The Standard - 2015 December 09 - Wednesday by Manila Standard

VOL. XXIX NO. 300 3 Sections 32 Pages P18 WEDNESDay : DECEMBER 9, 2015 www.thestandard.com.ph editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Arroyo granted holiday furloughs

ejeRcito slApped with gRAft RAps By Rio n. araja and Florante S. Solmerin

THE Office of the Ombudsman on Tuesday indicted Senator Joseph Victor Ejercito for graft and corruption and technical malversation over the questionable procurement of high-powered firearms in February 2008 when he was still mayor of San Juan City.

Candidacy filed. Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte holds up the Certificate of Candidacy that he filed at the Comelec offices on Tuesday. Behind him is his running mate Alan Peter Cayetano. Danny Pata

Roxas belittles survey findings

Ejercito said he was surprised by the Ombudsman’s decision because the person who filed the case against him opted to be anonymous, and because he was very careful about signing documents when he was San Juan mayor. Ombudsman Conchita CarpioMorales found probable cause to indict Ejercito and order the filing of charges for technical malversation and violating the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. Also charged for technical malversation were ex-vice mayor Leonardo Celles; ex-city councilors Andoni Carballo, Vincent Pacheco, Angelino Mendoza, Dante Santiago, Rolando Bernardo, Grace Pardines, Domingo Sese, Francis Peralta, Edgardo Soriano, Jannah Ejercito-Surla, Francisco Javier Zamora, Ramon Nakpil and Joseph Christopher Torralba. Those indicted for violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act were members of the bids and awards committee, including ex-city administrator Ranulfo Dacalos, ex-treasurer Rosalinda Marasigan, ex-city attorney Romualdo de los Santos, budget officer Lorenza Ching and city engineer Danilo Mercardo. Dacalos, Marasigan, De los Santos, Mercado and accountant Alicia Barazon were also found guilty of misconduct and were ordered suspended without pay for Next page six months.

Poe blasts ‘traffic-clogged straight path’ By Macon Ramos-araneta and Rey E. Requejo INDEPENDENT presidential candidate Senator Grace Poe on Tuesday mocked President Benigno Aquino III’s “straight path” as being riddled with traffic as people continued to live in poverty, in a state of hunger and hopelessness.

Delivering a speech to members of the Philippine Government Employees Association-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines, Poe spoke out against contractualization and other labor woes and offered a laundry list of tasks for the country’s next leaders, including poverty, unemployment and unjust taxes. The senator lamented the fact that

more than 20 percent of the government’s workforce were either contractual or co-terminus, which she said was unfair and unjust. She said there is nothing more painful for a worker, whether in the private or public sector, than waking up one day to find he no longer has a job because his Next page

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PNoy makes one more BBL pitch Ejercito... From A1

In February 2008, Ejercito requested the city council for authority to purchase highpowered firearms using the city’s calamity fund. He said the procurement was “an investment for disaster preparedness.” The city council passed a city ordinance authorizing Ejercito to acquire firearms for the San Juan police department. In 2008, the city government purchased three units of model K2 cal. 5.56mm sub-machine guns and 17 units of Daewoo model K1 cal. 5.56mm sub-machines guns worth P2.1million. The Ombudsman invoked a Budget Department circular that said high-powered firearms are not among the items used for disaster relief. “More importantly, that there was no declaration placing San Juan under a state of calamity,” the Ombudsman’s order said. In its resolution, the Ombudsman said there was “a hasty procurement of specific high-powered firearms of a particular brand sans competitive bidding and without any post-qualification, bolstered by bid documents bearing dates earlier than the publication of the invitation to bid, showing that an unwarranted benefit, advantage and preference” was accorded to the supplier.” Morales said Ejercito “acted in concert with the members of the city council who authorized him to purchase firearms using the city’s calamity funds paving the way for the ap-

plication of public funds for a purpose different from the one for which they were originally appropriated by law.” But Ejercito said he was very careful in 2008 because he was in the opposition and would be prosecuted for any irregularity. Also on Tuesday, the Ombudsman also ordered the filing of graft charges against former Army general Gaudencio Pangilinan for allegedly splitting a P3.7-million contract into small amounts to avoid public bidding for the construction of a building of the National Bilibid Prison. “The Office of the Ombudsman found probable cause to file multiple charges against top officials of the Bureau of Corrections [BuCor] for violations of the AntiGraft and Corrupt Practices Act [R.A. No. 3019] and Government Procurement Reform Act [R.A. No. 9184],” Morales said in a statement. Pangilinan became controversial after President Benigno Aquinopromoted him to commander of the Northern Luzon Command, a 3-star position, as a “gift” shortly after Aquino assumed office in 2010. After his retirement, Pangilinan was appointed by Aquino chief of the Bureau of Corrections. Morales said former BuCor chief Pangilinan and his former chief administrative officer Ligaya Dador were facing five counts of violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. Pangilinan, and Larry Hari, administrative officer, also face one count of violation of the Government Procurement Reform Act. Also facing charges are

Poe... From A1

contract ended, or he was removed for not being an ally of a politician. “This should not be allowed. We need to uphold what our laws—the Constitution and the Labor Code— provide,” she said. “They said the matuwid na daan [straight path] has achieved something. It’s straight, but there’s traffic,” said Poe, who has been vocal about the government’s failure to address public transport problems that affect millions of commuters daily. If elected, Poe said she would push for the regularization of workers both in government and in the private sector, ensuring that their constitutional rights to full protection, equal opportunity, organization and a just and living wage are given. “Even as we recognize the need to maintain a reasonable degree of flexibility of employers, those workers who have proven their worth within six months and whose services will remain needed by a private company or a government agency must be regularized,” she said. Poe pointed out that “perpetual contractualization results in perpetual insecurity of tenure.” “It contributes to poverty, is un-

chief of staff Venancio Santidad and representatives of suppliers Grand Potential Press Inc. and Dotgain Solutions, namely Alman Madrid, Lawrence Balolong, Julita Balolong, Alex Del Rosario, Alicia Madrid, Nelson Lee Cheng, Gina Rabancos and Paulino Fernandez, Jr. “Pangilinan, Dador, Hari and Santidad were also found administratively liable for grave misconduct and were ordered dismissed from the service with perpetual disqualification from reemployment in the government service. In case of separation from the service, the penalty is convertible to a fine equivalent to one year’s salary,” Morales said. She said investigation found that in 2012, respondents divided and split into four contracts, the project for the construction of the NBP building for the purpose of evading the requirement of public bidding. The P1.4-million infrastructure project was awarded through small value procurement, to preferred suppliers, Grand Potential and Dotgain, which firms are engaged in the printing business. Morales said investigators also uncovered that during BuCor’s road map launch, Pangilinan and his co-accused spent P2.3 million to cover expenses for food, giant tarpaulins and tents by resorting to an emergency purchase. “There was no compelling reason to dispense with competitive bidding nor resort to small value procurement,” Morales said. “There is no evidence that BuCor attempted to ensure the most advantageous price for the government,” she added. With Macon Ramos-Araneta

fair and unjust. I believe that helping workers to have more long-term careers should bolster productivity,” she said. The lawmaker also announced the impending passage of the Salary Standardization Law of 2015, which the House committee on appropriations already approved and which the Senate is set to pass before the end of the year. The bill mandates a P226-billion compensation increase for national government personnel over a period of four years. It also provides a taxfree 14th-month pay and performance bonus for employees under Salary Grades 1 to 11, or some 606,000 state workers. “Most of you, I know are overworked but underpaid. This is the bitter truth when you are in public service—you don’t get the benefits and privileges due you,” Poe said in Filipino. More than a salary increase, Poe said workers needed a just tax system that will not negate any gains from a salary increase. This is why she remains firm on her stand to lower income taxes, she said. “One of the pillars of my program of government is good governance. What does this mean? We feel it is important that a government will be able to push reforms that will bring about true change in our country,” she said.

By Sandy Araneta and Maricel V. Cruz

PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III called on members of Congress on Tuesday to approve the Malacañang-proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law before they go on recess on Dec. 18. “President Aquino called on members of the House of Representatives to seize the historic opportunity of enacting the Bangsamoro Basic Law and laying the foundations for longterm peace,” said Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr., in a statement. During Aquino’s meeting with members of Congress in Malacañang Tuesday, the President said that passing the BBL now has become more imperative in view of the increased threats posed by global terrorism and radicalization. Aquino urged the members of Congress to rise to the challenge of being able to “change the narrative”—referring to the cycle of violence and poverty that has stalled peace and progress in Mindanao, Coloma said. Aquino said that the proposed BBL offers the prospects for significant and meaningful change especially in terms of giving all stakeholders an opportunity to participate in the democratic process. The President also cited the gains achieved by the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao in attracting new investments amounting to P9.8 billion in the period from 2011 to 2014. The Palace-backed BBL is the linchpin in government peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, but the bill lost support even among administration allies after the Mamasapano massacre of 44 police commandos by Muslim rebels on Jan. 25, including members of the MILF. Aquino said that in his talks with Italian leaders and officials of the Vatican, he was asked about the status of peace talks with the Muslim rebels, and he told them that the BBL provides “a template for peace building that may be considered by the international community.” House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. and House Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II led the House delegation, while the President was accompanied by Cabinet members led by Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr.

The Aquino administration has repeatedly rejected calls for a lowering of tax rates, even though Filipino workers are among the most heavily taxed in Southeast Asia, and despite the public clamor for tax relief. Poe vowed to build and lead a government that is centered on the people. “We will adhere strictly to meritocracy; appointments will be based solely on a person’s qualifications and promotions will be based solely on performance,” she said. Poe also said she would take steps to professionalize the bureaucracy and digitize government processes to do away with the long queues. Also on Tuesday, the petitioner who lost his disqualification case against Poe before the Senate Electoral Tribunal asked the Supreme Court to reverse the decision. In his petition, Rizalito David, a losing senatorial candidate in 2013, argued that the SET had “misinterpreted the Constitution, the laws, procedural rules and jurisprudence in giving effect to non-binding international laws” when it found Poe to be a naturalborn Filipino citizen even though she was a foundling. David said he was confident the Court would reverse the SET decision, which he said was a “political decision.”

Earlier, Senate President Franklin Drilon said the passage of the BBL is still a “top priority” and said there is “enough time and political will” to pass it before the Christmas break. Drilon and Belmonte said Dec. 16 was their new deadline to pass the BBL, which would pave the way for the creation of a new autonomous political entity that would replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. But Drilon acknowledged that the 2016 national budget will consume most of the Senate’s time. House leaders on Tuesday renewed their appeal to their colleagues to attend sessions to pass the BBL. Belmonte said the passage of the BBL would depend on the quorum in the House. “We hope they [lawmakers] attend the sessions in the coming days,” Belmonte said. The House once again was plagued by a lack of quorum as it adjourned session at past 5 p.m. Tuesday with only 134 out of 290 members responding to the roll call—short of at least 15 to declare a quorum. Congress will adjourn its session on Dec. 18 for a holiday break and resume sessions on Jan. 18, 2016. House Majority Leader and Mandaluyong Rep. Neptali Gonzales II admitted that the lack of a quorum at the House has prevented the swift approval of the BBL. Gonzales said President Aquino during his meeting about 180 lawmakers appealed to them to consider passing the BBL because “the opportunity of having a credible government peace panel in the future may not happen again.” “If BBL is not passed, obviously leaders of MILF [Moro Islamic Liberation Front] who were instrumental in this draft of BBL or at least members of peace panel would no longer have the same credibility looking forward, especially to the younger members of the MILF,” Gonzales told reporters on Tuesday. Gonzales said the passage of the BBL during the remaining session days of Congress would test if President Aquino III is now a lame duck leader. “It remains to be seen,” Gonzales added when asked if the appeal of President Aquino will influence lawmakers to hasten the passage of the BBL. Gonzales said he remains hopeful that the quorum will improve following the President’s renewed push for the BBL.“If you really want the BBL to have a chance, we should have a sustainable quorum,” Gonzales said.

He said the five senators who voted in favor of their colleague in the Senate—Vicente Sotto III, Loren Legarda, Pia Cayetano, Cynthia Villar and Bam Aquino—violated the Constitution and the doctrine that warns politicians in tribunals against partisan voting. The SET dismissed David’s appeal last week, and maintained that Poe should be considered a naturalborn citizen because international law recognizes foundlings to have the nationality of the state in which they were found. Poe said Tuesday she remains a presidential candidate for next year’s election until the Supreme Curt rules with finality on all issues surrounding her candidacy. Her statement came after the Commission on Elections 2nd Division disqualified her from running for president, saying she did not meet the residency requirements for the office, and that she had misrepresented details of her residency in her Certificate of Candidacy. “Our fight continues,” declared Poe as she assured her supporters that she will proceed with her campaign to build a government that is accountable, transparent and dependable to help the people achieve genuine inclusive growth and global competitiveness. “Rest assured I will adhere to your will for the 2016 elections,” said Poe.

She appealed to voters to be vigilant against attempts to subvert the will of the people to choose their own leaders. “We strongly believe that we have a strong legal basis.... We respect at all times the law and the right process, but this should be fair and just. I am hoping for justice because I believe we have a strong case,” she said. Her legal counsel, George Garcia, has asked the Comelec en banc to reverse the resolution of its 2nd Division that sought to cancel Poe’s CoC. Garcia said Poe complied with the 10-year residency requirement, a fact that was completely ignored by the three-member 2nd Division despite their submission of 400 pages of documentary evidence to support this. By the time of the elections on May 9, 2016, she will be be a resident of the Philippines for 10 years and 11 months, Poe said. Poe’s lawyer said the resolution of the Second Division was rendered in “complete and utter disregard of the overwhelming evidence on record” and “contrary to applicable jurisprudence as to amount to a capricious and whimsical judgment.” Despite the challenges Poe’s camp is facing in the Comelec, Garcia said they will exhaust all legal remedies, including seeking relief from the high court, to achieve justice.

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Roxas extols Aquino, rejects SWS survey BIÑAN, Laguna—President Benigno Aquino III’s “anointed one,” Liberal Party standard bearer Manuel Roxas II, on Tuesday downplayed the latest Social Weather Stations preferential survey suggesting that Aquino’s endorsement is proving to be a handicap to his candidacy. Roxas, whose campaign platform focuses on continuing Aquino’s so-called “straight path” principle started by President Aquino, said the survey results were misleading. “I think it’s wrong. I am confident of the reforms for the good and the better,” Roxas told reporters after a multi-sectoral consultation here. “All of us Filipinos are proud that before, we were the Sick Man of Asia but now we’re Asia’s bright star.” Roxas made his statement even as Malacañang said Aquino’s endorsement of Roxas would secure votes for him. The SWS survey had said some voters would not vote for Aquino’s anointed while former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s endorsement was the kiss of death. In the survey commissioned by Davao businessmen, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte was rated number one while Senator Grace Poe and Vice President Jejomar Binay tied for second. “The President believes that when our bosses—the Filipino people—cast their vote, they will decide in favor of continuing the reforms that will ensure the long-term progress of our country,” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma said in a statement. Senate President Franklin Drilon on Tuesday said they were working hard to make Roxas number one in the coming elections. “We believe that Secretary Mar is the only candidate who can continue the programs of the present administration to improve the lives of the people,” Drilon said. Aquino scored -26 percent and -10 percent in the National Capital Region and Luzon, respectively, when those polled were asked how would they react to his endorsement. But Aquino gained a positive net effect in the Visayas and Mindanao with 4 percent and 3 percent, respectively. In endorsing Roxas, Aquino said in July that the former Interior secretary was the “most ripe” for the presidency. Roxas defended Aquino’s endorsement, saying his administration had made significant gains and that would help boost his candidacy. John Paolo Bencito and Sandy Araneta

Duterte files his CoC for the second time DAVAO City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday again filed his Certificate of Candidacy for president— and it came a day after the Commission on Elections dismissed the petition to declare PDP-Laban standard bearer Martin Diño as a nuisance candidate. Duterte said he decided to come to the Comelec to inquire if there were any problems with the documents submitted by his legal counsel last month. “Marami issue na lumalabas kaya naman siguro, once and for all, pumunta na ako dito sa Comelec,” Duterte told reporters. “Tanungin ko lang kung okay lang ba

yung papeles ko. Pag hindi, sabi ko i-DQ [disqualify] na lang n’yo ako kung hindi sang-ayon sa procedure.” Duterte made his statement even as PDP-Laban president and Senator Aquilino Pimentel III on Tuesday called on the public to continue monitoring Duterte who, he said, would later be called “Santo Rodrigo.” “Continue to monitor the pronouncements of Mayor Duterte beginning today and compare it with his past pronouncements and you judge whether he is a changed man and whether he has reached the level of a saint,” Pimentel said. Davao City Rep. Karlo Alexei Nograles, a known Duterte supporter, said at least 50 lawmakers had sent feelers supporting Duterte’s presidential bid in 2016. He said the majority of those lawmakers were from Mindanao. “I can safely say that more or less 50

lawmakers have expressed willingness to support the presidential bid of Mayor Duterte and 40 percent of this number came from Mindanao,” Nograles, son of former speaker Prospero Nograles Jr., told reporters. “Right now I am not at liberty to disclose their names,” said Nograles. Duterte, when asked if he needed to file his CoC again or if there were any defects from the documents submitted by his legal counsel on Nov. 27, Duterte said the Law Department saw no problem with it. His lawyer Vitaliano Aguirre said his visit was just to “reaffirm” Duterte’s bid for presidency. He said they actually prepared a new COC in case they needed to file it again during their visit on Tuesday, but the Law Department said there was no longer any need for them to submit a new one. Sara

Susanne D. Fabunan, Macon RamosAraneta and Maricel V. Cruz

Santiago: Corruption, poverty the real cancer SENATOR Miriam Defensor Santiago said Tuesday the cancer that should demand the Filipinos’ attention is corruption and poverty and not her cancer, which she said should no longer be a concern in her campaign to win the presidency. She challenged her opponents and their allies to instead debate on the issues of national concern. Santiago, who is running under the People’s Reform Party, said she was encouraged by the reports that former US President Jimmy Carter had been cured of brain cancer following cutting-edge treatment from experts. “The positive development in the case of Mr. Carter’s cancer trumps the macabre wishes of my naysayers that I should die before I finish a six-year term as president,” Santiago said. “If Mr. Carter can do it I, too, can beat cancer to serve the Filipino people.” She was referring to Carter’s statement that his latest magnetic resonance imaging brain scan “did not reveal any signs of the original cancer spots nor any new ones.” Carter earlier said that his cancer, originally detected in his liver, had spread to his brain. In June last year, Santiago announced she was diagnosed with stage-4 lung cancer and then took a leave in the Senate for treatment. Before filing her Certificate of Candidacy for president in October, she announced that her cancer had been diagnosed as stable as she continued to undergo treatment. But she also admitted she still had cancer symptoms as she was always gasping for breath. Santiago has filed several measures to help cancer patients in the Philippines, and those include Senate Bill 2136 or the Childhood Cancer Survivors’ Quality of Life Act, which seeks to improve research and programs on childhood cancer survivorship. She has also filed Senate Resolution 1215 that calls for a Senate hearing to identify legislative measures that would ease the pain of cancer patients in the Philippines. Both measures remain pending at the Senate committee on health and demography. Santiago has been lagging behind all the presidential candidates in next year’s election, but she has been leading in the mock polls and online surveys. Santiago won by a landslide in the mock polls at the University of the Philippines Los Baños recently. And she was the runaway winner in the Nov. 26 mock elections in the UPLB. Macon Ramos-Araneta

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SC: No registration extension By Rey E. Requejo, Maricel V. Cruz, Sara Susanne D. Fabunan and Rio Araja

The Supreme Court has junked the appeal of youth groups to compel the Commission on elections to extend the deadline for registration of voters for next year’s general elections. The high court dismissed the petition filed by groups led by Kabataan party-list Rep. Terry Ridon on Oct. 29 seeking the extension of the period of registration to Jan. 8 next year. The Comelec ended the registration period on Oct. 31. The Court said there was no merit in the argument of the petitioners that the poll body usurped the legislative power of Congress and violated the continuing registration system under the Automated Election Law in setting the deadline. The tribunal upheld Comelec’s position that the continuing registration system, which provides for registration until 120 or 90 days prior to the elections, does not mandate the period for registration and only prescribes a period when registration will no longer be allowed. The high court said extending the period “will gravely affect (Comelec’s) rigid and strict timeline.” Comelec welcomed the court decision, saying the period of registration—from May 6, 2014 to Oct. 31, 2015—was enough for voters to register.

“The Comelec agrees with the court’s ruling,” Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said. Earlier, the high court issued a temporary restraining order barring Comelec from implementing its “No Bio, No Boto” policy, a policy that will disenfranchise voters without digital photograph, signature and fingerprints in their registration records. At least 2.5-million voters failed to have their biometrics validated during the 17-month registration period. Ridon, the lead petitioner against the “No Bio, No Boto” policy, accused the poll body of blackmailing the high court when it warned that the TRO might derail next year’s elections. “Comelec is actually blackmailing the Supreme Court into lifting the TRO—not by arguing on legal grounds —but by spreading fears of delays in the upcoming elections, up to a point of even raising fears of a ‘no election’ scenario,” Ridon said. “All we are asking is for Comelec to abide by the Constitution. However, Comelec is using the ‘no-el’ card to cover up its refusal to abide by the Constitution,” he added.

Arrival crush. A woman arrives at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport carrying a cartload of baggage containing Christmas presents on Tuesday. The Manila International Airport Authority will begin implementing Oplan Lakbay Pasko 2015 next week in anticipation of the increase in passengers during the Christmas season. ERIC APOLONIO

Christmas, New Year furloughs given Arroyo By Rey E. Requejo and Sandy Araneta THE Supreme Court has granted Christmas and New Year furloughs to former president and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo pending the resolution of her urgent motion for house arrest. In a resolution on Tuesday,

the high court allowed Arroyo to leave the Veterans Memorial Medical Center, where she is under hospital arrest, on Dec. 23 to Dec. 26 to celebrate Christmas at her residence in La Vista Subdivision in Quezon City. Arroyo, who is being tried for plunder over the alleged misuse of P366 million in Philip-

pine Charity Sweepstakes Office funds during her term as president, was also permitted to spend New Year at La Vista from Dec. 30 to Jan. 2. “Pending the resolution of the urgent motion, the Court grants to the petitioner Christmas and New Year furloughs for the inclusive periods of

8:00 in the morning of December 23, 2015 to 5:00 in the afternoon of December 26, 2015, and of 8:00 in the morning of December 30, 2015 to 5:00 in the afternoon of January 2, 2016, to be spent exclusively at her residence at No. 14 Badjao Street, La Vista Subdivision, Quezon

City,” read the resolution. Malacañang, for its part, said the government will abide by the high court’s decision. “We respect the decision of the Supreme Court,” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said. Arroyo’s camp thanked the high court for the six-day furloughs.

‘Binay forfeiture case all wrong’ By Rey E. Requejo and Vito Barcelo

Dumaguete visit. Vice President Jejomar C. Binay pays a courtesy call on

Bishop Julito Cortes of Dumaguete City. During the meeting, the vice president expressed concern over the growing number of extra judicial killings in the city.

A fORfEITuRE case should not have been filed against Vice President Jejomar Binay at this time due to a one-year filing ban set by law, legal experts said on Tuesday. former law deans Amado Valdez of the university of the East and Pacifico Agabin of the university of the Philippines both cited Republic Act 1379, the law that gives way to the forfeiture of properties with amounts manifestly out of proportion to a public official’s salary. The two legal experts said Section 2 of the law specifically states that a forfeiture case may only be filed against a public official or

employee “provided that no such petition shall be filed within one year before any general elections or within three months before any special election.” forfeiture cases can’t be filed against public officials within a year before general elections. Also, no judgment could be rendered on forfeiture within six months before general elections,” said Valdez, who is also the president of the Philippine Association of Law Schools and founding president of the International Association of Constitutional Law. They noted that the purpose of the one-year ban is “to avoid political persecution.” “[That portion of the law was made] in order to prevent harass-

ment and ensure a level playing field,” Valdez added. The Anti-Money Laundering Council filed a forfeiture case last month before the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 57 against the bank accounts of 63 corporations and individuals, including a lone account of Binay. The AMLC petition was filed on Nov. 12, a day after the lapse of the original sixmonth freeze order on the Binays’ assets. Meanwhile, Binay expressed concern over the growing number of extrajudicial killings in Dumaguete City in Negros Oriental, calling on the church and local government leaders to fight the rising human rights abuses.

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PH warned on threat of ‘dirty’ bombs THE head of the UN nuclear watchdog agency warned Monday of the threat of terrorists getting their hands on radioactive material to make “dirty” bombs. Yukiya Amano, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said all countries should secure material which extremists could use to make such a device. “Nuclear security is a longstanding and real issue. This is a real threat in all countries where nuclear material is available to terrorists,” he said during a visit to the Philippines for an atomic energy conference. “If nuclear material falls into the hands of terrorists, that can be used for dirty bombs,” he said, referring to devices that use explosives to spread radioactive material over a wide area to poison people. Amano said such devices, which are much easier to make than an atomic bomb, could cause widespread panic if unleashed in a city. While governments have the main responsibility to secure these materials, the IAEA can help establish guidelines to guard them, he told reporters. AFP

Pitch for FOI. Youth groups and transparency advocates drum up support for the passage of the Freedom of Information Bill which remains pending at the House of Representatives despite its approval at the committee level. LINO SANTOS

US deploys spy plane in S’pore amid sea row THE United States has deployed a P-8 Poseidon spy plane in Singapore for the first time ever, both countries said, amid simmering regional tensions over Beijing’s island-building in the disputed South China Sea. China is locked in a territorial dispute with four Southeast Asian countries—including Washington allies Vietnam and the Philippines—and the US in October sent a warship near the disputed Spratly Islands chain, arguing for its right to freedom of navigation. Singapore and Washington stressed the need for a strong US military presence in the region, where the plane was deployed Monday and will remain until Dec. 14. US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter and his Singapore counterpart Ng Eng Hen “welcomed the inaugural

deployment of the P-8 Poseidon aircraft”, in a joint statement issued after a meeting in Washington on Monday. The plane’s deployment “would promote greater inter-operability with regional militaries through participation in bilateral and multilateral exercises”, the statement said. The deployment would also support disaster relief and maritime security efforts, it added. A separate statement from Singapore’s defense ministry said both ministers “reaffirmed the importance of a strong US presence in the Asia-Pacific in ensuring regional peace and stability.”

Regional diplomats said the deployment of the sophisticated spy plane is likely aimed at sending a message to China about Washington’s resolve to oppose what they describe as Beijing’s aggressive moves in the South China Sea, including its building of artificial islands in the disputed waters, through which much of the world’s trade passes. “The unstated message, of course, is that this deployment is aimed at China,” a Southeast Asian diplomat said on condition of anonymity. “And the message is that the US is here to stay, ready to support its friends and allies in the region,” the diplomat told AFP. The P-8 aircraft is a modified Boeing 737 jet equipped with advanced sensors and radar designed to gather intelligence and hunt down submarines. AFP

Marcos: Step up war on drugs, crime By Macon Araneta and Joel Zurbano

Bike sharing. MMDA chairman Emerson Carlos tries out one of the 40 mountain bikes which the agency will use in its ‘Bike Sharing Program’ in its bid to spur interest in the use of bicycles as alternative mode of transportation. JOEL ZURBANO

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AMID the rash of drug-related crimes, Senator Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Tuesday called on the government to ramp up the campaign against illegal drugs which topped the worries of the people. Marcos said a recent survey showed that the problem of illegal drugs and criminality ranking first and fifth respectively among the concerns of ordinary people and survey findings were made

evident by the arrest of 97 people in Metro Manila within five months after police renewed the crackdown on illegal drug-dealing trade. “Too often many of these crimes turn out to be drug-related,” the vice presidential candidate added. Marcos said that according to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency more than 20 percent of the 42,029 total barangays nationwide had drug-related cases last year, with the National Capital Region having the highest rate of drug-affected barangays at 92 percent.

