The Standard - 2015 Ocotber 23 - Friday by Manila Standard

VOL. XXIX NO. 253 3 Sections 32 Pages P18 frIday : OCTOBEr 23, 2015 www.thestandard.com.ph editorial@thestandard.com.ph

‘Mar, Leni have been unfairly slammed’

fake fPj backers

Poe camp says impostors want senator to quit race By Rio N. Araja and Maricel V. Cruz

THE camp of Senator Grace Poe on Thursday said alleged fake supporters of the late actor Fernando Poe Jr. are urging her to reconsider her 2016 presidential bid and are trying to picture her as an uncaring and ungrateful leader.

Poe spokesman Valenzuela Mayor Rex Gatchalian contested the statements of Daniel Sia de Jesus, who claimed to be one of the original leaders of the Filipinos for Peace, Justice and Progress Movement (FPJPM) that backed the presidential candidacy of Poe’s father in 2004. “There is no truth that [FPJ supporters] have withdrawn their support for the presidential bid of Senator Grace,” Gatchalian said after De Jesus announced that she did not consult them when she announced her candidacy. “This fact can be verified with [FPJPM]

president Boots Cadsawan. Danny de Jesus, the individual who conducted the press conference, is no longer connected with the movement. He was removed from the group in 2009 for unauthorized use of FPJPM in questionable dealings. He is not authorized to speak for the group,” Gatchalian added. During the press conference at the Cabalen Restaurant on West Avenue in Quezon City, De Jesus said: “We are concerned about her... We love her father including the people who were dear to him.” He urged Poe to “study carefully” her pres-

idential bid, adding that there was still time for her to turn back. But Poe’s campaign officials said the FPJ Movement was fully behind the senator and dismissed De Jesus as someone who was removed from the group in 2009. “They remain one of the pillars of her candidacy. The thousands of FPJ Movement members nationwide continue to serve as speakers for Senator Poe fanning her platforms of good governance, improving competitiveness and fostering inclusive growth nationwide,” said Next page Gatchalian.

Water everywhere. This photograph taken from a helicopter Thursday shows the extent of flooding in the flatlands of Pampanga province surrounding Mount Arayat in the aftermath of Typhoon ‘Lando.’ MALACAÑANG PHOTO

Trust in Aquino still dropping, survey finds PUBLIC trust in President Benigno Aquino III continued to decline with only 15 percent of the general public expressing trust in his office, according to the latest Philippine Trust Index released on Thursday. According to the public relations firm Eon, which has been publishing the index since 2012, Aquino’s trust

rating was a one-point decline from its 2014 level of 16 percent, but was also a 13-percentage point drop since the index was established in 2012. “Because of this drop, the office of the President has been overtaken by local government units as the most trusted government sub-institution,” said Eon managing direc-

tor Malyn Molina at the unveiling of the index results at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel. But Malacañang said the survey conducted by the Philippine Trust Index and released by Eon was not consistent with the more popular surveys conducted by Social Weather Stations and Pulse Asia. Next page

Palace: Military buildup continues

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Plea. Advocacy groups place a banner on a footbridge on Quezon Avenue reminding the government to give the victims of Super Typhoon ‘Yolanda’ some means of livelihood and access to basic services. Lino SantoS

Palace ally says Roxas, Leni unfairly attacked By John Paolo Bencito and Macon Ramos-araneta

AN administration ally defended the Liberal Party candidates for President and vice president, Manuel Roxas II and Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo, Thursday, from what he called unfair attacks. “Mar and Leni have received more than their fair share of unfair attacks these past few weeks,” said a spokesman for Team Daang Matuwid, Akbayan Rep. Barry Gutierrez said in a statement. These included “everything from Photoshopped pictures supposedly showing ‘epal’ tarps along Edsa, to deliberate misquotes attached to memes circulated on social media, to five-year-old news stories rehashed as ‘current events,’ to the filing of a CoC for President by a man named Manny Roxas, to the unending barrage of unfounded accusations that Mar is behind everything from Duterte’s cancer rumors to Poe’s disqualification case

to Binay’s legal problems,” Gutierrez said. Gutierrez said a handful of antiRoxas “troll pages” in social networking sites were circulating “memes of congresswoman Leni with a ‘quote’ that was completely opposite of what she really said.” He also complained about Facebook pages that recycled old news stories that were unfavorable to Roxas and present them as if they were new. Social media are then bombarded with “news feeds” and memes that reflect poorly on Roxas and the President. These include Roxas’ infamous one-liners in the aftermath of Super Typhoon “Yolanda” where he told the Tacloban City mayor, “Bahala kayo sa buhay niyo” and “You are a Romualdez and the President is an Aquino.” On Wednesday, Robredo decried the circulation of retouched photos showing tarpaulins bearing her image and name on congested streets. Gutierrez said the ruling party doesn’t have an idea on who placed these tarpaulins or the retouched photos on social networking sites, saying these were “non-existent.” Gutierrez added that neither Roxas nor Robredo have “whined or com-

Fake... From A1

Since Poe filed her certificate of candidacy for the presidency, three separate disqualification petitions have been filed against her on the basis of her citizenship and residency. Poe on Thursday said she would abide by all orders of the Commission on Elections concerning her disqualification cases.

plained or screamed black propaganda at the top of their lungs.” Instead, they have “quietly, calmly, patiently answered every question, issued the necessary clarifications, and taken the appropriate steps to address each issue.” On Thursday, Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said those who launched a smear campaign against him and his presidential running mate Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago were merely afraid of them. These attacks appeared not just in print but also in social media, he said. Through text messages, lies were being peddled against him and Santiago, he said. “The attack has been launched against me and the machinery of the clique behind this is strong,” Marcos said. But he said those who resorted to black propaganda would fail, and said he would stick to an issues-based campaign. “I will fight fairly. I believe God is my armor; the truth is my weapon,” he said. But the Palace lashed out at Marcos Thursday for criticizing the Aquino administration as “confrontational, polarizing and vindictive.”

“Senator Grace Poe will see to it that all the legal decrees from the good commission are complied with,” Poe’s lawyer George Garcia said in a text message. Poe, the frontrunner in the presidential race according to the latest opinion polls, was told to submit a counter-affidavit on allegations by one of the petitioners, Rizalito David, that she made material misrepresentations in her certificate of candidacy when she ran for senator. David said because she is a foundling, Poe

Trust...

From A1

“We appreciate the feedback from opinion surveys such as the Philippine Trust Index released by EON, a public relations firm. These surveys assist government in improving its services to our bosses—the Filipino people,” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said in a statement. “We note, however, that EON’s findings differ significantly from other recognized research firms.” Molina said the index covered 1,620 Filipinos from July to August 2015, but did not specify the demographics of the respondents or the questions asked. Of the total respondents, Molina said, 1,200 were classified as general public to represent “the country as a whole,” while 600 were deemed informed public or those who were “at least college graduates and who access media for news at least thrice a week.” This year, ensuring national peace and security emerged as the top driver of trust in government, followed by helping the poor address their basic needs, improving the Philippine economy, and putting in jail corrupt politicians. “Filipinos largely believe that the government is unable

cannot claim to be a natural-born citizen, one of the requirements for being President. The Comelec, however, said there was no need for Poe to appear before the preliminary investigation of her case set for Nov. 3 as David had claimed in a statement. What is required is that she file her counter-affidavit, Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista said. The Poe camp has claimed that the disqualification petitions are part of a smear campaign to condition the minds of voters that she will be disqualified.

to succeed in meeting these different criteria for trust. Only 23 percent of the general public strongly agree that the government is able to ensure peace and security, while only 22 percent agree that the government helps the poor address their basic needs,” the report says. “Preparedness in times of calamity and disasters is a trust driver that is increasingly at the forefront of the people’s minds. Regardless of socioeconomic status, this criterion remains among the top 6 trust drivers in government.” It was the first time LGUs surpassed the Office of the President, but the survey showed that the government remains the least trusted sector in Philippine society. Filipinos continued to repose their trust in the Church, which remained the most trusted institution in the country with a 73-percent trust rating from the general public and 68 percent from the so-called “informed” public. Among the least trusted institutions were the government (12 percent and 7 percent), businesses (9 percent and 9 percent), and nongovernment organizations (9 percent and 8 percent). It was followed by the academe at a close second (51 percent and 46 percent), and the media at third place (32 percent and 23 percent). Macon Ramos-araneta

Even the administration bet for vice president, Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo said she was the victim of black propaganda. But Parañaque Rep. Gus Tambunting of the opposition United Nationalist Alliance said anybody seeking public office should expect these attacks. UNA’s presidential candidate Vice President Jejomar Binay was the first victim of a demolition job since he declared his intention to run way before everybody else did, Tambunting said.

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‘Military buildup still continuing’ By Sandy araneta and Florante S. Solmerin

THE Palace said Thursday the government is continuing to improve the capabilities of the Armed Forces of the Philippines after a group of former American soldiers ranked it the sixth worst army in the world.

Registration. Residents of Manila flock to the Comelec office in Arroceros on Thursday to register for next year’s elections. Danny Pata

Binay: Malacañang wants to increase VAT VICE President Jejomar Binay on Thursday slammed Malacañang’s push to increase the value-added tax to compensate for lower tax collections in case the tax reform bill becomes law, saying that would defeat the goal of giving workers a higher takehome pay. “It is easier to give promises and make plans, but what we need is tested and competent executive ability,” Binay said. The government has proposed to raise the VAT to 14 percent to make up for any loss to be incurred from lower tax rates should the tax reform bill be approved. “The Philippines already has the highest VAT rate in the region, so increasing the VAT should only a last resort,” Binay said. “The country’s tax system is both burdensome and exasperating.” Binay made his statement even as the independent bloc in the House of Representatives expressed hope that Congress will be able to give

priority to passing the bill restructuring the country’s income tax rates when Congress resumes session in November. Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, the bloc’s leader, said he was confident that Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. would fulfill his promise to champion the cause of Filipino workers by fighting for the approval of the bill that would lower their tax payments. “We are very hopeful that this will not end up as an empty promise,” Romualdez said. Belmonte, for his part, said the House will pass a version of the bill that will lower workers’ income tax without compromising the revenue collections. Binay said lowering the tax rates would allow consumers to spend more money on the things they need, and that the government would be able to recover some of the short-term revenue losses through increased consumption taxes without raising the valueadded tax.

“Instead of being fixated on the VAT, we should look at a menu of options including improved tax collection efficiency and a more aggressive campaign to catch tax evaders and smugglers,” Binay said. “The recent report that the Philippines has the most tedious tax payment system underscores the urgency of tax reform in our country. It only brings hardship and misery to ordinary workers.” A study by the international audit firm PricewaterhouseCoopers put the Philippines in 127th place among 189 economies in the ease of paying taxes. The study says businessmen in the Philippines take 193 hours to pay 36 different kinds of fees and taxes each year. “How can we encourage foreign investors to put money here if we are going to make it difficult for them to do business in our country?” Binay said. Vito Barcelo and Maricel V. Cruz

“Since the beginning, the Aquino administration has recognized the importance of modernizing the equipment of the Armed Forces. President [Benigno] Aquino [III] mentioned in his last State of the Nation Address that under the present administration, there are a total of 56 projects under the AFP Modernization Program and this (sic) has been completed, compared to 45 projects done under the past administration,” said Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. Coloma said last month, President Aquino approved items that would be included in the new batch of projects, including several big-ticket items. These include two navy frigates worth P18 billion, three air surveillance radar systems worth P2.68 billion, six close-air support aircraft worth P4.97 billion, two units of long-range patrol aircraft worth P5.98 billion, multipurpose attack craft worth P864.32 million, a night fighting system worth P1.116 billion, two C-130 aircraft worth P1.6 billion, two naval helicopters worth P5.4 billion, and lead-in fighter trainer jet ammunition worth P4.47 billion. Coloma said the government is also awaiting the delivery of a squadron—or a dozen fighter jets from Korea. “We can see here the concrete manifestation of the government to work on the modernization program of the Armed Forces. And this is proven by the fact that it is working on the acquisition of the most modern equipment for the Army, Navy And Air Force,” said Coloma. Earlier this week, a group of former American servicemen calling themselves “We Are The Mighty” said President Aquino vowed to upgrade the country’s aging navy and air force to the

tune of $1.7 billion and the Congress has passed a bill appropriating $2 billion for the effort, “but that was about it.” “Despite the Chinese military buildup in the region, with aggressive moves by the Chinese to claim areas and build islands close to the Philippines, the Philippines’ Naval and Air Forces are still nearly 60 years old and its ships are old US Coast Guard cutters,” the article said. The Philippines was ranked behind Costa Rica, Iraq, North Korea, Eritrea, and Nigeria. Seventh on the list was Tajikistan, followed by Mongolia, Saudi Arabia, and Afghanistan. An internal Defense Department study obtained by The Standard showed that the “minimum credible defense” promised by Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin in 2010 remains a paper tiger, slowed down by corruption in the procurement process. Of the total budget of P90.86 billion allotted to modernize the AFP, the DND spent P13.41 billion in 2014, and was set to spend P31.11 billion in 2015. In 2016, it will spend P27.75 billion and in 2017, P18.59 billion. The P90.86 billion budget is on top of P63 billion in modernization funds released on a staggered basis from 2002 to 2013, causing Senator Francis Escudero to demand a full accounting of where the funds went, and why the AFP is still in a sorry state. Of the P63 billion released between 2002 and 2013, P41.83 billion came from general appropriations; P12.96 billion came from remittances by the Bases Conversion and Development Authority; P1 billion came from the Malampaya Fund; P6.59 billion came from the Department of Energy; and P909.98 million was from interest income.

Marcos adopts Isko as Senate bet VICE presidential candidate Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said late Wednesday they will adopt Manila Vice Mayor Isko Moreno who is running for senator in next year’s elections. “Ngayon ko pa lang sasabihin na ‘yung kandidatura ni Vice Mayor Isko Moreno para sa Senado ay aming i-aadopt siya bilang isang senador,” Marcos announced during the 23rd Annual National Convention of the Vice Mayors’ League of the Philippines at the Marriott Hotel in Manila. “I am honored and humbled,” Moreno said after the convention.

“I would like to thank Senator Marcos. I was not even expecting it at all considering that they don’t have a senatorial line-up yet.” Marcos said one of the reasons he chose Moreno is his experience in the local government. He said the national government needed officials with a genuine concern for local government units. Before becoming a senator when he was elected in 2010, placing 7th overall, Marcos had served is vice governor, governor and congressman in Ilocos Norte.

Crime scene. A police investigator inspects the restaurant in Cebu City where Chinese

consul general Song Ronghua was wounded after a shooting incident in which two of his staff members were killed on Oct. 21. aFP

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Youth deplore military spying

Vice mayors’ convention.

Senatorial candidate and Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez (right) and vicepresidential candidate Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. flank Manila Vice Mayor Isko Moreno along with Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano during the 23rd annual national convention of the Vice Mayors’ League of the Philippines at the Marriott Hotel in Pasay City. VER NOVENO

By Joel E. Zurbano and Mel Caspe THE youth group Anakbayan on Thursday scored the military and the Aquino administration for supposedly sending spies to monitor their preparations for 700 tribesmen from Mindanao, locally called lumad, who are enroute to Metro Manila to expose alleged military abuses against them. “This is no different from Martial Law. The Aquino government and its military forces have gotten so desperate that they are now brazenly entering campuses to harass and intimidate critics,” said Anakbayan chairman Vencer Crisostomo. He said six military agents were caught tailing activists and student leaders who are organizing the “Manilakbayan ng Mindanao” which will be hosted by the University of the Philippines community in Diliman, Quezon City this weekend. “The lumad of Mindanao are coming to Metro Manila to tell the world about the killings, the abuses, and militarization of their communities, but it would seem that even here they are not safe from military abuses,” said Crisostomo. Crisostomo said the said six military agents were riding two motorcycles and two vehicles as part of a supposed plan to vilify and persecute student activists and leaders. “We are calling on all students, youth and Filipinos to welcome the lumad as they travel to Manila and join their call for justice and peace in their communities. We demand that military troops be pulled out from lumad communities and schools immediately,” said Crisostomo.

2 diplomats in Cebu slays to be sent home THE two Chinese diplomats being held over a gun attack in the Philippines that killed two colleagues have diplomatic immunity and will be sent back to China, the Philippine government said Thursday. China’s consul general in Cebu City survived after being shot in the neck, but two of his staff members died during the lunchtime attack in a private room of a restaurant on Wednesday, police said. Police detained a husband and wife who were at the lunch and foreign ministry spokesman Charles Jose said Thursday they were both accredited Chinese diplomats. “Custody will be given to the Chinese side and they will undergo legal process in China,” Jose

told reporters. Jose said China had already invoked diplomatic immunity, as its right under the United Nations’ Vienna Convention. However the positions held by the two suspects at the consulate remained unclear. In a statement released before briefing reporters, Jose said those involved in the shooting were “all members” of the Chinese consulate in Cebu. But the statement then said:

“The shooting was an extreme act of a relative of a staff of the consulate general.” Police had earlier said the woman arrested was a consular officer and the man was her husband. But in his comments to reporters, Jose did not clarify their positions or identities, and said authorities still did not know why the shootings took place. Staff at the upmarket Lighthouse restaurant in Cebu, the Philippines’ second biggest city, earlier told AFP a group of nine people had gathered to celebrate the birthday of the consul general, Song Ronghua. They said the group had ordered a banquet, but no alcohol, and loud shouting could be heard before the shots were fired. Aside from the

diners, there were no witnesses because the shootings occurred in the private room. Police said they retrieved a semiautomatic Colt .45 pistol and three shells from the scene. Regional police chief Tom Banas admitted on Wednesday the first officers on the scene initially let all the surviving diners go, then arrested the two a short time later elsewhere without resistance. At the police station on Wednesday night, the accused were photographed sitting apparently very calmly talking to a lawyer. Banas said Thursday both of the suspects had claimed they could not speak English, making it impossible to determine why the attack occurred. AFP

Party-list groups okayed By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan ONE hundred party-list organizations have already been approved by the Commission on Elections to participate in the forthcoming May 2016 polls, Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista said on Thursday. “We have 100 party-list groups already approved by the two Comelec divisions,” Bautista said, referring to the poll body’s first and second divisions. Of the 100, he said 78 were already existing party-list groups, or have already participated in the previous elections, while 22 were new party-list organizations that have already been approved by the Comelec. But the Comelec chairman said a

total of 243 party-list groups filed their respective manifestations of intent to participate in the 2016 elections and it does not necessarily mean that the approval of the 100 meant the disapproval of the 143. “Others that were disapproved opted to elevate their cases to the Comelec en banc,” the poll chief said while refusing to provide a number of disapproved groups. Bautista also said there are also those whose applications are still being heard either in the first or second divisions. Earlier, the Comelec said they are still looking to finalize the roster of party-list organizations that will be allowed to participate in the next elections by Dec. 5.

Halloween break.

A city employee arranges décor at the Malabon City Hall during the launch of a Halloween contest among city hall offices. ANDREW RABULAN

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‘Yolanda rehab takes time’

Palace: Typhoon damage extensive, deep By Sandy Araneta MalacaÑang has admitted that it could not immediately provide all the necessities to the survivors of Super Typhoon “Yolanda” since the destruction was extensive and deep. “We must pay attention to the damage done by Super Typhoon Yolanda which is extensive and deep,” said Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. “and based on experience of a lot of countries abroad, this could not be done within the time period given, which is two years, that all necessities of all families affected can be given right away,” Coloma said. “That is why the government is exerting all efforts in order to boost public service. and, the government is also urging all stakeholders to unite and help each other in order to bring solutions to all these problems,” Coloma also said. Coloma also urged those affected to make the names and addresses known to the government if they have not yet been given assistance, so that the government agencies will be able to provide them with needed assistance such as provision of water supply and emergency shelter assistance. Yolanda survivors and cause-oriented groups have taken the aquino administration to task for its snailpaced work on the provision of shelter and rehabilitation efforts in the typhoon ravaged areas, particularly Ta-

cloban City. Last april 2015, the government said it extended P2.259 billion worth of financial assistance for government employees living in five regions affected by the Yolanda and the deadly earthquake in Bohol. The fund release was approved by President Benigno aquino iii during an earlier meeting with the Cabinet in Malacañang on rebuilding efforts in Yolanda-hit communities. Coloma said financial aid for this purpose will cover “the first batch of 48,995 employees from national government agencies based in regions iV-B, V, Vi, Vii, and Viii.” Coloma noted that the houses of these state workers were “totally, heavily, or partially damaged by Typhoon Yolanda and the Bohol earthquake.” aquino earlier ordered Cabinet officials to speed up rehabilitation efforts, particularly the construction of housing units in areas damaged by Yolanda. in november 2013, Yolanda, one of the strongest typhoons on record to hit land, devastated areas across Visayas, leaving 6,300 people dead and displacing at least 1.4 million families.

Lando’s aftermath.

Residents wade through flood at Barangay Iba-Este in Calumpit, Bulacan on Thursday, several days after Typhoon ‘Lando’ struck while in another town, farmers start unloading palay (unmilled rice).

To dry. The

Department of Agriculture estimates loses at 360,000 metric tons valued at P5.3 billion. JAnSen RomeRo, DAnnY PATA

Pemberton deportation DQ-Pacquiao pleader still pending, says DoJ fails to pay filing fee By Rey e. Requejo THE Department of Justice on Thursday gave assurance that US Marine Private First Class Joseph Scott Pemberton won’t be deported unless he is acquitted of the criminal charges for the murder of transgender Jeffrey “Jennifer” Laude. Justice Secretary alfredo Benjamin Caguioa stressed that the deportation order of the Bureau of immigration cannot be immediately executed because of the pending criminal case against the american serviceman. “The murder case filed against him [Pemberton] for the alleged murder of Laude is still pending trial before an Olongapo City regional trial court. Hence, Pemberton is under the jurisdiction of the trial court and the deportation order issued by the BiD cannot be implemented during the pendency of the trial on the case,” Caguioa said, in a statement. according to the DOJ chief, while

the BiD has found Pemberton to be an undesirable alien, a foreigner cannot be deported until cases against him pending in Philippine courts have been decided. “and in the event that the foreigner is found guilty of the charges, he has to serve his sentence first before he can be deported,” Caguioa explained. Caguioa made the statement after several groups protested the BiD deportation order amid suspicion that it was issued in time for the arrival of US President Barack Obama in the country next month for the asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. The Justice decretary exercises administrative supervision over the BiD. in ordering Pemberton’s deportation, BiD cited as basis the finding of probable cause to charge Pemberton with murder and the subsequent issuance of a warrant of arrest against the serviceman by Olongapo City rTC, Branch 74. The murder case is set for promulgation next month.

By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan Sarangani rep. Manny Pacquiao, a senatorial candidate, has come as the latest target of disqualification in a petition filed by a concerned Filipino before the Commission on Elections. in a two-page petition, Ferdinand Sevilla asked the poll body to disqualify Pacquiao and declare him a nuisance candidate citing the boxing icon’s “pattern of absenteeism” at the House of representatives. “That respondent Pacquiao, who has not retired from professional boxing, cannot guarantee he will avoid absenteeism and will conscientiously attend to his mandated task of legislating if elected to the Upper Chamber of Congress,” the petition said. “That Pacquiao’s filing of CoC for senator in the upcoming national elections, therefore, comprises a sheer and shameless mockery of the election process,” the petition stated.

Sevilla pointed out how Pacquiao, in 2013, incurred 60 absences out of 168 session days. Worse, Sevilla said that in the 70 session days in 2014, the playing coach of PBa team Mahindra Enforcers, was only present in seven days. “While Pacquiao was consistently absent to train for his boxing bout, shoot his television programs, or shoot hoops in basketball games, he was denying his constituents representation,” Sevilla said. The boxing icon filed his Certificate of Candidacy to run for senator in the May 2016 polls under the United nationalist alliance of Vice President Jejomar Binay. at press time, the Office of the Clerk of the Commission has yet to docket the petition due to the failure of Sevilla to pay the filing fee of P10,100. Based on Comelec resolution no. 9523, no petition shall be docketed unless the requirements have been complied with.

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Dismissed twice, complaint vs Fuentebellas rehashed SEPARATE decisions by Tanodbayan Simeon Marcelo in 2004 and Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales in 2012 have cleared former House Speaker Arnulfo Fuentebella of the plunder complaints being “resurrected ” by his critics. Mayor Jimmy Deleña of Presentacion, Camarines Sur was reacting on Thursday to the “tired, old lies being dug up against the Fuentebellas with the elections in 2016 just around the corner.” “How many times would they flog a horse that’s been dead for over a decade now? Once, twice?

