer Quadplay in the country. It is the innovative bundling offer where mobile services are packaged

Ariel Fermin, PLDT EVP and Head of Consumer Business Group, is glad PLDT Home is doing good business

with voice, data, and cable television, providing connectivity everywhere. Fitch industry research unit, BMI Research, said in a recent report that the quadplay service will potentially boost PLDT revenues.

“With Quadplay, we are once more leveraging our integrated approach to connectivity as our data, voice, and Cignal over fiber services are packaged with a mobile bundle. This further solidifies our leadership in the broadband market,” Fermin pointed out.

“The quadplay service will reinforce the trusted benefits of PLDT HOME brands.

With this offer, we will be able to offer our customers a one-stop shop for all their communications and multimedia needs, enabling them to experience a richer digital lifestyle,” he added.

PLDT HOME has also beefed up its content by partnering with global providers.

One of the content partnerships launched in the second quarter of 2015 was with iflix, Southeast Asia’s leading Internet TV service with more than 11,000 hours of top shows and movies from the best content providers around the world, including top Hollywood, European, Asian, and even local studios.

Another recently-launched partnership was with Fox International Channels, a

global entertainment company and Asia Pacific’s leading broadcaster. This content partnership provides PLDT HOME and Smart subscribers with subscription videoon-demand (SVOD), as well as live shows and catch-up television on the various Fox channels.

“With this exclusive partnership with iflix, PLDT HOME and Smart subscribers can now enjoy unlimited entertainment wherever they are across the broadest range of devices – from smartphones, tablets, laptops, desktop computers, to TV screens – at a very low price, starting at P99 per month,” Fermin said. “We are also delighted to deliver a wide range of educational, sports, lifestyle, and movie content from Fox that will suit the entertainment wants and needs of our customers whenever and wherever they are.”

PLDT’s robust fixed and wireless networks enable the delivery of new services that meet the digital lifestyle needs of its subscribers.

This is supported by the country’s most expansive fiber optic network, spanning more than 100,000 kilometers.

M ONDAY : AUGUST 17, 2015

C8

ISAH V. RED EDITOR isahred @ gmail.com

SHOWBITZ ANNE CURTIS IN

‘THE FORBIDDEN CONCERT ROUND 2: ANNEKAPAL’ ISAH V. RED Casino Filipino patrons will have the chance to watch in her hit show The Forbidden Concert Round 2: Annekapal at Casino Filipino (CF) Angeles on Aug. 20.

This is Anne’s second successful concert after Annebisyosa: No Other Concert in 2012. The actress and TV host is expected to entertain the audience with her repertoire of high-pitched songs and grand production numbers.

Anne’s The Forbidden Concert is also one of the highlights of CF Angeles’ grand launch of its new tagline – @CFA We Never Stop…

– on that day.

According to the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation’s (PAGCOR’s) Assistant VP for Entertainment Bong Quintana, Anne’s upcoming concert at CF

¼ featuring quality shows have proven to increase customer attendance in CF Angeles.

Anne Curtis proves to critics that one doesn’t have to be musically gifted to be in a concert that becomes a biG hit

Angeles is one of the biggest shows ever staged by the state-owned gaming firm for Casino Filipino’s loyal patrons.

“Anne Curtis embodies what top-rate entertainment is all about – fun, exciting at lume-level-up.

Her show promises a lot of fun and surprises. Audience should expect the unexpected during her concert in Casino Filipino Angeles,” Quintana said.

The Annekapal concert is the first among the big celebrity shows to be held in CF Angeles during the second half of 2015.

“We want to ensure that we give our patrons only the best. So we lined-up big names in the entertainment offerings of CF Angeles in the remaining months of this year,” Quintana added.

Meanwhile, CF Angeles Branch Manager Redentor Rivera cited that showcasing big artists at CF Angeles is one of the branch’s ways of bringing its entertainment and gaming offerings to new heights.

“With the launch of our new tagline, @CFA We Never Stop…, we hope to make CF Angeles a one-stop-venue for gaming, leisure and entertainment in the North. Part of this is to offer topnotch celebrity shows like Anne Curtis’ Forbidden Concert for our patrons,” said Rivera.

Rivera added that featuring quality shows have proven to increase customer attendance in CF Angeles. “Our celebrity shows have drawn potential patrons to Casino Filipino Angeles. Customer attendance increases from 3,000 up to 5,000 per night when there are celebrity performances,” he said.

Rivera added that with the upcoming shows of famous celebrities, the number of patrons flocking to CF Angeles is expected to further increase.

The Forbidden Concert Round 2: Annekapal will be held at the Celebration and Entertainment Center of Casino Filipino Angeles on McArthur Highway, Balibago Angeles City, Pampanga.

The show starts at 9:00 p.m. and or inquiries, please call CF Angeles’ customer hotline at (045) 625-7604 or the Branch Marketing and Entertainment Section at (045) 625-7597 local 218, 219 and 311. Continued on C7