The Standard - 2016 March 14- Monday

VOL. XXX NO. 33 3 Sections 32 Pages P18 mONday : maRCH 14, 2016 www.thestandard.com.ph editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Justice questions SC vote on Poe

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ComeleC wantS June 9 eleCtion

By Christine F. Herrera

THE Commission on Elections warned Sunday that elections may be moved to June 9 if vote counting machines issue printed receipts as required by the Supreme Court, and said chaos might ensue if it is unable to declare any winners by June 30, when the terms of incumbent officials end.

“With the new configuration for the voting machine because of the vote receipts, we need at least a month to prepare,” said Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista, who said his agency was in “crisis mode” as a result of the Supreme Court ruling.

In an interview over radio dzBB, Bautista said he has yet to seek congressional approval to move the election date from May 9 to June 9.

He added that the Comelec’s technology provider, Smartmatic, has informed them that voting could take as long as 20 hours to finish with the activation of printed receipts.

“We are in limbo as to what direction to take. We are in an emergency crisis mode,” he said.

Under the old manual system of voting, it was the counting of votes that took a long time to complete, but under an automated system, it would be the voting itself that could take up to 20 hours, Bautista told dzBB. He said the Comelec could meet the May 9 date for elections, but could not guarantee they would be credible and orderly, given the need to Next page activate the printing of receipts.

China to put up international maritime court BEIJING—China will establish an international maritime judicial center, a report from the country’s top court said Sunday, as it seeks to shore up territorial claims to the South China Sea at the center of a growing regional dispute.

The decision comes as an international tribunal prepares to decide a case related to the country’s claims in the South China Sea, where it has built a series of artificial islands capable of hosting military facilities.

Beijing has refused to participate in the arbitration brought by the Philippines in hopes of settling competing territorial claims in the region, where China has made sweeping assertions of sovereignty.

The new maritime judicial center will help China “implement its strategy of becoming a powerful maritime country,” Next page

More time. Commission on Elections Chairman Andres Bautista, seen here attending a recent Congress hearing, wants the 2016 elections moved one month later.

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Al Gore visits Yolanda-hit areas TACLOBAN CiTy— Climate change activist and former US Vice President Al Gore made a surprise visit Saturday to this impoverish city ravaged by one of the strongest storms on record.

The Nobel Peace Prize winner lit candles at a mass grave in Tacloban for thousands killed

by Super Typhoon ‘Yolanda’ (international name Haiyan) in 2013, a picture tweeted by Climate Reality showed.

The US non-governmental organization is holding a seminar on adapting to climate change in Manila this week, where Gore is scheduled to speak.

“We hope his visit reminds the world of what happened after Yolanda,” 51-year-old typhoon survivor Demetria Raya said.

The mother of three said she met Gore Saturday in a seaside village near Tacloban airport where her home once stood, before it was wiped out by the storm.

“He asked if I want to rebuild my house here. I said no. This place reminds me of my ordeal, how the waves washed away everything,” said Raya, who now lives in a temporary shelter several kilometers away.

More than two years after Yolanda, Tacloban and surrounding areas have yet to recover, with many living in shanty towns without running water and electricity. Survivors often still bear emotional scars.

Yolanda swept through central islands of the Philippines in November 2013, with giant waves wiping out entire communities and leaving 7,500 people dead or missing.

Since the disaster, highprofile personalities including the Pope and French President Francois Hollande have visited Tacloban to call attention to the effects of climate change.

Experts are studying the link between climate change and the increasing strength of storms battering the nation.

On Monday, Gore, founder and chairman of The Climate Reality Project, will present “The Climate Crisis and Its Solutions” as part of a training program on climate change.

Senator Loren Legarda is scheduled to deliver the keynote address entitled “The Road to Decarbonization,” while Tacloban Mayor Alfred Romualdez will present “Building Resiliency: The Story of Tacloban.”

The Climate Reality Project is one of the world’s leading organizations dedicated to mobilizing action around climate change. aFp, alena Mae Flores

Briefing. Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez briefs former US Vice President Al Gore on the number of people killed by Super Typhoon ‘Yolanda’ on Nov. 8, 2013. Mel Caspe

Comelec...

From A1

“We are looking for a best case in a worst-case scenario. I am opposed to reverting to manual voting but we have to put it as one of our options… once chaos will erupt due to this printing of vote receipts,” Bautista said, But lawmakers led by House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. and Philippine Constitution Association president and senatorial bet Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez rejected the suggestion that the country return to a manual system.

