The Standard - 2015 October 15 - Thursday by Manila Standard

VOL. XXIX NO. 245 3 Sections 32 Pages P18 THURSDAY : OCTOBER 15, 2015 www.thestandard.com.ph editorial@thestandard.com.ph

‘Santiago to choose Marcos as VP bet’

POLL: VOTERS WILL Standard POLL JUNK BBL BACKERS The

Opinion on candidates running for election and their stand on the BBL

NATIONWIDE METRO MLA. N./C. LUZON S. LUZON/BICOL VISAYAS MINDANAO 18-34

By Joyce P. Pañares

MOST Filipino voters said they will not choose candidates who support the government’s proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law, results of the second The Standard Poll showed. The survey, conducted by resident pollster Junie Laylo from Sept. 21 to Oct. 1, had 1,500 respondents, all of whom are registered voters with biometrics from 76 provinces across the

35-55 56 & above

country and the 17 cities in the National Capital Region. At least 64 percent of the respondents said they will “choose a candidate who does not support the BBL” while only 35 percent said they will “choose a candidate who supports the BBL.” Voters from the Visayas posted the highest percentage of opposition to candidates who will back the measure, with 78 percent saying they will choose politicians who will not support the BBL. It was only in Mindanao that 54 percent of the respondents said they will choose candidates who will support the BBL. The survey also showed that 51 percent of Filipino voters

The

Standard

POLL

want the BBL scrapped while only 16 percent said the measure should be passed without changing any of its provisions. At least 33 percent of the respondents said some provisions of the proposed BBL should be changed. The original version of the BBL seeks to create a new juridical entity to be called Bangsamoro which will replace thea Autonomous Region in Muslim Next page Mindanao.

Hostages. This video posted by the Abu Sayyaf shows Canadians Robert Hall and John Ridsdel, Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad, and Filipina Maritess Flor who were kidnapped from the upscale Holiday Oceanview Marina on Samal Island on Sept. 21 and then brought to Sulu. MARK NAVALES

Bandits release video of 4 kidnap victims THREE foreigners and a Filipina kidnapped last month in Mindanao have appeared in a video posted online, making demands for the Islamic militants who abducted them. Gunmen raided a luxury marina near Davao on Septe. 21, abducting the Norwegian owner of the resort, two Canadian tourists and one of

their girlfriends. No group immediately claimed responsibility but the video uploaded on YouTube on Monday appeared to confirm it was the Abu Sayyaf, which has a long history of kidnappings-for-ransom. In the video, the three foreigners appealed for Philippine authorities to halt military assaults against the gunmen.

The hostages were sitting on the ground, surrounded by at least eight men holding high-powered machine guns. One man also held a large knife. After the three foreigners spoke, one of the gunmen, with a scarf and sunglasses completely covering his face, spoke in English, repeating his demand for a halt to military operations against them. Next page

Binay hits ‘undeclared military rule’ in PH

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Metro Manilans slam ‘coding’ By Adelle Chua

EIGHTY-SIX percent of Metro Manila residents and thirty-eight percent of urban dwellers in the country are dissatisfied with the traffic situation even as they reject the abolition of the number coding scheme and the Metro Manila Development Authority, and the installation of a traffic czar. This is according to the latest The Standard Poll conducted between Sept. 21 and

Oct. 1 this year, by this newspaper’s resident pollster, Junie Laylo. Laylo polled 1,500 Filipino voters with biometric registration from 76 provinces around the country. Three hundred respondents each were interviewed from the National Capital Region, Northern and Central Luzon, Southern Luzon and Bicol, Visayas and Mindanao. Among the 300 Metro Manila residents who were interviewed, 93 percent were dissatisfied with 2 percent very satisfied and 6 percent somewhat satisfied with the traffic.

Traffic has been a major complaint among city dwellers especially Metro Manila in the past few months, with the navigation application Waze tagging Metro Manila as having the worst traffic on Earth, based on its 2015 Global Satisfaction Index. Waze also said the Philippines is the ninth worst place to drive on. According to The Standard Poll, 24 percent and 45 percent of urban residents were somewhat dissatisfied and very dissatisfied with the traffic, respectively. Urban residents made up 41 percent of

the total number interviewed. Net nationwide satisfaction with traffic was 1 percent. Aside from Metro Manila, Northern and Central Luzon also expressed dismay with the traffic situation, with -24 satisfaction rating. Southern Luzon and Bicol residents had -4. Visayans were happiest with their own traffic situation/traffic in the city nearest them, with +36 net satisfaction. Seventy-five percent of NCR respondents also disagree with abolishing the Metro Manila Development

Agreement with proposals to abolish the MMDA (Asked only in NCR)

Bandits... From A1 He said once the military operations stopped, the kidnappers would be prepared to start negotiations for the hostages’ freedom. In all other Abu Sayyaf kidnappings of foreigners, the group has demanded and often received large sums of money for the release of its captives. The Canadians abducted were John Ridsdel, 68, and Robert Hall, 50, and the Norwegian resort owner was Kjartan Sekkingstad, 56. Hall’s girlfriend, Marites Flor, was also abducted. She did not speak in the video. Authorities had previously said they did not know if the Abu Sayyaf was behind the abductions, nor where the hostages were being held. This was despite security analysts saying it was almost certain the Abu Sayyaf was responsible, and that the victims were being held on Jolo island,

the group’s stronghold. In the video, Ridsdel referred specifically to nearby artillery fire and to overhead flights. Asked to comment on the demands, the regional military spokesman for the area, Capt. Antonio Bulao said troops had conducted an assault that included artillery fire against an Abu Sayyaf leader on Jolo on Oct. 8. Bulao, spokesman for the Western Mindanao command, said the assault was aimed at Radullan Sahiron, who is on the US government’s list of most wanted terrorists. Sahiron was involved in the kidnappings of three Americans in 2001 from a resort in the southwestern Philippines, according to a US government website, which offers a $1 million reward for bringing him to justice. One of the Americans was beheaded. Bulao said Sahiron was believed to be currently holding a Dutch birdwatcher kidnapped from Mindanao in 2012, as well as two unnamed Filipinos.

The Abu Sayyaf is holding three other foreigners, a Korean and two Malaysians, military officials said. An Abu Sayyaf leader appeared online last year pledging allegiance to Islamic State. But Philippine authorities and security analysts say the group has little religious ideology, and is primarily concerned with getting money through kidnappings. The Palace said the government’s goal was to ensure the safe release of all the hostages taken from Samal Island. Despite the release of the video, the Armed Forces declined to say where the hostages were being held, saying that divulging any information could jeopardize the lives of the kidnap victims. “The positive thing that we derived from this video is that the kidnap victims are in good health,” said Armed Forces spokesman Col. Restituto Padilla. Padilla reiterated the government policy not to negotiate with the kidnappers. Florante S. Solmerin, AFP, PNA

Authority, the agency mandated to manage the traffic situation in the metropolis. Broken down into socio-economic classes, those belonging to the D group disagree with abolishing the MMDA with -58, with 79 percent disagreeing and 21 percent agreeing. Meanwhile, 63 percent of Metro Manila residents belonging to socio-economic classes ABC do not want the MMDA abolished. Fifteen percent of this group, however, strongly agree with the proposal, with 22 percent somewhat agreeing.

Poll... From A1 Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has submitted a substitute version of the BBL which amended 80 percent of its provisions, including the expansion of the composition of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority to include the Moro National Liberation Front. The BTA will serve as the interim government once the BBL is ratified in Congress and through a plebiscite. In the Palace version of the BBL, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front will lead the transition body, with no specific mention of the MNLF. At the House of Representatives, the ad hoc committee working on the original version of the BBL struck down 28 items, including provisions on natural resources as well as those in the preamble, prompting MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal to warn that the move will dilute the BBL and defeat the efforts of the government and the MILF at concluding a peace agreement. The survey also showed an increase in the demand for the BBL plebiscite to be conducted nationwide at 61 percent, instead of only in the areas covered by the proposed Bangsamoro territory. In the first The Standard Poll, Filipino voters were still split on the plebiscite issue. The Standard Poll has error margins of +/- 2.6 percent for the national results and +/- 6 percent for the regional results. All regions were represented in the survey. Laylo, The Standard’s in-house pollster, has 25 years of experience in political polling and strategic research. Despite the delay in the passage of the BBL, the Palace said it will be premature to certify the measure as urgent because it is still undergoing interpellation in Congress. Discussions on the Malacañang-drafted BBL suffered delays after the Jan. 25 Mamasapano tragedy, which resulted in the deaths of 44 police commandos at the hands of MILF members and other private armed groups protecting Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir alias Marwan who was also killed during the operation. President Benigno Aquino III earlier warned that the decadesold conflict in Mindanao will continue if the BBL is not passed. “If the BBL is not passed, the cycle of conflict will continue, and our sisters and brothers in Mindanao will continue to sink in the quagmire of poverty,” Aquino said. The MNLF on Wednesday denied that it has formed an alliance with the MILF to improve the chances of the BBL being passed, saying such reports were just “mere propaganda.” MNLF spokesman Absalom Cerveza said the MNLF never establish an alliance with the MILF purposely to rally behind the passage of the BBL among the Muslim community in Mindanao. Earlier, MILF chairman Murad Ibrahim and former Cotabato City Mayor Muslimen Sema, head of the Council of 15, a breakaway faction of the MNLF, said the two groups were united to rally behind the BBL. “We vehemently deny that the MNLF joined with the MILF. The one who joined was the group of Muslimen Sema or the council of 15. They are no longer MNLF. They have been taken out of the roster,” Cerveza said. He said the group of Sema has created their own organization after they broke from the MNLF. With Francisco Tuyay and Lance Baconguis

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Lacson slams LP for ‘veiled threats’ SENATORIAL aspirant Panfilo Lacson on Wednesday slammed the ruling Liberal Party for what he described as its “veiled threats” to the guest candidates it had adopted. “No need for veiled threats,” said Lacson who served as a senator for 12 years and was head of the Philippine National Police during the presidency of Joseph Estrada. LP spokesman Marikina City Rep. Romero Quimbo on Tuesday said the senatorial bets of the administration coalition could be adopted by other political groups, but could share the campaign stage only with Senator Manuel Roxas II and his running mate Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo. Quimbo was quoted in some reports as saying the “Roxas-Robredo only” clause was made clear to the LP’s 12 senatorial bets, including guest candidate Lacson. Lacson said he had discussed with Roxas and Senator Grace Poe what he had committed to do and not to do when he agreed to be adopted by them. “I value my word as I value my integrity and honor. I need not be told and, worse, in the manner of a veiled threat,what people want to project,” he said. On Monday, Lacson filed his certificate of candidacy before the Commission on Elections as an independent candidate. However, he agreed to be adopted as a senatorial bet by the three leading presidential candidates. Macon Ramos-Araneta

Presidential candidate. Joseph Florencio Urqia, 66, becomes emotional after filing his certificate of candidacy for President at the Comelec offices in Manila on Wednesday. Jansen Romero

‘Santiago eyeing Marcos for 2016’ ILOCOS Norte Gov. Imee Marcos on Wednesday acknowledged that Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago is considering her brother, Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr., as her possible running mate in the 2016 elections. Santiago announced her plan to run for President on Tuesday, the day she said she would have a vice president who had already declared his intention to run for the second highest elective position. “Senator Miriam indicated that it is Bongbong she likes and that he had already filed [his certificate of candidacy], and that surprised and elated me,” Imee said. She made her statement even as two vice presidential aspirants on

Wednesday denied they were the ones being alluded to as Santiago’s possible running mates in next year’s elections. Senators Antonio Trillanes IV and Alan Peter Cayetano said they hadn’t talked to Santiago about the possibility of running with her in 2016. Speaking at the Provincial Capitol after the presentation of the capture of one of Ilocos Norte’s four most wanted persons, Imee

Marcos noted that her brother Ferdinand had always been “one of the favorite people of Senator Santiago in the Senate.” She expressed her gratitude to all the Ilocanos who had shown their support to her brother’s bid for the vice presidency. Marcos Jr. announced his plan to run for vice president in Intramuros, Manila, on Oct. 10, but does not have a presidential candidate to run with him. Marcos on Wednesday said he was banking on his extensive experience in the executive department to convince the voters to elect him. “I know most of them [his rivals for the vice presidency] and cer-

tainly they are qualified to run for the post, but I’m the only one who served as an elected official in the executive department, for one,” Marcos said. Marcos started his career in the public service when he was elected vice governor of Ilocos Norte in 1981. Three years later he was elected governor of the province. He served as representative of Ilocos Norte’s second district from 1992 to 1995, and then again as Ilocos Norte’s governor from 1998 to 2007. He then again served as Ilocos Norte’s representative from 2007 to 2010, and then was elected senator. Macon Ramos-Araneta

Poe, Escudero to file, name senatorial bets Briefing. Weather forecaster Aldczar Aurelio points to a tropical storm outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility that could enter the country during a media briefing on Wednesday. Lino SAntoS

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SENATORS Grace Poe and Francis Escudero are scheduled to file their certificates of candidacy today even as their camp is expected to announce its senatorial lineup— including Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez and four bets from the ruling Liberal Party. A highly-placed source said that, Romualdez aside, the 12 candidates will include Senator Vicente Sotto III, Valenzuela City Rep. Win Gatchalian, House Deputy Minority Leader and Bayan Muna partylist Rep. Neri Colmenares, Manila Vice Mayor Francisco Domagoso or Isko Moreno, former Senators Richard Gordon and Juan Miguel Zubiri, and Pasig City Rep. Ro-

man Romulo. The source said the Poe-Escudero tandem may also adopt other LP senatorial bets like Technical Education and Skills Development Authority Director-General Joel Villanueva, former Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla, Senator Ralph Recto, and ex-Senator Panfilo Lacson. “These names are being seriously considered now and they are likely to form the senatorial candidates of Team Grace-Chiz,” the source said. “The forming of the grand unity ticket will be a significant step towards national unity,” the source said. Maricel V. Cruz

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Binay hits govt harassment By Joel E. Zurbano, Vito Barcelo and Rey E. Requejo THE camp of Vice President Jejomar Binay denounced what they described as “undeclared Martial Law” Wednesday after government agents with police escorts went to the home of ousted Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay Jr. to serve his dismissal order from the Office of the Ombudsman.

Full force of the law. Makati City policemen escort officials of the Department of the Interior and Local Government to serve a copy of the Ombudsman’s dismissal order against Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay Jr. The Binay camp hit the operation as being akin to “an undeclared Martial Law.”

Tolentino files Senate bid By Sara D. Fabunan, John Paolo Bencito and Maricel V. Cruz

DESPITE the twerking “Playgirls” controversy that forced him to withdraw from the Liberal Party slate, Francis Tolentino filed his certificate of candidacy for senator at the Commission on Elections office in Intramuros, Manila Wednesday. Tolentino, who was also forced to resign as Metro Manila Development Administration chief, was accompanied by hundreds of supporters holding banners of support. “[The Twerking Playgirls incident] is already over. I already issued an apology on bended knees and with all humility. I even asked that I be delisted from the Liberal Party senatorial slate. I even asked that I be considered resigned effective immediately,” he said.

“Maybe that should be closed already. Let’s move forward,” Tolentino told the reporters. “I’d like to talk on substance. I’d like to talk on problems of urbanization. I’d like to talk on how to upgrade and improve the local government code. I’d like to talk about public international law and how it will affect issues concerning Spratlys and the West Philippine Sea. I’d like to talk about that,” said Tolentino, who is running as an independent. But the Gabriela Women’s Party continued to assail Tolentino for the incident and said “a lewd public official has no place in public service.” “He does not deserve to be voted as a legislator. He will be a lawmaker, lawbreaker,” Gabriela party-list Rep. Luz Ilagan told The Standard after Tolentino filed his certificate of candidacy. “What does he mean by ‘moving on’?” Ilagan asked. “I also heard him say that we should tackle more ‘sub-

stantial’ issues.” “Moving on for him is setting aside and forgetting his sins. He is trivializing his serious lapse,” Ilagan pointed out. “That goes to show that he has a different set of priorities and values. He therefore does not consider respect for women as substantial. He thinks exploiting women and commodifying their bodies as part of the political agenda, “ Ilagan said. Arlene Brosas, executive director of Akap Sa Bata Philippines, also hit Tolentino for his supposed lack of delicadeza [propriety] in running for senator. “We filed a complaint against Tolentino for the violation of RA 6730 or the Magna Carta for Women. We just cannot understand why he isn’t ashamed— now he’s planning to run as Senator even as an independent—as if nothing happened. Public apology isn’t enough,” Brosas said.

“The opposition’s hands are tied with yellow ribbons,” said lawyer Rico Quicho, the vice president’s spokesman for political affairs. “It’s Martial Law without officially declaring it. This is an outright disrespect of the Constitution.” The Binays also accused the Department of Interior and Local Government of harassment, since the decision can still be appealed. “First, Mayor Junjun Binay is still suspended. Second, there’s still time to file a motion for reconsideration with the Ombudsman, and the order is not yet final and executory, and third, legal experts says there is a process for an appeal and fourth, there is no final judgement from the court,” Quicho said. He also questioned the Ombudsman’s “express lane” treatment of cases involving the Binays as opposed to the DILG’s special and favorable treatment of members of the Liberal Party and other allies of President Benigno Aquino III. Joey Salgado, spokesman of Mayor Binay, said at 8:30 a.m., a convoy of cars from the DILG and mobile patrols from the Makati City police arrived at the mayor’s house to serve an order that he had already received. “What they did caused alarm as the neighbors rushed to the scene. Later they learned that it was only about the dismissal order that Mayor Junjun had already received from the Ombudsman,” said Salgado, who described DILG personnel as “over-acting.” He said what happened was a clear act of harassment. “It’s obvious they want to send a message that the administration is the enemy of the Binay family.” Last week, the Ombudsman ordered the dismissal of the mayor, citing irregularities in the bidding and construction of the Makati City Hall Building II. Binay lawyers maintained that the allegations against the Binays are baseless and politically motivated. They said allegations that the Makati City Hall Building II was overpriced had no factual or legal basis, and were made as part of an organized demolition campaign against the vice president, who was the leading candidate for the 2016 presidential polls. The Ombudsman acted on the complaint filed by two former village captains—Renato Bondal and Nicolas Enciso—claiming that the construction of New Makati City parking building was overpriced by P1.3 billion. Bondal, who ran but lost to Binay in the last elections, claimed the building was the most expensive parking building in the entire country.

Military scores NPA extortion By Lance Baconguis CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY—Army officials in Mindanao warned the public against the serious consequences of agreeing to pay the fees the communist New People’s Army imposes so that candidates can campaign or even win in their territories. “Since aspiring politicians are being forced to pay these amounts to the NPA, they may think of getting back the same amount from the public funds that will be entrusted in their office if they win in the election,” said Maj. Gen. Oscar Lactao, commander of the army’s Fourth Infantry Division. Lactao explained that the NPA imposes a fee for a “permit to campaign” so that they can campaign safely in areas where they have a presence. The NPA also imposes a fee for a “permit to win” so that they can peaceably implement their campaign promises.

But the so-called PTC & PTW are illegal and not sanctioned by our legitimate and duly established government, Lactao said. It is a violation of Section 10 Paragraph C of Article IX of the 1987 Constitution that states that “bona fide candidates for any public office shall be free from any form of harassment and discrimination.” The practice also breeds corruption because officials may be tempted to dip their fingers in the public coffers if they are elected. “PTC & PTW violates our right of suffrage and makes our electoral process a laughing stock because it is the exact opposite of having a democratic government that is a government by the people, of the people and for the people. “For the NPAs, the more politicians the dupe, the more money they collect, more opportunities to sow threat. Graft and corruption would be rampant.” Lactao said.

Another journey begins.

Lawyer Harry Roque shows the certificate of candidacy for senator he filed at the Commission on Elections office in Intramuros, Manila Wednesday. EY ACASIO

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Marikina city council slams lumad killings By John Paolo Bencito

Marikeños stand for lumad. The Marikina City Council, led by Vice Mayor Jose Fabian Cadiz, has approved a resolution condemning the series of lumad killings in Mindanao. The resolution was a result of the strong lobby initiated by the militant group Bayan and principally sponsored by Councilor Joseph Banzon. John PAolo BenCito

House to fight for tax cuts By Maricel V. Cruz The house of Representatives will fight ‘til the end for the proposed measure adjusting the levels of taxable income to inflation, house Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, Jr. said. Belmonte said Wednesday that the leaders of the House of representatives and the senate will meet again with President Benigno Aquino iii to try to convince the latter to support the proposal. Belmonte, in a text message, said that he and senate President Franklin drilon will meet the President this month. “senate President drilon is currently abroad. But we may schedule the meeting with President Aquino during this [Congress] break [which is from Oct. 10 to nov. 2,” Belmonte said. Belmonte said he believes now is the right time to adjust the tax bracket to inflation to increase the take home pay of ordinary workers. “With this proposal, we are [only] giving the applicable value

of these things at the time the national internal revenue Code was approved [in 1997],” Belmonte said, noting that the proposal has a fight chance at the Lower House. this developed as Marikina rep. Miro Quimbo, chair of the House Committee on Ways and Means, said that the P500,000, which is currently taxable by 32 percent, needs to be adjusted, considering that this amounts to P1.2 million at present. “there’s a lot of backroom talks between the senate President and the speaker to convince the President to adjust it [tax bracket] to inflation,” Quimbo told reporters. Quimbo said the House would push for the passage of the measure. “the speaker and the senate

president have come to a common position so the next step is really to talk to the President and present what the options are,” he added. Citing the department of Finance, Quimbo said that the proposal may cause the government to lose revenues totaling as much as 1.5 percent of the country’s Gross domestic Product or P30 billion. “there’s still chance that this proposal will be passed at the lower Chamber this 16th Congress. it is the first of several steps under our comprehensive package that would benefit both the government and the people,” Quimbo said. Quimbo said that included to the comprehensive package are the so-called revenue-generating measures such as bill raising excise tax on fuel, measure simplifying tax requirements of professionals and entrepreneurs, reduction of tax rates for both individual and corporate, measure overhauling the VAt system, rationalization of the Mining Fiscal regime bill, and bill im-

posing specific tax on sodas and other sweetened beverages. “speaker Belmonte and senate President drillon have a common position that, first, tax reform cannot take place piecemeal, just like what we’ve been saying it has to be a package or programatic. the entire thing has to be overhauled but it does not mean that we cannot take steps towards that’s objective meaning we have first phase, second phase, third phase [to complete the comprehensive package] so doon sila na convince and they will present that with the President,” Quimbo said. Malacañang had earlier rejected the passage in Congress of a long-pending bill seeking to adjust in individual and corporate income-tax rates. studies have shown that the Philippines has the second highest individual income tax rate in the region at 32 percent; next to thailand and Vietnam’s 35 percent, and the highest value added tax at 12 percent as the country’s current individual income tax bracket has remained unchanged since 1997.

tHe 14-member city council of Marikina, led by Vice Mayor Jose Fabian Cadiz on Wednesday approved on third and final reading a resolution condemning the series of lumad killings in Mindanao, recognizing the need to protect the internally displaced indigenous people from attacks of private armed groups. City resolution no. 15-235 has made Marikina the first LGU to intercede and urge the national government to stop the attacks against lumads and recognize the need to preserve their culture. “Upon hearing the news, we knew from the city government that still have a moral obligation to call for an end to violence to our brothers in the south, especially in their schools and communities, the plunder of their natural resources and the destruction of their indigenous culture,” Councilor Joseph Banzon, principal sponsor of the measure, said in an interview. the city council said that they would be furnishing copies of the newly approved resolution to government agencies and departments, such as the Office of the President, the national Commission on indigenous People, and the Congress. Meanwhile, Bayan nCr Chairperson and former Kabataan Party-list rep. raymond Palatino welcomed the passage of the city resolution. “We are seeking to support in spreading awareness on these issues our lumad brothers. We’ve talked to various LGUs, and Marikina was first to respond. the city have seen the measure as a way to support our lumad brothers and end the violence against iP communities,” said Palatino. dulphy Ugan, a lumad tribal leader who came all the way from Mindanao just to witness the proceedings, thanked the Marikina City Government for passing the measure. “We are thanking the Marikina City Government for supporting our struggle and preserving our local culture, especially to our fellow leaders who were killed and many others experiencing human rights violations in Mindanao,” Ugan said.

More Palace appointees named; new DoJ chief hits ground running By Sandy Araneta and Rey Requejo President Benigno Aquino iii has appointed a replacement for secretary Francis Pangilinan, Presidential Assistant on Food security and Agricultural Modernization, who quit last september from his post to run again for the senate. Fredelita Guiza took over the post of Pangilinan, whose resignation was made effective sept. 30. in another development,

newly appointed Justice secretary Benjamin Caguioa on Wednesday formally took the helm of the department of Justice vacated by Leila de Lima who is running for senator in the 2016 elections under the banner of the administration’s Liberal Party. On his first day in office, Caguioa met with top doJ officials and the director of the national Bureau of investigation. Caguioa held a meeting with Justice Undersecretaries Francisco Baraan iii, Jose Justiniano, department heads

and Prosecutor General Claro Arellano and nBi director Virgilio Mendez where he was briefed on pending cases at the department. the acting Justice secretary said it is still too early to spell out his plans at the doJ where he would serve as its head for the remaining eight months of the Aquino administration. “i’m still learning the ropes. Get my feet wet and then i will engage you after that,” Caguioa said in an interview. Caguioa said Aquino’s instruction to him is just to

do his job and do it professionally. Among the controversial cases left by de Lima are the criminal charges filed by isaias samson against leaders of the politically influential religious group iglesia ni Cristo and the criminal charges against some 90 members of the Moro islamic Liberation Front, Bangsamoro islamic Freedom Fighters and private armed groups who killed 35 elite commandos of the Philippine national Policespecial Action Force in Mamasapano, Maguindanao

last January. Mendez, for his part, said Caguioa asked for an update on the investigation and cases being conducted by the nBi, the investigating arm of the doJ. Aquino likewise appointed 25 other persons to different posts in the different agencies of the government: reynaldo Antonio de la Paz Laguda, as Undersecretary, department of education, vice Francisco Varela. the 47-year-old Varela passed away from a vehicular accident in August in rizal. He

was declared dead on arrival at the Padilla district Hospital in Antipolo City. ireneo Galicia, as Government Corporate Counsel, of the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel, department of Justice, vice raoul Creencia, effective Oct. 6, 2015. erdelyne Go, as deputy Chief Presidential Legal Counsel with the rank of Undersecretary. Ma. nieva sison dela Paz, as Acting director iV, department of Public Works and Highways, vice Bienadel elizabeth Yap.