Or is it sky is the limit since they have no shame whatsoever?” asked Deleña. Deleña said that a political opponent of the Fuentebellas has again resorted to using his minions to file a complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman. “By filing the complaint, they

hope to give their falsehoods and fabrications a veneer of legitimacy that would, however, not stand even a perfunctory scrutiny,” Deleña said. “It doesn’t matter to them that Tanodbayan Marcelo and Ombudsman Morales had already found the charges against the Fuentebellas to be without basis.” The mayor said the Fuentebellas have refused to dignify with a response the latest complaint save for a dismissive quip made by the former Speaker. “Their barefaced lies had al-

ready been exposed ad infinitum. The records and documents of the dismissal of their rehashed complaints are there for all to see,” Deleña quoted Fuentebella as saying. According to Deleña, Fuentebella believes Filipinos have already gained political maturity to “see through political muckraking being camouflaged by a mere complaint.” “It’s easy for any Tom, Dick and Harry to file complaints, but it’s another thing making those charges stick,” said Deleña.

Erap duns Lim for P684m in taxes By Vito Barcelo MANILA Mayor Joseph Estrada on Thursday urged former Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim to return the P684-million withholding tax which was not remitted to the Bureau of Internal Revenue during Lim’s term. Estrada said withholding tax should be withheld and remitted to the BIR within the due dates provided under the Tax Code and withholding tax regulation. “We really do not know where the money went. It was under my administration that we paid the P684-million withholding tax Lim did not remit,” Estrada said in a press briefing. He said Lim has dragged Manila in a deep financial hole and claimed that when he took over the city it has no enough cash to pay off its debts due to a bloated workforce. In its latest report uploaded on its website recently, the CoA said the Manila city government has unpaid debts of P3.553 billion or more than three times its cash holdings of P1.6 billion. Estrada said under his administration, the city government will get rid of its debt by the end of 2015 incurred by the past administration. Estrada said that the P3 billion that the local government owed should be paid before the year ends.

‘Hulidap’ cops bail bid reset Show of support. Around 700 lumad arrive in Tacloban City to join forces with militant groups as a show of support in their call for justice and an end to impunity in the wake of a series of killings committed against the indigenous people in Agusan del Sur. MEL CASPE

Extra perks for senior citizens pushed By Maricel V. Cruz A HOUSE leader on Thursday asked the leadership of the House of Representatives to prioritize the passage of a measure that seeks to provide elderly people a cash gift of P80,000 on their 80th birthday. Quezon City Rep. Winston Castelo, author of House Bill 6137, stressed the need for Congress to expand the coverage of Republic Act 9994, or the Senior Citizens Act, by giving the additional monetary incentive to the country’s senior citizens, saying “it is a way to honor and praise them for their veritable contributions to nation building.”

“A community that cares for its elderly is one that is dynamic and abounding with blessings,” Castelo, member for the majority bloc of the House committee on appropriations, said. Castelo said it is only fitting and wise to give back to the elderly who have offered so much and dedicated their lives’ work not only for the benefit of their loved ones but also practically for the general welfare of the community. At present, there are more than six million Filipinos who are 60 years old and above. Under the present law, senior citizens enjoy benefits and privileges such as the grant of 20-

percent discount and exemption from the value-added tax on the sale of goods and services from all establishments. The bill provides that the elderly shall also enjoy exemption from the payment of individual income taxes of senior citizens who are considered minimum wage earners as provided under Republic Act 9504. Similarly, Castelo said senior citizens can avail of the grant of a minimum 5 percent discount on the monthly utilization of water and electricity supplied by public utilities, and free medical and dental services, among others. Another law, Castelo said Republic Act 10645 or “An Act

Providing for the Mandatory PhilHealth Coverage for All Senior Citizens,” which was signed by President Benigno Aquino in November last year, grants all citizens who are 60 years old and above benefits and discounts extended to ordinary PhilHealth members by just presenting a valid identification card that proves their real age. “While we have all these laws advancing the rights of the elderly, we should not stop finding ways to maximize the benefits they should be enjoying from the national government,” Castelo, chairman of the House special committee on Metro Manila Development, said.

THE Mandaluyong Regional Trial Court on Thursday reset for the third time its hearing on the petition for bail filed by the six policemensuspects in the Edsa “hulidap” case over a year ago. Senior Assistant City Prosecutor Lourdes Javelosa told The Standard that the witnesses/complainants were again not present apparently because their subpoena didn’t reach them during the hearing with Judge Carlos Valenzuela at the helm of Branch 213. Javelosa said that they are more than ready to counter the petition of Chief Insp. Joseph de Vera, Senior Insp. Allan Emlano, Insp. Marco Polo Estrera, PO2s Jerome Datinguinoo, Mark de Paz and Jonathan Rodriguez to file bail. The prosecution asked the court for time to find their witnesses. The next court hearing is set on Oct. 29, Nov. 26 and Dec. 3 this year. The policemen were to said to be involved in the “hulidap” which occurred along Edsa, Mandaluyong southbound in September last year. A photo, which was taken by a concerned citizen in the alleged hulidap had gone viral on social media. John Paolo Bencito

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Mindanao still suffers haze from Indonesia By Froilan Gallardo

Price distortion. This flower farm in Bahong, La Trinidad, Benguet was spared by Typhoon ‘Lando’, but many other farms were not. Damage from the typhoon is expected to drive the prices of flowers up for the coming All Saints’ Day. DAVID CHAN

Civil defense exec says Pangasinan ‘resilient’ By Dexter A. See

LINGAYEN—The director of the Office of Civil Defense-Region 1 has lauded the disaster response capability of this province’s Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, saying the people are “very resilient.” Regional Director Melchito Castro, who led an aerial inspection to assess the damage wrought by Typhoon ‘Lando’ on the province, said the immediate implementation of rapid damage assessment and needs analysis by the Pangasinan PDRRMC helped a lot to prevent further damage

in hard-hit, low-lying barangays in towns situated in the western and central parts of the province. Castro, who was interviewed at the Tactical Operations Center of the provincial council, commended the series of rescue operations conducted by the province. “They were able to perform their

duties to respond to the people’s needs,” Castro said. Based on the aerial assessment of the OCD, the towns of Mangatarem and Calasiao, including towns of Mabini and Agno in the first district, sustained serious damage from the typhoon’s wrath. Castro added that the assessment of OCD will serve as basis for the augmentation of relief and rehabilitation assistance to the province which will come from the national government. As of Thursday, a total of 10,850 family packs of relief goods have been distributed by the Provincial Social Welfare and Development

Office as augmentation of relief assistance to residents sheltered temporarily in evacuation centers in the province. Meanwhile, in an emergency session held Wednesday, the provincial board led by Vice Governor Jose Ferdinand Z. Calimlim, Jr. approved Provincial Resolution No. 525-2015 declaring a “state of calamity in the entire province.” The state of calamity is intended to start the rehabilitation of the ‘vast damages’ caused by typhoon Lando and to augment the relief operations in the province to alleviate the plight of those affected by the typhoon.

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY —Haze caused by the fires in Indonesia has continued to affect the skies over Mindanao, five days after it was first spotted over General Santos City, after it has caused the cancellation of several flights to Cotabato City and the hospitalization of at least one person in General Santos City. Victor Flores, weather specialist at the Philippine Atmospheric, Geographical and Astronomical Services Administration in El Salvador City, Misamis Oriental, said the haze is still visible over Mindanao skies especially in the early mornings and late afternoons. Flores said visibility over the affected skies dropped from the normal 20 kilometers to only 10 kilometers. “Last Sunday was the worse at only eight kilometers visibility,” Flores said. South westerly winds continue to bring the hazardous air pollution from Indonesia’s Sumatra and Central to Mindanao, he added. “There will some respiratory problems because of the presence of dust, particles and moisture in the air,” Flores said. The prevailing winds also affected Cebu City and the rest of the country in early October. Flores said the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Environmental Management Bureau has already conducted several tests over the skies of Mindanao cities but the result has yet to be made public.

Office of the Ombudsman dismisses Capiz governor By Rio N. Araja THE Office of the Ombudsman has dismissed Capiz Gov. Victor Tanco Sr. for grave misconduct for demanding and receiving P3 million from a contractor for a hospital project. Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales also meted Tanco Sr. and his son, security officer III Vladimir Tanco, the accessory penalties of perpetual disqualification from holding office, cancellation of eligibility and forfeiture of retirement benefits. She also found probable cause to indict father and son for violation of Sections 3(b) and 3(e) of Republic Act 3019 or the AntiGraft and Corrupt Practices Act for mulcting P3 million from a contractor. According to the Ombudsman, the duo conspired extorting from a certain Leodegario Labao Jr. of Kirskat Venture (Kirskat), a

contractor for the P32.9-million Mambusao District Hospital project. Labao complained that on Sept. 19, 2011, Vladimir came to his office and told him that Tanco sent him to collect P3 million in exchange for the release of subsequent payments for the project. Vladimir allegedly threatened to blacklist Kirskat if he Labao failed to give in to the governor’s request. On Sept. 21, 2011, a P3-million check bearing a notation “Mambusao Hospital SOP to Gov. Tanco” was personally delivered to the governor’s residence. The check was deposited and credited to Vladimir’s account. On Oct. 24, 2011, the local government, in turn, issued a check of 2.2 million in favor of Kirskat, representing 15 percent of its mobilization fund.

Program beneficiaries. An estimated crowd of 6,000 beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program attend the ‘Freedom from Poverty Day’ in Koronadal City. MARK NAVALES

F R I D AY, O C T O B E R 2 3 , 2 0 1 5

OPINION

ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

OPINION

VIRTUAL REALITY TONY LOPEZ

IMEE MARCOS DELIVERS

[ EDI TORI A L ]

LANDO’S DAMAGE SUPER Typhoon “Lando” caught the government flatfooted again. The typhoon was not as ferocious as “Yolanda” that ripped Tacloban City and the rest of central Visayas in late 2013, but it was equally destructive after lingering over central and northern Luzon for over a week. The slow-moving typhoon caused floods and swept past several provinces, most of them agricultural producing areas. Nueva Ecija, Pangasinan, Pampanga, Bulacan, Aurora, Mountain Province, Benguet, Quirino, Kalinga, Nueva Vizcaya and the Ilocos region are among the hardest-hit areas. Initial government estimates put the crop and livestock damage in Luzon at over P6 billion. The figure is certain to rise dramatically, as rice farmers were about to harvest their produce before the typhoon struck. Lessons should be learned from Lando’s destruction. The typhoon lasted for over a week as predicted by the weather bureau, and any storm hovering for days and with a strength of over 100 kilometers per hour is expected to wreak great havoc along its path. The weather bureau needs more modern equipment to accurately track typhoons, measure the amount of rainfall that will fall over a 24or 48-hour period and pinpoint the areas to be submerged by floodwaters. Local government units must also be vigilant on the approaching typhoon. Lando has killed 41 people and injured 78 so far. Many, as shown by TV footages, were surprised by rising floodwaters and had to be evacuated by government personnel at the last minute. Lando’s destruction will be felt in the months to come, especially by rice farmers in Central Luzon who had lost their income. The recovery period may not be easy as El Niño has yet to intensify. The government this early must initiate a financing program to help farmers replant their crops and families rebuild their homes. The state, meanwhile, must strictly enforce its disaster risk reduction program. It should permanently ban the construction of houses along identified disaster-prone areas to limit the damage to property and save lives.

ANOTHER BLACK EYE LOWDOWN JOJO A. ROBLES PRESIDENT Noynoy Aquino’s administration has made it a habit of putting the Philippines in “world’s worst” lists. And soon after the makers of the popular app Waze placed Manila on top of the list of the cities with the worst traffic worldwide, it’s now the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ turn. The AFP has been adjudged as the sixth-worst army in the

world by the US-based, military-themed Web site We Are The Mighty. The site is run by former American servicemen and military enthusiasts and describes itself as “the first entertainment and lifestyle brand for and by the military community.” The Philippines, according to the article written by Blake Stilwell, was better off only than Costa Rica (which has “no armed forces to speak of ”), Iraq, North Korea, Eritrea and Nigeria. Rounding up the top 10 are Tajikistan, Mongolia, Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan. The article explained the

Philippines’ inclusion in the list thusly: “The President of the Philippines vowed to upgrade the country’s aging Navy and Air Force to the tune of $1.7 billion, the Philippine Congress passed a bill appropriating $2 billion for the effort and … that’s it. Despite the Chinese military buildup in the region, with aggressive moves by the Chinese to claim areas and build islands close to the Philippines, the Philippines’ naval and air forces are still nearly 60 years old and its ships are old US Coast Guard cutters.” This spot-on evaluation of

It wouldn’t be a real reaction from the Aquino administration if it did not blame the previous administration.

Philippine military might drew reactions of agreement from both the AFP and Malacañang Palace. Yes, the government is “working on” modernizing its aging equipment, they said; but no, it’s not going to be completed anytime soon. But it wouldn’t be a real reaction from the Aquino administration if it did not blame the previous administration. “There are a total of 56 projects under the AFP Modernization program and this has been completed, compared to 45 projects done under the previous administration,” said Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma. Maybe the government should just concentrate on

modernizing the military instead of blaming the past administration for everything that goes wrong on its watch. The failure to modernize our aging armed forces, after, is not exclusively the fault of the government of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, but of all the administrations that went before hers. The over-reliance of Filipino rulers on American military aid (which is still the policy of this President, by the way) is ultimately to blame for the failure to equip our troops properly.

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But that wouldn’t be the straight path, if it admitted error and didn’t heap it instead on Arroyo, now, would it? *** From Davao City, I’m told that the first Mindanao-based Public-Private Partnership project is encountering opposition because the Aquino administration seems hell-bent on awarding it to a favored contractor, instead of local operators currently doing a good job. And why am I not surprised that the Department of Transportation and Communications,

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which has become famous for incompetence and for brokering shady deals, is behind the plan to award the Sasa seaport project before the current government steps down next year? The project’s PPP Information Memorandum is reportedly too optimistic in its projections on container traffic. It has also set conditions for potential bidders that favor only bigtime port operators, who will be the only ones who can put up the high bidding cost. Continued on A10

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

Chairman President & Chief Executive Officer Board Member & Chief Legal Adviser Director of Operations Finance Officer Edgar M. Valmorida Circulation Manager

MARIA Imelda “Imee” Romualdez Marcos recently appeared on the cover of Philippine Tatler magazine in the full glory of her ravishing beauty. The feature stirred up controversy, eliciting a mix of envy and angry howls. How could a virtual senior citizen (she turns 60 this November) brandish such notoriously youthful looks and curves, defying gravity and redefining beauty at maturity? Is it technology or natural beauty? The eldest daughter of the late President Ferdinand Edralin Marcos and the former First Lady, Imelda Romualdez Marcos, is an evergreen personified. Imee has a problem that is a luxury for most Ilocanos. She doesn’t seem to age. Her comprovicianos in Ilocos Norte do. “Ilocos Norte is the Scandinavia of the Philippines,” she winces. “Everything is happening in Ilocos a little earlier, 20 to 40 years earlier than the rest of the ’Pinas—like the extreme dependence on overseas remittances, the declining population, and the loss of the youth advantage.” Not only are Ilocanos aging faster. They also are not reproducing. Birth rate at 1.6 percent is far below the national average, of 1.9 percent or 1.9 million babies per 100 million. As a result, the population of Ilocos Norte is actually declining. It’s demographic dividend in reverse. Ilocano couples have only three children, fewer than the average Filipino family’s four to five. The kids go to school, at government’s expense, acquire higher education, again at government’s expense, and then pack up for overseas work. Then, they come back in their senior years only to be nurtured for their health needs, at government expense. “I am like the prime minister of Israel,” Imee jokes, “two-thirds of my population live abroad.” Two-thirds of Jews live in New York. Imee relates: “Since time immemorial, Bongbong (her brother, who is a senator and running for vice president) and I, every time we campaigned, we had to stop at 6 p.m., because everybody was calling a relative abroad, long distance, or calling by Skype.” 6 p.m. is the optimum time to call Hawaii, where most of overseas Ilocanos are. The overseas Ilocanos send P15 billion to Ilocos Norte every year. Thus, the province is middle class. They don’t bother to borrow money from local banks. In fact, they lend their money in Manila. “Demographic dividend is gone for us,” laments Imee. “What they’re not talking about which we are feeling in Ilocos, is that, in addition to the loss of our productive age group, [there] is the 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

VIRTUAL REALITY TONY LOPEZ

IMEE MARCOS DELIVERS

[ EDI TORI A L ]

It wouldn’t be a real reaction from the Aquino administration if it did not blame the previous administration.

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

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A10

OPINION lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

HIJACKING A DEMOCRACY PENSEES FR. RANHILIO CALLANGAN AQUINO WHEN you organize the body politic by giving the people the right to elect their leaders, there is every chance that bad even silly choices will be made. That is the risk of a democracy. That is the very reason Aristotle distrusted it and opted for an aristocracy, which he took to be “the rule of the best”. I detest the foolish choices Filipinos often make, and we have made very bad choices in the past, but unless we have a change of heart about the organization of political society, it is just one of the hard facts with which we must contend, while contributing to the education of the voter.

I am all for debate, and the CNN-sponsored forum at which presidential aspirants from the Democrats debated should be a good example.

But truly more vicious and deleterious to democracy is the hijacking of the democratic process by which leaders are chosen. When this act of perfidy takes place, there is maintained the semblance of choice, a veneer that conceals the handler’s strings, the conductor’s baton. It is in fact that dreadful brand of despotism that conceals itself in the electoral process of which it has made a parody! That those who throw their hats into the ring open themselves to slur and slander is some kind of a given in our brand of democracy. Everything becomes fair game for pundits, rivals and foes: who one beds, what one eats, where one lives and host of other impertinences. We can and should do better, after all we have been a democracy for some time now. Sadly, we are not. But this is not yet the bottom of the pit. It is rather the well-oiled,

Another... From A9 The growth rate assumed by the year 2020, I’m told, has never before been seen in the history of Philippine port and cannot be justified by any trend in any industry that uses Davao Bay’s ports. For example, the volume

well-placed, carefully calibrated, highly organized maneuvers of power-brokers who anoint a candidate and get themselves furiously busy about demolishing the chances of all others that waylay the democratic process. In this respect, the much-criticized system by which the INC leadership endorses candidates is, by comparison, benign. All that the church’s supreme leaders do is endorse a candidate. Political assassination has never been part of the sect’s rules. In respect to Grace Poe, citizenship and domicile are real legal issues. They must be resolved. In this respect, I cannot align myself with retired Chief Justice Artemio Panganiban and others who have expressed the position that “the people should decide”. What the people may or may not decide is set forth in the Constitution, which is why we have a Constitution, and among the things they cannot waive are the requirements exacted of those who seek election to the position of President. But to make of these questions of law questions of loyalty, integrity and goodwill is most unfair to Ms. Poe. That, sadly, is what the hideous battering ram is doing now. It is one thing to assert that she did seek and obtain alien citizenship. That is a matter of fact. It is quite another, and typical of the machinations of the election’s hijackers to refer to her as a “traitor” to the Philippines, or one whose loyalty to the country is, in the very least, to be doubted and therefore undeserving of the presidency. Jojo Binay has a lot of answering to do, but truth to tell, have the charges against him prospered? True, the Ombudsman has found probable cause—as it did in the so many cases filed against Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo subsequently dismissed by the courts! After almost a year that taxpayer’s money was spent on a Senate investigation aimed solely at him, all we have are the repetitious claims of the very same characters who, it now seems, not only have dipped their sticky hands into the cookie jar but have crumbs on their big mouths. One who styles herself a crusader for righteousness from my hometown not only hates him but hates all who caution against hasty conclusions. So, she hates me! That is how effective the hijackers have been— armed with hardly anything more than allegation and innuendo. Bongbong Marcos is no less a victim. The ghosts of Martial Law are summoned from their of exported bananas passing through the Davao Bay, which accounts for 70 percent of all the containerized cargoes shipped out of local ports, should grow by approximately 20,212 hectares in one year to justify the projected volume. Besides, several private com-

STILL HOPING

JUST before we could approach the Christmas 2015 season of hope and the 2016 presidential election, two have been added to our list of hopeless things. The first was the presidential candidacy of Mayor Digong Duterte, who has decided with finality that he wouldn’t seek the presidency anymore. By not filing his Certificate of Candidacy before the deadline, he has made it very clear to all that nothing could change his decision anymore. The second was the passage of the House-approved bill that proposes to increase by P2,000 our monthly pensions from the Social Security System. No less than the Senate’s incumbent and former Presidents Frank Drilon and Juan Ponce Enrile played the contravida role against its passage. Among their junior Senate colleagues, who would question their combined wisdom that the proposal would bankrupt SSS by year 2029? Certainly, they are the oldest—and yes, wisest—of our current senators who could best understand the plight of elderly citizens like us. Only Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago—Senator Drilon’s former classmate at the University of the Philippines and Senator Enrile’s “bitter and obsessive hater”—would have the guts to stand up and challenge them to a debate. She has done this before and could very well do it again after she has filed her Certificate of Candidacy for the presidency. She could be the Senate pension champion if she wants to, and win our votes of at least two million pensioners, not counting those of our dependents. Senator Enrile seemed finished with making voters happy. For the sake of the 30-million active SSS members who would be affected adversely with its bankruptcy, he had decided that killing the bill is more patriotic. But for Senator Drilon, the thought has somehow dawned on him that opposing the bill won’t get him reelected next year. graves to spook his bid for the Vice-President’s office. And yet, Teddyboy Locsin was right: Why should Bongbong apologize for the Martial Law declared by his father? In the first place, Ferdinand Marcos may have truly perceived sinister hands out to derail Philippine politics. He preempted the schemers, and so they were infuriated. Second, why should we make of it a requirement that Bongbong do the unnatural and despicable thing of repudiating panies have already set up their own ports in the area, the biggest of which is the Davao International Container Terminal located in neighboring Panabo City in Davao del Norte province. Aside from DICT, Davao del Norte also has another privately owned port in Tagum City under

FILIPINO PENSIONER HORACE TEMPLO Thus, he has backpedaled and declared that the bill is still alive while in its period of interpellation. Its deliberations and possible passage have only been deferred until the Senate resumption of session on Nov. 3. Must Congress pass a law to increase SSS pensions? No. SSS has increased its pensions 21 times since 1980 without bothering Congress. All it did was have them adopted by the Social Security Commission and approved by previous Presidents. Don’t our legislators know that SSS has been authorized to increase its pensions since the time of President Ferdinand Marcos? That authority was what PNoy also used in his one and only pension increase of 5 percent last January 2014. But why is SSS no longer increasing its pensions as if it has cast in stone its goal of prolonging its actuarial life to 75 years. SSS should share with us the Catch 22 provisions in the grant of its pensions—“That the actuarial soundness of the reserve fund shall be guaranteed” and that “such increases in benefits shall not require any increase in the rate of contribution.” With these restrictions, how did previous SSS administrators increase pensions? They simply skirted these Catch 22 provisions. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be able to do anything. The Social Security Law did not define “actuarial soundness” anyway, and even actuaries couldn’t agree on what constitute it. Moreover, pension increases cannot be responsible for all contribution rate increases. A dozen other factors could necessitate these contribution increases such as adverse demographic, economic, labor and social changes. Perhaps, Presidents Ferdinand Marcos, Cory Aquino, Fihis father? What, exactly, do we know of Ferdinand Marcos’ culpability? By some nebulous extension of the concept of “command responsibility”? For a long time, we blamed him for Plaza Miranda, until we started to ask why Ninoy Aquino was not there that fateful night, when all his party-mates were. Eventually we had to admit: We were wrong in pointing accusing fingers at Marcos. He was right all along: The NPAs were to blame. development, run by the Hijo International Port Services Inc., majority-owned by International Container Terminal Services Inc. The criteria set out by DoTC in its Instruction to Prospective Bidders to pre-qualify obviously discriminate against local operators. It requires bidders to

del Ramos, Joseph Estrada and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ordered those pension increases. In the final analysis, “if there’s a will, there’s a way.” The present SSS officials obviously fear violating these Catch 22 provisions and constantly cite them as their convenient alibi for freezing pensions while expanding non-core activities such as extending subsidized member loans and increasing funeral benefits. Congress should ask what actions would enable pension increases. The answer has been circulating around the world in the past two decades since World Bank’s Estelle James published in 1994 her book “Averting the Old Age Crisis”—reform the contribution system. The pension benefit system will improve accordingly. Equalize the workers’ contributions of 3.63 percent with that of the employers’ share of 7.37 percent of salary credit. This would raise the total contribution rate to 14.74 percent and add at least P40.63 billion in annual contributions. This is enough to finance the P2,000 pension increase. This has been the contribution sharing system of the PhilHealth program since 1969. Apply the contribution rate to the total salary. With this reform, future pensions would replace proportionately the last salary. Without it, one who retires with a salary of P50,000 will continue to receive a pension based on P16,000 only. This contribution rate application has been implemented by the Government Service Insurance System since the time of PGMA and her GSIS president and general manager Winston Garcia. Look how happy and contented now GSIS pensioners are! By reversing themselves, Senators Drilon and Ponce Enrile could still rebound but only if they would impose the above reforms. We then could still receive the additional P2,000 in the season of hope without feeling guilty that it would bankrupt SSS someday.