“The mandate of the Comelec is to implement automated elections and not to return to the manual system. We should not be also talking about a noelection scenario at this stage....

No elections and changing the rules of the game at this stage are unacceptable,” Romualdez said.

The Comelec found an ally, however, in Capiz Rep. Fredenil Castro, chairman of the

China...

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Zhou Qiang, head of the Supreme People’s Court, said in a report to the annual session of the Communist-controlled National People’s Congress legislature.

The center, Zhou said, will “resolutely defend” China’s “national sovereignty, maritime rights and interests, and other

House committee on suffrage and electoral reforms, who described as “a reckless mistake and crazy” the Supreme Court’s decision to deny a three-day extension being sought by the Comelec to conduct a demonstration of the voting process for the justices.

Bautista said that unless otherwise provided by law, the Constitution says regular elections for president and vice president must be held on the second Monday of May. “We need legislation from Congress for any postponement. We were told we would need at least a month of postponement,” he said.

“June 9 is cutting it close to June 30 when all incumbents step down. We have canvassing to do for president, vice president and senators and we need to proclaim a new president and vice president before June 30,” Bautista said.

“Our biggest challenge is the time. We are running out of time. The Supreme Court decision brought everything to a

stop,” he said, noting that machine testing has been put on hold to accommodate the new configuration.

But Castro said a postponement was out of the question, noting that with the election campaign in full swing, he did not expect senators and congressmen to attend special sessions to tackle a postponement.

He also cited the danger of extending voting hours.

“We know elections take up to evening to finish. And when it becomes dark, it becomes dangerous to voters and members of the Board of Election Inspectors,” he said.

Castro urged the Supreme Court to reconsider its decision and accept it has made a wrong decision and correct it by overturning itself.

On Monday, Bautista said, experts from the Department of Science and Technology will explore the options open to the Comelec to prevent chaos.

Members of all political parties would be briefed afterward, he said.

The election watchdog Kontra Daya on Sunday urged the public to assemble in front of the main office of the Comelec in Intramuros, Manila on Tuesday to protest its defiance of the Supreme Court order.

Kontra Daya convenor Rick Bahague denounced the Comelec for floating different scenarios as a result of the Supreme Court order.

“Kontra Daya calls on the people to gather in front of the Comelec on Tuesday to protest the poll body’s refusal to activate the voter receipt feature of the vote counting machines despite a Supreme Court order,” Bahague said, in a statement.

He also condemned a Smartmatic statement last week that warned of a failure of election.

“Kontra Daya vigorously protests the threats of a failure of election by a foreign company, like Smartmatic. It has no right to tell Filipinos how to conduct elections in our country,” Bahague added. With Rey e. Requejo

core interests.”

The country already has a system of maritime courts, which have adjudicated more than 225,000 cases since 1984, the Supreme Court’s spokesperson said last year.

Zhou’s comments provided no details about how the new center would differ from the existing institutions.

China has long-standing disputes over maritime territory in the East and South China

Sea, where it has aggressively pursued its claims through an increasingly muscular military posture.

In recent years, the waters of the South China Sea have become the stage for a tussle for dominance between Beijing and Washington, the world’s two largest economic and military powers.

China has never clearly defined its claims to the strategic region through which about a

third of all the world’s traded oil passes.

The Philippines and several other littoral states have competing claims in the region, as does Taiwan.

Manilla’s decision to take its dispute with China to an international tribunal based in The Hague has infuriated Beijing, which insists the matter is outside the court’s jurisdiction.

A ruling on the matter is expected before May. aFp

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No majority vote in Poe decision, claims justice

Visit. Presidential candidate Grace Poe visits Muzon in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, on Sunday. Jay MoraleS

‘Voting for tandems not essential in polls’

By Joyce Pangco Pañares

MANY Filipinos do not think it is essential to vote for a tandem in the presidential and vice presidential race on May 9, The Standard Poll conducted from Feb. 24 to March 1 showed.

At least 64 percent of the 3,000 respondents—all of them registered voters with biometrics and who were sure to vote in the May 9 elections— said their choices for the top two positions was not influenced by tandems.

This sentiment was highest in the National Capital Region (74 percent) followed by North/Central Luzon (71 percent), South Luzon/Bicol (62 percent), Mindanao (60 percent) and the Visayas (59 percent).

Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. emerged as the top choice of the Filipinos who said they would vote for presidential bets Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte (29 percent) and Vice President Jejomar Binay (37 percent).