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Fiesta atmosphere at Comelec By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan

THE grounds of the Palacio del Gobernador, which houses the Commission on Elections main office, turned into one sprawling circus as politicians of all political stripes and colors continued to file their certificate of candidacy for the third day on Wednesday. The Comelec grounds teemed with hundreds of individuals marching to and from the building, holding streamers, playing band, and throwing colorful confetti to express their support and witness their political bets file their COC. The scene is replicated in everywhere local Comelec units. On the third day of the filing, there were so far five candidates from Liberal Party, two from United Nationalist Alliance and Nationalist People’s Coalition; one from Lakas-CMD; and four inde-

pendent candidates who have officially declared their plan to run for the 2016 national and local elections. Inspired by his 6th ranking in the latest survey of senatorial preferences, resigned Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri filed his COC to seek a fresh mandate in the Senate. He was the first to file his COC on Wednesday accompanied by his wife, newspaper lifestyle columnist Audrey Tan-Zubiri. He said that he will run as an independent candidate since he does not want to be

beholden to any particular parties or groups. He, however, disclosed that he will be adopted as a guest candidate under the ticket of Senators Grace Poe and Francis Escudero. In 2011, Zubiri resigned from the Senate after his victory in 2007 midterm elections has been questioned before the Senate Electoral Tribunal and being contested by his rival Aquilino Pimentel III. Under the UNA party senatorial slate, candidates who have so far filed their COC are actress-turned-politician councilor Alma Moreno and the daughter of the late Sultan Jamalul Kiram III, Princess Jacel Kiram. Kiram, who will run for senator vowed that she will move to reclaim the country’s ownership over Sabah from Malaysia. “Nakakalungkot na hindi pinapakinabangan ng Pilipino. Sa halip, ang Malaysia ang na-

kikinabang. Isasapuso ang advocacy na muling pagbawi ng Sabah,” Kiram said, citing the $72-billion supposed revenue being lost from the Philippines. Moreno, on the other hand, refused to be interviewed but she was accompanied by her son Vandolph Quizon and daughter Wyn-Wyn Quizon. Retired police general Romeo Maganto will also run for senator under the LakasCMD Party. Under Nationalist People’s Coalition, candidates who have so far filed their COCs are: Senator Vicente Sotto III and Valenzuela Rep. Sherwin Gatchalian. Sotto, who was accompanied by his wife Helen Gamboa and his son Gian, said in an interview that he will support Poe for the presidency. Candidates under Liberal Party who have so far filed their COCs are: Risa Hontiveros, Tourism Infrastructure and En-

terprise Zone Authority chief Mark Lapid, Senate President Franklin Drilon, Senator Ralph Recto, and resigned Food Security czar Francis Pangilinan. Two-time losing senatorial candidate Hontiveros is confident that this time she will win the election citing recent survey results. “The survey results continue to inspire me because we are within striking distance. I am confident, this time, we will win,” Hontiveros, who for the first time opt not to wear her shawl, said. Hontiveros is running as a guest candidate of the Liberal Party who vowed to fight for the proper implementation of universal health care, among others. In an interview, Lapid, on the other hand, said that he intends to boost tourism to further strengthen the country’s economy. Also a reelectionist, Recto

vowed to revive Death Penalty only in cases of heinous crimes. He was accompanied by his wife actress turned politician Vilma Santos-Recto and his son Ryan Christian. Pangilinan, on the other hand. went to the Comelec office with his wife, actress Sharon Cuneta-Pangilinan and his daughter Miel and son Frankie. Independent senatorial candidates are Senator Antonio Trillanes IV who will run for vice president; controversial former MMDA chief Francis Tolentino; and Roman Romulo, who went to Comelec with his wife and host Shalani Soledad-Romulo. Tolentino vowed to solve urbanization woes on national scale; Romulo, on the other hand, would focus on strengthening the plight of middle classes. As of Wednesday, total candidates who have filed their COCs are 57 for president; 11 for vice president; and 53 for senators.

Place your bets. From left: Senator Ralph Recto is seeking reelection. Within striking distance, Risa Hontiveros formalizes her candidacy, hopeful that this time around she will make it to the Senate after two failed attempts. Princess in the Senate? Princess Jacel Kiram, daughter of the late Sultan of Sulu, files her certificate of candidacy for a senatorial seat. JANSEN ROMERO

Erap takes the ‘Lim challenge’ By Joel E. Zurbano MANILA City Mayor Joseph Estrada, who in the May 2013 elections vowed to serve the city for only one term to make way for his running mate Vice Mayor Isko Moreno, is now seeking another term. Estrada filed his certificate of candidacy on Wednesday to challenge two formidable opponents—former mayor Alfredo Lim and Manila 5th district Rep. Amado Bagatsing in the May 9, 2016 elections. He filed his COC at the Commission on Elections local office along Arroceros Street around 11 a.m. with his running mate Shiela Honey Lacuna-Pangan, daughter of former vice mayor Danilo Lacuna. During a campaign in the 2013 polls, Estrada said he would like to serve Manila for one term only to give way for Moreno, now in his third and final term as vice mayor of Manila, who then expressed interest to run in the 2016 polls for mayor. But now that the actor-turned-politician changed his mind and seeking another three years in office, Moreno is reportedly considering running for a congressional seat or for a Senate seat. Early this year, the Supreme Court dismissed the petitions seeking the disqualification of Estrada in connection with the 2013 elections. The court voted 11-3 in favor of junking the petition filed by Alicia Vidal, counsel of Alfredo Lim. The justices took into consideration the pardon given to Estrada in 2007 by then-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in coming up with their decision. “The majority characterized the pardon extended by Mrs. Arroyo to Mr. Estrada as absolute, thereby restoring Mr. Estrada’s qualifications to stand as candidate

‘Express lane-fee diversion means contractuals’ ouster’ By Vito Barcelo

Estrada

in the last Mayoralty elections,” said SC spokesman Theodore Te. Te said the acceptance of Estrada of the absolute pardon removed the disqualifications arising under Section 40 of the Local Government Code in relation to Section 12 of the Omnibus Election Code. Estrada, 78, together with his supporters, clad in orange shirts, marched from Bonifacio Shrine along Padre Burgos Street to the nearby Comelec office to file his COC under the Partido ng Masang Pilipino, the party he founded when he ran for President in 1998. Last Tuesday, Estrada was quoted as saying that he would withdraw his bid for the city’s top post if Senator Grace Poe and Vice President Jejomar Binay, both allies, will be disqualified from running for President. He said he would run again for the highest position of the land if both Poe and Binay were disqualified.

AT LEAST 600 contractual employees of the Bureau of Immigration are likely to be retrenched should the House appropriations committee continue to push for the insertion of a provision in the proposed 2016 national budget that would transmit the expresslane fees collected from foreigners at the airports to the National Treasury. Immigration Commissioner Siegfred Mison said that under the present system, the BI’s express lane fees, which are deposited in the Special Trust Fund, represent the only source of money to pay for the salaries of confidential agents and overtime services of all BI personnel. “If the express-lane fees were included in the proposed national budget, over 600 workforce would be without jobs next year,” Mison said. The House appropriations committee insisted that BI express-lane fees be deposited in the National Treasury as income of the General Fund. It was included in the proposed 2016 Na-

tional Expenditure Program. Mison feared that almost 30 percent of the BI workforce will be instantly removed or separated upon the effectivity of the 2016 GAA (General Appropriations Act) or on Jan. 1, 2016. Mison said that the bureau should have at least 4,000 employees nationwide to carry out its mandated duties. “At present, we have only 1,437 regular employees while there are 461 contractual workers.” “We are appealing to congress to delete the proposed insertion, and if this happens, the bureau cannot do its duties,” he said. The BI chief said that the express-lane fees which collect almost P1.1 billion a year is the only source to pay the salaries of all contractual employees, overtime pay and other immigration matters such as intelligence work. The entire BI personnel reject the proposed plan to turn over the bureau’s express-lane fee collections to the National Treasury unless congress increased its budget from the measly P680 million to P3 billion.

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Lawmaker scores Health for expired medicine HOUSE independent bloc leader Leyte (1st District) Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez has criticized the Department of Health for the reported expiration of millions of pesos worth of medicine for Yolanda victims. The drugs were stored by the Department of Health in warehouses in San Fernando, Pampanga. For unknown reasons, these were not delivered to supposed recipients and were rendered useless because they had expired. “It is a waste that the medicine cannot be used anymore,” he said. Romualdez, however, thanked local and international groups who continue to send donations and aid to Tacloban City where thousands of Yolanda victims continue to live in bunkhouses instead of the promised permanent housing. The DOH provincial office in Pampanga has confirmed that problems with shipping delayed the delivery of the medicine to Yolanda victims and eventually, resulting in the expiration of the medicines. “Authorities should exhibit genuine compassion for the survivors,” said Romualdez. News reports said that two survivors of Yolanda, an old man and an eight-month-old baby, have died at a tent city and bunkhouses where thousands of families have been living for almost two years. According to People Surge secretary general Marissa Cabaljao, the old man died of heat stroke while the eight-month-old baby, the daughter of Yolanda survivor Gina Supang, succumbed to pneumonia last Sept. 22. Just recently, the United States Agency for International Development extended its assistance by providing a fiveclassroom building, a health center and birthing clinic with furniture and medical equipment.

Solemn place. A woman visits a mass grave for the victims of Typhoon ‘Yolanda’ in Barangay Diit, Tacloban City. AMIEL MARK CAGAYAN

Former Isabela gov fails to file SALN, faces perjury By Rio N. Araja

Former Isabela Gov. and elections commissioner Grace Padaca is facing perjury charges before the Sandiganbayan over her failure to submit her statement of assets, liabilities and net worth from 2007 to 2010. The Office of the Ombudsman yesterday filed information on four counts of perjury or violation of the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Of-

ficials and Employees against Padaca. Padaca filed her SALN only for 2004 and 2006. Ombudsman Conchita Carpio

Morales said Padaca should have her own receiving copies of her SALN because it is “customary and essential” for proper recordkeeping. “It is difficult to fathom how a respondent would be unfamiliar with such a practice or that she has not altogether adopted this procedure given her lengthy stint in government service,” she earlier said. Padaca served as commissioner of the Comelec from 2012 to 2014,

after her stint in Isabela. Meanwhile, Padaca was also charged with graft and malversation raps before the Sandiganbayan for awarding to a non-government organization a contract to manage a credit facility in 2006 without public bidding when she was Isabela governor. Padaca toppled the Dy political dynasty in Isabela when she won as governor in 2004, beating the former governor’s brother Faustino Dy Jr.

Tuba mayor orders stoppage of earthworks at ‘La Presa’ By Dexter A. See

Finishing touches. A vendor arranges the keychains she is selling in her booth inside the DPWH Tourism and Cultural Park in Quezon town, Bukidnon. LANCE BACONGUIS

TUBA, Benguet—Mayor Florencio Bentres has ordered the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Philippine National Police to stop the illegal earthmoving and business activities that have started to flourish within portions of the Mount Sto. Tomas forest reservation. One sitio in the area is the actual site of the fictional town of ‘La Presa’ in a romantic soap opera on television and has since attracted a high number of tourists. Bentres said he had learned that some residents have started doing earth-moving activities to flatten a portion of the reservation leading to the ‘La Presa’ area while others have started business activities, all contrary to the writ of kalikasan issued against any improvements to be done within the watershed. “We have to be alert on whatever

prohibited activities that are being done in the area for us to be able to comply with the writ of kalikasan outlined by the Court of Appeals for the purpose. We have to perform our mandate as detailed in the writ so that we will not be penalized by the court,” Bentres stressed. The earthmoving activities are said to improve the road leading to ‘La Presa’ and flatten a portion of the same which would have been rented out as parking areas. According to the mayor, the DENR and PNP must do their jobs. Bentres thanked concerned citizens in the area who continue to provide the local officials with the necessary information on such activities. Concerned personnel of the local government continue to impose stringent regulations to ensure that the entry of visitors to ‘La Presa’ will be regulated.

T H U R S D AY : O C T O B E R 1 5 , 2 0 1 5

OPINION

ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

OPINION

VIEW FROM MALCOM ATTY. HARRY ROQUE JR.

MY VALEDICTORY COLUMN

[ EDI TORI A L ]

WHEN NUMBERS SPEAK THE results of the second Standard Poll, conducted nationwide between September 21 and October 1, have been released. One thousand five hundred Filipinos from 76 provinces over the country, all biometrically registered voters, were asked about pressing issues that range from politics to traffic, from sexual behavior to television trends. The survey confirms what we all perceive and feel, and lends the substance of numbers boost the credibility of our claims. For example, names of the politicians who seem to be preferred by the public are indeed among those who figured well in the survey. Those who seem to be catching up, or losing steam, are also shown as such in the poll conducted by this newspaper’s resident pollster. That is, if they were included in the list of names that respondents chose from, in the first place. More than confirming what we seem to already know, the Standard Poll also points us to our behavior as a people—how we think and see our leaders, and what we think should be done to improve our lot. Even the apparent contradictions are telling. For instance, respondents seem to believe life is improving, much more than they did when the previous survey was done in May. Perhaps, because elections are around the corner, we are again prepared to let go of some of our cynicism. We allow ourselves to hope a little—that the next batch of candidates could offer us something new, something better, something real. And yet our optimism seems to have little basis, if we are to refer to what is happening in the last few months of the Aquino administration. Numerous unresolved issues convey that the supposed daang matuwid of President Benigno Aquino III has taken us nowhere significant, and that it is more of a catchy campaign slogan more than it is a platform of government. Surprisingly, though, despite the numbers saying people are less satisfied with our officials’ performance on the job, Mr. Aquino continues to enjoy the people’s trust. This would not make sense at first blush, but when we factor in the phenomenon called personality politics, everything would then fall into place. Indeed, Filipinos tend to attach significance to who a person is—who the parents are, what compelling narrative there is—rather than actual measurable, quantifiable indicators that one is doing his job, and well. The numbers provided by the latest Standard Poll tell us much, not about the candidates and not even the issues per se, but ourselves. This is always good. Introspection and assessment are always the first step towards improvement. The succeeding months will tell us even more as the actual elections draw near. We want more than illusory changes in the way we are governed. It is time to change how we view the people who over-promise only to under-deliver, and those who work too much on how they appear rather than what they do.

CRAZY WEEK LOWDOWN JOJO A. ROBLES THE real tragedy, to paraphrase the oft-quoted observation, is that sometimes, political jokes get elected. And unless the laws are changed, no one can prevent anyone from seeking office, no matter how laughable their chances. I can’t really fault the Commission on Elections for accepting the applications of just about everyone who wants to run for President or any other elective

position. Comelec didn’t make the rules, after all; all it can do is winnow out the serious from the nuisance after the fact of filing, based on rules that it did craft. “Many people want their five minutes of fame,” Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista told me in an interview, deducting 10 minutes from the original Warholian saying. “We can’t stop people from declaring that they want to run for office.” That includes, among the dozens who have submitted their applications to file a certificate of candidacy for President, people like the guy wants to be called the Archangel Lucifer. And all

those other borderline crazy people who have been trooping to Comelec in what the editorial writer of this newspaper called “the clash of clowns.” It’s true that the Constitution itself allows just about everybody of a certain age, nationality and residency to seek the presidency and other elective offices. As the old joke says, it’s harder to apply for a janitor’s position in government than to seek to become President. Of course, I understand that any legislation imposing higher standards for people seeking elective office can be adjudged as discriminatory. And in a

Perhaps we shouldn’t be too hard on the people who appear to be a couple of bottles short of a case of San Miguel Beer.

democracy like ours, which supposedly holds the people’s will to be the highest law, any attempt to prevent certain people from seeking office can be interpreted as elitist or even a violation of rights that should be given to all. In the weeks that will follow, the poll body will do just that, however—but using criteria like the ability to run a nationwide campaign and other highly technical stuff to ensure that only serious candidates are actually allowed to seek office. In the meantime, we will all have to bear the sight of people who should not even be allowed to operate machinery or perhaps even cross the street unaided declaring their desire to run.

But perhaps we shouldn’t be too hard on the people who appear, on the surface, to be a couple of bottles short of a case of San Miguel Beer. The craziness afflicts everyone who seeks elective office, after all, whether they be the sanest-looking, most well-funded frontrunners or the looniest of the attention-seekers who trudge to Intramuros every three and six years, vowing to give every family millions or to make us part of a new American state. It’s Crazy Week at Comelec. And like even the craziest of governments, it, too, will pass.

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. Telephone numbers 832-5554, 832-5556, 832-5558 (connecting all departments), (Editorial), 832-5546, (Advertising), 832-

*** It also requires a little craziness, not to mention intestinal fortitude, to keep seeking election after repeated rejection at the polls. And if Congress is really serious about changing the rules on who is qualified to run for office, perhaps it should also consider putting a cap on the number of elections anyone is allowed to run in—like a reverse of the law on term limits. Take for instance, people like Liberal Party senatorial candidate Risa Hontiveros. Hontiveros is seeking a

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Senate seat for the third consecutive election, after being rejected by voters in the two successive exercises. And Hontiveros really is that rare election loser who has not been lacking in resources, name recall and—in the run-up to this coming poll—a cushy government position from which to relaunch her flagging political career. If Hontiveros still loses in her latest bid, perhaps she should really consider not seeking office anymore—or at least taking a respite from standing for Continued on A10 election.

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THIS will be my last column. In the same way that I had my last lecture as a fulltime academic at the Malcolm Hall, UP College of Law last Monday, let me share here my reflection on being a full time academic. I never intended to be one. This is because my mother was a fulltime academic, initially at the University of the Philippines. I saw how despite the prestige, my mother was doomed to a life of poverty. This prompted her to seek greener pastures abroad, even at a very high social cost of being separated from us. She retired as an academic from the University of Chicago and, as fate would have it, we were finally reunited by reason of her sickness during her final four years. Much as I was attracted to a teaching career, inspired by the likes of Perfecto Fernandez, Justice Cuevas, Justice VV Mendoza, Merlin Magalona, and Dean Pacifico Agabin, all of whom taught law in a truly “grand manner,” I suppressed this attraction. It was not until my 10th year of specialized law practice in WTO Fair Trade litigation when I finally succumbed to the seduction of legal education. The invitation to teach international law was made by then Dean and now Judge Raul Pangalangan who, until today, remains one of my mentors. Fifteen years later, I end my career as a full-time academic. I do so with sadness, even if I am certain that it is for the correct reasons. I am most thankful for the link between my teaching and my scholarship. I have today no less than 30 journal articles, 2 books off the press, and a further two, which will be submitted under the UP Centennial Book series. It was my teaching too that inspired my filing of many public interest litigation before the Supreme Court. It was my pioneer class in 2001 that was responsible for the case of Pimentel vs. Executive Secretary that unsuccessfully sought to compel the submission of the certified true copies of the ICC Rome Statute to the Senate for the latter’s concurrence. While the students and I lost a battle when we lost the case—where CJ Puno, with all due respect, erroneously ruled that treaty making was an exclusively executive function—we have since won the war since all the grounds which we invoked as basis for the ministerial transmittal of the Rome Statute to the Senate were also the exact same reasons why the Philippines acceded to the Rome Statute, albeit nine years later, in 2010. Likewise, I am happy to note that the entire corpus of judgments that the SC has promulgated on the meaning of a “treaty” in the context of whether foreign funded 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

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OPINION

ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

OPINION

VIEW FROM MALCOM ATTY. HARRY ROQUE JR.

MY VALEDICTORY COLUMN

[ EDI TORI A L ]

Perhaps we shouldn’t be too hard on the people who appear to be a couple of bottles short of a case of San Miguel Beer.

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A10

OPINION lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

‘ABLE TO READ AND WRITE’ TO THE POINT EMIL P. JURADO

THE large number of “also-rans” and nuisance candidates for President coming out from nowhere is, to me, the biggest argument for the amendment of the 1987 Constitution, specifically on the qualifications for senator, vice president and president. Among other qualifications like being naturalborn citizen, being of age, and being a registered voter for a necessary period, the requirement of being able to read and write should be stricken out. In its place should be the need for formal education, which means at least a college degree.

Candidates must at least have a college degree.

Santa Banana, at the rate our kind of elections are going, we may soon have a non-high school graduate, or even worse, a fourth-grader ruling this country. That would be the biggest embarrassment for the country among the community of nations! If there’s a requirement in many of the government offices for a formal education, much more should there be for candidates aspiring for the Senate, vice presidency and presidency. We already had the misfortune of having movie actor Lito Lapid, who had no formal education, as senator. Lapid himself confessed that during interpellations at the Senate, he was so embarrassed that he could not participate. Now, he’s running for mayor of Angeles City. We also have boxing icon Manny Pacquiao as representative of Sarangani. He was absent from Congress most of the time because of his career as

Crazy... From A9 Hontiveros first ran for the Senate with President Noynoy Aquino in 2010, almost making it into the “Magic 12.” In the 2013 midterm polls, with Aqui-

boxer. Now, he is running for the Senate, and my gulay, he can make it! In 2022, when he is of age, he may even run for the presidency with his money and popularity. God forbid! Pray, tell me, what can a president who only reached fourth grade know about governance and policy making? *** The entry of Senator Miriam Santiago into the presidential fray no doubt makes the 2016 presidential race more exciting. The problem, however, is her health. Miriam claims she is already well and has beaten cancer. But has she, really? Doctors specializing in cancer say that one who has been diagnosed with cancer does not really completely get rid of it. In the case of Miriam, how can she undertake a nationwide presidential campaign in her condition? That’s the reason why she has been absent from the Senate for sometime now. She also has chronic fatigue syndrome which could be the side effect of cancer. Santa Banana, perhaps, Miriam should reconsider her aspiration, for her own good and the country’s. We cannot afford to have an ailing president, with so many challenges confronting the country. That’s granting Miriam would even make it, which I doubt. She has no political party. She does not have funding and grassroots political machinery. Frankly, I believe that Miriam lost her chance at the presidency when President Fidel Ramos beat her in 1992. *** In yesterday’s column, I said that the senatorial race is tight for newcomers considering the fact that there are reelectionists and former senators aspiring for a comeback. I said that only about three, at most five, slots remain for newbies. Among the newcomers who have a chance of winning are boxing icon Manny Pacquiao, Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez, Tesda head Joel Villanueva, Bayan Party-List Rep. Neri Colmenares,and of no firmly in power, Hontiveros ran again—and lost again. Then, Hontiveros was given a board seat in PhilHealth, the government’s hospital insurance fund, which allowed her to be-

THE PRESIDENT’S PLAN DUTY CALLS FLORENCIO FIANZA THE decision of Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte not to join the 2016 presidential derby fits the administration’s plan to get its presidential standard bearer Mar Roxas elected at all costs. The formidable candidate is gone, leaving only Senator Grace Poe and Vice President Binay for the Liberal Party to worry about. The plan, which according to information is being personally directed by the President, is that ultimately, only Roxas will be left standing before the May 2016 elections. By that time, Senator Poe would have been disqualified and VP Binay so damaged that he would not be a factor in the elections anymore. Since Vice President Binay announced his presidential bid two years ago, the administration has been relentless. It seems that contrary to the conventional wisdom that Binay and the Aquino family are quite close because of the services rendered by Binay to the family, President Aquino dislikes Binay intensely and is doing everything to prevent him from being elected President. Even the supposedly independent Office of the Ombudsman is apparently being used to neutralize the VP. Although there is already an accepted legal doctrine that the President and Vice President cannot course former Justice Secretary Leila de Lima. Name recall is very important in this race. *** There is a clear attempt on the part of the Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales, who has become an “attack dog” of Malacañang, some members of the Liberal Party coalition and among the Aquino administration officials to demolish the chances of Vice President Jojo Binay to be president in 2016. In fact, they are after all Binays. The continuing demolition job by the Senate “Yellow” Ribbon sub-committee is just one aspect of it. The joke is now on the Office of the Ombudscome the unpaid “image model” of the agency in its ubiquitous advertising campaigns paid for by our taxes. It is the final big push for Hontiveros, one of Aquino’s favorite people and a card-carrying

ally be disqualified on account of her legal problems about her citizenship. According to one credible source, there are already quiet moves to see to it that Senator Poe is disqualified, if not by the Senate Electoral Tribunal, then by the Supreme Court. With both Senator Poe and VP Binay basically gone, that leaves Mar Roxas the only major presidential candidate left in the race. The people could, of course, still vote for a jailed VP Binay, if he will in fact be arrested and detained. As for Senator Poe, the voters can no longer vote for her because of her disqualification. But the voters could switch to Senator Miriam Santiago who appears to be throwing her hat into the presidential race for the third time. The trouble with the President’s plan is that he cannot predict what the people would do or how they would react. The plan could backfire on him especially if the people sense that the neutralization of both Senator Poe and Binay is simply to force the administration candidate on them. Can the President pull this off? Knowing a little about President Aquino’s thinking processes, I think this is a challenge he would relish. When he puts his mind into something, he tends to carry them out regardless of the costs and consequences. We have seen how he got rid of former Chief Justice Renato Corona. But he should not underestimate the intelligence of Filipino voter.