Likewise, Marcos said that the crime rate rose by more than three times from 2010 to 2014 based on the annual reports of the Philippine Statistics Authority. Total crimes in 2014 reached 1.16-million cases compared to 324,083 cases in 2010, the PSA said. “Last August the Philippine National Police reported that the number of crimes have gone up by almost 50 percent in the first half of 2015 compared to the same period in 2014, or a total crime volume of 888,445 compared to 603,085 cases for the same period last year.”

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High court stops GMO tests By Rey E. Requejo

The Supreme Court on Tuesday permanently stopped the government from conducting field trials, propagation and commercialization, and importation of genetically modified organisms being used on plants due to risks these pose to human and the environment. In its en banc session, the SC upheld the decision issued by the Court of Appeals in May 2013, which granted the petition filed by Greenpeace and co-petitioners Magsasaka at Siyentipiko sa Pagpapaunlad ng Agrikultura (Masipag) and several other individuals for the issuance of a writ of ka-

likasan against the field testing of BT eggplant. The respondents lamented that the conduct of BT eggplant field trials has violated the constitutional right of the people to a balanced and healthful ecology. The oppositors to GMOs claimed that the Bt eggplant test

project did not comply with the required public consultation under Sections 26 and 27 of the Local Government Code. In its May 2013 decision, the CA issued a writ of kalikasan ordering the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and other concerned government agencies to permanently “cease and desist” from further conducting field trials of BT eggplant in the country. This prompted the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications Inc., Environmental Management Bureau, Crop Life Philippines Inc., University of the Philippines Los Baños Foundation Inc. University of the Philippines to file separate petitions, which was

later consolidated by the Court, seeking the reversal of the CA ruling. Aside from permanently enjoining the field testing of Bt eggplant, the SC also declared null and void the Department of Agriculture Administrative Order No. 08 providing rules and regulations for the importation and release into the environment of plants and plant products derived from the use of modern biotechology. The order specifically covers the importation or release into the environment of: (1) any plant which has been altered or produced through the use of modern biotechnology if the donor organism, host organism, or vector or vector agent belongs to the genera or

taxa classified by the Bureau of Plant Industry as meeting the definition of plant pest or is a medium for the introduction of noxious weeds; or (2) any plant or plant produce altered through the use of modern biotechnology which may pose significant risks to human health and the environment based on available scientific and technical information. SC spokesman Theodore Te revealed that as a result of the SC ruling, any application for contained use, field testing, propagation and commercialization, and importation of GMOs is temporarily enjoined until a new administrative order is promulgated in accordance with law. “The Court agreed with the

CA on its basic holdings. It reviewed the testimonies presented at the CA of the scientists tapped by petitioners and respondents. From its review, the Court noted that the scientists do not have a consensus on the safety of Bt talong and that these divergent views reflect the continuing international debate on Genetically Modified Organisms and the varying degrees of acceptance of GM technology by States, especially in the developed countries,” the SC through Associate Justice Martin Villarama Jr. ruled. The SC held that the existing regulations issued by the DA and the DOST were insufficient to guarantee the safety of the environment and the health of the people.

Six killed in Mindanao land dispute

Green Xmas. Members of the Ecowaste Coalition display decorations fashioned out of common household recyclables at a ‘Green Christmas Ideas’ event to encourage people to learn to recycle waste materials not only during the holidays but throughout the year. LINO SANTOS

Public Works sets aside P357b for infra buildup

Uber, Grabcar excluded from TRO, judge clarifies By Rio N. Araja THE Quezon City Regional Trial Court on Tuesday maintained that its 20-day temporary restraining order imposed on Uber and GrabCar does not cover existing operations earlier granted accreditations by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board. Branch 217 Judge Santiago Arenas clarified that the scope of his TRO applies to the Department of Transportation and Communications and LTFRB which are restrained from issuing new accreditations to operate the mobile app-based private car services. Arenas said the petitioner, Stop and Go Transport Coalition, did not mention the names of Uber and GrabCar in its petition. Because of such, she did summon the two companies to be a party to the case. Citing DoTC’s Department Order 2015-11 allowing the operation of other new modes of transportation, such as premium taxi, airport bus and rapid bus transport, government lawyers requested clarification on the TRO’s coverage. Arenas asserted that his TRO will re-

main, but told the petitioner to ask him to inhibit or stay away from the case. A hearing for a writ of preliminary injunction is set on Dec. 15 at 2:30 p.m. But Stop & Go Transport Coalition, however, insisted that the TRO’s function is to prevent the existing operation of Uber and GrabCar services, and not the future operations. Its lawyer, David Erro, questioned the lower court’s failure to state categorically the TRO’s coverage on future operation of such transport services. Arenas said the restraining order does not include Uber and GrabCar because of their non-inclusion in the petition of Stop & Go. “If Uber and Grab are indispensable parties, they should have been included in the petition,” he added. The petitioner said Uber and GrabCar’s operation has caused “grave and irreparable injury and damages,” and that its members bear the brunt of reduced income when private cars belonging to the TNVS have started to flood Metro Manila. Stop & Go president Jun Magno said their income have dipped by 50 percent because of Uber and GrabCar.

AT LEAST six people were killed when suspected Muslim guerrillas clashed with armed Christian settlers in Mindanao on Tuesday in a feud over land, police said. At least 30 armed men, suspected to be from a Muslim rebel group, descended on the southern town of Tulunan on Mindanao island and began harassing Christian farmers at noon, said Senior Inspector Ronnie Dillera, the town police chief. The Christians fought back, triggering a gunbattle that lasted about three hours and left three villagers and three Muslim gunmen dead, he added. The clash was an offshoot of a dispute over a 10-hectare (25-acre) lot between Christians and Muslims in the area, the police chief added. Although the Philippines is largely Catholic, there is a significant Muslim minority which counts the southern region as its traditional homeland. Christian settlement in the south has led to violent clashes with Muslims over the years including a Muslim insurgency that has claimed over 100,000 lives since the 1970s. AFP

Toy Guns, Not. Quezon City Police Director Edgardo Tinio and Station Commander Supt. Dario Anasco inspect the high-powered guns seized from one of the suspects in the foiled hijacking of a truckload of paints along La Loma Street in Quezon City. LINO SANTOS

THE Department of Public Works and Highways on Tuesday said it was looking for contractors to carry out the P357 billion worth of projects under the 2016 national spending plan for public infrastructure development. Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson said the DPWH has allocated P84 billion from the P273.9-billion 2015 budget as part of the government’s determined efforts to further boost the infrastructure investment. Singson said that the construction industry in the Philippines has a positive future especially for those contractors with Philippine Contractor’s Accreditation Board licenses. However, the prospective contractors have to conform to project’s equipment resources, financial and expertise requirements, technical personnel and to demonstrate competence in terms of ability to participate in competitive public bidding, added Singson. Vito Barcelo

W E D N E S D AY : D E C E M B E R 9, 2 0 1 5

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PNP official cites Abra youth’s role in covenant for peace By Dexter A. See

Easy train. Residents of Lucena City use a motorized cart that runs on the abandoned railroad tracks of the Philippine National Railways. DIANA B. NOCHE

‘Power from Aboitiz plant not enough for Mindanao’ By Froilan Gallardo

CAGAYAN DE ORO—A spokesman of the Cagayan Electric Power and Light Company said that additional power from an Aboitiz-owned coal power plant which has resumed operations Monday is not enough to address the power situation in Mindanao. Marilyn Chaves, spokesperson of nication manager of Aboitiz Power Cepalco, said that while they had Corp., said Unit 1 of their Therma started receiving the extra electricity Marine South generating 150 megafrom Aboitiz, it came in trickles and watts of electricity went operational had merely shortened their power at 8 a.m. Monday to help address outages to two and a half hours from the bleak power outlook in Mindanao worsened by El Niño. the usual four hours. He added that another coal plant, She added that Cagayan de Oro City was running a daily deficit of also generating 150 megawatts, is expected to be operational by Feb52 megawatts. Wilfredo Rodolfo III, commu- ruary next year.

Both Aboitiz-owned coal plants in Toril, Davao del Sur were shut down only a few months after it went operational in August this year. The shutdown strained the power outlook of Mindanao already strained by the effects of the El Nino on the island’s hydroelectric plants. According to Chaves, the Cepalco Christmas tree in Cagayan de Oro’s Divisoria, a source of pride for the residents, has remained unlit as of Monday night despite the additional electricity from Aboitiz. Romeo Montenegro, director of Mindanao Authority Investment Promotions and Public Information, said major Mindanao cities like Cagayan de Oro and Davao suffer the most because Christmas season is their highest

peak demand for electricity. “Smaller cities and towns can easily offset their electricity demand for Christmas by tapping to their modular generating sets,” he said. Montenegro said the dry spell brought by El Nino has lowered the water elevation of Lake Lanao to 700.88 meters and Pulangi River in Bukidnon to 282.5 meters on Monday. He said Pulangi hydro plant in Bukidnon is only producing 60 megawatts when it is capable of producing 255 megawatts of electricity on normal times. Montenegro said, on the other hand, the Agus hydro plants, a complex of six hydro plants, is now only producing 269 megawatts when it is capable of producing more than 700 megawatts of electricity.

BANGUED, Abra—Director Benjamin B. Magalong of the Directorate for Investigation of the Philippine National Police cited the active involvement of the youth sector in the province in the achievement of lasting peace. “They were able to prove their crucial role,” he said. Magalong, together with Maj. Gen. Angelito de Leon of the Philippine Army’s 7th Infantry Division, PRO-COR regional director Chief Superintendent Ulysses G. Abellera and provincial election supervisor May Rachel Belmes Beronilla, witnessed the signing of the peace covenant among political leaders, tribal leaders, religious, youth leaders and other stakeholders in order to renew their commitment for efforts in the attainment of lasting peace in Abra. The PNP official admitted that during the preparations for the May 2013 mid-term elections, the youth was not a major factor in the peace initiative because we had difficulty in engaging them. Thus, the recent youth-driven covenant is considered a breakthrough in the peace process. “We will not allow anyone to ruin the gains of our peace initiatives because we will use the full force against those who will try to continue compromising the lasting peace that we have initially achieved in the province,” Magalong stressed. He pointed out that Abrenians must be proud that the peacekeeping interventions that they were able to put in place in the May 2013 mid-term elections is now being used as a template in the implementation of the appropriate peacekeeping initiatives in other conflict-stricken areas for the benefit of the present and future generations. According to him, the police and military will not allow Abra to go back to its dark days. “We will continue engaging all sectors in order to elevate peacekeeping interventions and strategies to greater heights so that Abra will become one of the most developed localities in the country in the future.”

Zamboanga high school saves P2m from Brigada Eskwela National Schools Maintenance Week, is a joint volTAMBULIG, Zamboanga untary action of parents, del Sur—By generating an local government unit unprecedented total saving officials and community of some P2 million from the leaders in undertaking miimplementation of the 2015 nor repair or rehabilitation Department of Education’s on public schools before Brigada Eskwela, Tambulig opening of classes to enNational High School was sure physical safety of redeclared last month’s cham- turning student enrollees. pion in the regional big high NSMW, led by school school category for Zambo- heads, also involves doanga Peninsula, a top educa- nation by LGU and civtion official said. ic-spirited persons of Education Region 9 assorted construction Director Isabelita Borres materials—lumber, sand said Brigada, also called and gravel, cement, nails,

By A. Perez Rimando

wires, bamboo poles and GI sheets—for use in the repair of school facilities, including desks, arm chairs, tables, windows, doors, ceilings, corridors and pathways.Some individuals contributed cash. School principal Luther D. Castelo said the generated savings during the week-long Brigada covered the combined total equivalent cost of labor by volunteer parents as well as the total value of donated construction materials from LGU officials and concerned community leaders.

Painted faces. Children enjoy an early Christmas party at Crosswinds, Tagaytay City.

EY ACASIO

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opinion

ADELLE chuA eDItor

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opinion

Who can Stop looSe-lipS duterte?

[ EDI TORI A L ]

SmokeScreen argumentS

Back cHanneL aLeJanDro DeL roSarIo

ARGUABLY the best idea to come out of the Department of Transportation and Communications is the plan to phase out old jeepneys, diesel-burning clunkers that pollute the air and clog our city streets. But faced with a noisy protest from a public transport group, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board seems to be backing down. The board’s chairman, Winston Ginez, now says the phaseout isn’t a policy yet, and that the draft memorandum circular was only for consultation purposes, and has not been signed yet. There is no plan to carry it out by 2016, he adds, and the LTFRB will continue to hold consultations about how and when the phaseout will be implemented. This soft-pedaling is a mistake. Ginez himself explained the rationale for the phaseout succinctly in a radio interview “We have already phased out old units of taxi, bus, school service and utility vehicles... We have to ensure the safety and convenience of our passengers. It is long overdue,” he said, noting that the phaseout of public utility vehicles older than 15 years is in line with modernization plans of transport-related government agencies. In opposing the phaseout, the Alliance of Concerned Transport Organizations said the phaseout would take out 90 percent of the PUJs in the Philippines, since most of the 60,000 public utility jeepneys are “surplus” units dating back to year 2000 or earlier. The move, they said, would jeopardize the livelihood of more than 160,000 drivers and 45,000 operators. Other transport leaders from Piston accuse the government of wanting to force jeepney operators to buy new, more expensive vehicles from government-approved suppliers. The phaseout, they charge, is not about the commuter or clean air, but about fat commissions on the sale of the new vehicles. They also say jeepney drivers overhaul their machines regularly, and that all their parts are replaced to comply with government testing. While there may be some validity to these objections, none of them adequately address the fundamental disadvantages of using aging equipment no matter how well maintained, particularly where public health and safety are concerned. If the objection to the phaseout is anchored on allegations of corruption, then these must be investigated and adequate safeguards should be put in place. The solution isn’t to scrub the phaseout, just make sure it is correctly and honestly implemented. If the problem is what to do with the displaced jeepney drivers, this too can be addressed with proper planning and implementation. Finally, anybody who believes that 15-year-old jeepneys are roadworthy and an acceptable mode of public transportation in this day and age should take a ride in one, bask in the fumes emanating from their exhaust pipes and watch as their drivers stop and go as they please, without consideration to other motorists on the road. To argue that jeepneys should not be phased out because they are a tradition is to say we never should have stopped burning wood for fuel. The romanticized notion that the jeepney is a testament to Filipino ingenuity and resourcefulness because it was built out of army jeeps left behind by the US forces after World War II is today as outdated as the vehicle itself. We need a better symbol of Filipino ingenuity and resourcefulness—preferably one that doesn’t belch smoke.

Shut up already

As it stumbles through its last months in office, the Aquino administration is doing its best to get what it believes to be the most needful things done in the little time it has remaining. High on the list—and this is no joke—is the passage in Congress of the Bangsamoro Basic Law. Yesterday, President Noynoy

Aquino called an “all-party caucus” of the members of the House of Representatives in Malacañang Palace to ask lawmakers to approve the BBL. There were no reports of large amounts of cash being handed over to the 120 or so congressmen who came, so i’m guessing the law ceding large territories and immense powers to the Moro islamic Liberation Front is just not going to get approved. You can, if you’re president, lead most congressmen to the palace. But if you’re not going

to spread some Christmas cheer, you can’t make them drink any more of that Yellow Kool-Aid. Why Aquino refuses to give up on the passage of his BBL is really hard to understand. After all, if the President had really wanted to get important stuff done, he could simply agree to lower income taxes for both businesses and individuals; or maybe he can ask the House to just pass the Freedom of information Act already, like he promised when he was just campaigning

You’re still president, yes, but no one wants to listen to you anymore.

solely on the strength of being Ninoy and Cory’s only son. But why BBL, which no one except the MiLF and Aquino’s peace negotiators wants approved anymore? Why BBL, when he can’t even solve the traffic mess or even fix the airport?

i swear i don’t know. All i know is, this President will be remembered for, among other things no one in his position and in his right mind would be proud of, his single-minded determination to give up large swaths of territory and nearly all his government’s powers

to a rebel movement that can’t even bring its own “soldiers” to justice after killing 44 elite state troops in Mamasapano. Because Aquino is who he is, he can’t even get it through his head that no one, not even gift-seeking congressmen, believes that passing BBL is such an important thing. And if he were truly honest, not even Mar Roxas will concede that Aquino is still relevant in the national conversation—or even a real political

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force—anymore. if i were Aquino, i’d continue accepting invitations to travel abroad from anyone who still cares to listen to me whine, blame and paint rosy pictures of progress and growth that have absolutely no connection to reality. Here, in his own country, Aquino is simply a non-factor, a total lame duck whom everyone expects to make as little a fuss as possible until he returns to the obscurity that he enjoyed all his life prior to

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somehow ending up as President of this troubled land. Nobody wants to hear you push your BBL anymore, Mr. President. And now that you can’t even cajole, threaten or bribe your Congress allies into doing what you want, not even they will want to hear a word from you until your valedictory speech at the end of June next year. if you feel a compelling urge to open your mouth to speak (as opposed to Continued on A11

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

WHo can stop Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte’s surge to the presidency in 2016, now that the Commission on Elections has cleared the way for his substitution for Martin Diño as PDPLaban presidential candidate? The answer, according to Buhay Party-List Rep. Lito Atienza, is Duterte himself. Rody Do Dirty topped the latest social Weather stations survey with 38 percent, ahead of former frontrunner senator Grace Poe and Vice President Jejomar Binay who are tied at second place with 21 percent. Roxas trails a distant third at 15 percent. The sWs poll, taken on Nov. 26-28 before Duterte cursed Pope Francis, did not reflect an expected backlash over the irreverent outburst. “Duterte will self destruct with his foul and vulgar language. But he is what he is and you can’t change him. otherwise he won’t be Duterte,” said Atienza who assailed the Davao mayor for uttering the “p…..ina” expletive against Pope Francis during the pontiff’s visit to Manila. “Just because you’re stuck in traffic, you’re going to blame and curse the head of the Roman Catholic church? it does not speak well of a man who wants to lead the nation,” said Atienza, adding Duterte’s disrespect of Pope Francis who’s loved by millions of Filipinos is going to cost him a lot of votes. if there’s anything that could get Atienza’s dander up, it’s someone attacking the Church and the Pope. A staunch pro-life Catholic, the Buhay Party-List congressman dismissed Duterte’s damage control statement that he will donate P1,000 to Caritas Davao Foundation every time he uses the cuss word “Pi.” “What? A thousand pesos for a license to use foul language? i dread what Duterte will say to a head of foreign government whose face he simply doesn’t like,” said Atienza. He also decried Duterte’s public pronouncement that he will kill all the criminals to stop the runaway crime, calling it a draconian measure where he will be judge and executioner without due process. Unsolicited advice to bets For Grace Poe: Watch your back. or your side. Mar Roxas and 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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W E D N E S D AY : D E c E M B E R 9, 2 0 1 5

opinion

ADELLE chuA eDItor

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

opinion

Who can Stop looSe-lipS duterte?

[ EDI TORI A L ]

SmokeScreen argumentS

Back cHanneL aLeJanDro DeL roSarIo

Shut up already

You’re still president, yes, but no one wants to listen to you anymore.

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A10 Mar’s Minus factor EvERy year at this time, the Department of Health, the Philippine National Police and local governments in Metro Manila launch a campaign against the use of firecrackers and pyrotechnics to welcome the New year. Every year, many are hospitalized, injured and maimed, even killed by stray bullets so much so that the yearly “Iwas Putok” campaign has become a joke. The use of firecrackers and other forms of pyrotechnics is a carryover from the community of Chinese in the Philippines who believe that these ward off evil spirits. What is strange is that the Chinese themselves in Hong Kong, Singapore and elsewhere have stopped this practice. I know because I’ve been to these places for the holidays. They greet the New year with fireworks and pyrotechnics display at designated places only. My gulay, why don’t the LGUs in Metro Manila just ban the sale and use of firecrackers? In other cities—Davao, for instance—the sale and use of firecrackers are banned. Why can’t we do the same for Metro Manila and just have designated places for fireworks display for the benefit of all? It could even be a tourist attraction! I have told that banned (hence, smuggled) firecrackers are now being sold at Divisoria. Just how these were able to enter the Philippines may be explained by Customs Commissioner Bert Lina. Soon, these The President’s may find their way to Bocaue, Bulacan. endorsement is not *** When President doing Roxas’ candidacy any good. Aquino anointed former Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas as the administration candidate and assured Roxas of his campaign support, I wrote that the endorsement would be a kiss of death. With Mar Roxas still lagging behind Mrs. Mary Grace Natividad Sonora Poe, vice President Jojo Binay and now Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte—the top choice despite all his vulgarity, profanity and obscenity—it should now be clear to Mar that President Aquino’s support has become a handicap. The mere mention of “Daang Matuwid” reminds people of the utter incompetence, ineptitude, hypocrisy, lies, lack of empathy and selective justice of the Aquino administration. Read this, Mar, and weep: Filipinos are not likely to support the candidate endorsed by President Aquino. Recall that Mar lost to Binay in 2010 because he was badly handled by his publicists. He was packaged as a man of the masses, called “Mr. Palengke,” made to carry a sack of rice, made to drive a pedicab. These were not acceptable to the people who know him as rich and elitist. In other words, he’s a fake. Now, Mar is committing a bigger mistake by having President Aquino endorse him under the so-called “Daang Matuwid” slogan. I can only sympathize with Mar. The long shadow of BS Aquino III follows him everywhere. *** The London-based Amnesty International has raised red flags about the human rights record of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte. It expressed alarm over the people’s fascination with his vulgarity, profanity, obscenity to the extent of even cursing His Holiness, Pope Francis. In my earlier columns, I wondered why people around him, and even his two senator-backers, Koko Pimentel and Alan Peter Cayetano, are cheering Duterte on. This is so un-Filipino and un-Christian. Amnesty International added that it had been monitoring Duterte’s activities. The group is raising red flags as well. My gulay, in my over 65 years as a journalist, I have

W E D N E S D AY : D E C E M B E R 9, 2 0 1 5

OPINION

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Marrogeddon: election by exclusion THE plot has suddenly thickened. The game, it seems, is to eliminate all the rivals of an administration candidate named Manuel Araneta Roxas so that only one—he— remains the aspirant for the 2016 presidency. It is election by exclusion. It is MarRogeddon. The first to fall is Senator Grace Poe, an independent presidential candidate. The three-member second division of the Commission on Elections has declared her lacking in the 10-year residency required of presidents and therefore, she has to be disqualified. She has three other disqualification cases in the first division of the Comelec, not to mention another case for disqualification before the Supreme Court. In each case of disqualification, there are two issues involved—the 10-year residency and her being not a natural born citizen of the Philippines. Poe may win in one but lose in the other. Or lose both. Poe won in the Senate Electoral Tribunal which declared her a natural-born Filipino on account on her being a foundling. However, the Comelec second division ruled she does not fulfill the 10-year residency. In the second division, the Comelec used her own admission when she ran for senator in 2013, that she had lived in the Philippines since November 2006, or six years and six months before the May 2013 senatorial elections. Now, the May 2016 presidential election is six months short of 10 years from November 2006. The next victim perhaps will be long-time Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte. He is a substitute presidential candidate of PDP-Laban. But the guy who originally filed his candidacy on behalf of PDP-Laban, Martin Diño, listed mayor of Pasay as the position he was running for. Diño also listed his residence address as Quezon City. If Duterte is a substitute for Diño, then he should be running for Pasay mayor, not as president of the Philippines. Duterte has a lackadaisical attitude about the possibility of his being disqualified. “I will not die,” he says, adding “it [being president] is not really my ambition.” Comelec still has to call a hearing on whether Duterte is qualified to run. All seven Comelec commissioners, including the chairman, are

appointees of President BS Aquino III, the patron and god of Mar Roxas. Duterte has acquired the reputation of being a killer mayor, the punisher. That’s how he achieved peace and order in Davao, today dubbed as the fifth safest city in the world— through Death Squads looking for characters each night to eliminate from the face of the earth. The ranking was made by crowd-sourcing survey site Numbeo.com based purely on crime index. After Poe and Duterte is an equally big fish—vice President Jejomar Binay of the United Nationalist Alliance. The vice president is facing at least five plunder cases before the Office of the Ombudsman where the chief, Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales, is also a BS Aquino appointee. Plunder is when a government official steals money worth at least P50 million. The accused is jailed, without bail, while on trial. Plunder is a subjective case, depending on how mean or malicious the Ombudsman is. Carpio-Morales is an aloof and menacing figure. I don’t think she is an admirer of Binay. She has shown that she can be very selective in the administration of justice. As CarpioMorales’ fellow Ilocano, Ferdinand Marcos once said, “everything is yellow before a jaundiced eye.” Justice Carpio-Morales loves colors. “Well, some cases against him [Binay] are still pending, some have already been resolved and there are pending motions for reconsideration,” she was quoted by GMA News yesterday at a painting event. She has already ousted Binay’s son, JunJun, as mayor of Makati, on graft findings. Poe, Duterte, Binay. They have one common quality. Each has led the presidential race, at one time or another, by a wide margin over the Liberal Party’s Mar Roxas, according to polls. Binay was the seemingly unbeatable frontrunner before the Senate yellow Ribbon Anti-Graft Committee conducted two dozen hearings on alleged corruption by the Binays at Makati City Hall in 2014 to 2015.

never heard a presidential candidate vow to kill and get away with it. It can’t be generation gap: What was wrong during the time of Christ is still wrong today. What particularly distressed the human rights group was when Duterte said that if elected he would revive the death penalty and to “execute on a weekly basis.” If he wins, then I would wonder where we are going for the next six years. *** Senator Mary Grace Natividad Sonora Poe now says that she did not mean to deceive the electorate when she filed her Certificate of Candidacy for President. This is according to her lawyer who wants the Comelec en banc to reverse the decision disqualifying her, earlier handed down by its Second Division. Oh yeah? No intention to receive the electorate when she claimed in her CoC that she had been a resident of the Philippines for 10 years and 11 months to qualify her for the presidency? This is why the Comelec commissioners of the Second Division disqualified her. She misrepresented her residency

When Binay fell behind, Poe assumed survey leadership in the race for much of 2015. After Poe’s nationality and residency were questioned, Duterte took the helm by yearend, leaving behind Binay, Poe and Roxas by a mile—38 percent versus 21 percent for both Binay and Poe, and 15 percent for Roxas, per a pro-Duterte private survey of 1,200 respondents conducted by the Social Weather Stations which happily has the habit of making findings favorable to the one who commissions the survey. If someone with big money can commission SWS or for that matter Pulse Asia, to survey if indeed there are living things on Mars or on the Moon, I am sure these two pollsters can locate cooperative respondents happily responding to pre-determined questions. When Binay wanted to know if he could win the presidency, SWS and Pulse Asia happily obliged, for the right reasons. Grace Poe also got positive results from the two agencies. As does Duterte now. The only candidate who cannot do it (lead surveys) is Mar Roxas. He is that unpopular. Aquino III is that unpopular. SWS and Pulse Asia will probably close shop if one day, out of the blue, they find that Mar Roxas is the unbeatable frontrunner in their surveys. Roxas topping surveys? Tell that to the marines marooned in the South China Sea and tossed by rough waters claimed by China. “P*tang ina!” the marines would shout. What to do, then? Well, we have this unique BS Aquino III invention —election by exclusion. Exclude Mar’s rivals before they could participate in the May 2016 elections. How? By disqualifying them. The other name for election by exclusion is MarRogeddon. It is the systematic shaming, humiliation, and elimination of the opposition from the May 2016 election. In the Bible, Armageddon is the final battle between God and His enemies. It is a metaphor for someone pretending to be god and eliminating those who refuse to submit to his rule. In the Philippines, the Invisible Presence has his yellow army and jaundice-infected minions at the lower courts, Comelec, Ombudsman and the Supreme Court. biznewsasia@gmail.com

status when she claimed under oath in her senatorial CoC that she had been a resident of the Philippines for six years and six months when she ran for the 2013 elections. She never corrected it because she never dreamed of running for the presidency. Intelligent as she is, Mrs. Llamanzares cannot now claim it to be an honest mistake. Mrs. Llamanzares also claims that the Comelec has no jurisdiction on the qualifications of a candidate. Obviously, the lawyer can’t read English. The Omnibus Election Code precisely mandates the Comelec to rule on the qualifications of candidates for office. That’s why they have to file their CoC to be decided by the Comelec. However, if Mrs. Llamanzares’ lawyers want to contest the decision on the ground that the Comelec abused its discretion in excess of jurisdiction, they can elevate the issue to the Supreme Court. But, to say that Mrs. Llamanzares had no intention to deceive the electorate, that’s a lie. This is like the time she lied when she claimed under oath that she was the naturalborn daughter of Fernando Poe Jr. and Susan Roces.