Marcos was tied with Senator Francis Escudero among the re-

spondents who said they would vote for Senator Miriam Santiago with 39 percent each.

Escudero led the other vice presidential bets among Poe’s supporters with 46 percent while Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo was the top choice of those who will vote for administration standard bearer Manuel Roxas II with 50 percent.

Duterte’s running mate, Senator Alan Cayetano, trailed Marcos among the supporters of the Davao mayor with 23 percent, while Binay’s running mate, Senator Gringo Honasan, only received nine percent among the respondents who said they would vote for the vice president.

Meanwhile, a clear plurality of the respondents said People Power

did not affect their lives at all, with only 18 percent of them saying their lot improved because of the bloodless revolution that toppled the Marcos administration in 1986.

At least 46 percent said People Power did not have any impact on them while nine percent said their life was now worse because of it.

The pro-People Power sentiment was highest in the Visayas (22 percent) followed by the National Capital Region (20 percent), Mindanao (19 percent), South Luzon/Bicol (18 percent) and North/Central Luzon (13 percent).

On the other hand, at least one in 10 respondents from Metro Manila, North/Central Luzon and Mindanao said their quality of life deteriorated after the 1986 revolution.

The survey also showed that the Filipinos who believed that the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos was a good president (22 percent) outnumbered those who said he was a bad leader (nine percent)—even as 70 percent of the respondents said they were either neutral or undecided on the issue.

THE majority of the Supreme Court justices led by Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno declared Senator Grace Poe eligible to run for president in this year’s elections, but a senior magistrate who dissented claimed there was no majority vote on Poe’s qualification as a natural-born Filipino citizen.

Associate Justice Antonio Carpio said the high court’s voting on the issue of Poe’s citizenship was 7-5-3.

But Sereno disputed his claim, saying “it is most unfortunate that one of the dissenting opinions opens with a statement that tries to cast uncertainty on an already tense situation.”

Sereno denied Carpio even as vice presidential frontrunner Francis Escudero said his running mate’s detractors should respect the Supreme Court decision allowing her to run for president.

Poe’s political opponents should focus on explaining their platforms to the electorate to help voters decide wisely come May 9.

“Now that the any obstacle in the candidacy of Senator Grace has been removed, I hope this will be accepted and respected by her opponents,” Escudero said.

On Tuesday last week, the high court voted 9-6 to grant Poe’s petitions seeking to reverse the Commission on Elections’ decisions canceling her Certificate of Candidacy from the presidential race over the questions on her citizenship and eligibility.

But Carpio insisted that only seven of the nine justices in the majority ruling were of the opinion that foundlings like Poe were considered natural-born citizens.

They were Sereno and Associate Justices Presbitero Velasco Jr., Lucas Bersamin, Jose Perez, Jose Mendoza, Marvic Leonen and Francis Jardeleza.

Bersamin and Mendoza concurred with the majority ruling but did qualify their concurrence as to whether they also agreed on the findings on Poe’s citizenship and residency eligibilities.

Associate Justices Diosdado Peralta and Benjamin Caguioa joined the separate dissenting opinion of Associate Justice Mariano del Castillo that the high court should not rule on the citizenship issue on the case.

They held that the Comelec com-

mitted a grave abuse of discretion since Poe did not make deliberate misrepresentation on her 10-year residency status, but said there was no need for the high court to determine Poe’s eligibility on the citizenship requirement under the Constitution.

Carpio was joined by Associate Justices Teresita Leonardo-De Castro, Arturo Brion, Estela Perlas-Bernabe and Bienvenido Reyes in his dissenting opinion that Poe was not a natural-born Filipino and lacked the residency requirement.

He said that meant their actual voting on the citizenship issue was 7-5-3.

“What is clear and undeniable is that there is no majority of this Court that holds that petitioner Mary Grace Natividad Poe Llamanzares is a natural-born Filipino citizen,” Carpio said.

Rule 12, Section 1 of the high court’s Internal Rules requires that all decisions and actions in court cases “shall be made up upon the concurrence of the majority of the Members of the Court who actually took part in the deliberation on the issues or issues involved and voted on them.”

For a case where all 15 justices voted, at least eight votes are needed to achieve a majority ruling.

Carpio said the majority ruling provided an “anomalous situation” beyond the intent of the framers of the Constitution.