***** Richard Heck, the Nobel Prize winner in Chemistry in 2010 who lived in the country in relative obscurity for years, died recently. He was married to a Filipina, Socorro, who passed away in 2012. His wife’s death may have contributed to the deterioration of his health. There are now conflicting reports on the quality of care he received prior to his death. There is a report that when he, in a serious condition, was brought to St. Luke’s Hospital, he was refused admittance due to previous billing issues. He had to be moved to a public hospital where he eventually passed away. It is difficult to understand a hospital operated by a religious denomination turning away a seriously ill patient, and a very famous one at that. It is like one religious landlord I know who always demands prompt payments of rent. Those who are late in paying are evicted without any consideration. Well, maybe business is business and religious teachings is another matter. If the way this Nobel laureate was treated is true, it is disturbing, to say the least. It reinforces the report that our country is one of the worst places to die in. Only Iraq and Bangladesh are worse than us. It is a shame that a Nobel prize winner like Heck was treated that way. His case should have been handled much better. As it is, our country’s reputation just took another big hit.

man, which has charged the vice president and Makati Mayor Junjun Binay with plunder and graft and corruption. Perfect timing as they file their certificates of candidacy. The vice president can only say he’s hurt and everything is politically motivated. No doubt, the Binays are hurting. The vice president’s poll survey ratings have declined. Can the vice president ever recover from all the attacks on him and his family? To my mind, yes. There’s still eight months to go before the elections. All the things that have been said of the Binays can only make Jojo work harder. ***

Read this and weep for your country: In a recent study by the International Chamber of Commerce, the Philippines ranked low in international trade openness because of its protectionist policies regime, falling below the average foreign direct investments; and infrastructure for trade. The country placed 60th with a score of 2.9 out of six. To make matters worse, even Vietnam, which used to be a laggard in foreign direct investments, is beating us with more than $9 billion. Thailand has $13 billion, Malaysia $12 billion and Indonesia with its $10 billion. We seem to be content with $6.2 billion getting only the crumbs while

our neighbors are already booming. In tourism, we had a comparatively low influx at 4.8 million in 2014 compared to Malaysia with 27.4 million; Singapore at 11.8 million; Indonesia at 9.4 million and even Vietnam at 7.9 million. Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez claims that the country can reach over five million this year and perhaps close to 10 million in 2016. He must be dreaming, of course. Not with the kind of infrastructure we have. Our protectionist policies and lack of infrastructure have always been the biggest complaints of investors. Even worse than corruption. Is President Aquino listening? I don’t think so.

member of his token leftist clique at the palace. Of course, there’s a big chance that Hontiveros’ long-runningcourtship of the electorate will once again end in grief. And if she loses again, there’s

also a big chance that the next administration will not look upon her as kindly as the current one has—meaning she has to win a Senate seat now because she will never have a chance to win ever again.

be criminally prosecuted while in office, the Office of the Ombudsman is now charging the VP for violations of the anti-graft law. It has also dismissed his son, Makati Mayor JunJun Binay; he faces the possibility of being arrested and jailed. Not satisfied with destroying the VP with record-setting, orchestrated Senate hearings on his alleged corruption while mayor of Makati, even the elder Binay is now facing the possibility of also being arrested and detained, thereby eliminating him as a threat to the presidency. This conflict between the administration and VP Binay has become very personal to the President. Some might ask why the administration is concentrating only on Binay. After all, his ratings have already gone down and Mar Roxas’ ratings have gone up. It seems that in spite of the success of the demolition job against Binay, the administration is still scared of the ability of the Vice President to bounce back because of his populist programs. The President is also deathly scared of what Binay would do to him and many of his people if he wins the presidency. The element of self-preservation is certainly a big factor in his plans. But what about Senator Poe who is by far the frontrunner? The narrative is that there is no need for an open and frontal attack on her. The Palace would not like to be seen going after a woman. The administration is confident that the good senator will eventu-

This is where a cap on running for office will come in handy. It will save us all from seeing Hontiveros run and fail again for a fourth straight time, like the nuisance that she has become.

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OPINION lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

THE HISTORY OF ANCESTORS calls the creators of these objects “outstandingly skillful goldsmiths” and laments “How was it that knowledge of a culJENNY ture—or collection of cultures ORTUOSTE —capable of such exquisite and sophisticated metalworking “GOLD—everywhere, the glint was forgotten and left without a name?” of gold.” It is this story that local These were the words that came to mind the first time I historians and archaeologists saw the exhibit “Gold of Ances- are trying to piece together, tors” at Ayala Museum. They says Department of Tourismwere spoken by archaeologist accredited tour guide Leah Howard Carter in 1922 when Almarines-Medado of Butuan he broke the seals of the tomb City, during a tour of the Buof Tutankhamen, and set the tuan branch of the National light of his guttering candle on Museum. Medado calls herself an “oral the magnificent treasures of the storyteller” who recounts the late pharaoh. “Gold of Ancestors” showcas- history of the peoples of the es a thousand artifacts from the Caraga region—Agusan, SuSurigao Treasure, a trove of gold rigao, and Dinagat Islands. Before the advent of the objects that date back to the 10th to 13th century, dug up by acci- Spanish colonizers, she said, dent during the construction of Butuan was a thriving kingdom that flourished from 9th cenan irrigation project. The art style, similar to tury, around the time of the Sri that of other Southeast Asian Vijayan empire (700 to 1377) to cultures influenced by Hin- the Madjapahit empire (1292 to du-Buddhist culture, informs 1479). Butuan traded with China, jewelry and ritual objects used by the elite, such as rings, ear- Vietnam, and other nearby rings, sashes, braces, anklets, countries, as evidenced by the funerary masks, chastity cov- export ceramics recovered in ers, and figures of deities and the area. Some 70 percent of the gold supernatural creatures. Some 120 pieces from the in the Ayala Museum display, exhibit are at the Asia Society Medado says, came from Butuand Museum in New York from an, where the metal was found Sept. 11 until Jan. 3, 2016, in the form of alluvial gold that under the title “Philippine tumbled in the waters of the Gold: Treasures of Forgotten river, in nuggets as large as eggs and so common that they were Kingdoms.” Ken Johnson, reviewing the kicked about like stones. It was also near Butuan exhibit for the New York Times,

POP GOES THE WORLD

that the Golden Tara (Sanskrit, “star” and the root of Filipino “tala”) was found in 1917, a four-pound figure of 21-carat gold depicting the Buddhist goddess of compassion. Her beauty and fame is such that she draws foreign worshippers to Butuan, says Medado. But the figure is not there; it is in the Chicago Field Museum, which acquired the Tara in 1922. Butuan is also where balangays were found. The balangay is a wooden boat that is said to have carried our ancestors from their homeland to this archipelago. The oldest balangay recovered dates back to 320 CE. The boats, made from dungon hardwood, were also used in travels to the other Asian kingdoms in the area. The Butuan museum has specimens of the balangay and the baroto, another type of watercraft used by the Agusan Manobo for transportation and fishing. Medado points out their technological features and those of the paddles, which differed in shape for saltwater (ocean) or freshwater (river) use—the former with a rounded end to glide through waves, and the latter pointed to stab and push away crocodiles. Several skulls were also displayed, some of them oddlyshaped with receding foreheads and high, almost vertical, posteriors. This was evidence, Medado explains, of cranial vault modification correlated with socioeconomic status and seen in remains from burial sites

over an extensive area covering Albay, Marinduque, Masbate, Samar, Cebu, Bohol, Surigao, Davao, and Romblon. One of the most interesting objects in the museum was a distiller for laksoy—nipa wine —the powerful drink that Butuanons plied Ferdinand Magellan and his men with, causing them to be two days late for their encounter with Lapu Lapu. Was it the after-effects of a laksoy hangover that caused the explorer to lose his fight with the Filipino chieftain? Perhaps the only gold artifact left on display is a death mask made of several pieces— eye, nose, and lip covers, and a forehead piece—of thin hammered gold decorated with slits and cuts. Its wearer makes their presence felt in the museum at night, says Medado with a wink. Medado says her mission as a guide is to make her listeners feel Filipino pride by taking them “back in time” to when Butuan was a kingdom and its people were respected as skilled craftsmen and as trading partners. Though no written records remain from then, the artifacts found will have to tell the story. Contemplating them, we can echo Carter’s words when asked if he saw anything in the tomb he’d opened: “Yes, wonderful things.” *** Facebook: Jenny Ortuoste, Twitter: @jennyortuoste, Instagram: @jensdecember, Blog:

HOW TO CHALLENGE CHINA’S NEW ISLANDS? CAREFULLY want the US Navy to sail warships within 12 nautical miles AFTER months of debate and of the new islands, challenging accusations of fecklessness, the the notion that China can conUS appears ready to challenge jure up sovereign territory out China’s island-building in the of nothing. It’s not a bad idea. South China Sea. The question A high-profile challenge might is how. pressure the Chinese governAt issue are new islands ment to clarify just what it’s the Chinese have created by claiming and under what legal dredging thousands of tons of justification. sand to expand various reefs For the gesture to be effecand rocks in the Spratly archi- tive, however, the US (which pelago. China claims nearly 80 hasn’t ratified the United Napercent of the South China Sea, tions’ Convention on the Law based on a “nine-dash line” of the Sea but largely adheres map that isn’t recognized by to its principles) must be sure any other nation. The US takes of its legal footing. Reclaimno position on competing ter- ing land isn’t in itself illegal; ritorial claims, but insists that countries such as Vietnam have they be resolved peacefully done their own dredging, aland in accordance with inter- though none on the same scale national law. The fear is that and at the same speed as China. China plans to use its newly The question is more technical: created islands as beachheads whether, before reclamation, from which to assert control whatever maritime feature exover a swath of ocean far from isted was visible at high tide. its shores. Submerged bodies aren’t enThe voices calling for action titled to territorial waters.

Bloomberg editorial

So US warships should chart their course carefully, targeting only islands such as Mischief Reef, which indisputably used to be underwater. Washington also has to make clear that the ships are conducting socalled freedom of navigation operations—for instance, by engaging in surveillance during the journey or flying planes into the island’s airspace. Otherwise the Chinese could simply claim the operation represented an “innocent passage” past its islands, something that is allowed within territorial waters. Other publicity, however, should be measured. Inviting along a CNN crew, as the US Navy has in the past, might back the Chinese into responding more forcefully. Thus far Chinese leaders appear to be downplaying the issue in the domestic media, which may indicate they want to keep their options open.

The goal is to reassert the need for all claimants to adhere to internationally accepted rules. To underscore the point, the US. Could give thought to conducting similar freedom of navigation operations near other once-submerged features, including those claimed by Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines. All of those countries welcome the US presence in the Pacific and rely on international law to buttress their claims, so the move would highlight just how out of step China is with its Southeast Asian neighbors. The White House has a strong hand to play after successfully concluding talks over the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal. President Barack Obama should be able to build on that success at next month’s APEC summit and lead a renewed push for a code of conduct to guide behavior in the South China Sea.

My valedictory...From A9 projects should comply with our government procurement act, specifically on its provision on public and competitive bidding, were cases arising from my class discussion on Treaties as an element of statehood. I am even happier to note that the most recent ruling on Northrail, where the Court ruled that a treaty is a written agreement entered into by states in connection with a sovereign function, finally corrected the erroneous ruling of the Court in my first case on this topic in the case of Abaya vs. Executive Secretary which the GMA administration invoked as legal basis for the anomalous contracts of NBN-ZTE and Northrail. It was also my teachings in Constitutional Law two that gave rise to landmark jurisprudence such as David vs. Arroyo, CachoOlivares vs. Arroyo, and the UN Human Rights Committee View in Adonis vs. Republic of the Philippines. Which brings me now to why I say goodbye to this opinion column. Perhaps the best reason is by citing one of the most important case that I argued and lost in the SC representing my greatest mentor in public international law: Dean Merlin Magalona. In the case of Magalona vs Executive Secretary, we impugned the constitutionality of the 2009 Philippine Baselines Law for violating Article I of the 1987 Constitution, which classified our archipelagic waters as internal waters. The 2009 Baselines Law re-classified our constitutional internal waters as archipelagic waters under the UNCLOS subject to innocent passage, over flight and the regime of straights passage. SC Justice Antonio Carpio, in dismissing the petition, said that the matter was not justiciable since it involved an issue of wisdom of the law. It was an issue of policy and hence, the constitutional domain of Congress. To my dear readers, I say goodbye to you today precisely because policies—such as whether to do away with 220,000 square kilometers of territorial seas, which we abandoned when Congress enacted the 2009 Baselines Law—should be made with full knowledge of the law and with utmost nationalism, rather than on the basis of political accommodation. Further, economic, social, and cultural rights can never be implemented by jurisprudence, but by policies crafted by Congress. And so I formally announce that I am seeking a congressional seat as the first nominee of the party list KABAYAN that stands for Kalusugan Pabahay at Kabuhayan. I offer myself to our people as a member of Congress on a platform to promote and protect not just political and civil rights, but more importantly, Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights. I am blessed to have served Philippine society with the view from Malcolm Hall. It is my fervent hope that our people grant me the privilege to serve them with a seat and a view from Batasan Hall. Please continue to follow me at my blog (harryroque.com), twitter (@attyharryroque), and FB accounts.

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Roger falls in China to unknown rival

Albert Ramos-Vinolas of Spain reacts after winning his men’s singles second round match against Roger Federer of Switzerland at the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament in Shanghai. AFP

SHANGHAI—Seventeentime Grand Slam champion Roger Federer crashed out to little-known Spanish left-hander Albert Ramos-Vinolas in a major shock in his opening match at the Shanghai Masters on Tuesday. Defending title-holder Federer was stunned 7-6 (7/4), 2-6, 6-3 by the world number 70, who is yet to claim his first career title and has only won three matches in total at the Grand Slam tournaments. Federer, 34, gave a thin smile and a wave to the crowd, which included his idol Rod Laver, as he left a shocked Qi Zhong Stadium, where he lifted the trophy last year and won the 2006 and 2007 Tennis Masters Cup. “I just think the first round here in Shanghai has always been historically quite difficult, getting used to the conditions and the surface and the balls,” said Federer, who saved five match points against Leonardo Mayer in his opening

match last year. “The balls play very different than in other places. Last year I got lucky. This year I didn’t. So it’s a pity.” Ramos-Vinolas is the lowest-ranked competitor to beat the world number three in more than two years, since he lost to Argentina’s 114th-listed Federico Delbonis in the Hamburg semi-finals in July 2013. Federer, who had a bye in the first round, had played Ramos-Vinolas only once before, in the first round of Wimbledon in 2012, dropping just three games in a 6-1, 6-1, 6-1 dismissal of the Spaniard. “Before the match I thought I’m not going to win. But when I saw how I was playing, it was not the same as Wimbledon,” said the Spaniard. “It was my first Wimbledon. I didn’t feel comfortable during the match. “But here, when I saw that we were very, very similar during the first set, I thought, ‘Okay, maybe I can do a good match.’ AFP

SEA Games good for PH’s Olympic dream SENATOR Francis ‘Chiz’ Escudero yesterday asked the Philippine Sports Commission to pounce on the opportunity being presented by the country’s hosting of the 30th Southeast Asian Games in 2019 to boost the Filipino athletes’ chances at qualifying and winning medals in the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. “We should start planning now,” Escudero said. “Stakeholders have done their part for next year’s Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. It’s now up to the athletes and the national sports associations to make it to the 2016 Games.” “But we have time to prepare for 2019 and 2020.

It’s no longer a long-term program but it could be our chance to win medals in the Summer Games-hopefully a gold medal or two. Why not dream and chase it? All of us should work for it,” Escudero added. The Philippines took an early turn to host the 2019

SEA Games after Brunei withdrew from the task. SEA Games members rotate as hosts, but Brunei claimed it isn’t ready yet to take on the hosting chore as it does not have enough facilities to accommodate many events. The Philippines stepped in to take the hosting assignment and beat other bidders, including Thailand. The Philippines has hosted the SEA Games in 1981, 1991 and 2005, when it won the overall championship. “We can hit two targets with one stone. We could train our athletes for the two big sporting events and possibly win back the overall championship of the

SEA Games in 2019. Our athletes can then continue training until they peak for the 2020 Tokyo Games and we can cross our fingers, our most awaited Olympic gold medal would come from Japan,” Escudero shared. Escudero said the NSAs could also invest on younger athletes now and make them competitive through more foreign exposures and by tapping competent coaches. While he said the country could bank on boxing as a possible medal winner in the Olympics, as proven in the country’s past participation in the Summer Games, other disciplines also now present oppor-

tunities for Filipino athletes to excel in the world’s greatest multi-sport spectacle. So far, only FilipinoAmerican Eric Shaun Cray has qualified in the men’s 400-m hurdles with still a number more seeking to earn slots in next year’s Rio de Janeiro Games. After the country won the overall SEA Games championship in 2005, the Philippines had no luck extricating itself out of the middle pack, finishing at sixth place in 2015 in Singapore, just a slight improvement from its past performances, the worst being at seventh place in 2013 in Myanmar.

Odom fighting for life LOS ANGELES—Lamar Odom, a former NBA champion who gained wider fame as the husband of reality TV star Khloe Kardashian was in hospital after being found “unresponsive” at a Nevada brothel, authorities said Tuesday. The Nye County Sheriff’s Department was called Tuesday afternoon to Love Ranch, a legal brothel in Crystal, Nevada, for a report of an “unresponsive” man needing an ambulance, Sheriff Sharon A. Wehrly said in a statement. The sheriff said the man identified as Odom was treated by physicians and taken to hospital in nearby Pahrump, Nevada, before being transported to a Las Vegas hospital.

The emergency call came from Richard Hunter, media director for Dennis Hof, who owns the Love Ranch and other brothels in Nevada, Wehrly said. There were no further details on the condition of the 35-yearold, who had been reported by celebrity website TMZ to be “fighting for his life”. Odom won NBA titles with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2009 and 2010, but last played in the league in 2013. He married Kardashian in 2009 in a splashy televised wedding, but she filed for divorce in 2013. In August of that year Odom, the subject of a string of news stories about alleged drug use and marriage troubles, was arrested for drunk driving. AFP

Record 5th Ladies Interclub Trophy. Manila Southwoods receives from PAL officials their 5th consecutive trophy in the Championship Division of the 10th PAL Ladies Interclub golf tournament that wrapped up recently in Bacolod.

Lancers show heart of a champ By Mikey Izumi CEBU City—The University of Visayas Green Lancers showed the heart of a champion in beating the University of San Carlos Warriors, 70-63, to tie the championship series, 1-1, of the CESAFI tournament before a huge crowd at the Cebu Coliseum. The 10-time champion Green Lancers, leaned on their hot shooting and survived a highly physical contest with the Warriors that resulted in a total of four technical fouls. Led by sophomore Jun Kent Mazo, who had 16 points in the first half, the Lancers raced to a 2214 lead at the end of the first quarter and stretched their lead to 14, 41-27 at the half. The lead kept growing in the third, with the Lancers sitting on a 21-point bubble, 51-30, with under five minutes left in the third quarter behind transition baskets by Arvie Cabanero, Josue Segumpan and Alfred Codilla. But the Warriors fought back hard, cutting the lead to only five, 68-63, with less than 30 seconds to play, but the run proved to be too late.

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Cubs advance; LA Dodgers stay alive CHICAGO—For only the second time since 1908, the Chicago Cubs have won a Major League Baseball playoff series and longsuffering fans hope their championship drought will end after 106 seasons.

Manila begins 3x3 World Tour CALVIN Abueva’s Manila North team battles Kranj of Slovenia and Doha of Qatar today at the start of the 2015 FIBA 3x3 World Tour in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates. The game with the Slovenians is at 1:20 p.m. (9:20 a.m. Manila time) and the match with the Qataris is at 3:10 p.m. (12:10 p.m. Manila time). In Pool A are Novi Sad of UAE, Rio of Brazil and Vilnius of Lithuania. Pool B has Ljubljana of Slovenia, Santos of Brazil and Denver of the United States, while in Pool C are Trbovlje of Slovenia, Kolobrzeg of Poland and New York Harlem of USA. Teams in the same pool engage each other with the top two moving to the door-die quarterfinals. The last four advance to the semifinals where the winners dispute the title. Novi Sad reigned in the 2014 World Tour in Sendai, Japan where it defeated Saskatoon of Canada in the final. Manila West, which upset Doha in the Manila Masters final, finished fifth behind Kranj and Bucharest. With Abueva are Aces teammate Vic Manuel, who made a last-minute decision to join the team, Mahindra’s Karl Dehesa and Talk ‘N Text rookie Troy Rosario. “Laban lang kami para sa bayan,” said Abueva prior to their departure, “Basta kami, ibibigay namin lahat ng makakaya para sa Filipinas.”

Kyle Schwarber (left) of the Chicago Cubs bats in the second inning against the St. Louis Cardinals during game four of the National League Division Series at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois. AFP

Viloria’s foe appears overweight By Ronnie Nathanielsz UNBEATEN World Boxing Council flyweight champion Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez, who succeeded Floyd Mayweather Jr. as pound-for-pound No. 1 after the latter’s retirement, appears to be having weight problems. Former two-division world champion Brian Viloria’s trainer Marvon Somodio, the Filipino assistant of Hall-of-Famer Freddie Roach, told The Standard/ boxingmirror.com that Gonza-

lez showed up at the press public workout, but merely posed for pictures before leaving. Somodio noticed that the Nicaraguan champion was wearing a thermal suit just like he was seen in photos working on the heavy bag last week. On the other hand, Viloria did three rounds on the punchmitts and had a light workout. Somodio said Viloria had no problems as his weight was okay “Gonzalez didn’t work out and only posed for photos and his body and feet were covered

in a plastic suit,” said Somodio, who suspected he was overweight. “Brian is in great condition. He would pause while working on the mitts then hit the mitts again, but now he goes rapid fire without a pause.” Somodio expressed confidence that Viloria can beat Gonzales as long as he doesn’t take unnecessary risks and stays focused and sharp. “Viloria has power in his right and a good left hook while his timing is excellent,” Somodio said.

The Cubs defeated St. Louis 6-4 Tuesday to reach the National League finals, clinching a playoff series at home for the first time in team history, a legacy dating to 1870. Javier Baez, Kyle Schwarber and Anthony Rizzo smacked home runs to power the hard-hitting Cubs, who took the best-of-five matchup from the Cardinals three games to one. “This means so much to the team, the city and to everyone involved with this organization,” Rizzo said. “We’re so happy right now. I can’t even put it into words.” The Cubs, who had not won a playoff series since beating Atlanta in the 2003 National League first round, next face either the New York Mets or Los Angeles Dodgers to determine a berth in the World Series. The Dodgers downed the host Mets 3-1 Tuesday to force a fifth game Thursday in Los Angeles to decide that series. The Cubs, founded in 1870, have not won a World Series since 1908. Wrigley Field, built in 1914, is among America’s most iconic sports venues, but the Cubs, who began playing there in 1916, had never before hosted a playoff victory celebration, clinching 1907 and 1908 World Series crowns in Detroit and a 2003 first-round triumph in Atlanta. But there was late drama to be endured. Matt Carpenter hit a two-out single in the ninth for St. Louis to bring rookie Stephen Piscotty, who homered in the first inning, to the plate as the tying run. But Cubs relief pitcher Hector Rondon struck out Piscotty to end the game and ignite a raucous celebration. “We deserve to celebrate this. It has been a long time coming for this city and hopefully it’s just a taste of what’s about to come,” Rizzo said. AFP

PH joining World Indigenous Games A SIX-MAN Philippine team led by Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Jason Balabal will be leaving for Palmas, Brazil on Friday to see action in the 1st World Indigenous Games. The Filipino delegation in the Oct. 18 to Nov. 4 meet will be represented by three tribes, namely, Aetas, Dumagats, and the Ifugaos, according to delegation head Col. Jeff Tamayo. “Marami sanang kasali but we can’t because of limited budget,” said Tamayo in the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum at Shakey’s Malate on Tuesday. Tamayo was joined in the public sports program presented by San Miguel Corp., Accel, Shakey’s, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp., by Balabal, Mark Sumalag, and Elvis Julius. The three along with Erlyn Balabal represent the Igorot tribes in the team, while the Dumagats and Aetas tribes will be bannered by Ricardo Turgo, Jun Ablong, and Dumlao Naval, respectively. Together, they will be competing in spear throwing, archery, canoeing, sprint (100 m), and wrestling (demonstration). Tamayo said the event is his vision to uplift the country’s tribal culture and preserve

natural heritage. Aside from sports, there will be a plethora of cultural features regarded with much importance and value such as traditional indigenous agriculture, arts and crafts, medicine, performances, and folklore. Meanwhile, the Philippine Tennis Association is going to seek the support of the Philippine Sports Commission in financing the training of national team member Jeson Patrombon with Taiwan-based Hope Tennis Academy. Through federation vice president Randy Villanueva, the country’s governing body for tennis hopes financial aid will be extended by the government sports agency to the 22-year-old former top junior netter, who’s been with the academy since last year. Hope Tennis aims to help athletes from various Asian countries reach their full potential through rigorous training, providing nutrition, and online high school education while competing in international tournaments. At present, it trains junior and pro athletes from 15 countries such as Malaysia, Korea, Indonesia, and Vietnam. Marcel Petit, the French coach of Patrombon from the academy, sees a lot of

Col. Jeff Tamayo, the father of Philippine Tribal Games, announces the participation of 3 Philippine tribes to the First World Indigenous Games in Palmas, Brazil. With Tamayo in photo are tribal athletes Jason Balabal, Mark Sumalag and Elvis julius during their apperance at the PSA Forum.

potential in the Filipino netter that he’ll be the first to be disappointed if no support will be extended to him. “We hope we can explore more of his talent by exposing him to more tournaments. He has the potential,” said Petit, who appeared in the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum along

with Villanueva at Shakey’s Malate on Tuesday. Petit added in the same session presented by San Miguel Corp., Shakey’s, Accel, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. that Patrombon is scheduled to see action in 15 international tournaments this year.

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Foton tests Petron’s mettle Games Today (The Arena, San Juan) 4:15 p.m. • Meralco vs RC Cola-Air Force 6:15 p.m. • Petron vs Foton

Dindin Manabat of Petron scores against the defense of Meralco’s Liis Kullerkann and Cha Cruz in a 2015 Philippine Superliga Grand Prix women’s volleyball game won by the Blaze Spikers 25-15, 25-14, 25-19. ROMAN PROSPERO

Next fight may be Pacman’s last By Ronnie Nathanielsz

TOP Rank promoter Bob Arum, who met with eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao in New York, said that Pacquiao’s next fight will probably be his last. Pacquiao is running for a Senate seat in the elections next year and the latest surveys indicate he will be

elected, which means a sixyear term. “He can’t mess around and take off to go into a

training camp for three months if he’s in office as a senator. They have to be there every day since senators do most of the work. He knows if he’s a senator, he can’t fight,” Arum was quoted by Lance Pugmire of the Los Angeles Times as saying. They also discussed a possible next opponent for

a bout sometime in early April. Among the fighters being considered are Timothy “Desert Storm” Bradley, who split his two fights with Pacquiao; former stablemate and sparring partner Amir Khan, the current World Boxing Council welterweight Silver Champion; Terrence Crawford, the

Boxing Writers Association of America Fighter of the Year; or Viktor Apostol at 140 pounds, since Pacquiao can easily make the weight. Pacquiao mentioned the desire for a rematch with the retired Floyd Mayweather Jr., but Arum ruled out the possibility and told him to forget about it.

Bahrain jeopardizes PH Azkals’ World Cup hopes By Peter Atencio A MORE experienced Bahrain side played cohesive football in scoring twice in the second half to blank the Philippine Azkals, 2-0, before their home crowd at the Bahrain National Stadium in Riffa,

Bahrain Tuesday night in the FIFA World Cup Qualifier match. Ismaeel Abdulatif Hassan and Sayed Mohamed Adnan delivered the goals in the 53rd and 61st minutes en route to the win that avenged Bahrain’s 1-4 loss to the the Philippine Azkals last June in Bulacan.