I am all for debate, and the CNN-sponsored forum at which presidential aspirants from the Democrats debated should be a good example. That level of discourse, we will all profit from. But we are all the losers when we aid, abet and remain complacent in the face of the hijacking of our democracy! rannie_aquino@sanbeda.edu.ph rannie_aquino@csu.edu.ph rannie_aquino@yahoo.com be currently operating “at least two international container terminals,” which shuts out local players. It sure sounds like a lastminute sweetheart deal is in the offing, far away from prying eyes in Manila. Let’s see how this deal goes down.

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A11

OPINION lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

SEND IN THE CLOWNS

DIASPORA By Joel Vega COME election time, Philippine politics morphs into a delirious state, a ragged time when the absurd sounds normal and the normal reverberates with the hollowness of the absurd. Consider, for instance, the feisty Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago. On normal days, she provides great logic and entertainment with her punchy one-liners. The media loves her. Why not, she usually delivers that acerbic punch- “I eat death threats for breakfast,” one of her classic lines. Deep down in our low-key, long-suffering Filipino inner selves, we secretly lash out at our enemies. What we couldn’t fulfill in public we fantasize on or project to our imagined heroes. Thus, we rally behind that bull fighter, that Pacquiao with the iron fist, who delivers killer blows, that basketball giant who dumps the points squarely onto the enemy’s face. Lady M is a

Imee... From A9 added burden of the education cost in the early years and then the health burden [in later years]. And the latter is not free.” “It’s killing the government. Because you will educate those kids, then as soon as they’re useful they leave, and then they come back [when] they’re really old and then you have to support them,” explains the governor. Governor of Ilocos Norte since 2010, Imee has lived true to the Marcos brand of governance—excellent, pro-poor, and world class. Hers is the first province in the Philippines to be ISO-certified, “the international standard for organized and effective leadership,” she reminds listeners. Revenues have doubled since 2010, when she took over. It is not easy to get an ISO audit and certification. The Germans came, looking at every process and the bureaucracy, “from top to toe,” Imee notes. Even the department

fantastic vehicle for collective fantasies, a provocative crossdresser that fulfills our political daydreams. Beguiling is the word for the senator. She knows how to work out the crowds. Her Facebook account confirms that with the views and numbers always appended with a “K.” She herself declared that despite her war with the Big C, she only needs to exploit the benefits of the digital age. Quick-footed Lady Miriam! One of the monickers given her by the hyperactive media. And that titular “Lady” is no random nom de guerre but a well-chosen title that subtly links her to the spires of London’s Westminster. The challenge to the democratic-loving Pinoy is that our politics is as rambunctious as our fiestas, as illogical as our bureaucracy, as plastic as our Miss Philippines beauty contests, and as tragic as the sinking of the Doña Paz. Yes, tragic, because by the time we caught the corrupt trapo red-handed,

the moolah has already been siphoned to a Caribbean bank, the votes padded and justice double-blinded for the nth time. The combination of empty noise, illogicality and plasticity is a lethal trio to a young democracy. Even mature democratic societies perpetually battle the hidden traps and lethal turns along the democratic road. Countries such as Germany and France have to confront discordant voices and resist the seduction of the paranoid Right. And here we are changing the crucial sign posts on that road every now and then, unable to move forward due to misguided loyalties and the double agendas of elected leaders whose conscience are more flexible than the six arms of an octopus. Conscience. That’s the key word that is missing in the vocabulary of our politicians. They want us to forget, to slide into a perpetual state of amnesia. They want us to believe there were no guns fired to murder the stu-

dent activist, no tanks mowing down a labor leader, no real cash stacked somewhere in Switzerland, no conniving chief justices keeping mum and staying cosy, no military commander who issued the order to liquidate, salvage and annihilate. For the trapo Philippine politician the supreme Wonderland is the ideal Eden where the voter has the memory of a goldfish. A three-second memory. A flash in a decade of vote-padding, counted in three seconds for crimes, past and future, which are committed with all impunity. What is the misfortune that befell us? Is it the misfortune of opportunists or the misfortune of complacency? Considering our downward slide to the abyss, we are saddled with both adversities, degraded by the powerful that dangles a sword above our heads. We are often seduced with the clever rhetoric that power lies in the individual, in the vote we have in our hands. But there

lies the deception. Yes, that single vote is a voice, but only to be heard in a place where the systems are more or less in place, where the context is not amnesia or forgetfulness, but active, reparative memory. Lady Miriam is wrong when she says that conscience is not the end-all, that some should not be held accountable. When she claims non-accountability that is pure legal gobbledygook Conscience is not measured in legalese. Conscience is nurtured and it springs from the wellsprings of integrity. We all know that in a circus of opportunists, integrity is collateral damage. But we all need to remind MDS and her opportunistic opponents that they cannot win with clever fibbing, and perhaps one way to show that may, ironically, lead us back again to the ballots.

managers had to be certified. Two department heads had to resign because they couldn’t meet the severe standards; in their 70s, they had to take examinations, three times. “We had to have quality managers,” says Imee. Of Ilocos Norte’s 23 towns, 16 have also been ISO-certified. ISO-certification rings a bell to investors. Some of the investors in the province’s wind farms are Germans. So the German ISO auditors looked like their advance party. ISO is also a good talking point when Ilocos Norte investors secure loans. As governor in the last five years, Imee solved the province’s poverty. The ratio of poor to the total population (568,017), went down from 28 percent in 2010 to 8.4 percent by 2015. Nearly 25,000 families were rescued from poverty. Under the Millennium Development Goals, the Philippines was supposed to cut its poverty by half, from 34 percent in 1990 to 17 percent by 2015.

The country failed. National poverty today remains at more than 25 percent-27 percent— equivalent to more than 25 million Filipinos. Ilocos Norte’s economic growth has been robust, registering 16.7 percent last year, 2.7 times the Philippine GDP growth of 6.1 percent, which last year was considered the second fastest in Asia. Ilocos Norte is probably the fastestgrowing province in Asia. Most of Ilocos Norte’s growth comes from industrialization. It has Asia’s first wind farms. The province has now more than 413 megawatts of wind capacity. That could be expanded to more than 2,000 megawatts with total investments of $2 billion, Imee says. The big boys of business, Ayala, Lopez, even the Koreans are into renewable energy in the north where the wind is 50 percent stronger and the sun shines 20 percent brighter. Imee calls her approach to the economy as ATM—agriculture, tourism, and manufactur-

ing, an improvement from Marcos’ old formula of RRS—rice, roads, schools. The province exports rice to nearby provinces and Imee wants higher prices for her farmers. She is telling them to also produce high value crops like garlic, corn (cornix, remember?), mangoes, bananas, vegetables. There is of course the old reliable, bagnet (crispy pork, done to perfection). Tourism is booming. Some 1.6 million visited Ilocos Norte in the first half alone, creating a shortage of hotel rooms (of which the province has 2,800). There are only two first class hotels, Fort Ilocandia, built during the Marcos presidency, and Plaza del Norte (built by the young Marcoses). To address the problem, Imee is asking rich Ilocanos to open their homes to guests, just like what they do in Japan or Europe. Imee wants the province vegetables and fruit growers—of corn, garlic, mangoes, dragon fruit, bananas—to add value

to their harvest, by processing them. Dragon fruit is supposed to cure everything, including cancer. Call centers are also trooping to the province. In just a year, the number of call center seats doubled to 3,000. Ilocanos are well-educated, and speak English well. Imee walks under a huge shadow. She carries what remains to many is the most venerable name in Philippine politics—Marcos. “Marcos is a very strong brand,” Imee asserts. “There is a real bedrock of support for the Marcoses in Ilocandia,” she reckons. Imee is seeking reelection as Ilocos Norte governor, for her third term. She first ran in 2010, garnering 70 percent of the votes, defeating the incumbent, her first cousin, Michael Marcos Keon. The legendary Imelda is running for reelection, as congressman of the second district.

#FAILOCRACY

Joel Vega is a medical writer and visual artist based in Nijmegen, The Netherlands.

biznewsasia@gmail.com

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NY Mets advance to World Series CHICAGO— Daniel Murphy hit a historic home run and Lucas Duda knocked in five runs as the New York Mets advanced to the World Series by routing the Chicago Cubs 8-3.

Putin slams ‘politicization’ of sports MOSCOW—Russian President Vladimir Putin called for international measures to prevent politics from spilling over into sport as the West continues to snub Moscow over the Ukraine crisis. “Sporting ideals and principles are more often becoming hostage to political opportunism,” Putin said at the inaugural meeting of the world’s Olympic associations in Moscow. “This goes against the philosophy of the Olympic movement, which is based on respect, justice and openness.” Russia is set to host the 2018 World Cup in 11 cities, despite calls by some foreign lawmakers to boycott the tournament over Moscow’s involvement in the Ukraine crisis, where 18 months of clashes between Kiev and pro-Russian separatists have left more than 8,000 dead. Putin said a UN resolution that could “finally cement the de-politicisation of sport in international law” was needed. “We advocate for sports to stay out of politics,” he said. Moscow’s annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in March 2014 and its subsequent support of pro-Russian insurgents in the country’s east propelled Russia’s relations with the West to their post-Cold War nadir. Russia’s actions in Ukraine had fuelled calls to boycott the Sochi Paralympic Games, held just days before Russia’s annexation of Crimea. International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach echoed Putin’s statements, saying that any form of boycott was discriminatory and at odds with the Olympic spirit. AFP

Brazil’s Poliana Botelho celebrates after winning the MMA World Flyweight Championship fight against Argentina’s Silvana Gomez Juarez in Sao Paulo on Sept. 19, during the Xtreme Fighting Championships. AFP

Brazilian women get kicks in MMA SAO PAULO—The black eyes, scrapes and sweat get a little in the way of Poliana Botelho’s smile but her euphoria after winning a Mixed Martial Arts title fight in Sao Paulo is unmistakable. Although the Brazilian gets battered in the September 19 clash in Brazil’s biggest city, she wins the MMA’s Xtreme Fighting Championships franchise belt and her opponent is left semi-conscious and receiving medical attention. Botelho’s compatriot Bethe Correia had less luck just a few weeks earlier when she was knocked out within 34 seconds by the world’s top female MMA fighter, the United States’ Ronda Rousey, holder of the most prestigious UFC belt. But whatever the ups and down, Brazilian women are rising in the

world of MMA, a supremely gladiatorial discipline that has become a global pay-per-view success, often staged in cage-like rings where fighters combine facets of different martial arts, ranging from karate to wrestling to boxing. With their long history of jiujitsu fighting and an MMA-precursor called “vale tudo,” or “anything goes,” Brazilians seem to have taken naturally to the sport. Subscriptions to Combate television, which specializes in showing MMA, have gone up 500 percent since 2010, the channel said. Like other fighting sports, MMA has long been male-dominated, but the female version is especially strong in Brazil. A survey by research group Ibope found that 45 percent of the

Thomson seals deal with Cavs CLEVELAND—Tristan Thompson agreed to a new contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers, ending the most significant player holdout just days before last season’s NBA runners-up open the 201516 campaign. The Cavaliers, sparked by superstar LeBron James, on Wednesday agreed to a five-year deal worth $82 million for the 24-year-old Canadian power forward, according to multiple newspaper and television reports. “It’s been a long summer of grinding and hard work but now it’s back to The Land to take care of some unfinished business,” Thompson tweeted with the hashtags HappyToBeBack and ALLin, the latter being the Cavaliers’ catch phrase during last season’s drive to the Eastern Conference crown. James had said signing Thompson to a long-term contract was a

key priority of the team and the Cavaliers came through just six days ahead of the team’s opener against Chicago. Thompson had been a starter for every game over two seasons until James arrived last season and brought a whirlwind of changes, including forward Kevin Love and big man Timofey Mozgov. But after starting only 15 regular-season games, Thompson made 15 starts in the playoffs and played a vital role when Love went down with an injury. The Cavaliers, as a result, will likely have the NBA’s highest payroll when the season begins next week at around $115 million. Thompson rejected a contract extension for four years at just over $50 million before last season to test his value as a free agent, but his work through the season made him too valuable for a title-hungry club such as the Cavaliers to let escape. AFP

Tristan Thompson

most ardent fans here are women. And on Combate, the main website for MMA enthusiasts here, 20 of the 25 most popular articles in August were about female fights. Three years ago Botelho, then 23, took up Thai boxing as a way to lose weight. But her competitive attitude caught the trainer’s eye and she learned quickly. Just a few months later she was taking part in her first MMA bout. Despite this quick progress, she didn’t fit what most people would consider the standard image of a fulltime fighter. “When I turned professional, a friend said to me, ‘But Poliana, you wouldn’t hurt a fly!’ I explained that this is just a sport. People imagine that it’s all about blood and blows, but that’s not the case.” AFP

New York on Wednesday reached Major League Baseball’s best-of-seven championship series for the first time since 2000 by sweeping the National League final four games to none over a Cubs team that has not won the World Series in 107 years. The Mets will seek their first title since 1986 when the World Series opens Tuesday at the home ballpark of the American League champion, either the Kansas City Royals or Toronto Blue Jays. The Royals lead that series 3-2 and play host to game six Friday. “We’re going to the World Series. It’s just incredible,” Murphy said. “Words can’t describe what it’s like. “The miracle Mets. You’ve got to believe. This team has so much fight in it. We were tested. We came through,” Murphy said. Murphy blasted a tworun homer in the eighth inning to stretch his major league record streak of playoff games with a homer to six, breaking the old mark of five set by Carlos Beltran with Houston in 2004. “When you are in the backyard playing as a kid, you dream of playing in the World Series and now we’re going to be there,” Murphy said. “It just feels too good to be true.” Duda smashed a threerun home run to centerfield in the first inning to open the scoring and added a two-run double in the second inning to match a team playoff record for run production in a single game and provide all the scoring New York needed. “I was trying to make solid contact and fortunate enough to put the barrel on it,” Duda said. “It’s an unbelievable feeling. The chemistry in the clubhouse is just fun to be around.” For Chicago, the loss foiled dreams of ending the longest title drought in North American sports. The Cubs having not won the World Series since 1908. They have not reached the World Series in 70 years. The Mets, who were only 52-50 in early July, never trailed in the entire series. AFP

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Enriquez, Publico rule Dancesports championship GERMAN Enriquez and Ma. Danella Renee Publico and the tandem of Michael Angelo Marquez and Stephanie Sabalo dominated the recent 19th DanceSport Council of the Philippines National Championships at the Philsports Multi-Purpose Arena (Ultra), Pasig City. Enriquez and Publico outlasted Sean Mischa Aranar and Ana Leonila Nualla to clinch the Standard Grade A title, while Marquez and Sabalo won over Gerald Jamili and Cherry Clarice Parcon to capture the Latin Grade A crown in the one-day event organized by DSCPI President Becky Garcia. This event was supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Flawless, Vitug Beach Resort, Retro DCG-FM 105.9, Studio 116, Studio AK, Caruso Ristorante Italiano and The Greenery Bulacan. Other winners were Emmanuel Reyes and Rebecca De Leon (professional standard); Jonathan Robert Biglang-awa and Melanie Flor Agustin (Grade B Standard); Bert Kevin Diluvio and Jam Flores (Grade B Latin); Romeo Jay Cialbo and Mae Pabuaya (Grade C Standard) and Vic June Rich Nocete and Alexis Dawn Masangkay (Grade c Latin). The next DanceSport competition is scheduled March 12, 2016 for the 2016 DSCPI 1st Quarter Ranking and Competition at the Philsports Multi-Purpose Arena (Ultra). For inquiries, you may reach the DSCPI Secretariat at 637-2314.

2015 Milo Little Olympics reels off in Laguna By Peter Atencio A GREAT year in sports culminates as the 2015 Milo Little Olympics National Finals gets under way this weekend at the San Luis Sports in Sta. Cruz, Laguna. Milo Sports Executive Robbie de Vera said this as organizers get for the presence of 2000 athletes seek medals and honors in the most recognized and longestrunning interschool youth competition in the country. “This will be another benchmark year. We have serveral new developments,” said de Vera during yesterday’s launch at the Shakey’s Restaurant in Malate. More athletes are expected to be in contention for medals now that they have involved more regions and provinces. The Luzon region is split into the North and Central, while the National Capital Region will be NCR and South Luzon. On the other hand, Viasayas is divided in Regions 6, 7 and 8, while Mindanao will now have Caraga. The regions will out the honors as champion of the elementary and secondary division. Among the schools seeking the top honors are Corpus Christi School, San Beda-Rizal, Dasmarinas II Central School, Baguio City National High School, Camp7 Elementary School, Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu and University of San Carlos.

Philips Gold import Bojana Todorovic (10) towers at the net. Philips relied on their dominance at the net and solid defense down the stretch to save a hard-earned 23-25, 20-25, 25-21, 25-21, 15-8 victory over a game RC Cola-Air Force side last night in the 2015 Philippine Superliga (PSL) Grand Prix women’s volleyball tournament at The Arena in San Juan.

Philips Gold prevails in PSL Grand Prix volleyball action PHILIPS Gold unleashed their power spikers then relied on solid defense down the stretch to save a hard-earned 23-25, 20-25, 25-21, 25-21, 15-8 victory over a game RC Cola-Air Force side last night in the 2015 Philippine Superliga (PSL) Grand Prix women’s volleyball tournament at The Arena in San Juan. American reinforcements Alexis Olgard and Bojana Todorovic were unstoppable in the deciding set to lift the Lady Slammers to their third consecutive win in this prestigious inter-club tournament presented by Asics and backed by Milo with Mikasa, Senoh and

Mueller as technical partner and TV5 as official broadcaster. Olgard, the 6-foot-5 middle blocker from University of Southern California, delivered 18 kills and seven blocks to finish with 27 points while Todorovic tallied 22 kills and three aces for a total of

Games Sunday (Cuneta Astrodome) 3 pm -- RC Cola-Air Force vs Cignal 5 pm -- Philips Gold vs Foton

25 points, treating a huge weekday crowd to a display of top volleyball action never before seen in any local tournament. Myla Pablo was also impressive as she chipped in 17 points while Lutgarda Malaluan came off the bench to join Olgard and Michelle Gumabao in anchoring their frontline defense that ignited the fiery rally of the Lady Slammers in the third

set and fourth sets. More than anything, it was Olgard and Todorovic who made the difference as they shut down two of the league’s best imports in Lynda Morales and Sara McClinton down the stretch. “We know that RC ColaAir Force will bounce back, so I told the team that we have to be ready. We cannot be complacent against them,” said Philips Gold coach Francis Vicente, whose wards assumed the solo second spot with a 3-1 win-loss slate. “RC Cola-Air Force just came from a loss. We know

they are hungry to win. So we gave our best and paid special attention to our reception and blocking to shut down their imports. Fortunately, everything went according to plan.” With Morales and McClinton asserting their power early in the game, the Lady Slammers looked headed for doom as they fell behind by two sets. But Philips Gold fortified its defensive blanket in the third set as Malaluan backed Olgard and Gumabao in foiling the attacks of RC ColaAir Force’s hitters to extend the game to a deciding set.

Gonzales receives hero’s welcome By Ronnie Nathanielsz

Undefeated pound-for-pound No. 1 Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez waves to the crowd during a well-deserved hero’s welcome in Managua, the capital of Nicaragua where he was met by over three thousand fans at the airport.

UNDEFEATED pound-for-pound No. 1 Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez returned to a well-deserved hero’s welcome in Managua, the capital of Nicaragua where he was met by over three thousand fans at the airport. The boxer who is the flyweight champion of the world was back home after demolishing former two division world champion Brian Viloria who put on a gallant performance but in the end couldn’t handle the power and the relentless inside aggression and the excellent defense of the Nicaraguan. Regarded as “hero of the nation” Gonzalez told his fans “It’s all worth the effort I’ve done with my team,” during a small ceremony at the Protocol Hall at the airport according to boxingscene. com. Maurice Ortega, one of the sons of the Nicaraguan president led the welcome after which Gonzalez boarded a fire truck with his older daughter in a mo-

torcade and the celebration conrnued at the Place de Victories. Gonzalez thanked HBO for giving him the opportunity to fight on such a big card at New York’ famed Madison Square Garden last Sunday, Manila Time, in a fight card that was televised in the Philippines by TV 5. “Chocolatito” announced that “Great things are coming” but indicated he didn’t know who his next opponent will be but for now he plans to take a rest. Viloria who is still in New York will return to Los Angeles on Thursday while his manager Gary Gittelsohn indicated “It’s too early to speculate” on what his future will be. Meantime, WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman has said “The sky is the limit” for Gonzalez. Asked whether Gonzalez could move up and capture the super flyweight crown, Sulaiman replied “We have a formidable fighter” and described him as a mini Alexis Arguello and s aid perhaps even the bantamweight title could be within grasp.

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Barredo, Castillo seal Bingo Bonanza duel

Sarah Barredo chases a backhand return against Monica Rivera during their quarterfinal showdown in the Open women’s singles at Glorietta 5. EY ACASIO

NOTICE

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

SARAH Barredo and defending champion Gelita Castillo eased out their respective quarterfinal rivals in similar fashions to arrange another showdown even as Mariya Sevilla and Airah Albo dispute the other finals slot in the Open women’s singles of the Bingo Bonanza National Open Badminton Tournament at Glorietta 5 Atrium in Makati City yesterday. The third-ranked Castillo, playing out of UP, overwhelmed Shane Salvador with her power game and came away with a 2111, 21-14 romp to seal a semis duel with the No. 2 Barredo, who sustained her run of straight wins with a 20-minute demolition of fellow PBA-Smash mainstay Arianne Rivera, 21-11, 21-6. Castillo upended Barredo in a thrilling decider, 21-17, 14-21, 21-19, to snare the crown in last year’s revival of the country’s premier badminton championship sponsored by Bingo Bonanza and organized by EventKing Corp. But Barredo got back at Castilo last July, scoring a 21-15, 21-14 victory to capture the FDG Cup crown. That makes their semis faceoff tomorrow (Saturday) worth watching, together with the Sevilla-Albo duel after the unranked Sevilla of Maynilad-Allied/NVBA kept her amazing run with a 21-

10, 21-8 win over Tricia Pomar and the fourth seeded Albo of PBA-Smash held off a rallying Aldreen Concepcion, 21-8, 22-20. Also being disputed at presstime are the quarterfinal berths in the Open men’s singles with top seed Kevin Cudiamat battling No. 6 Kenneth Monterubio; No. 2 defending champion Mark Alcala colliding with Alvin Morada; No. 3 Kevin Dalisay slugging it out with No. 78 Frell Gabuelo; and No. 4 R-Jay Ormilla mixing it up with No. 5 Jason Obaob. Meanwhile, men’s quarterfinal action heats up today (Friday) with joint third seed Peter Magnaye and Jessie Francisco of PBA-Smash clashing with Joper Escueta and Indonesian Keshya Hanadia in the mixed doubles starting at 10:30 a.m., also at Glorietta 5. The second seeded tandem of Alvin Morada and Alyssa Leonardo faces fellow PBA-Smash mainstays Carlos Cayanan and

Alyssa Geverjuan for the fourth semis berth in the tournament sanctioned by the Philippine Badminton Association headed by Vice President Jejomar Binay and sec-gen Rep. Albee Benitez. Top seed Francisco and Eleanor Inlayo also step up their semifinal bid in women’s doubles as they slug it out with Indonesians Marissa Vita and Hanadia while No. 2 Aires Montilla and Kristelle Salatan of Team Prima tangle with Aldreen Concepcion and Susmita Ramos of Allied-NVBA. No. 3 Leonardo and Thea Pomar, also of PBA-Smash, collide with Klowie Garcia and Hanah Tudtud of FEU/Equiparco-BBC, while No. 4 pair of Descka Calimlim and Fatima Cruz of Meralco battle Danica Bolos and Jennifer Cayetano of Victor-PCOME/Air Force in the last quarterfinal pairing. Capping the fourth day of the P1.5 million championship, backed by Gatorade, Glorietta, Smash Pilipinas and the Philippine Olympic Committee, is the lone Open men’s doubles match pitting Magnaye and Paul Vivas against fellow PBA-Smash standouts Joaquin Deato and Vincent Manuel. The semis will be held Saturday with the finals in the men’s and women’s singles, men’s and women’s doubles and mixed doubles set Sunday.

INVITATION TO BID FOR THE DOF 7TH FLOOR OFFICE RENOVATION 1.

The Department of Finance (DOF), through the General Appropriations Act for CY 2015, intends to apply the sum of FIFTY MILLION NINE HUNDRED FORTY FIVE THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED FIFTY PESOS (PhP50,945,350.00) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for the DOF 7th Floor Office Renovation. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

The DOF, through its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), now invites Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) registered contractors to apply for eligibility and to bid for the bids for the DOF 7th Floor Office Renovation. Completion of the Works is within ninety (90) calendar days. Bidders with valid PCAB License: Medium A License Category B 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, particularly, in Section II. Instructions to Bidders.