Sereno disagreed: “The dissent gives excessive weight to the fact that there are five justices in the minority who believe that petitioner does not have the qualification for the presidency, while ignoring the reality that there are at least seven justices who believe that petitioner possesses these qualifications.”

Sereno said there was a clear majority where seven of the nine justices who voted to grant the petitions of Poe agreed that Poe was natural-born.

But only 12 of the 15 justices participated in the voting on the particular question.

“Out of the 12 members who voted on the substantive question on citizenship, a clear majority of seven voted in favor of petitioner,” Sereno said.

“As to residency, seven out of 13 voted that petitioner complied with the 10-year residency requirement.” rey e. requejo and Macon ramosaraneta

Mayor of Paniqui claims Roxas could lose in Tarlac CLARK FREEPORT—Liberal Party standard bearer Manuel Roxas II could also lose in Tarlac, Paniqui Mayor Miguel Rivilla said over the weekend.

Rivilla, who is running for vice governor of Tarlac as an independent candidate, told a media forum here that, based on the Commission on Elections’ listing of candidates, out of the 17 municipalities and one city only two mayoral candidates were running under the Liberal Party: Rey Catacutan of Capas and Dennis Barrantes of Santa Ignacia.

Most of the other candidates running for governor, vice governor, mayor and vice mayor down to the councilors were running either as independents or under the banner of the Nationalist People’s Coalition, he said.

“What compounds the problem is that the name of Vice President Jejomar Binay and Senator Bongbong Marcos are very strong in the province,” Rivilla said.

He made his statement even as

Roxas rejected the predictions the “protest votes” will translate into votes for the opposition in the May elections following the people’s continuing frustration with the Aquino administration.

“If the present administration is very bad, why are they riding on to all of our products? Can’t they think of something new?” Roxas said in reference to the government’s social programs including its dole to the poor.

“If all the present programs of the administration were that bad, why can’t they say other things, right?”

Roxas said.

The trend in Tarlac is also almost the same in the other provinces of Region III. Former Congressman Willie Villarama of Bulacan, who is running for vice governor of the province, said Binay and Marcos were also strong contenders in Bulacan.

The same trend seemed to be prevailing in Pampanga. romeo Dizon and John Paolo Bencito

Strawberry man. Administration standard bearer Manuel Roxas II tastes a strawberry while doing the rounds at the La Trinidad Public Market on Sunday. John Paolo Bencito

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Duterte camp tells Binay to explain THE camp of presidential candidate Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday dared Vice President Jejomar Binay to explain allegations of corruption against him directly to the people.

“Based on the Commission on Audit’s report and recommendation, we can say that the Vice President is lying, insulting the intelligence of the Filipino people,” Duterte’s spokesperson Peter Laviña said in a statement. “Now is the perfect time for him to tell the Filipinos how he and his family were able to accumulate such wealth.”

CoA said Binay was liable for irregularities in the construction of several buildings in Makati City, including the city hall parking building 2.

According to Laviña, Binay has been dodging senatorial investigations by saying he would just explain to the people.

“By all means, he should do so now,” he said.

Laviña said Binay still has around 60 days to explain alleged corruption before the elections.

Meanwhile, the Bureau of Internal Revenue said over the weekend it will investigate possible tax liabilities of the University of Makati involving Binay and his son, dismissed Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay.

The owners of listed company STI Holdings Inc. will also be investigated, the BIR said.

Rio N. Araja

Top graduate. President Benigno Aquino III and Vice President Jejomar Binay present the vice presidential saber award to Cadet 1st class Christine Mae Calima of the Philippine Air Force during the 111th Commencement Exercises of Philippine Military Academy for its Gabay-Laya Class of 2016 at the Fajardo Grandstand, Borromeo Field, Fort General Gregorio del Pilar in Baguio City on Sunday. Gabay Laya is the smallest PMA class to graduate in 40 years.

MALACAÑANG PHOTO BUREAU

PMA cadets’ kin give PNoy a cold welcome

By Christine F. Herrera and Sandy Araneta

THE families of the latest graduates of the Philippine Military Academy were noticeably cold to President Benigno Aquino III but greeted Vice President Jejomar Binay with warm applause during the academy’s graduation rites at Fort Gregorio del Pilar, Baguio City on Sunday.

Some relatives of the graduates said Aquino was greeted with silence when he was introduced because they still remembered how the President allegedly mishandled the massacre of 44 members of the PNP Special Action Force in Mamasapano, Maguindanao more than a year ago.