After playing the Azkals to a scoreless draw in the first half, the Bahrainis showed up with more energy in the second half. “We played in the first half an awesome game, a controlled game. We played with many chances, second chances. But the players got tired, and their legs did not work

when it was supposed to,” said Azkals coach Thomas Dooley. Phil Younghusband nearly scored on several chances in both the early and late parts of the game. Bahrain finally broke their scoreless deadlock when Hassan found the net in 53rd minute. Continued to A15

AFTER booking an impressive opening-day victory, the vaunted chemistry and toughness of Foton will again be tested when it battles reigning champion Petron in the 2015 Philippine Superliga Grand Prix women’s volleyball tournament today at The Arena in San Juan. The Tornadoes will collide with the Blaze Spikers in the 6:15 p.m. main game, while Meralco and RC Cola-Air Force will scramble for their first win in the 4:15 p.m. appetizer of this prestigious inter-club tourney presented by Asics and backed by Milo with Mikasa, Senoh and Mueller as technical partners. Cignal, which displayed tremendous grace under extreme pressure in puling off a classic 15-25, 25-15, 25-17, 19-25, 16-14 win over Philips Gold before another large crowd late Tuesday, is on top of the team standing with a 2-0 win-loss start. Foton is running second at 1-0 while Petron is behind at 1-1. Import Ariel Usher erupted for 27 kills and two aces for a conference-high of 30 points, while her partner Amanda Anderson chipped in 18 markers for the HD Spikers, who are displaying the chemistry and team work brought by the arrival of veterans Michelle Laborte, Cherry Vivas and April Ross Hingpit as well as rookie Fritz Gallenero. But all eyes will be on Foton. Billed as one of the heavy contenders this conference, the Tornadoes further solidified their frontline with the addition of national team mainstay Jaja Santiago and the recruitment of veteran reinforcement Lindsay Stalzer and Katie Messing.

Alcantara rams way into 2nd round

Francis Casey Alcantara whacks the ball back to his foe.

AUSTRALIAN Open juniors’ doubles’ titlist Francis Casey Alcantara proved that he is a force to be reckoned with as he pummeled his way to the second round of the 34th Philippine Columbian Association Open-Cebuana Lhuillier ITF Men’s Futures 2 after upsetting fifth seed Vinayak Sharma Kaza of India, 6-2, 7-6 (3), yesterday at the PCA clay courts in Paco, Manila. In a match that took one hour and 16 minutes, the 23-year-old Alcantara came out with guns blazing in the first set but was shaken when Kaza tried to claw his way back in the second. Fortunately for the Cagayan de Oro native, who scored five aces, he was able to gain his bearings back and convert Kaza’s misses to his advantage. “Alam ko naman ‘yung game

niya. Nu’ng naging break niya ako early in the second set, nawala ‘yung focus ko. Kaya naging patient lang talaga ako sa pagbalikbalik until na mag-miss siya,” said Alcantara, who also made it into the second round of the ITF Men’s Futures 1 last week. Alcantara will duel Chinese Taipei’s Liang Wen-Chun, who prevailed over Ren Nakamura of Japan, 6-2, 7-5. The win was a big sigh of relief for Filipino fans after local big guns Elbert Anasta and Bryan Otico suffered disappointing losses to their respective Japanese rivals in the tournament supported by Cebuana Lhuillier, Puma, Dunlop, The Philippine Star, Head, Babolat, Compass/IMOSTI and Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao. Anasta fell short against sixth

seed Makoto Ochi, 7-6 (6), 6-2, while Otico couldn’t find a way to get past Soichiro Moritani, 6-2, 6-4. Anasta and Otico bid adieu to their ITF campaigns along with Patrick John Tierro and Rolando Ruel, who also fell victims to their corresponding foes last Tuesday. It was a double victory for Alcantara, who, along with his formidable partner Johnny Arcilla, managed to outclass Jeson Patrombon and Yu Cheng-Yu of ChineseTaipei, 6-2, 6-2, to advance into the quarterfinals in the event supported by Whilpool/Fujidenzo, Broadway Motor Sales Corp. Coca-Cola Femsa Philippines, Tyrecorp Incorporated, Pearl Garden Hotel, Metro Global Holdings Corporation, Avida, PVL Restaurant, Mary Grace Foods, Inc., Seno Hardware and Wire Rope Corporation.

T H U R S D AY : O C T O B E R 1 5 , 2 0 1 5

A15

SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Ginebra, Alaska have tools to go all the way By Jeric Lopez

CAN two loaded and highly motivated teams finally bring home the bacon in the 41st season of the Philippine Basketball Association? A title have been elusive for both Alaska and Barangay Ginebra in the past two seasons, but both are looking to finally deliver in the new season. It’s been seven long years since the Gin Kings last won a championship and a drastic change was made to boost the team’s bid for that elusive crown. Ginebra made arguably the biggest off-season move when it brought in Tim Cone, the winningest coach in PBA history, to steer the underachieving franchise to greater heights and deliver a possible championship. ‘’First, we want to get used to what we want, to run as a team and from there, we’re really hoping for favorable results for us,’’

said Cone, whose Kings didn’t even reach the finals in any of the three conferences last season despite a star-studded line-up. ‘’We now have a balanced and talented line-up and we’re looking to maximize what we have and achieve things.’’ Immediately upon taking over, Cone and the Ginebra management already made some minor changes to balance out the Gin Kings’ line-up. Ginebra’s established stars Mark Caguioa, Greg Slaughter, Japeth Aguilar, LA Tenorio, Jayjay Helterbrand, Chris Ellis and Sol Mercado are still going to be heavily relied upon, but they will get some help from a longtime ward of Cone in versatile point forward Joe Devance,

whom the team acquired by a trade, who have won championships with the legendary mentor both in Alaska and in Star. In addition, the team also has promising rookies Scottie Thompson, an NCAA Most Valuable Player, Aljon Mariano and Dennis Villamor, along with transferee Nico Salva, who are also expected to provide some contributions for Ginebra’s cause. Alaska was so close yet so far last season from a championship. It made the finals both in the Philippine and Governors’ Cup before it folded to San Miguel Beer on both occasions, leaving it with more thirst for further glory. While Ginebra made some significant overhauling, Alaska didn’t. The Aces kept their already in-sync core intact as they continue their pursuit for a crown. Instead, it just upgraded its

already talented core and the Aces know that it’s now about finishing the job completely to be able to win their first championship since 2013. As expected, the longtime core of Sonny Thoss, Cyrus Baguio, Jvee Casio, Calvin Abueva, Dondon Hontiveros and sophomore Chris Banchero will lead the charge and they will seek for even better results this season. ‘’Unlike other teams, we didn’t make any changes more or less. We believe that our intact team have enough tools to once again contend for a championship, but hopefully, we can go all the way this next season,’’ said Alaska coach Alex Compton. The top rookie pick of the team in Letran star Kevin Racal is a nice addition to the already talented mix and will also be banked upon once he becomes available right after the NCAA season.

Primer movers of the PBA are shown here during the league’s formal launching of its 2016 season. They are (standing, from left) Epok Quimpo (TNT), Alternate Gov. Paul Ryan Gregorio (Meralco Bolts), Gov. Rene Pardo (Star Hotshots), Gov. Alfrancis Chua (Barangay Ginebra), Gov. Siliman Sy (Blackwater), Alt. Gov. Edison Oribiana (ROS), Gov. Manuel Alvarez (Barako Bull), (seated, from left) PBA President/CEO Chito Salud, PBA Vice Chairman Eric Arejola (GlobalPort), PBA Chairman Robert Non (San Miguel), Gov. Tomas Alvarez (Mahindra), PBA Board Treasurer Ramoncito Fernandez (NLEX) and PBA Commissioner Andres Narvasa Jr.

LOTTO RESULTS

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

Bahrain... From A14

A free kick from Adnan in the 61st minute sailed past goalie Neil Etheridge to give Bahrain a 2-0 edge in the 60th minute. Because of their second loss, it will now be difficult for the Philippine side to qualify for the next round as it fell to third with a 2-1-2 (win-loss-draw) slate. Uzbekistan has a 3-0-1 win-draw-loss at second spot and improved their chances of earning the second berth to the third round with unbeaten North Korea.

PBA... From A16

the Gilas team that competed in the 2014 World Cup and in the 2014 Incheon Asian Games. Reyes was a member of the Powerade PHL team to the 2009 FIBA Asia Championship in Tianjin, while Rosario and Sanggalang have played for the national team in the SEA Games. Rosario also served as an alternate in the recent Changsha joust. “The PBA commits to fully support the formation of the Philippine national team that will participate in the wildcard Olympic qualifying tournament on July 5 to 10,” PBA chairman Robert Non said in the presence of all members of the Board, commissioner Chito Narvasa and president/CEO Chito Salud. The Board also formed an ad hoc committee to make sure the players named to list report to the pool. The committee is composed of Ginebra’s Alfrancis Chua, Talk n Text’s Patrick Gregorio, Rain or Shine’s Mert Mondragon and commissioner Narvasa. “The PBA has approved the participation of all the players. As for the players, it’s the ad hoc committee’s task to get their nod,” said Non. The Board agreed to lend players and at the same time adjust its season calendar to accommodate training and actual participation of Gilas to the Olympic qualifier. “The PBA is adjusting the third conference, which shall start after the end of the qualifying tournament on July 10, 2016,” said Non. “The PBA shall allow the PBA players selected to attend practice sessions once a week, specifically every Monday for 28 weeks starting November, 2015.”

Poland wins Bermuda Bowl SYLVIA LOPEZ ALEJANDRO

POLAND defeated Sweden in the finals of the Bermuda Bowl in the World Team Champion-

ships Chennai 2015. Poland bagged the gold with members Gawrys, Jassem, Kalita, Klukowski, Mazurkiewicz Nowosadki -oOoANN DE GUZMAN on a winning streak The Letty de Padua Unmixed Pairs tourney was held at the Elk Club on Oct. 10 under the auspices of the Philippine Tournament Bridge Association. Her partner was Suena Manalang. They copped first place. I saw action with Hiranthi Samarasingha and I held this amazing hand:

North ♠ ♥ xx ♦Kx ♣AQJ1098762 I was the dealer sitting North and I chose to pass. My left hand opponent sitting East bid and leaped to four spades. Hiranthi passed and then another pass by West. The partner sitting West thought the auction was over expecting me to pass. : Lo, and behold I bid five clubs. No double. South Void in Clubs ♠ ♥ ♦ K K A J x Q x x x x x x East confidently led his ace of spades which I trumped. After playing ace of clubs, East won his king of clubs he elected to play

a low diamond. It was all over. I made six because he did not cash his heart ace allowing me to discard my losing hearts. -oOoStatement by WBF (9 October 2015) “The WBF has been updating its Disciplinary Code; the latest approved version will have effect from 1st January 2016. In addition the WBF has issued guidance to all Zonal Authorities and National Bridge Organizations for the sanctions to be imposed for those who cheat. The WBF wishes to make it abundantly clear that it will not allow cheating within the sport of bridge. Those who decide that they wish to obtain an unfair advantage by cheating should be aware that they will be pursued without exception; if found to have cheated they will be subject to severe sanctions that will result in them not being a part of bridge

for a very long time. However, the WBF does not approve of the current lynch mob mentality and approach that is being utilized by a small number of people. Regardless of any potential culpability, it is a requirement in any civilized society that those accused of any wrong doing are given details of what is alledged, the evidence that is said to support such allegations, and the opportunity to answer those matters. The WBF is aware that some players have been threatened with public exposure if they do not immediately agree with the direction of those who accuse them. It should be stressed that the people offering such “deals” have no legitimacy – they are without any legal standing in respect of the organization of the sport of bridge.” Comments to: sylvia.alejandro@yahoo

A16

T H U R S D AY : O C T O B E R 1 5 , 2 0 1 5

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

Tamaraws grab lead By Reuel Vidal

THE Far Eastern University Tamaraws gradually wore down the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons, then relied on a fourth-quarter blitz to post a convincing 68-57 victory in the UAAP Season 78 men’s basketball tournament at the Araneta Coliseum on Wednesday. FEU’s Big Mac Belo dribbled court-to-court to score on a drive and convert the bonus free-throw to push the Tamaraws to a 59-46 lead. Belo then extended that lead to 61-46 after he grabbed the offensive rebound and scored on a follow up. Reymar Jose then drained a long jumper to extend the FEU lead even more. In the blink-of-an eye, the Tamaraws were holding an in-

Cubs advance; Dodgers stay alive TURN TO A13

surmountable 17-point lead, 6346, with just 3:40 to go in the game. The Fighting Maroons reeled from the FEU onslaught, which saw the Tamaraws post the decisive run after holding a slim 43-40 third quarter advantage. With the victory, the Tamaraws improved their record to 8 wins against a single loss to grab solo first place ahead of the UST Growling Tigers (7-1).

The Fighting Maroons (3-6) dropped into a tie at sixth place with the University of the East Warriors (3-6) behind the defending champion National University Bulldogs (3-5) at fifth place. Meanwhile, offense proved superior to defense as the La Salle Green Archers survived the pressing defense of the University of the East Red Warriors to post a convincing 72-64 victory in the opening game. UE relied on its relentless fullcourt press to keep the score close as La Salle protected a slim fourpoint advantage, 62-58, with a little over four minutes to go. The Green Archers then methodically broke down UE’s press with composed execution to rattle off a 9-0 explosion, which virtually sealed the outcome of the match, 71-58, with just two min-

Foton tests Petron’s mettle TURN TO A14

utes left to play. King Archer Jeron Teng drained two free throws to extend the La Salle lead, 64-58. In La Salle’s next two offensive sets, the Green Archers broke the UE press then pounded the ball inside with big men Larry Muyang and Prince Rivero scoring in the paint. Josh Torralba then drilled a dagger of a triple to push the score beyond recall for La Salle, 71-58, with two minutes to go. UE could only cut the lead as the Archers went to win, 72-64. With the victory, the Green Archers (5 wins, 4 losses) slipped past arch-rival Ateneo De Manila (4-4) to grab solo third place. The Red Warriors (3-6) dropped to seventh place ahead of cellardweller Adamson University Soaring Falcons (1-7).

Champs lose. Draymond

Green (23) of the defending champion Golden State Warriors goes up for a dunk against the Denver Nuggets during a preseason game at ORACLE Arena in Oakland, California. The Nuggets won, 114-103. AFP

PBA makes available 17 players to Gilas pool THE Philippine Basketball Association Board of Governors unanimously, in a special meeting Wednesday, approved the release 17 players to the national pool from which coach Tab Baldwin will select the members of the team that will compete in the Olympic wild card qualifier next year. Calvin Abueva, Gabe Norwood, Jayson Castro, Ranidel de Ocampo, Matt Ganuelas-Rosser, Marc Pingris and Terrence Romeo – members of Gilas 3.0 that finished runner up to eventual champion China in the recent FIBA Asia championship in Changsha, China – head the list that got the green light from the Board of Governors through a resolution demonstrating their full support to the national team. Also in the wish list are June Mar Fajardo, Marcio Lassiter, Japeth Aguilar, LA Tenorio, Greg Slaughter, Jeff Chan, Paul Lee, Ryan Reyes, Troy Rosario and Ian Sanggalang. All have been part of the Gilas team at one time or another, except Reyes, Rosario and Sanggalang. Lassiter, Aguilar and Slaughter were part of the original Gilas team, under coach Rajko Toroman. Fajardo, Tenorio, Aguilar, Chan and Lee will be the returnees from Continued to A15

THURSDAY: OCTOBER 15, 2015

RAY S. EÑANO EDITOR

RODERICK T. DELA CRUZ ASSISTANT EDITOR

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

BUSINESS World Food Day.

Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala (right), along with Food and Agriculture Organization representative in the Philippines Jose Luis Fernandez (center) and assistant secretary for livestock and chairman of World Food Day 2015 Davinio Catbagan, cut the ribbon to ofﬁcially open the week-long celebration of the WFD. The exhibit area displays the ﬁve winners of the WFD on-the-spot mosaic poster making contest at the lobby of the Agriculture Department.

Neda eyes 7% long-term growth By Gabrielle H. Binaday

THE Philippines should achieve a long-term annual growth of 7 percent over the next decades to become an advanced economy and catch up with its neighbors, the National Economic and Development Authority said Wednesday. Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said the country should not be comfortable with a growth of only 6 percent annually, if it wanted to join the ranks of modern economies. “I will not be happy with that [growing 6 percent]. It will take you longer to reach the modern world. A 6 percent [annual growth] may take you until 2050 [or] 2055. You have to grow faster, otherwise, you will be left behind by Vietnam. You need to grow

close to 7 [percent],” Balisacan said. The inter-agency Development Budget Coordination Committee set the economic growth target for this year and 2016 at 7 percent to 8 percent. Balisacan, however, said an annual growth of 7 percent, instead of 8 percent, would be more sustainable. “What we need is to sustain the growth level. It is better to have a 7 [percent growth],

rather than 8 [percent], which could be sustained. It would be very costly if we achieved very high rate in a year, and then it would fall [the next year]. The average growth would not be good,” he said. The economy grew 5 percent in the first quarter and 5.6 percent in the second quarter, bringing the average growth in the first half to 5.3 percent, below the government’s target range of 7 percent to 8 percent. Balisacan earlier conceded that the target of 7 percent to 8 percent might not be achievable this year. He said 6 percent was the “realistic” projection. To achieve a growth of 6 percent in 2015, the country needs to expand 6.7 percent or higher in the second half. He said election-related spending might boost economic activities beginning the second

half of 2015. “Our estimate is that election spending could contribute an additional 3 percentage point to growth,” he said. Balisacan said next year, the implementation of infrastructure projects under the public-privatepartnership scheme was also expected to spur the growth performance of the country. “I think we have also many big PPP projects in the pipeline that we’re waiting for and are being implemented and will accelerate implementation. These will add to the impetus for growth in the coming quarters and years,” Balisacan said. Multilateral lenders earlier reduced the growth forecast for the Philippines this year. The International Monetary Fund reduced the growth for the Philippines this year to 6 percent from 6.2 percent.

PSe comPoSite 8000 7700 7400 7100 6800 6500

6,924.77 88.67

PeSo-dollar rate

Closing OCTOBER 14, 2015 43.50 44.60 45.40

P46.000

46.20

47.00

HIGH P45.970 LOW P46.190 AVERAGE P46.092 VOLUME 791.700M

P417.00-P640.00 LPG/11-kg tank P35.85-P43.35 Unleaded Gasoline P24.55-P28.00 Diesel

Guinigundo sees peso sustaining level after rebound By Karl Lester M. Yap THE rebound in the Philippine peso to near the strongest level in two months can be sustained, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo said, citing ample reserves and surpluses in the current account and balance of payments. “If we consider domestic factors, we have scope for the peso to be generally stable and exchange rates at these levels can be sustainable over a longer period,” Guinigundo, 61, said in an interview in his office in Manila Tuesday. “Pressures in the peso may be considered more

manageable because of healthy macroeconomic fundamentals.” The impending increase in US interest rates is putting pressure on emerging markets, complicating monetary policy as central banks seek to support growth while guarding against capital outflows. Singapore on Wednesday eased monetary policy for the second time this year as the economy narrowly avoided a technical recession, saying it will reduce “slightly” the pace of appreciation in the local dollar. “While there is pressure for the dollar to strengthen, the peso will be among the least affected because we have constant inflows from remittances, outsourcing,”

said Antonio Espedido, treasurer at China Banking Corp. in Manila. “Structurally, our outflows are more controlled, giving us surpluses every year.” The peso, which climbed to a two-month high on Monday, was little changed Wednesday at 46 per dollar. It is still the best performing Southeast Asian currency tracked by Bloomberg this year, and the nation’s reserves have remained stable at more than $80 billion, in contrast to others including Indonesia and Malaysia, where they have declined. ING Groep NV on Oct. 12 said it is reviewing its year-end forecasts of 46.8 pesos per dollar

for 2015, and 47 pesos for 2016. “Recent external developments have been favorable and could extend to the end of the year and in 2016, especially if the Fed guidance for normalization is extremely more modest than currently expected and that China’s economy grows at 6 percent to 7 percent, reducing emerging-market risks,” Joey Cuyegkeng, an economist at ING Groep NV in Manila, said in a note. Refraining from joining a global round of monetary easing this year gives the Philippine central bank room to confront shocks through 2016, Guinigundo said. Bloomberg

index

Closing October 14, 2015

il P PriceS today

P34.55-P39.15 Kerosene P20.75-P21.75 Auto LPG Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Wednesday, October 14, 2015

F oreign e xchange r ate Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

45.9830

Japan

Yen

0.008349

0.3839

Pound

1.525000

70.1241

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.129032

5.9333

Switzerland

Franc

1.045151

48.0592

Canada

Dollar

0.768285

Singapore

Dollar

0.713063

32.7888

Australia

Dollar

0.729501

33.5446

Bahrain

Dinar

2.657666

122.2075

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266773

12.2670

Brunei

Dollar

0.710530

32.6723

35.3280

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000073

0.0034

Thailand

Baht

0.028121

1.2931

UAE

Dirham

0.272279

12.5202

Euro

1.138300

52.3424

Korea

Won

0.000872

0.0401

China

Yuan

0.157657

7.2495

India

Rupee

0.015367

0.7066

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.239406

11.0086

New Zealand

Dollar

0.668717

Taiwan

Dollar

0.030761

30.7496 1.4145 Source: PDS Bridge

THURSDAY: OCTOBER 15, 2015

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

The STandard BuSineSS daily STockS review Wednesday, OctOber 14, 2015

52 Weeks

High Low 7.88 75.3 124.4 107 56.5 2.49 4.2 17 30.45 10.4 0.92 2.6 1.01 100 1.46 30.5 91.5 137 80 361.2 57 180 1700 124 47 1.46 2.36 15.3 20.6 36 2.97 4.14 21.5 21.6 11.96 9.13 11.8 2.89 17 31.8 109 15.3 9.4 0.98 241 79 3.95 4 74 33.9 90 13.26 293 5.25 12.98 7.03 3.4 4.5 6.3 7.86 238 3.28 0.315 2.18 2.65 234 5.28 1.3 2.17 0.59 59.2 30.05 2.16 7.39 3.4 3.35 823.5 10.2 84 3.35 3.68 4.92 0.66 1455 7.5 76 9.25 0.85 17.3 5.53 6.55 0.0670 1.61 2.99 84.9 3.5 974 1.66 1.39 156 0.710 0.435 0.510 10.5 1.99 1.75 41.4 5.6 5.59 1.44 1.48

STOCKS

High

Low

FINANCIAL 2.7 2.55 69.45 67.5 104.70 102.80 82.60 80.60 41.2 40.8 2.35 2.35 1.32 1.30 15.64 15.4 19.6 19.56 7.70 7.70 0.65 0.65 1.79 1.72 0.710 0.650 84.5 81.15 0.96 0.96 18.80 17.50 52.80 51.70 108.1 108 122 122 300 296 30.8 30.75 144.8 142 1515.00 1510.00 56.00 55.00 INDUSTRIAL 35.9 Aboitiz Power Corp. 42.2 42.85 41 1.01 Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. 0.9 0.93 0.9 1.86 Alsons Cons. 1.63 1.67 1.64 7.92 Asiabest Group 12.5 12.7 12.24 15.32 Century Food 16.78 16.78 16.68 10.08 Cirtek Holdings (Chips) 26.3 26.1 25.05 1.5 Crown Asia 2.45 2.46 2.4 1.5 Da Vinci Capital 1.97 2.08 1.86 10.72 Del Monte 10.1 10.12 10.06 9.55 DNL Industries Inc. 9.980 10.000 9.56 9.04 Emperador 7.29 7.41 7.20 6.02 Energy Devt. Corp. (EDC) 6.25 6.24 6.08 8.86 EEI 7.63 7.90 7.78 1.06 Euro-Med Lab 1.75 1.75 1.7 8.61 Federal Res. Inv. Group 12 12 11.8 20.2 First Gen Corp. 24 24.1 23.05 71.5 First Holdings ‘A’ 67.55 68 65.7 13.24 Holcim Philippines Inc. 13.00 13.60 13.00 5.34 Integ. Micro-Electronics 6.04 6.09 6 0.395 Ionics Inc 2.830 3.030 2.630 173 Jollibee Foods Corp. 202.00 207.60 203.00 34.1 Liberty Flour 33.00 32.95 32.95 2.3 LMG Chemicals 2 1.97 1.95 1.63 Mabuhay Vinyl 3.08 4 3.11 33 Macay Holdings 46.65 42.55 42.00 23.35 Manila Water Co. Inc. 23.25 23.5 23.3 17.3 Maxs Group 23 23.3 22.9 5.88 Megawide 5.56 5.56 5.5 250.2 Mla. Elect. Co À’ 304.00 305.00 302.40 3.87 Pepsi-Cola Products Phil. 4.16 4.16 4.13 8.45 Petron Corporation 7.11 7.24 7.01 3.03 Phoenix Petroleum Phils. 3.51 3.50 3.48 1.95 Phoenix Semiconductor 2.05 2.06 2.01 1 Pryce Corp. À’ 2.34 2.34 2.22 4.02 RFM Corporation 4.02 4.03 4.01 1.65 Roxas and Co. 2.81 2.91 2.86 161 San Miguel’Pure Foods `B’ 140 140 139.5 1.55 Splash Corporation 2.3 2.4 2.25 0.138 Swift Foods, Inc. 0.149 0.152 0.148 1.02 TKC Steel Corp. 1.28 1.44 1.29 2.09 Trans-Asia Oil 2.16 2.17 2.09 152 Universal Robina 191 192.2 190.5 4.28 Victorias Milling 4.56 4.56 4.56 0.640 Vitarich Corp. 0.69 0.68 0.67 1.2 Vulcan Ind’l. 1.24 1.23 1.18 HOLDING FIRMS 0.44 Abacus Cons. À’ 0.410 0.420 0.410 48.1 Aboitiz Equity 56.0500 56.7000 55.7000 20.85 Alliance Global Inc. 18.30 18.40 17.50 1.6 Anglo Holdings A 1.06 1.06 1.06 6.62 Anscor À’ 6.50 6.50 6.43 0.23 ATN Holdings A 0.245 0.270 0.239 0.23 ATN Holdings B 0.260 0.28 0.245 634.5 Ayala Corp À’ 757 773 750 7.390 Cosco Capital 7.23 7.25 7.1 12.8 DMCI Holdings 12.80 12.90 12.76 2.6 F&J Prince ‘A’ 3.9 3.72 3.72 1.15 F&J Prince ‘B’ 4.3 3.9 3.9 2.26 Filinvest Dev. Corp. 4.00 4.00 3.90 0.152 Forum Pacific 0.270 0.265 0.265 837 GT Capital 1330 1365 1331 5.3 House of Inv. 5.80 5.80 5.79 49.55 JG Summit Holdings 69.90 70.10 69.00 4.84 Lopez Holdings Corp. 6.2 6.22 6.02 0.59 Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp. 0.83 0.87 0.83 12 LT Group 11.3 11.52 11.1 4.2 Metro Pacific Inv. Corp. 5.11 5.16 5.06 4.5 Minerales Industrias Corp. 8.39 8.49 8.28 0.030 Pacifica À’ 0.0360 0.0390 0.0360 0.550 Prime Orion 1.950 1.960 1.960 2.26 Republic Glass ‘A’ 2.84 2.84 2.71 59.3 San Miguel Corp À’ 45.30 46.40 45.15 1.5 Seafront À’ 2.69 2.73 2.73 751 SM Investments Inc. 870.00 876.00 860.00 1.13 Solid Group Inc. 1.25 1.25 1.20 0.93 South China Res. Inc. 0.77 0.75 0.71 80 Top Frontier 99.000 102.000 98.000 0.211 Unioil Res. & Hldgs 0.3700 0.4200 0.3700 0.179 Wellex Industries 0.2170 0.2250 0.2230 0.310 Zeus Holdings 0.295 0.330 0.280 PROPERTY 6.74 8990 HLDG 6.290 6.380 6.290 0.65 A. Brown Co., Inc. 0.63 0.65 0.63 1.2 Araneta Prop À’ 1.150 1.150 1.110 30.05 Ayala Land `B’ 36.200 36.200 35.000 3.36 Belle Corp. À’ 3.08 3.08 3.04 4.96 Cebu Holdings 5.04 5.04 5.04 0.79 Century Property 0.62 0.62 0.61 0.97 Cityland Dev. À’ 1.01 1.06 1.06 2.5 66 88.05 88.1 45.45 1.97 1.68 12.02 19.6 6.12 0.74 1.02 0.225 78 0.9 17.8 62 88.35 52 276 41 118.2 1200 59