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OPINION

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

SleeperS EVERYoNE was caught by surprise at the Social Weather Stations survey that showed Rodrigo Roa Duterte of Mindanao and the “Bisdak” nation was leading the pack of presidential candidates—as of Nov. 26 to 28, that is. Not just leading, but leading widely. His 38-percent nationwide rating was followed by Vice President Jejomar Binay’s and Senator Grace Poe’s at a 21-percent even-steven rating. In fine, if elections were held on the last days of November, Duterte would have won with a margin of anywhere from seven to nine million votes over either of the two. That’s a decisive margin by any standard. Look at it another way: If you add up Binay’s and Poe’s numbers, the sum is 42, which is statistically tied to Duterte’s 38. And Mar has to do a lot more lying atop an ice block, or making “cute” chestbumps with James Yap and Billy Crawford, and arrange interviews with Daniel Padilla and Boy Abunda, to pedal his 15 points to Digong’s 38. Mar must recall what his professor in Price Theory taught him about the “Red Queen” effect—run and run, huff and puff, and yet you see yourself in the same place from whence you started. Skeptics and sour-graping Monday morning quarterbacks are now questioning the provenance of the SWS-conducted survey. Who commissioned it? The same guys who throw that inane question know that reliable pollsters like SWS and Pulse

who... From A9 Jojo Binay may not be the sinister shadows behind your disqualification cases. Who benefits if you win the elections but get disqualified? Your running mate, Chiz Escudero, becomes president in case he tops the vice presidential race. Chiz recently met with Jojo whom he helped propel to the vice presidency in 2010. It’s time for Poe to make a graceful exit and thwart Escudero’s master stroke to become instant president.

Asia would not “sell” their reputation for a few million bucks. These pollsters have been around for decades, and know that their credibility and staying power depends on the integrity of their sampling methods and the science by which they design their research. Who commissioned which survey is of absolutely no moment, except as a fleeting propaganda tool mouthed by the un-knowing to try to hoodwink the unlettered. How did the candidates react to previous surveys where SWS or Pulse trumpeted their chances? Poe would “thank the people for their trust.” So did Binay last year, until the “dam” of “mala-Kew gardens” and the parking building broke. And Mar Roxas’ handlers would ululate in joy when his numbers doubled, even if they were still in single-digit territory. As for the loquacious Senator Trillanes, why, he has his own survey outfit, and he trots these out to whoever would listen. Now he says Duterte’s numbers are all about a communications plan. Anybody who runs a presidential campaign knows the importance of having regularly conducted surveys. And surveys done to measure the impact of certain events in a campaign, to be released to the public if the results are positive, and kept in the war room “for a few eyes only” if they do not measure up to desired levels. A November 11-12 NCR “dipstick” done by Pulse Asia,

This country needs more than good intentions and promises not to “steal or favor anyone in my government.” To Mar Roxas: Please stop mouthing BS Aquino’s “tuwid na daan.” Kumita na’yan sa takilya. Voters don’t like re-runs with the same BS (bad script, or cow manure). Take note you’re lagging behind the poll surveys because of perception you are nothing but PNoy’s recycled clone. To Jojo Binay: Aren’t you “too little, too late” in

#failocracy

shut up... From A9 keeping it open for no reason other than that is how it is, whether you are speaking or not), just stick a Marlboro in it. Don’t trouble us anymore with your doomed BBL or any more of your last-minute “priorities.” You’re still president, yes. But no one wants to listen to you anymore. *** Speaking of Mar Roxas, a would-be meme from the Aquinoanointed candidate has the chief of the Philippine National Police,

so I see LIto banayo which was reported some three weeks ago, had Duterte already leading the pack. His numbers in Mindanao had been on a slight downtrend, clearly brought about by the confusion on whether he would or would not run. After the oct. 16 no-show at the Comelec, many Mindanaoans may have felt it was over for their fellow, and began shifting to other candidates, notably, Poe and Roxas. But the NCR numbers showed that Duterte’s message and his persona had gained traction and acceptance. Even the September survey figures of Pulse Asia also showed that he had increased considerably, from 14 points in June to 21 points in September. When he topped NCR last Nov. 11-12 at 31 points, it must have dawned upon his handlers that they had to measure the “sleepers,” or those who were emotionally attached to the mayor and would actually vote for him, IF he was a candidate. Which is why that SWS survey of Nov. 26 to 28 made sense. The mayor declared his candidacy was “on the table” the night of Nov. 21. He openly declared he was running the following day. And on Nov. 27, after days of being hounded by media wherever he went, and after a brief Hong Kong plan-

criticizing NoyP after serving in his Cabinet for five years like an altar boy until he anointed someone else? To Rody Do Dirty: Take heed from an old British war time adage—“loose lips sink ships. Instead of feeding the fish with the corpses of criminals, why don’t you advocate the return of the death penalty? That has more traction with voters than vigilante justice. To Miriam Defensor Santiago: Stay the course. You’re not really my choice but you’re the only choice left in a field barren of leaders.

Director General Ricardo Marquez, testifying about a supposed sterling quality of his former boss in this manner: “It is very rare that you see a secretary [like Roxas] holding meetings as early as 6 a.m. and working as late as 10 p.m.” I really don’t know if Marquez said this. But I think that, far from being a virtue, holding earlymorning meetings and working until late at night isn’t really a positive attribute. All Marquez’s testimony tells me is that Roxas probably enjoys conducting

ning session with his vice presidential team-mate Alan Peter Cayetano, he withdrew his CoC for mayor of Davao, and Atty. Salvador Medialdea filed his CoC and PDP-Laban Cona at the Comelec office in Intramuros. The declaratory events and the filing coincided with SWS’ field research. What was surprising was the big, big bump. Almost five out of 10 Metro Manilans would vote for him during that time frame. Five of 10 in Mindanao. Four of 10 in Visayas, and 2.6 in 10 out of the rest of Luzon. Clearly, there was a multitude of “sleepers,” those who believe in his persona, as well as connect to his message. Should the competition have been surprised, such that now, even palace spokespersons have to publicly pooh-pooh the results? Is Grace Poe right when she attributes her creeping survey downtrend to the disqualification cases? or has temporary showbiz luster been losing its sheen as more people get to know her? She does not have sleepers, only “parkers”, or those who temporarily parked in her political yard lot, because they did not “like” either Binay or Mar. The song in her mind ought to be something only guys like Erap and Jojo can still warble, “It was fascination…” But will Duterte’s “sleepers” remain with him? What could be the “fall-out” of the “P…i” incident referencing

Back up Bongbong, foil Chiz’s Machiavellian moves. Meanwhile, President Aquino advised the Filipino community in Rome, where he took a swipe at all of Mar Roxas’ rivals, to be more discerning in choosing their leaders in the 2016 presidential elections. He should have said that in 2010 before undiscerning Filipinos voted for him as president. Incidentally, we are not holding you, Mr. President, to your promise to let yourself and Jun Abaya be run over by a train if the Cavite-to-Manila railway is

meetings. And that, given his wellknown penchant for “paralysis by analysis,” what Roxas accomplishes by working so long on a daily basis is so disproportionate to the time and effort he puts in. Consider Roxas’ stint as transportation secretary, his first gig under this administration. Roxas got nothing done in that sensitive department except prepare the awarding of the maintenance contract of the MRT Line 3 to officials of a shadowy company that is now charged with various offenses that caused

the papal visit? More quantitative research needs to be done by both the Duterte camp and his competition. And qualitative research as well. What Duterte’s stunning numbers indicate is that so far it is against his message that all others will be compared. The mayor of Davao has caught the voters’ imagination, and to a great extent, beyond that, their brand loyalty. The competition will do either or both of two things: tarnish Duterte, and try improving their own image. Thus far, it’s been the first tactic—negative propaganda. Note that Amnesty International “bleeding hearts” fired their oft-blasted cannonballs the day after the public release of the SWS survey. Yet up to now, the “istambay” and the “barbero” in the warrens of the poor and lower middle class ask: “e ang tagal-tagal na niyong sinasabi ‘yan, wala naman kayong kasong isinasampa. Puro kayo daldal, puro kaya hinala, wala naman kayong pruweba.” The other tactic is more difficult. How can the competition “improve,” even re-invent their image? That is a very difficult thing to do Ask Serge osmeña. Which means Digong has to brace himself for more negative propaganda aimed at his person, from the supporters, paid or real, who his competitors are lining up against him. Where before they did not mind this “flash-in-the-pan” candidate from down South, now they are shocked and awed.

not completed by the end of your term. We don’t see that happening since there are no rail tracks and trains in sight for that project. It’s already the end of his term. I didn’t believe NoyP made that promise until I was shown the video and heard him say it. Anyway, if Aquino meant what he said, there’s always the Metro Rail Transit as alternative. But with the MRT breaking down almost daily, the chances of Aquino and Abaya surviving are quite good.

the breakdown of that all-important commuter rail line. And yet, the maintenance deal was signed only after Roxas had moved on to the post of interior and local government secretary, thus allowing his successor to claim as his defense the fact that he approved it even if he had just been on the job for a couple of days. And that’s just one deal. Roxas may work all day and most of the night. But he never seems to get anything—except the odd “epal” photo op—done.

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sports sports@thestandard.com.ph

LeBron seals lifetime Nike deal LOS ANGELES—LeBron James has signed a lifetime deal with US sporting goods giant Nike it was confirmed on Monday in what was described as the largest single athlete deal in the company’s history. Nike confirmed the agreement -believed to be the first lifetime deal in the company’s 44-year history -in a brief statement. “We can confirm that we have agreed to a lifetime relationship with LeBron that provides significant value to our business, brand

and shareholders,” Nike said. “We have already built a strong LeBron business over the past 12 years, and we see the potential for this to continue to grow throughout his playing career and beyond.” No figures for the deal were available but a source familiar with the

terms told ESPN it easily eclipsed the $300 million (277 million euros), 10-year deal Nike signed with Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant. Nike has a longstanding partnership with Michael Jordan but has never announced a lifetime deal before. Sales of Nike’s Air Jordan brand have exceeded $2.2 billion in sales since 1985. Nike, which signed James to a lu-

crative seven-year $90 million deal in 2003, has made 13 versions of LeBron’s signature shoe, with annual sales expected to pass $400 million for 2015. According to Forbes.com, James is the sixth highest earning athlete in the world, raking in annual earnings of $64.8 million according to a list issued in June. The Cleveland Cavaliers star’s net worth is estimated at around $300 million. AFP

Nowitzki outshines Porzingis in Mavs’ win

NEW YORK—Dirk Nowitzki scored 25 points as the Dallas Mavericks put rookie Kristaps Porzingis and the New York Knicks in their place with a 104-97 victory at Madison Square Garden on Monday. Latvian rookie Porzingis—who idolized German star Nowitzki as a schoolboy —top scored with 28 points in a furious late onslaught for New York but it was not enough to overhaul Dallas. The towering 7ft 3in Porzingis, one of the standout rookies of the season so far, helped slash a 98-81 deficit with 5:52 left in the fourth quarter to just 101-97 with 43 seconds on the clock. But just as memorable comeback was on the cards, the Mavericks reasserted themselves through Nowitzki and Deron Williams to hold on for the win. Nowitzki had six rebounds along with his 25-point haul while Williams finished with 20 points and seven assists. Porzingis sank 13 of 19 shots from the floor and also contributed two blocks. Team-mate Carmelo Anthony added 17 points with eight assists and six rebounds. - Hornets sting Pistons In Charlotte, the Hornets romped past the Detroit Pistons 104-84 in a surprisingly lopsided victory. Center Cody Zeller ran the show for the Hornets, missing starter Al Jefferson who is nursing a calf injury.

Arellano U, Benilde rip volley foes LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers looks on during a game against the Miami Heat at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. AFP

Tokyo 2020 gets new logo proposals TOKYO—Tokyo 2020 Olympics organizers said Tuesday they have received more than 14,500 suggestions for a new logo after the original choice was withdrawn because of a plagiarism scandal. The organizing committee in August dropped the emblem put forward by Japanese designer Kenjiro Sano following allegations it too closely resembled that of a theatre in the Belgian city of Liege created by designer Olivier Debie. “We’ve received 14,599 applications,” Ryohei Miyata, head of the Tokyo 2020 emblem committee and dean of Tokyo University of the Arts, told

reporters a day after Monday’s deadline. Among them, 12,900 came from individuals and 1,699 were submitted by groups including primary schoolchildren. “The age range is from less than 12 months in age to a 107-year-old,” Miyata said, without elaborating on any of the designs. “We were delighted to receive such a huge number of applications.” Organizers said they had improved the transparency of the selection process by allowing anyone to make a submission rather than the small group of professional designers before.

‘Laro Tayo’ advocacy launched THE Laro Tayo advocacy was formally launched recently by ACCEL, in cooperation with TEAM Ads Inc, Entertainment Circuit Artist Management and Productions, government agencies, media companies and civil society organizations. The project hopes to revive traditional Filipino children’s games such as patintero, piko, taguan, luksong tinik, tumbang preso, luksong baka and sipa. This is to counteract the insidious effect of technology on the present generation of children, who are beginning to forget active play in the outdoors, thereby putting them at risk physically, mentally and socially. According to Willie Or-

“Laro Tayo” prime movers (from left) Chris Librojo of ECAMP, Willie Ortiz of Sporteum, Teddy Perena of TEAM are shown with kids in the TV Commercial doing the ceremonial throw of slippers in a patintero game at the parking lot of Chicken Charlie to signal the official start of the campaign.

tiz, Sporteum President, the project will address this growing concern via a multi-media campaign, primarily with a television commercial supported by print materials, radio announcements

and social media postings to encourage our young people to interact in the playgrounds and vacant lots and not devote all their leisure time in electronic gadgets.

DEFENDING champion Arellano University and College of St. Benilde downed their respective foes to join San Sebastian on top in the women’s division of the 91st NCAA volleyball competition at The Arena in San Juan City yesterday. The Lady Chiefs turned back the stubborn Perpetual Help Lady Altas, 25-17, 25-16, 21-25, 25-16, while the Lady Blazers routed the Lyceum of the Philippines University Lady Pirates, 25-15, 25-19, 2514, to forge a three-way logjam at No. 1 with the idle San Sebastian Lady Stags with 3-0 (win-loss) slates apiece. CJ Rosario paced her team with 12 hits, while Danna Henson and captain Rialen Sante contributed 11 each in helping Arellano deal Perpetual Help, the team the former dethroned last season, its second defeat against two triumphs. Arellano coach Obet Javier said though there is still room for improvement. “We’re improving, that’s the most important thing,” said Javier. Janine Navarro and Jeanette Panaga, for their part, presided over St. Benilde’s attack, while Djanel Welch Cheng did the rest--setting up her teammates, blocking and chipping in some spikes herself.

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sports sports@thestandard.com.ph

World Rafting Championship. The Italian (left) and Costa Rican (right) teams compete during the men’s open event at the World Rafting Championship on the Citarik River in Sukabumi in western Java island. Around 700 competitors have descended on the Indonesian island of Java for this year’s World Rafting Championship, showcasing the best of the extreme sport in a region where its popularity is on the rise. AFP

K12 to develop college leagues INDEPENDENT presidential candidate Sen. Grace Poe said that with the entry of the first batch of Grade 12 students next school year, “it will also open the floodgates for more experienced and wider array of student-athletes in the country’s toplevel collegiate leagues like the University Athletic Association of the Philippines and the National Collegiate Athletic Association.” “The addition of two years to high school education (Grades 11 and 12) will surely create a huge impact in these leagues with the quality of competition in their junior divisions growing by leaps and bounds,” noted Poe. And this would not be counting the number of foreign or Filforeign students, who may want to take secondary education in the Philippines because it now conforms to international educational standards. “We now have a slew of Filforeigners and foreigners in our

country’s many colleges. With the K-12 program, we will surely have a spike in enrollment from these students,” Poe said. Thus, she urged these collegiate leagues and other inter-school competitions “to properly define their levels of competition to avoid any contentious arguments as to player eligibilities.” “It may not even be farfetched if, say, the UAAP would also like to divide its juniors’ competition to junior and senior high school,” she posed. Poe was quick to underscore that

adolescents experience most growth, physically and mentally, between the ages of 15 and 20 years that could prove crucial in school teams’ performances. Current collegiate league rules allow juniors players to see action for the high school team until the age of 18 for as long as he or she continues to be enrolled in the school’s secondary school. “With the K-12 program welcoming its first Grade 12 seniors, most of whom would be 18 years old in 2016, then these collegiate leagues may be well-advised to review their rules of eligibility for players in the junior level of competitions,” she said. But consequently, Poe said that the level of play in the seniors’ level would also improve. “With a player starting his/ her collegiate career at the age of 19, then the collegiate leagues will surely bask in the number of more experienced athletes,” she said.

Historic 4-in-1 race at Qurino Grandstand A HISTORIC 4-in-1 race (walk, bike, run and race for the disabled on wheelchair) will be staged on Saturday at the Quirino Grandstand. Organized by the President Elpidio Quirino Foundation, event organizer Cory Quirino explained that “the advocacy embraced this year revolves around the teacher, thus the theme ‘Guro to Pangulo – a Teacher’s Journey to Greatness.’ This, because President Quirino’s public service career began as a barrio school teacher when he was just a high school student.” Race categories include 10KM cycling, 3KM, 5KM, 10KM run – including PWD non-wheelchair, 5KM race PWD wheelchair and 3KM walkathon with the official route to cover from Quirino Grandstand to Quirino Avenue and back. Co-hosted by the City of Manila through the office of the Mayor Joseph Ejercito Estrada, together with the Philippine

Olympic Committee, Department of Education, Philippine Sports Commission and National Parks and Development, this first-ever event commemorating the 125th birth anniversary of the late President is part of the country’s celebration official covered by Presidential Proclamation No. 967 duly signed by President Benigno Aquino III. All teachers whether from the public or private sector are invited to join. A welcome attraction to participants is the special offering of free registration, free race bib number for the first 5,000 entries on-site and free singlets for first 2,000 entries on-site. Assembly time is 4 a.m. Registration forms must be downloaded at www.elpidioquirino.org. Submission of filled-up forms is on-site together with distribution of singlets and T-shirts. The Quirino Race has for its media partners: ABS-CBN, ANC, DZMM, Philippine Daily Inquirer and The Manila Times.

Local bets dominate age-group tennis TAKING advantage of their familiarity with the local courts, local bets from host province Sultan Kudarat dominated the recent Cebuana Lhuillier Age-Group Championship Series leg in Isulan, ruling five of the nine age-groups contested in the event hosted by the Dr. Juan P. Garcia Sr. Memorial Indoor Club and that attracted 11 entries. Minette April Bentillo and veteran Carlyn Bless Guarde led the locals’ charge with Bentillo taking both the girls’ 12-under and 14-under by defeating the same opponent, Davao City’s Theresa Nacito, 6-1, 6-1 in the 12-under and repeat-

ed, 6-2, 6-1 in the 14-under. Guarde completed the local sweep of the girls’ competition by beating Lady Lee Cagadas, 6-4, 6-2, in the 16-under finals and disposed of Kate Consibet, 6-0, 6-2, for the 18-under crown. “With still two legs to go for this year, we are already looking at a bigger series in 2016, encouraged by the big turn out of entries in all the previous legs. We see a lot of these young players emerging national champions in the near future,” said Jean Henri Lhuillier, President/CEO of the sponsoring Cebuana Lhuillier.

In the boys’ division of the leg that was co sponsored by Dunlop Sport and the local LGU of Sultan Kudarat, headed by Gov. Suharto Mangudadatu, who provided free billeting to visiting participants aside from hosting a fellowship lunch, John Christopher Sonsona from Tubod, Lana del Norte swept Kurt Bandolis, 4-0, 5-3, for the 10-under unisex crown with sibling John Renest Sonsona taking the 18-under title at the expense of Lisandro Alqueza from Kidapawan, 6-4, 6-1, for the two titles won by Lanao del Norte.

Local bets, led by Minette April Bentillo and Carlyn Bless Guarde, who topped the girls’ U-12 and U-14 age groups and the U-16 and U-18 respectively, dominated the recent Cebuana Lhuiller Age-Group Championship Series in Isulah, Sultan Kudarat, winning all four girls’ events of the nine divisions contested. The event was co-sponsored by Dunlop Sport and the local LGU of Sultan Kudarat, headed by Gov. Suharto Mangudadatu. Photo shows the winners of the leg with Provincial Sports Administrator Ariel Arcenio and Cebuana Lhuillier Branch Manager Manny Rivera presenting the awards.

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Donaire ready for battle By Ronnie Nathanielsz

FORMER five-division world champion Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire is ready for battle against WBO’s No.1-ranked super bantamweight Cesar Juarez when they clash in Puerto Rico on Saturday, saying it doesn’t matter whether it’s for the world title as a result of the WBO stripping champion Guillermo Rigondeaux of his crown for inactivity, or the international title held by Juarez. Donaire, who arrived with his team in San Juan, Puerto Rico over the weekend, immediately buckled down to keeping the momentum of his high-level training schedule by putting in a solid workout under the watchful eyes of his father Dodong. The elder Donaire earlier told The New Standard/boxingmir-

ror.com that it was the best training camp in his son’s career and he could not ask for anything more. Donaire’s wife Rachel said his husband was “amazing” during training, where he sparred with Fidel Navarette and a certain Bowen, who were always pushing the Filipino in 10-round sessions

and never backing off. Donaire hurt them at times, but backed off when he sensed they were in trouble. After his workout, Donaire was quoted by boxingscene. com as saying: “My focus is to be back on top. I am focused for what I must do in the ring. That’s why this fight in Puerto Rico is so important for me and my career.” The 2012 Fighter of the Year suffered a setback when he dropped a unanimous 12-round decision to Rigondeaux despite dropping the undefeated champion in the 10th round. He later moved up in weight to win the WBA featherweight title from Simpiwe Vetyeka of South Africa, but lost his WBO crown in a crushing sixth-round knockout to the much bigger and stronger

Nicholas “The Axe Man” Walters of Jamaica. However, Donaire came back with back-to-back, secondround TKO victories to win the North American Boxing Federation super bantamweight title against William Prado of Brazil and then followed it up also with a second-round TKO over former European bantamweight champion Anthoy Settoul of France, which set the stage for the Juarez showdown. Top Rank promoter Bob Arum is hoping that the WBO would reject the appeal of Rigondeaux before Donaire steps into the ring, but WBO Asia Pacific head Leon Panoncillo said that the organization’s lawyers were studying the appeal and that they don’t want to rush a decision.

Brandon Vera shows his readiness to dominate the ONE Championship : Spirit of Champions by showing his patented moves at the open workout at the KMA Fitness and Martial Arts gym in Makati City.

Vera vows to win in front of countrymen By Peter Atencio FILIPINO-ITALIAN mixed martial artist Brandon Vera vowed on Tuesday that his opponent Chi “Chopper” Lewis will not beat him in front of his countrymen. “He’s not gonna beat me in the Philippines. “I’m gonna finish him. I don’t know how. But, I’m gonna finish him,” Vera said following an open workout at the KMA Fitness and Martial Arts gym in Makati City. He added that he knew he would win because “I put a lot of time in the gym.” The 6’2” Vera, who had just spent an early morning session doing speed training with his coach Bill Fonua, said that speed and agility will be the keys to victory in his quest to win the vacant heavyweight crown. Vera, who has a record of 13-7 (win-loss) and the unbeaten Parry will headline the ONE Championship: Spirit of Champions, which will be held on Friday at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City. The fight is one of nine bouts featured in the event. Parry, a kickboxing specialist, has won all of his six fights since he started competing in mixed martial arts in 2012. But according to Fonua, Parry has not shown respect for Vera, considering that he is just new in the fight scene. “He’s tough and he’s strong. But he’s new to the sport. And I don’t think he really respects Brandon as much as he should,” said Fonua. Vera is eyeing a second consecutive victory after beating Igor Subora by technical knockout last Dec. 15. Fil-American Ana Julaton and local fighter Mark Striegl, both fan favorites, will also see action in the undercards. Julaton, who scored a unanimous decision victory over Egypt’s Walaa Abbas last December, will take on Russian kickboxer Irina Mazepa. Mazepa, who is from St. Petersburg, Russia is a former kickboxing world champion who is coming off an impressive victory over the highly regarded Ann “Athena” Osman in Kuala Lumpur.

2 PH shuttlers bag golds in Singapore Julaton confident against Russian foe THE junior players of the Philippine Badminton AssociationSmash Pilipinas bagged two gold medals and one silver recently in the 2015 OUE Singapore Youth International Series at the Singapore Indoor Stadium in Singapore. Junior players Christian Bernardo and Alvin Morado controlled both sets to beat Malaysian Mohamad Jojohanif Saha and Yue Jian Wong, 21-12, 21-11, in the championship round of boys’ under-19 doubles’ category for their first gold medal. Alyssa Yasbel Leonardo and Thea Marie Pomar grabbed the country’s second gold medal after outlasting fellow Filipinos Joella Geva De Vera and Alyssa Geverjuan, 21-14, 21-14, in the championship round of girls’ under-19 doubles division.

De Vera and Geverjuan settled for the silver medal. “It was a great achievement for our juniors to capture two gold medals and one silver,” said PBA-Smash Pilipinas Indonesian coach Paulus Firman. “I’m so happy to see that our junior team is improving. The Singapore youth tournament is a tough international competition. It wasn’t easy to play there and win.” PBA Secretary General Rep. Albee Benitez and the rest of officers congratulated the players for their best effort to bring home two gold medals and one silver. “We are thankful to hear their achievements,” said Benitez. “They sacrificed a lot of effort and time in training to hone their skills. I’m confident in the next competition they will match and

surpass this achievement.” Leonardo and Pomar scored a come-from-behind 17-21, 2118, 21-18 win over Thailand’s Natchpapha Chatupornkarnchana and Sanicha Chumnibannakarn in the semifinals to bag the first finals’ slot. De Vera and Geverjuan later on crushed Singaporean’s Deven Haria Anokhi and Ker Sarah Ko, 21-17 21-12, in the other semifinals to arrange an all-Filipino championship match. There were 568 players all over the world who competed in the weeklong international tournament sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation. Besides Benitez, the other elected officer of the PBA are president Jejomar Binay, the country’s vice president, and businessman Manny V. Pangilinan.