Municipality of Pateros OFFICE OF THE MAYOR BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE Metropolitan Manila INVITATION TO RE-BIDDING (ITB-15-038) PURCHASE OF BRAND NEW 18 SEATERS VAN FOR USE OF PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS 1.

The MUNICIPALITY OF PATEROS through the 2015 LGU-SEFFUND intends to apply the sum of ONE MILLION TWO HUNDRED NINETY THREE THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED PESOS (P1,293,200.00) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for the above mentioned procurement. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

The MUNICIPALITY OF PATEROS now invites bids for the PURCHASE OF BRAND NEW 18 SEATERS VAN FOR USE OF PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS.

Bidders should have completed, within two (2) years prior to the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instructions to Bidders.

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 will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using non-discretionary “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”. Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least seventy five percent (75%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from the BAC Secretariat and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below during office hours.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be acquired by interested Bidders on October 23, 2015 up to November 11, 2015 8:45 AM from the BAC Secretariat, General Services Division 7th 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 Guidelines issued by the GPPB, in the amount of Fifty Thousand Pesos (Php 50,000.00).

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.

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 pay the fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids. 6.

The DOF will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on October 30, 2015, 10:00 a.m. at the DFG Conference Room, which shall be open only to all interested parties who have purchased the Bidding Documents.

Bids must be delivered to the BAC Secretariat, General Services Division 7th Floor EDPC Building, BSP Complex P. Ocampo Sr., Street corner Roxas Boulevard, Manila on or before November 11, 2015 at 8:45 a.m. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18. Bid Opening shall be on November 11, 2015, 10:00 a.m. at the DFG Conference Room, 4th Floor, DOF Building. Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidder’s representatives who choose to attend at the address below. “LATE BIDS SHALL NOT BE ACCEPTED.”

Interested bidders may obtain further information from BAC OFFICE, Mezzanine, Municipal Hall, Pateros, Metro Manila and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below on October 20-27, 2015 from 8:00 to 5:00 p.m.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders from the address below and upon payment of a non refundable fee for the Bidding Documents in the amount of FIVE THOUSAND PESOS (P5,000.00) from October 20-27, 2015 from 8:00-5:00 p.m.

Pre-Bid Conference is scheduled on October 28, 2015 2:00 p.m. at the Conference Room, 3rd floor, Municipal Hall.

All bids should be place on the BID BOX located at the CONFERENCE ROOM, 3/F, MUNICIPAL HALL, PATEROS, METRO MANILA on November 09, 2015, not later than 1:30 p.m.

All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in the form of CASH OR MANAGER’S CHECK PAYABLE TO MUNICIPALITY OF PATEROS and in the amount stated in ITB Clause.

The schedule of bidding activities are as follows:

ACTIVITIES Advertisement/Posting of Invitation to Bid Issuance and Availability of Bid Documents Pre-Bid Conference Request for Clarification Issuance of Supplemental Bid Bulletin Deadline for Submission of Bids Opening of Bids 9.

SCHEDULE October 23, 2015 October 23, 2015 October 30, 2015, 10:00 a.m. November 1, 2015 (thru Email) November 4, 2015 November 11, 2015 , 8:45 a.m. November 11, 2015 , 10:00 a.m.

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 affected bidder or bidders.

10. For further information, please refer to:

10. The MUNICIPALITY OF PATEROS THRU BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE (BAC) 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. 11. For further information, please refer to:

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

(TS-OCT. 23, 2015)

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. Bids shall be opened on November 09, 2015 @ 2:00 P.M. at the Conference Room, 3/F, Municipal Hall, Pateros, Metro Manila.

ARLENE P. ORTIZ Head, BAC Secretariat Pateros, Metro Manila Telefax: 641-7195, e-mail: arlene@pateros.gov.ph October 19, 2015 (SGD) GIL S. BELTRAN Undersecretary and DOF-BAC Chairman

(SGD) ADELIO T. DOMINGO Chairman Bids and Awards Committee (TS-OCT. 23, 2015)

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Prom, Tabuena lead aspirants in Resorts World golf tilt THAI star Prom Meesawat and local ace Miguek Tabuena will be aiming to secure a victory at the $1 million Resorts World Manila Masters next month after coming close in the last two editions with a runner-up and third place finish. Prom, who is a two-time Asian Tour champion, is determined to taste victory at the Manila Southwoods Golf and Country Club which hosts the richest golf tournament in the Philippines once again from November 19 to 22. Local favorite Tabuena, 21, has enjoyed a strong season on the domestic circuit, winning the Order of Merit following several victories across the Philippines. He is now eager to translate his home form onto the Asian Tour in his bid to land a first career title. “I’ve been playing some good golf on the local tour. I’ve won a few events and also the Order of Merit title. I think I’ve gained through my experience,” said Tabuena. He is also hitting form at the right time as the Asian Tour heads into its tail-end of the season. Tabuena finished second in the Yeangder Tournament Players Championship and seventh at the Mercuries Taiwan Masters to all but seal his 2016 card. Prom and Tabuena will be among the top names from the region’s premier Tour who will converge for the prestigious event and challenge title holder Mardan Mamat of Singapore. Mardan has already confirmed his defence while Filipino rising star Miguel Tabuena will also be in the elite field with the goal to deliver a first home victory at the Resorts World Manila Masters. Prom said: “It’ll be good to go back to Manila Southwoods for the Resorts World Manila Masters. I’ve had two good finishes in the first two years, losing in a play-off in 2013 and then coming in third last year. “I remember shooting my best ever score there in the third round with a 63 pushing me up the leaderboard but Mardan played really good to win it. “It’s always good to go back to a golf course where you’ve done well before. I like the greens at Manila Southwoods as I feel really comfortable on the Bermuda surfaces.” Prom was edged out in the inaugural edition two years ago by Liang Wenchong of China, who triumphed in a play-off after both players tied on 16-under-par 272. While the Thai star is 28-under-par through eight rounds at Manila Southwoods, he said the winds will continue to play a big factor at the Resorts World Manila Masters. “When it’s windy, it’s tough,” said the 31-year-old Prom. “My goal will be get back into the top10 of the Asian Tour Order of Merit. My form has been good since last year when I came back from injuries and I’m looking forward to playing in the Resorts World Manila Masters again,” added the Thai, who is currently ranked 40th on the Asian Tour’s Merit list.

Letran Knights, San Beda start NCAA title playoffs By Peter Atencio

THE San Beda Red Lions trailed the Letran Knights in the standings virtually all season long. They caught the Knights at the tail end of the eliminations just before the Final Four playoffs of the 91st National Collegiate Athletic Association men’s basketball tournament. The two teams continue a storied rivalry when Game 1 begins at 4 p.m. today at the Mall of Asia Arena. Earlier, the defending champion San Beda Red Cubs will clash with the Arellano Braves at 2 p.m. in Game 1 of the junior finals. The Red Cubs wield a thriceto-beat incentive after they

earned an automatic finals berth with their 18-game sweep of the eliminations. “We have been chasing them the entire season. They’re the first to get into the finals this year, We are still chasing them. So, its going to be an interesting finals,” said Red Lions coach Jamike Jarin. The Red Lions boasts of a deep bench, which Jarin and the coaching staff developed the entire season when he let his entire roster enjoy quality minutes on the floor. It paid off last Tuesday when

the Red Lions came away with Adeogun who just rested in the a 78-68 beating of the Jose Rizal fourth on the bench. The reserve players scored a University Heavy Bombers durtotal 50 points for the Red Lions. ing their Final Four encounter. This is their third finals showIn this game, Roldan Sara and Baser Amer tallied 11 points down in four years against Letran. The Red Liwhile AC Soberano Games Today ons took 2012 and adding 10 points, (Game 1 at the MOA Arena) and Donald Tank- 2 p.m. San Beda vs Arellano (jrs) 2013 championoua added a dou- 4 p.m. San Beda vs Letran (srs) ships at the Knights expense. ble-double of 10 Coach Aldin Ayo said he is glad points and 10 rebounds. They were behind for the most the Knights are in the finals, conpart of the game, before the Red sidering that they were labelled as Lions finally took charge, 56-53, underdogs from the start. “The whole season, minacoming into the fourth period. By then, it was the second maliit kami. I told the boys stringers who finished the job. that they have to process it Tankoua showed the way the and make that as a motivation. Red Lions in the last 10 minutes, That’s exactly what we did in scoring seven in place of Ola this game,” said Ayo.

Fierce battle. Ateneo Blue Eagles forward Von Pessumal (19) tries to block University of Santo Tomas point guard Marvin Lee (right). The Blue Eagles shocked the erstwhile league-leading Growling Tigers 80-74 in the UAAP Season 78 men’s basketball tournament at the Araneta Coliseum. BROSI GONZALES

NU Bullpups end reign of UE Jr Warriors NATIONAL University ended University of the East’s 11-year reign in the boys division with a come-from-behind 25-23, 23-25, 2125, 25-18, 15-6 victory yesterday in the UAAP Season 78 high school volleyball tournament at the jampacked Adamson University gym. In the Finals series that went the full route, the Bullpups displayed tremendous poise under pressure as they stormed back from a 1-2 set deficit behind Noel Kampton, Raymark Reyes and Allen Bacolor, who nailed the championship-clinching service ace. NU held the twice-to-beat advantage in

the title round after sweeping the doubleround eliminations, but lost twice to a gritty UE side, including last Wednesday’s 21-25, 25-19, 28-30, 25-21, 16-18 loss in Game 3 to forge a decider. The victory completed a high school volleyball double for the Bullpups, who earlier won a second straight girls volleyball crown. NU coach Ed Barroga was more than happy to get his team on top of the world. “Iba ang champion ng 11 years, mahirap talagang i-beat. Kaya nagkaroon kami ng chance na makakuha ng konting sitwasyon na

UST regains UAAP poomsae championship UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas banked on team events to regain the poomsae title with a three-gold haul in UAAP Season 78 action Wednesday at the Blue Eagle Gym. The Tigresses’ women’s team of Jocel Lyn Ninobla, Raisa Libiran and Jhoana Lyde Razon prevailed over Far Eastern University and University of the Philippines for the gold medal. The men’s group of Vidal Marvin Gabriel, Adrian Meynard Ang and

Jerel Anthony Dalida also shone for UST, beating UP and De La Salle in the process to capture the gold. The other Growling Tigers gold came from the mixed pair of Gabriel and Ninobla, topping the Green Archers’ Rico Mella and Rinna Babanto and the Fighting Maroons’ Jay Buenavista and Janna Dominique Oliva. “The team exceeded my expectation. I’m so proud of all of them,” said UST coach Rani Ortega.

The Tigers, who ruled the inaugural edition in 2013, also snared a silver medal courtesy of Rodolfo Reyes Jr in the men’s individual event. Last season’s champion UP came in second this time with one gold, one silver and three bronze medals, while La Salle settled for third with a 1-1-2 haul. Babanto of the Lady Archers won the women’s individual gold over Juvenile Crisostomo of the Lady Tamaraws and Patricia Jub-

elag of the Lady Maroons. UP’s Dustin Mella of the Fighting Maroons bagged the gold in the men’s individual event. La Salle’s McAvyngyr Alob scored a bronze medal in the said event. Final day of taekwondo competitions, meanwhile, reels off at 8 a.m. today, with University of the East seeks to complete a title sweep in the men’s and women’s division. The Red Warriors are gunning for their first titles in both divisions.

makalamang kami at nakuha naman ng mga bata,” said Barroga. The Bullpups, who placed third last season, reached the pinnacle despite having a rookieladen line-up, with only three players led by Finals MVP Reyes are in their sophomore year. NU’s Kampton and Billie Jean Anima were named the Rookie of the Year and Best Blocker, respectively. The Bulldogs’ victory could be the start of a new order in boys volleyball which is used to be the Junior Warriors’ domain for more than a decade.

LOTTO RESULTS

6/49 00-00-00-00-00-00 P0.0 M+ 6/42 00-00-00-00-00-00 P0.0 M+ 6 DIGITS 00-00-00-00-00-00 3 DIGITS 00-00-00 2 EZ2 00-00

F R I D AY : O C T O B E R 2 3 , 2 0 1 5

A16

RIERA U. MALL ARI EDITOR

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

sports@thestandard.com.ph

SPORTS

Star Hotshots guard James Yap (18) drives strong to the hoop against Rain or Shine Elasto Painters defender Raymond Almazan (right). The Elasto Painters frustrated the Hotshots, 96-87, to kick off hostilities of PBA Season 41 before a sparse crowd at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Alaska Aces battle TNT Tropang Texters By Jeric Lopez

THE 2015 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup will continue to roll as two more heavyweights make their debut while two upstarts are looking to begin a new campaign on a high note. Considered as two of the title contenders, the intact Alaska Aces and the upgraded Talk ‘ N Text Tropang Texters want to start on the right foot as they make their tournament debut at 7 p.m. in the main event at the Smart Araneta Coliseum tonight. In the first game, two teams who are looking to see some significant progress start their new journey against each other as retooled NLEX dukes it out against

Brazilian women love MMA fighting TURN TO A12

Blackwater at 4:15 p.m. The two squads which notch victories will join Rain or Shine (1-0), who topped Star in the season’s opening game the other night, in the early leader board. Aside from the eagerly anticipated clash between the Tropang Texters and the Aces given there loaded line-ups, the debut of promising top draft picks Moala Tautuaa (No. 1) and Troy Rosario (No. 2) are something that people

will surely keep an eye on once the contending line-up intact for another ball gets rolling. run at a championship and they are Not contented with its already hoping that they can finally finish the deep and talented roster and with job completely this season. winning the Commissioner’s Cup With more maturity and a Nalast season, Talk ‘N tional team stint unGames Friday Text made aggressive der his belt, Alaska Araneta Coliseum) moves to boltster its 4:15(Smart star Calvin Abueva p.m. • Blackwater vs. NLEX already strong team 7 p.m. • Talk ‘N Text vs. Alaska will be counted on to with the acquisitions once again lead his of those two incoming talented team along with usual suspects Jvee rookies as well as the addition of Casio, Cyrus Baguio, Vic Manuel, versatile swingman Dylan Ababou. Sonny Thoss and Chris Banchero. Smart Gilas mainstays Jayson CasTesting each other early may tro, Ranidel De Ocampo and Matt very well be a good power indiGanuelas-Rosser along with old re- cator for both Talk ‘N Text and liables Larry Fonacier, Harvey Carey Alaska. and Kelly Williams will continue to As for the Elite and the Road spearhead the Texters’ attack. Warriors, they both want to have A finalist last year in this All- positive starts as these squads obFilipino tournament as well as the viously want to move up the echGovernors’ Cup, the Aces kept their elon this season.

Barredo advances to B Bonanza semifinals TURN TO A14

Blue Spikers rule UAAP beach volley tournament THE Ateneo De Manila University Blue Spikers took their first-ever men’s crown as Marck Espejo and Ysay Marasigan tripped the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers squad of Kris Roy Guzman and Anthony Arbasto, 21-16, 21-19, in Game 4 Wednesday of the 78th University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) beach volleyball finals at the Mall of Asia Sands by the Bay. Espejo and Marasigan went through four games in holding off the Growling Tigers. University of Santo Tomas dragged the thrice-to-beat Blue Eagles to a decider with a 21-14, 21-16 win in Game 3. They held the thrice-to-beat Ateneo De Manila University spikers to their first loss in the tournament when Guzman and Arbasto pulled off a 21-13, 21-17 victory in the opener. But Espejo and Marasigan struck back in Game 2, giving the Blue Eagles the advantage with a come-from-behind 1921, 21-15, 15-12 win. “Nagbunga lahat ng paghihirap namin,” said Espejo. Marasigan, who is in his final year, was named the Most Valuable Player while Far Eastern University Tamaraw Jude Garcia is the Rookie of the Year. Peter Atencio

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

FRIDAY: OCTOBER 23, 2015

RAY S. EÑANO EDITOR

RODERICK T. DELA CRUZ ASSISTANT EDITOR

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

BUSINESS

Travellers-Bloomberry grant. Travellers International

Hotel Group Inc., operator of Resorts World Manila, and Bloomberry Resorts and Hotels, the company behind Solaire Resort & Casino, sign an agreement with the Defense Department to construct a four-story cadet barracks at the Philippine Military Academy in Baguio City. Shown during the groundbreaking ceremony are (from left) Bloomberry Cultural Heritage Foundation Inc. president Donato Almeda, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. chairman and chief executive Cristino Naguiat, Travellers chief operating ofﬁcer Stephen James Reilly, PMA superintendent Lt. Gen. Oscar Lopez, Manila Bayshore Heritage Foundation Inc. corporate secretary Ma. Georgina Alvarez and Pagcor gaming licensing development department head Francis Hernando.

PSe comPoSite index Closing October 22, 2015

8000

Govt eyeing $13-b Manila Bay airport

7700 7400 7100 6800 6500

7,117.78 24.88

PeSo-dollar rate

Closing OCTOBER 22, 2015 43.50

By Darwin G. Amojelar

THE Transportation Department is set to propose to President Benigno Aquino III the construction of a $13-billion international airport in central Manila Bay, one of the potential sites recommended by the Japan International Cooperation Agency. “We have gotten the pre-feasibility. This is a site location study for the new international airport. We hope to push it up to Neda [National Economic and Development Authority] board,” Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya told reporters. The Neda board is chaired by President Aquino. Abaya said Jica recommended two locations out of five sites con-

sidered for the new international gateway in Manila. The two are the Sangley Point in Cavite and central Manila Bay. “I think these are the viable locations,” Abaya said. The government wants to build a new international airport that is 25 to 30 minutes away from Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Parañaque City, which is expected to reach its full capacity soon.

Jica said Naia would hit overcapacity this year, by which time the airport would handle 37.78 million passengers. By 2040, passenger traffic would reach 101.49 million. Naia accommodated 31.88 million passengers in 2012, exceeding the 30 million yearly optimal capacity of the terminal. Its maximum handling capacity stands at 35 million passengers a year. San Miguel Corp., which used to operate Philippine Airlines, earlier proposed to build a new international airport at a reclaimed area along the Manila-Cavity Coastal Road for $10 billion. San Miguel returned the control of PAL to tycoon Lucio Tan. The proposed airport would have an international and domestic passenger handling capacity of 75 million passengers a year, with scalability to accommodate more

than 100 million passengers. It would be only 11 minutes away from the Makati central business district via a new airport expressway. The Transportation Department said it was now focusing its efforts on airside operations, through its Naia Runway Optimization Project, which aimed to maximize the use of the runway and increase hourly air traffic movements from 40 up to 60. The agency tapped world-renowned air traffic management expert Nats Services Limited, which started gathering data at the airport this week. Nats will submit its recommendations on Naia’s current airspace, runway and terminal capacity, air traffic and surface operations, runway access points, and air traffic controllers’ training within the next six months.

ICTSI raises $260m to fund Mexico container port PORT operator International Container Terminal Services Inc. said Thursday a unit secured a $260-million loan from foreign banks to fund the development of its port in Mexico. The company led by businessman Enrique Razon Jr. said wholly-owned subsidiary Contecon Manzanillo S.A. de C.V. signed a $260-million project finance facility with International Finance Corp., Inter-American Development Bank, Standard Chartered Bank and KfW Ipex Bank. CMSA won a contract for the development and operation of a specialized container terminal at

the Port of Manzanillo in Manzanillo, Mexico. The financing package, which has a tenor of 12 years and a long availability period of four years, will help CMSA finance the completion of phases one and two of the project. The terminal will have a capacity of 2.2 million twenty-foot equivalent units when completely built. The development will be done in three phases, with phase one having a capacity for 750,000 TEUs. Phase two, which is expected to be completed by 2020, will increase the terminal’s capacity to 1.4 million TEUs.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

ICTSI posted a net income of $100.4 million in the first half of the year, down one percent from last year’s $101.7 million. Revenues amounted to $552.1 million in the first half of the year, up eight percent from $510.3 million on year. ICTSI handled consolidated volume of 3.90 million TEUs in the first six months this year, up 9 percent from 3.57 million TEUs in the same period in 2014. ICTSI recently acquired six new rubber tired gantries, which may be deployed at either the MICT or ICTSI’s Subic operations, depending on demand. The company also plans to ex-

pand the Subic Port in anticipation of increased port utilization by 2015. Port utilization in Subic is expected to hit 21 percent by 2015, which will also improve the usage of ICTSI’s two-berth facility within the free port area administered by the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority. ICTSI in July joined four other groups that submitted prequalification documents for the P18.99-billion Davao Sasa Port modernization project, the government’s first seaport project under the public-private partnership scheme. Darwin G. Amojelar

P46.640

46.20

47.00

HIGH P46.455 LOW P46.645 AVERAGE P46.528 VOLUME 1,101.500M

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

oPriceS il P today

P34.55-P39.15 Kerosene P20.75-P21.75 Auto LPG Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Thursday, October 22, 2015

F oreign e xchange r ate Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

46.4140

Japan

Yen

0.008340

0.3871

Pound

1.541800

71.5611

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.129031

5.9888

Switzerland

Franc

1.042644

48.3933

Canada

Dollar

0.761325

35.3361

Singapore

Dollar

0.717360

33.2955

Australia

Dollar

0.723380

33.5750

Bahrain

Dinar

2.651113

123.0488

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266738

12.3804

Brunei

Dollar

0.714796

33.1765

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000073

0.0034

Thailand

Baht

0.028129

1.3056

UAE

Dirham

0.272272

12.6372

Euro

1.134100

52.6381

Korea

Won

0.000879

0.0408

China

Yuan

0.157525

7.3114

India

Rupee

0.015340

0.7120

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.233918

10.8571

New Zealand

Dollar

0.674082

31.2868

Taiwan

Dollar

0.030787

1.4289 Source: PDS Bridge

FRIDAY: OCTOBER 23, 2015

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

The STandard BuSineSS daily STockS review Thursday, OcTOber 22, 2015

52 Weeks

High Low 7.88 75.3 124.4 107 56.5 2.49 4.2 4 17 30.45 2.6 890 1.01 100 1.46 30.5 91.5 137 361.2 57 180 1700 124 3.26

2.5 66 88.05 88.1 45.45 1.97 1.68 8.7 12.02 19.6 1.02 625 0.225 78 0.9 17.8 62 88.35 276 41 118.2 1200 59 2.65

47 1.46 2.36 15.3 89 148 20.6 125 36 65.8 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 3.95 4 74 33.9 90 13.26 293 5.25 12.98 6.75 15 7.03 3.4 4.5 6.3 7.86 238 3.28 0.315 2.18 2.65 234 1.3 2.17

35.9 1.01 1.86 7.92 40.3 32 15.32 62.5 10.08 29.15 1.5 1.5 10.72 9.55 9.04 6.02 8.86 1.06 8.61 20.2 71.5 13.24 5.34 0.395 173 2.3 1.63 33 23.35 17.3 5.88 250.2 3.87 8.45 3 10.04 3.03 1.95 1 4.02 1.65 161 1.55 0.138 1.02 2.09 152 0.640 1.2

0.59 59.2 30.05 7.39 3.4 3.35 823.5 10.2 84 3.35 4.92 0.66 1455 76 9.25 0.85 17.3 0.71 5.53 6.55 9.66 0.0670 2.31 1.61 2.99 84.9 3.5 974 1.66 1.39 390 156 0.710 0.435 0.510

0.44 48.1 20.85 6.62 0.23 0.23 634.5 7.390 12.8 2.6 2.26 0.152 837 49.55 4.84 0.59 12 0.580 4.2 4.5 3 0.030 1.23 0.550 2.26 59.3 1.5 751 1.13 0.93 170 80 0.211 0.179 0.310