AG Finance Asia United Bank Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. Bank of PI China Bank BDO Leasing & Fin. INc. Bright Kindle Resources COL Financial Eastwest Bank Filipino Fund Inc. First Abacus I-Remit Inc. MEDCO Holdings Metrobank Natl. Reinsurance Corp. PB Bank Phil. National Bank Phil. Savings Bank Philippine trust Co. PSE Inc. RCBC `A’ Security Bank Sun Life Financial Union Bank

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

SHARES 9,029,162 91,087,924 350,600,778 98,562,719 344,458,169 312,140,684 1,198,477,943

2.7 69.45 103.00 82.60 41.05 2.35 1.28 15.7 19.56 7.70 0.65 1.72 0.670 83.9 0.96 17.80 52.00 108.1 124 297 30.75 143.3 1510.00 55.00

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

2.68 69.45 103.00 80.60 41 2.35 1.30 15.64 19.56 7.70 0.65 1.73 0.650 81.15 0.96 18.00 51.90 108 122 300 30.75 142 1515.00 56.00

-0.74 0.00 0.00 -2.42 -0.12 0.00 1.56 -0.38 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.58 -2.99 -3.28 0.00 1.12 -0.19 -0.09 -1.61 1.01 0.00 -0.91 0.33 1.82

40,000 9,950 1,048,730 839,490 156,000 14,000 43,000 700 40,800 5,200 5,000 11,000 3,442,000 2,022,870 50,000 885,300 47,340 2,250 10 240 20,100 341,640 45 3,070

41.8 0.9 1.66 12.3 16.7 25.8 2.43 1.87 10.06 9.750 7.24 6.14 7.78 1.7 11.8 23.1 65.7 13.60 6.07 2.740 203.00 32.95 1.95 3.68 42.00 23.3 23 5.51 305.00 4.16 7.01 3.50 2.02 2.3 4.02 2.86 140 2.31 0.149 1.32 2.12 191.3 4.56 0.67 1.18

-0.95 0.00 1.84 -1.60 -0.48 -1.90 -0.82 -5.08 -0.40 -2.30 -0.69 -1.76 1.97 -2.86 -1.67 -3.75 -2.74 4.62 0.50 -3.18 0.50 -0.15 -2.50 19.48 -9.97 0.22 0.00 -0.90 0.33 0.00 -1.41 -0.28 -1.46 -1.71 0.00 1.78 0.00 0.43 0.00 3.13 -1.85 0.16 0.00 -2.90 -4.84

2,207,700 334,000 15,000 3,300 817,800 379,400 383,000 7,179,000 36,500 16,382,100 1,149,600 11,357,600 37,800 37,000 19,100 2,998,400 107,150 14,900 252,800 32,927,000 921,880 300 33,000 142,000 2,200 758,700 66,600 50,400 167,360 475,000 1,574,900 63,000 704,000 253,000 572,000 44,000 350 1,182,000 3,320,000 334,000 1,033,000 1,023,950 8,000 401,000 294,000

0.415 55.9000 17.80 1.06 6.43 0.246 0.245 750 7.18 12.82 3.72 3.9 3.90 0.265 1337 5.79 69.00 6.2 0.85 11.14 5.06 8.49 0.0360 1.940 2.84 45.15 2.73 860.00 1.21 0.71 102.000 0.3700 0.2250 0.290

1.22 -0.27 -2.73 0.00 -1.08 0.41 -5.77 -0.92 -0.69 0.16 -4.62 -9.30 -2.50 -1.85 0.53 -0.17 -1.29 0.00 2.41 -1.42 -0.98 1.19 0.00 -0.51 0.00 -0.33 1.49 -1.15 -3.20 -7.79 3.03 0.00 3.69 -1.69

320,000 660,520 -23,253,014.00 9,239,100 -21,600,764.00 1,000 707,000 -4,427,150.00 4,040,000 910,000 77,620 -16,633,980.00 1,323,400 1,448,932.00 2,213,300 5,473,346.00 3,000 5,000 21,000 10,000 16,820 -3,252,605.00 239,000 884,433.00 1,510,790 -57,723,571.50 1,711,700 -6,412,430.00 626,000 962,100 -249,148.00 7,567,000 -9,237,698.00 1,615,000 228,600,000 96,400.00 1,185,000 16,000 262,300 -8,407,405.00 4,000 199,430 -11,235,115.00 360,000 23,000 38,200 -600,650.00 57,860,000 -39,050.00 510,000 6,380,000

6.300 0.63 1.110 35.000 3.08 5.04 0.61 1.06

0.16 0.00 -3.48 -3.31 0.00 0.00 -1.61 4.95

65,600 55,000 152,000 4,742,500 6,144,000 37,500 1,090,000 3,000

493,154.50 -26,649,880 -23,580,399.00 -2,257,740.00

-505,002.00

-68,031,606.00 -2,096,112.00 -623,638.00

-588,145 15,565,243.00

-62,044,510.00 -3,600.00 1,732,398.00 374,250.00 56,330.00 -8,526,297.00 -8,261,687.00 6,660,237.00 -70,990.00 -39,276,815.00 -6,423,637.50 88,400.00 -9,971.00 -272,830.00 -19,900,260.00

-8,866,925.00 66,084.00 -42,212.00 103,940.00 1,507,973.00 -17,400.00 30,600.00 13,380.00 201,000.00 59,060.00 305,900.00 16,680,317.00 9,120.00 -15,600.00

52 Weeks

High Low 0.201 0.69 10.96 0.97 0.305 2.22 2.1 1.8 5.94 0.72 8.54 31.8 2.29 4.9 21.35 1.06 1.62 8.59

0.083 0.415 2.4 0.83 0.188 1.15 1.42 1.27 4.13 0.39 2.69 22.15 1.6 3.1 15.08 0.69 0.83 5.73

10.5 66 1.09 14.88 28.5 15.82 0.1430 5.06 99.1 12.3 7.67 1700 2720 8.41 1.97 119.5 12.5 0.017 0.8200 2.2800 5.93 12.28 3.32 3.2 95.5 1 2.46 15.2 0.62 1.040 22.8 6.41 4 185 22.9 3486 0.760 2.28 46.05 90.1

1.97 35.2 0.63 10.5 18.2 8.6 0.0770 2.95 56.1 10.14 4.8 830 1600 5.95 1.23 102.6 8.72 0.011 0.041 1.200 2.34 6.5 1.91 1.95 3.1 0.650 1.8 6 0.335 0.37 14.54 3 2.28 79 4.39 2748 0.435 1.2 31.45 60.55

STOCKS

-101,010.00

Crown Equities Inc. Cyber Bay Corp. Double Dragon Empire East Land Ever Gotesco Global-Estate Filinvest Land,Inc. Interport `A’ Megaworld Phil. Realty `A’ Primex Corp. Robinson’s Land `B’ Rockwell Shang Properties Inc. SM Prime Holdings Sta. Lucia Land Inc. Suntrust Home Dev. Inc. Vista Land & Lifescapes

11.6 0.85 2.95 10 0.490 1.9

2GO Group’ ABS-CBN APC Group, Inc. Asian Terminals Inc. Berjaya Phils. Inc. Bloomberry Boulevard Holdings Calata Corp. Cebu Air Inc. (5J) Centro Esc. Univ. DFNN Inc. FEUI Globe Telecom GMA Network Inc. Harbor Star I.C.T.S.I. IPeople Inc. `A’ IP E-Game Ventures Inc. Island Info ISM Communications Jackstones Leisure & Resorts Liberty Telecom Macroasia Corp. Manila Broadcasting Manila Bulletin Manila Jockey Melco Crown MG Holdings NOW Corp. Pacific Online Sys. Corp. PAL Holdings Inc. Paxys Inc. Phil. Seven Corp. Philweb.Com Inc. PLDT Common PremiereHorizon Premium Leisure Puregold Robinsons RTL SBS Phil. Corp. 7.59 SSI Group 0.63 STI Holdings 1.71 Transpacific Broadcast 5 Travellers 0.315 Waterfront Phils. 1.14 Yehey

0.0098 17.24 0.330 12.7 1.19 1.62 9.5 4.2 0.48 0.420 0.440 0.022 0.023 8.2 49.2 4.27 1.030 3.06 0.020 0.021 7.67 12.88 10.42 0.040 420 9 0.016

0.0043 6.47 0.236 6.5 0.85 0.77 5.99 1.17 0.305 0.2130 0.2160 0.013 0.014 3.240 18.96 2.11 0.365 1.54 0.012 0.013 5.4 7.26 2.27 0.015 115.9 3.67 0.0100

Abra Mining Atlas Cons. À’ Basic Energy Corp. Benguet Corp À’ Century Peak Metals Hldgs Coal Asia Dizon Ferronickel Geograce Res. Phil. Inc. Lepanto À’ Lepanto `B’ Manila Mining À’ Manila Mining `B’ Marcventures Hldgs., Inc. Nickelasia Nihao Mineral Resources Omico Oriental Peninsula Res. Oriental Pet. À’ Oriental Pet. `B’ Petroenergy Res. Corp. Philex À’ PhilexPetroleum Philodrill Corp. À’ Semirara Corp. TA Petroleum United Paragon

70 553 515 8.21 12.28 111 1060 1047 78.95 84.8

33 490 480 5.88 6.5 101 997 1011 74.5 75

ABS-CBN Holdings Corp. Ayala Corp. Pref `B1’ GLOBE PREF P GMA Holdings Inc. Leisure and Resort MWIDE PREF PCOR-Preferred A PF Pref 2 SMC Preferred B SMC Preferred C SMC Preferred D SMC Preferred E SMC Preferred F

-63,860.00 -33,111,175.00 -2,333,030.00

6.98

0.8900 LR Warrant

15 88 12.88

3.5 13.5 5.95

130.7

105.6 First Metro ETF

Makati Fin. Corp. IRipple E-Business Intl Xurpas

High

VALUE 420,802,780.69 1,057,103,144.95 957,033,257.99 1,093,585,166.37 1,481,121,227.765 156,547,855.28 5,209,584,525.765

FINANCIAL 1,539.75 (down) 21.17 INDUSTRIAL 10,902.39 (down) 53.09 HOLDING FIRMS 6,441.98 (down) 57.91 PROPERTY 2,931.68 (down) 50.94 SERVICES 1,659.60 (down) 28.74 MINING & OIL 11,025.11 (down) 373.81 PSEI 6,924.77 (down) 88.67 All Shares Index 3,989.49 (down) 40.54 Gainers: 64 Losers: 112; Unchanged: 45; Total: 221

0.112 0.435 20 0.900 0.168 1.20 1.77 1.30 4.47 0.4200 7.95 28.90 1.56 3.05 21.10 0.74 1.300 5.510

0.114 0.111 0.111 0.435 0.435 0.435 20.2 19.6 20 0.930 0.900 0.900 0.172 0.172 0.172 1.23 1.18 1.18 1.77 1.73 1.77 1.30 1.27 1.27 4.52 4.43 4.43 0.4100 0.4100 0.4100 8.26 7.95 8.15 29.40 28.85 28.90 1.57 1.56 1.57 3.05 3.05 3.05 22.00 21.00 21.00 0.74 0.73 0.73 1.350 1.200 1.220 5.530 5.440 5.480 SERVICES 7.9 8.7 8 8.5 63.55 64.6 63.45 63.5 0.600 0.640 0.560 0.620 11.24 11.8 11.8 11.8 29 29 29 29 5.82 6.19 5.90 5.91 0.0530 0.0550 0.0520 0.0520 3.66 3.89 3.65 3.86 85.75 86.35 85.5 85.5 9.6 9.6 9.6 9.6 5.20 5.30 5.20 5.30 960 955 955 955 2250 2294 2162 2180 6.55 6.66 6.56 6.61 1.25 1.22 1.20 1.20 78.9 79 76.7 77 11.02 11.02 11.02 11.02 0.011 0.012 0.011 0.011 0.180 0.194 0.180 0.184 1.4700 1.4800 1.4500 1.4500 2.25 2.33 2.25 2.33 8.49 8.50 8.45 8.50 3.76 3.85 3.67 3.77 2.26 2.26 2.18 2.18 25.50 30.80 25.50 30.80 0.620 0.640 0.620 0.620 2.05 2.01 2.01 2.01 3.83 3.98 3.81 3.85 0.310 0.390 0.300 0.315 0.780 0.800 0.690 0.690 18.8 19 19 19 4.50 4.51 4.51 4.51 2.89 2.9 2.9 2.9 97.00 97.00 96.00 97.00 18.90 18.90 18.88 18.90 2200.00 2218.00 2170.00 2170.00 0.560 0.590 0.550 0.570 1.040 1.080 1.040 1.050 33.45 33.55 32.90 33.40 76.00 74.00 70.15 70.15 7.05 7.22 6.77 6.77 5.53 5.67 5.40 5.51 0.43 0.51 0.45 0.48 1.5 1.54 1.54 1.54 3.8 3.87 3.74 3.84 0.350 0.350 0.345 0.345 4.640 4.630 4.210 4.400 MINING & OIL 0.0049 0.0049 0.0048 0.0049 5.05 5.23 5.00 5.07 0.200 0.210 0.200 0.205 5.8100 6.08 6.07 6.0700 0.72 0.72 0.71 0.71 0.67 0.67 0.66 0.66 8.72 9.00 8.31 8.50 1.17 1.17 1.07 1.08 0.305 0.310 0.305 0.305 0.187 0.191 0.183 0.189 0.205 0.205 0.194 0.205 0.0100 0.0100 0.0100 0.0100 0.011 0.010 0.010 0.010 2.23 2.3 2.2 2.23 7.1 7.02 6.8 6.8 2.79 2.86 2.79 2.8 0.6000 0.6000 0.6000 0.6000 1.4600 145.0000 1.3700 1.3800 0.0100 0.0100 0.0099 0.0099 0.0100 0.0099 0.0099 0.0099 4.00 4.05 4.03 4.05 5.20 5.300 5.000 5.00 1.42 1.400 1.360 1.37 0.0130 0.0140 0.0130 0.0130 138.90 138.90 132.10 133.60 2.4 2.44 2.37 2.37 0.0070 0.0079 0.0079 0.0079 PREFERRED 68 68 65.1 67 520 528 500 528 525 520 520 520 6.4 6.4 6.3 6.3 1.12 1.11 1.11 1.11 111 113 109 109 1065 1065 1065 1065 1020 1020 1018 1018 78.9 78.9 78.2 78.2 82 82.5 81.6 82 79.2 79.1 79.1 79.1 79.15 79.2 79 79.2 80 80 79 79 WARRANTS & BONDS 2.900 2.940 2.860 2.920 SME 3.17 3.11 3.1 3.1 64.5 64.5 62.55 63 14.86 14.86 14.34 14.48 EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 115 115.7 113.3 113.3

T op g ainerS STOCKS

Low

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

-0.89 0.00 0.00 0.00 2.38 -1.67 0.00 -2.31 -0.89 -2.38 2.52 0.00 0.64 0.00 -0.47 -1.35 -6.15 -0.54

2,220,000 140,000 916,300 1,183,000 10,000 4,073,000 3,141,000 383,000 27,011,000 20,000 308,500 2,487,900 258,000 4,000 29,048,400 70,000 7,367,000 7,616,800

15,680.00

7.59 -0.08 3.33 4.98 0.00 1.55 -1.89 5.46 -0.29 0.00 1.92 -0.52 -3.11 0.92 -4.00 -2.41 0.00 0.00 2.22 -1.36 3.56 0.12 0.27 -3.54 20.78 0.00 -1.95 0.52 1.61 -11.54 1.06 0.22 0.35 0.00 0.00 -1.36 1.79 0.96 -0.15 -7.70 -3.97 -0.36 11.63 2.67 1.05 -1.43 -5.17

1,293,200 30,990 2,416,000 1,000 200 23,508,400 56,240,000 1,419,000 173,700 5,100 154,000 340 68,525 118,800 111,000 3,440,400 6,500 700,000 30,940,000 449,000 17,000 30,200 687,000 10,000 900 6,000 50,000 9,998,000 41,040,000 24,105,000 1,100 9,000 2,000 5,720 26,100 116,805 2,433,000 12,715,000 2,076,600 408,800 8,147,200 13,749,900 72,770,000 4,000 4,937,000 460,000 2,542,000

0.00 0.40 2.50 4.48 -1.39 -1.49 -2.52 -7.69 0.00 1.07 0.00 0.00 -9.09 0.00 -4.23 0.36 0.00 -5.48 -1.00 -1.00 1.25 -3.85 -3.52 0.00 -3.82 -1.25 12.86

103,000,000 1,876,500 7,941,399.00 2,160,000 2,800 206,000 41,000 88,900 27,292,000 -4,725,990.00 590,000 10,730,000 640,000 39,000.00 28,200,000 6,000,000 422,000 3,261,000 2,814,980.00 263,000 -13,700.00 12,000 833,000 6,900.00 17,500,000 1,000,000 11,000 902,100 -2,476,882.00 289,000 -95,300.00 99,900,000 326,310 -16,044,359.00 203,000 -56,880.00 1,000,000

-1.47 1.54 -0.95 -1.56 -0.89 -1.80 0.00 -0.20 -0.89 0.00 -0.13 0.06 -1.25

749,690 7,830 1,000 161,400 469,000 7,050 1,015 8,770 70,000 95,530 45,900 61,000 949,800

0.69

24,000

-2.21 -2.33 -2.56

8,000 3,770 2,530,700

63,000.00 3,645,028.00

-1.48

55,940

34,410.00

-4,371,337.00

1,459,990.00 -19,420,380.00 512,040.00 33,751,620.00 -280,800.00 516,692,020.00 1,270.00 -60,496.00 -171,287.00

-14,492,433.00 -68,760.00 433,254.50

-42,111,830.00 40,851,471.00 -437,400.00 -4,380.00 84,984.00

-7,207,010.00 47,850.00 227,850.00

430,880.00 -96,750,260.00 2,626,970.00 27,036,955.00 -8,113,045.00 1,121,850.00 12,105,135.00 -8,736,750.00 -5,558,170.00 -22,610.00

42,582,510.00 -229,120.00 14,170.00 -5,485,645.00 -3,272,150.00 -53,276,280.00

T op L oSerS Close (P)

Change (%)

STOCKS

Close (P)

Change (%)

Manila Broadcasting

30.80

20.78

NOW Corp.

0.690

-11.54

Mabuhay Vinyl

3.68

19.48

Macay Holdings

42.00

-9.97

United Paragon

0.0079

12.86

F&J Prince 'B'

3.9

-9.30

STI Holdings

0.48

11.63

Manila Mining `B'

0.010

-9.09

2GO Group'

8.5

7.59

South China Res. Inc.

0.71

-7.79

Calata Corp.

3.86

5.46

Robinsons RTL

70.15

-7.70

Asian Terminals Inc.

11.8

4.98

Ferronickel

1.08

-7.69

Cityland Dev. `A'

1.06

4.95

Suntrust Home Dev. Inc.

1.220

-6.15

Holcim Philippines Inc.

13.60

4.62

ATN Holdings B

0.245

-5.77

Benguet Corp `A'

6.0700

4.48

Oriental Peninsula Res.

1.3800

-5.48

THURSDAY: OCTOBER 15, 2015

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

Gaisanos finalizing IPO plan By Jenniffer B. Austria

METRO Retail Stores Group Inc. of the Gaisano family plans to attract cornerstone investors for a planned P6.17-billion initial public offering, according to one of the underwriters handling the transaction. BPI Capital Corp. chief operating officer Reginaldo Cariaso said in a mobile message the company was in the process of finalizing plans to get anchor investors for the share sale slated next month. “It’s still in progress. Can be

cornerstone or anchor investors or both,” Cariaso said. Cariaso did not say how much of the total offered shares would be earmarked to cornerstone investors. Metro Retail is selling as much as 920 million common shares

and another 92 million in overallotment shares at an offering price of up to P6.10 apiece Metro Retail’s IPO was approved by the Securities and Exchange Commission Friday. It is still awaiting approval from the Philippine Stock Exchange. Metro Retail plans to use the proceeds from the share sale to fund capital expenditures in connection with the establishment of new stores. It also intends to acquire existing retail chains and put up a logistics and distribution center in Cebu. Metro Retail plans open at least seven new stores in 2016 with a

total gross floor area of 36,000 to 63,000 square meters, including a department store and supermarket in Bacolod under an arrangement with Ayala Land Inc. and a department store and a supermarket near the old Iloilo airport under a deal with Megaworld Corp. Metro Retail stores have steadily grown to become a market leader in the Visayas after the opening the first outlet in Cebu City in 1982. As of June 30, 2015, Metro Retail had a portfolio of 45 stores, with nine in Metro Manila, 10 in Luzon and 26 in Visayas, with a total net selling space of approxi-

mately 197,873 square meters. According to Euromonitor, the company was the third largest supermarket operator, the third largest department store owner and the fourth largest hypermarket operator in the Philippines in terms of retail value sales in 2014. Metro Retail registered net sales of P14.72 billion in the six months ending June 30, 2015, an increase of 14.3 percent from P12.88 billion recorded in the same period last year. First-half net income amounted to P211.3 million, up 21.2 percent from P174.4 million in the six months ending June 30, 2014.

Stocks tumble; PLDT drops STOCKS tumbled again Tuesday as worries about the slowdown in Chinese growth kept the pressure on the regional market, with traders following their US and European counterparts to the sidelines. The Philippine Stock Exchange Index lost 88.67 points, or 1.3 percent, to 6,924.77 on a value turnover of P5.2 billion. Losers swamped gainers, 112 to 64, with 45 issues unchanged. Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co., the biggest telecommunications firm, dropped 1.4 percent to P2,170, while International Container Terminal Services Inc., the largest port operator, fell 2.4 percent to P77. Ayala Land Inc. skidded 3.3 percent to P35, while sister unit Global Telecom Inc., the secondbiggest telecommunications firm, declined 3.1 percent to P2,180. Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co., the second-largest lender, tumbled 3.3 percent to P81.15. A recent rally across global equities and currency markets this month was brought to a halt Tuesday when China released figures showing imports plunged by more than a fifth in September while exports also declined. And on Wednesday official figures showed inflation weakened last month from August. Prices paid at factory gates—a key gauge of demand in the economy— plunged at the same rate as August, which was a six-year low. “The cautionary element in the market is likely to continue,” Chris Green, an Auckland-based strategist at First NZ Capital, told Bloomberg News. “In terms of global growth, the risk is skewed towards the downside. A softer read on the Chinese inflation data reinforces the backdrop of deflationary pressures and softer growth profile globally. The Chinese economy is probably the largest risk that the global economy faces at this point.” With AFP

Bigger MICT yard. Manila International Container Terminal Services is set to finish the first stage expansion of Yard 7 before the year ends. Upon completion, the Phase 1 development will increase the terminal’s existing import capacity by 18 percent. The additional storage will be a key to optimizing terminal utilization. Pending the completion of the yard expansion, MICT rolled out its terminal appointment booking system ahead of the anticipated increase in container movement in the months leading to the holiday season.

PLDT’s enterprise business to post higher sales By Darwin G. Amojelar PHILIPPINE Long Distance Telephone Co. expects revenues from its enterprise business to expand by double digits this year, boosted by the digital business. “We are expecting a double digit growth this year,” PLDT and Smart executive vice president and ePLDT president and chief executive Eric Alberto said. PLDT’s enterprise business posted P36 billion in revenues last year. Alberto attributed the growth to the digital platform and traditional legacy businesses. PLDT, through its corporate

business group PLDT ALPHA Enterprise, in partnership with Voyager Innovations, is bringing the free-access platform SafeZone (www.safezone.ph) to local enterprises to help them expand their online reach and boost their digital profiles to their customers. SafeZone will enable enterprises to open their Web sites and mobile applications to mobile data users for free, increasing customer engagement in their digital channels. Local and global entertainment, online commerce, travel, transportation, and news sites have already teamed up with SafeZone, including Babble Mes-

senger, Bank of the Philippine Islands, Carmudi, Foodpanda, Gamex,Philippine Airlines, Popslide, SPINNR and Zalora. “In today’s increasingly B2B2C ecosystem, companies need a complete digital strategy to maximize their online presence and connect deeper with their consumers who are becoming more tech-savvy and price conscious,” Alberto said. “With SafeZone, PLDT ALPHA Enterprise is enabling enterprises to drive traffic and increase usage into their digital assets, allowing them to form a more intimate relationship with their customers, and thereby creating stronger

affinity to their brand and business,” he said. Large industries that are expanding their digital presence such as banking and finance, BPO, retail, travel and tourism, and entertainment, are seen to benefit from incorporating SafeZone’s free data access feature for their customers. “SafeZone allows anytime anywhere information transactions. For enterprise this means relationships with customers are extended 24/7. Services are delivered by the enterprise through its digital assets in an effective and cost efficient manner,” Voyager Innovations chief operations officer Benjie Fernandez said.