FORMER world boxing champion Ana Julaton said she’s up to the task despite facing a dangerous opponent in Russian Irina Mazepa this weekend as part of the ONE Championship card dubbed ‘Spirit of Champions’ at the Mall of Asia Arena. Julaton and Mazepa clash in a flyweight duel that was one year in the making after the Russian pulled out of their first scheduled fight in Dubai last year due to an injury. Mazepa backing out at the last minute paved the way for the Filipina-American to face Malaysian Ann Osman instead, who dealt Julaton her first loss as an MMA fighter following a split decision win. But Julaton said she’s trained hard for the Mazepa fight and is not about to let his countrymen down, who she expects to come

and support her this weekend. “All of my opponents are tough. Even in boxing, all of my opponents are tough, so that’s why I really trained hard for every fight,” said Julaton, who found time to break from her morning training to appear in the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum Tuesday at Shakey’s Malate. Angelo Reyes, the long-time manager of Julaton, accompanied the former World Boxing Organization and International Boxing Federation bantamweight champion in the weekly session presented by San Miguel Corp., Accel, Shakey’s, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. A healthy Mazepa though proved to be a force to reckon with as he knocked out Osman in a single round during her MMA debut last October.

W E D N E S D AY : D E C E M B E R 9, 2 0 1 5

A15

SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Beermen face Warriors, seek solo PBA cage lead By Jeric Lopez

SAN Miguel Beer wants to keep the fire burning as the pace-setter and league’s hottest team returns to action to face another challenge in the 2015 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup. Already secured with a berth in the playoffs, the Beermen (7-1), armed with a five-game winning streak, look to enhance their chance of earning an outright berth in the semifinals and finishing in the Top 2 as they go for their sixth win in a row when they play hot-and-cold NLEX (4-4) at 7 p.m. at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City. In the appetizer, GlobalPort (53), another team already in the quarterfinals, looks to boost its bid for better positioning when it takes on woeful cellar-dweller Meralco (1-8) at 4:15 p.m. Currently tied for first with

Alaska, the defending champion can once again reclaim sole possession of first place should it continue its winning ways against the inconsistent, but dangerous Road Warriors. San Miguel coach Leo Austria is happy with how things are going for his team, but he seeks for more as they aim to lock a Top 2 spot as the elimination round winds down. “We can do a lot of things with our team and we’re in a good position now,’’ said Austria. “Ending in the Top 2 is our goal, so we can go to the semifinals. I

think we need to ng twice-to-beat. Games Wednesday win more games (Cuneta Iyon ang target naAstrodome, Pasay City) for that.’’ 4:15 p.m. - Meralco vs. GlobalPort min, kaya we need 7 p.m. - San Miguel vs. NLEX The last victim more wins para of San Miguel sigurado and may was Mahindra, which it separation kami sa mga teams slammed, 102-86, last week. sa ibaba,’’ said GlobalPort coach On the other hand, NLEX Pido Jarencio. wasn’t as fortunate in its last The Bolts are hanging on for game as it bowed to the Batang dear life and their fate isn’t exPier, 96-90, also last week. actly in their hands at this stage. The Road Warriors need at Meralco needs to win its last least one more win to guarantee two games to at least have a shot their spot in the next round. at forcing a playoff for a berth in Just as expected, GlobalPort the next round. has shown drastic improvement Otherwise, it’ll be elimiand its early entry in the quar- nated outright should it lose terfinals is a proof. against GlobalPort or drop its Now, the Batang Pier are aim- final assignment. ing to keep their place in the In its last game, Meralco came upper half to be able to clinch a close to listing a second win, but Top 6 finish and a twice-to-beat it wasn’t meant to be as Alaska incentive in the quarters. still edged it out, 88-86. Cur“Sabi ko sa players focus pa rently, the Bolts are on a threekami lalo para makakuha kami game losing skid.

FEU Athletic Director Mark Molina (left) and FEU players Raymar Jose, Richard Escoro and Monbert Arong appear at the PSA Forum to discuss their plans for the future after the team ruled the 78th season of the UAAP. EY ACASIO

LOTTO RESULTS

6/49 00-00-00-00-00-00 6/42 00-00-00-00-00-00 6 DIGITS 0-0-0-0-0-0 3 DIGITS 0-0-0 2 EZ2 0-0

P0.0 M+ P0.0 M+

Tamaraws to lean on new players NEWLY-crowned University Athletic Association of the Philippines men’s basketball champion Far Eastern University will rely on a new core of players when it defends its title next year as six key stalwarts this season won’t return for another tour of duty. Finals MVP Mac Belo won’t be around in Season 79 of the league, so does Mike Tolomia, Russel Escoto, Roger Pogoy, Alfrancis Tamsi and Achie Inigo, leaving the Tamaraws practically without one half of their champion team. “It will be hard, halos first five ‘yung mawawala diyan,” FEU athletic director Mark Molina pointed out in Tuesday’s session of the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum at Shakey’s Malate. “The main core of the team that went to the finals the last two years medyo mauubos,” he added. Molina, however, said the Moraytabased school has already set its sight to the inevitable as the Tamaraws are elevating several Team B members whom they believe are already ripe to make it to the FEU varsity squad. He mentioned the brother of Achie Inigio, Axel, who played for Adamson under former coach Kenneth Duremdes, as well as a couple of Fil-foreign bred players from New Zealand. The New Zealand bets, a point guard and a forward, are already here in Manila, according to Molina. “They will start practicing by January,” said the FEU official, who graced the weekly session presented by San Miguel Corp,, Accel, Shakey’s, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp., together with players along with Raymar Jose, Monbert Arong, and Richard Escoto. “We have a talented group of players in our Team B.” Despite the exit of key FEU figures, Molina still expects the Tamaraws to remain competitive owing to the system being run by fourth-year coach Nash Racela.

Hagdang Bato still in PCSO 43rd Presidential Gold Cup THIS is the year’s biggest horse race—the 2,000-meter 43rd Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office Presidential Gold Cup, on Sunday (Dec. 13) at San Lazaro Leisure Park in Carmona, Cavite. As of presstime, the original declared lineup of nine horses still holds: Post position #2 Dixie Gold, 4YO bay colt, 55 kgs; #3 Kanlaon, 4YO bay colt, 55 kgs.; #4 Low Profile, 4YO bay colt, 55 kgs.; #6 Pugad Lawin, 6YO bay horse, 59 kgs.; #7 Messi, 4YO brown colt, 55 kgs.; #7a Tap Dance, 4YO bay colt, 55 kgs.; #8 Hagdang Bato, 6YO colt, 62 kgs.; #8a Malaya, 4YO roan filly,

54 kgs.; #9 Penrith, 6YO bay horse, 56 kgs. Mandaluyong City Mayor Benhur C. Abalos’s Hagdang Bato will carry a staggering handicap weight of 62 kgs. This is the heaviest that the PCSO Racing Committee has ever had to impose: the previous heaviest was 61 kgs. on Chito Arceo’s Bulldozer in 1997, and the horse won. PCSO’s rule is to add 3 kgs. for each Gold Cup win of the entry. Abalos requested PCSO last Nov. 9 to reduce the weight considering that the horse is 6YO. However, the agency’s Racing Committee replied that the said handicapping rule, which “has been done and followed since the inception [of the race],” cannot be modified “at this point in time,” although they are

“willing to review our [rules] for possible amendments if found necessary.” Hagdang Bato’s situation is unusual because he has won the Gold Cup twice, in 2012 and 2014. Should he win, he will be the first horse to win the Gold Cup three times. *** What is likely to happen in this year’s Gold Cup? Race analyst and Philracom commissioner says: “Hagdang Bato’s archrival Pugad Lawin… has won the 2013 Presidential Gold Cup and the 2014 PCSO Silver Cup… “[Frontrunner] Low Profile humbled Hagdang Bato in the [Nov. 29] PCSO Anniversary race, barely three weeks after turning in a 2:06 for the 2,000 meters in the Philracom Amb. Eduardo Cojuangco Jr. Cup at

the Saddle & Clubs beating Messi and Tap Dance, among others... “Kanlaon’s…recent time (2:07’) for the distance in Naic shows that it has the stamina and finishing kick… Messi performs…better [with John Alvin Guce] than with other jockeys. It has to its credit a 2:05’ for 2,000 meters in Metroturf…. “The first two quarters [will be] dominated by Low Profile, with Tap Dance, Penrith, and Malaya providing pressure…. come the third canto Dixie Gold and Pugad Lawin will make their bids [for the lead]. In the succeeding canto, Kanlaon and Messi will be ridden like there is no tomorrow…” On Dec. 12, check my Facebook “Gogirl Racing” page for the link to the online copy of the 43rd Gold Cup souvenir

magazine, with Gold Cup info, PCSO race recaps, and other information. *** Philracom Chairman Andrew A. Sanchez has arranged for the first-ever live free television coverage of the Gold Cup over a onehour show on PTV-4. Philracom is a co-sponsor of the race. For the past several years, the agency has been augmenting PCSO’s allocated prize money with an additional P1 million. *** Like the “Gogirl Racing” Facebook page to be part of the 1st Great Big Gogirl Christmas memorabilia raffle next week! Star jockeys sent autographed items: Jonathan Hernandez, Jesse B. Guce, and John Alvin Guce, per-

sonal riding gear; Mark A. Alvarez, a photo; and Kelvin Abobo, the boots he used with champion Ibarra. Star trainer Ruben S. Tupas and head groom Melvin Villegas sent horseshoes of Hagdang Bato, Low Profile, Pugad Lawin, and Kid Molave (2014 Philracom Triple Crown champion). Philippine Racing Club resident director Eric Salido pledged a loot bag. Many thanks to jockey Antonio B. Alcasid Jr. and his students at the Philippine Jockeys Academt for helping solicit and gather the items from the jockeys. *** Facebook: Gogirl Racing, Twitter: @gogirlracing, Instagram: @jensdecember, Blog: http://jennyo.net

A16

W E D N E S D AY : D E C E M B E R 9, 2 0 1 5

RIERA U. MALL ARI EDITOR

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

sports@thestandard.com.ph

SPORTS

Ana Ivanovic of UAE Royals makes a backhand return to Karolina Pliskova of the Singapore Slammer Iin this bit of action in the CocaCola International Premier Tennis League (IPTL) at the Mall of Asia in Pasay City. LINO SANTOS

Tabuena is PH’s best bet FIERY Miguel Tabuena looms as the country’s best bet for the title in the 98th edition of the Philippine Open slated Dec. 17 to 20 at the Luisita Golf and Country Club. The 21-year-old Tabuena leads the Top 32 players in the Philippine Golf Tour’s Order of Merit, who earned berths in the longest-running professional tournament in Asia where a total prize purse of $300,000 is at stake. Tabuena emerged as the top money earner in the domestic tour and holds the course record of 22-under-par at Luisita, which makes him all the more among the favorites to win the last tournament in the Asian Tour this year. “If he stays on course, he might be able to win his first Philippine Open,” said National Golf Association of the Philippines president Carlos Coscoluella in Tuesday’s session of the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum at Shakey’s Malate. The closest the young Filipino golfer came to winning the Open was in 2012 when he trailed eventual champion Mardan Mamat of Singapore with just a single stroke entering the final day only to miss one shot after the other to finish with an 81. Mamat will be back this year, and so does defending champion Marcus Both of Australia as they head the charge of the foreign players who will vie for the champion’s purse worth $60,000. In all, 92 foreigners make up the 128-players field, including the top four amateurs in the country today who get to be invited by the NGAP, according to federation secretary-general Jose ‘Pepot’ Inigo, who appeared with Coscoluella in the session presented by San Miguel Corp., Accel, Shakey’s, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.

Royals repulse Slammers By Randy Caluag

CZECH Tomas Berdych turned back Nick Kyrgio in a hard-fought men’s singles battle, 6-4, to hand the UAE Royals its first win in three outings at the expense of Singapore Slammers, 26-23, as the Manila leg of the CocaCola International Premier Tennis League came to a close on Tuesday night. Leading at 5-4 but staring the in the face of a Kyrgios rally, Berdych transformed a 30-40 deficit in the 11th frame into a victory with a beautifully placed backhand volley that was worth double-points (powerpoint), to earn the win that put the Royals back into the thick of things in the country-hopping tournament. “That was a good one. I hope you like it!” Berdych told the cheering fans at the world-class Mall of Asia Arena. “We’re back in the fight. It’s great to finish with a win in Manila and bring the energy to India,” said the

LeBron seals lifetime Nike deal TURN TO A12

one-time Wimbledon finalist and Paris Masters winner. The Royals bowed to the Philippine Mavericks and the Indian Aces in the first two days of the leg and third-day win put them within striking distance of the leaders with 50.2 percentage points culled from 118-117 win-loss games. The tournament goes to New Delhi for the third of five legs. The Slammers closed out the Manila leg with 49.4 points. Serbian Ana Ivanovic put the Royals ahead with a 6-5 (7-5) win over Karoline Pliskova in the women’s singles.

But the one-time French Open champion had to sweat it out in the final frame with the scored tied at 5-5. She broke Pliskova’s serve with a powerful forehand return to prevail, 7-5, in the race-to-seven shootout and take the set. For all the excitement that envelops this novel tournament that put together the past and present stars in tennis, no other Filipino seems to enjoy the IPTL games better than Treat Huey, the only local player injected into the Mavericks squad. Huey gets both the pressure and the privilege of playing alongside the world’s top female netter in Serena Williams and more than held his own against the best in the world in this unique tennis tournament. Huey’s credentials, after all, prove that he truly deserves his spot. He has represented the Philippines in countless international events, and as a doubles specialist, has reached 12 finals in the ATP World Tour, including the 2012 City Open and 2013 Swiss Indoors. He won the 2015 Estoril

Open with Scott Lipsky last year. His highest world ranking was at no. 20 in March of 2014. In his second season with the Mavericks, he isprivileged to be paired with Williams. Although they narrowly lost to the Royals, the big hometown crowd enjoyed the superb Sunday night treat of a match against the tandem of Kristina Mladenovic and Daniel Nestor. “It’s been wonderful playing with some of the best players in the world. When I played with Serena in Kobe, the first match I was a bit nervous. But then we won all our games there, we played really well, I loosened up a bit, and we got off to a great start here in Manila too,” said Huey. “I’ve really enjoyed playing with her, and it’s great to have a partner like Serena on your side of the court. In the next few days, I’m looking forward to playing with and against some of the other bigger players. It’s great for me, and a terrific learning for my game.” he added.

Donaire ready for battle TURN TO A14

Photo by Pete Amador

WEDNESDAY: DECEMBER 9, 2015

RAY S. EÑANO EDITOR

RODERICK T. DELA CRUZ ASSISTANT EDITOR

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

BUSINESS

SMC bags Bulacan water deal PSe comPoSite index Closing December 8, 2015

8000 7700 7400 7100 6800 6500

6,838.42 73.44

PeSo-dollar rate

Closing DECEMBER 8, 2015 43.50 44.60 45.40

P47.120

46.20

47.00

HIGH P47.120 LOW P47.195 AVERAGE P47.167

By Anna Leah E. Gonzales

THE government awarded the P24.4-billion Bulacan bulk water supply project to San Miguel Corp. after submitting the best offer in November. The Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System on Monday issued the notice of award to the joint venture of San Miguel Corp. and Korea Water Resources Corp. The San Miguel-K Water Consortium earlier submitted the lowest bid for the bulk water supply project. San Miguel’s offer of P8.50 per cubic meter was lower than the P10.65 per cubic meter bid of Team Polaris-Manila Water and the P9.65 quote of Prime Alloy Water Consortium. Prime Alloy Water Consortium

is comprised of Prime Water Infrastructure Corp., MTD Capital BHD and Biwater International Ltd., while Team Polaris–Manila Water is made of up of Manila Water Co. Inc., M.E. Sicat Construction and J.H. Patawaran Construction. “By tapping the private sector in this project, government will be able to deliver better services and secure access to potable water of millions of Filipinos in the province of Bulacan,” said PPP Center executive director Cosette Canilao. Canilao added the project

would also reduce use of deep wells to mitigate the adverse environmental impact of excessive groundwater extraction. The Bulacan Bulk Water Supply Project will provide treated bulk water to the 24 water service providers in Bulacan to help meet the increasing demand of consumers, expand the current service area coverage and increase the households served. Under a 30-year build-operateand-transfer contractual arrangement, the private partner will handle the financing, detailed design and construction, and operation and maintenance of conveyance facilities, treatment facilities and water source. The BBWSP is one of the two water projects of the MWSS under the country’s PPP Program together, along with the P18.72 billion New Centennial Water

Source-Kaliwa Dam Project. “MWSS takes water security seriously. The spirit and soul behind Water Security is not about the abundance of water but the availability of water for all, particularly the poor,” said MWSS administrator Gerardo Esquivel. “This is what Bulacan Bulk Water Supply Project is all about. All these are about water security, equality, fairness, and leveling up the lives of many Filipinos that continue to be deprived of a basic human right,” he added. San Miguel in June signed a joint venture agreement with Korea Water to operate and maintain the 218-megawatt Angat hydroelectric power plant in Bulacan. The joint venture will pursue the rehabilitation of the Angat dam amid potential risks of earthquakes and other natural calamities.

VOLUME 453.600M

P487.00-P682.00 LPG/11-kg tank P35.15-P42.40 Unleaded Gasoline

oPriceS il P today

P25.03-P28.48 Diesel P34.55-P39.15 Kerosene Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Tuesday, December 8, 2015

F oreign e xchange r ate Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

47.1120

Japan

Yen

0.008110

0.3821

Pound

1.504900

70.8988

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.129039

6.0793

Switzerland

Franc

1.000400

47.1308

Canada

Dollar

0.740412

34.8823

Singapore

Dollar

0.711238

33.5078

Australia

Dollar

0.726322

34.2185

Bahrain

Dinar

2.656325

125.1448

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266596

12.5599

Brunei

Dollar

0.708717

33.3891

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000072

0.0034

Thailand

Baht

0.027962

1.3173

UAE

Dirham

0.272294

12.8283

Euro

1.083400

51.0411

Korea

Won

0.000853

0.0402

China

Yuan

0.156050

7.3518

India

Rupee

0.014981

0.7058

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.237417

11.1852

New Zealand

Dollar

0.663878

31.2766

Taiwan

Dollar

0.030412

1.4328 Source: PDS Bridge

PLDT accolade. Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. is recognized as among the top publicly-listed companies in Southeast Asia for

Corporate Governance, along with nine other Philippine-based companies, at the 1st Asean Corporate Governance Conference and Awards by the Asean Capital Markets Forum. At the event recognizing the company’s corporate governance initiatives are (from right) PLDT chairman Manuel Pangilinan, corporate affairs and legal services senior vice president Ma. Lourdes Rausa-Chan, chief ﬁnancial ofﬁcer Anabelle Chua and public affairs head Ramon Isberto.

BSP studies proposal for direct peso-yuan exchange facility BANGKO Sentral ng Pilipinas will consider a proposal from banks to establish a direct pesoyuan exchange facility in anticipation of increased use of the Chinese currency following its inclusion in the International Monetary Fund’s reserve currency basket. “There are proposals to come up with a facility for having a direct peso-yuan exchange similar to peso-US dollar,” Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Aman-

do Tetangco said in a late Monday interview in Manila, without elaborating on the timeframe. The IMF last week decided to include the yuan in its Special Drawing Rights basket starting October next year, a step deemed a milestone in the currency’s internationalization. China was the Philippines’ second-largest trading partner in 2014 with total trade worth $18.3 billion. Philippine lenders will need to provide the central bank with

details of the proposal, Tetangco said. Bangko Sentral is considering increasing its holdings of Chinese yuan assets as part of diversification of its reserves, he said. Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo said he also expected the rising use of the yuan or renminbi in the global bond markets. “It is possible because the Chinese economy is now the second biggest in the world and therefore, in terms of cross-border transactions, the use of Chinese

renminbi is expected to accelerate. So, ultimately, that will be felt in both the bond and foreign exchange markets,” Guinigundo said. Guinigundo said the government might consider a yuan bond issuance in the future but it could depend on the requirement of the government and the private sector. “Our government is currently exposed in the US dollar,” he said. Guinigundo said going forward, Bangko Sentral would con-

sider yuan as part of its active reserve management or reserve portfolio. Tetangco said the inclusion of the yuan in the IMF’s SDR basket would strengthen Bangko Sentral’s plan to invest in China’s currency as part of its diversification policy. Tetangco said it was also possible that yuan could account for a significant portion of the country’s foreign exchange reserves in the future. Julito G. Rada, Bloomberg

WEDNESDAY: DECEMBER 9, 2015

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

The STandard BuSineSS daily STockS review Tuesday, december 8, 2015

52 Weeks

High Low FINANCIAL 7.88 2.5 75.3 66 124.4 88.05 107 88.1 56.5 45.45 2.49 1.97 4.2 1.68 17 12.02 30.45 19.6 1.01 0.225 100 78 1.46 0.9 30.5 17.8 91.5 62 361.2 276 57 41 180 118.2 124 59

STOCKS

High

AG Finance Asia United Bank Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. Bank of PI China Bank BDO Leasing & Fin. INc. Bright Kindle Resources COL Financial Eastwest Bank MEDCO Holdings Metrobank Natl. Reinsurance Corp. PB Bank Phil. National Bank PSE Inc. RCBC `A’ Security Bank Union Bank

2.8 46.1 101.40 81.95 38.4 2.50 1.40 15 19 0.580 80.2 0.94 16.98 51.80 292 31.55 138.1 57.10 40.2 4.88 0.77 1.49 10.66 95.00 17.2 21.75 41 2.41 1.49 10.36 9.190 9.02 6.17 5.32 1.67 24.4 67.8 12.00 14.22 5.83 2.180 206.00 12.7 1.86 3.6 24.8 21.8 5.65 315.20 3.7 7.28 11.50 3.85 1.71 2.3 4.07 4.56 128.5 2.5 0.148 1.15 2.18 185 0.67 1.17 0.395 57.1000 17.10 6.50 0.233 0.236 734 7.55 13.50 5.45 5.7 4.15 0.265 1268 72.05 5.5 7.42 0.75 14.8 5.25 9.93 0.0320 1.360 1.780 47.25 856.50 1.17 0.71 73.000 0.2950 0.2060 0.260

47 5 1.46 2.36 15.3 148 20.6 36 65.8 2.97 4.14 21.5 21.6 11.96 9.13 11.8 2.89 31.8 109 20.75 15.3 9.4 0.98 241

35.9 1.11 1.01 1.86 7.92 32 15.32 10.08 29.15 1.5 1.5 10.72 9.55 9.04 6.02 8.86 1.06 20.2 71.5 13.86 13.24 5.34 0.395 173

3.95 4 33.9 90 13.26 293 5.25 12.98 15 7.03 3.4 4.5 6.3 7.34 238 3.28 0.315 2.18 2.65 234 1.3 2.17

2.3 1.63 23.35 17.3 5.88 250.2 3.87 8.45 10.04 3.03 1.95 1 4.02 5.9 161 1.55 0.138 1.02 2.09 152 0.640 1.2

Aboitiz Power Corp. Agrinurture Inc. Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. Alsons Cons. Asiabest Group C. Azuc De Tarlac Century Food Cirtek Holdings (Chips) Concepcion Crown Asia Da Vinci Capital Del Monte DNL Industries Inc. Emperador Energy Devt. Corp. (EDC) EEI Euro-Med Lab First Gen Corp. First Holdings ‘A’ Ginebra San Miguel Inc. Holcim Philippines Inc. Integ. Micro-Electronics Ionics Inc Jollibee Foods Corp. LBC Express LMG Chemicals Mabuhay Vinyl Manila Water Co. Inc. Maxs Group Megawide Mla. Elect. Co `A’ Pepsi-Cola Products Phil. Petron Corporation Phinma Corporation Phoenix Petroleum Phils. Phoenix Semiconductor Pryce Corp. `A’ RFM Corporation Roxas Holdings San Miguel’Pure Foods `B’ Splash Corporation Swift Foods, Inc. TKC Steel Corp. Trans-Asia Oil Universal Robina Vitarich Corp. Vulcan Ind’l.

0.59 59.2 30.05 7.39 3.4 3.35 823.5 10.2 84 3.35 3.68 4.92 0.66 1455 76 5.29 9.25 0.85 17.3 5.53 6.55 0.0670 2.31 1.61 84.9 974 1.66 1.39 156 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 1.15 2.26 0.152 837 49.55 3 4.84 0.59 12 4.2 4.5 0.030 1.23 0.550 59.3 751 1.13 0.93 80 0.211 0.179 0.310

Abacus Cons. À’ Aboitiz Equity Alliance Global Inc. Anscor À’ ATN Holdings A ATN Holdings B Ayala Corp À’ Cosco Capital DMCI Holdings F&J Prince ‘A’ F&J Prince ‘B’ Filinvest Dev. Corp. Forum Pacific GT Capital JG Summit Holdings Keppel Holdings À’ Lopez Holdings Corp. Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp. LT Group Metro Pacific Inv. Corp. Minerales Industrias Corp. Pacifica À’ Prime Media Hldg Prime Orion San Miguel Corp À’ SM Investments Inc. Solid Group Inc. South China Res. Inc. Top Frontier Unioil Res. & Hldgs Wellex Industries Zeus Holdings

10.5 26.95 1.99 0.375 41.4 5.6 5.59 5.6 1.44 1.48 0.201 0.69

6.74 12 0.65 0.192 30.05 3.36 4.96 2.8 0.79 0.97 0.083 0.415

8990 HLDG 7.010 Anchor Land Holdings Inc. 5.72 A. Brown Co., Inc. 0.90 Arthaland Corp. 0.220 Ayala Land `B’ 33.950 Belle Corp. À’ 3.16 Cebu Holdings 5.15 Cebu Prop. À’ 5.85 Century Property 0.57 Cityland Dev. À’ 1.07 Crown Equities Inc. 0.125 Cyber Bay Corp. 0.480

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

SHARES 21,330,431 63,285,348 353,197,884 90,069,173 128,881,386 556,261,093 1,229,292,061

Low

2.9 2.76 46.1 45 100.50 99.10 82.10 81.45 38.95 38 2.45 2.44 1.36 1.30 15.4 15 18.7 18.5 0.630 0.550 80.2 78.6 0.94 0.94 16.98 16.52 52.25 51.60 293 290.2 32.65 31.2 140 137.7 57.05 57.00 INDUSTRIAL 40.35 39.9 4.88 4.43 0.77 0.77 1.51 1.48 10.9 10.7 100.00 90.00 17.2 16.9 21.9 21.65 41 40.5 2.39 2.3 1.49 1.39 10.36 10.04 9.19 8.890 9.10 8.90 6.12 5.91 5.34 5.03 1.77 1.74 24.4 23.45 67.8 66.8 11.70 11.70 14.24 14.24 5.83 5.78 2.180 2.140 208.00 204.60 12.88 12.02 1.85 1.85 3.31 3.2 25.25 24.6 21.75 21 5.66 5.62 315.00 309.00 3.74 3.6 7.25 7.18 11.76 11.76 3.85 3.79 1.71 1.68 2.29 2.21 4.06 4.03 5 5 130 127.5 2.52 2.38 0.151 0.147 1.20 1.05 2.20 2.15 186.4 183.5 0.66 0.61 1.17 1.11 HOLDING FIRMS 0.395 0.395 57.2500 56.3000 17.20 16.46 6.50 6.50 0.234 0.230 0.235 0.234 734.5 730 7.57 7.5 13.60 13.30 5.74 5.25 5.5 5.5 4.25 4.10 0.270 0.260 1265 1242 72.15 68.50 5.5 5.5 7.42 7.16 0.76 0.72 14.72 14.4 5.3 5.21 9.92 9.76 0.0350 0.0320 1.360 1.300 1.800 1.770 47.95 46.30 848.00 840.00 1.18 1.16 0.74 0.74 72.800 72.500 0.3100 0.3000 0.2060 0.2060 0.275 0.260 PROPERTY 7.150 7.000 7.40 6.01 0.91 0.85 0.245 0.245 33.950 33.600 3.15 3.12 5.15 5.11 5.85 5.85 0.58 0.56 1.050 1.030 0.124 0.121 0.475 0.450