When asked in an ambush interview for his reaction to the lack of

a warm welcome for the President, Binay simply smiled and refused to comment. Both Aquino and Binay attended the graduation ceremonies of the Gabay Laya Class of 2016.

“It just happened. We did not talk about it [beforehand]. Deep in our hearts, we fear that our children would be deployed anywhere in the country and we are scared that what happened to the SAF 44 would befall

our children,” said a PMA graduate’s mother, who refused to be identified.

She said her son was among the top students in the graduating class and she was sure that he would be given dangerous assignments immediately.

“We know the risk my son is facing but we want to be reassured that the risk they are taking is worth it. Given what happened in Mamasapano, our fears are real,” she said.

The 44 SAF members were killed on Jan. 25 last year during a covert operation to capture Malaysian terrorist and bomb-maker Marwan and his Filipino accomplice Basit Usman.

Meanwhile, Aquino reminded the PMA graduates not to indulge in politics.

“It is important to always remain neutral when it comes to politics,”

said Aquino, in a speech delivered in Pilipino. “It is in your hands whether democracy will remain, or if we will go back to abuses and lack of justice,” Aquino also told the PMA graduates.

Aquino also reminded the PMA graduates to be protectors of the country.

“Civilian authority is, at all times, supreme over the military. The Armed Forces of the Philippines is the protector of the people and the State. It’s goal is to secure the sovereignty of the State and the integrity of the national territory,” said Aquino.

Binay, meanwhile, commended his fellow Ibanag, Cadet First Class Kristian Daeve Gelacio Abiqui, who topped the class.

Abu Sayyaf leader gunned down

Walang iwanan. Presidential candidate Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte raises the hand of

his running mate, Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano during a recent campaign sortie.

Duterte has reassured the senator of his support in upcoming elections, saying they share the same vision of creating real change in the country and restoring order in people’s lives.

AN ALLEGED leader of the Abu Sayyaf Group behind the kidnapping of an Australian ex-soldier and an Irish priest was shot dead by security forces on Sunday, the military said.

Waning Abdusalam was killed after he resisted arrest by a combined military and police team in Naga, Zamboanga Sibugay province, said military spokesman Maj. Filemon Tan. The suspect may have had links to the Abu Sayyaf, a Muslim extremist group known for kidnapping foreigners and Christians, said Tan. Western Mindanao Com-

mand commander Lt. Gen. Mayoralgo dela Cruz also described the suspect as a renegade commander of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

The Abu Sayyaf, founded with seed money from AlQaida founder Osama bin Laden, has been designated as a terrorist organization by the United States.

Tan said Waning had been involved in the kidnapping for ransom of numerous people in Mindanao, including several Filipinos as well as Irish missionary Father Michael Sinnott in 2009 and Australian Warren Rodwell in 2011.

While Sinnott was released after about a month through the

intercession of a larger Muslim rebel group, Rodwell spent 15 months as a hostage and was only freed after ransom was paid.

Kidnapping for ransom is frequent in the southern Philippines, where Muslim separatist insurgents and bandits have been active for decades.

Early this month, suspected Abu Sayyaf militants holding two Canadians and a Norwegian set a one-month deadline for millions of dollars in ransom to be paid.

In a video posted on a local jihadist group’s Facebook page, the emaciated victims warned they would be killed unless the ransom was paid.

AFP, Florante Solmerin

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Grace, Chiz form legal team

By Macon Araneta

Beyond winning the May elections, Senator Grace Poe and her vice presidential running mate Francis “Chiz” escudero said on Sunday they would like to see a fair, democratic and credible electoral process.

Thus, the frontrunning duo formed a powerhouse legal team comprising 2,000 volunteer lawyers from all over the country.

“Whether it is us or others, it is important that the public accept and believe the results of the elections,” said escudero as he rallied hundreds of legal volunteers and professionals who gathered for the first national convention of the grace Poe and Chiz legal Team Philippines at the clubhouse of the nationalist People’s Coalition in new Manila, Quezon City. escudero thanked the volunteers who joined the gPC legal Team for their commitment to protect the integrity of the election and ensure that the votes for the Poe-escudero tandem are counted on election day.

“We are now going to the second and last phase of this election campaign and you would hold the biggest part,” escudero said as he expressed hope such “battalion of lawyers” will continue to be with them until the day of the election as they fight against all forms of electoral fraud and efforts to disenfranchise voters.

The gPC legal Team Philippines includes lead convenors namely lawyers george erwin garcia, Jorge V. sarmiento, and Roberto Rafael V. lucila.