B4 Datem opens water project By Anna Leah E. Gonzales

Datem Water Inc. signs an exclusive five-year partnership with global filtration systems manufacturer, Mann+Hummel, for bulk water delivery. Shown sealing the agreement at the Datem Corporate Center are (from left) Datem Inc. president Levy Espiritu, Datem Water Inc. president Morris Agoncillo, Microdyn-Nadir chief executive Walter Lamparter, Mann+Hummel vice president for Asia-Pacific Chow Chan Ho and Mann+Hummel country manager Joseph Mendoza.

Ang: SMC prefers corporate takeovers By Jenniffer B. Austria

SAN Miguel Corp. president and chief operating officer Ramon Ang said Wednesday he now prefers the full acquisition of a company, instead of forging joint venture partnerships, after being “cheated” by partners in the past. Ang expressed the sentiment in a panel session during the Forbes Global CEO Conference at Solaire Resort & Casino in Parañaque City, when asked about his most painful business experience in running the business. “After experiencing all those type of partnerships, I would rather always buy everything of a company and avoid partnering, unless they are honorable partners which are very hard to come by,” Ang said.

He said San Miguel sold some companies in the past, not because they were bad assets but because “sometimes partnerships are not so good.” “The intent of investing in a business is long term. But sometimes, you run into partners that you don’t get along later and don’t honor agreement, so instead of suing each other, I’d rather just walk out,” Ang said. Ang settled a dispute with GMA Network Inc. chairman

Felipe Gozon in August, over P1 billion deposit on a failed buy-in. Ang, however, was supposed to invest in GMA Network as a personal investment. San Miguel also agreed to sell its stake in Philippine Airlines last year back to tycoon Lucio Tan. Ang clarified that San Miguel had good partnerships with foreign and local investors including Japan’s Kirin and Yamamura and Hormel of the US. “Not all partners are bad. We have experienced good partners also,” Ang said. San Miguel, which started as a beer company 125 years ago, has diversified into various growth industries including infrastructure, power generation, mining, oil manufacturing, real estate, banking and telecommunications.

Ang said in 2008, San Miguel decided to diversify into new growth sectors after its beer business already corned 95 percent of the local market. “At that time we have no where to go because our beer business at that time had about 95 percent market share so what else can you do? Whatever amount you do for promotion, you won’t get much so we thought of diversifying to other businesses,” Ang said. Ang received applause from attendees of the Forbes Global CEO Conference when he shared his dream for the Philippines. “Our dream is to build our nation, to provide better consumer products, better environment and better place for our countrymen,” Ang said. Ang also said the conglomerate would also build a new mobile broadband.

KALIBO, Aklan—Datem Water Inc., a subsidiary of construction company Datem Inc., on Wednesday inaugurated its first water filtration project at the Tinigaw pumping station in this town. The bulk water treatment facility, which cost P 100 million, produces 5,000 to 10,000 cubic meters of potable water per day. The Metro Kalibo Water District will buy the treated water and distribute it to households. Datem Water teamed up with Mann+Hummelis, a global expert in automotive, industrial and non-automotive filtration technologies. The company said that compared with conventional water treatment services, Mann+Hummel’s technologies use reverse osmosis, nano filtration and ultrafiltration instead of depending on the use of chemicals. “Thanks to this partnership, the filtration system does not rely on chemicals to filtrate water,” said Datem Water president Morris Agoncillo. “The system uses patented technology that has filtered water in various cities in Southeast Asia, and we are proud to bring it first to the Aklanons,” Agoncillo said. Datem Water, which was established in 2013, currently provides services which include surface water clarification, industrial water treatment and wastewater treatment.

Apec body recognizes Mandaue as low-carbon town By Alena Mae S. Flores MACTAN, Cebu--Mandaue City is now eligible for grant from the Japan International Cooperation Agency, after it was chosen the low carbon model town of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation’s energy working group. “One of the highlights is the announcement of Japan in the selection of Mandaue City as the chosen area for the phase 6 of the LCMT project,” Energy Department officer-in-charge Zenaida Monsada said during a news briefing at the conclusion of the 12th Apec energy ministers

meeting. The selection as model town entitles Mandaue City to a feasibility study grant that would determine policy program measures to realize its targets for green technology opportunities particularly in buildings, urban planning and transport sector. The project has been greatly instrumental in encouraging communities in the region to embark on city planning initiatives, promoting low-carbon technologies to manage the rapidly increasing energy consumption and consequently, mitigate the adverse effects of greenhouse gas

emissions on the environment. “We are constantly looking for potential LCMT candidates and it impresses me to find Mandaue City with such a comprehensive plan involving land use, green building and transportation,” Energy undersecretary Loreta Ayson said. The local government of Mandaue City has a clear target for reducing its CO2 emissions and has long been crafting measures to establish a sustainable city to address air pollution and traffic congestion. Its proposed project consists of developing green growth areas

and interconnecting these areas within Metro Cebu. An ordinance is also proposed promoting disaster-resilient buildings in the city. Mandaue is located on the central-eastern coastal region of Cebu, and is one of the three highly urbanized cities on the island and forms part of the Cebu Metropolitan area. It is connected by two bridges to the island of Mactan. Mandaue is also known as the “furniture capital of the Philippines.” Mandaue’s contenders are Krasnoyarsk City, Russia and Subang Jaya, Malaysia.

Previous winners included the city of Da Nang in Vietnam which implemented an innovative system of electric motorbikes and charging facilities. Samui Island in Thailand also got support for its feasibility study to utilize solar, wind and small hydro power; reliance on electric vehicles and reforestation and protection of existing forests. They also adapted Ggeen technologies for resort and hotel developments such as solar water heaters, solar panels on rooftops, biomass power generation of kitchen waste and increased ventilation for natural cooling.

T H U R S D AY : O C T O B E R 1 5 , 2 0 1 5

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

Arbitration cases harming PH image A R BITR ATION cases against the government should be the last resort in settling business claims. But when they become frequent, foreign investors take notice and begin to wonder about the business climate and the regulatory risks in a country. The apprehension of businessmen can soon translate into foregone investments and leave a bad taste in their mouth, as in the case of Germany’s Fraport AG, which had to write off the losses from a failed airport venture in the Philippines. Water concessionaires Maynilad Water Services Inc. and Manila Water Co. Inc. find themselves in a similar bind when they were forced to haul the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System to an arbitration court, after the state regulator reneged on an agreement to grant the utilities a fair return on investments. Foreign businessmen weigh the regulatory risks in doing business in the Philippines. Such risks are manifested in the level of foreign investments, which the Philippines is trying to attract. Manila, so far, has a poor scorecard in this aspect. Foreign direct investments in the Philippines dropped 40 percent to $2.019 billion in the first six months of 2015 from $3.373 billion yearon-year, despite 22 rating upgrades, data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas show. The figure was lower than even just the first-quarter tally of most of its Southeast Asian peers. FDI inflows to Singapore over the January-March period alone totaled $16.88 billion; while Indonesia had $5.293 billion; Thailand, $5.104 billion; and Malaysia, $2.368 billion. The dismal investment figure is not about to improve, if the government of President Benigno Aquino III keeps reneging on its contractual obligations. Subsidiaries of Metro Pacific Investments Corp. are again threatening to file arbitration cases against the Philippine government over the inaction of regulators on their long-pending petitions for tollway adjustments, in violation of their separate concession deals with Malacañang. MPIC president-chief executive officer Jose Ma. Lim early this month said the conglomerate might initiate arbitration proceedings against the Toll Regulatory Board as a last resort for sitting on the long-delayed toll rate petitions filed by Manila North Tollways Corp. and Cavitex Infrastructure Corp. MNTC and CIC respectively operate the North Luzon Expressway and the Cavite Expressway. The MPIC executive said the government’s failure to honor its contracts with MNTC and CIC was affecting the competitiveness of the company’s participation in major infrastructure auctions under the Public Partnership Program of the government. Futile exercise Lim said the freeze on toll increases was also affecting the financial viability of its infrastructure projects, citing four years’ worth of inflation adjustments pending for NLEx and six years of inflation adjustments for Cavitex, or equivalent to a respective 19 percent and 23 percent. “These inflation adjustments are embedded in the concession agreements, but getting the regulator to act on our applications has been a futile exercise,” Lim said. “In order to enforce our rights, we have issued a formal demand that may end up in an arbitration with the regulator.” MNTC has to adjust toll every two years—as provided for in its concession agreement with the government—to recoup its multibillion-peso investments and generate enough cash for road expansion, improvement and maintenance projects for the benefit of motorists and commuters. CIC, in turn, has to adjust its fees once every three years, as provided in its own concession agreement with the government. MNTC’s rate adjustments for NLEX were due in January 2013 and again in January 2015. The cumulative adjustments due MNTC for NLEx total 15 percent, comprising the 12 percent raise it asked from TRB in its first petition in 2012 and the 3 percent adjustment it sought in its second petition last year. CIC, meanwhile, sought its contract-mandated adjustment in September 2011. The only feasible way for operators to generate more revenues to bankroll road improvement or expansion is through either a rate adjustment, direct cash infusion from the government or an extension of their concessions. The most workable, fastest and easiest to do is for TRB to grant the rate adjustments, which are long overdue anyway and represent a minor markup from the current toll. The Supreme Court has acknowledged the concept of rate of return through the periodic adjustments of toll. The high court stressed in a ruling that Section 2 of the Build-Operate-Transfer law provides for a reasonable rate of return on investments and operating and maintenance cost. “Running through the gamut of our statutes providing for and encouraging partnership of the public and private sector is the paramount common good for infrastructure projects and the equally important factor of giving a reasonable rate of return to private sector’s investments. The viability of any infrastructure project depends on the returns— which should be reasonable—of the investment coming from the private sector,” it said “While the interests of the public are ideally to be accorded primacy in considering government contracts, the reality on the ground is that the tollway projects may not at all be possible or would be difficult to realize without the involvement of the investing private sector, which expects its usual share of profit,” the Supreme Court added. E-mail: rayenano@yahoo.com or extrastory2000@gmail.com or business@thestandard.com.ph

Aboitiz donation. Aboitiz Foundation turns over 40 kindergarten classrooms to Aklat, Gabay, Aruga

Tungo sa Pag-angat at Pag-asa Foundation. The 40 classrooms, built in 20 schools nationwide, will benefit 2,400 kindergarten pupils. Shown during the turnover ceremony are (from left) Aboitiz Foundation executive vice president and chief operating officer Augusto Carpio III, Aboitiz Foundation chairman Erramon Aboitiz, AGAPP Foundation chairman Pinky Aquino-Abellada, AGAPP executive director Gel Caguioa, AGAPP Trustee Eddie Galvez, Aboitiz Foundation president Susan Valdez and Education Secretary Armin Luistro.

Thai starch firm eyes PH expansion By Gabrielle H. Binaday

THAI Wah Group, one of Thailand’s largest food companies, plans to expand to the Philippines, a top executive said Wednesday. Thai Wah Group chief executive Ho Ren Hua said the company was looking at the Philippines as an interesting market where it could expand its starch and consumer foods businesses. “[The] Philippines is a very interesting market because the consumer [market] is very large [and] I think the outlook for the Philippines is something interesting we look at,” Ho told The Standard at the sidelines of the 15th Forbes Global CEO Conference in Parañaque City. Thai Wah Group, established in 1947, is a leading starch and

consumer foods company in Southeast Asia and is exploring opportunities in the Indo-China region. Ho said the vision of the company was to build a regional food company producing starch-based products. He said there would be more opportunities for the Philippines if the country would focus on regional integration to spur the development of the consumerbased products. “The issue for the Philippines is to integrate more geographically,” he said, referring to the free-flow of products in the

country. Ho said the upcoming Association of Southeast Asian Nations economic integration should focus on balanced growth. He said as the urban community developed, the rural area should also follow the growth. Thai Wah recently listed in the Stock Exchange of Thailand, after unit Thai Wah Starch merged with Thai Wah Food Products, with the aim to grow annually at higher single-digit over the next three years. “We have more than 1 billion baht in cash for Thai Wah group after the merger. We plan to phase it out systemically via investment over three years in core categories related to our business such as starch-related products. And it has to be in good growth areas such as the Asean region,” said Ho.

EDC postpones Mariposa project in Chile By Alena Mae S. Flores RENEWABLE power producer Energy Development Corp. said Wednesday it will postpone drilling the Mariposa geothermal prospect in Chile due to the decline in world fuel prices. “In the light of the challenging project economics resulting from the recent fall in prices of competing fossil fuels, EDC has decided to postpone the 3-well drilling campaign for the Mariposa project in Chile originally scheduled mid-October this year,” the company said in a statement. EDC said it would continue to pursue development activities at the

Mariposa project with greater focus, including conducting further environmental and technical studies for the steamfield, power plant, and transmission line interconnection. The company said it would prioritize investing in technical studies for the front-end engineering design for the steam field, power plant and for the transmission line connection, as well as proceed with the environmental impact assessment for the project to advance the development of Mariposa project. “Efforts will likewise be undertaken to identify potential customers and test the pricing levels at which they are willing to enter

into long-term power off-take agreements given today’s fossil fuel prices,” it said. EDC is also negotiating with the Inter-American Development Bank to secure funding support under the exploration risk mitigation program administered by the bank. The project, located in the Andes Mountains, some 300 kilometers south of Chile’s capital city of Santiago, covers two geothermal exploitation concessions, Pellado and Laguna del Maule, the rights to which are owned by Compañía de Energía Limitada where affiliates of EDC and Canada-based Alterra Power Corp. hold 70 percent and 30 percent stakes, respectively.

THURSDAY: OCTOBER 15, 2015

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

Metrobank lends P7.5b to Therma Bakers to reduce bread prices—DTI By Othel V. Campos BAKERS agreed to reduce bread prices by P0.50 to P1 per loaf by mid-November, following the drop in prices of wheat flour, the Trade Department said Wednesday. Trade Undersecretary Victorio Dimagiba said flour millers started reducing the price of local wheat flour by P40 per 25-kilogram bag. “After meeting all flour millers and bakers, bread products will roll back prices from 50 centavos to P1 a loaf [for] all sizes including the Pinoy Tasty and Pinoy Pandesal while community bakeries will be asked to add one piece bread per ten pieces for the same price,” Dimagiba said. Pinoy Tasty is a commitment by bakers to the Trade Department to provide quality but affordable bread to Filipino consumers. Wheat prices declined 25 percent in July and August from the same period in 2014. The consumer protection group of the Trade Department said that as a rule of thumb, every P40 reduc-

tion per sack of flour translates to at least P1 reduction in bread loaf. Prices of other wheat products like noodles and pastries are also expected to drop. Bakers implemented the first round of price rollback in July 2015 with bakeries slashing bread prices by as much as P1 per loaf, after the Trade Department threatened to file cases of profiteering against flour millers and bakers who refused to adjust bread prices. Bread manufacturer Gardenia Bakeries (Phils.) Inc. said it would reduce the price of its classic bread loaf and pandesal as soon as wheat flour manufacturers brought down the price of locally-milled flour. Gardenia president and general manager Simplicio Umali, however, said other premium products such as flavored loaves and buns were not subject to price adjustments as prices of other major ingredients like raisins, nuts and chocolate were increasing and the volume of production was small compared to classic loaf and pandesal.

Manila

Standard

TODAY

Republic of the Philippines PROVINCE OF MARINDUQUE Marinduque Provincial Government Capitol Compound, Boac, Marinduque Invitation to Bid Public Bidding

Furnishing design and build, labor, materials & equipment for the construction of Dr. Damian Reyes Provincial Hospital Ramp (Phase I), Santol, Boac, Marinduque. The Marinduque Provincial Government, through the 20% D.F. CY 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 Const. of Dr. Damian Reyes Provincial Hospital Ramp Phase I (Reprogrammed) intends to apply the sum of Twenty Two Million Pesos Only (Php 22,000,000.00) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for the Furnishing design and build, labor, materials & equipment for the construction of Dr. Damian Reyes Provincial Hospital Ramp (Phase I), Santol, Boac, Marinduque as shown in the table below. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening. Contract Description Duration F u r n i s h i n g design and build, 20% D.F. CY 2010, labor, materials 2011, 2012, 2013 & equipment for 210 Const. of Dr. Damian the construction Marinduque Php 22,000,000.00 Calendar Reyes Provincial of Dr. Damian Days Hospital Ramp Phase Reyes Provincial I (Reprogrammed) Hospital Ramp (Phase I), Santol, Boac, Marinduque 1. The Marinduque Provincial Government now invites bids for Furnishing design and build, labor, materials & equipment for the construction of Dr. Damian Reyes Provincial Hospital Ramp (Phase I), Santol, Boac, Marinduque. Bidders should comply with the applicable provisions of Rule VIII Section 23-24 of the Revised IRR of R.A. 9184. A modified set of requirements integrating eligibility documents and criteria for infrastructure projects and consulting services should be adopted in accordance with Annex G. The project requirements include preliminary information/studies for design and construction. The project components include pre-detailed design, detailed design and construction. Province

Source of Fund

ABC

The Design and Build Contractor must have completed similar projects in the amount of at least 50% of the proposed project in the last ten (10) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids and must have the network and resources in place to mobilize the contemplated Design and Build Services. For the Pre-Detailed Design and Detailed Design portion of the contract, the bidder is required to hire the minimum number of people (Project Coordinator, Architect, Civil/Structural Engineer, Professional/Registered Electrical Engineer, Professional/Registered Mechanical Engineer, and Sanitary Engineer and CADD Operators). The bidder is recommended to prioritize the hiring of locallybased architects, engineers, and CADD Operators (draftsmen) especially if such have had experience and training in projects and design. Completion of the Works required are shown in the table above. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instruction to Bidders. 2.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using non-discretionary pass/fail criterion as specified in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 9184 (RA 9184), otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”. Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least seventy five percent (75%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines.

If the bidder has no experience in design and build projects on its own it may enter into partnerships or joint venture with design or engineering firms for the design portion of the contract.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from Bids and Awards Committee and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below from Monday to Friday 8:00 a.m.-12:00 noon, 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders from October 15, 2015 to November 03, 2015 during office hours until before deadline of submission of bids as stated in item 7 hereof, from the address below and upon payment of a non-refundable fee of Php25,000.00.

The Marinduque Provincial Government will hold a Pre – Bid Conference on October 22, 2015 10:00 a.m. at the BAC Office, Capitol Compound, Boac, Marinduque which shall be open to all interested parties.

Bids must be delivered to the address below on or before November 03, 2015, 10:00am at the BAC Office, Capitol Compound, Boac, Marinduque. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the following acceptable forms and in the amount stated in Rule VIII Sec. 27.2 of IRR RA 9184. Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the address below. Late bids shall not be accepted.

Interested Bidders shall submit a Certified True Copy of Valid PCAB License for this project having the Category applicable for the contract specified. Interested Bidders shall submit an Original / Certified True Copy of valid licenses issued by the Professional Regulatory Commission (PRC) for design professionals, IAPOA No. for Architect/s, and Updated Professional Tax Receipts (PTR) of each professional.

The Marinduque Provincial Government 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.

10.

For further information, please refer to: EUFROCINA N. RAMENTO (BAC Secretariat Head) Tel. # (042) 332-1498, Provincial General Services Office, Capitol Compound, Boac, Marinduque.

(TS-OCT. 15, 2015)

(SGD) ALMA C. TIMTIMAN BAC Vice Chairman

By Julito G. Rada

METROPOLITAN Bank & Trust Co., the country’s second largest bank, said it is lending P7.5 billion to Therma Visayas Inc., a jointventure between Aboitiz Power Corp. and Vivant Corp., for the construction of a new thermal power plant in Toledo City, Cebu. Metrobank said in a statement it signed a landmark loan agreement with Therma Visayas for the transaction. “Metrobank serves as the biggest lender among the 10 banks who are part of the deal, as it lends P7.5 billion to the P31.97-billion term loan facility,” the bank said. First Metro Investment Corp., Metrobank’s investment banking arm, was also the transaction’s lead arranger and sole bookrunner. The 31.97 billion facility, pooled together with other lender-banks, will be used to fund the construction of the 300-megawatt coal-fired power plant in Barangay Bato, Toledo City, around 49 kilometers west of Cebu City. Theplant is expected to be completed and fully opera-

tional by the first quarter of 2018. The thermal power plant is expected to answer the increasing power demand in the Cebu and Visayas grid. Themal Visayas said of the plant’s expected 300-MW output, 150 MW would be utilized by Visayan Electric Co., 30 MW by the Balamban and Mactan Enerzone and the rest by various industrial and commercial customers in the region. Therma Visayas said the dome-like structure would use circulating fluidized bed technology for its boilers to ensure lower emissions. The commercial business is one of Metrobank’s fastestgrowing segments and a leading driver in its strong performance. Earlier, Metrobank sealed a

P5-billion 10-year loan agreement with Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co., the country’s leading telecommunications provider. The 10-year loan facility will partially finance PLDT’s capital expenditures for service improvements and expansion programs, as well as to refinance its existing loans. Metrobank posted a slight increase in net income to P9.3 billion in the first half from P9.1 billion a year ago. The bank delivered doubledigit growth in both loans and deposits, realized stronger contributions from fee based-income and improved efficiencies with better cost management. Metrobank ended the first half with an equity base of P189 billion, the highest in the industry, and total assets of P1.6 trillion. The bank reported a 20.3-percent capital adequacy ratio and a 16.3-percent common equity tier 1 ratio as of June 30, 2015, above the regulatory minimum. These capital ratios reflected the impact of the P32-billion stock rights offer completed in YELL CYAN MAGENTA April 2015.

The Philippines’ long association with gold THE Philippines has had a long association with gold. Just how long that association has been is indicated by the ongoing Asia Society New York exhibit of Philippine gold jewelry and ornaments—a hundred twenty pieces in all—from the pre-colonial era. The items on exhibit are on loan from the collections of the Ayala Museum and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. Much that is significant has been said and written—including the article titled “Philippine gold: Treasures of Forgotten Kingdom”—in the highly influential New York Times, but undoubtedly the most significant of the comments and observations has been those accepting the fact that the Philippines was not ‘discovered’ in 1521 by explorer Ferdinand Magellan and his Spanish colleagues and the fact that before that Spanish gentleman set foot on Limasawa, there already was a thriving civilization in these islands. Among the most eloquent, and most beautiful, manifestations of that civilization are the items currently being exhibited in the financial capital of the US. The New York Times article spoke of a “historically intriguing exhibition” featuring the works of “astonishingly skillful goldsmiths” and suggested that there was, in these islands, life before the arrival of the Spanish colonizers. In the midst of the PNoy administration’s ambivalent attitude toward the mining industry, it is easy to forget that the Philippines has long been one of the world’s top gold producers. Benguet Consolidated Mining Co., the company founded by American judge John Haussermann at the start of the US colonial regime and one of the most prized stocks in the Philippine Stock Exchange, remains one

of the world’s leading gold producing companies. Benguet Consolidated’s output, and the gold by-product of Philippine copper producers, used to be exported from this country in unrefined form. Then, in the mid-70s, the Central Bank of the Philippines established a gold refinery (cum security printing plant) in Quezon City. Upon the start of operations of the refinery, gold exports from this country—whatever has not been retained to form part of the BSP’s international reserve—go out into the world market with the internationally required 0.9999 fineness. The production of jewelry and ornaments made of gold has continued through the centuries of colonization and independence. Today, almost five centuries since Magellan’s arrival in these islands, the gold products manufacturing industry continues to thrive. It is centered in the area surrounding Bulacan’s Meycauyan City. Because of the strong domestic demand for Meycauayan’s output, a strong Philippine export trade in gold jewelry and ornaments has not developed. I believe the time has come for people seriously interested in the history and culture of the Philippines to show as much interest in this country’s pre-colonial period has on its post-Magellan history. The ongoing Asia Society New York exhibit is an excellent starting-point. E-mail: rudyromero777@yahoo.com

t h u r s d ay : o c t o b e r 1 5 , 2 0 1 5

WORLD

cesar barrioquinto EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Clinton fends off rivals in debate LAS VEGAS—Hillary Clinton emerged unscathed Tuesday from the Democratic Party’s first debate for the 2016 presidential campaign, cutting a calm and confident figure as she sparred with her rivals for the White House.

campaign and show she can rally the Democratic base, while Sanders was testing whether his “political revolution” can translate to the national stage. Sanders put forward passionate arguments for reducing income inequality, insisting he was not a part of the “casino capitalist” system. “I believe in a society where all people do well, not just Wall Street billionaires,” he said. Keen to reinforce her liberal bona fides, Clinton said “I don’t take a back seat to anyone” when it comes to progressive policies. But when Sanders pointed to Nordic countries as an example for America, Clinton put her foot down. “We are not Denmark. I love Denmark. We are the United States of America,” she said. Nearly eight years after her primary campaign clashes with Barack Obama, Clinton seemed to display strong command of the issues and kept her rivals at bay. Her rivals parted company with her on some key policy areas.