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

52 Weeks

High Low

STOCKS

10.96 0.97 2.22 2.1 1.8 5.94 0.180 0.72 8.54 31.8 2.29 4.9 21.35 1.06 1.62 8.59

2.4 0.83 1.15 1.42 1.27 4.13 0.090 0.39 2.69 22.15 1.6 3.1 15.08 0.69 0.83 5.73

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

10.5 66 1.44 1.09 14.88 28.5 15.82 0.1430 5.06 99.1 12.3 7.67 1700 2720 8.41 119.5 0.8200 2.2800 12.28 3.32 2.53 3.2 95.5 2.46 15.2

1.97 35.2 1 0.63 10.5 18.2 8.6 0.0770 2.95 56.1 10.14 4.8 830 1600 5.95 102.6 0.041 1.200 6.5 1.91 1.01 1.95 3.1 1.8 6

0.62 1.040 22.8 6.41 4 185 22.9 3486 0.760 2.28 46.05 90.1

0.335 0.37 14.54 3 2.28 79 4.39 2748 0.435 1.2 31.45 60.55

11.6 0.85 2.95 10 0.490 1.9

7.59 0.63 1.71 5 0.315 1.14

2GO Group’ ABS-CBN Acesite Hotel APC Group, Inc. Asian Terminals Inc. Berjaya Phils. Inc. Bloomberry Boulevard Holdings Calata Corp. Cebu Air Inc. (5J) Centro Esc. Univ. DFNN Inc. FEUI Globe Telecom GMA Network Inc. I.C.T.S.I. Island Info ISM Communications Leisure & Resorts Liberty Telecom Lorenzo Shipping Macroasia Corp. Manila Broadcasting Manila Jockey Melco Crown Metro Retail MG Holdings NOW Corp. Pacific Online Sys. Corp. PAL Holdings Inc. Paxys Inc. Phil. Seven Corp. Philweb.Com Inc. PLDT Common PremiereHorizon Premium Leisure Puregold Robinsons RTL SBS Phil. Corp. SSI Group STI Holdings Transpacific Broadcast Travellers Waterfront Phils. Yehey

0.0098 5.45 17.24 1.19 1.62 9.5 4.2 0.48 0.420 0.440 0.022 0.023 8.2 49.2 4.27 1.030 3.06 0.020 7.67 12.88 10.42 0.040 420 9

0.0043 1.72 6.47 0.85 0.77 5.99 1.17 0.305 0.2130 0.2160 0.013 0.014 3.240 18.96 2.11 0.365 1.54 0.012 5.4 7.26 2.27 0.015 115.9 3.67

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

70 553 118 120 515 8.21 12.28 111 1060

33 490 101 101.5 480 5.88 6.5 101 997

1047 78.95 84.8

1011 74.5 75

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

6.98

0.8900 LR Warrant

3.5

199,530.00

12.88

5.95

-606,320.00 126,000.00

130.7

105.6 First Metro ETF

2.84 45.95 99.10 81.60 38.95 2.45 1.30 15.1 18.5 0.560 79 0.94 16.98 51.95 290.2 32 138.5 57.00

1.43 -0.33 -2.27 -0.43 1.43 -2.00 -7.14 0.67 -2.63 -3.45 -1.50 0.00 0.00 0.29 -0.62 1.43 0.29 -0.18

78,000 36,500 1,494,600 1,967,500 51,400 13,000 309,000 30,400 103,900 4,710,000 1,730,150 35,000 163,900 40,870 1,480 10,158,100 100,560 25,650

39.9 4.55 0.77 1.5 10.7 100.00 17 21.7 41 2.3 1.43 10.36 8.900 8.98 5.91 5.12 1.74 23.65 67.05 11.70 14.24 5.79 2.140 207.20 12.5 1.85 3.2 25.15 21.6 5.65 314.00 3.74 7.22 11.76 3.82 1.70 2.21 4.03 5 127.7 2.41 0.151 1.19 2.16 184.8 0.61 1.11

-0.75 -6.76 0.00 0.67 0.38 5.26 -1.16 -0.23 0.00 -4.56 -4.03 0.00 -3.16 -0.44 -4.21 -3.76 4.19 -3.07 -1.11 -2.50 0.14 -0.69 -1.83 0.58 -1.57 -0.54 -11.11 1.41 -0.92 0.00 -0.38 1.08 -0.82 2.26 -0.78 -0.58 -3.91 -0.98 9.65 -0.62 -3.60 2.03 3.48 -0.92 -0.11 -8.96 -5.13

3,444,400 1,265,000 47,000 82,000 1,000 1,700 270,800 5,508,200 244,500 1,733,000 3,123,000 4,900 10,931,900 1,494,100 13,063,800 1,023,800 10,000 799,700 106,540 14,500 4,400 59,000 1,730,000 656,800 23,800 10,000 8,000 2,085,700 886,200 1,167,800 277,810 494,000 1,949,500 11,700 111,000 155,000 335,000 58,000 2,000 11,020 702,000 840,000 257,000 802,000 3,472,790 308,000 10,000

0.395 56.9500 16.50 6.50 0.230 0.235 730 7.55 13.50 5.4 5.5 4.25 0.260 1246 70.50 5.5 7.19 0.75 14.68 5.26 9.89 0.0320 1.360 1.790 47.95 843.00 1.18 0.74 72.500 0.3100 0.2060 0.275

0.00 -0.26 -3.51 0.00 -1.29 -0.42 -0.54 0.00 0.00 -0.92 -3.51 2.41 -1.89 -1.74 -2.15 0.00 -3.10 0.00 -0.81 0.19 -0.40 0.00 0.00 0.56 1.48 -1.58 0.85 4.23 -0.68 5.08 0.00 5.77

20,000 471,050 -4,362,980.00 2,298,800 -24,724,816.00 22,100 950,000 400,000 319,890 -107,947,035.00 2,459,200 11,644,403.00 1,268,800 1,947,596.00 153,400 1,700 11,000 42,250.00 630,000 92,420 -50,807,490.00 1,160,890 -37,613,744.00 100 1,505,800 58,542.00 206,000 278,200 150,380.00 17,224,600 15,021,832.00 205,200 320,100,000 -39,300.00 39,000 326,000 30,030.00 305,200 -5,294,130.00 157,190 -66,112,055.00 120,000 1,000 6,220 -109,527.50 540,000 1,080,000 570,000

7.090 7.40 0.88 0.245 33.850 3.14 5.15 5.85 0.57 1.03 0.124 0.455

1.14 29.37 -2.22 11.36 -0.29 -0.63 0.00 0.00 0.00 -3.74 -0.80 -5.21

411,500 2,000 2,123,000 50,000 5,632,800 449,000 5,800 11,200 1,651,000 20,000 5,620,000 21,650,000

600,830.00 -48,562,643 -73,712,218.00 228,000.00 -45,000.00 -150,482.00 90,000.00 -64,242,900.00 1,650,040.00 -1,465,243.50 -145,200.00 -212,801,335 5,476,753.00 -1,140.00 -82,443,785.00 18,400.00

756,106.00 73,930.00 3,431,700 8,400.00 -12,973,584.00 -6,407,312.00 -10,787,032.00 -251,640.00 -7,751,930.00 2,862,938.50 62,656.00 -40,950.00 28,919,446.00

17,401,525.00 15,065,710.00 5,535,610.00 -40,516,780.00 -207,610.00 333,237.00

-48,470.00 -10,000.00 -1,384,955.00

258,000.00 55,833,247.00

333,152.00 6,660.00 -25,120,140.00 698,330.00

Alterra Capital Makati Fin. Corp. Italpinas Xurpas

High

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

25.2 24.2 24.95 0.830 0.830 0.830 1.05 1.03 1.04 1.86 1.80 1.80 1.20 1.16 1.20 4.56 4.5 4.51 0.082 0.078 0.082 0.4450 0.4100 0.4300 8.61 8.61 8.61 28.20 27.55 28.00 1.46 1.43 1.43 3.22 3.22 3.22 21.45 21.00 21.00 0.74 0.72 0.74 0.940 0.900 0.900 5.370 5.200 5.200 SERVICES 7.2 7.2 7 7.2 64.25 64.5 6.7 63.9 1.15 1.15 1.15 1.15 0.510 0.510 0.500 0.500 10.9 11.66 11.4 11.5 27 26 26 26 5.14 5.15 4.88 4.89 0.0450 0.0450 0.0440 0.0450 3.5 3.51 3.35 3.5 83.65 84.3 83.65 84 9.81 10 10 10 5.12 5.30 4.95 5.30 955 955 955 955 1974 1979 1927 1940 6.82 6.82 6.75 6.82 72 72.2 70.5 70.95 0.170 0.173 0.167 0.167 1.4300 1.4300 1.3800 1.3800 8.96 8.99 8.71 8.71 4.26 4.26 4.20 4.20 1.24 1.23 1.23 1.23 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.25 28.90 21.00 21.00 21.00 2 2 1.96 1.96 3.14 3.19 2.95 2.98 3.88 3.89 3.83 3.85 0.255 0.255 0.255 0.255 0.820 0.850 0.800 0.810 18 18.98 18.98 18.98 4.52 4.67 4.51 4.67 2.52 3.2 2.89 3.12 102.00 101.10 101.10 101.10 20.95 21.00 20.50 21.00 2138.00 2150.00 2120.00 2136.00 0.450 0.495 0.430 0.450 0.890 0.910 0.810 0.840 33.85 34.25 33.35 34.00 69.00 69.00 67.50 68.00 6.12 6.40 6.10 6.20 4.33 4.28 3.99 4.02 0.465 0.465 0.455 0.460 1.5 1.52 1.52 1.52 3.83 3.8 3.59 3.59 0.350 0.350 0.350 0.350 4.510 4.540 4.200 4.260 MINING & OIL 0.0051 0.0051 0.0049 0.0050 1.95 1.95 1.88 1.88 4.30 4.22 4.18 4.18 0.64 0.65 0.64 0.64 0.63 0.64 0.61 0.63 7.60 7.98 7.65 7.70 0.75 0.76 0.74 0.75 0.290 0.295 0.290 0.290 0.190 0.190 0.188 0.190 0.200 0.200 0.200 0.200 0.0100 0.0100 0.0100 0.0100 0.012 0.011 0.011 0.011 2.18 2.15 2.11 2.11 6.65 6.52 6.36 6.46 2.85 2.87 2.8 2.8 0.5600 0.5600 0.5600 0.5600 1.3700 1.3500 1.3100 1.3100 0.0110 0.0110 0.0100 0.0110 3.68 3.57 3.55 3.55 4.99 4.990 4.95 4.96 1.39 1.410 1.34 1.37 0.0120 0.0120 0.0110 0.0110 136.00 136.00 135.30 136.00 2.3 2.3 2.26 2.3 PREFERRED 65.5 65.6 65 65 515.5 522.5 520 522.5 119.8 119.8 110.9 119.8 120 119 116 116 519 519.5 518 519.5 6.8 7 6.59 6.59 1.12 1.12 1.12 1.12 107.5 108.6 107.6 108.6 1050 1060 1060 1060 1072 1072 1072 1072 1022 1022 1022 1022 79.05 80 80 80 83.05 83.5 83 83 80 79.5 79.3 79.5 80.8 80.85 80.7 80.7 WARRANTS & BONDS 2.700 2.720 2.720 2.720 SME 3.48 3.79 3.36 3.36 2.57 2.7 2.7 2.7 4.22 4.25 3.57 3.64 14.1 14.36 14.1 14.2 EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 113 113.1 112 112

0.20 0.00 -0.95 -3.74 2.56 -1.74 2.50 4.88 -1.03 0.00 -2.05 3.87 -1.87 2.78 -3.23 -2.07

3,742,900 4,000 2,802,000 17,839,000 245,000 10,721,000 4,400,000 800,000 50,000 3,481,900 2,000 1,000 4,410,600 673,000 475,000 2,782,100

17,743,640.00

0.00 -0.54 0.00 -1.96 5.50 -3.70 -4.86 0.00 0.00 0.42 1.94 3.52 0.00 -1.72 0.00 -1.46 -1.76 -3.50 -2.79 -1.41 -0.81 0.00 -27.34 -2.00 -5.10 -0.77 0.00 -1.22 5.44 3.32 23.81 -0.88 0.24 -0.09 0.00 -5.62 0.44 -1.45 1.31 -7.16 -1.08 1.33 -6.27 0.00 -5.54

101,000 32,780 47,000 1,493,000 2,400 5,000 7,376,800 35,000,000 52,000 319,550 1,000 148,200 250 89,825 270,100 456,580 1,640,000 164,000 34,700 152,000 2,000 3,000 300 143,000 5,646,000 5,841,000 1,150,000 5,473,000 200 2,000 97,000 10 35,000 70,100 1,350,000 38,987,000 1,967,800 1,657,110 2,574,800 11,390,000 3,360,000 25,000 751,000 100,000 585,000

-1.96 -3.59 -2.79 0.00 0.00 1.32 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 -8.33 -3.21 -2.86 -1.75 0.00 -4.38 0.00 -3.53 -0.60 -1.44 -8.33 0.00 0.00

419,000,000 111,000 132,000 -133,820.00 275,000 48,000 24,400 2,245,000 290,580.00 280,000 3,620,000 600,000 5,400,000 300,000 90,000 3,080,900 -2,403,747.00 222,000 10,000 373,000 200,000 4,000 205,000 -178,790.00 731,000 -71,200.00 119,000,000 119,260 -3,844,119.00 52,000

-0.76 1.36 0.00 -3.33 0.10 -3.09 0.00 1.02 0.95 0.00 0.00 1.20 -0.06 -0.63 -0.12

7,780 19,800 9,210 46,810 2,820 1,100 261,000 18,310 200 225 7,500 70 42,000 16,000 82,000

0.74

1,000

-3.45 5.06 -13.74 0.71

118,000 2,000 13,576,000 73,900.00 2,565,400 1,737,480.00

-0.88

3,450

-5,250.00 -17,140,770.00 -26,378,370.00

-39,288,085.00 -42,248,790.00 -729,258.00

-3,927,079.00 225,000.00 -10,266,433.00

-108,767,550.00 -10,291,746.50 -14,827.00

906,900.00 12,100,650.00 -84,000.00 4,510.00 -17,400.00 2,165.00 9,412,650.00 -27,800.00 -3,188,640.00 58,104,415.00 18,846,863.50 -315,080.00 5,666,910.00 991,950.00 3,900.00

495,364.00 3,432,000.00 1,020,280.00 4,782,680.00

1,969,080.00 5,110,000.00 2,177,571.00

T op L oSerS

STOCKS

FINANCIAL 1,510.58 (down) 13.81 INDUSTRIAL 10,851.74 (down) 78.61 HOLDING FIRMS 6,444.76 (down) 80.99 PROPERTY 2,887.05 (down) 30.38 SERVICES 1,583.28 (down) 15.26 MINING & OIL 10,665.09 (down) 99.57 PSEI 6,838.42 (down) 73.44 All Shares Index 3,950.54 (down) 35.89 Gainers: 55; Losers: 116; Unchanged: 44; Total: 215

24.9 0.830 1.05 1.87 1.17 4.59 0.080 0.4100 8.7 28.00 1.46 3.1 21.40 0.72 0.930 5.310

T op g ainerS VALUE 823,736,545.06 1,569,730,767.19 821,855,493.77 593,108,624.39 760,696,944.60 46,586,268.0945 4,074,321,672.28

Low

Close (P)

Change (%)

STOCKS

Close (P)

Change (%)

Anchor Land Holdings Inc.

7.40

29.37

Manila Broadcasting

21.00

-27.34

Paxys Inc.

3.12

23.81

Italpinas

3.64

-13.74

Arthaland Corp.

0.245

11.36

Mabuhay Vinyl

3.2

-11.11

Roxas Holdings

9.65

Vitarich Corp.

0.61

-8.96

Zeus Holdings

0.275

5.77

Philodrill Corp. `A'

0.0110

-8.33

Asian Terminals Inc.

11.5

5.50

Manila Mining `B'

0.011

-8.33

Pacific Online Sys. Corp.

18.98

5.44

SSI Group

4.02

-7.16

C. Azuc De Tarlac

100.00

5.26

Bright Kindle Resources

1.30

-7.14

Unioil Res. & Hldgs

0.3100

5.08

Agrinurture Inc.

4.55

-6.76

Makati Fin. Corp.

2.7

5.06

Travellers

3.59

-6.27

WEDNESDAY: DECEMBER 9, 2015

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

DoubleDragon hikes capital By Jenniffer B. Austria

DOUBLEDRAGON Properties Inc., a property developer jointly owned by Injap Investments Inc. of businessman Edgar Sia II and Jollibee Foods Corp. chairman Tony Tan Caktiong, is increasing its authorized capital stock to P20.5 billion from P500 million, ahead of a preferred shares offering. DoubleDragon, based on statement filed with the Philippine Stock Exchange, will seek shareholders’ approval next month to increase its authorized capital stock to P20.5 billion, consisting

of 5 billion common shares with a par value of P0.10 apiece and the creation of 200 million nonvoting preferred shares, with a par value of P100 apiece. DoubleDragon said the pre-

ferred shares would be issued from time to time, in one or more series. The terms and conditions of the preferred shares, including the number of shares and timetable, will be determined by the board of directors as it deems beneficial for the company. The company earlier said it initially planned to issue 100 million preferred shares at P100 apiece to raise as much as P10 billion in proceeds. The preferred shares to be issued sometime in March or April next year will have a tenor of seven years. DoubleDragon, which was

listed with the Philippine Stock Exchange in 2014, aims to be one of the five largest property companies in the Philippines by 2020, through the build up of 1 million square meters of leasable space. The property firm plans to achieve the target by building a chain of 100 community malls by 2020 that will require a capital spending of P24 billion. The company has secured half of the sites required for the space build-up. It is also developing the 4.8-hectare DD Meridian Park at the corner of Macapagal Ave. and Edsa Extension in Pasay City.

Once the entire development is fully completed, DD Meridian Park will have over 280,000 square meters of prime leasable space. The company plans to complete 25 CityMalls outlets this year. DoubleDragon reported a net income of P713.6 million in the first nine months of the year, up 113 percent from P338.1 million posted in the same period last year. The company said the opening of the first five CityMalls and the recent launching of Dragon8 Mall-Divisoria and mall stall units started contributing rental revenues.

Market slumps; Jollibee, RCBC up STOCKS fell for a fifth day, tracking the regional markets as oil remained near the lowest in six years, underscoring anxiety over the health of the global economy. The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company benchmark, lost 73 points, or 1.1 percent, to close at 6,838.42 on Tuesday. The gauge was down 5.4 percent since the start of the year. The heavier index, representing all shares, also tumbled 35 points, or 0.9 percent, to settle at 3,950.54, on a value turnover of P4.7 billion. Losers outnumbered gainers, 116 to 55, while 44 issues were unchanged. All six sub-sectors ended in the red. Among the 20 most active stocks, only four ended in the green, led by Rizal Commercial Banking Corp., which rose 1.4 percent to P32. Jollibee Foods Corp., the largest restaurant operator, gained 0.6 percent to P207.20, while DoubleDragon Properties Corp. picked up 0.2 percent to P24.95. Metro Pacific Investments Corp. added 0.2 percent to close at P5.26. Meanwhile, Asian stocks were hit by another round of weak trade data indicating that China, the world’s number two economy and key driver of global growth is heading for its worst year in a quarter-century. Oil prices struggled at sevenyear lows Tuesday, sending Asian energy firms plunging in line with their US and European counterparts after OPEC’s decision to maintain output dimmed hopes for a recovery in the black gold. Another tumble in Chinese imports and exports exacerbated the decline on regional markets, reinforcing worries about the state of the world economy at the same time as Washington considers raising US interest rates. A global supply glut, weak demand and the growth slowdown in China have combined with soaring production to send crude slumping more than 60 percent over the past 18 months. With Bloomberg, AFP

Metro’s Isuzu fleet.

Isuzu Philippines Corp. delivers a fleet of light to medium-duty trucks to Metro Retail Stores Group Inc. to support the growing consumer demands of Metro stores nationwide. Shown during the delivery of 12 units of Isuzu NKR71 with aluminium body, 12 units of NKR71 with refrigerated van body and 13 units of FVM34 with aluminium wingvan body are (from left) Metro vice president for supply chain Ricky Aguas, Metro president and chief operating officer Arthur Manuel, Metro chairman and chief executive Frank Gaisano and Isuzu Philippines president Hajime Koso.

DMCI Power installs 2 emergency gensets in Palawan By Alena Mae S. Flores DMCI Power Corp. said Tuesday it installed two emergency power generation sets in Brooke’s Point, Palawan to augment power supply during the provincial sports competition. “Our management has approved to install autonomous power facilities that could operate in an island mode to ensure stable and steady power supply throughout the event,” said DMCI Palawan plant manager Teofe Cadiz. DMCI Power said the new gensets were a quick response to the request of the Palawan Electric Cooperative to quell any possibility of blackout during the Palarong Panlalawigan. The company said it was able to

install two generating sets on Dec. 6, despite the short notice given by the electric cooperative. Palawan Electric informed DMCI Power that the 69-kilovolt line that transmits power to Brooke’s Point was undergoing upgrading, making it unreliable at this time. “We wish the Palarong Pambansa success and we would like to show support to this important undertaking by way of responding to the demands and urgency of the situation in the best manner we can,” Cadiz said. Brooke’s Point and other nearby towns in Southern Palawan including Española and Bataraza have been experiencing power disruptions due to insufficient supply of power. DMCI Power said to solve this

problem over the long term, it signed an agreement with Palawan Electric with the concurrence of the local government through a resolution, to construct a new 5.7-megawatt diesel power plant tin Brooke’s Point. DMCI Power is also expanding its energy portfolio to include renewable energy such as hydro and biomass. “We are closely studying hydropower and biomass because we think they have the strongest potential in terms of output reliability and commercial viability among the available RE technologies,” DMCI Power president Nestor Dadivas said earlier. DMCI Power currently operates diesel and bunker power plants in Masbate, Palawan and Oriental

Mindoro. Another diesel plant with a capacity of 3 megawatts is set to operate in Sultan Kudarat by year-end. The company is in the initial stage of identifying locations for the renewable energy projects. “Right now, we have identified one or two areas. But the locations could still change depending on the results of our feasibility studies,” Dadivas said. The company cited market conditions and government incentives as the reasons for its planned foray into renewable energy. “Having priority dispatch, government support and a competitive price at a growing but highly competitive power industry makes these RE projects more attractive,” Dadivas said.

B4 BDO unit, Sta. Lucia get nod to raise funds By Jenniffer B. Austria THE Securities and Exchange Commission en banc approved Tuesday four capital-raising deals worth P31.1 billion. Documents filed with the SEC showed BDO Leasing and Finance Inc. would issue P25 billion worth of short term commercial papers to finance maturing obligation and fund its re-lending business. BDO Leasing appointed BDO Capital & Investments Corp. as the exclusive selling agent for the STCPs. The company, which is 85 percent-owned by BDO Unibank Inc., is primarily engaged in leasing and financing business. The SEC also approved the P5billion bond issuance of Sta. Lucia Land Inc. Sta. Lucia is issuing P3 billion in fixed rate bonds with an oversubscription of up to P2 billion. Assuming an issue size of P5 billion, Sta. Lucia plans to use the estimated net proceeds of P3.25 billion to refinance existing secured debt obligations and P1.75 billion to fund capital expenditures, land banking activities and construction of ongoing projects. Sta. Lucia as of end September 2015 has an outstanding debt of P3.25 billion from several major local banks that carried interest rates between 4.75 percent and 6 percent a year and with maturities from 2015 to 2018. Hybrid rice producer SL Agritech Corp., meanwhile, obtained SEC approval to issue up to P1 billion worth of short term commercial papers to finance purchase of inventories and refinance existing obligations. SL Agritech tapped Multinational Investments Bancorporation as sole issue manager and underwriter for the offering. Gweilo Corp., the operator of restaurant chain Mario’s Kitchen, slightly increased the size of its planned initial public offering to P105 million from the original P95 million. Based on the amended registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Gweilo will sell 105 million common shares for P1 apiece.

Modern slaughterhouse. Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala (fifth from left) leads the inauguration of a fully-automated and humancontact free slaughterhouse in Antipolo City on December 7, 2015. The HACCP certified and world-class triple A slaughterhouse, the first in the Philippines, owned and operated by Universal Robina Corp., aims to ensure the highest level of meat quality. With Alcala are (from left) URC farm poultry sales director Dante Palabrica, group general manager for agro industrial group Vincent Henry Go, JG Summit Holdings Inc. chairman and chief executive James Go, Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food chairwoman Cynthia Villar, URC president and CEO Lance Gokongwei, AGAP Partylist Rep. Nicanor Briones and Antipolo 1st District Councilor Ronald Barcena.

San Miguel-PSALM row worries Energy By Alena Mae S. Flores

THE Energy Department has expressed concern over the ongoing dispute between Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. and conglomerate San Miguel Corp. as the administrator of the contracts of two power plants with a combined capacity of 2,400 megawatts. Energy Secretary Zenaida Monsada told reporters the agency would to sit down with the Finance Department to discuss San Miguel’s unresolved issues with PSALM. “We are concerned about this because PSALM is government[owned]. Was there any lapse on its part? The chairman of PSALM is [the finance secretary] so we

will sit down with them,” Monsada said. Monsada sits in the PSALM board as vice chairman. PSALM manages the assets and liabilities of National Power Corp. as directed by the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001. PSALM is embroiled over a dispute with San Miguel for not

turning over generation payments from the 1,200-MW Ilijan combined cycle power plant. The case is now pending with the Regional Trial Court of Mandaluyong. San Miguel earlier has asked to Justice Department to prosecute PSALM president Lourdes Alzona for plunder in connection with the alleged P14-billion loss over a 2009 contract with an independent power producer for the Sual Power Plant in Pangasinan. San Miguel accused Alzona of violating the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. Also included in the complaint were Team Philippines Energy Corp. president Suguru Tsuzaki and Team Sual Corp. executive vice president Kochi Tamura. San Miguel won the contract

to administer the output of the Ilijan and Sual power plants in Batangas province. Monsada said the conflicting schedule between Finance and Energy officials had delayed talks on PSALM’s dispute with San Miguel. “DoF is asking to sit down but the problem is the conflicting schedule,” she said. San Miguel alleged it was not able to get a net contracted capacity of 500 MW per unit for the Sual coal plant because Team Energy’s 100-MW nominal capacity was given priority following a 2009 agreement on excess capacity. San Miguel said TeaM Energy illegally benefited from the excess capacity to the detriment of the Philippine government and San Miguel.

ERC’s Salazar bats for expanded presence in Visayas, Mindanao THE Energy Regulatory Commission has created an ad hoc oversight committee that will oversee preparations for the reorganization of its Visayas and Mindanao field offices. ERC chairman Jose Vicente Salazar said the move was in line with its proposal for structural strengthening slated for submission to the Office of the President. Salazar said the planned reorganization of the Visayas and Mindanao field offices “aims for a more empowered operation that will

bring about more effective service to that part of our country.” “This is consistent with the principles of devolution and decentralization being pursued by the government,” Salazar said. “The move is also a response to the aspiration expressed by the Committee on Energy of the House of Representatives for the ERC to bring itself closer to the people by empowering our Visayas and Mindanao field offices,” he said. He cited a longstanding call

from the House of Representatives for ERC’s expanded presence in the regions. Such presence, Salazar said, was expected to help the regulatory processes become more efficient and effective. “We envision these field offices to become area offices with structures patterned after that of the head office,” he added. Salazar also announced the appointment of ERC Director Noel Salvanera as head of the ad hoc oversight committee. Prior to his appointment to the commit-

tee, Salvanera was acting head of ERC Legal Service. Salazar said Salvanera’s “technical skills, organizational competence, extensive experience in the agency and his institutional knowledge makes him the most qualified official for the position”. Salvanera will be doing inspection and monitoring functions. He is also expected to provide the Commission with inputs and advice on policies and practices for the development of the Visayas and Mindanao field offices.