10.5 26.95

6.74 12

STOCKS

High

Low

FINANCIAL 2.83 2.66 70 69.85 104.30 102.50 83.00 82.60 40.2 39.95 2.50 2.50 1.30 1.27 10 10 15.6 15.2 19.88 19.56 1.73 1.73 740.00 740.00 0.630 0.600 82.5 81.8 0.95 0.95 18.68 18.30 54.30 53.85 104 104 299 295.8 30.3 29.9 143.5 142.3 1525.00 1520.00 57.05 56.95 3.15 3.13 INDUSTRIAL Aboitiz Power Corp. 40.85 42.1 40.85 Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. 0.9 0.89 0.89 Alsons Cons. 1.6 1.6 1.58 Asiabest Group 11.62 11.62 11.04 Bogo Medelin 50.1 49.4 49.4 C. Azuc De Tarlac 83.20 98.95 98.75 Century Food 17 17.02 16.96 Chemphil 105 105 105 Cirtek Holdings (Chips) 25 25 24.05 Concepcion 42.6 42.8 42.5 Crown Asia 2.59 2.76 2.61 Da Vinci Capital 1.78 1.81 1.73 Del Monte 9.82 9.99 9.9 DNL Industries Inc. 10.000 10.100 10 Emperador 7.50 7.66 7.48 Energy Devt. Corp. (EDC) 6.81 6.87 6.72 EEI 7.78 7.85 7.65 Euro-Med Lab 1.69 1.69 1.69 Federal Res. Inv. Group 11.74 11.98 11.96 First Gen Corp. 26 26.5 25.5 First Holdings ‘A’ 71.6 73.2 71.6 13.58 Holcim Philippines Inc. 13.00 13.58 Integ. Micro-Electronics 5.87 5.98 5.9 Ionics Inc 2.520 2.650 2.490 Jollibee Foods Corp. 207.00 207.60 206.40 LMG Chemicals 2.15 2.13 2.1 Mabuhay Vinyl 4 4 4 Macay Holdings 44.90 44.70 41.80 Manila Water Co. Inc. 24.6 24.6 23.9 Maxs Group 24.5 25 24.05 Megawide 5.8 6 5.84 Mla. Elect. Co À’ 311.80 317.80 313.20 Pepsi-Cola Products Phil. 4.32 4.4 4.3 Petron Corporation 7.36 7.38 7.29 Phil H2O 4.6 4.5 4.2 Phinma Corporation 11.50 11.40 11.40 Phoenix Petroleum Phils. 3.50 3.50 3.50 Phoenix Semiconductor 1.98 2.01 1.98 Pryce Corp. À’ 2.28 2.54 2.25 RFM Corporation 4.07 4.07 4.05 Roxas and Co. 3.09 3.04 3.04 San Miguel’Pure Foods `B’ 142 142.2 142 Splash Corporation 2.07 2.2 2.07 0.175 0.195 0.175 Swift Foods, Inc. TKC Steel Corp. 1.30 1.30 1.20 Trans-Asia Oil 2.20 2.21 2.15 Universal Robina 199.5 205 199 Vitarich Corp. 0.69 0.69 0.68 Vulcan Ind’l. 1.12 1.15 1.10 HOLDING FIRMS Abacus Cons. À’ 0.410 0.410 0.410 Aboitiz Equity 57.7000 57.8000 57.0000 Alliance Global Inc. 18.00 18.10 17.90 Anscor À’ 6.78 6.39 6.38 ATN Holdings A 0.260 0.270 0.255 ATN Holdings B 0.250 0.25 0.250 Ayala Corp À’ 758.5 763 757 Cosco Capital 7.4 7.49 7.35 DMCI Holdings 12.48 12.56 12.34 F&J Prince ‘A’ 4.06 4.06 3.69 Filinvest Dev. Corp. 3.88 3.90 3.70 Forum Pacific 0.255 0.260 0.250 GT Capital 1325 1327 1295 JG Summit Holdings 71.35 72.00 71.35 Lopez Holdings Corp. 6.48 6.63 6.44 Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp. 0.89 0.9 0.86 LT Group 12.18 12.48 12.1 Mabuhay Holdings À’ 0.57 0.55 0.54 Metro Pacific Inv. Corp. 5.2 5.21 5.15 Minerales Industrias Corp. 8.65 8.69 8.59 MJCI Investments Inc. 2.81 3.79 3.79 0.0350 0.0330 Pacifica À’ 0.0340 Prime Media Hldg 1.200 1.280 1.180 Prime Orion 1.990 2.000 1.950 Republic Glass ‘A’ 2.81 2.84 2.7 San Miguel Corp À’ 47.50 48.00 46.50 Seafront À’ 2.97 2.96 2.96 SM Investments Inc. 875.50 878.50 862.50 Solid Group Inc. 1.25 1.21 1.20 South China Res. Inc. 0.85 0.86 0.78 Transgrid 188.00 179.00 179.00 Top Frontier 106.000 108.000 106.000 Unioil Res. & Hldgs 0.3450 0.3600 0.3400 Wellex Industries 0.2340 0.2300 0.2300 Zeus Holdings 0.320 0.320 0.305 PROPERTY 8990 HLDG 6.390 6.590 6.380 Anchor Land Holdings Inc. 7.58 7.60 7.60 AG Finance Asia United Bank Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. Bank of PI China Bank BDO Leasing & Fin. INc. Bright Kindle Resources Citystate Savings COL Financial Eastwest Bank I-Remit Inc. Manulife Fin. Corp. MEDCO Holdings Metrobank Natl. Reinsurance Corp. PB Bank Phil. National Bank Phil. Savings Bank PSE Inc. RCBC À’ Security Bank Sun Life Financial Union Bank Vantage Equities

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

SHARES 9,960,202 127,435,832 153,619,643 185,060,133 135,839,400 178,156,671 794,042,741

2.84 69.85 102.80 82.95 40 2.50 1.28 10 15.6 19.88 1.74 735.00 0.610 82.5 0.96 18.30 54.30 104 299 30.05 143.9 1524.00 57.00 3

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

2.83 70 104.00 82.75 40 2.50 1.30 10 15.6 19.62 1.73 740.00 0.600 82.1 0.95 18.54 54.10 104 299 30 142.8 1520.00 56.95 3.13

-0.35 0.21 1.17 -0.24 0.00 0.00 1.56 0.00 0.00 -1.31 -0.57 0.68 -1.64 -0.48 -1.04 1.31 -0.37 0.00 0.00 -0.17 -0.76 -0.26 -0.09 4.33

6,000 10,920 2,280,580 426,520 167,000 28,000 112,000 500 17,000 16,800 2,000 240 915,000 2,310,040 42,000 265,500 28,720 1,160 1,570 154,500 853,940 985 5,000 2,000

41.95 0.89 1.58 11.5 49.4 98.75 17 105 24.05 42.8 2.63 1.76 9.9 10.060 7.66 6.75 7.67 1.69 11.96 26.2 71.9 13.58 5.96 2.550 207.00 2.13 4 44.70 23.9 25 6 317.80 4.4 7.31 4.5 11.40 3.50 1.99 2.47 4.05 3.04 142.2 2.17 0.175 1.29 2.16 199.5 0.68 1.15

2.69 -1.11 -1.25 -1.03 -1.40 18.69 0.00 0.00 -3.80 0.47 1.54 -1.12 0.81 0.60 2.13 -0.88 -1.41 0.00 1.87 0.77 0.42 4.46 1.53 1.19 0.00 -0.93 0.00 -0.45 -2.85 2.04 3.45 1.92 1.85 -0.68 -2.17 -0.87 0.00 0.51 8.33 -0.39 -1.62 0.14 4.83 0.00 -0.77 -1.82 0.00 -1.45 2.68

1,373,900 127,000 119,000 6,700 20 100 2,336,000 10 424,400 54,600 5,018,000 538,000 11,300 18,027,600 1,264,400 7,040,400 210,600 3,000 1,400 1,686,900 280,570 1,000 51,600 3,853,000 443,960 17,000 2,000 5,500 3,048,700 321,000 241,800 521,020 1,437,000 811,500 14,000 700 125,000 129,000 1,897,000 1,590,000 5,000 2,120 203,000 68,570,000 89,000 3,414,000 1,280,560 272,000 443,000

0.410 57.4000 18.00 6.39 0.255 0.250 759 7.4 12.50 4.06 3.80 0.250 1321 72.00 6.63 0.88 12.28 0.55 5.18 8.69 3.79 0.0330 1.280 1.950 2.84 48.00 2.96 875.00 1.20 0.84 179.00 107.000 0.3400 0.2300 0.305

0.00 -0.52 0.00 -5.75 -1.92 0.00 0.07 0.00 0.16 0.00 -2.06 -1.96 -0.30 0.91 2.31 -1.12 0.82 -3.51 -0.38 0.46 34.88 -2.94 6.67 -2.01 1.07 1.05 -0.34 -0.06 -4.00 -1.18 -4.79 0.94 -1.45 -1.71 -4.69

20,000 434,990 5,467,900 6,400 450,000 100,000 201,140 2,029,300 1,940,100 56,000 147,000 1,030,000 129,565 723,250 2,751,500 143,000 1,524,400 443,000 27,217,100 631,200 3,000 95,600,000 293,000 4,747,000 32,000 452,900 26,000 268,220 213,000 466,000 40 11,910 2,950,000 370,000 1,830,000

6.520 7.60

2.03 0.26

882,500 4,200

-7,980.00 -9,669.50 -30,197,404 -5,449,544.00 12,005.00

-202,146.00 96,200.00 73,200.00 -129,248,332.50 750,870.00 21,534.00 -1,201,590 -28,290,597.00 640,150.00 -11,979.50 2,167,515.00

-34,675,888.00 2,300,480 215,900.00 19,580.00 -780,876.00 -7,775,646.00 9,750,079.00 -1,025,012.00 -16,774,150.00 -12,815,553.50 -384,080.00 37,301,218.00

-34,341,100.00 -15,000.00 -3,000.00 81,360,934.00 5,959,060.00 1,738,966.00

1,980.00 -49,500.00 -791,870.00 -169,222.00 -9,800.00 687,800.00 63,748,179.00

-13,267,637.00 12,941,404.00 -38,340.00 -2,674,840.00 5,149,109.00 -9,841,178.00 115,000.00 -68,816,920.00 -7,950,824.00 -2,385,085.00 -9,039,240.00 9,023,642.00 -42,950.00

-13,150,325.00 -101,647,230.00 -6,050.00 -313,794.00

-1,585,657.00 31,920.00

52 Weeks

High Low 1.99 1.75 41.4 5.6 5.59 1.44 1.97 1.48 0.201 0.69 10.96 0.97 2.22 2.1 1.8 5.94 0.180 0.470 8.54 31.8 2.29 21.35 1.06 1.62 8.59

0.65 1.2 30.05 3.36 4.96 0.79 1.1 0.97 0.083 0.415 2.4 0.83 1.15 1.42 1.27 4.13 0.090 0.290 2.69 22.15 1.6 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 7.67 1700 2720 8.41 1.97 119.5 0.8200 2.2800 12.28 3.32 2.53 1 2.46 15.2 0.62 1.040 6.41 18 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 4.8 830 1600 5.95 1.23 102.6 0.041 1.200 6.5 1.91 1.01 0.650 1.8 6 0.335 0.37 3 8.8 4.39 2748 0.435 1.2 31.45 60.55

STOCKS

A. Brown Co., Inc. Araneta Prop À’ Ayala Land `B’ Belle Corp. À’ Cebu Holdings Century Property City & Land Dev. Cityland Dev. À’ Crown Equities Inc. Cyber Bay Corp. Double Dragon Empire East Land Global-Estate Filinvest Land,Inc. Interport À’ Megaworld MRC Allied Ind. Phil. Estates Corp. Primex Corp. Robinson’s Land `B’ Rockwell SM Prime Holdings Sta. Lucia Land Inc. Suntrust Home Dev. Inc. Vista Land & Lifescapes

11.6 0.85 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) DFNN Inc. FEUI Globe Telecom GMA Network Inc. Harbor Star I.C.T.S.I. Island Info ISM Communications Leisure & Resorts Liberty Telecom Lorenzo Shipping Manila Bulletin Manila Jockey Melco Crown MG Holdings NOW Corp. PAL Holdings Inc. Phil. Racing Club Philweb.Com Inc. PLDT Common PremiereHorizon Premium Leisure Puregold Robinsons RTL SBS Phil. Corp. 7.59 SSI Group 0.63 STI Holdings 5 Travellers 0.315 Waterfront Phils. 1.14 Yehey

0.0098 17.24 25 0.330 12.7 12.8 1.19 1.62 9.5 4.2 0.48 0.420 0.440 0.022 0.023 8.2 49.2 4.27 3.06 0.020 7.67 12.88 10.42 0.040 420 9 0.016

0.0043 6.47 9.43 0.236 6.5 5.11 0.85 0.77 5.99 1.17 0.305 0.2130 0.2160 0.013 0.014 3.240 18.96 2.11 1.54 0.012 5.4 7.26 2.27 0.015 115.9 3.67 0.0100

Abra Mining Atlas Cons. À’ Atok-Big Wedge À’ Basic Energy Corp. Benguet Corp À’ Benguet Corp `B’ 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 Oriental Peninsula Res. Oriental Pet. À’ Petroenergy Res. Corp. Philex À’ PhilexPetroleum Philodrill Corp. À’ Semirara Corp. TA Petroleum United Paragon

70 525 8.21 111 1060

33 500 5.88 101 997

84.8

1.34

ABS-CBN Holdings Corp. Ayala Corp. Pref ‘B2’ GMA Holdings Inc. MWIDE PREF PCOR-Preferred A PCOR-Preferred B SMC Preferred C SMC Preferred D SMC Preferred E SMC Preferred F Swift Pref

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 800,942,836.634 1,105,745,172.74 1,197,242,031.259 1,464,097,793.38 688,932,645.07 375,618,365.3357 5,693,287,575.423

FINANCIAL 1,557.49 (up) 0.82 INDUSTRIAL 11,375.30 (up) 41.94 HOLDING FIRMS 6,576.65 (up) 6.14 PROPERTY 3,003.58 (up) 12.54 SERVICES 1,738.78 (up) 14.43 MINING & OIL 11,386.08 (up) 150.62 PSEI 7,117.78 (up) 24.88 All Shares Index 4,104.09 8 (up) 20.14 Gainers: 82 Losers: 93; Unchanged: 42; Total: 217

0.71 1.070 35.150 3.46 5.06 0.6 1.00 1.06 0.134 0.530 21.35 0.900 1.14 1.74 1.29 4.44 0.099 0.3000 8.54 29.55 1.49 22.00 0.74 1.010 5.400

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

0.74 0.68 0.70 1.080 1.080 1.080 35.150 34.850 35.000 3.47 3.42 3.44 5.07 5.07 5.07 0.62 0.58 0.58 0.99 0.93 0.93 1.06 1.01 1.06 0.134 0.131 0.132 0.540 0.510 0.520 21.35 20.55 21 0.900 0.890 0.890 1.16 1.13 1.13 1.75 1.72 1.73 1.31 1.28 1.28 4.63 4.42 4.6 0.106 0.090 0.093 0.3000 0.3000 0.3000 8.63 8.5 8.63 30.50 29.45 29.90 1.53 1.49 1.53 22.15 22.15 21.85 0.7 0.71 0.73 1.070 1.010 1.040 5.500 5.340 5.460 SERVICES 8 8 7.9 7.97 64.4 64.65 64 64.65 0.590 0.600 0.570 0.580 11.8 11.28 11.28 11.28 25.15 29 29 29 6.71 6.85 6.59 6.59 0.0570 0.0570 0.0560 0.0560 3.89 3.89 3.82 3.82 84.5 86.8 84.75 86.8 5.80 5.95 5.85 5.94 955 955 950 955 2300 2318 2284 2310 6.76 6.76 6.75 6.76 1.21 1.22 1.20 1.22 77.8 77.9 76.8 77.2 0.185 0.188 0.183 0.186 1.4100 1.4200 1.4000 1.4200 8.61 8.63 8.56 8.61 3.42 3.50 3.42 3.46 1.18 1.26 1.26 1.26 0.620 0.610 0.610 0.610 2 2 2 2 4.1 4.16 3.92 3.92 0.300 0.345 0.300 0.300 0.940 0.980 0.860 0.890 4.46 4.50 4.48 4.50 9 9.5 9.49 9.5 20.90 21.40 20.00 20.30 2250.00 2294.00 2240.00 2294.00 0.580 0.600 0.570 0.580 1.190 1.260 1.180 1.190 35.15 36.00 34.90 35.95 73.75 74.85 73.10 74.00 6.60 6.80 6.55 6.55 5.23 5.24 5.15 5.15 0.45 0.46 0.45 0.45 4.18 4.25 4.14 4.21 0.365 0.370 0.350 0.370 4.050 4.250 3.930 4.050 MINING & OIL 0.0049 0.0050 0.0049 0.0049 6.08 6.12 5.90 5.90 11.96 11.78 10.00 11.78 0.207 0.201 0.201 0.201 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.9000 5.8 5.8 5.8000 0.72 0.84 0.72 0.84 0.64 0.64 0.64 0.64 8.60 9.00 8.31 8.51 0.99 1.07 0.99 1.04 0.300 0.320 0.300 0.315 0.195 0.193 0.190 0.192 0.205 0.205 0.205 0.205 0.0110 0.0110 0.0100 0.0100 0.011 0.011 0.011 0.011 2.21 2.32 2.2 2.3 7.87 8.55 7.88 8.31 2.91 3.26 2.92 3.26 1.3700 1.4400 1.3700 1.4000 0.0100 0.0100 0.0100 0.0100 3.90 4.00 4.00 4.00 5.24 5.310 5.260 5.28 1.35 1.380 1.340 1.36 0.0130 0.0140 0.0130 0.0140 129.80 130.00 129.30 129.80 2.35 2.42 2.29 2.29 0.0084 0.0077 0.0077 0.0077 PREFERRED 67 66 65.95 66 525 525 525 525 6.55 6.51 6.51 6.51 110 112 109 109 1075 1074 1074 1074 1130 1050 1050 1050 82.1 82.35 82.1 82.1 79 79 79 79 78.5 79 78.9 78.9 80 80.05 79.9 80 2.9 2.9 2.9 2.9 WARRANTS & BONDS 2.960 2.940 2.800 2.810 SME 2.8 2.98 2.95 2.95 63 61.95 60 60 14.7 15.42 15.42 15.42 EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 115.9 116.2 115.9 116.2

T op g ainerS STOCKS

Low

-1.41 0.93 -0.43 -0.58 0.20 -3.33 -7.00 0.00 -1.49 -1.89 -1.64 -1.11 -0.88 -0.57 -0.78 3.60 -6.06 0.00 1.05 1.18 2.68 0.68 -1.35 2.97 1.11

976,000 16,000 7,686,400 653,000 100 21,324,000 13,000 3,000 8,120,000 31,310,000 1,233,200 167,000 893,000 13,334,000 289,000 49,063,000 7,180,000 400,000 139,500 4,997,300 166,000 24,557,300 1,147,000 2,402,000 2,656,400

-0.38 0.39 -1.69 -4.41 15.31 -1.79 -1.75 -1.80 2.72 2.41 0.00 0.43 0.00 0.83 -0.77 0.54 0.71 0.00 1.17 6.78 -1.61 0.00 -4.39 0.00 -5.32 0.90 5.56 -2.87 1.96 0.00 0.00 2.28 0.34 -0.76 -1.53 0.00 0.72 1.37 0.00

88,000 112,050 1,560,000 5,700 1,000 6,364,700 8,990,000 1,212,000 283,360 2,184,200 60 44,295 103,200 58,000 1,553,000 990,000 477,000 57,800 324,000 2,000 12,000 30,000 15,937,000 16,480,000 38,119,000 14,000 326,000 103,200 41,065 218,000 22,585,000 1,066,900 609,250 2,076,500 4,820,000 5,540,000 1,742,000 40,000 1,544,000

0.00 -2.96 -1.51 -2.90 0.00 -1.69 16.67 0.00 -1.05 5.05 5.00 -1.54 0.00 -9.09 0.00 4.07 5.59 12.03 2.19 0.00 2.56 0.76 0.74 7.69 0.00 -2.55 -8.33

29,000,000 156,400 400 100,000 5,000 1,000 15,132,000 150,000 34,000 30,691,000 2,810,000 4,870,000 2,520,000 600,000 16,600,000 598,000 19,080,600 16,786,000 96,000 11,400,000 2,000 204,500 592,000 24,300,000 890,100 273,000 1,000,000

-1.49 0.00 -0.61 -0.91 -0.09 -7.08 0.00 0.00 0.51 0.00 0.00

9,950 4,310 2,000 40 50 1,920 270,010 66,500 90,000 284,410 8,000

-5.07

100,000

5.36 -4.76 4.90

11,000 6,350 3,950,300

0.26

3,210

-132,801,230.00 1,261,170.00 -11,770,610.00 265,000.00 -7,998,320.00 -9,408,490.00 -36,980.00 -1,399,660.00 31,463,660.00

60,325,025.00 412,506,025.00 -21,000.00 -3,900,814.00 -2,578.00

-14,781,995.00 1,866,371.00 10,271,660.00 880,790.00 24,400.00 16,435,854.00 2,840.00 86,050.00

-47,469,040.00 222,500.00 -706,850.00 36,000.00 10,500.00 33,824,350.00 -6,082,460.00 16,175,820.00 4,130,708.00 246,330.00 -6,024,248.00 -1,510,000.00 -810,830.00

-181,208.00

-5,800.00 -1,066,980.00 -10,847,620.00

-1,100.00 30,969,754.00 -4,661,030.00 35,000.00 -24,292.00 -173,480.00 -19,075,250.00 29,900.00 -652,720.00

6,558,566.00

T op L oSerS Close (P)

Change (%)

STOCKS

Close (P)

Change (%)

MJCI Investments Inc.

3.79

34.88

Manila Mining `A'

0.0100

-9.09

C. Azuc De Tarlac

98.75

18.69

United Paragon

0.0077

-8.33

Century Peak Metals Hldgs

0.84

16.67

PCOR-Preferred B

1050

-7.08

Berjaya Phils. Inc.

15.31

City & Land Dev.

0.93

-7.00

Nihao Mineral Resources

3.26

12.03

MRC Allied Ind.

0.093

-6.06

Pryce Corp. `A'

2.47

8.33

Anscor `A'

6.39

-5.75

Philodrill Corp. `A'

0.0140

7.69

NOW Corp.

0.890

-5.32

Lorenzo Shipping

1.26

6.78

LR Warrant

2.810

-5.07

Prime Media Hldg

1.280

6.67

Transgrid

179.00

-4.79

Nickelasia

8.31

5.59

IRipple E-Business Intl

-4.76

FRIDAY: OCTOBER 23, 2015

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

The last mile IT’S the third week of October. In the Philippines, host economy for Apec 2015, many organizations are busy preparing for the Apec Economic Leaders Meeting in November. As November nears, project management skills become more important for these organizations. There is a difference between the day-to-day work of managing operations and the long pull of a major project. Perhaps the key difference has to do with endpoints. Projects have a clear beginning and a clear end. Operations management, on the other hand, continues as long as the organization exists. Starting The endpoints are incredibly important in projects. The foundation of a successful project are laid down even before the project actually begins. Because every project is unique, often the most important question that needs to be answered even before the project begins is the question of objective—what we think of as the desired outcome. As a consultant, one of the first things I learned was to ask that single question: “Imagine it is the end of this project. Imagine it is successful. What would that be like? What could we measure that would tell us we had a successful project?” Every successful project really begins by envisioning the desired end. Once the objective is clear, project planning can begin. In a consulting engagement, this is the point at which the proposed approach and the project scope is developed and eventually agreed upon. The project plan is like an organization plan in one thing—it essentially describes how you would get from point A, where you are today, to point B, where you want to be in the future. In order to create this plan, it is essential that the project team first understand what the underlying logic of the situation is. In strategy class, we like to say that every plan is essentially a theory. That theory says we believe that: if we do this (strategy), then that (desired outcome) will happen. In development projects, which are often complex, the underlying logic of the project plan is contained in a logical framework document, which most practitioners refer to as the “logframe.” The logframe documents the underlying assumptions of the plan and explains the rationale for the proposed approach. For example, the underlying assumption of required nutrition labeling, is that consumers purchase, and hence consumption, decisions would be affected if they had easy access to nutrition information at the point of sale. Once the underlying logic is clear, the task of real planning can begin. This involves plotting out all required activities, developing staffing and resource requirements, and creating a timeline and budget. When the project involves multiple individuals and especially when it involves multiple organizations, it is extremely important to be clear about roles. At each phase of the project, the deliverables from each team and individual need to be explicitly spelled out. Dependencies must be articulated—for example, we cannot start developing statistics until after the data is scrubbed. In a consulting engagement, all of these must be specified in the consulting agreement. This is the contracting phase of the project and is possibly the most important part of a successful engagement. Speed bumps Of course, in spite of clarity in the engagement contract, there are inevitable speed bumps. If roles are clear and relationships amicable, the speed bumps can be navigated with relative ease, if not without extra effort. However, occasionally, not all parts of the engagement work well. This happens, for example, when not all of the parties are part of the initial contracting phase. This is the case, anyway, with many engagements when project success depends on the performance of third parties, such as third party service providers who control necessary information. Then, the consultant must rely on the client to influence the third party to provide the necessary inputs to the project. Occasionally, in organizations, a project threatens the power, authority, or influence of a certain group. Then, that group might become passively uncooperative. Before personal computers became widely used in the work place, the information technology (what used to be called data processing) departments of companies controlled access to most corporate databases. That data was a source of power. When personal computers became widely available, users began to ask for access to their own data because the personal computers allowed them to process this data in ways that were most useful to them. Even when the release of the data had been approved by the highest authorities, for a fairly long period of time, there was a struggle over access to the data. The key to navigating these speed bumps often lie in a few very simple things: clarity of the objective especially the timelines, senior management commitment and discipline in the project team. Crunch Time Good project management skills are particularly important for crunch projects—those that are technically difficult and have a tight deadline. For these projects, often what must be deployed is what would essentially be a corporate SWAT team. These corporate SWAT teams share a few characteristics with military SWAT teams: they are a tightly coordinated group of a very few, highly skilled individuals who are trained to work together towards a very specific task. They have the ability to concentrate completely on the objective and will push through until the very end or until the task is called off. In time-critical projects, the ability to work towards objective is essential. The last few days of a time-bound project often involve sleepless nights, missed meals and last minute crises. Any person who does not have the ability to plug on will not finish. The beginning is important, of course, but it is during that last mile when the true mettle of a project team is tested. Readers can email Maya at integrations_manila@yahoo.com. Or visit her site at http://integrations.tumblr.com.