On Syria, where Clinton supports a no-fly zone, Sanders warned greater intervention could lead to boots on the ground. “When you talk about Syria, you’re talking about a quagmire in a quagmire,” said Sanders. And Lincoln Chafee, one of the three long-shot hopefuls on the stage, blasted Clinton’s “poor judgment calls” in voting as senator to authorize the use of force in Iraq which she has acknowledged was a “mistake.” But former Rhode Island governor Chafee, former Maryland governor Martin O’Malley, and ex-Virginia senator Jim Webb all struggled to generate breakout moments in a debate dominated by Clinton and Sanders. For 74-year-old Sanders, a rumpled, self-declared Democratic Socialist, this was the biggest test of his decadeslong political career. Clinton used her rival’s moderate position on guns -Sanders hails from Vermont, a rural state with few firearm restrictions -- to highlight an area where liberals break with Sanders. AFP

The front runner parried jabs by Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont and three other hopefuls, who challenged her on everything from political U-turns to gun control and military intervention in the Mideast. But the former secretary of state who took part in more than 20 debates in the 2008 White House race appeared mostly polished and composed during a two-hour clash in Las Vegas that was heavy on substance. An independent senator from Vermont who has drawn huge crowds on the campaign trail, Sanders also delivered a spirited performance as he appealed to the party’s Republic of the Philippines left wing, urging action DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE on climate change and Roxas Boulevard Corner Pablo Ocampo, Sr. Street Manila 1004 attacking Wall Street. There were some fiINVITATION TO BID FOR THE DOF 6TH FLOOR OFFICE RENOVATION ery moments too, with (OSEC-PHASE 2) Clinton accusing Sanders 1. The Department of Finance (DOF), through the General Appropriations Act for CY 2015, her chief rival of being soft intends to apply the sum of FIFTEEN MILLION TWO HUNDRED FORTY ONE THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED EIGHTY FIVE PESOS (PhP15,241,985.00) being the Approved Budget for the on gun control. Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for the DOF 6 Floor Office Renovation (OSECPHASE 2). Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening. But Clinton received 2. The DOF, through its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), now invites Philippine Government a surprise boost over her Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) registered contractors to apply for eligibility and to use of a private email bid for the bids for the DOF 6th Floor Office Renovation (OSEC-Phase 2). Completion of the Works is ninety (90) calendar days. Bidders with valid PCAB License: Small B License Category server as US top diploC and D should have completed a contract similar to the Project which is equivalent to fifty percent (50%) of the ABC. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, mat seen as an Achilles particularly, in Section II. Instructions to Bidders. heel as Sanders and oth3. Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using non-discretionary ers came to her defense. “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 9184 (RA 9184), otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”. “Enough of the eBidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at mails! The American least seventy five percent (75%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the people are sick and Philippines. tired of hearing about 4. Interested bidders may obtain further information from the BAC Secretariat and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below during office hours. your damn e-mails,” 5. A complete set of Bidding Documents may be acquired by interested Bidders on October 15, Sanders fumed. 2015 up to November 3, 2015 8:45 AM from the BAC Secretariat, General Services Division Expert Larry Sabato 7 Floor EDPC Building, BSP Complex P. Ocampo Sr., Street corner Roxas Boulevard, Manila and upon payment of a nonrefundable fee for the Bidding Documents, pursuant to the latest argued both Clinton Guidelines issued by the GPPB, in the amount of Twenty Five Thousand Pesos (PhP 25,000.00). and Sanders emerged as 6. It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the DOF website, provided that bidders shall winners. pay the fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids. “Clinton went into 7. The DOF will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on October 22, 2015, 10:00 a.m. at the DFG Conference the debate the front Room, which shall be open only to all interested parties who have purchased the Bidding Documents. runner and she came Bids must be delivered to the BAC Secretariat, General Services Division 7 Floor EDPC Building, BSP Complex P. Ocampo Sr., Street corner Roxas Boulevard, Manila on or before out exactly the samepNovember 3, 2015 at 8:45 a.m. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the robably strengthened in acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18. that role,” he said. Bid Opening shall be on November 3, 2015, 10:00 a.m. at the DFG Conference Room, 4 Floor, DOF Building. Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidder’s representatives who choose to “Sanders went in as attend at the address below. “LATE BIDS SHALL NOT BE ACCEPTED.” the chief challenger and 8. The schedule of bidding activities are as follows: he came out the sameACTIVITIES SCHEDULE maybe even strengthAdvertisement/Posting of Invitation to Bid October 15, 2015 ened.” Issuance and Availability of Bid Documents October 15, 2015 Pre-Bid Conference October 22, 2015, 10:00 a.m. Overall, the debate Request for Clarification October 24, 2015 (thru Email) was spared the dramatIssuance of Supplemental Bid Bulletin October 27, 2015 ic clashes of personaliDeadline for Submission of Bids November 3, 2015, 8:45 a.m. Opening of Bids November 3, 2015, 10:00 a.m. ties seen in the first two Republican debates, 9. The DOF 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 dominated by Donald affected bidder or bidders. Trump, who needled 10. For further information, please refer to: the candidates by Lilia R. Tan, Head- BAC Secretariat Department of Finance Twitter even before they BAC Secretariat, General Services Division took to the lecterns. 7 Floor EDPC Building, BSP Complex, P. Ocampo Sr., Street corner Roxas Boulevard, Manila The 67-year-old Telephone N.: 526-8475/Telefax No.: 525-4227 Email Address: ltan@dof.gov.ph/rramirez@dof.gov.ph Clinton was keen to inject excitement into her (SGD) GIL S. BELTRAN th

Republic of the Philippines OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST FOR THE PROCUREMENT OF SERVICES OF A SERVICE PROVIDER FOR THE ANALYSIS, DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT, DEPLOYMENT AND PILOT ROLL-OUT OF THE MITHI-HE PRIORITY INFORMATION SYSTEMS 1. The Commission on Higher Education, through the eGov Fund - Government Appropriations Act (GAA), intends to apply the sum of EIGHTY THREE MILLION SEVEN HUNDRED SEVENTY THOUSAND PESOS (PhP 83,770,000.00) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for the PROCUREMENT OF SERVICES OF A SERVICE PROVIDER FOR THE ANALYSIS, DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT, DEPLOYMENT AND PILOT ROLL-OUT OF THE MITHI-HE PRIORITY INFORMATION SYSTEMS. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at the opening of the financial proposals. 2. The CHED BAC now calls for the submission of Letters of Intent (LOIs) from potential bidders to apply for eligibility and short listing for the PROCUREMENT OF SERVICES OF A SERVICE PROVIDER FOR THE ANALYSIS, DEPLOYMENT AND PILOT ROLL-OUT OF THE MITHI-HE PRIORITY INFORMATION SYSTEMS. Interested consultants must submit their LOIs on or before October 13-20, 2015, 8:00 AM5:00 PM to the Bids and Awards Committee Secretariat, Commission on Higher Education, Ground Floor, CHED – Higher Education Development Center (HEDC), C.P. Garcia Avenue, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City and secure the Eligibility Documents therefrom. Eligibility documents cost Two Thousand Pesos (PhP 2,000.00) and can be purchased on the address indicated below. Applications for eligibility will be evaluated on a “pass/fail” basis. The last day for the submission of the accomplished Eligibility Documents shall be on October 21, 2015, 9:00 AM and the opening of Eligibility Documents: October 21, 2015, 10:00 AM at the Commission on Higher Education, Higher Education Development Center (HEDC), C.P. Garcia Avenue, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City. Only those that are short listed will be entitled to submit bids. BAC Schedule of Activities Bidding Activities Last Day to Submit LOI Deadline of submission of Eligibility Documents Opening of Eligibility Documents Short Listing/Evaluation of Eligibility Documents Issuance of Bid Documents Pre-Bid Conference Submission/Opening of Technical and Financial Proposal

Undersecretary and DOF-BAC Chairman

Dates & Times for Compliance October 13-20, 2015, 8:00 AM - 5:00PM October 21, 2015, 9:00 AM October 21, 2015, 10:00 AM October 22- 26, 2015 October 27 - November 15, 2015, 8:00 AM to 5:00PM November 3, 2015, 10:00 AM November 16, 2015, 9:00 AM

3. The BAC shall draw up the short list of consultants from those who have submitted LOIs and have been determined as eligible both in accordance with the provisions of Republic Act 9184 (R.A. 9184) and its revised Implementing Rules and Regulations Part A (IRR-A). The short list of prospective bidders shall consist of three (3) consulting groups. The criteria and rating system for short listing are: Each eligible consultant shall be evaluated based on the following criteria: CRITERIA Technical Experience Vendor Credentials Current Workload relative to Capacity Value-added Services, if any TOTAL

WEIGHT (%) 25 40 30 5 100

As stated in the previous paragraph only the top three (3) consultants shall be short listed provided however that all short listed applicants obtain a score of 70% and above and no score should be lower than 50% of the specific criteria. 4. Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures as specified in the revised IRR-A of R.A. 9184, and is restricted, unless otherwise stated, to Filipino citizens or organizations with at least sixty percent (60%) interest belonging to citizens of the Philippines. In accordance with revised IRR-A of R.A 9184, only bids from short listed consultants will be opened. The process for the eligibility check is described in the Eligibility Documents. In accordance with the IRR-A of R.A. 9184 the contract will only be awarded to the Highest Rated and Responsive Bidder who was determined as such during post-qualification. 5. The PROCURING ENTITY shall evaluate bids using the Quality Cost Based Evaluation/Selection (QCBE/QCBS) procedure. The criteria and rating system for the evaluation of bids shall be provided in the Instructions to Bidders. 6. Interested consultants may obtain further information from the Bids and Awards Committee Secretariat at the address given below from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. 7. The CHED BAC reserves the right to reject any and all bids, annul the bidding process, or not award the contract at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders. 8.

For further information, please refer to: Bids and Awards Committee Secretariat, Ms. Violeta B. Galo Commission on Higher Education, Ground Floor CHED – Higher Education Development Center (HEDC), C.P. Garcia Avenue, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City Telephone number: 441 - 1171

(TS-OCT. 15, 2015)

(sgd.) ATTY. JULITO D. VITRIOLO, CESO III BAC Chairman

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CEsAr BArriOquintO EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

world

Cathay suspends flights over Iran HONG KONG—Hong Kong’s flagship carrier Cathay Pacific has suspended flights over Iran and the Caspian Sea after the European Aviation Safety Agency issued a warning about missiles being fired at Syria. The EASA stepped in as Russia intensified its air campaign against Islamic militants in Syria. Last week, Moscow launched a salvo of cruise missiles from its warships in the Caspian. Cathay said Wednesday it had suspended flights in response to the dangers. “In view of the situation in the region, Cathay Pacific suspended all flights over Iran and the Caspian Sea since last Thursday until further notice,” the airline said in a statement. Cathay said it had received safety advisories from both the EASA and the United Nations’ International Civil Aviation Organization but added that neither had made specific recommendations to carriers. Cathay already has a longterm policy not to overfly Iraq, Afghanistan, Ukraine and Syria, the statement said. In its safety bulletin released last week, EASA said “missiles en-route to Syria crossed airspace in Iran and Iraq below the flight routes used by commercial transport aeroplanes”. The missiles had been launched from the Caspian Sea, it said, adding that the advisory was to “create awareness” for airspace users. Australian carrier Qantas said Wednesday it had chosen not to suspend flights over the area. “The Europeans said that those issues were there, but didn’t make any recommendations or changes to what airlines do,” said chief executive Alan Joyce. “If there was a problem, and if does turn into being a problem, Qantas will not be flying aircraft through that airspace. But the information that we have is it is safe to do so.” Qantas flies over Iran on its Dubai-to-London leg. AFP

Morning in Paris. A bride and groom are photographed at the Trocadero Plaza opposite the Eiffel tower at sunrise on Oct. 13, 2015, in Pairs. AFP

Intolerance alarms India’s literary elite NEW DELHI—When a gang of thugs ambushed a Mumbai book launch by dousing the compere in ink, India’s literati saw the attack as yet another blot on the country’s reputation for tolerance since Narendra Modi came to power. “Such attacks may have happened earlier too but this time it’s different,” said celebrated writer and historian Nayantara Sahgal, following Monday’s incident. “Now the ruling ideology is Hindutva, which, in a classic fascist tactic, demands that all

Indians think alike,” Sahgal told AFP. The 88-year-old niece of India’s first premier Jawaharlal Nehru caused a storm earlier this month when she handed back her ‘Sahitya Akademi Award’, which is bestowed by the government to honur India’s leading writers. More than a dozen writers from across the country have since followed suit, several of them saying they were protesting the “rising culture of intolerance” since the right-wing Modi won a landslide election last year. India’s overwhelmingly leftleaning cultural elite has never been a fan of Modi or his Bharatiya Janata Party, which has an unashamedly Hindu nationalist agenda.

But while there was an uneasy truce between the two sides during Modi’s first year in office, a series of recent episodes have prompted many to warn of a major threat to India’s cultural and religious pluralism. The killing of a leading rationalist author in the southern state of Karnataka in August sent a shiver down writers’ spines, while the recent lynching of a Muslim accused of eating beef caused further deep unease. Police have detained for questioning several Hindu activists for applauding writer MM Kalburgi’s murder. “I cannot accept, leave aside understand, that in my country scholars are murdered because they have campaigned against

religious superstition or because they’ve criticized Hindu idol worship,” the prominent television journalist Karan Thapar wrote recently in The Hindustan Times. “And I’m appalled that a man is barbarically battered to death for eating beef or possessing it in his fridge. This is not my India. It can never be. And, yet, it is,” Thapar said. Comments by Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma pledging to cleanse India of “cultural pollution” from the West, and that the Bible and Koran are “not central to the soul of India” in the same way as Hindu holy books, have fuelled fears that the country is being run by religious ideologues.

Hajj tragedy the deadliest in history

Whiteout. First snow of the season covers trees next to a country road near Zwoenitz, eastern Germany. AFP

DUBAI—The death toll from last month’s hajj stampede has risen to at least 1,633, according to tallies given by foreign officials, making it the deadliest incident in the pilgrimage’s history. Saudi Arabia has yet to provide an updated death toll after saying that 769 Muslim pilgrims had died in the tragedy near Mecca. Saudi authorities have also not provided a breakdown by nationality. Hundreds of pilgrims have also not been accounted for following the Sept. 24 stampede at the hajj, one of the largest annual gatherings in the world. But many foreign governments have provided numbers on pilgrims killed from their countries and an AFP tally shows the death toll has overtaken the 1,426 pilgrims who

died in the hajj’s worst previous incident a tunnel stampede in July 1990. Here is a breakdown of the dead from foreign governments: Iran: 464 dead; Egypt: 177 dead; Nigeria: 145 dead; Indonesia: 127 dead; India: 101 dead; Pakistan: 87 dead; Bangladesh: 79 dead; Mali: 60 dead; Senegal: 54 dead; Chad: 52 dead; Benin: 34 dead; Morocco: 33 dead; Ethiopia: 31 dead; Sudan: 30 dead; Algeria: 28 dead; Niger: 28 dead; Burkina Faso: 22 dead; Cameroon: 20 dead; Ivory Coast: 14 dead; Libya: 10 dead; Somalia: 8 dead; Kenya: 6 dead; Ghana: 5 dead; Mauritius: 5 dead; Tanzania: 4 dead; Tunisia: 4 dead; Burundi: 1 dead; Iraq: 1 dead; Jordan: 1 dead; Netherlands: 1 dead; Oman: 1 dead. 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

W EL L BEING

LIFE

Kitchen Revolution's healthy vegetarian dishes

CHEF MARIE GONZALES

LEADING THE KITCHEN REVOLUTION BY KRISTEL DACUMOS-LAGORZA PHOTOS BY SONNY ESPIRITU about by our lifestyle and dietary choices. Sometimes, we think that we are superhuman and try to dismiss how the choices we make today affect our health in the long run. We've seen grandparents and our own parents suffer from health problems, and what’s sad is all of these could easily be avoided just by making healthier choices.” As she made the transition into the vegetarian lifestyle, she found it a little bit difficult, especially looking for places that It’s been eight years since Chef Marie offered healthy meal options. “Back then, Gonzalez of the Kitchen Revolution first despite having a strong food and restaurant turned vegan/vegetarian. Her choice was culture, there weren’t many vegetarian not influenced by the recent fads which places that you could go to,” she reveals. have made it “cool” to be some sort of food So Marie decided to learn how to cook elitist. Rather, her decision was prompted healthy, vegetarian meals on her own. In by a genuine concern for the environment. her kitchen, she played with herbs and “I’ve always loved cooking and years spices, weaving flavors and aromas to ago, I was also pretty much interested in create wonderful and tasty dishes. Being a saving the environment and being more lady with a sweet tooth, Marie also began mindful about what I put into my body. I baking vegan cakes and desserts, which her wanted to know where my food came from, colleagues at work loved. After realizing how it’s grown and how much she how it’s harvested,” enjoyed cooking and she explains. baking – squeezing in After thorough kitchen time before research, reading and after work, she books and watching eventually decided to documentaries, she establish the Kitchen realized that the Revolut ion, t he meat industries were country’s first vegan inherently abusive. baking business. “For me, I guess I At the time, Marie found it quite cruel was working in real and unnecessary, estate marketing how we would raise and doing treasury and slaughter animals Chef Marie Gonzalez of Kitchen Revolution work as well, but she just because we like eventually resigned the taste of bacon, lechon or fried chicken. In from the corporate world and embraced fact, we don't need meat to survive. We just eat her new life as chef. it because it tastes good. I didn't agree with that, Taking a more committed and serious and so I thought what should I do about it?” She step in her business, she went to New then made the wholehearted decision to lead a York to earn her culinary degree from the more conscious, greener, vegetarian lifestyle. Natural Gourmet Institute for Health and “Also, health-wise, a lot of our lifestyle Culinary Arts, a health-supportive classical diseases – cancer, obesity, diabetes, and culinary school. Gaining the much-needed a myriad of other illnesses – are brought professional experience in the kitchen, she

To lead a revolution, you should start in your own backyard. In the case of Chef Marie Gonzalez, she’s waging the war from the kitchen, arming “revolutionaries” with the tools – as well as utensils – to lead a better, healthier and greener lifestyle.

Gluten free and vegan cacao nib cookies and chocolate cake

trained at Pure Food and Wine, a raw vegan restaurant, and Dirt Candy, another vegetarian restaurant, to further hone her palate as well as skills as a chef. Today, Marie has perfected her flavors, and her baked goodies and delectable creations – the most renowned of which are her breads, cookies and chocolate cakes – are available through orders and in vegetarian restaurants in Manila like Corner Tree Café, Kismet Café and Boutique, and Makati’s weekend markets. But you can learn how to make these, too, as she teaches classes every week. It’s been four years, and her classes have become a much looked forward to learning events. “The Kitchen Revolution is not only my passion, it’s my advocacy. People think that healthy, vegetarian cuisine is bland, but I realized that many were just not aware how to use ingredients and how to create flavor,” she says. In her classes, Chef Marie provides comprehensive training, educating her students on not only where to buy ingredients and how to prepare food, but how to enjoy life. “Cooking shouldn’t feel like a chore. This is the food that fuels you, so you should at least inject some fun and joy into making it.” Retraining the palate may take a little extra effort, especially for Filipinos. “We love strong and bold flavors – sour, sweet, salty. When we dine out, restaurants serve food that taste amazing but aren’t necessarily good for us. Restaurants rely a lot on fat and salt and sugar for customers to keep coming back. At home, it’s the same. We are very much into Pinoy comfort food such as adobo and lechon, which has a lot of fat and salt.” Like with any kind of meaningful change, it has to start from you. “If you want to be healthy, I really believe that you need to start in your own kitchen. If you want to change the way you live and eat, you need to empower yourself by knowing how to cook different things, and that’s the easy part, because I can and would be happy teach you,” she ends.

Gluten free and vegan rustic round loaf and baguette

Mexican spiced black bean and quinoa salad with roasted vegetables

Dairy free low glycemic ice cream

For more information about the Kitchen Revolution and its classes, visit kitchenrevolution.ph and its official Facebook page: kitchenrevolution. You may also contact Chef Marie Gonzalez via email: info@kitchenrevolution.ph; mobile +63917894-5086 or landline +632-577-8977.

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@LIFEatStandard

WHY COLD BREW? THE GIST

BY ED BIADO

erious coffee drinkers hate the concept of iced coffee. It tastes flat and weak and really, takes away from the whole coffee experience. But thanks (or no thanks) to giant coffee chains serving the most un-traditional of caffeinated beverages, these oppositions are being drowned out by the masses who patronize the watered-down saccharine concoctions in freezing temperatures. And the latter may be on to something. Reports are coming out saying that cold coffee may actually be a healthier option than its hot counterpart. However, only cold brew coffee qualifies and not the typical iced coffee that we're used to. Iced coffee is usually made simply by adding ice to hot coffee – and this doesn't make any difference to the drink's chemistry. According to some nutritionists, coffee must never be hot in order for the drinker to take advantage of its full health benefits. Brewed coffee is strong and full-flavored, which aficionados argue is the only way to enjoy the beverage. But it's not without its flaws.

“On the downside, oxidation and degradation also occur more rapidly at higher temperatures. The oils in coffee solubles can oxidize more quickly at elevated temperatures, causing coffee to taste sour. Acids also degrade, the most notable of which is chlorogenic acid into quinic and caffeic acid, causing coffee to taste bitter,” says Alice Chi Phung, writing for the Science And Food blog of the University of California Los Angeles Division of Life Sciences and Department of Integrative Biology & Physiology. That's where cold brew comes in. Cold brew, which is super trendy right now, is the process of steeping coffee grounds in room-temperature or cold water for long periods of time, patiently waiting for the solids to be filtered out (usually overnight). Without the presence of intense heat, no oxidation happens and no acids are released, and the coffee maintains its alkaline state. As you probably know, acids cause the body a lot of problems – the most common ones being stomach pains and acid ref lux leading to heartburn. We are all healthier when our bodies have a pH level of 7 or a bit higher, which is also why pH-balancing alkaline drinking water is getting popular. “Oxidation and degradation will still occur in cold brew methods, but this happens much more slowly; bitterness and acidity are just about absent in cold brew coffee, especially if it is kept cold. Though,

cold brew doesn’t merely taste like hot brew without the bitterness. Fans of the cold brew method have emphasized that cold brews contain a completely different flavor profile that can’t be found with hot brews,” Phung writes.

Beauty in Strength Marie France and ICanServe pay a special tribute to women with breast cancer

Marie France handed over the video to I Can Serve Foundation during the Fashion Can Serve event

Lea Salonga singing Save It All by Marie Hines

Dawn Zulueta lends her voice to narrate the story in the video

So to recap: Cold brew coffee is sweeter, less acidic and less bitter than regular hot coffee. And that's all the reason we need to give it a shot.

“There is nothing more beautiful than someone who goes out of their way to make life beautiful for others.” – Mandy Hale, The Single Woman: Life, Love, and a Dash of Sass Brave women who are engaged in the fight of their lives as they battle breast cancer are getting support and encouragement from Marie France, the leader in slimming and non-invasive body-sculpting in the country, which has teamed up with the ICanServe Foundation to produce an empowering video tribute to the women battling the Big C. Conceptualized and created by videographer Jason Magbanua, the Beauty in Strength tribute has the timeless voice of Lea Salonga singing a poignant piece by Marie Hines entitled “Save It All,” plus a touching narration by Dawn ZuluetaLagdameo that underscored the core message of understanding and sharing in the pains and struggles caused by the disease. The tribute also features talents from both Marie France and sister company Facial Care Centre, all of whom volunteered their time and service to make the project possible. These include Agot Isidro, Bianca Araneta-Elizalde, Carmi Martin, Ana Roces, Bernadette Allyson, Shalani Soledad-Romulo, Patty Betita, Tessa Nieto-Villalon, Mikaela Lagdameo-Martinez, R ima Ostwani, Issa Litton, Sam Oh, Riki Flores, Camille Co, Lissa Kahayon and Kryz Uy. Also lending support is Nikoy de Guzman, ICanServe representative. The abovementioned ladies did not think twice about being a part of the project, all of them determined to reach out to their

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram @EdBiado

fellow women who are struggling with the disease. “It was such a privilege. It was very important to me to let these brave women know that there is hope. Take it one step at a time. Focus on God,” Carmi Martin says. Bernadette Allyson adds, “It felt really good to be part of something I feel very strongly about. Breast cancer is a serious concern that we face as women. I wanted to do my part in encouraging and empowering these women, reassuring them [that] they are not alone.” Marie France also supported ICanServe's Fashion Can Serve, a fund-raising fashion show held on October 6 at Raffles Hotel Makati. Exquisite holiday collections by Rhett Eala, Rajo Laurel, Lulu TanGan, Eric De los Santos, Maureen Disini and Kristel Yulo were showcased by celebrity advocates and breast cancer survivors. A mini auction was also held, led by the always entertaining Tessa Prieto-Valdes. The Beauty in Strength tribute was formally turned over on stage by Marie France's George Siy, Peter Prestidge, Jackie Share and Robin Horsman to ICanServe's president Roxanne Singson, chairperson Elizabeth Virata, Bettina Osmeña, ICanServe founder Kara Alikpala, executive director Lanie Eusebio, and vice president Nikoy de Guzman. The event helped raise funds to support ICanServe's information campaigns and community-based programs that include diagnostic screening tests, seminars, training, treatment and rehabilitation of women with breast cancer. Watch the video here: http:// bit.ly/1NoO6dU

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@LIFEatStandard

Prepare for the inevitable

Take care of your bones and joints

ging is an inevitable occurrence – that stage when you begin to feel certain aches and pains in your body. Among the complications of aging include the generation of the bones and joints – those parts that provide suport for the body and give it shape and posture. If bones and joints are not properly taken care of, they can become weak and even break which may need surgery to heal – which makes it vital to take care of them now. “As you age, your bones and joints become brittle and weak. This may lead to bone diseases such as osteoporosis. People with osteoporosis most often break bones in the wrist, spine, and hip. These fractures can be very painful and make it difficult to do the things you usually do every day. If you don’t do the best you can now to make your bones strong, you might get this disease when you are older,” says Dr. Nicky Montoya, president of MediCard Philippines. The following are helpful tips to keep the bones and joints in good health: Watch your weight. Extra body weight creates strain on your joints, particularly the knee joints. Research has shown that with every pound gained, you put four times more stress on the knees, while losing weight helps prevent joint injury and reduces pressure on the knees, hips, and back. Shedding as little as 10 pounds of body weight can help reduce pain and improve circulation. Exercise. People who remain glued to a chair all day have a higher risk for joint pain. Weight-bearing exercises can help keep bones healthy. High-impact activities such as dancing, jogging, and running are advisable but if you’re predisposed to weak bones, walking may be a better exercise.

Know your limits. Exercising is good, but make sure you are not pushing yourself too hard. Certain exercise and activities might be too tough for your joints to handle at first and workouts that require bending forward may increase the risk of compressing a bone in your spine. Ask a trainer, physical therapist, or coach to help modify exercises that cause joint pain. Listen to your body and go slow. Stay hydrated. Drinking lots of water is one of the best ways to maintain joint health because proper hydration helps lubricate the joints. The joints’ synovial fluid, the liquid that allows the bones to glide over each other without friction, decreases as you age, and dehydration can cause the fluid to plummet rapidly, thus causing bones to rub against each other. Eat right. Healthy bones and joints stem from a diet that is rich in minerals, proteins, and fats. The biggest cause of joint deterioration is the buildup of free radicals, causing joints to swell and become painful. It is advisable to eat foods rich in antioxidants such as oranges, oil-rich nuts, and sardines. Aside from drinking milk and getting Vitamin D to ensure enough calcium for strong and healthy bones, bright-colored fruits and vegetables like bananas, broccoli and peas are also recommended to help build and preserve bone mass. If you have concerns about your bone and joint health, it’s best to talk to a doctor as soon as possible. MediCard has 12 free-standing clinics located in key cities nationwide that offer consultations, diagnostic tests and specialty medical services for young and adult patients. Go to the nearest MediCard clinic near you or visit www.medicardphils.com for more information.

ARE YOUR LOVED ONES PROTECTED?