Salazar said Salvanera would head the committee for a period of one year. The ERC designated Prescia Vanessa Reynante and Dianara Capito as members of the ad hoc committee. Chief energy regulation officer Alfred Vergara Jr. has been designated officer-in-charge of the legal service. Supervising energy regulation officer Ronaldo Gomez and Grace Lu-Santos were likewise designated as legal service division heads.

W E D N E S D AY : D E C E M B E R 9, 2 0 1 5

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

Failed experiment SOMEONE at the Department of Transportation and Communications must be earning loads of money just cooking up all these upid-stay schemes and experiments to solve the traffic problem in Metro Manila, the latest of which is the Holiday Bus Express. This plan is not really new because as early as February, the DoTC, the Metro Manila Development Authority and the Land Franchising Regulatory Board have been announcing the rollout of 50 express buses that will make life easier for those commuting to Makati via EDSA because these buses will only stop twice—at the designated pickup point and the destination. It’s supposed to cut the number of vehicles plying EDSA because the grand plan is to convince vehicle owners to ditch their cars and ride on the brand new buses—for as much as P80 which is almost twice the fare for an air con bus traveling the same distance. Fine, the difference is that the express buses will not make all those numerous stops that regular buses make, but whoever concocted this scheme failed to consider that the fare rate is onerous for just a short stretch (like from North Avenue to Ayala) so this will already limit the number of passengers willing to shell out twice that amount. Thrown in additional expenses for the fare going to the terminal and then back home (for those without cars), plus and parking fee for car owners who decide to leave their cars in the malls that serve as express bus terminals, and we’re talking about P300. So if you are a car owner, why go through all that trouble of parking your car at the mall just so you could take a bus (By the way, the buses have 30 minute intervals for dispatch so if you are in a hurry, time your arrival at the terminal to avoid wasting time waiting for the next bus) that would drop you off somewhere in Ayala, which would require you to walk to your office or wherever it is you want to go? If it rains, well, that’s another story... The “Apec” lane—that one segregated by the orange plastic dividers that cost millions—has been dedicated for these special buses—which means the rest of the vehicles will contend with even worse traffic because they will all have to squeeze their cars in the much reduced road space that in turn creates bottlenecks. Smart, really smart. The thing is, too many solutions are being proposed to ease the traffic congestion in Metro Manila. If our memory serves us right, there was one from Atty. Ariel Inton—a road use rationalization proposal for EDSA—that’s supposed to answer the traffic congestions and limit the high volume of vehicles traversing it during morning rush hour. Inton is suggesting several options like one more day of coding, wherein only car plates ending in 1, 2, 3, 4 are allowed on Monday, 3, 4, 5, 6 on Tuesday, 5,6, 7, 8 on Wednesday—you get the drift. Option B just reverses the order with public and private vehicles only allowed to ply EDSA twice a week. And his third option: follow the existing number coding scheme but only cars with four passengers will be allowed to pass through EDSA. (Tough luck if you are only a family of three and you want to go to SM Mega Mall—you will have to look for an extra passenger like your disagreeable in-law for example.) Your thoughts on this? We thought so. To be fair though, Inton only proposes a two- to threehour implementation for all the options he presented, specifically during morning rush hour, with the intention being to give priority to bus commuters. Oh, well. We can all come up with the most inane and insane proposals but the best solution would be to have an efficient mass transport system—something that the MRT and LRT should be able to help us achieve—if only this administration has not allowed these rail systems to deteriorate. ••• For comments, reactions, photos, stories and related concerns, readers may email to happyhourtoday2012@ yahoo.com. You may also visit and like our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/happyhourmanilastandard. We’d be very happy to hear from you. Cheers!

Mitsubishi seeking independent probe By Othel V. Campos

MITSUBISHI Motors Philippines Corp. on Tuesday again called for a completely independent third party to settle the sudden unintended acceleration claim against Mitsubishi Montero units, amid conflicting views from complainants and the vehicle’s distributor Mitsubishi first vice president Froilan Dytianquin said in a statement the best option was to seek the expert opinion of a third party, instead of calling for a recall of supposed “defective” units. “A recall order is issued when a defect has been found. If there is none, there is nothing to check and correct. At this point, we believe such a recall order is not called for. That is why we have been pushing for a third party to settle the issue,” he said. He said Mitsubishi Motors

Corp. of Japan thoroughly evaluated all 97 vehicles involved in alleged SUA and found nothing wrong with any of them. Some complainants remained unconvinced and asked for the recall of their units, which the Trade Department may be inclined to.l Dytianquin said the clamor for the recall of the 97 Montero units would significantly affect the businesses of Mitsubishi dealers, employees and their families. “The perceived solution will

create unintended and even bigger problems,” he said. He said it is was baffling and just not possible why only the Montero Sport units in the Philippines were facing SUA allegations. “There are zero SUA allegations in other Asean countries and they carry the same units that we have here. If there is a problem in the unit, that should also manifest in the units being sold in other countries,” Dytianquin said. All available Montero Sport units in the Southeast Asia are all made in Thailand. “We will ask the DTI to take a second look at its reported inclination to order a recall. Its effect on the businesses of MMPC, its dealers, ancillary industries, their employees and even the image of the Philippines as an investment destination will be severely affected. More importantly, what will be its basis since there is no defect in the units?,” Dytianquin asked.

Microsoft launch. Power Mac Center, the premier Apple partner in the country, and Microsoft Philippines launch Office 365 bundles for the coming holidays. Shown at the the launch of Office 2016 for OS and iOS devices at Power Mac Center Rockwell are (from left) Jerry Bongco, director for consumer business division of Microsoft; Lawrence Sison, chief executive of Power Mac Center; Karrie Ilagan, country general manager at Microsoft Philippines; and Richard Javier, retail sales and marketing channels lead.

PPA general manager Sta. Ana resigns By Darwin G Amojelar PHILIPPINE Ports Authority general manager Juan Sta. Ana is resigning from his post by yearend to return to the private sector. Sta. Ana handed his resignation to President Benigno Aquino III through the Transportation and Communications Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya on December 4, 2015. In his letter of resignation to the President, Sta. Ana said “it is with heavy heart that he has decided to return to the private sector.” Sta. Ana has been planning to resign from his post to rejoin the private sector a few months ago. Before joining PPA in 2010,

Sta. Ana was senior vice president of FF Cruz & Co. Inc., one of the largest construction companies in the country, and played a key role in several subsidiaries of the company. Sta. Ana held on to the post to finish the PPA pending an organization plan and placement of employees, as well as to complete his international commitments. Sta. Ana was elected chairman of Asean Ports Authorities Association for two years and completed his term on November 3, 2015 in a turnover ceremony held in Brunei, handing the chairmanship over to Malaysia. The PPA’s international commitment of hosting the Apec Ports Services Network, where he serves as council member, was

successfully completed on November 13, 2015 in Cebu City. Sta. Ana in his last five years focused on good governance issues, including simplification of business processes in ports to make it easy for the public to transact business and transparency in corporate governance. He also pushed for port modernization in several gateway projects, port efficiency and productivity in the handling of cargoes and connectivity. Under his watch, the Governance Commission for Government Owned or Controlled Corporation elevated the PPA status to a first-class government corporation based on state audited financial statements for calendar years 2012, 2013 and 2014.

WEDNESDAY: DECEMBER 9, 2015

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Current account stays robust

CYAN MAGENTA YELL

Manila

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NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT THE ESTATE OF THE LATE RIZALINA T. GERVACIO WAS E X T R A J U D I C I A L LY SETTLED BY HEIRS AS PER DOC. 468, PAGE 95; BOOK NO. I; SERIES OF 2015 BEFORE NOTARY PUBLIC ATTY. SHERWIN DWIGHT O. EBALO OF MAKATI CITY. ( T S - D E C . 2 , 9 & 16 , 2 015 )

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Republic of the Philippines National Capital Judicial Region REGIONAL TRIAL COURT Mandaluyong City Branch 211 PHILIPPINE SAVINGS BANK, Plaintiff, -versus-

Civil Case No. MC12-7217 For: Recovery of Possession w/Application for Prel. Writ of Replevin w/ Alternative Prayer for Sum of Money

ADRIAN M. TALAVERA and JOHN DOE,

Defendants. x---------------------------------------------x ALIAS SUMMONS BY PUBLICATION ADRIAN M. TALAVERA 2969 A. Bonifacio St., Poblacion, Makati City GREETINGS: You are hereby required to enter your appearance in the above-entitled case within SIXTY (60) DAYS after the publication of this Summons upon you, exclusive of the day of such publication and answer the plaintiff’s Complaint for Recovery of Possession with Application for Preliminary Writ of Replevin with Alternative Prayer for Sum of Money as provided by the Rules. If you fail to appear and answer within the time aforesaid, the plaintiff will demand in this Court the relief applied for in said Complaint. TO:

WITNESS my hand under the seal of this Court, this 24th day of November, 2015. (Sgd.) ATTY. KAREN C. MARAMBA – FIRME Branch Clerk of Court

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION REGIONAL TRIAL COURT MANDALUYONG CITY BRANCH 211 PHILIPPINE SAVINGS BANK, Plaintiff, -versusADRIAN M. TALAVERA AND JOHN DOE,

Defendants; x-------------------------------------------------x

CIVIL CASE NO. MC12-7217 FOR: RECOVERY OF POSSESSION WITH APPLICATION FOR PRELIMINARY WRIT OF REPLEVIN WITH ALTERNATIVE PRAYER FOR SUM OF MONEY

COMPLAINT

PlaintIff, by counsel, respectfully alleges that: 1. Plaintiff, Philippine Savings Bank (PSBANK for brevity), is a thrift banking corporation duly organized and existing under Philippine Laws, with principal office and place of business at 4TH Floor, PSBank Center, 777 Paseo de Roxas corner Sedeño Street, Makati City, and has a branch office at CIFRA Bldg., 641 Boni. Ave., Mandaluyong City; 2. Defendant, ADRIAN M. TALAVERA, Filipino, of legal age, with given address at NO. 2969, A. BONIFACIO ST., POBLACION, MAKATI CITY where he may be served with summons and other judicial processes; 3. Defendant, John Doe, whose real name and address are unknown to the plaintiff, is whoever may be in actual possession of the motor vehicle described below if it is not in the custody of the defendants; 4. For value received, the defendants jointly and severally executed and delivered to plaintiff a Promissory Note (ANNEX A) dated DECEMBER 14, 2011 with a face amount of P 1,086,336.00 payable in 48 months at a monthly installment of P22,632.00 beginning JANUARY 1, 2012 and on the 1ST day of every succeeding month thereafter, with late payment penalty of 5% per month from due date until the entire obligation is fully paid. 5. To secure the payment of the Promissory Note, the defendants also executed in favor of the plaintiff, a Chattel Mortgage dated DECEMBER 14, 2011 over the motor vehicle described below: MAKE/TYPE : 2012 HYUNDAI ELANTRA CVVT MOTOR NO. : G4NBBU969770 SERIAL NO. : KMHDH41EBCU350578 together with the body built or that may be built thereon and all the equipment, attachments, and accessories which may now or from time to time be used with, added to or attached to the motor vehicle; 6. In the Promissory Note with Chattel Mortgage, it is stipulated among others that the default in the payment of any installment / other stipulated charges due and/or the violation of their other terms and conditions shall make the unpaid balance at the time of such default, immediately due and payable and shall entitle the plaintiff, to obtain possession of the mortgaged motor vehicle from the defendants who are bound, on demand, to deliver the same to the plaintiff for purposes of foreclosure, and who may foreclose such mortgaged motor vehicle at any place where it may be found or situated or where the plaintiff may have its principal or branch office; 7. Defendants violated the terms and conditions of the Promissory Note with Chattel Mortgage when they failed to pay at least two monthly installments due beginning AUGUST 1, 2012 and subsequent installments plus other stipulated charges if any; 8. Plaintiff demanded from the defendants the payment of their outstanding balance amounting to P907,038.52 or the surrender of the mortgaged motor vehicle for purpose of foreclosure, to satisfy defendants obligation, but the latter failed and/ or refused to do so, despite plaintiff’s oral/written demands. Copy of the Demand Letter (ANNEX B), and Statement of Account are attached here to as (ANNEX C); 9. The promissory Note and Chattel Mortgage further stipulate that any legal action arising there from, may be instituted at plaintiff’s option, in the court of competent jurisdiction in Metro Manila or in any province, city or municipality where plaintiff has a branch office; 10. Pursuant to Sec. 2 Rule 60 of the Revised Rules of Court and in support of plaintiff’s application for a preliminary writ of replevin, attached is plaintiff’s Affidavit of Merit; and 11. Plaintiff is willing to file good, sufficient and solvent bond executed to the defendants in an amount double the actual market value of P750,400.00 of the mortgaged motor vehicle to warrant its return to the defendants, if its return be adjudged, and for the defendants of such sums as it may recover from the plaintiff. ALTERNATIVE CAUSE OF ACTION 1. Plaintiff incorporates herein by reference, the preceding paragraphs; 2. In the event that the mortgaged motor vehicle cannot be found, seized and foreclosed, that the defendant, their successors, assigns and such other persons as may be required by law, be held liable, jointly and severally, to pay the amount of P907,038.52 plus all accruing charges under the Promissory Note with Chattel Mortgage from due date until fully paid. PRAYER ACCORDINGLY, it is respectfully prayed that: 1. A writ of replevin be issued ordering the seizure of the mortgaged motor vehicle, complete with all its equipment, attachments and accessories from the defendants and its delivery to the plaintiff for purposes of foreclosure, to satisfy defendants’ obligation; 2. Judgement be rendered confirming and ratifying as legal and valid the seizure of the mortgaged motor vehicle and its delivery to plaintiff for purposes of extra judicial foreclosure, in accordance with the provisions of the Chattel Mortgage; On the alternative cause of action, in the event that the mortgaged motor vehicle cannot be recovered and delivered to plaintiff, to render judgement in favor of plaintiff ordering defendant, jointly and severally, to pay plaintiff the amount of P907,038.52 plus all accruing charges under the Promissory Note with Chattel Mortgage from due date until fully paid; Other appropriate relief are likewise prayed for. Makati City for Mandaluyong City, 13 November 2012. SALGADO REYES VILLASIS & ASSOCIATES Counsel for Plaintiff PSBank 4th Floor PSBank Centre Bldg. No. 777 Paseo de Roxas Avenue Cor. Sedeño St., Makati City PAUL R.A. YSMAEL PTR O.R. No. 7985685; 1-02-12; Cainta, Rizal IBP O.R. No. 877157; 1-02-12; I. Sur Roll No. 42939 MCLE Compliance IV-0000881, Dec. 10,2010 (Sgd.) CONSTANTINO L. REYES PTR No. 6031652, 01/02/2012; Quezon City IBP Lifetime No. 00747, Pasig City Roll No. 40682 MCLE IV No. 0000374; 8/31/2010 Quezon City CHRISTIAN G. VILLASIS PTR No. 1301140; 1/2/12; Mandaluyong City IBP No. 877283; 1/2/12; RSM Chapter Roll of Attorneys No. 54401 MCLE Compliance No. IV-0000738; 11/09/10 LILLI FUENTES CARULLO Roll No. 49110 IBP Lifetime Member Roll No. 08711 PTR No. 7575282 January 16, 2012, Pasig City MCLE Compliance No. III-0006715 AFFIDAVIT OF MERIT TO SUPPORT OF APPLICATION FOR WRIT OF REPLEVIN AND CERTIFICATION OF NON-FORUM SHOPPING I, MARILYN C. LAM, of legal age, Filipino and with postal address at 4th Floor, PSBank Centre, 777 Paseo de Roxas St., corner Sedeño St., Makati City, after having been sworn in accordance with law, hereby depose and state that: 1. I cause the preparation of the complaint read the contents thereof; and all allegations therein are true and correct based on my personal knowledge and authenticated record/documents under the possession of PSBank; 2. Philippine Savings Bank is the mortgagee/assignee under a Chattel Mortgage dated on DECEMBER 14, 2011 of the motor vehicle described below: MAKE/TYPE : 2012 HYUNDAI ELANTRA CVVT MOTOR NO. : G4NBBU969770 SERIAL NO. : KMHDH41EBCU350578 with all its equipment, attachments and accessories which defendants mortgaged to secure the payment of a Promissory Note with a face amount of P1,086,336.00 payable in 48 month a monthly installment of P22,632.00 beginning JANUARY 1, 2012 and on the 1ST of every succeeding month thereafter until fully paid; 3. The estimated market value of the mortgaged motor vehicle is approximately P750,400.00. 4. In the Promissory Note with Chattel Mortgage stipulated among others that the default in the payment of any installment / other stipulated charges due and/or the violation of their other terms and conditions shall make the unpaid balance at the time of such default, immediately due and payable and shall entitle the plaintiff, to obtain possession of the mortgaged motor vehicle from the defendants who are bound, on demand, to deliver the same to the plaintiff for purposes of foreclosure and who may foreclose such mortgaged motor vehicle at any place where it may be found or stipulated or where the plaintiff as mortgagee / assignee may have its principal of branch office; 5. Defendants defaulted/violated the terms and conditions of the Promissory Note and Chattel Mortgage when they failed to pay at least two (2) monthly installments due thereon and subsequently installments; 6. In view of defendant’s default / violation plaintiff has become entitled to the possession of the mortgaged motor vehicle which the defendants appears to have wrongfully detained to defeat plaintiff’s mortgage lien thereon, when they failed and/or refused to deliver the same to the plaintiff for purposes of foreclosure, despite oral and/ or written demands, contrary to the provisions of the Chattel Mortgage; 7. The mortgaged motor vehicle has not been taken for any tax assessment, or fine pursuant to law, or seized under an attachment or execution against the property of the plaintiff or if so seized, the same is exempt from such seizure; 8. Plaintiff is willing to file a good, sufficient and solvent bond executed to the defendants in an amount double the actual value of the mortgaged motor vehicle to warrant its return to the defendants if its return is adjudged and for the payment of the defendants of such amounts as they may recover from the plaintiff on the action; 9. I further certify plaintiff has not commenced any other action or proceeding involving the same issue in another tribunal or agency; that to the best of my knowledge, no such action or proceeding is pending in the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals, the Regional Trial Court, or any other tribunal or agency and that if I should thereafter learn that a similar action or proceeding has been filed or is pending before the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals, the Regional Trial Court or any other tribunal or agency. I undertake to promptly inform the Honorable Court of that fact within five (5) days from my knowledge thereof. (Sgd.) MARILYN C. LAM Affiant SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN to before me this NOV. 14, 2012 day of _________________; affiant exhibiting to me her Driver’s License with No. D-16-96-151100 issued by Land Transportation Office, East Avenue, Quezon City. Doc. No. 479 Page No. 96 Book No. DLIX Series of 2012 (TS-DEC. 9, 2015)

By Julito G. Rada

THE Philippines is expected to post a record current account surplus this year, on the back of strong remittances that will offset the wide merchandise trade deficit, DBS Bank of Singapore said in a report. Current account, an important indicator of economic health, measures the balance between exports and imports, income from foreign investment flows and net current transfers, which refer mostly to aids or official assistance from other countries. “Goods exports are likely to plunge 6 percent this year, while imports growth may come in around 4 percent. No surprise then that the trade deficit widens to $10 billion this year. Yet, this does not necessarily mean that we should be too concerned about the external balance,”

DBS said. “Overseas foreign workers remittances remain strong and we expect to see a gross total of $25 billion this year. The overall current account is set to record another surplus, to the tune of $11 billion this year, about 4 percent of GDP,” the bank said. Latest government data showed that exports fell 6.9 percent in the first nine months to $43.75 billion from $47 billion a year ago. Exports in September alone tumbled 24.7 percent to $4.4 billion from $5.8 billion a year earlier, the largest decline since September 2011. DBS said exports of electronic products continued to outperform overall export growth, an encouraging sign as the manufacturing sector was increasingly crucial for longer-term GDP growth outlook, especially as the economy continued to diversify away from dependence on the services sector. Money sent home by overseas Filipinos grew by 4.3 percent in September to $2.2 billion from $2.11 billion a year ago. The September expansion was a sharp

turnaround from the 0.6-percent contraction in August, the lowest in 12 years when the dollar strengthened against most currencies which reduced the dollar equivalent of remittances sent from host countries. This brought cash remittances in the first nine months to $18.4 billion, or 4.1 percent higher than $17.68 billion a year ago. Personal remittances, which include non-cash items, also expanded by 4.3 percent in September to $2.434 billion from $2.33 billion in the same period last year. This brought personal remittances in the first nine months to $20.36 billion, up 3.9 percent from $19.6 billion a year ago. Remittances fuel private consumption and serve as a backbone of economic growth. Last year, cash remittances posted a record $24.308 billion, or 5.8-percent higher than $22.968 billion in 2013. It also accounted for 8.5 percent of gross domestic product in 2014. Bangko Sentral is aiming for a conservative 5-percent growth in remittances this year.

Samsung’s award.

World Wildlife FundPhilippines recognizes Samsung Electronics Philippines for the latter’s environment conservation programs at the 2015 Environmental Leadership Awards. Samsung is lauded for efforts to help communities in Nueva Ecija, Tarlac and Cagayan, where it provided solar lamps to schoolchildren who live in homes that do not have access to electricity. Shown is Samsung public affairs head Arlita Tayko Narag (center) receiving the award from WWFPhilippines chairman Vince Perez (left) and WWF Philippines president Joel Palma (right) during the WWF partners’ night at Fairmont Hotel in Makati City.

Economic zones can boost trade, says ADB By Gabrielle H. Binaday SPECIAL economic zones can be a driving force for increased trade, investment and economic reforms in Asia at a time the region is experiencing a slowdown in trade, the Asian Development Bank said in a report Tuesday. The Manila-based multilateral bank said in its Asian Economic Integration Report this would be possible, if the right business environments and policies were put in place. The report examined current trends in trade, finance, migration, remittances and other economic activities in the region, with a special chapter on the role of SEZs. “The expansion in the number of SEZs from about 500 in 1995 to over 4,300 in 2015 shows the strong and rising interest to this form of policy experiment, though the success record is somewhat mixed,” ADB chief economist Shang-Jin Wei said.

“If designed right, SEZs can become drivers for increased trade, foreign direct investment and better economic policymaking and reforms. Moreover, as countries develop, areas with SEZs can be transformed from mere manufacturing sites to hubs for innovation and modern services,” he said. The report said in the case of the Philippines, special economic zones accounted for 15 percent of FDIs, 73 percent of exports and 2 percent of employment. “The Philippines has been able to attract FDI in its zones, but still needs to enhance benefits of technological spillovers and agglomeration—especially since enacting its more comprehensive 1995 SEZ policy,” it said. “In general, the success in Asean has been relatively limited from a lack of linkages to the wider economy. There is a risk that the footloose investment these economies attract might move to other economies which have natural advantage

in these activities. This calls for strong state support in boosting domestic capabilities,” it said. ADB said the establishment of export processing zones in the Philippines such as the Bataan Processing Zone, the Foreign Trade Zone Authority, the Cavite Export Processing Zone, the Mactan Export Processing Zone and the Baguio City Export Processing Zone encouraged FDI flows despite import-substitution regime. It said the share of the Philippines’ EPZs in attracting FDIs and in merchandise exports grew considerably. “However, expansion was horizontal rather than vertical. The Special Economic Zone Act of 1995 created ‘eco zones’ to be managed by the new Philippine Economic Zone Authority and expanded incentives offered to foreign investors—shifting focus away from government-developed EPZs to private industrial zones,” ADB said.

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WORLD

CESAR BARRIOQUINTO EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Gold rush seen in space NEW YORK—Flashing some interplanetary gold bling and sipping “space water” might sound farfetched, but both could soon be reality, thanks to a new US law that legalizes cosmic mining. In a first, President Barack Obama signed legislation at the end of November that allows commercial extraction of minerals and other materials, including water, from asteroids and the moon. That could kick off an extraterrestrial gold rush, backed by a private aeronautics industry that is growing quickly and cutting the price of commercial space flight. The US Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act of 2015 says that any materials American individuals or companies find on an asteroid or the moon is theirs to keep and do with as they please. While the Space Act breaks with the concept that space should be shared by everyone on Earth for scientific research and exploration, it establishes the rights of investors to profit from their efforts, at least under US law. Christopher Johnson, a lawyer at the Secure World Foundation, which focuses on the long-term sustainable use of outer space, said the law sets the basis for the next century of activity in space. “Now it is permissible to interact with space. Exploring and using space’s resources has begun,” he said. The US move conjured visions of the great opening of the United States’ Western frontier in the 19th century, which led to the California Gold Rush of 1849. But for the moment, the costs of pioneering the economic exploitation of space remain exorbitant and the risks high. Large companies are still studying their options, but smaller startups are impatient to get going, like Planetary Resources, launched in 2012 by Google cofounder Larry Page. “It has often been a question as to whether a commercial company will be able to go out and develop a resource,” said Chris Lewicki, president of Planetary Resources, which bills itself as “The Asteroid Mining Company.” AFP

Report: Foreign fighters in Iraq now over 27,000 HONG KONG—The number of foreign fighters in Iraq and Syria has more than doubled since last year to at least 27,000, a report by an intelligence consultancy said Tuesday, highlighting the global dimension of the conflict.

Visit. German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen

steps off a Hercules cargo plane of the US Air Force as she arrives in Kabul on December 8, 2015. AFP

The figures, compiled by The Soufan Group, indicate that the efforts by countries around the world to stem the flow of foreign fighters to Iraq and Syria and blunt the appeal of violent organizations, such as the Islamic State group, appear to have made little impact. “The foreign fighter phenomenon in Iraq and Syria is truly global,” the New York-based security consultancy’s report said. “The Islamic State has seen success beyond the dreams of other terrorist groups that now appear conventional and even old-fashioned, such as Al-Qaeda. “It has energized tens of thousands of people to join it, and inspired many more to support it.” In all, between 27,000 and 31,000 foreign fighters from 86 countries have traveled to Iraq and Syria, The Soufan Group said, compared to a figure of around 12,000 foreign fighters in Syria when it last published a similar study in

Annex B: Proposed Petition Notice for the Renewal of Biosafety Permit for Direct Use

Republic of the Philippines

PETITION NOTICE FOR PERMIT RENEWAL

DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE

PROPOSAL FOR THE RENEWAL OF THE PERMIT FOR DIRECT USE AS FOOD AND FEED, OR FOR PROCESSING OF Bt11 x MIR162 x TC1507 x GA21 Corn

Roxas Boulevard Corner Pablo Ocampo, Sr. Street Manila 1004

1. Name of Applicant: SYNGENTA Philippines, Inc.

InvItatIon to BId for the SUPPLY, deLIverY, InStaLLatIon and ConfIGUratIon of varIoUS It eQUIPMent

2. Address/Telephone & Facsimile Nos./ E-Mail Address 12/F Two World Square, #22 Upper McKinley Road, McKinley Town Center, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City 1630 Philippines Tel. +63 2 3702100; Fax +63 2 8569260; E-mail: http://www.syngenta.com.ph 3. Name of Responsible Officer/Authorized Representative

The DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE (DOF), through the Government of the Philippines under the General Appropriations Act for CY 2015, intends to apply the sum of Four Million Forty Five Thousand Five Hundred Pesos (PhP 4,045,500.00) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for the Supply, Delivery, Installation and Configuration of Various IT Equipment (the “Project”). 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 Supply, Delivery, Installation and Configuration of Various IT Equipment. Bidders should have completed, within three (3) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project which is equivalent to at least fifty percent (50%) of the ABC for 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 a non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (R-IRR) of Republic Act (RA) No. 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”. However, only those who have purchased the Bidding Documents shall be allowed to participate in the pre-bid conference and raise or submit written queries or clarifications.

Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens, sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least sixty percent (60%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines, and to citizens or organizations of a country the laws or regulations of which grant similar rights or privileges to Filipino citizens, pursuant to RA 5183 and subject to Commonwealth Act 138.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from the BAC Secretariat and inspect the Bidding Documents at 7th Floor EDPC Building, BSP Complex, corner Pablo Ocampo, Sr. St. Roxas Boulevard, Manila starting December 9, 2015 during office hours.

Duong Ba Cau, President and Commercial Unit Head, Philippines Felipe S. dela Cruz, Jr., Regulatory Affairs Manager, Seeds Philippines 4. Description of the Regulated Article for Direct Use (mention the crop, transformation event, new trait conferred, name of the gene transferred, method of transformation, and advantages of the trait conferred) Bt11 x MIR162 x TC1507 x GA21 is a stack corn hybrid developed by conventionally crossing Bt11, MIR162, TC1507 and GA21 corn. Bt11, MIR162, TC1507 and GA21 are transgenic corn events developed through modern biotechnology. Event Bt11 corn contains the Cry1Ab gene isolated from Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki and encodes the Cry1Ab protein, which is toxic to the Asiatic corn borer (ACB) upon ingestion but is harmless to other insects, humans and animals. The Cry1Ab acts by selectively binding to specific sites localized on the brush border midgut epithelium of susceptible species. Following binding, cation-specific pores are formed that disrupt midgut ion flow and thereby cause paralysis and death. Event Bt11 corn also contains the pat gene cloned from the soil microorganism Streptomyces viridochromogenes strain that encodes the enzyme phosphinothricin-N-synthethase acetyltransferase (PAT) which detoxifies glufosinate ammonium. Glufosinate ammonium inhibits the glutamate synthetase in plants, resulting in an accumulation of ammonia in plant tissues leading to its death. Plants expressing the pat gene are protected from the herbicide glufosinate. Event MIR162 corn contains vip3Aa20 gene derived from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) strain AB88, a gram positive bacterium. The vip3Aa20 gene encodes a vegetative insecticidal protein (Vip) that controls certain Lepidopteran insect pests of corn. In general, the mode of action of the Vip3Aa20 protein consists of (1) ingestion, (2) activation by insect gut proteases, (3) binding to the membranes of midgut epithelial cells, and (4) pore formation in the cell membranes leading to disruption of the midgut transmembrane potential and eventual insect death. Event MIR162 corn also contains phosphomannose isomerase (pmi) gene isolated from Escherichia coli. It encodes a PMI protein which allows cells to survive and grow on media containing mannose as the only or primary energy source, and was utilized as a selectable marker during the development of MIR162 corn. Event TC1507 corn contains the cry1F gene from Bacillus thuringiensis var aizawai. It produces the Cry1F protein that when ingested by the insect, acts by selectively binding to specific sites on the lining of the midgut of susceptible insects. Following binding, pores are formed that disrupt midgut ion flow, causing gut paralysis and eventual death due to bacterial sepsis. Event TC1507 also produces the PAT protein from S. viridochromogenes which provides tolerance to glufosinateammonium herbicide. Event GA21 corn contains a modified 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (mepsps) gene derived from corn. It confers the mEPSPS protein which enables the plant to tolerate the herbicide glyphosate.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be acquired by interested Bidders on December 9, 2015 at the General Services Division, 7th Floor EDPC Building, BSP Complex, corner Pablo Ocampo Sr. St., Roxas Blvd., Manila upon payment of a non-refundable fee provided as follows:

Syngenta already obtained the approval for direct use as food, feed and for processing, and for propagation of both single events Bt11 and GA21, and for direct use as food, feed and for processing of event MIR162. On the other hand, Pioneer Hi-Bred and Dow Agrosciences have received the approval of TC1507 for direct use as food, feed, and for processing and for propagation from the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI).

Lot No. Particulars 1 Computer, workstation, set 2 Laptop

5. Countries Where Regulated Article Has Been Approved, Its Approved Uses and Year/s of Approval. Country Use(s) Year Approved Argentina Cultivation, Food, and Feed 2014 Canada Cultivation and Feed 2010 Japan Cultivation/ Food 2011/2010 Korea Food, Feed, and Environment 2012 Mexico Food, Feed, and Processing 2011 Philippines Food, Feed, and Processing 2010 South Africa Food, Feed, and Processing 2011 Taiwan Food 2011 United States Cultivation, Food, Feed, and Processing 2011 6. Narrative Explanation Why the Regulated Article Is As Safe As Its Conventional Counterpart, Including Presence or Absence of Any Adverse Effects Compositional and nutritional analyses, allergenicity and toxicity studies which were specifically conducted to assess the safety altogether show that Bt11 x MIR162 x TC1507 x GA21 corn is substantially equivalent to and as safe as the conventional corn, except for the additional traits which confer resistance to Asiatic corn borer and other Lepidopteran insects, tolerance to glyphosate and glufosinate, and contains the pmi gene which is used as a selectable marker during the development of MIR162. It has passed the thorough evaluation of the regulatory agencies in many countries which were granted with the biosafety approvals for Bt11 x MIR162 x TC1507 x GA21 corn. To date, no adverse effects have been reported. 7. Summary of Experiences in the Philippines on the Regulated Article, Including Presence or Absence of Any Adverse Effects

8. Reasons Why a Renewal of the Existing Permit Should Be Granted The Philippines has adopted biotechnology in order to improve corn productivity and further contribute to the country’s national food supply and food security while meeting strict scientific standards. Bt11 x MIR162 x TC1507 x GA21 corn was approved for direct use as food, feed and processing on 22 December 2010 and will expire on 21 December 2015. Thus, in order not to disrupt market access, we would like to renew the permit for the direct use as food, feed and processing of Bt11 x MIR162 x TC1507 x GA21 corn.

Non-refundable fee PhP 5,000.00 PhP 5,000.00

The schedule of bidding activities is as follows: ACTIVITIES SCHEDULE Posting of Invitation to Bid December 9, 2015 Issuance and Availability of Bid Documents Starting December 9, 2015 Pre-Bid Conference December 16, 2015, 11:00 am Request for Clarification December 18, 2015 (by email) Issuance of Supplemental Bid Bulletin December 21, 2015 Deadline for Submission of Bids December 28, 2015, 9:45 am Opening of Bids December 28, 2015, 10:00 am Bids must be delivered at the 7th Floor, EDPC Building cor. P. Ocampo Sr. St., Manila on or before December 28, 2015, 9:45 am. The bidders shall drop their duly accomplished eligibility requirements, technical and financial proposals in two (2) separate envelopes in the bid box located at the abovementioned address. All the Bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in the Instructions to Bid (ITB) Clause 18. Bid opening shall be on the date indicated above at the DFG Conference Room, 4th Floor DOF Building. Bids will be opened in the presence of the Bidders’ representatives who choose to attend. “LATE BIDS SHALL NOT BE ACCEPTED.”

For additional information on the proposed importation for direct use as food, feed and for processing, please contact:

The public is hereby invited to submit their comments on the proposed renewal of permit for direct use as food, feed and for processing within fifteen (15) days from the date of publication to: Director Bureau of Plant Industry San Andres, Malate, Manila Telephone Number 525-7857 Fax Number 521-7650 E-Mail bpibiotechsecretariat@yahoo.com Approved for Publication: ________________________________ (SGD) PAZ J. BENAVIDEZ II Asst. Secretary for Regulations and OIC-Director, Bureau of Plant Industry (TS-DEC. 9, 2015)

ABC PhP 2,245,500.00 PhP 1,800,000.00

The Bidding Documents may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the PhilGEPS and the website of the DOF, provided that the Bidders shall pay the non-refundable fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids.

There have been no reported adverse effects attributed to Bt11 x MIR162 x TC1507 x GA21 corn since it was approved for use as food, feed, and for processing on 22 December 2010.

Duong Ba Cau/Felipe S. dela Cruz, Jr. Syngenta Philippines, Inc. 12/F Two World Square, #22 Upper McKinley Road McKinley Town Center, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City 1630 Philippines Tel. No. +63 2 3702100; Fax No. +63 2 8569260 E-mail address: ba_cau.duong@syngenta.com felipe.dela_cruz@syngenta.com

June 2014. The largest number traveled to the two countries, across which IS controls a swathe of territory, from the Middle East and the Maghreb, with around 8,000 foreign fighters each. Around 5,000 made their way from Europe, with a further 4,700 from former Soviet republics. The Soufan Group added that between 20 and 30 percent of foreign fighters were returning to their home countries, creating major challenges for domestic security agencies as IS in particular looks to carry out an increasing number of attacks overseas. The IS group claimed responsibility for a massive attack in Paris last month that left 130 dead, and its fighters have been held responsible for violence in a litany of countries ranging from Iraq to Bangladesh. The threat of returning foreign fighters has sparked widespread debate, particularly in Western countries, many of which have criminalized travel to Syria to fight in the country’s years-long conflict. In the wake of the Paris attacks, American lawmakers have also called into question a program that allows Europeans to travel to the United States without a visa. But, according to The Soufan Group, the latest figures are “evidence that efforts to contain the flow of foreign recruits to extremist groups in Syria and Iraq have had limited impact.” AFP

The DOF reserves the right to accept or reject any and all bids, 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. For further information, please refer to: Lilia R. Tan, Head - BAC Secretariat Department of Finance BAC Secretariat, General Services Division 7th Floor EDPC Building, BSP Complex P. Ocampo, Sr. Street corner Roxas Boulevard, Manila Telephone No.: 526-8475 Telefax No.: 525-4227 Email Address: ltan@dof.gov.ph

(TS-DEC. 9, 2015)

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

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B8 Beijing cuts traffic in pollution red alert BEIJING—Half of Beijing’s private cars were ordered off the streets Tuesday and many construction sites and schools were closed under the Chinese capital’s first-ever red alert for pollution. A gray haze descended on the city of around 21.5 million people, with the levels of PM2.5—harmful microscopic particles that penetrate deep into the lungs—at one point above 300 micrograms per cubic meter, according to the US embassy, which issues independent readings. The World Health Organization’s recommended maximum exposure is 25. The alert coincided with global climate change talks in Paris, where Chinese President Xi Jinping has vowed “action” on greenhouse gas emissions. Most of China’s greenhouse gas emissions come from the burning of coal for electricity and heating, which spikes when demand peaks in winter and is the main cause of smog. It was the first time authorities declared a “red alert” since emergency air pollution plans were introduced two years ago, although levels were far from the city’s worst. It came a week after thick gray smog shrouded Beijing, cutting visibility severely and sending PM 2.5 levels as high as 634 micrograms per cubic meter. Under the alert-the highest in a four-tiered, color-coded warning system—an odd-even number plate system bans half the city’s roughly 4.4 million private cars from the streets on alternate days. Outdoor construction sites are ordered to close and some industrial plants told to cease or reduce operations. Some schools are also urged to close, and several Beijing residents said their children had been told to stay at home. Authorities in the capital were heavily criticized after only issuing an orange alert for last week’s pollution. “The red alert is a welcome sign of a different attitude from the Beijing government,” said Dong Liansai, climate and energy campaigner for environmental group Greenpeace. AFP

CESAR BARRIOQUINTO EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

WORLD Stop inciting violence, US Muslims beg Trump JERSEY CITY—Muslim Americans are pleading with Donald Trump to stop encouraging violence in demanding a “complete” halt to Muslim immigration after a New York shopkeeper was beaten in a possible hate crime.

Street purchase. A young woman buys yellow roses from a street vendor in the Old Quarter of Hanoi on December 8, 2015. AFP

Republican presidential front-runner Trump’s inflammatory call is part of what activists have described as an unprecedented anti-Muslim backlash following the Paris attacks and the shooting in California by a couple believed to have turned extremist. “He’s giving the right to people to hurt us,” said Ahmed Shedeed, who moved to the United States from Egypt in 1980 with a degree in agricultural engineering and today runs a travel agency. Also director of The Islamic Center of Jersey City, he spoke to AFP at a mosque, accusing Trump of provoking hate and violence. “I’m asking him, I’m begging him. It has to stop—all these accusations. Look at the Muslim community as part of the American mosaic and we are part of America. We are not going anywhere.” Muslim Americans say they are afraid. They talk about women wearing the hijab being spat on, a Muslim taxi driver being shot in the back on Thanksgiving and a pig’s head found outside a Philadelphia mosque. Just hours before the Republican frontrunner’s call for an end to Muslim immigration, community leaders from New Jersey met prosecutors asking them to take seriously alleged hate crimes against Muslims. The Council on American-Islamic Relations, the largest Muslim civil liberties group in the country, says it has documented a wave of abuse, vandalism and acts of discrimination in the last month. “It is reckless and simply un-American. Donald Trump sounds more like a leader of a lynch mob than a great nation like ours,” CAIR executive director Nihad Awad told a news conference in Washington, DC. Although data is hard to pin down, the Muslim American community is drawn largely from immigrants, many of whom have prospered since leaving Asia and the Middle East in search of a better life. A survey by the Pew Research Center in 2011 estimated there were 2.75 million Muslims in the United States, although members of the community put the number anywhere from six to 12 million. AFP

Pistorius to appeal murder conviction PRETORIA—Former Paralympic champion Oscar Pistorius will launch an appeal to South Africa’s highest court after he was convicted of his girlfriend’s murder, his lawyer told a bail hearing on Tuesday. Judges last week found him guilty of murder and overturned his earlier conviction on the lesser charge of culpable homicide for shooting dead Reeva Steenkamp in 2013. “[Pistorius’s bail] affidavit deals... with the basis for the application for leave to appeal to the Constitutional Court,” Barry Roux told the High Court in Pretoria. Pistorius, 29, was released from

jail in October and is under house arrest in Pretoria after serving one year of his five-year prison sentence for culpable homicide—the equivalent of manslaughter. His lawyers had earlier said he could not afford further legal battles after paying huge bills. The court in Pretoria adjourned briefly to consider Pistorius’s bail application. “If he is given bail, it may come with different conditions,” criminal lawyer Martin Hood told AFP ahead of the hearing. The double-amputee sprinter, known as the “Blade Runner” because of the prosthetic legs he uses

on the track, now faces a minimum 15-year jail sentence for murder, although the term could be shorter due to mitigating factors such being a first-time offender. Pistorius killed Steenkamp, a model and law graduate, at his home in Pretoria, saying he mistook her for an intruder when he shot four times through the locked door of his bedroom toilet. The South African Supreme Court of Appeal last week changed his conviction to murder and sent the case for re-sentencing, saying the original trial judge had made “fundamental” errors in her ruling last year. AFP

Jubilee year. Nuns wait at St Peter’s square before the start of the

Jubilee Year of Mercy on December 8, 2015, in the Vatican. Pope Francis marked the start of an extraordinary Jubilee year for the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics by opening a “Holy Door” in the walls of St Peter’s basilica. At 9.30 am. AFP

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TATUM ANCHETA EDITOR

BING PAREL

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

BERNADETTE LUNAS

life @ thestandard.com .ph

WRITER

@LIFEatStandard

H OME & L I V ING

LIFE

I fell in love with beautiful palaces and mosques in Iran with their detailed plasterwork, tiles and mirror mosaics

SPECIAL CHRISTMAS GIFT IDEAS FOR THE HOME

Christmas is happening in a couple of weeks already and I have not started with my shopping! CALEIDOSCOPE Are you done with your list? WORLD I do not dare BY CAL TAVERA go near the malls during the weekends because of the horrible traffic going there. Aside from that, it will take hours just lining up for parking and by the time I FINALLY decide to do valet, that option won’t be available anymore because of the demand. Yes, this was a personal experience I went through recently and I plan not to go out of the house again unless it is for something really urgent. How will I get those presents for my loved ones, though? Aside from going online and visiting some bazaars, I am seriously considering creating some handcrafted gifts this year. Some of the most meaningful gifts I have received over the years did not come from a supermall so I thought I would give this alternative a try. I recently arrived from a vacation in Iran and still have a hangover from all their beautiful palaces and mosques. Each one greeted us with their detailed plasterwork, tiles and mirror mosaics. Since I love them so much, I brought home some ceramic tiles to decorate my own home. That gave me the idea to create some gift ideas inspired by the designs I saw abroad. However, it may take time to recreate and bake the tiles, plus there is also that problem of how to paint the same intricate patterns. I found an easier and faster version to produce them and make them into unique gifts like decorative tiles to spice up your shelves or frames made out of mosaics to give to friends and family.

Iran Tiles

GIFT IDEA #1: TILE DECORATION

What you need: • Decorative sheets of paper (You can pick designs online and have it printed or buy paper with a certain pattern that you like) • Tiles (Size depends on the purpose. For small projects, try using 20cm x20cm or smaller tiles) • Mod Podge Gloss • Clear Enamel • Foam brush • Self-adhesive felt pads METHOD: 1. Apply a layer of Mod Podge to the tiles with the foam brush. You can buy Mod Podge locally through HeyKessy, Lasting Impression and Deovir. 2. Center the paper or photo on top of these small tiles. Make sure to get any bubbles out when applying them by pressing your finger against the surface. Leave the tiles for 15 minutes so they can dry. 3. Apply three more layers of Mod Podge to the surface where you applied the paper with the foam brush. You can purchase the foam brush from the online store www.craftandnovelty.com.

Mosaic tiles

4. Remember to allow 15 minutes between each coat to dry. 5. After the last coating, leave the products to dry for an hour minimum. 6. After the waiting time, spray some clear enamel on to the tiles. It is best to spray them outside for ventilation. 7. Apply two or more light coats of the clear enamel spray within a few minutes of each spray. 8. After spraying them, allow 30 minutes of dry time. 9. Last step: At the bottom of these tile coasters, stick the self-adhesive felt pads so the items won’t scratch the surface. You can use them as paperweights or put them on a stand to highlight them. They add character to any space.

GIFT #2: MOSAIC PICTURE FRAMES What you need: • Wood Frame • White Paint • Mosaics • Gorilla Glue • Premixed grout and spatula

METHOD: 1. Make sure that the surface of the frame is flat. Paint your frame white. 2. Carefully glue the mosaics on to the frame with a small amount of Gorilla Glue. You can find this glue at True Value. For mosaics, you can find them in most tile stores. There is a beautiful selection at the Mozzaico showroom in Libis. 3. After applying the mosaics, let the frame dry overnight. 4. Use a spatula to spread the premixed grout around the frame. 5. Use a damp cloth to rub off any excess grout on the mosaics. 6. For a polished look, clean up the excess grout from the sides and insides of the frame. 7. Let the grout dry off for four hours. If there is a glaze over the mosaics, don’t worry about it because it can come off with water. 8. Last step: Clean up the frame. If you want to make the gift even more personal, add a memorable picture taken of your recipient to the customized mosaic frame and you are done! Follow me on Instagram @cal_tavera

W E D N E S D AY : D E C E M B E R 9 : 2 0 1 5

LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

4 TIME-SAVING TIPS IN THE KITCHEN

ith so many things to do and so many roles to play, a mother’s time is extremely precious. Whether you’re a full-time domestic diva or a career mom who juggles time between home and office, it’s almost always possible that you’re working most of the time in the kitchen. Thus, here are simple ways to help moms (and dads, too) accomplish cooking tasks efficiently so you’ll have more time for actual eating and spending time with the family.

BE ORGANIZED

“A place for everything, and everything in its place” is an incredibly useful advice to stick to. By keeping things organized in the kitchen – from the kitchenware and cutlery, to the condiments and cleaning tools, kitchen queens will not waste time looking for the things they need. Scout for ready-made cabinets, shelves and drawers that fit the kitchen and can serve as storage for various items. If you have the budget, you can hire a custom-maker of cabinets and a kitchen organizer, so that slots and nooks can be created to address the family’s unique makeup – for example, families with small children who want sharp objects in hard-to-reach places, or those who want to maximize a small space. This way, the arrangement of objects will be intuitive, and there will be less temptation to mess it up. Other members of the family must also

be taught to respect the order of things, as their contribution to keeping the house tidy.

PREPARE (AND USE) INGREDIENTS AND COOKWARE SMARTLY

To cut down time on cooking, make sure the ingredients and cookware are ready before firing up the stove. This way, you don’t need to run to the pantry and to the fridge each time you need something. Use time-saving kitchen tools, including food processor for faster slicing, or blender to puree ingredients. Ingredients like garlic or onions can and should be prepared in batches and stored for future use. The order of cooking should be smart, too: dishes that only require light sauteeing should come before those that will have strong flavors, so that the same pan or cauldron can be used even without washing. Furthermore, cookware should be washed (or soaked in water) immediately after so that it is easier and quicker to remove the dirt.

PLAN A WEEKLY MENU

Having a weekly menu can excite the whole family. Even better, it lets you plan the cooking wisely. Planning to have vegetables as a siding for fish? The veggies can be placed in a steamer on top of the rice. Meat, which usually takes a long time to soften, can be used as a main dish, but some can be set aside to spice up the dishes for the next day. A weekly menu can especially help moms who prepare packed lunches and snacks for

the family. If you are particularly pressed for time, you can store cooked dishes in microwavable containers, and just reheat them on the day they will be eaten.

USE SAFE AND EFFICIENT FUEL

For your cooking needs, choose an LPG brand that bears the mark of safety and quality. When

fuel is manufactured according to the highest standards, it becomes every smart mother’s trusted partner for efficient cooking. Go with a good brand like Solane, which is backed by its manufacturer’s guarantee of superior product quality, safety, and exact weight. To order, call Solane’s Hatid Bahay hotline number (02) 8875555 or visit www.solane.com.ph.

GREAT GIFT IDEAS AT ACE HARDWARE This Dowell Coffee Maker can brew coffee up to 10 cups in an elegant and effortless way. It comes with a glass carafe and translucent water reservoir as well as a permanent filter. Promo badge: Buy 1, Get 1

This Dowell Coffee Maker has a 10-12 cup capacity and comes with a stainless steel jug. A water indicator and permanent filter makes coffee making easy for everyone. Promo badge: Buy 2, Save P800+

tressed because you’re pressed for time but you haven’t completed your shopping list for gifts to friends, relatives, office mates or business associates? Let Ace Hardware help you with its first ever offering of special Christmas bundles of top small appliance brands. Perfect as holiday corporate gifts and giveaways, these items are compact, functional, and come at an attractive price. Take your pick from juicers for healthy blends suitable for the health conscious; coffee makers that make brewing easy for the coffee addict; and sandwich makers for your domestic diva friend who faces the daily challenge of making tasty snacks for kids and hubby. There are also electric kettles, steam irons and tower fans that work wonders at home.

The Black and Decker Steam Iron designed for effortless ironing with a non-stick coated soleplate to smooth out the wrinkles, and a soleplate to prevent the fabric from sticking to the iron. This ensures the safety of clothes in times of overheating. Promo badge: Buy 3, save P600+

Also check out ACE Hardware stores’ ongoing Great Gifts, Great Savings promotion that offer great savings and discounts on blenders, breakfast makers, juicers and steam irons as well as electric kettles, rice cookers and tower fans until December 31. You may also earn rewards points with your SM Advantage, Prestige, and BDO Rewards Cards when you shop. Get great Christmas gifts or giveaways by shopping smart with special Christmas bundle finds available at selected branches of ACE Hardware, ACE Express and ACE Builders stores nationwide. You may also visit their website at www.acehardware.ph or like it’s Facebook page Ace Hardware Philippines or follow on Twitter and Instagram @acehardware_ph

The 3D Empire Tower Fan provides the ultimate cooling experience at home. It features a 3-speed control, an approximate 60-degree oscillation angle, a quiet motor and a 120-minute timer. Promo badge: Buy 10, Get 1

Delicious and tasty sandwiches made easy with a Philips Sandwich Maker. Promo badge: Buy 5, Get 1

This Union Electric Kettle with a 1.7L capacity boils quickly with convenience features like an automatic power off mechanism, and a pushbutton option to easily open the lid which is useful when hot. Promo badge: Buy 3, Get 1

This Philips Blender is all you need for great smoothies, with its 1.5-liter jar, 400W motor and a 5-star serrated blade. Promo badge: Buy 5, Get 1

W E D N E S D AY : D E C E M B E R 9 : 2 0 1 5

LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

KEEPING THE MERRY IN CHRISTMAS LIV.E SIMPLY BY LIV E.

very year, I make the same earnest promise: “I will not put off my Christmas shopping till the last minute.” It is a declaration made in tones ringing with conviction, its volume increasing every year because, each December, that passionate promise is all I can hold on to. The actual deed goes undone, and I find myself yet again counting down the days to The Eve, blank shopping list in one hand and a mounting sense of alarm on the other. Now, normally, a blank Christmas gift list is not an insurmountable block. But when I lay it beside an overflowing to-do list that includes wrapping and delivering presents, decorating the home with garlands and bling and lights on the tree, cooking and preparing gustatory feasts for the family, organizing schedules around multiple family and friend reunions where attendance is a must… Well, then, that little molehill doesn’t just turn into a mountain; it turns into a freaking obstacle course with hidden mires at every corner. (Tell me, please, that I’m not the only one who goes through this). When my gears shift into panic mode and I start hyperventilating, I know I need to take a step back, find a quiet space, and

recapture a place of bliss. So that’s what I did yesterday: I took my youngest son out to lunch – just the two of us – and we spent two hours munching and laughing and talking, instead of running about in an agitated state, trying to get more items checked on that ubiquitous holiday list. It was the most productive two hours I’ve had since the malls started playing Christmas songs in September. And it all started with one “What would you rather have” question, a game that we play (though normally the questions are more in the range of “Hotdog or hamburger?”). Over lunch, I asked my little boy, “Christmas Eve with absolutely no gifts, no lights, no Christmas tree, just family all together? Or overflowing gifts and all the toys you’ve ever wanted but no family at all?” His answer: “Family and no gifts, Mama… because Christmas means family.” There, see? That one simple statement from him contained all the wisdom I needed to take the hectic out of the holidays and bring the merry back into Christmas. Funny, isn’t it, how little children have an instinctive grasp of the true spirit of the season? Then again, maybe it shouldn’t be surprising at all, considering how Christmas is really all about the gift of one Child to the entire world. And so, fueled by my child’s nine-yearold soulful insight, I found myself traipsing back to my own childhood days, in search of more Christmas insights that we grown-ups tend to forget as we rush through the harried paces of holiday errands and preparations. Two memories in particular stand out. First: when we were children, my dad didn’t allow us to give him store-bought gifts, preferring presents made by our own hands with inexpensive recycled materials. One

time I sewed him a throw pillow, embroidered with little monkeys and stuffed with kapok from an old pillow. Another time I made him a sock puppet of himself, complete with paper-clip eyeglasses. The pillow’s sewing was tight in some places and the puppet’s button eyes weren’t exactly aligned, but they were made with a child’s unconditional love. Little did I realize back then the enormity of the lesson my father was teaching: that the best Christmas gifts aren’t those you find on store shelves; they’re the ones that come from your hands and your heart. The other memory: My dad’s Christmas gifts for me as a child were often big boxes filled with little things. They weren’t expensive things, really, just a bunch of doodads reflective of whatever I was into that time – puffy stickers, scented pencils, colorful erasers. But they were always a huge treat for me. It was only as a grown-up that I realized the deeper meaning of a big box of little gifts: the gift that brings most joy isn’t one that breaks the bank and shines brighter than bling. What it is, really, is a bunch of little things, little sacrifices, little acts of service that can easily be overlooked in their simplicity. And yet, taken all together, they add up to something bigger and brighter and more precious than gold; they add up to this great, immeasurable, priceless thing called Love. And there we have it – the reason for the season, the meaning of Christmas: Love, which moved the greatest Father to give His only Son to save the whole world, undeserving though we all are. Love, which moved the Son to choose the wood of the manger and the wood of the Cross, all so that we could truly be part of His family. Love, which moved His Mother to say Yes to a life where joy and sorrow pierced her

heart with equal intensity, a Yes that made her Mother not just of the Christ Child but yours and mine as well. And so what puts the merry back into Christmas is precisely Love, a four-letter word that I’d bet my little finger isn’t on any Christmas list. But I believe it should be there, right at the top, the main thing that moves us to a place of calm and peace, even as we go about rushing to get the gifts wrapped, the house decorated, the food delivered. It’s what makes us choose to sit and listen to a friend rant for hours, even when we’d rather be catching up on sleep. It’s what makes us help our sister cook up a storm in the kitchen for the company party, no matter how much we hate the lingering smell of garlic on our hands. It’s what makes us stay up a bit later at night, preparing a loaf of sandwiches to hand over to the band of street-kids standing outside our car window, singing off-key carols with one hand shaking a bottlecap-tambourine and another held out for alms. It’s what moves us beyond all this human holiday hoo-ha and allows us to grasp the hand of the Divine so that we may, in our hearts, also stand alongside the shepherds, hands empty but hearts full, rejoicing in being welcomed into the Family of the Christ Child on that one cold December night. And it’s precisely that Love that keeps the Nights Silent and Holy and brings Joy to the World and keeps the meaning of Christmas alive in the heart, not just for this season but for all the years to come. Follow me on Twitter @ LivE_LiveSimply Like my page, follow all my articles, and send me feedback @ Facebook/liv.esimplywithLiv

W E D N E S D AY : D E C E M B E R 9 : 2 0 1 5

LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

Chef Myrna Segismundo and her perfectly Wolf and Sub-Zero's 70th year celebration cooked Thanksgiving Turkey using Wolf’s Convection Steam Oven.