Digital startups. IdeaSpace Foundation, the technology startup incubator and accelerator backed

by leading industry players here and abroad, including Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. and Smart Communications Inc., is throwing its full support behind the government’s Philippine Roadmap for Digital Startups officially unveiled during the 3rd Geeks on a Beach conference held in Boracay. Earl Martin Valencia (third from left), president and co-founder of IdeaSpace, and Department of Science and Technology’s Information and Communications Technology Office deputy executive director Monchito Ibrahim (second from right) present the Philippine Roadmap for Digital Startups to Karl Satinitigan (middle), representative of the office of Senator Bam Aquino, during the conference.

Robinsons bullish, plans 10 new malls By Jenniffer B. Austria

ROBINSONS Land Corp., the property unit of the Gokongwei Group, plans to open 10 new malls between 2016 and 2017, mostly in areas outside Metro Manila. Robinsons Land vice president of corporate lease department Lourdes Alano said in an interview at the sidelines of the 4th Asia Pacific Real Estate Investment Summit Philippines forum the company would open five new malls in 2016 and expand two existing outlets. The new malls will be constructed in Tagum City, Davao del Norte; Jaro, Iloilo; Iligan City; Cebu Cityp; and General Trias, Cavite. Robinsons Land will expand malls in Ilocos Norte and Tacloban City. “We hope to increase our gross

leasable space by 10 to 11 percent. We’re are about one million gross leasable area now,” Alano said. Five new malls, meanwhile, are scheduled to be opened in 2017. These are in Ormoc City, Leyte; Tuguegarao, Cagayan; Naga City; Valencia, Bukidnon; Kabankalan, Negros Oriental. Robinsons Land has lined up future mall developments in Cabanatuan City; Calbayog, Samar; Abucay in Tacloban City; and Pavia, Iloilo. Alano said Robinsons Land planned to open three to five

malls annually over the near term period. Alano said the company was venturing into greenfield areas because of positive demographics, including population growth, accessibility, increasing spending and competition. “We are doing land banking activities not only in Metro Manila but Visayas and Mindanao area. But there is challenge in acquiring big parcels of land in Metro Manila,” Alano said. Robinsons Land earlier said it aimed to double its net income to P9.4 billion by 2019 from P4.7 billion in 2014 and expand its four core businesses, namely residential, shopping, hotels and office buildings. Robinsons Land is currently the second largest mall operator in the country with 39 outlets and total gross leasable area of 1.08 million square meters.

Stocks rally; PLDT, Meralco advance THE stock market rallied Thursday, taking its cue on the regional market, on increasing risk appetite and confidence the Federal Reserve will delay an interest rate rise until the new year. The Philippine Stock Exchange Index gained 24.88 points, or 0.4 percent, to 7,117.78 on a value turnover of nearly P5.7 billion. Losers edged gainers, 93 to 82, with 42 issues unchanged. Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co., the biggest telecommunications firm, climbed 2 percent to P2,294, while Manila Electric Co., the largest retailer of electricity, advanced 1.9 percent to P317.80. Megaworld Corp., the biggest lessor of office spaces, surged 3.6 percent to P4.60, while BDO Unibank Inc., the largest lender in terms of assets, rose 1.2 percent to P104.

Stocks in Southeast Asia are climbing at the fastest pace in two years relative to global peers as investors from Aberdeen Asset Management Plc to BlackRock Asset Management forage for bargains after a global equity rout slashed valuations. The MSCI Southeast Asia Index has rebounded 11 percent this month, 5.1 percentage points more than the MSCI All-Country World Index, the widest gap since November 2013. Indonesia’s Jakarta Composite Index has jumped 12 percent since slumping to a two-year low last month, while Phisix has rallied 2.9 percent after seven straight months of losses through September. The revival in investor appetite underscores confidence that the region’s $2.57 trillion economies are

well placed to weather a slowdown in China’s export demand after August’s surprise yuan devaluation sent stock markets tumbling. Foreign investors are returning after pulling a record $5.1 billion from Thai, Philippine and Indonesian shares in the three months through September, lured by cheaper valuations and economic growth that’s forecast to outpace the global average in the next two years. “We are beginning to see selective opportunities in Asean markets after the recent correction,” Andrew Swan, the Hong Kong-based head of Asian equities at BlackRock, which oversees about $4.5 trillion, wrote in an e-mail last week. “Valuations are more attractive now, although not yet at what we would regard as crisis levels.” With Bloomberg, AFP

FRIDAY: OCTOBER 23, 2015

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

IN BRIEF Minerales’ supply MINERALES Industrias Corp., which will soon be renamed IPM Holdings Inc., said it is in talks with Aboitiz Group and Eagle Cement Corp. to supply refuse derived fuel, or RDF. RDF or fuel derived from waste can be used by cement factories and power plants to replace coal as main raw material. IMP Holdings vice president Dwight Ramos said during the annual stockholders meeting the company was eyeing cement factories as client for RDF. “We are now talking with Aboitiz and Eagle Cement for the use of our RDF,” he said. “Cement factories are allowed to replace 40 percent of their coal [requirements] with alternative fuel. At present, they are only replacing 10 percent so they need more. They want us to do more,” Ramos said. IPM Holdings is also in talks with coal-ﬁred power plants to supply RDF instead of coal. IPM Holdings owns and operates the country’s largest RDF facility along with Lafarge Industrial Ecology International, which aims to address serious concerns on solid waste and its disposal in Pasig City. Jenniffer B. Austria

PLDT data centers A WHOLLY-OWNED subsidiary of Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. said it expects its data centers in Makati and Clark to start operation by May next year. Eric Alberto, president and chief executive of ePLDT, said the P1-billion state-ofthe-art data facility in Makati would have the largest ﬂoor space among its current line of data centers at 18,000 square meters. It will deploy an eight-layer level security to safeguard critical equipment and data of customers with maximum protection. Vitro Makati will have data centerrated generators designed to run continuously to eliminate the need for periodic cut-over to other gensets during long commercial power failures. The P1.3-billion data center in Clark has a capacity of 1,230 racks and will cater to the region’s thriving business communities and planned information technology hubs in Central Luzon that could also serve the disaster recovery requirements for other businesses elsewhere. The construction of the Vitro Clark facility will boost the growth of ICT-demanding industries in the area like business process outsourcing, outsourcing and offshoring and retail. Darwin G. Amojelar

ERC okays solar line THE Energy Regulatory Commission approved the application of Philippine Solar Farm Leyte Inc. to put up a point-to-point transmission facility that will connect its 30-megawatt power plant in Ormoc City to the Visayas grid. ERC said in a decision the approval of the point-to-point transmission system was in accordance with the provisions of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001. ERC approved the facility subject to compliance to certain conditions such as that the facilities shall be operated and maintained by the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines and it shall be used solely by Philippine Solar Farm and not to be used directly to serve the end-users. The regulator said the connection assets, costing P13.448 million would be developed by the company in accordance with the system impact study and facility study requirements so as not to result in the degradation of the grid. Philippine Solar Farm said in its application the point-to-point facility was essential to the delivery of power from the generation facility to the grid. Alena Mae S. Flores

SN Aboitiz-NIA deal SN Aboitiz Power-Magat Inc. signed an agreement with the National Irrigation Administration to build an 8.5-megawatt hydroelectric power plant along the Maris Main (South) Canal in Isabela province. Aboitiz Power Corp. said in a disclosure to the stock exchange unit SNAPMagat informed it of the signing of the agreement. SNAP is a joint venture between Aboitiz Power, the holding company for the Aboitiz Group’s investments in power generation and distribution and SN Power, a global renewable energy company established in 2002 as a Norwegian limited company owned by Statkraft and Norfund. “The project shall commence in the last quarter of 2015 and is targeted to be completed by November 2017,” Aboitiz Power said. The Maris Main (South) Canal is under the operation and management of NIA. Alena Mae S. Flores

Megaworld accreditation. Philippine Economic Zone Authority director general Lilia de Lima (right) and Megaworld senior vice president Jericho Go show the accreditation certiﬁcate for McKinley West during a signing ceremony held at the Peza head ofﬁce in Pasay City.

Isuzu PH set to start D-Max 3.0 assembly By Othel V. Campos

ISUZU Philippines Corp. will start the local production of pickup truck D-Max 3.0 in Laguna province in April 2016, a top executive said Thursday. “This is to further expand our market share from 15 percent in the pickup market to 20 percent,” Isuzu Philippines president Hajime Koso said during the launch of the sports utility vehicle mu-X 3.0 and D-Max 3.0 at the Blue Leaf Filipinas in Pasay City. The company said its automotive plant in Sta. Rosa, Laguna was expected to produce around 300 to 400 D-Max 3.0 units a month, with the option to increase the output once sales start

to pick up. The Isuzu plant has the capacity to assemble 15,000 units yearly on a single shift. Capacity utilization, at present, is at 12,000 units. Koso said the plant would go on a double shift if demand for the D-Max increased. He said the existing facility could accommodate the local assembly of D-Max 3.0 vehicles. Isuzu hit a milestone this month for reaching the 200,000 sales mark.

Isuzu delivers both completely-knocked down and completely built-up units from its manufacturing plants in Asia. D-Max 3.0 and mu-X are currently imported from Thailand. The company also announced it would increase the local content for the D-Max 2.5 and the 3.0 liter units to more than 20 percent. Isuzu Philippines assistant division head for marketing Joseph Bautista said the company was currently in talks with Isuzu parts manufacturers to produce chassis frame to add to the local content. The company said D-Max 3.0 and mu-X 3.0, which had more power than previous versions, would have a price premium of P40,000.

“While our current D-Max and mu-X line-up is very much appreciated by the market, there are those who wish to have more power. Thus, we are giving our customers the freedom to choose – between our current 2.5-liter engine and the new 3.0 VGS Turbo variant,” Koso said. The Isuzu D-Max and mu-X 3.0 VGS Turbo variants are now available in all authorized Isuzu dealership across the country. Isuzu dealerships are located in Quezon City, Pasig City, Manila, Makati and Alabang, Muntinlupa City. Provincial dealerships are located in Isabela, Pangasinan, Cabanatuan, Pampanga, Bulacan, Cavite, Batangas, San Pablo, Bacolod, Iloilo, Mandaue, Cagayan de Oro, Davao and General Santos.

Angat Dam releasing more water to 2 concessionaires By Anna Leah E. Gonzales THE National Water Resources Board, the government agency in charge of managing the water resources, said Thursday it approved the allocation of additional two cubic meters per second to water concessionaires in November. “Due to the significant increase of more than eight meters in the water level in Angat Dam due to typhoon Lando, the NWRB board approved an allocation of 38 cubic meters per second for November from 36 cms this month,” said NWRB executive director Sevillo David Jr. Angat Dam’s water level stood at 203.72 meters as of 6 a.m.

Thursday, up from 194.23 meters on Oct. 17. The dam’s water level, however, was still still 6.28-meter short of its normal high level of 210 meters. “The approved allocation assures to provide sufficient water requirements of sectors involved in the Philippines’ hosting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in November,” David said. David said the standby allocation of 10 cms for irrigation would be retained next month. “Returning the 38 cms allocation for the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System may improve the state of water supply in Metro Manila,” David said. Maynilad Water Services Inc.

earlier suspended the regular offpeak water service interruptions in its concession area due to the increased water level in Angat. Maynilad said following the suspension, the company was able to sustain its water production output because of the volume of runoffs that flowed into the dams. “But these runoffs will soon dwindle, and rains at the watershed may stop altogether given the current strong El Niño,” Maynilad said. “Maynilad will continue its water conservation measures by again reducing its water production output. But instead of water service interruptions, the company will implement pressure reduction,” Maynilad said.

Maynilad said beginning Oct. 24, it would reduce water pressure daily from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. for one month. “This reduced pressure will affect 56 percent of our customers. These are the same customers who were affected by the previous service interruptions—i.e., those located in elevated areas or those farthest from our pumping stations,” Maynilad said. “Although pressure reduction will save less water compared to implementing service interruptions, the higher water elevation in Angat Dam has given Maynilad improved confidence that it can take this less drastic conservation measure so that inconvenience to its customers can be minimized,” Maynilad said.

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CEsAR BARRIOquInTO EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Thick haze blankets Southern Thailand BANGKOK—Dense haze produced by Indonesian forest fires has caused some of the worst pollution levels in southern Thailand for a decade, officials said Thursday, delaying flights in an area popular with tourists. For nearly two months, thousands of fires caused by slash-andburn farming have suffocated vast expanses of Southeast Asia, causing rates of respiratory illnesses to soar, schools to close, and scores of flights and some international events to be canceled. Thailand usually avoids the worst effects of Indonesia’s fires, which annually blight Malaysia and Singapore. But in recent weeks prevailing winds have brought the smog further north, stoking tensions and creating a headache for the country’s vital tourism industry. Thai officials Thursday said air quality had dipped to unhealthy levels in seven southern provinces, with particularly high readings in southwestern Songkhla province where some flights have been delayed or turned back. “It’s considered a crisis. It’s the worst in 10 years,” Halem Jemarican, head of the Environment Office in Songkhla province, told AFP by phone. “The key factor is the wind. It’s strong at the hot spot origins but when it reaches Thailand the winds weaken so the haze stays around for longer,” he added. Transport officials said two Bangkok to Koh Samui flights had to return to base Thursday while a Singapore flight to the resort island diverted to Phuket. A flight to Songkhla’s Hat Yai airport was also diverted on Wednesday evening. Southern Thailand boasts many pristine tropical beaches and is an especially popular tourism destination. Earlier this month several planes packed with beach-bound tourists to Phuket and Koh Samui were forced to turn back because of haze levels. Thailand’s Public Health Ministry said it had distributed 55,700 face masks in the south with a further 40,000 were on the way. In a statement the country’s Pollution Control Department said it had “called for Indonesia to implement measures to reduce burning in order to mitigate haze”. AFP

world Slovenia seeks aid over surging refugee arrivals LJUBLJANA, Slovenia—The EU’s migration commissioner is to visit new migrant hotspot Slovenia on Thursday to discuss its request for urgent support, as the small nation buckled under a record surge of refugees desperate to reach northern Europe before winter.

Costumes from trash. A model presents a costume created by Marina DeBris using trash collected from the beach at the “Sculpture by the Sea” exhibition that runs along the Bondi to Tamarama coastal walk in Sydney on Oct. 22, 2015. The world’s largest annual free-to-thepublic outdoor sculpture exhibition runs from Oct. 22 to Nov. 8 this year and features over 107 sculptures by artists around the world. AFP

Slovenia is now the main entry point into the passport-free Schengen zone on the migrant trail, after Hungary sealed its key southern borders with razor-wire fence to migrants. As Ljubljana struggles to cope with the influx, EU Commissioner for Migration Dimitris Avramopoulos is to visit Thursday to discuss its request for backup from police forces in other EU countries and financial assistance. More than 12,600 people streamed into the nation of two million people within 24 hours, police said Thursday morning. This brings the total number of arrivals to 34,130 migrants since Saturday when Budapest shut its Croatian frontier, just a month after closing its border with Serbia. In view of “the unfolding emergency” in the region, the European Commission called a minisummit with Balkan leaders on Sunday, acknowledging there was “a need for much greater cooperation... and immediate operational action”. The continent has been struggling to find a unified response on how to tackle its biggest migration crisis since 1945. More than 600,000 migrants and refugees, mainly fleeing violence in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, have braved the dangerous journey to Europe so far this year, the UN said. Of these, over 3,000 have drowned or gone missing as they set off from Turkey in inflatable boats seeking to reach Greece, the starting point for the migrants’ long trek north. The Turkish government on Wednesday warned it was bracing for a new mass exodus from neighboring Syria amid the escalating violence there. The goal for many is the EU’s biggest economy Germany, which expects to receive up to a million asylum requests this year. With the crisis showing no sign of abating, France’s Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve reinforced security in the port city of Calais from where migrants and refugees try to cross to Britain. He also announced that women and children would be given heated tents, as arrivals in a makeshift camp face a dip in temperature. AFP

Communist Party bans sex, golf and excessive eating BEIJING—China’s Communist Party has banned its members from “extravagant eating and drinking”, engaging in “improper sexual relationships with others” and playing golf, state media reported Thursday. The ruling party’s Political Bureau adopted new rules on clean governance and discipline earlier this month, the official Xinhua news agency said, describing the measures as “a moral ethical code that members must abide by”.

Party members were already barred from “keeping paramours and conducting adultery” but the new rule on sexual activity was stricter, Xinhua said. Playing golf and excessive eating and drinking were explicitly listed as violations of discipline for the first time, it added. The regulations—which apply to everyone in the 88-million-strong Communist Party—also forbid forming cliques within the party and nepotism. Since ascending to the party leadership

in 2012, President Xi Jinping has launched an austerity drive and a sweeping crackdown on corruption, with thousands of officials falling from power. But critics of the campaign liken it to a political purge targeting Xi’s opponents. Spending on luxury goods and in highend restaurants has plummeted amid the crackdown, with government officials intimidated by high-profile corruption prosecutions. The document did not detail punish-

ments for violating the new rules, but the party maintains its own feared internal disciplinary system, which operates without judicial oversight. Party discipline superseded criminal law, Xinhua said. The Communist Party has long had an ambivalent relationship with golf, which is a lucrative opportunity for local authorities and a favored pastime of some officials, but is also closely associated with wealth and Western elites. AFP

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WORLD

CESAR BARRIOQUINTO EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Traumatic farewell for Koreans SEOUL—North and South Korean families were forced to say a final, traumatic farewell Thursday after meeting for the first time in more than 60 years, as the joy of temporary reunion gave way to the pain of permanent separation REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES METROPOLITAN TRIAL COURT · BRANCH 9 CITY OF MANILA For BRANCH 33 QUEZON CITY MARIA AURORA SOLIMAN, Plaintiff, - vs –

CIVIL CASE NO. 15-5279-SCC For: Damages

MANILA TRANS TAXI CORP., RAMON S. LI and RUDOLFO O. PERALTA, Defendant x-----------------------------------x TO:

ALIAS SUMMONS MANILA TRANS TAXI CORP. RAMON S.LI Defendant Defendant 8 St. Mary Ave., Provident Village, 1954 St. Mary Ave., Provident Village, Jesus Dela Pena, Marikina City Marikina City RUDOLFO O. PERALTA Defendant 2123 Mindanao Ave., Sampaloc, Manila

On the third and last day of their all-too brief, emotionally charged reunion in a North Korean mountain resort, the families were given two hours in the morning to say their last goodbyes. It was perhaps the most fraught part of the entire event, with relatives on both sides—es-

pecially those in their 70s, 80s or even 90s—all too aware that this was likely the last time they would ever see each other. “Be healthy. Live long,” 85-year-old Lee Soon-Kyu told the North Korean husband she had met for the first time since they were separated at the outbreak of the 1950-53

RAMON S. LI NAME OF DEFENDANT/ S (Pangalan ng Hinahabla)

M SEX (Kasarian)

M CIVIL STATUS (Kinatayuang Sibil)

[/]INDIVIDUAL (Tao/ lndibidwal)

[] CORPORATION (Korporasyon)

[]COOPERATIVE (Kooperatiba)

[] SOLE PROPRIETORSHIP (Solong Pagmamay-ari).

AGE (Edad)

[]PARTNERSHIP. . (Bakasan)

HOME ADDRESS: (City) 1954 St. Mary Ave., Provident Village, Marikina City (Pahatirang Sulat sa Bahay) [Lungsod] Zip Code (Province, if applicable (Lalawigan,Kung meron) Telephone No (Telepono BIg.)

Zip Code Cellphone No. (SelponBlg.)

PLACE OF WORK (Lugar ng Pinagtatrabahuhan) NAME OF REPRESENTATIVE, if applicable: (Pangalan ng Kinatawan,Kung meron) Telephone No (Telepono BIg.)

Cellphone No. (SelponBlg.)

HOME ADDRESS: (City) (Pahatirang Sulat sa Bahay) [Lungsod]

Zip Code

(Province, if applicable (Lalawigan,Kung meron) Telephone No (Telepono BIg.)

GREETINGS:

Zip Code Cellphone No. (SelponBlg.)

You are hereby required, within ten ( 10) days from receipt of this Alias Summons, to file with this Court and serve on plaintiff, your verified Response to the attached Statement of Claim. The form of the required Response is attached hereto. PLACE OF WORK (Lugar ng Pinagtatrabahuhan) You are required to submit with your Response certified copies of documents as well as affidavits of any witness to stand as your evidence in this case. You must present the original Telephone No documents on the day of hearing. (Telepono BIg.)

Korean War when she was just 19 years old. “Let’s meet again in the next life,” he replied. Some spent their last minutes together simply clinging to each other, while others sought to put on a brave face, holding hands and wiping away tears as they sat at numbered tables in the resort’s main banquet area. “My eyes are all puffy because I cried so much last night,” said Ri Hong-Jong, 88, as he said goodbye to his South Korean daughter. “Even this morning... the tears just keep coming,” he said. TV footage from the resort showed one elderly North Korean woman trying to keep the mood on her table upbeat, challenging everyone to an arm

wrestle to show off her physical health. But then the North Koreans boarded buses to take them home, prompting desperate final scenes as they pressed their hands and faces to the windows, trying to maintain eye contact with their weeping South Korean relatives outside as the vehicles moved away. It was only the second reunion to be held in the past five years, and the interaction was tightly controlled—0limited to six, two-hour sessions, including meetings in a communal hall and private one-on-one time without TV cameras. For the nearly 400 South Koreans and their 140 relatives taking part, the 12 hours

of total face time was heartbreakingly short after more than six decades of separation caused by the 1950-53 Korean War. “It would have been wonderful if we could have talked and slept in the same room, instead of just meeting on and off,” said 70-yearold Han Sun-Kyu who was meeting his North Korean aunt. For all the restrictions, the participants were the lucky ones, chosen from among the tens of thousands on waiting lists for a rare reunion spot. Millions of people were displaced by the sweep of the Korean conflict, which separated brothers and sisters, parents and children, husbands and wives. AFP

Cellphone No. (SelponBlg.)

A motion to dismiss is prohibited and shall not be entertained. Any ground for dismissal *Note:If you need more space, you can write at the back of this form. should be included in your Response. (*Tala: Kung kailangan mo ng karagdagang patlang, maaari mong isulat sa likod ng Form na ito.) Your failure to respond within the 10-day period and to appear at the hearing of this case will authorize the Court to render judgment. Witness my hand under the seal of this Court, this 9th Defendant Rudolfo O. Peralta Male Married with address at 2123 Mindanao Ave., day of September, 20 15, at Manila, Philippines. Sampaloc, Manila (SGD.) ARTURO B. JOSEPH Branch Clerk of Court

NOTE: FOR INQUIRIES, CALL TEL. NO. 302-67-95

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION METROPOLITAN TRIAL COURT OF METRO MANILA QUEZON CITY BRANCH Maria Aurora Soliman

Plaintiff,

Civil Case no. N-5279 For: Damages

-vsMANILATRANS TAXI CORP., RAMON S. LI and RUDOLFO O. PERALTA Defendant. x----------------------------------x

. (a)

THIS FORM IS NOT FOR SALE AND MAY BE REPRODUCED (Ang FORM na ito ay LIBRE at maaaring kopyahin)

The personal circumstances of the parties are as follows: (Ang bawat panig ay ang mga sumusunod) Maria Aurora Soliman NAME OF PLAINTIFF/S (Pangalan ng Naghahabla)

F SEX (Kasarian)

32 AGE (Edad)

M CIVIL (Katayuang Sibil)

[ ]CORPORATION (Korporasyon)

[] COOPERATIVE (Kooperatiba)

[] SOLE PROPRIETORSHIP (Solong Pagmamay-ari)

(c)

How did you compute the money owed to you? (Do not include court costs or fees) Repair expense shown in credit card charge slip to Honda Cars Marcos Highway (Paano mo Kinukwenta ang salaping inutang sa iyo?) {Hindi kasama ang bayad sa pagpapatala sa hukuman)

(a) Did you ask the defendant to pay you before you filed this case? (Siningil mo ba ang Hinahabla bago ka nagsampa ng .kasong ito?) [/] Yes [] No (0o) (Hindi)

If no, explain: ________________ (Kung hindi, ipaliwanag) (b) How did you ask the defendant? (Paano mo siningil ang Hinahabla?)