Former executive secretary and now Pangasinan gov. Oscar M. Orbos, who serves as Overall Campaign Adviser to Team grace and Chiz, formally welcomed the gPC legal Team along with Deputy House speaker and nationalist People’s Coalition president giorgidi Aggabao.

Orbos urged the gPC legal Team to perform well in protecting the votes of presidential frontrunner grace Poe and no. 1 VP bet senator Chiz escudero since this is the next important step to ensure the tandem’s landslide victory toward charting a new destiny for the Philippines.

“At no point in our nation’s history that we are writing a new narrative for our country led by senators grace and Chiz, two young leaders who will lead us to the great change with fresh ideas, new solutions to old problems as well as new energy, vigor and dedication to meet the challenges of the millenial times,” Orbos said.

“The formation of the gPC legal Team is a strong statement and commitment to defend the people’s sovereignty as the supreme Court win of grace is firstly a great win of the people,” he added.

Orbos also lauded Poe’s legal team led by lead counsel george erwin garcia and the Poblador law Office for adeptly and successfully defending her before the supreme Court leading to a 9-6 decision that all but cleared all legal hurdles to her presidential bid.

For his part, lawyer Jorge sarmiento said the formation of the gPC legal Team Philippines comes at a most propitious time following the sC decision and the bandwagon trail for leading frontrunners grace and Chiz.

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Peace Forum. Senatorial candidate and Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez (left) delivers his message to thousands of local executives, Katipunan Guardian Brotherhood and multi-sectoral leaders regarding his campaign platform during the Peace and Order Forum at Megayon Stage in Dao, Pagadian City. Romualdez vows to support the peace and order program of the LGUs of Zamboanga Del Sur. VeR NoVeNo

Romualdez takes up the cudgels for newsmen help of the journalists.

The congressman from Angeles City, Pampanga— leyte who is also the presiCongressman Ferdinand dent of the Philippine ConMartin Romualdez of leyte stitution Association vowed has promised legal assistance to work for the passage of to newsmen who encounter the Freedom of Information legal problems in the practice when elected to the senate in May . of their profession. th speaking before the 67 Romualdez who is running induction ceremony of Pam- as senator under the slogan panga Press Club, Romual- Ibalik ang Malasakit sa Gobydez as guest speaker said that erno said that the government freedom of speech is very im- needs the media as fiscalizer portant in the affairs of any na- in the implementation of its tion as the people are given public policies and programs. “no nation can survive information to decide what or attain economic changes is good for them through the

By Romeo Dizon

without the sharp eye of the court state,” he said.

Romualdez who is a shared candidate of presidential candidates Vice President Jejomar Binay of United nationalist Alliance, Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and senator Miriam santiago was in Pampanga to seek the help of his Cabalen in the coming May national elections.

Romualdez whose mother hails from Mabalacat City said that he is hoping the resiliency of the people of Pampanga will be adopted by the people of leyte so that

they can immediately recover from the ruins of super Typhoon “Yolanda.”

The people of the province organised themselves into working groups with financial contributions from the businessmen. They also established save Pampanga Movement to anchor the recovery of the province.

Within few years, Pampanga recovered little by little until businesses are reestablished together with people returning to their homes destroyed by eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in 1991.

Oust LP-allied top cops—UNA

By Christine F. Herrera

Cooling their heels. Promenaders shield themselves from the sun as they stroll around under a sweltering 32.6ºC on Sunday afternoon. eY ACASIo

THe Oppositionist United nationalist Alliance on sunday urged the Commission on elections to remove police commanders who have pending poll-violation related cases particularly those who are closely identified with the ruling liberal Party that harassed the candidates from the opposition in the previous elections.

With some still assigned in provincial and regional directorates, UnA spokesperson Mon Ilagan said the Comelec seems “clueless” of the background of commanders of the Philippine national Police who have been involved in electionrelated activities and have been charged for violating the Omnibus election Code.

UnA believes that former Inte-

rior and local governments secretary Manuel Roxas II, lP standard bearer, has somehow managed to deploy his people in key posts before resigning from the Cabinet.

As a case in point, Ilagan cited Police supt. Reynaldo “Macky” Maclang who is currently the chief of police of sta. Rosa, laguna.

According to Ilagan, Maclang has a string of cases ranging from grave abuse of authority, alleged human rights violations, and a pervasive pattern of election-related harassment against the opposition.