Chef Myrna demonstrates the use of the Wolf Built-In E Series Oven in cooking another Thanksgiving special – Crown of Pork. See how large the oven’s interior capacity is.

SUB-ZERO AND WOLF 70TH YEAR:

New Generation of Luxury Appliances Launched

“Y

our kitchen is where life happens,” says the website of Sub-Zero and Wolf, the leading US-based manufacturer of luxury appliances. The company is celebrating 70 years of quality and innovation that have made it the leading industry visionary it has become today. For 70 years, its kitchen products have been a part of so many gatherings, celebrations, and life’s mini experiences. Westye F. Bakke founded the company in 1945 in Madison, Wisconsin under the name SubZero Freezer Company. To this day, the innovation and quality of its products has remained unparalleled in the built-in refrigeration system category. In the year 2000, SubZero reinforced its supremacy in the kitchen when it acquired the residential arm of Wolf Appliance Co., a 75-year-old kitchen appliance company known for its premium ranges and cooktops. The union has proven to be a perfect move for the company as it is now a category front-runner, producing the most desired products perfect for highend and luxurious kitchens. “Sub-Zero’s refrigeration and Wolf’s cooking equipment have set the standard in performance for

Another addition to Wolf appliances is the new coffee system, a machine that produces professional-quality brewed coffee, espresso, cappuccino, latte, and macchiato, and perfectly steams and foams milk with a single touch.

This thanksgiving turkey is cooked for only 57 minutes using Wolf’s Convection Steam Oven.

kitchen appliances, and now we’ve raised the bar again with products that feature performance optimizing technology and design styles that can be incorporated into even more kitchens,” says vice president of marketing for Sub-Zero and Wolf Michele Bedard. As the conglomerate marks another milestone for Sub-Zero, a suite of new generation appliances was launched globally. Following the celebration is the Manila leg where renowned chef Myrna Segismundo graced the festivity and showcased the cooking possibilities with the brand’s equipment.

Focus Global's Lolita Sy, Chef Myrna Segismundo, and Focus Global's Stephen Sy at the Sub-Zero and Wolf Showroom in Makati City

Sub-Zero takes “freshness” as the highlight of its products. Based on NASA technology, its Antimicrobial Air Purification System rids the air of mold, viruses, bacteria and the natural ethylene gas that hastens spoilage on produce. The new integrated refrigeration line is the culmination of Sub-Zero’s industry-leading food preservation technology, which offers limitless flexibility and seamless incorporation into any kitchen. Wolf ’s New Generation products on the other hand carry on its

tradition of precision cooking in three striking design styles – transitional, contemporary, and professional. Leading the new kitchen appliances line is Wolf ’s convection steam oven that combines the power of steam and convection technology. “The goal with our convection steam oven is to demystify and perfect the steam cooking process. We want our owners to confidently embrace a new cooking method wherein you can prepare everything from cookies to rack of lamb with the touch of a button, “ explains Bakke.

Sub-Zero and Wolf is distributed in the country exclusively by Focus Global Inc. Metro Manila showrooms are located at: The Residences at Greenbelt, Manila Tower, Esperanza Street, Makati City (open Monday to Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Sunday 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.), T +632 836.0389 | T/F +632 836.8167); Twenty-four Seven McKinley, 24th Street corner 7th Avenue, McKinley Parkway, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig (open Tuesday to Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Sunday 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.), T +632 705.999 | F +632 833.6377; Pioneer corner Reliance Streets, Mandaluyong City (open Tuesday to Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Sunday 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.), T +632 634.858 | F +632 634.8738 and The Design Center of Cebu, P. Remedios corner A.S. Fortuna Streets, Mandaue City, Cebu (open Monday to Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.), T +6332 520.9888 / 238.7605 | F +6332 239.2844.

MALL OF KITCHENS CELEBRATES 3RD ANNIVERSARY, HOLDS PRE-CHRISTMAS SALE UNTIL DECEMBER 11

Avail of big discounts this Christmas at Mall of Kitchens'Anniversary and Pre-Christmas Sale

till looking for the perfect gift for your mom, your Tita or for your own Tita self? How does Mall of Kitchens shopping sound like? Known for being the first food service mall with a wide variety of kitchen products for commercial and home use, Mall of Kitchen is the perfect haven for foodies, chefs, and “feeling chefs” at home. Shop at Mall of Kitchens and avail of huge discounts up to 80 percent until December 11 on a wide array of kitchen products and items for commercial and home use. Wow your loved ones with branded finds from Rak Porcelain’s plates, bowls, cups and saucers; American Metalcraft’s menu holders, pizza pans, pizza screens and skimmers; Adcraft’s chef ’s knives and stainless steel food pans; Carlisle’s polycarbonate food pans; Vittore’s tablespoons, table fork

and steak knives; San Neng’s pastry bags and cookie cutters; Tablecraft’s fine mesh strainer, dredgers and French whips; Lava’s cast iron grills and dishes; Icel’s chef ’s knives; De Buyer cookware; and Martellato’s acrylic dessert containers and Flexsil’s lids food pan covers, among others. MOK’s sprawling 2,500-sqm facility equipped with a 1,000-sqm store/selling area is fully stocked with top-notch kitchen equipment, utensils, foodservice furniture and other merchandise that can spice up your kitchen this Christmas season. Visit MALL OF KITCHENS at 9703 Kamagong St.,Corner Lawaan St., San Antonio Village, Makati City. Ample parking is available. For inquiries, call 890- 6758 / 552-3587. Also visit its website www.technolux. net and follow on Facebook at Mall of Kitchens - Philippines.

W EDNES DAY : DECEMBER 9, 2015

SHOWBITZ

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

isahred @ gmail.com

Miss Earth 2015 Angelia Ong (second from right) and her court: (from left) Miss Earth Fire Thiessa Veloso representing Brazil; Miss Earth Water Brittany Ann Payne from USA; and Miss Earth Air Dayanna Gregeda from Australia

Miss Earth 2015 is Filipina “I By Eton B. ConCEpCIon

want to let everybody know that all things are possible and all things are feasible if we work together. We will, because we can. I’m not going to Austria just to lose,” those were the exact words of Angelia Ong before she left for Vienna to compete along with other than 80 beauties across the globe for the Miss Earth 2015 title. It was the first time the Manila-based beauty contest was held in Europe. A big Filipino crowd at the Marx Halle center erupted in wild frenzy when Miss Philippines was called as Miss Earth 2015 early

Sunday morning. Ong was overwhelmed and ecstatic. Miss Earth 2014 Jamie Herrell hugged her after crowning this year’s winner. “We will, because we can,” Ong said. It is the slogan she gave for the next 15 years of Miss Earth during the final question and answer portion of the competition. Her answer rang loud among the nine foreign judges that included Diana Alando Oyugi, Kenyan president of United Nations Women’s Guild –Austria, and reverberated in a world looking for solution on how to combat climate change with the recently

concluded Paris Climate Summit issuing a blueprint deal to reduce carbon emission. A marketing management major at De La Salle--College of Saint Benilde, the 25-year—old, Ilonggo Chinese Filipino beauty works as a part-time consultant at Manila City Hall and at a marketing company. Ong, who was a stand out in her gorgeous Leo Almodal beaded champagne-colored evening gown, was the Face of Bb. Pilipinas 2011 (Miss Photogenic) with fellow candidates Shamcey Supsup, Janine Tugunon, MJ Lastimosa (all competed in Miss Universe) and Queneerich Rehman (at Miss World).

The 15th Miss Earth was graced by Miss Earth 2012 Tereza Fajksova and Miss Earth 2001 Catharina Svensson-Brink, the first Miss Earth winner from Denmark, now a lawyer. “It’s just amazing that Miss Earth has gone a long way after 15 years. I wish all the winners to continue focus on the cause and we can go far,” Brink said. Miss Earth’s Crystal Year in EcoFriendly Vienna aims to promote environmental awareness by focusing on the Climate Change campaign through the 5R’s : Re-think, Reduce, Reuse, Recyle and Respect. The finals was telecast on

PULS4 in Austria and on international television networks to million of viewers around the world. In the Philippines it was aired on ABS- CBN Channel 2. The Miss Earth Austria Organization, headed by Sina Schmid took over the entire planning of the 15th Miss Earth finals and was honored to be chosen as host by Carousel Productions headed by its president, Ramon Monzon and executive vice president Lorraine Schuck. Miss Earth 2015 focused on Austria, the most livable country in the world as a country pioneering in humanitarian and environmental fields with sustainability.

SwISS hunk IS MIStEr IntErnatIonal 2015

witzerland’s Pedro Mendes bagged the Mister International 2015 title succeeding the Philippines’ Neil Perez at the culmination of the annual male pageant held at Newport Performing Art Theater Resorts World, Manila on Sunday night. “If you cannot be the best...it means you have to try to be the best and show what you can do,” Mendes answered the question, “If you were a world leader, what would you do to make a difference in the world?” during the top 5 final interview. The 26-year-old, model and electrician from Geneva, bested 35 others, including Mister Philippines Reniel Villareal who reached the Top 10 in the competition. Brazil’s Anderson Tomazini, who was seen crying and Korea’s Sang-Jin Lee finished first and second runners up, respectively. Panama’s Julian Torres

was third runner up and Czech Republic’s Jakub Kraus fourth. Others who made the Top 10 were Australia’s Chris Nayna, Indonesia’s Kenny Austin, Puerto Rico’s Fernando Alvarez and Venezuela’s Rafael Angelucci. The candidates paraded in evening wear, swimwear and national costume before the judges that included Vice Ganda, Francis Libiran, Jose Paredes, Anna Chua and Thu Wu. Mister Philippines won the Best in National Costume, an Ibong Adarna –inspired costume designed by Edwin Uy. Mister International Neil Perez made an emotional farewell walk, appearing on stage teary eyed as he thanked all his friends, colleagues and supporters for his year-long reign that opened new opportunities and earned for him fame and admiration as “Mamang Pulis,” the cop that dared to join a male pageant and won. – EB ConCEpCIon

Mister International 2015 from Switzerland Pedro Mendes receives his title from outgoing Mister International, hot cop Po2 Mariano P. Flormata Jr.

Mister International 2015 from Switzerland Pedro Mendes during the swimwear competition.

Mister International 2015 from Switzerland Pedro Mendes.

W EDNES DAY : DECEMBER 9, 2015

SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

Kim Chiu and Xian Lim join the battle of loveteams at the MMFF via All You Need Is Pag-ibig

James Reid and Nadine Lustre are part of Vice Ganda-Coco Martin movie, Beauty and the Bestie

MMFF 2015: A bAttLE OF OnSCREEn tAnDEMS nICKIE WAnG To keep the tradition alive, and ensure that it will generate enough buzz, the 41st edition of the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) gathers box office greats, festival staples and prominent onscreen pairs in local showbiz. As common knowledge, MMFF is the kind of festival where commercial viability of the movie is essentially based not on the films technicality – its screenplay, cinematography, editing, musical score and originality (of the story) – but on the status of the stars cast as the central characters. And that’s the reason why production houses that join the festival every year give audiences the very same kind of films each time.

This year is no different. There are a total of eight films, and each entry hopes to snare the lion’s share of this annual event, which earns at least P1 billion each year, by casting this generation’s hottest and bankable stars and love teams. But of course not everyone will get the share they desire for a simple reason that not all tandems have the spark and indescribable charm to rope audiences in to see them at the cinemas. While these film entries battle it out for the top film or Best Picture plum, which is determined partly by the movie’s box office performance, there’s a lingering question as to which tandem will be a big draw. Jennylyn Mercado and Jericho Rosales’ pairing in Walang Forever is simply an experiment. Producers of the movie hope for a repeat performance of the 2014 surprise box office hit English Only Please top-billed by Jennylyn and Derek Ramsay.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE 47 49 50 51 54 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68

ANSWER FOR PREVIOUS PUZZLE ACROSS 1 Stew over 5 Harebrained 10 Not bogus 14 Kinks’ hit tune 15 “Do — — a Waltz?” 16 Unit of land 17 Off. helper 18 Domains 19 Stuffed shirt 20 The facts (2 wds.) 22 Future fries 23 Luau welcome

24 25 29 33 34 36 37 38 39 40 42 43 45

Ja, to Jacques Political thaw Meeting musts Uncanny Midway attraction Gold-coated Big Band — Bert’s pal Airline ticket word Euro casualty Came to Fountain in Rome More verdant

Led down the aisle Med. personnel 31-day mo. Turn (2 wds.) Places for skis (2 wds.) Grad Market worth — de France Caveman discovery Like helium Civil offense Vain dudes Young girl Film terrier

DOWN 1 Defect 2 — Hashanah 3 Adamson’s lioness 4 Snitch 5 Blockhead 6 Slangy refusal (hyph.) 7 Trillion, in combos 8 Roosevelt’s successor 9 Cen. fractions 10 Seance sound 11 Grayish-brown 12 Parched 13 Lower limbs 21 Cellphone button

Cesar Montano and Maria Ozawa’s Nilalang is not the type of silver screen affair MMFF patrons would want to see. It’s too dark for the mood of people who anticipate the film event from Christmas Day until the first week of the New Year. It is the same dilemma for the art house movie Honor Thy Father starring John Lloyd Cruz and Meryll Soriano. Although we want more intelligent and original films, Honor Thy Father, which became an official entry when period film Hermano Pule was pulled out, is obviously in the wrong festival. Haunted Mansion, on the other hand, is a Shake Rattle & Roll in disguise only it’s not a trilogy. And the MarNel (Marlo Mortel and Janela Salvador) tandem still doesn’t have a big fan base to summon to occupy the tills to cakk the film they star in the one to beat. In fact, even before their film is launched Janella is now

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2015

22 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 35 38 41 43 44 46 48 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 61

Drag into court Curved molding Opposite of roam Spine-tingling Glittering adornment Fielder’s blunder Leave-taking Man in a wet suit? Still breathing Placid Shirt-pocket stain Wool producers Chalets, often (hyph.) Wk. day Sailing event Mich. neighbor Kind of pin Iron fishhook Potpourri Dinner-table faux pas Rajah’s spouse Fiesta cheers Not theirs Murmurs sweetly Mr. Vonnegut Baja Ms. Vigor’s partner

The MMFF entry My Bebe Love is a litmus test for the Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza tandem

being paired with Elmo Magalona. It could be an indication that MarNel is simply dispensable. And we have Buy Now, Die Later, which banks on the comedic chops of Vhong Navarro, John Lapus, and Alex Gonzaga. We don’t see this film outperforming the others. For consolation, you might want to see it for the lack of a better choice. Now it all boils down to just three onscreen pairs: Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza; James Reid and Nadine Lustre; and Kim Chiu and Xian Lim otherwise known as ALDub, JaDine and KimXi, respectively. They are the only onscreen pairs that matter in this year’s MMFF. My Bebe Love: Kilig Pa More! is a litmus test for both Alden and Maine who don’t have any box office track record yet as screen couple. But many say that we cannot underestimate the couple since they are regarded as the hottest tele-

vision properties at the moment. If their phenomenal success wouldn’t work on silver screen, the film still has Vic Sotto and AiAi delas Alas as its trump cards anyway. Meanwhile, JaDine doesn’t have to prove anything in terms of its box office appeal. Since James and Nadine were practically known as movie stars first their inclusion in Beauty and the Bestie aims to compliment Vice Ganda and Coco Martin’s unlikely pairing. In the case of Kim Chiu and Xian Lim (KimXi), although they’ve starred in a couple of mildly successful romcoms, they are actually the weakest link among the three love teams. But we can’t discount their box office appeal yet. Kim and Xian still have a large fan base that can go all the way to buying movie tickets to see the two, hence All You Need is Pag-ibig producers chose them instead of casting an up-coming onscreen pair.

W EDNES DAY : DECEMBER 9, 2015

SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

Jonas Gaffud, Benjamin Alves, Felipe L. Gozon, Teresa Pacis, and Gigi Lara

Matalinong Panonood wows 2015 international FilM ClassiFiCation ForuM

T Triple ThreaT acTor From c8

GMA Artist Center star Benjamin Alves is one of the prime actors of this generation, and after the recent primetime drama series Beautiful Strangers, he is on his way to completing his work in an independent film set to premiere in next year’s Cinemalaya Festival. Busy as he is, the Kapuso star doesn’t believe in having too much in his plate for he is also one of the owners of Books and Borders Café on Timog Avenue. He is overwhelmed with its promising success, and is proud to be reaching out to more clients as they open a new branch at The Fort. Other than having passion in every single thing that he does, Benjamin is admired for being a goal-oriented person, thus making him the ultimate triple threat— handsome, talented, and smart. People are left in awe for his looks and mesmerized with his impressive acting, but it is uncommon knowledge that Benjamin graduated with a bachelor of arts degree with top honors (summa cum laude) at University of Guam. He majored in English Literature. This drives him to advocate the love for knowledge, and promote the opportunity to excel through proper education. One of his significant motions to make this happen took place on Dec. 2 at the 17th floor Executive Lounge. He was launched as the new ambassador of GMA Network Excellence Award. “Thank you so much for making me your ambassador for the GMA Network Excellence Award. I can’t wait to talk to our candidates and discover who they really are and what motivates them to strive for excellence,” concludes the Kapuso actor. HHHHH ejay Falcon counTs his blessinGs Passion de Amor leading man and Psalmstre New Placenta for Men endorser Ejay Falcon admitted he has so much to thank for --high ratings of the drama series he stars in, endorsement offers, and maintaining a good reputation in showbiz among others. Ejay, accompanied by his Cebuano manager Benjie Alipio, graced the opening of Cebu’s

What makes Benjamin a triple treat? He’s handsome, talented, and smart.

Original Lechon Belly recently and did not expect that his fans would flock at the venue to meet and greet him personally, despite unannounced schedule. This is proof that he is gaining strong support, thanks to Passion de Amor, which serves as a turning point of his career as an actor. Ejay is also thankful that prime brands of scents, jeans, and gadgets trust his endorsement. The latest addition to his list is the new contract with Psalmstre New Placenta for Men, an internationally known array of anti-aging skincare and beauty products. Chief executive officer Jim Acosta divulged that Psalmstre lines up numerous events for its endorsers, which includes mall and radio tours nationwide. “In January 2016, Psalmstre will bring Ejay, together with Miss Earth-Air 2012 Stephany Stefanowitz to Cebu, for the Sinulog grand parade. They will also participate in the Panagbenga in February 2016. We want to bring them closer to our clients, who are basically their fans as well, because their presence brings happiness to all of their followers,” shared Jim. Ejay is also happy that there is no negative issue about him circulating in the showbiz circuit. There are quite a few talks about

Kapamilya actor Ejay Falcon

he Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) Chairman Atty. Eugenio “Toto” Villareal was a presenter at the 2015 International Film Classification Forum (IFCF) at the BEXCO Exhibition Center 1, Centrum City in Busan, South Korea on Nov. 26. Organized by the Korea Media Rating Board (KMRB), the 2015 IFCF gathered film classification boards from around the world such as the Philippines, Canada, Germany, Thailand, Singapore, China, and Japan to share best practices and to debate content ratings for children. The MTRCB Chief gave the participants a walk-through on the Philippine experience of empowering parents and children through the ratings and classification system. His discussion centered on the philosophy that the “classification system will only make sense if it is understood and effectively used by families to determine the type of entertainment they, and especially, the children, see.” Villareal also shared with the audience the nationwide Matalinong Panonood campaign pursuant to the MTRCB’s developmental mandate. One of the highlights of his presentation dubbed as “unique and interesting” by some participants, was the showing of the Agency’s 2015 infomercial featuring the Agoncillo couple Judy Ann and Ryan together with character actress Erlinda Villalobos. The infomercial, which depicted the exposure of young children to age-appropriate language in film and television, drew applause from the international audience. Impressed by MTRCB’s thrust, KMRB Chairman Lee Kyong-sook proposed that the two agencies actively collaborate under a formal agreement to further develop intelligent or discerning viewership for the family as a norm for film clasMTRCB Chairman Eugenio Villareal

his aborted courtship with fellow star Ellen Adarna, and when asked about it, he quickly quipped, “It didn’t work because, maybe, we are not meant to be just yet. I am not thinking about it, either. It gives me more time to focus on my career.” Realizing how blessed he is, Ejay vows to continue his yearly treat for his kababayans in Mindoro. Ejay is also one of the quick responders, among the talents of his home network, giving assistance to victims of calamities. “Every year nagpapalaro ako ng basketball at volleyball sa amin, sa Mindoro. After the game, we welcome the New Year together. Nagbibigay ako ng regalo lalo na sa mga ka bataan. I have been doing this since 2010,” Ejay ended.

sification in Korea and in the Asian region. Two-Tiered “G” raTinG Meanwhile, Villareal revealed that the MTRCB will look into the possibility of dividing the Agency’s “G” rating further into two sub-categories. “The MTRCB team learned that South Korea was considering a two-tiered ‘G’ rating, broken down into the “0 to 6” and “6 to below 12’ categories, as inspired by the German model explained by. Stefan Linz, head of Classification of FSK, Germany’s film classification body,” he shared. He also said the MTRCB has been invited by Linz to join the International Classification Commission, which will be meeting either in Dublin or Los Angeles next year. inTerneT-based TV and Video-on-demand The MTRCB team, which included Executive Director Atty. Ann Marie Nemenzo, Dispute Resolution Heads Atty. Tony Veloso and Atty. Jojo Salomon, and Board Committee Co-Chairperson for Cable and SATV Maloli Espinosa-Supnet, also visited South Korea’s Game Rating Administrative Committee (GRAC), which has jurisdiction over video games. “We wanted to learn GRAC’s policies and best practices in connection with a pending House Bill sponsored by Congressman Sherwin T. Gatchalian expanding MTRCB’s jurisdiction to video games,” said Villareal. In this connection, the MTRCB recognizes the imminent development of a classification system for internet-based TV and video-on-demand, both of which may require some law reform and administrative innovation. The 2015 IFCF is already the third global forum that was hosted by South Korea. The protection of young children was at the forefront of this year’s international conference.

W EDNES DAY : DECEMBER 9, 2015

ISAH V. RED EDITOR isahred @ gmail.com

SHOWBITZ

The cast and writers of ABS-CBN's newest teen drama And I Love You So

Julia Barretto, miles oCamPo Fight For love, Family Cory Quirino and Quirino First Lady Ma. Angela Cua at the iconic cooking contest

ISAH V. RED The ultimate fight for love and family is in ABS-CBN and Dreamscape Entertainment Television’s And I Love You So with Julia Barretto and Miles Ocampo. Angel Aquino and Dimples Romana play mothers to the two in the show that premiered last Monday night. And I Love You So revolves around the lives of Trixie (Julia Barretto) and Joanna (Miles Ocampo), rivals in everything they want, in school and even in love with the same guy – Internet sensation Justin (Inigo Pascual). But their rivalry intensifies and becomes more complicated when they are forced to live under one roof as stepsisters. Their lives change when their parents – Joanna’s mother Michelle (Dimples Romana) and Trixie’s father Alfonso (Tonton Gutierrez) – unexpectedly meet again. After years of being separated from each other, Alfonso takes his chance to ask Michelle – her true love – to marry him amidst the disapproval of Trixie. But as they start to live their lives anew as one family, Katrina (Angel Aquino), Trixie’s mother and Alfonso’s first wife, returns after having abandoned both of them years ago without explanation. Now that she’s back, Katrina is determined to win back everything Michelle took away from her – her husband, her daughter,

(From left) Jay Manalo (front row) Kenzo Gutierrez, Francis Magundayao, Angel Aquino, Julia Barretto, Miles Ocampo, Dimple Romana, Inigo Pascual, Nikki Valdez and Benjie Paras.

and her wealth. How will Michelle protect the family she has longed for, as well as her and Alfonso’s love? Will Trixie and Joanna learn to accept their new family and treat each as sisters, or will their rivalry destroy their only chance at having a complete and loving family? Will Trixie be able to forgive and accept Katrina despite the latter abandoning her? And I Love You So airs on ABSCBN weeknights. For more information, log-on to www.abs-cbn.com or follow ABS-CBN on Facebook and Twitter (@abscbndotcom). HHHHH Cory Quirino Charms PanagdadaPun Fest Wellness and fitness guru and TV personality Cory Quirino led the observance of recent 44th Foundation Anniversary of Quirino Province with a host of socio-civic events. As guest of honor of the found-

ing day rites and the Panagdadapun Festival, Cory led the EQ 125 Teachers Happy Healthy Day, and a forum and Zumba on healthy living for public school teachers. The charming civic leader is granddaughter of President Elpidio Quirino, after whom the province was named. EQ125 is a yearlong series of programs, projects and activities that celebrate the life and times of the President Quirino on the occasion of his 125th birth anniversary. Cory highlighted the significant contribution of Quirino as a public school teacher and his ascent to the highest position in the land. As the exclusive licensee and national director of Miss World Philippines, she scouted potential candidates from northern Luzon for the prestigious national beauty tilt. She also made the ceremonial toss of the Congressman’s Cup, an annual basketball tournament, with Congressman Dakila Cua and judged with provincial First Lady Angela

Cua the cooking contest that determined Quirino’s iconic food. Punctuating the Panagdadapun Fest were various special events capped by a grand street parade, which put in the spotlight the pride of the province’s six towns. The festivity gathered the municipal festivals, which reflected the province’s rich cultural diversity. Showcased were Penenkakasisit of Nagtipunan, Pagay-Pagay of Saguday, Panagsasalog of Maddela, Ginnamuluan of Cabarroguis, Pammadayaw of Diffun, Panagsalukag of Aglipay. Inhabited by various ethno-linguistic groups and indigenous peoples, the quaint province is a melting pot of diverse cultures and traditions living in harmony. Among its top tourist drawers are Aglipay Caves and Provincial Forest Park in Aglipay, Bimmapor Rock Formation and Siitian Nature’s Park in Nagtipunan, Nagbukel Cave in Diffun, Bisangal Falls and Jose Ancheta Falls which are tucked in a

Cory Quirino with Gov Junie Cua

virgin forestland in Maddela. Its iconic attraction is Governor Rapids in Maddela town, which is known for its massive walls of limestone jutting out from one side of the Cagayan River framing the Sierra Madre Mountains. Its swift turbulent deep blue waters is a venue for kayaking, whitewater rafting, swimming and fishing, while the riverside offers a relaxing picnic ground. The province is also a mecca for motocross races for the challenging track, which is part of the 111-hectare Quirino Tourism Complex, which includes the Wakeboarding Complex, a convention center, an upgraded motocross track and recreational facilities. ➜ Continued on C7