1113 Zip Code

Zip Code Cellphone No. 09175090220 (Selpon BIg.)

PLACE OF WORK (Lugar ng Pinagtatrabahuhan)

HOME ADDRESS: (City) 24 N. Ramirez St., Q. C. (Pahatirang Sulat sa Bahay) [Lungsod]

1113 Zip Code

(Province, if applicable) (Lalawigan, kung meron) Telephone No. (Telepono Blg.) MANILA TRANS TAXI CORP. NAME OF DEFENDANT/S (Pangalan ng Hinahabla)

[/]CORPORATION (Korporasyon)

[]COOPERATIVE (Kooperatiba)

[] SOLE PROPRIETORSHIP (Solong Pagmamay-ari).

[/] Yes (Oo)

Zip Code

Cellphone No. (SelponBlg.)

State reason: (Isulat ang dahilan) Different Cities

PLACE OF WORK (Lugar ng Pinagtatrabahuhan) Cellphone No. (SelponBlg.)

If more than one (1) defendant, list next defendant here:. (Kung higit sa isa (1) ang Hinahabla, ilagay ang susunod na hinahabla rito:)

6-A. In this court station, how many small claims cases have you filed within this calendar year prior to this present case? None (Sa court station na ito, pang ilang kaso na itong isinampa mo sa loob ng kasalukuyang taon? 7.

Zip Code

Cellphone No. (SelponBlg.)

If yes, do you have a Certificate to File Action or a Compromise Agreement executed before the barangay?_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (Kung oo, meron ka bang Patunay sa Pagsampa ng Kaso o Kasunduan na isinagawa sa barangay?)

Zip Code

NAME OF REPRESENTATIVE, if applicable: (Pangalan ng Kinatawan,Kung meron) HOME ADDRESS: (City) (Pahatirang Sulat sa Bahay) [Lungsod]

[] No (Hindi)

Was the claim referred to the barangay? (Dumaan bas a barangay ang paniningil na ito?) [] Yes [/] No [] Not Covered (Oo) (Hindi) (Hindi sakop)

[]PARTNERSHIP (Bakasan)

PLACE OF WORK 8 St Mary Ave., Provident Village, Jesus Dela Pena, (Lugar ng Pinagtatrabahuhan) Marikina City

Telephone No (Telepono BIg.)

Did you attach your proof to this form? (Iyo bang inilakip ang katibayan o pruweba sa Form na ito?)

CIVIL STATUS (Kinatayuang Sibil)

HOME ADDRESS: (City) (Pahatirang Sulat sa Bahay) [Lungsod]

(Province, if applicable (Lalawigan,Kung meron) Telephone No (Telepono BIg.)

[] Others (please specify) (Iba pa) [pakisulat kung paano)

6. AGE (Edad)

[] INDIVIDUAL (Tao/ lndibidwal)

(Province, if applicable) (Lalawigan, kung meron) Telephone No (Telepono BIg.)

[/] In writing (Sa sulat)

What is your proof that defendant owes you money? Photo of damage and car position (Ano ang iyong katibayan o pruweba na ang Hinabla ay may utang na salapi sa iyo?)

Cellphone No. 09175090220

SEX (Kasarian)

[/] By phone (Sa te/epono)

Zip Code (Selpon Big.)

[/] In person (Sa kanya mismo)

NAME OF REPRESENTATIVE, if applicable KEVIN L. KO (Pangalan ng Kinatawan; kung meron)

Zip Code

By the filing of this action,. plaintiff hereby waives any amount in excess of P100,000.00, excluding interest and costs. (Sa pagsampa ng kasong ito,ang Naghahabla ay. isinusuko anumang halaga na higit sa P100,000.00, hindi kasama ang tubo at gastos sa pagsampa ng kasong ito.)

PRAYER (PAGSAMO) WHEREFORE, plaintiff respectfully prays for judgment ordering defendant to pay the amount of P23,709.94, with interest at the rate of N/A % per annum/per month from March 25, 2015 until fully paid (DAHIL DITO, ang Naghahabla ay magalang na sumasamo .na igawad ang kapasiyahang utusan ang Hinahabla na magbayad sa Naghahabla ng halagang______, pati ang tubo na_____ % bawat taon/buwan simula ________hanggang ganap o.lubos na mabayaran ito. Quezon City, April 21, 2015. PLACE WHERE FILED (Lugar kung saan inihain)

( T S - O C T. 9 /16 / 2 3 , 2 015)

Convention. Clowns pose during the third day of the XX Convention of Clowns at the Monumento a la Revolucion in Mexico City on Oct. 21, 2015. AFP

Gays caught having sex will face caning in Aceh

If no, explain: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (Kung hindi, ipaliwanag)

[ ]PARTNERSHIP. (Bakasan)

HOME. ADDRESS: (City) 24 N. Ramirez St., Quezon City (Pahatirang Sulat sa Bahay) [Lungsod] (Province, If applicab/e) (Lalawigan, kung meron) Telephone No. (Telepono Blg.)

When did this happen? . (Kailan ito nangyari?) Date: MARCH 20, 2015 (Petsa) If no specific date, give the time period: (Kung walang tiyak na petsa, ibigay ang tantiyang panahon} (Date started: (Petsa nagsimula) Through: (Hanggang)

(Put a check on any of the following) (Pumili sa mga sumusunod at lagyan ng tsek) [/] INDIVIDUAL (Tao/ lndibidwal)

Why does the defendant owe plaintiff money? (Bakit ang Hinahabla ay nagkautang ng salapi sa Naghahabla?) Car Damage

(If you need more space, please use the back page). (Kung kailangan mo ng karagdagang patlang, maaaring gamitin ang Iikod ng pahinang ito ,) . (b)

STATEMENT OF CLAIM (HABLA NG PAGSINGIL)

Plaintiff- claims the defendant owes P23,709.94 (Ang Hinahabla ay umutang sa Naghahabla ng halagang P_ _ _)

PL A I N T I FF ( N a g h a h a b l a)

BANDA ACEH, Indonesia— Gay people caught having sex in Indonesia’s staunchly Islamic Aceh province will from Friday be punished by 100 strokes of the cane, an official said, despite criticism of the “inhumane” law. Under an Islamic bylaw, anal sex between men and “the rubbing of body parts between women for stimulation” is outlawed. The rule applies to all Muslims including foreigners, provincial sharia chief Syahrizal Abbas told AFP. The regulation was passed in 2014 amid outrage from rights groups, but officials took a year to educate the public about the new law before it came into effect. “The law is to safeguard human dignity. It is to protect Aceh’s Muslims from committing immoral acts,” Abbas said Thursday, adding it would come into effect the following day. Gay sex is not illegal in the rest of the country, which mainly follows a criminal code inherited from former colonial ruler the Netherlands.

Aceh province, the only part of the world’s most populous Muslimmajority nation that is allowed to implement Islamic sharia law, already carries out public canings for gambling, drinking alcohol and fraternizing with the opposite sex outside of marriage. The new law in the western province also makes adultery punishable by 100 lashes and punishes those who accuse others of adultery without proof with 80 lashes. Canings—which are carried out with thin rattan sticks in public and aimed at humiliating rather than causing physical pain—can be substituted with payments of pure gold or jail time. Ismail Hasani, from the prominent Indonesian rights group the Setara Institute for Democracy and Peace, criticized the law as “cruel, inhumane and against the constitution” and called for it to abolished. “The government should not meddle in private affairs and instead guarantee individual rights such as freedom,” he added. AFP

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MOTORING

RAMON L. TOMELDAN EDITOR

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

A LEGEND

REBORN

HCPI president and GM Toshio Kuwahara with Honda’s ﬂagship, the Legend

Text and photo by Dino Ray V. Directo III

IT IS the “King” in the Honda stable and since 1985, has been the flagship model of Honda. The first generation was a result of a joint venture between the Rover group of the UK and Honda Motors Japan codenamed KA1 which had a six-year lifespan. It had an exceptional ride, a host of innovative features and an innovative SOHC engine. Notable owners of the first-generation Legend were Soichiro Honda and racing legend Ayrton Senna. Early this week, 11 years after the Fourth generation, Honda launched the Fifthgeneration Legend with all the fanfare and

FAST FASTLANE AS THE top-of-the-line, full synthetic racing oil with Motul’s technical expertise crammed into it, 300V is the brand’s most popular product. When it comes to picking the right motor oil, the most common question is, which is more suited for my car, the 300V or 8100? The 300V is cuttingedge stuff, and while you certainly can use it in every application, it doesn’t mean you should do so. When it comes to motor oil, there are so many different machines and types of usage of each machine that it’s not really a case of which is best, but rather, which is most suitable. Here we explain the differences between 300V and 8100 so you can choose the most suitable product for your application and vehicle. The most important

trimmings worthy of automotive royalty. “That is what this new vehicle is all about, “Smart Exhilarating Luxury.” The All-New Legend provides luxury and comfort while combining state-of-the-art technologies. Our mission to bring about world-class products to the market is realized in this vehicle,” states Toshio Kuwahara, GM and President of HCPI. Held at the grand ballroom of the Solaire Hotel and Casino, Honda introduced its flagship model with two levels of trim, the Modulo and the Mugen version. With a length of 4,997mm and width of 1890mm plus a curb weight of 1976kgs, the Legend is expected to lock horns with the Lexus LS Hybrid, the BMW 7 Series and the Mercedes Benz S400 Hybrid. Under the hood of the All-New Legend are Earth Dreams Technology V6 3.5 L direct injection i-VTEC with Variable Cylinder

Management (VCM) engine and a 7-speed dual clutch transmission (DCT) with an integrated high-performance electric motor. At the rear a Twin Motor Unit (TMU) and an intelligent power unit equipped with high-power lithium-ion batteries are located. Each rear motor is independently controlled and can provide either drive or deceleration power to its wheel in any ratio. This technology is called the advanced torque vectoring system which provides highly stable handling performance in a wide range of driving situations. The advanced hybrid system of the Legend automatically combines front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive, or all-wheel drive with Engine drive, Electric Vehicle Drive or Hybrid drive as a response to the driver’s inputs and driving conditions to ensure optimal performance and outstanding fuel economy. Overall this powertrain delivers power similar to a V8 engine

and a 4-cylinder like fuel economy. For the discerning few, one can dress up their Legends with MUGEN and Modulo accessories which can be purchased individually or as a package for added convenience and style. Available MUGEN accessories are Carbon Fiber Front Lower Spoiler, Carbon Fiber Ducktail Spoiler, Sports Luggage Mat, and 20-inch Aluminum Wheel. The Modulo accessories on the other hand, include Front Corner Under Spoiler, Ducktail Spoiler, Door Lower Garnish and Mudguard. With all these advanced technology, features and systems, Honda’s Legend 3.5 Sport Hybrid SH-AWD is out to carve inroads in a small, yet very competitive domestic market. The All-New Legend can be viewed and test driven exclusively at Honda Cars Global City and Honda Cars Greenhills and has a sticker price of P4.3M.

300V and 8100: What’s the difference? thing to know is that 300V is truly a racing oil. Mechanics at the Dakar Rally or LeMans endurance race empty a can of the stuff into the competition vehicles they service, and it’s the exact same stuff that you can buy off-the-shelf at your local Motul dealer or service provider. Racing oils provide the same things that ‘street’ (or regular) oils do: Improve power, protect the engine, improve the reliability and longevity of components. 300V is a very specific product, and

there are even different formulations for different racing applications, from sprint races to endurance rallies. 300V does its job well, but unlike 8100, it’s designed—as is typical of a racing lubricant—to have a more frequent replacement interval than a street oil like 8100. 8100, as a high-quality lubricant, can be changed at your car’s stated service intervals while 300V would require replacing far sooner for the optimum performance.

MOTOR Image Pilipinas, Inc., the official distributor of Subaru vehicles in the Philippines,now offers a new variant of the Subaru Outback in the new 2.5i-S. With specific refinements to improve its mid-to-low range torque to have more power as it becomes more responsive having a 235-Nm of maximum torque at a lower 4,000 rpm. The Subaru Outback 2.5i-S is a unique crossover concept that combines passenger car comfort with the long-distance capabilities and load space of an SUV. While developing the latest generation Outback, Subaru has consistently sought to deliver a crossover with class leading performance, AWD handling capabilities and all round driver and passenger safety and now, with a much more fuel efficient yet powerful engine. The Subaru Outback 2.5i-S has a Horizontally-opposed, 4-cylinder,

Subaru Outback offers new variant 4-stroke, DOHC 16-valve Subaru Boxer engine with a maximum output of 175 PS/5,800 rpm with a roomier cabin to give the driver better driving performance and the passengers comfortable ride. Just like all Subaru vehicles, the Outback 2.5i-S is built with Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive at its core that offers remarkable balance and stability. Even better with the X-Mode technology that is also standard to the new variant of the Outback to have better handling steep inclines and harsher terrain. With a higher 213mm of ground

clearance, the Outback can take on uneven roads and steep inclines less challenging with a quiet ride and sporty handling. Motor Image Pilipinas, Inc offers the Subaru Outback 2.5i-S variant at Php2,068,000.00 with an Introductory discount of less Php100,000.00 for the first 50 customers. Test drive a Subaru at Subaru Showrooms nationwide: Greenhills, Global City, Manila Bay, Alabang, Santa Rosa, Batangas, Cebu, Cagayan de Oro and Davao.You may also visit www.motorimage.net/PH.

F R I D AY : o c t o b e R 2 3 , 2 0 1 5

RAMoN L. toMeLDAN EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

motoring

Track day with a

Bavarian beast

Text and photos by Dino Ray V. Directo III

How does it feel driving one of the world’s most powerful and revered automobile? If one were to encapsulate the BMW M experience in a word, I would say that it was exhilarating.

The M Series was a delight to throw around the slalom course.

For a day, lead-footed motoring hacks and people with fat paychecks were provided with an opportunity to drive around the Clark International Speedway behind the wheel of a BMW M series machine. For the weeklong event, Asian Carmakers Corporation, held a weeklong track day to highlight the capabilities, features and technological advancements of the M Series line-up, namely: the BMW M3, BMW M4, BMW X5, BMW X6, as well as the M Performance vehicles such as the BMW135i and the BMW M235i. “This global experiential program allows car enthusiasts and aspiring BMW owners to learn from seasoned BMW instructors who offer their expertise in high performance driving,” says Maricar Parco, President of ACC. The M experience track session was headed by the country’s lone BMW M

BMW Officials: Certified BMW driving Instructor JP Tuason and ACC President Maricar Parco strike a pose with the BMW X5 M series

certified driving instructor, Jp Tuason. “This driving experience would allow you to appreciate the qualities and the BMW M series cars by way of a string of challenges which we have lined-up for you guys,” adds Tuason. The media were divided into three groups and we were subjected to driving drills that provided us hands on feedback with the M cars. I was with the “red” group which initially had us take a taxi ride onboard an M4 with Tuason behind the wheel. Tuason drove the M4 like to its limits and did some hot laps around the short course of the Speedway. We were then shepherded to the slalom course where participants tested the cars handling and braking capabilities and managed a 25.1 seconds run. Next challenge was the drive around the long course of the Speedway with the fleet of M Series cars at our disposal. We took turns behind the wheel of the BMW M4, M3, and the X5 M SUV. Among the variants, I would bet on the M4 any day due to the car’s sheer grunt, accurate steering and the superb handling. I

drove it like I stole it and attacked the corners with reckless abandon, and had the pedal to the metal on the straights of the track. The engine’s wail was music to my ears and the tires fought for grip as I ate up the corners and powered up around it through the straightaway. At the end of the M experience, I was behind the wheel of the X5 M as the weather began to pop its ugly head. For safety reasons, I was not able to push the advanced V8 engine with twin turbo technology for fear of being an owner of a slightly banged up BMW X5 M during a heavy rain. I don’t want to be labeled as the guy who screwed up the driving event. Held every year, the BMW Driving Experience allows participants to feel the M Series range of vehicles in a set up that highlights its engineering and design innovations. “We hope to engage our valued customers in exercises that will not only help them understand the remarkable track ability of these automobiles, but also impart BMW’s passion for automotive excellence,” explains Parco.

F R I D AY : O C T O B E R 2 3 : 2 0 1 5

TATUM ANCHETA EDITOR

BING PAREL

A S S O C I AT E E D I T O R

BERNADETTE LUNAS

life @ thestandard.com .ph

WRITER

@LIFEatStandard

ST Y L E & BE AU T Y

LIFE

Vice President for Philippe Charriol International, Alexander Charriol and Regional Director for Charriol International, Thibaud Jaouen

Evoke a fairytale-meets-rock mood with Charriol’s Forever Colors bangle collection and the timeless and chic Charriol’s St.Tropez 35 timepiece for women

COLOR ME YOUNG!

The launch of Charriol Forever Colors and St. Tropez 35 watch

Models wearing the NEW fun, cool and colorful bangle pieces from Charriol’s Forever Colors collection

he Millennial vibe and spirit has been reigning in many aspects of the market lately, from architecture, fashion, design and technology including social media. Even classic brands are embracing this tune and opening their collections to a younger audience. The timeless and elegant brand Charriol recently joined the bandwagon. The invitation says “Colorful and Young” – a slightly different theme from what we’re used to with the classic pieces of Charriol. Bold colors and young vibe greeted the guests at the recent Charriol Forever Colors and St. Tropez 35 watch launch held at the Mind Museum, Bonifacio Global City. Vice President for Philippe Char r iol Inter national, Alexander Charriol, unveiled the new collection in a vibrant show of colors, with models parading bold statements to complement the new designs. “Colors,” “Rock,” Cool,” “New,” “Forever” – words that perfectly describe The Forever Colors collection of bangles, their hallmark cable bracelets and classic designs which were infused with pop and street-chic design perfect for the current market. Available in 12 eye-catching shades – pink, fuchsia, cobalt blue, pistachio

Live fashion illustrated OOTD station by fashion illustrators Kar Victoriano and Soleil Ignacio.

green or charcoal, encased in pink gold and black frames, the Forever Color bangles evoke a fairytale-meets-rock mood. Another eye catching newcomer is the St. Tropez 35 watch, a larger 35mm variant with an added moonphase movement from the popular brands StTropez watch for women. This

new watch model comes with a polished bezel engraved with the CHARRIOL lettering and the iconic cable bracelet strap. Since 1983, Charriol has taken pride in designing timeless, elegant pieces that reflect the contemporary tastes of its loyal patrons. The colorful collection that is in tune with the

current desires of the market is spearheaded by the second generation Charriol: Alexandre and his sister Coralie who is the Creative Director of Charriol International. Alexandre infused colors as inspired by his love for painting while his sister made sure that the heritage design remains in its signature craftsmanship. The launch event was brimming with young energy as hosted by Janeena Chan while guests were treated to the funky tunes of Neo-Soul and Jazz band Chocolate Grass followed by the The Zombettes. During the event, the guests were also treated to a live fashion illustrated OOTDs by celebrated fashion illustrators Kar Victoriano and Soleil Ignacio. With the successful unveiling of its latest collections, Charriol further cements its place as one of the world’s leading jewelry and watch makers. Be rest assured; regardless of place, time and occasion, Charriol will keep you up-to-date with modern pieces that embody effortless style. The new CHARRIOL timepieces and jewelry collections are available at their exclusive stores nationwide. Charriol is exclusively distributed in the Philippines by the SSI Group

F R I D AY : O C T O B E R 2 3 : 2 0 1 5

LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

FASHION DESIGNER AVEL CELEBRATES 20 WITH SHOWS IN SAN FRANCISCO AND PARIS

@LIFEatStandard

VINYL VICTORY. The Parisian crowd applauds Avel Bacudio’s collection inspired by a dystopian romance between modern urban and classic glam.

vel Bacudio marked 20 years in the fashion industry with back-to-back shows in San Francisco and Paris. The first show in San Francisco was a fundraiser co-presented by ABSCBN’s The Filipino Channel. The 80-piece collection featured rich fabrics in digital print, nude, ruby, and black. Proceeds from the $250 tickets went to the ABSCBN International Foundation. At the end of the show, children from San Francisco’s Fil-Am community joined Bacudio for his curtain call. The children were all clad in Avel Kids sweaters. In Paris, Bacudio unveiled his “Vinyl” collection (“inspired by a dystopian romance between modern urban and classic glam”) at the Asian Fashion Week 2015 in ChampsÉlysées. The show was part of the MercedesBenz Stylo global launch at the MercedesBenz Gallery. With pieces adorned by intricate lace patterns and beadwork, the collection charmed and enchanted the crowd despite the bleakness of the imaginary post-apocalyptic setting . The best compliment? Bacudio was personally congratulated by world-renowned luxury shoe brand founder Jimmy Choo, who was guest of honor and key to the selection of designers for the Paris show.

Avel being interviewed by TFC Europe Senior Correspondent Rose Eclarinal outside the Maison Latin Amerique in Saint Germaine

Both the San Francisco and Paris shows featured a capsule collection created to support an advocacy that will merge fashion with sustainable business practices to help uplift Filipinos in need. The social enterprise will launch in the Philippines before the end of the year. After two decades in the fashion industry, Avel Bacudio is still raring to reach greater fashion heights. With his love, passion, and talent for design, his future work will no doubt be as inspiring and captivating as the current collections. View more pieces by Avel Bacudio at www. aveldesigns.com.

WORLDS COLLIDE. The San Francisco show ended with a blur of ivory, neoprene and crystals

MODERN MAN. Jimmy Choo models an oversized trench Jimmy Choo with first ever Asia’s Most Influential coat from the Vinyl collection Designer winner Avel Bacudio.

TW STEEL ‘BIGTIME’ EXHIBIT

T TW Steel BIGTIME photography competition’s winner for the Product Category

International DJ Tom Taus sets the mood at the TW Steel TW Steel Canteen Collection, Chronograph, cream dial, vintage leather strap

TW Steel Canteen Collection, 3-hand, quartz, blue dial, rose gold case

he market’s favorite oversized watch maker TW Steel recently unveiled its bold new collection and at the same time cumulated the BIGTIME photography competition in an exhibit in front of the TW Steel boutique on Level 2, Main Wing of the Shangri-La Plaza in EDSA. The BIGTIME photography competition is spearheaded by celebrated photographer and renowned portraitist, Ibarra Deri, for professional and amateur photographers who were tasked to take photographs with their favorite TW Steel watches. “The purpose is to bring out and showcase the creativity of the Filipinos. We wanted to see how one would depict and capture those BIGTIME moments,” says Manuel Dacanay, regional marketing director for TW Steel Asia. Out of hundreds of entries, the top 20 were chosen by noted photographers Wig Tysmans, Bien Bautista, Jun Miranda, Menchit Ongpin, Mark Floro, and up and coming fashion photographer, Jack Alindahao. The top two winners Aissa Pery, who won in the Lifestyle Shot category, and Paul Andrew Vito, who won the Product Shot prize, each received P50,000.00 in cash and a TW Steel watch while the rest of the finalists received a TW Steel Pilot watch and tokens from Canon Philippines. Together with the exhibit, the Dutch watchmaker displayed the new signature Canteen collection featuring 45mm and 50mm case sizes. Each design comes in a 3-Hand, Chrono and Automatic movement edition. The Canteen style

Manuel Dacanay, regional marketing director for TW Steel Asia; brand manager Cathy Porlaje; TW Steel co-founder and chief executive Jordy Cobelens; Dutch Ambassador to the Philippines Marion Derckx; TW Steel Asia managing directors Dawn Dacanay and Alan Dacanay

Co-founder and TW Steel chief executive officer Jordy Cobelens with Dutch Ambassador to the Philippines Marion TW Steel Bigtime Photography Exhibit, Shangri-La Plaza Mall Derckx unveiled the TW Steel Bigtime Photography Exhibit

remains a market favorite that TW Steel has seen fit to create its limited edition, diamond-crusted Apex Canteen as its 10th year anniversary watch. “Canteen has showed its staying power in the market. With the new adaptations, we’ve kept its DNA and enhanced its appeal,” says TW Steel co-founder and chief Design officer Ton Cobelens who unveiled the recent photo exhibit and watch collection.

The BIGTIME exhibit will remain open to the public until November 9 at Level 2, Main Wing of the Shangri-La Plaza in EDSA. Catch the new oversized watch collection and five new pieces of the Grandeur Tech collection at TW Steel in The Podium, SM Aura, SM Megamall, EDSA Shangri-La Mall, SM North EDSA, SM Makati, Century Mall and in Chronos, Swiss Gear and Wristpod stores, as well as in Adora and Le Temps in Resorts World Manila.