During Wednesday’s PnP Academy graduation ceremonies, Ilagan said President Benigno Aquino III’s call for the PnP to ensure clean and honest elections rang “hollow, hypocritical and meaningless.” With Macon Araneta

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School in trouble over ‘traumatized’ kid

By John Paolo Bencito An internAtionAl school for toddlers in Makati City is being pressed for liabilities arising from alleged violations of the Department of education’s Child Protection Policy following an incident wherein a two-year-old child was left unpacified and “traumatized” while under the care of the school.

The child, who was enrolled in a program for preschool children at the Canadian american School in alphaland, Makati last year was left crying for an hour without any of the teachers being able to pacify the child.

Despite this, however, the child’s nanny was told by teachers to leave the classroom without being able to pacify the child due to a school policy disallowing nannies inside the classroom premises. after the incident, the parent Rolf Wiltschek, a German national, then brought the child to a pediatric psychologist, who diagnosed the child with ‘emotional trauma’ following symptoms of bedwetting after the incident. negotiations between Wiltschek and the school transpired over a period of time, following the demand of the parent to show cause if the school has “child protection policies”in force, pursuant to the DepEd Order no. 40, s.2012.

The school, in various communications sent to the DepEdMakati Division of City Schools, claimed that the supposed provision of a child protection policy contained in the parent handbook, whom the parent claimed “was never made aware by the CaS.” “When I enrolled my son or at any other time thereafter, CaS never gave me a parent handbook,” Wiltschek’s letter to DepEd Makati read.

Domingo de Lazaro. Catholic devotees participate in a grand stations of the cross in observance of the Domingo de Lazaro to honor St. Lazaro, patron saint of lepers, in Manila on Sunday. DANNY PATA

San Juan’s Gomez wins over 156 local leaders San Juan City Mayor Guia Gomez almost shed tears of joy after 18 out of 21 barangay captains and 138 barangay kagawads, treasurer, secretary and ex-officio expressed solid support for her reelection bid in an assembly in San Juan to celebrate International Women’s Month.

In a show of gratitude, League of Barangays President allen Silvano led the presentation of a Manifesto of Support signed by 156 barangay leaders to Mayor Gomez for her heartfelt service to San Juan City in the past six years.

The mayor humbly accepted the endorsement of barangay officials together with other women candidates in San Juan—Jana Ejercito for congresswoman, Janella Estrada for vice mayor, Raissa Laurel, and Edith Velasco for councilors.

“Mayor Guia exemplifies the real motherly

care when she provided us with a decent and affordable in-city public housing in St. Josephville,” said barangay captain Ruel Sumaguinsing of Corazon de Jesus.

Barangay addition Hills Kagawad Beeboy Bargas also said, “We’ve witnessed the extraordinary progress in San Juan City, that’s why there is no reason to shift to another leadership. necessary infrastructures are already in place such as better roads and streetlights. Even the business community trusts Mayor Guia as evident with the investment flow in San Juan City.”

In response to their show of support, Gomez encouraged the barangay leaders to join her in pursuing the programs that would further bring progress for San Juan City such as additional public housing and medical center.

Commemorating the Women’s Month, 156 barangay leaders expressed support for reelectionist Mayor Guia Gomez.

Iglesia ignores critics, focuses on expansion “EVanGELIzaTIOn through expansion, fulfilling our mission through a bigger and better-serving Church” is how the Iglesia ni Cristo chooses to address the negative tirades of critics and former members, explained InC spokesperson Edwil zabala.

“Hindi po kami manhid. Minsan ay apektado rin kami ng sunod-sunod na negatibong balita laban sa amin,” zabala said in a statement.

He clarified, however, that “the InC would rather sow the seeds of growth and reach out to more people through actual church work.” zabala shared that the InC is opening more chapels worldwide in addition to five new north american chapels already inaugurated in 2016.

The Church is scheduled to dedicate 10 new chapels in the US, two in the United Kingdom, two in South africa, and two in Japan within the coming months.

“We are also ready with 7,000 new ministerial students worldwide to meet the expansion.” zabala added that under the leadership of Executive Minister Eduardo V. Manalo, a newly-constructed building of the new Era General Hospital in Quezon City is ready and equipped to serve the general public.

The four-story medical facility has a 139-bed capacity and was built with indigent patients in mind.

“If others want to divide and destroy us, we unite and edify. If our critics go on a demolition job, we build. We strive to uphold the biblical verse about loving God with all our heart, our soul, our strength,” explained zabala.