Protect your loved ones by planning for the long term through insurance products.

othing in this life is certain. Even the most stable business today could suddenly collapse. A healthy looking individual could become ill, and even an unexciting trip to the grocery can turn into a nightmare because of an irresponsible or drunk driver. It is possibilities and uncertainties like these that has spurred the country’s leading foreign bank to launch a customer education campaign aimed at raising awareness on the need for insurance. Dubbed “Have You Done Enough?”, the campaign by Citi aims to address the concerns of Filipino providers by explaining the risk of underinsurance and the importance of having longterm plans. It also aims to inspire clients to assess their insurance needs. “Our clients are beginning to understand the importance of having protection products in their portfolio. The challenge here is not just having protection, but the right amount of protection to ensure a secure financial future. We will continue to leverage on our long relationships with our clients so they can close the protection gap in their financial planning,” said Bea Tan, Citi’s consumer banking head in the Philippines.

A recent study by Swiss Re which estimates that Asia’s risk protection gap, or the difference between the amount that one is currently protected for and the amount one needs to earn to ensure his family is adequately covered, is seen widening to $528 billion over the next five years as disclosed by Citi. According to Citi’s insurance partner AIA of Hong Kong, the current gap is about 6.6 times the current amount of life insured in the markets.

Illness can burn a hole in the pocket.

“In the Philippines, the estimate stands at $528 billion by 2020,” the bank explained. The gap is also expected to skyrocket in many markets such as Singapore at $570 billion, China at $46 trillion, Hong Kong at $763 billion, and Indonesia and Thailand at $11 billion and $10 billion, respectively.

“The widening protection gap underlines the growing need for innovative, compelling and meaningful savings and protection offerings by consumers in markets all around the region,” the report added. The campaign will also roll out in Hong Kong, India, Singapore, China and Indonesia, with plans to conductit in over 500 branches in the region and through the bank’s digital banking network in Asia. With “Have You Done Enough?”, Citi reminds everyone that while accidents can happen, diseases can strike, and businesses may experience declines due to several factors, one can still work to ensure a bright future for his or her loved ones by closing protection gaps. The campaign will focus on interesting themes such as how to protect your health, lifestyle and retirement with relevant insurance products. To find out how much insurance you need, you may conveniently try Citi’s Protection Gap calculator available at the Insurance section of www.citibank. com.ph. In minutes, you can find out the insurance gap you may have and start looking at solutions to address this. For more details, visit the Citibank branch nearest you, or call the 24-hour CitiPhone Hotline at 995 9999.

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@LIFEatStandard

WHY I DON’T EAT BEFORE A WORKOUT FINE FETTLE BY BUBBLES PARAISO

aving talked about the concept of Intermittent Fasting (IF) last week, I would like to move on to a related topic to answer the question: “Should I eat before I workout?” I will not give you a definitive yes or no answer, but let me tell you the reasons why I personally don’t. A lot of studies have found that training or working out in a fasted state is a marvelous way to build lean mass and boost insulin sensitivity, not just because of the cascade of hormonal changes

throughout the body that enables it to maximize your muscle building and fat burning potential, but also because it makes the body more efficient in absorbing the postworkout meal. This is also the reason why one must eat smart after a workout, because what you take in is crucial for your body. This is where recovery drinks and high protein food are of utmost importance. For those who do endurance training, don’t forget the carbs. They’re not the enemy; never have been. Endurance training while fasted is beneficial for it can make the body better at using its energy stores. When you’re used to running on empty, it will also significantly improve the quality your workouts or races once you do these in a fed state. In other words, when your body gets used to exerting itself without any fuel, once it does have food in its system,

its performance will peak even better. One study has found that aerobic training while in a fasted state leads to reductions in both body weight and body fat, while a fed workout only decreases weight. Some studies also show that a fasted exercise is somewhat like a “fountain of youth.” According to mercola.com, exercise and fasting together also yield oxidative stress, which benefits your muscles all the main determinants of muscle aging are counteracted. When exercise and fasting are combined, they trigger the mechanism that recycles and rejuvenates your brain and muscle tissues. It also keeps your brain, neuro-motors and muscle fibers biologically young. Basically, a combination of IF with intense exercise goes beyond just burning fat and losing weight, as it helps turn back the biological clock in your muscle

and brain, boosts your growth hormone, improves your body composition, boosts your cognitive function, boosts testosterone and prevents depression. Please take note though that IF does not mean you are supposed to binge when it’s feeding time, or that you should pig out after the workout. It is important to eat smart. Others go extreme and go on starvation then pig out after. That is not what IF is about. There are days though when I really cannot function unless I eat, so I take a bite of something before working out and that’s okay. Some fasted workouts may give you an impaired performance so it is still important to listen to your body. I only resort to eating if I feel a bit dizzy or that I really can’t throw a punch (for Muay Thai) unless I take something. There’s nothing wrong with that either. Even if you only do fasted workouts occasionally, it can still reap a lot of benefits.

Innovative Hurom slow juicers at Crate & Barrel One great way to quench your thirst is through juicing. It’s certainly healthier than just relying on those artificial products in the market that more often than not have too much sugar content. However, not all juicers are the same. There are those that juice too fast that they end up losing much of the extract from the fruits or the veggies in them. Introducing the HH Elite Series – the newest and most innovative “slow juicers” in the market from Hurom, a company that has specialized in the production of juicers and juice extractors

for dozens of years. This second generation of Hurom Slow Juicers ensure better preservation of the essential nutrients and fresh taste of the vegetables and fruits using its advanced “Slow Squeezing Technology” that operates at only 40 RPM and uses a mere 150 watts of energy, which effectively squeezes the ingredients along with all its goodness. The HH Elite Series also features a new control lever, allowing you to control the preferred consistency for your juice. Energy efficient and tough, it can process fruits, leafy vegetables, wheat grass

and more. Added to that, it’s as quiet as a whisper – meaning you can juice in the morning without waking everybody up. Change the way you juice and start drinking the tastier and healthier way with Hurom Slow Juicer HH Series. Designed to preserve enzymes, nutrients and flavor, Hurom produces richer colored juices. For more information, please visit www.hurom.com. The HH Elite Series is available in all Crate & Barrel Stores. To learn more about Crate and Barrel, visit www. crateandbarrel.com.

For those who want to try working out while in a fasted state, here’s a tip: you may drink black coffee or plain tea. Anything that is calorie-free won’t count as breaking the fast, and a caffeine boost won’t hurt. That’s actually what I do everyday. (I’m very big on coffee.) You may feel a bit uncomfortable at first, so perhaps you may try it for a week. But if you feel that it really won’t work for you, no need to force it; the most important thing is that you tried. IF is not the end all, be all to fat loss, it’s just one of the many options out there. It’s just that this has been the one proven to be the most effective so far. At the end of the day, it’s your body, and it’s your body that you should be listening to, not anyone else. It’s important to push yourself but equally important is to know your limits. Follow me on Instagram and Twitter @bubblesparaiso

Hurom's HH Series, the second generation of Hurom Juicers. These juicers preserve the natural taste and nutrition of fruits and vegetables by gently squeezing and pressing them through a Slow Squeezing Technology™.

Hurom's HH Series "Slow Squeezing Technology" effectively squeezes the ingredients for maximum goodness.

T HUR S DAY : OCTOBER 15 : 2015

SHOWBITZ

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

isahred @ gmail.com

Tricia MaY casaUaY. Band vocalist and composer Tricia is a secondtimer in Dreams Get Real. At 19, this beautiful mestiza has already performed in school and corporate events. She is a fourth year BS in Architecture student from National University in Manila.

MicaH llona. Sultry lounge singer Micah is a natural performer. This 22-year-old young lady from Tuguig City was once declared the grand champion of the Strepsils Singing Sensation talent search and a runner-up in the Win Big Singing Talent Search of 91.5 Win Radio.

Zsarina concepcion. Sweet Zsarina becomes a monster performer each time she lands on stage. This 18-year-old Tourism student from Lasalle College Antipolo has won numerous awards including the grand prizes of The Voice of Boardwalk Philippines (Monumento) and Lasalle College X-Factor and best performer for Rising Stars Philippines 2014.

ericKson MalaBanan. For Erickson, nothing can stop him from reaching his dreams of becoming a recording artist. This 23-year-old Tourism Management graduate from Immaculate Concepcion College in Balayan, Batangas worked for an airline company as a ground attendant and as a bar singer in Macau.

apple DelleVa. A power belter, Apple is an 18-year-old singer from Cabuyao, Laguna. She is a third year AB Communications student at the University of Perpetual Help in Calamba and has represented the Philippines in the Karaoke World Championship Grand Finals in Sweden and a semifinalist in GMA 7’s “Bet Ng Bayan.”

carMela raVanilla. Her moviestar looks comes with an immense talent. Carmella, an 18-year-old Tourism Management student from Miriam College, has already won several talent searches including the PLDT Singing Idol where she was declared as the grand champion and was a runner-up in the Rizal Idol Season 2.

McJiM DreaMers Top 6 prepare for epic finale

ith the epic grand finals night a little more than a month away, McJim Dreams Get Real Talent Search Top Six get ready for the performances of their lives on Nov. 15 at the Music Museum. After trimming down the Top 10 finalists to six standout acts, only one hopeful will be crowned as the champion during the concert-like finale of the talent search’s second season. What makes this season even more exciting is that five of the six finalists are strong female vocalists who challenge each other to standout. Three of the six finalists were chosen by producers based on their overall performance and star quality, while the other three were people’s choices. The producer’s picks include Laguna native Apple Deleva, and both Rizal natives Zsarina Concepcion and Carmela Ravanilla, while the people’s choices were Erickson Malabanan from Batangas, Mi-

cah Llona from Taguig, and Trix Casauay from Caloocan. Through this highly anticipated competition, gentlemen’s brand McJim Classic Leather will again open doors of opportunities to a slew of fresh, undiscovered talents and push the brand’s cause of boosting Original Pilipino Music (OPM). “The six last acts are extraordinarily talented. They have different things to offer and, for sure, they will give us an epic finale,” says Chris Cahilig, Dreams Get Real project head. “The level of talent is mind blowing and I’m positive that the champion will be one of today’s most promising acts.” After launching the careers of some of the most in-demand acts today, McJim continues to enliven the local music by giving aspiring artists the opportunity to kickstart their own musical journey. Top six The finalists, who have different reasons for joining the compe-

tition, promise to give their best come finals night. “I feel blessed that I made it to the Top Six. Win or lose, it will be all worth it because just being in this competition is a big accomplishment in my life,” says Malabanan, who is the last man standing in the midst of powerhouse women singers. Likewise, Malabanan, who found a new family in the event, promises to give his all during the finale. “I expect good and fair results on finals night. I intend to unleash all the talents that I have in order to give a good performance.” For the 18-year-old Concepcion who is a Tourism student from La Salle Antipolo, being thrown into the company of talented people who share a passion for singing—and learning from them in the process—is such a big deal already. She asserts, however, that “everyone will surely give their best on finals night. This simply inspires me to show every-

one what I’ve got when I go out there on live stage.” Determined to top all of her previous performances, Casuay, on the other hand, will dedicate her finale performance to her family and make them proud. “The finals night will be a grand event and I expect no less than the best from every one of us. Thus, I plan to go beyond my best for the sake of my family and my supporters—and most importantly for God’s glory,” says the 20-yearold National University Architecture student. Meanwhile, considered as the biggest threat by other contestants in the competition, Deleva feels humbled by the recognition and looks at her inclusion in the finale as one of the biggest achievements in her career. Asked what people may expect from her during the finale, the 19-year-old Communications student of University of Perpetual Help in Las Pinas declares with confidence: “They

can look forward to getting more from me as a performer.” Finally, Ravanilla and Llona are both overwhelmed by their inclusion in the final six and excitedly anticipate giving one of the biggest performances of their budding careers. “I’m very thrilled by the prospect of performing at the Music Museum. In fact, I was stunned when I learned that. Everything—from our wardrobe to our song choices—will be a huge undertaking,” says an awed Ravanilla who is a Tourism student from Miriam College. The grand champion of Dreams Get Real: The Search for the Next OPM Star will receive a full album and music video grant; P100,000 in cash prize from McJim Classic Leather; artist marketing support; and a talent management contract. Like the official McJim classic leather facebook page at www. facebook.com/OfficialMcJIM to be updated on all the happenings in the competition.

T HUR S DAY : OCTOBER 15 : 2015

SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

Coming-of-age film on Cinema one

C GaRy V PRESEntS¼ at RESORtS WORLD

e don’t talk about energy in the Philippines without thinking of two things: power outages, and, thankfully for us, Gary Valenciano. While the former is truthfully the bane of a developed nation’s existence, the latter could be considered a reprieve from the lackluster dreariness of everyday exigencies. In a true study of contrasts, while the former underscores a continuing problem with supply, the latter is synonymous to an overcharged, highly electrified, and unlimited exuberance. But apart from his energy and electricity onstage, Gary V is an enduring fixture in the Philippine entertainment industry. While it is a cliché to say that nothing in the industry is forever, there lies behind it a powerful truth. This is especially apparent in the age of social media, when one’s five minutes of fame could be just that – a quick five-minute viral video, and a shortlived, precipitated exposure offline. A true class act, Gary has defied the constraints of an industry that thrives on youth, novelty, and the current concept of cool. What he exemplifies is the immutability of true talent. This, undoubtedly, is the reason why, after many decades and several one-trick-ponies later, people are still clamoring for the

kind of genius that only Mr. Pure Energy can provide. In recent years, Gary has performed in commercially and critically acclaimed, sold-out concerts, notable of which was the Arise Gary V 3.0 franchise, with the third installment winning him two distinguished awards – Concert of the Year from the PMPC Star Awards in 2015, and much recently Concert Artist of the Year from the Guillermo Mendoza Foundation Awards. He, too, was part of the powerful ensemble of veritable powerhouses in this year’s biggest Valentine show Ultimate with Martin Nievera, Lani Misalucha, and Regine Velasquez. Throughout his career, Gary has offered his audiences with the one element that has made him positively renowned: commitment. Anyone who has been to a Gary V concert could attest that he has never faltered on his own brand proposition: energy from beginning to encore. Even in his mellow moments, there exudes from him an electricity of emotions. In the final quarter of this year, Gary V is set to electrify the stage with a two-night concert titled Gary V Presents… on Oct. 30 and 31 at the Newport Performing Arts Theater in Resorts World, Manila.

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Joining him for two nights of vocal and physical calisthenics are belters and balladeers that include Bullet Dumas, Janice Javier, Jimmy Marquez, Katrina Velarde, Lara Maigue, Maki Ricafort, Mitoy Yonting, Monique Lualhati, RJ Dela Fuente, and Timothy Pavino. The show will be co-directed by Gary and his son Paolo Valenciano, with musical direction by Mon Faustino. The two-night spectacle promises to be a unique compendium of talents, achieving one and the same purpose: to thrill the crowds enough to exorcise everyone’s Halloween woes. What better way to spend a holiday of remembrance than by creating a new memory with the collective symphony of Gary V and his special guests. For tickets, contact Ticketworld (891-9999 or https:// w w w. t i c k e t w o r l d . c o m . p h ) and +639175413389 or +6327062170. For more information, visit Gary’s website http://garyv. com, or subscribe to his social media accounts FB: GaryValencianoOfficial / Twitter: @garyvalenciano1 / IG: @therealgaryv. You may also check for updates on the Manila Genesis social media sites: FB: ManilaGenesisEM / Twitter: @manila_genesis / IG: @ manilagenesis.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2015

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Gary Valenciano is featured in a two-night gig at the Newport Performing Arts Theater in Resorts World

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inema One’s Blockbuster Sunday showcases #Y, the hit independent Cinemalaya movie by Ex with Benefits director Gino Santos, 9 p.m. on Oct.17. #Y is a Filipino coming-of-age movie that explores how millennials deal with teen suicide, social media, sex, drugs, and alcohol featuring a star-studded cast led by Elmo Magalona, Coleen Garcia, Slater Young, Chynna Ortaleza, Sophie Albert, and Kit Thompson. The 2014 indie film revolves around Miles (Elmo Magalona), a college student who suffers from depression. On the night of his planned suicide, Miles’ plan is rendered useless when his friend calls him to talk about her latest liberating adventure. As Miles tries to put the pieces of his life back together,

#Y poster

viewers will get to know what goes on in Miles’ mind and in the mind of his millennial friends. The movie, which was Santos’ entry to the New Breed category of Cinemalaya in 2014, bagged the special citation for Ensemble Acting. #Y also got good reviews, with Rappler describing it as, “an accurate representation of the millennial generation and a film steeped in hashtags, social media, casual sex, drugs, crises of identity, and blatant narcissism.” The cast of #Y also harvested praises from various critics. In a review by Lifestylehub, it praised the performances of Kit Thompson, Coleen Garcia, and Sophie Albert who displayed remarkable acting, while Chynna Ortaleza was described as the cut above the rest because she gave justice to her role.

T HUR S DAY : OCTOBER 15 : 2015

SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

A scene from Kingdom seen on RTL CBS Extreme

New seasoN of ‘KiNgdom’

SAbrinA’S 8th edition of ‘i Love AcouStic’

fter selling more than 300,000 copies all over Asia of her I Love Acoustic series, Sabrina continues to soar and there is no stopping her as she releases another volume of this successful series. What started in 2009 as I Love Acoustic is now the 8th one and no other artist has achieved this feat. This just proves her standing as Asia’s Acoustic Sweetheart with the release of I Love Acoustic 8. “It always excites me to do this album and I’m so thankful that it’s now on its 8th volume. I’m so grateful to all my fans in Asia

Sabrina’s latest album is available across Asia via music streaming apps

from c8

for continuing to support my albums. It’s really an honor for my brand of music to be heard across the region and hopefully soon, all over the world,” Sabrina said. Her previous albums were certified multi-platinum successes in countries like Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines. It was also released in Korea and other parts of Asia. With I Love Acoustic 8, Sabrina once again does her own acoustic interpretations of current hits like “Thinking Out Loud” (Ed Sheeran), “Bang Bang” (Jessie J, Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj),

“All About That Bass” (Meghan Trainor), “Love Me Like You Do” (Ellie Goulding), “Uptown Funk” (Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars), “Chandelier” (Sia), “I Really Like You” (Carly Rae Jepsen), “Blank Space” (Taylor Swift), “Sugar” (Maroon 5), “Love Me Harder” (Ariana Grande), “Style” (Taylor Swift), “Heroes” (Alesso feat. Tove Lo), “Lost Stars” (Adam Levine), “The Heart Wants What It Wants” (Selena Gomez), “Cool Kids” (Echosmith), “I’m Not The Only One” (Sam Smith), “I Want You To Know” (Selena Gomez) and “One Last Time” (Ariana Grande).

“I love recording these songs and giving my own take into it. I do hope people will enjoy it as much as they liked my “I Love Acoustic” albums from 1-7,” Sabrina said. Whether you are on a road trip, chilling out or just want to listen to good music, Sabrina’s I Love Acoustic 8 is your kind of music. Sabrina’s I Love Acoustic 8 is out across Asia via iTunes, Apple Music, Spotify, Deezer, Guvera and Rdio. In the Philippines, it is out in CDs at Astroplus and Astrovision outlets and can be downloaded via Spinnr.

‘The KNiCK’ oN CiNemax aNd hBo go Starring Clive Owen, André Holland, and Juliet Rylance, The Knick kicks off its 10-episode second season same day as the US on Oct. 17 on HBO GO and at 10 p.m. on Cinemax. New episodes air every Saturday at the same time on Cinemax. Viewers can watch seasons one and two of The Knick anytime anywhere on HBO GO. Additionally, non-subscribers can watch the first episode for free on cinemaxasia.com and youtube.com/ HBOAsia from Oct. 21 to Nov 4. Steven Soderbergh directs the entire season of the show, which recently received an Emmy® in the category of Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Period Program (One Hour or More). New York City, 1901: The Knick faces an upheaval, as Dr. John Thackery’s absence (due to his hospitalization for cocaine addiction), a dearth of affluent patients, and financial missteps have led to the board’s decision to shutter The Knickerbocker Hospital in favour

Michael Angarano as Dr. Bertie Chikering in The Knick on Cinemax

of a new building uptown. In this world of corruption, invention and progress, everyone is searching for the new path that will help him or her survive. Whether it’s a path toward justice, freedom, love or just plain survival, nothing comes easy. As relocation plans proceed, the gifted but under-appreciated Dr. Algernon Edwards jockeys to become Thackery’s successor as chief of surgery, while fellow doctors, nurses, nuns and administrators grapple with challenges at work and in their private lives. Rich in period detail, The Knick captures the era’s unique zeitgeist,

Clive Owen is Dr. John Thackery in the HBO original series

when huge strides in technology transformed medicine and treatments that were once thought impossible became commonplace. The series also addresses slowly changing social norms at a time when the gulf between rich and poor was profound, and the idea of racial equality a distant dream. Creating 1901 New York was left to production designer Howard Cummings, who recently received his second Emmy® for season one of The Knick. Exteriors were recreated in and around Brooklyn and in downtown Manhattan, while interiors of the

Knickerbocker Hospital, along with additional sets, were filmed at Cine Magic East River Studio soundstages. The streets of Yonkers, NY were used to recreate Chinatown in San Francisco. Season two’s eye-catching costumes were created by Emmy®-winning costume designer Ellen Mirojnick. From period hospital uniforms to men’s impeccably tailored suits, from women’s ornate ball gowns to provocative dancehall attire, she definitively captures the disparity in the clothing of the haves and the have-nots in the turn-of-the-century New York.

The second season of the mixed martial arts (MMA) action-drama, Kingdom, premieres on RTL CBS Extreme HD 10 p.m. on Oct. 22. Set in Venice, California, Kingdom looks at the MMA world rife with complex characters and relationships that unfurl in surprising and deeply human ways. The show stars Frank Grillo as Alvey, Matt Lauria as Ryan, Jonathan Tucker as Jay, new cast member Natalie Martinez as Alicia; and popular singer-actor Nick Jonas as Nate. “The series complements the channel’s strong lineup and we’re happy that it has been well-received in the region,” says Jennifer Batty, EVP Programming, RTL CBS Asia Entertainment Network. “We’re delighted to bring the latest season of Kingdom to our audience and look forward to an enthusiastic response from viewers.” In the first season’s finale, we saw Nate struggling with the life he was living; and in his aim to be a bigger fighter, taking human growth hormones. Star fighter, Ryan “The Destroyer,” went back into the cage for the first time in five years and Jay also returns to the ring. Kingdom‘s sophomore run begins with Ryan “The Destroyer” defending his title and Jay finding a new obsession, while Alvey’s improved fortune has led to a bigger gym, but also a bigger appetite for risk. Nate’s determination to get back in the cage causes rifts with his family and complicates his self-identity. Kingdom’s season 2 sees the introduction of a promising female fighter, Alicia, who packs a lot of upsides both in and out of the cage. Lured to Los Angeles, she uses her desirability and relentless drive to get whoever and whatever she wants.

T HUR S DAY : OCTOBER 15 : 2015

ISAH V. RED EDITOR isahred @ gmail.com

SHOWBITZ

James Reid and Nadine Lustre at the OTWOL Media Day

‘OTWOL’ fever hiTs fiLipinOs WOrLdWide ISAH V. RED More and more Filipinos of all ages here and abroad are catching the “OTWOL” fever brought by the top-rating Kapamilya primetime series On the Wings of Love starring the phenomenal love team of James Reid and Nadine Lustre. Every night, fans religiously stay glued to their TV screens to catch the development in the romance between Clark and Leah and how they are trying to conquer the challenges that keep them apart.

Because of the show’s “kilig” factor and appealing story, On the Wings of Love has captured the hearts of viewers and has consistently recorded strong ratings nationwide since it premiered. Those who missed an episode or those who want to watch again their favorite “OTWOL” scenes have been spending time to catch the series on iWant TV, the free online catch-up service of ABSCBN. Because of this, On the Wings of Love was recently named as the most watched program on iWant TV with a whopping 3.7 million page views in September alone. Apart from the series, On the Wings of Love collectibles are also selling fast in The ABS-CBN Store and online (abs-cbnstore.com). Among the regular bestsellers are the On the Wings of Love pillows, while pre-orders for the couple rings inspired by the series also poured in a week before it was ofJames Reid, Albie Casino, and Nadine Lustre

ficially launched mid-September, according to The ABS-CBN Store. Another premium On the Wings of Love collectible fans are clamoring to get their hands on is the official scrapbook of the hit Kapamilya series. A few weeks back, an estimated 4,000 cheering fans flocked to the scrapbook launch organized by ABS-CBN Publishing and Dreamscape. To date, the scrapbook has sold more than 10,000 copies and is now on its second printing. Even in the digital sphere, the “OTWOL” fever is getting stronger. Netizens regularly tweet their reactions about each episode, making On the Wings of Love a regular trending topic worldwide. Famous personalities could not escape the “OTWOL” fever as well. Joining the pack of certified OTWOListas led by Vice Ganda, Bernadette Sembrano, Marvin Agustin, Luis Manzano, Kyla, director Badji Mortiz, Kat de Castro, and

basketball star Paulo Hubalde are Bianca Gonzalez, Myrtle Sarrosa, John Lapus, Kiray Celis, Darla Sauler, UAAP volleyball stars Mika Reyes, Gretchen Ho, and director Jose Javier Reyes, who was Antoinette Jadaone’s scriptwriting teacher. Because the series champions OFW issues, Filipinos overseas are also hooked on On the Wings of Love In an interview with TV Patrol, James recounted that while he and Nadine were in London for their ASAP20 show, fans were calling them by their character names. “The OFW issues that are featured in the series are based on research because we wanted it to be realistic. Dreamscape tapped the research team of ABS-CBN in North America and we found out that OFW issues vary per state in the US,” said executive producer Arnel Nacario. The Philippine Daily Inquirer also praised the top-rating series for its OFW representation and for highlighting the challenges and worries overseas Filipinos go through. Praises for On the Wings of Love have also flooded director Antoinette Jadaone’s social media accounts. On Twitter, she recently expressed her gratitude to everyone who sent her positive reactions because of the mix of sweet and heartbreaking scenes. As On the Wings of Love continues to touch viewers, the latest development in the series will focus on Clark and Leah’s shot at love in

James Reid and Nadie Lustre are the hottest on-screen couple as evidenced by the popularity of On The Wings of Love on all media platforms

the Philippines. In the Philippines, Clark and Leah will continue to face big challenges that will test the strength of their relationship. The next chapter of On the Wings of Love will showcase Clark attempting to win the approval of Leah’s father, Mang Sol (Joel Torre) who got mad when he discovered that her daughter and Clark got married without his consent. Avid viewers of On the Wings of Love will also witness Clark’s immersion in the Filipino culture of courtship that will involve him driving Mang Sol’s jeepney, among other exciting scenes. Will Clark and Leah finally achieve a happy ending in the Philippines? Don’t miss another batch of must-see moments between Clark and Leah in On the Wings of Love, which is extended until next year, on ABS-CBN. For more information, visit Dreamscape Entertainment Television on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. ➜ Continued on C7