F R I D AY : O C T O B E R 2 3 : 2 0 1 5

LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

Joanique SS2016 Maskara Collection

JOANIQUE’S MASKARA COLLECTION INSPIRED BY THE FESTIVAL OF SMILES

hilippine-based fashion accessories brand Joanique embodies the festive Filipino spirit with a Spring/Summer 2016 collection inspired by Bacolod’s colorful Maskara Festival. The eye-catching clutches shaped like lively, smiling masks recently lit up Manila FAME. They were also just exhibited at the prestigious global fashion and accessories trade shows Super Pitti Immagine in Milan and Premiere Classe in Paris.

Joanique Designer, Malou Romero

Joanique SS2016 Maskara Collection

NATURE’S BEST WITH NUXE

or centuries, people have known about the natural ability of plants to heal and care for the skin. When Aliza Jabès founded the Parisian beauty company, NUXE, in the early ‘90s, her vision was to harness the infinite power of plants and to offer women the gift of soft, supple and youthful skin. Today, Nuxe has become a wellrenowned brand, successfully delivering on its founder’s promises and creating award-winning skincare lines and products that offer an ultra-luxurious, sensorial experience. As an all-natural cosmetics brand, NUXE chooses natural ingredients whenever

possible. Its facial products are all non-comedogenic (does not result in the appearance of blemishes), and are formulated without paraben, mineral oils (ingredients of petrochemical origin) and animal-origin ingredients. NUXE also uses ecological, 100 percent natural and solvent-free processes to extract botanical active ingredients, ensuring the potency of each component. This commitment to protecting the integrity of ingredients has resulted in effective, high-performing products with soft, delicate textures and subtle fragrances. With NUXE, attaining ageless beauty is, indeed, possible, as well as pleasurable. Innovation, research and development also underpin NUXE’s activities, with researchers busy in applying cutting edge technology to uncover the timeless secrets of plants all over the world, taking months and even

years of rigorous and careful testing before a product is deemed effective and safe to introduce in the market. With each NUXE formulation, one is assured of the best care possible, with the skin nourished and protected from the deepest layer. NUXE started in a small formulation laboratory in Paris acquired by Jabes, who then launched Huile Prodigieuse – her first product – in 1991 and which remains the number one cosmetic oil in French pharmacies today. Over the next decade, NUXE established itself as a Parisian brand expert in natural origin cosmetology. In 2002, it launched the Day Spa, the first of its kind in Paris. Since then, NUXE spas have blossomed in over 30 locations around the world. NUXE is the only cosmetics laboratory to be awarded twice by the Institut National de la Propriété Industrielle (French National Institute of Industrial Property) for its R&D strategy in 2007 and 2011. It has also received numerous awards for its exceptional quality, and has remained at the top in major segments including anti-aging care, in oils, in fragrances and firming care segment. NUXE is now sold in 74 countries, including the Philippines. NUXE is available in Beauty Bar, Rustan’s Makati and Rustan’s Shangri-La. Follow on Facebook – NUXE Philippines and on Instagram - @NuxePH

Each hand carved and hand painted wooden minaudiere takes an entire month to produce. It’s a statement piece that will double as art when you’re not carrying it with you – this is a purse you won’t want to put away. For jewelry lovers, the collection also features rings, bracelet charms, necklaces and earrings in festival mask shapes forged in premium materials. Joanique’s self-taught jewelry designer Malou Araneta Romero believes that the indelible imprints in our hands have innumerable stories to tell, which is why the brand’s tagline is “Let our hands tell the story.” With Joanique’s handcrafted accessories that reflect Filipino identity and culture, yours will speak volumes. Joanique is available at 458 Showroom (458 Adalla St., Palm Village), Cura V (2/F Power Plant Mall), and Bijou by Ana Rocha (2/F Greenbelt 5). Visit the online store at shop. joanique.com

F R I D AY : O C T O B E R 2 3 : 2 0 1 5

LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

Halloweeen Day Of The Dead

Halloween Black Cat

Face and Body Foundation

@LIFEatStandard

Halloween Ice Queen

Halloween Zombie

CRAZY/BEAUTIFUL HALLOWEEN MAKEUP Tr y i n g t o figure out who you want to be for Halloween t h i s ye a r? Tired of the usual boring POP-UP BEAUTY c o s t u m e s BY JIGS MAYUGA and common themes that people wear for this annual event? Well then, why not try wearing some bold makeup looks on all hallows’ eve for 2015? With the help of our friends M.A.C. Cosmetics, trying out some dramatic

Fluidline in Blacktrack

Studio Finish Concealer

makeup looks for the season of spook has never been easier. Six makeup artists from M.A.C. from all over the world take Halloween makeup from ghoulish to glam with six transformative looks. Each of the six looks comes with a face chart complete with products to use and YouTube instructional video featuring the designing artist so it’s easy to recreate these looks at home. Maybe try the M.A.C. Halloween: Zombie designed by artist Matt King. It’s a modern take on the “walker” look through the clever use of lines and shading to create a zombie that is scary but chic. Or perhaps be a beautiful Ice Queen as demonstrated by

artist Lacie Dawn using strobing techniques in iridescent and pearlized shades in cool, bluish tones. The Day of The Dead by Marissa Jade Willinsky is a fresh take on the candy skull by tracing the shape of the iconic flower and adding color in unconventional ways above and below the eye line in shades of blue, fuchsia and orange. One of my favorites from the Halloween looks from M.A.C. is the Black Cat designed by artist Tu Dang. It’s a sexy and sophisticated version of the “cat woman” look using bold graphic lines and clever shading. M.A.C. affiliate makeup artist, Myrene Santos shows us how to get this look step by step.

Myrene started by applying a dark shade of Face and Body Foundation around the perimeter of the face (hairline, cheekbones, jawline and chin) to add contours and create the illusion of a round face similar to that of a cat.

below the cat stripes and under the eyes to add warmth.

Next, apply the lightest shade of Studio Finish Concealer on the center of face to draw attention to the eyes, nose and lips. Set the foundation and concealer with some light loose powder using a sponge or puff.

Finish the look by lining your lips with black pencil and filling them in with Matte Lipstick in Russian Red. Apply clear lip glass on the center of the lip for a wet finish.

Curl your lashes and apply two coats of black mascara. Top off with a full fan of false eyelashes.

Using Fluidline in Blacktrack, play up your feline features by creating an exaggerated cat’s eye and drawing random cat stripes, whiskers and dots all over the face.

Powder Blush in Swiss Chocolate

To create depth to the lines you’ve drawn, apply Eyeshadow in Carbon all over the lids and around the bridge of the nose and below the cheekbones to create angles that mimic that of a cat’s features. Finished Halloween Black Cat makeup

Customers can re-create these looks on themselves by simply calling the M.A.C. store in Rustans Glorietta at 812-8265 to set an appointment with an artist for a redeemable purchase. Makeup by Myrene Santos for M.A.C. Cosmetics; Model: Maxine Medina of PMAP

Matte Lipstick in Russian Red

Black Cat face chart

Add dimension to your work of art by creating shadows and gradation with Powder Blush in Swiss Chocolate. Shade

Follow me on Instagram and Twitter @jigsmayuga

Bituing Walang Ningning: The Musical Shines Even Brighter By Gabriel Antonio O. Escasa

The movie may be thirty years old and counting, but the line “You’re nothing but a second-rate trying hard copycat” still remains the number one mostremembered, most quoted line in Filipino pop culture history. Resorts World Manila’s ‘Bituing Walang Ningning: The Musical’ shines bigger and brighter. And it isn’t just the line. Its themes, the good poor girl triumphing in love and career over the mean, rich and successful diva has resonated with generations from the time the film with Sharon Cuneta and Cherie Gil first played the two singers at odds with each other. No wonder that during its first run, the stage musical “Bituing Walang Ningning” featuring the classic hits of Willy Cruz and a powerhouse cast of performers drew such critical acclaim that now, they’re bringing it back due to popular demand. Resorts World Manila (RWM), through Full House Theater Company and in partnership with VIVA Communications, Inc., brings back ‘Bituing Walang Ningning: The Musical’, the production that captured the hearts and imaginations of entertainment fans and theatre-goers alike. Starting October 8, 2015, the stage adaptation of the classic Filipino drama promises to dazzle audiences anew as it takes the stage of Newport Performing Arts Theater (NPAT) for its highly anticipated encore performances. Reprising their roles as the main cast of this original, all-Filipino production are theater stars Cris Villonco, Mark Bautista, and shining newcomer Monica Cuenco as the new Dorina Pineda, a role popularized by

Sharon Cuneta on film and Sarah Geronimo on the television production. It promises to be another memorable run with more musical numbers and the added luster of bigger brighter star power given its outstanding cast and remarkable stage design setting off the moving storyline. “Bituing Walang Ningning remains to be one of the most beloved Filipino dramas. It tells a story about dreams, love, and humility, which are the virtues we are anchoring to in developing this production,” says RWM Chief Integrated Marketing Officer Martin Paz. ‘Bituing Walang Ningning: The Musical’ brings to life a story that has transcended Philippine entertainment. Originally told over a serialized comic strip by fictionist Nerissa Cabral, the story was made into a blockbuster movie in 1985 and was then re-made into a hit television series back in 2006. The production marked the first time a contemporary drama has crossed over multiple media, from print, cinema, television, and finally on stage. The drama’s theater foray is told along with the timeless music of the great Willy Cruz which is scored by the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Rodel Colmenar with veteran stage director Freddie Santos at the helm.

ABOUT

THE STARS

Monica Cuenco is 20 years old, the winner of the search for Dorina Pineda held by the production team. A real-life Dorina Pineda who sold puto cheese made by her Auntie instead of sampaguita, Monica is an orphan who actually sang at birthday parties and wakes before moving up to corporate shows and has been completely self-financed since grade school. Of course, Cris Villonco and Mark Bautista are proven star performers when it comes to singing, while Ronnie Liang’s stirring song stylings make him the perfect casting choice for the rising composer/ singer Garry originally played by Joel Torre in the film. Veteran actors Jon Santos, Jay Roa, John Nite, Michael Stuart Williams, and the first lady of Philippine musical theater Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo round out the productions impressive cast. Adding to the musical’s star power are singer and actress Antoinette Taus, who plays alternate to Cris Villonco’s Lavinia Arguelles as well as multi-talented Epi Quizon, fresh from his stint as the awe-inspiring Apolinario Mabini in Heneral Luna, as Jon Santos’ alternate for the role of Auntie.

Resorts World Manila Bringing Out The Best Of Local Entertainment Pursuing its advocacy to ‘Champion the Filipino’, RWM continues to showcase the best of what local entertainment can offer. “Our vision is to establish an avenue for a new genre of original Pinoy performing arts that will open doors for next generation thespians, playwrights, and producers to explore,” Paz added. For more about Bituing Walang Ningning: The Musical Second Run, including cast details and show schedules, visit www.rwmanila.com/web/ bituing-walang-ningning/. Tickets are now available at all TicketWorld and TicketNet outlets and at the RWM Box Office. RWM is the first one-stop, non-stop entertainment and leisure destination in the Philippines that features recreational thrills, world-class performances, unique events, and exciting lifestyle options. Conveniently located across Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3, RWM is an instant gateway to worldclass Philippine hospitality and is home to three international lodging brands, (MAXIMS Hotel, MARRIOTT Hotel Manila, and REMINGTON Hotel), a three-story convention center housing the country’s largest hotel ballroom (Marriott Grand Ballroom), and two more hotels (SHERATON Hotel Manila and HILTON Manila Hotel) currently under construction. Also home to RWM is NEWPORT Mall which features international luxury brands, state-of-the-art movie theaters at Newport Cinemas, an awardwinning, ultra-modern Newport Performing Arts Theater (NPAT), and a cozy, 24/7 entertainment hub at Bar 360. Dine in one of almost 50 restaurant outlets offering a diverse selection of local and world cuisine, prepared by top Filipino and foreign chefs and paired with a wide selection of the finest wines and popular liquors. Resorts World Manila— Nothing Compares.

F RIDAY : OCTOBER 2 3 : 2015

SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

LJ Reyes (second from left) with director Jun Lana (third from left) at the Forum for Independents competition

Scenes from Shadow Behind The Moon

LJ REyES gainS intERnatiOnaL RECOgnitiOn By SEymOUR BaRROS SanChEZ

n TV, Lourna Jane Pujeda Reyes, or simply LJ Reyes, is effective in playing contra vida roles. In theater, she earned praises for her stage debut in Tanghalang Pilipino’s Juego de Peligro. In film, she recently won her first international acting recognition after earning raves locally. It seems that no matter which medium Reyes decides to dip her hands into, she is bound to succeed. The GMA Starstruck alumna started acting in different programs for her home network immediately after her runner-up finish in the talent search in 2004. It took her six years to win a Best Supporting Actress trophy for her role in Ian Loreños’ Cinemalaya full-length film The Leaving. It was followed by more praises for her acting opposite JM de Guzman in the 2012 Cinemalaya feature Intoy Syokoy ng Kalye Marino directed by Lem Lorca and based on Eros Atalia’s novel and in Michael Tuviera’s award-winning

2014 Cinemalaya film The Janitor. As if these are still not enough, Reyes recently got her first international acting recognition after bagging the Best Actress trophy at the 13th Pacific Meridian International Film Festival for director Jun Lana’s three-character psycho-political thriller Anino sa Likod ng Buwan (Shadow Behind the Moon). The jury cited Reyes for her “brave and fearless performance in a very complex character that has enabled the director to fulfill a most ambitious vision.” Apart from Reyes’ victory, the new independent feature also brought home three more awards – the NETPAC Jury Best Asian Film, the FIPRESCI International Critics Award, and the Best Director Award for Lana for “the ambition he had to make the film in one shot, in which he has succeeded, and the exceptional direction of the actors in the film which explores challenging issues that are both specific to his country and

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universal to the world we live now.” Reyes graced the film’s world premiere at the 50th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in the Czech Republic but she failed to personally receive her trophy in Vladivostok, Russia due to a prior commitment. The film’s fouraward achievement is a first in the history of the festival. With the armed conflict between the government forces and the communist rebels at the Marag Valley – regarded as a “No Man’s Land” in the early nineties – as its backdrop, the film follows three individuals trying to resolve a difficult situation. Emma (Reyes) and her husband Nardo (Anthony Falcon) befriend Joel (Luis Alandy), a soldier tasked with camp security. The couple spends time playing cards with the military man on the night of a lunar eclipse. The apparent love triangle seems to engage in a harmless discussion inside a shack surrounded by woods. Set at a time when several “in-

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ternal refugees” were caught in the line of fire as they try to survive the military’s attempts to purge the communist group, the film asks where true allegiances of the characters lie. Questions regarding their mutual trust and friendship arise as unspoken secrets and lies begin to unravel with the dawn of a new day gradually approaching. The story required Reyes to undress on camera in an uninterrupted love scene with Alandy, even surpassing her role as a prostitute in Intoy Syokoy. Although she has done sexy roles in the past, the role is something new to her. She just entrusted everything to her director. “Sobrang ganda ng script. ‘Yun lang talaga ang masasabi ko,” she recounted after reading the screenplay. Reyes revealed they rehearsed for several days in an empty studio. “The rehearsals are very tiring pero worth it. After nang mag-shoot na. parang kulang pa pala ‘yung rehearsals namin.” The film, which

will have its Philippine premiere at the QCinema International Film Festival 2015 this week, makes use of the tight narration, the interaction among the characters, and the camera work to show their isolation and manipulate their entrapment in these circumstances. The film attempted to shoot the narrative in a single, almost two-hour take, with the camera tracking the protagonists as they move in and around the shack and framing them in tight shots that mirror the isolation or the tough conditions they are in – akin to being trapped in a box. It hooks the audience to find out who among the three characters escape the situation unscathed. Anino sa Likod ng Buwan premieres at 9 p.m. today at Ayala Trinoma Cinemas as part of the QCinema International Film Festival 2015. It will also be shown 6:30 p.m. tomorrow at Robinsons Galleria and on Oct. 25, 1 p.m. at Gateway Cineplex.

F RIDAY : OCTOBER 2 3 : 2015

SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

in ‘The X FacTor UK’, all-Filipino GroUp movinG on To neXT roUnd

he final nail-biting portion of The X Factor UK’s Six Chair Challenge for the Groups had ended with the all-Filipino girl group, 4TH Power, advancing to the next round of the competition. The girls join Menn on Point, Alien, Bekln, Silver Tone and The First Kings for the Group category in the Judges’ Houses round. 4TH Power impressed the judges of The X Factor UK last week with a perfect performance choosing Christina Aguilera’s “Show Me How You Burlesque” to prove that

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they are one of the most talented acts in the competition. That performance had the judges on their feet. Judge Rita Ora said, “It was absolute perfection. Your voices, your adlibs, you all had a moment to show off yourselves vocally.” Simon thanked the girls for choosing The X Factor UK as the show to compete in and also said that the British public would fall in love with them. 4TH Power is made up of sisters, Mylene, Celina, Irene and Almira Cercado aged 19-27. Neneth Lyons, the other Filipino act in the competition, was vis-

ibly nervous as she took the stage. She chose to sing Whitney Houston’s “One Moment in Time.” Neneth was really strong in her first audition and she had been consistent throughout the competition. Unfortunately, her performance on the Six Chair Challenge lacked the impact. Judge Cheryl Fernandez-Versini said, “I think that you did deliver with everything you have as it’s such a big song choice, but it didn’t have the impact it should have had on an audience like this.” Rita Ora did say that she sang her soul out. Si-

mon Cowell, the mentor for the Overs category, did not give Neneth a seat. “Neneth, I thought that this was going to be a big moment, and it wasn’t,” he said. 4TH Power is now only the only remaining act with Philippine roots in the competition. Aside from the girl group and Neneth Lyons, the show also featured contestant Jenesa Gil, who did not make past the Bootcamp round. The X Factor continues with the Judges’ Houses next week where the contestants will again go through another round of auditions. This

round will determine the 12 acts that get to perform in the live shows. The X Factor UK airs first and exclusive on RTL CBS Entertainment HD as live via satellite on Sundays and Mondays at 10:30 a.m. with a primetime encore at 9 p.m. The weekly episodes repeat on Thursdays at 9 p.m. and on Saturdays at 10a.m. and 4:40 p.m.. RTL CBS Entertainment HD is available on SkyCable channels 53(SD) and 196(HD), Destiny Cable channel 53, Dream Satellite channel 17 and Cablelink channels 37(SD), 313 and 800(HD).

4th Power moves on to the next round of The X Factor UK

Neneth Lyons, the other Filipina in The X Factor UK failed to get a chair in the Six Chair Challenge

Jennifer Lawerence is back in The Hunger Games Mockingjay Part 2

A scene fron The Hunger Games Mockingjay Part 2

‘The hunger games: moCkingjay ParT 2’

Gotham Rise of the Villains

GoTham snaGs primeTime Top spoT

otham City’s villains scored an epic victory last month as Warner TV cleaned up in Philippines’ primetime. Gotham Season 2 was the no.1 drama series in September among Cable 20-44 households, closely followed by Arrow and Vampire Diaries, demonstrating Warner TV’s strength of programming as it hosted the top three English entertainment drama series. Gotham airs every Tuesday at 9 p.m., the same day as the US. It won the Critic’s Choice Television Award in the “Most Exciting New Series” category in its first season, and in Season 2, Gotham sees the rise of

a new set of ambitious villains, as well as the sinister development of the infamous Riddler, Penguin and The Joker. Marianne Lee, vice president of Content – General Entertainment, Turner International Asia Pacific, said, “Now in its second series, Gotham has found its stride and audiences clearly love it. Its edgy, dynamic plots and character development appeal to action and drama fans, as well as DC Comics’ fanboys. It’s really the best of high-production Hollywood TV right here in the Philippines – and the ratings show exactly that.” Also on Tuesdays, directly after Gotham, Blindspot, one of the season’s most highly-antic-

ipated new title, is revving up suspense and thrills in a larger conspiracy setting, pointing towards a series of unsolved crimes preceded by a body marked with tattoo clues. Gotham and Blindspot are just two express titles from the US. Warner TV also airs Arrow Season 4, iZombie Season 2 and The Big Bang Theory Season 9 immediately after their US telecast. Warner TV is available in the Philippines on SKYcable Channel 77, SKYcable HD Channel 197, Cignal HD Channel 119, Destiny Cable (Digital) Channel 77, Destiny Cable (Analog) Channel 80, and Cable Link Channel 30.

he Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 directed by Francis Lawrence now brings the franchise to its powerful final chapter in which Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) realizes the stakes are no longer just for survival – they are for the future. With the nation of Panem in a full scale war, Katniss confronts President Snow (Donald Sutherland) in the final showdown. Teamed with a group of her closest friends – including Gale (Liam Hemsworth), Finnick (Sam Claflin) and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) – Katniss goes off on a mission with the unit from District 13 as they risk their lives to liberate the citizens of Panem, and stage an assassination attempt on President Snow who has become increasingly obsessed with destroying her. The mortal traps, enemies, and moral choices that await Katniss will challenge her more than any arena she

faced in The Hunger Games. Adapted from Suzanne Collins’ bestselling book series of the same title, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2’s screenplay is written by Peter Craig and Danny Strong. The first three installments of the global blockbuster Hunger Games franchise have grossed more than $2.2 billion at the worldwide box office and counting. The last two installments (Catching Fire and Mockingjay – Part 1) have become the highest-grossing releases at the domestic box office each of the past two years, the first time ever for back-to-back sequels. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire also holds the record as the 10th highest-grossing domestic release of all time. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 blasts in cinemas nationwide this Nov. 18 from Pioneer Films. Click here for the film’s trailer: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=QgtcBkQhp64

F RIDAY : OCTOBER 2 3 : 2015

ISAH V. RED EDITOR isahred @ gmail.com

SHOWBITZ Snooky Serna’S verSatility in ‘My FaithFul huSband’ ISAH V. RED Seasoned actress Snooky Serna is portraying her character in GMA’s primetime series My Faithful Husband as Mercedes effectively. She has earned the ire of the show’s audience because of how she maltreats her son Emman (Dennis Trillo) and her daughter-in-law Mel (Jennylyn Mercado). This is the first time Snooky is playing a villain in a series. Previously, the roles that had been assigned to her were all good-natured characters. “When I go out lalo na sa mga malls and restaurants, people used to call me ‘Snooky.. Snooky..’ Now ‘Cedes (Mercedes).. Cedes’ na. They keep asking me why I accepted the role considering I never played before as kontrabida. I accepted the role to show my “different” style or atake sa isang role, to show my versatility. All my life ngayon lang ako kinaaasaran ng fans,” the actress shared. However, despite having intense and heavy scenes, behind the camera, the cast and production team of My Faithful Husband are like one big family. “Sa taping, para kaming isang big family, equally treated, lahat level-headed and professional, walang malaki ang ulo kahit hit ang show. It’s a team effort,” she said. Currently, her character Mercedes is in prison because she is the prime suspect in the death of Arnaldo (Ricky Davao). According to the actress, there is more to expect from Mercedes. “Mas magagalit pa ang viewers kay Mercedes. Marami pang twist. But kung ako ang tatanungin, I want Cedes na makulong ng life imprisonment. To give justice sa lahat ng kademonyuhan niya. Pero at the same time, nakakaawa rin si Cedes kasi lost soul siya, eccentric, and a mom who wants to protect her family despite the fact na mukha siyang pera.” Catch more of Snooky Serna in

My Faithful Husband weeknights right after Beautiful Strangers on GMA Telebabad. HHHHH Nicole laurel aseNsio debuts as recordiNg artist The blood of the legendary musical families of music legends, soprano Fides Cuyugan Asensio runs in Nicole Laurel Asensio’s veins being her granddaughter. Apart from that, she is also the niece of singer/actor Cocoy Laurel. From the two, she got her love and passion for music. Nicole is also songwriter herself. Growing up in a family of classical and Broadway singers, she loves the same genre but fuses it with rock. From the all-girl rock band General Luna, Nicole is ready to show her talent. MCA Music has released her new solo album Schizoprano. Nicole admits she’s doing a total overhaul of herself. “There’s a time when you need to step out of your comfort zone and learn from other musicians. And when it comes to supportive musical friends, I am blessed. Musically, I feel more free to collaborate and venture off sound wise – so that’s a plus,” Nicole shared. Schizoprano is from the words schizophrenic and soprano. Nicole’s friends who are the best in the music industry gave the title to her album. “The term “schizoprano” seemed to suit me and my voice just fine. I still sing classical when the occasion calls for it. I don’t think I can remove that from my system.” she said. Her music in this new album will give listeners a unique musical experience, combining classical and rock performance, where Nicole’s voice is perfectly made for. “I also feel thankful for this opportunity and the support from my collaborators, production, and MCA. I look forward to the doors God will open with this new ticket.” she added. The tracks include “Leader For A Day” with lyrics from replies to Nicole’s Facebook status “what would you do if you were leader for a day?” ➜ continued on c7

Nicole Laurel Asensio is now a solo recording artist

Snooky Serna makes waves as a contra vida in My Faithful Husband