M O N D AY : M A r c h 14 , 2 0 1 6

A7

NEWS

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

3 suspected criminals die during firefight with police

By Florante Solmerin THrEE suspected criminals including their leader were killed in four hours of firefight against policemen Saturday in Subic, Zambales, according to Chief Inspector Elizabeth Jasmin, public affairs officer of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group of the Philippine National Police based in Camp Crame, Quezon City.

According to initial report from CIDG-region 3 chief Senior Superintendent Benjamin Silo, the firefight ensued at around 6 a.m. in Barangay Calapuan when the target opened fire at the policemen serving his warrant of arrest.

“When the operating team was about to serve the [arrest warrant], they were fired upon by the subject person. The firefight lasted for four hours and resulted in the death of subject person and of his two unidentified companions,” Silo said.

He identified the dead leader as reggie Calledo, listed as No. 1 Most Wanted Person in Subic.

Silo said his men recovered from the suspects a caliber 5.56 (M16) rifle, a caliber .9MM automatic machine pistol, several magazines of cal 5.56 and cal.9MM, and various ammunition.

Solar power. Sulo Electric Power and Light (Philippines) Inc. inaugurated last week a new solar power facility in Palo, Leyte. The facility will generate 50 MW that will be transmitted to the national power grid. MEL CASPE

Tension, harassment grip Bohol opposition

By Junex Doronio TAGBILARAN CITY—A pattern of alleged harassment including the death of a mayor’s bodyguards has sown tension within the opposition in Bohol as the country nears the start of the campaign period for local officials.

“Two of my bodyguards have already been killed,” said Vice Mayor Tomas Gonzaga of the hinterland town of Danao as he confirmed harassments of opposition ward leaders identified with opposition gubernatorial candidate May Lim-Imboy.

Gonzaga, who is the Bohol provincial coordinator of the

opposition United Nationalist Alliance and running for mayor unopposed, told The Standard that seven Bohol towns including Danao had already been declared as election watchlist areas or EWA. The other six towns are Buenavista, Clarin, Inabanga, Ubay, Pilar and Cortes.

The situation in the fourth-class

municipality of Danao is particularly tense because of the killing of his leaders, added Gonzaga. Danao was also the scene of the assassination of the town’s police chief SPO1 Noel E. romagos in April 2014.

Days after the start of the campaign period for national candidates last January, gunmen shot to death Jacinto Galvez Jr. near his house in Barangay Magtangtang.

“A bullet already pierced my husband through the heart,” said widow Anna Mitzi Galvez in an interview. “They dragged him inside the house and shot him on the head.”

Magtangtang is the location of Dagohoy’s grave in the mountains.

It was Bohol hero Francisco Dagohoy’s hideout during his revolt. Hundreds of Dagohoy’s

followers preferred death inside the cave than surrender. Their skeletons remain in the site.

Meanwhile, Imboy, the incumbent mayor of Loay, had no plans at first to run for governor against erstwhile LP Party mate Gov. Edgar Chatto days before the filing of the Certificates of Candidacy last year. Imboy only became the opposition standardbearer after she failed to get an LP nomination certificate and the PDP-Laban came to the rescue.

With more mayors behind Imboy compared to her gubernatorial bid in 2013 and the issues hounding Gov. Chatto, Carmen Mayor Charito Toribio-delos reyes said the opposition candidate has a bigger chance of winning now.

Zamboanga mayor charges 4 execs over October fire

By A. Perez Rimando

Street dancers. Students from different schools in San Fernando City, La Union perform dance routines in their colorful outfits during the Pindangan Festival. CHRISTINE JUNIO

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Zamboanga Sibugay—Mayor Ma. Isabelle ClimacoSalazar has approved the filing of administrative charge against four top city market officials for the Oct. 31, 2015 public market evening fire which burned to death 15 persons, including some children, who illegally used their stalls as sleeping quarters.

Climaco-Salazar identified the respondent officials as market supervisor IV Nathaniel Asuncion, MS III Alexander Enopia, MS II Jessie L. Calisay, and MS I Aline M. Feliciano who were earlier required

by City Legal Officer Jesus Carbon Jr. “to explain why they should not be administratively charged with neglect of duty for their failure to strictly enforce the Market Code provision which, among other things, strictly

prohibits ‘human inhabitation’ in stalls inside the public market.”

The Carbon-led probe panel said the market supervisors, who hold office within the premises, are directly responsible for the operations, maintenance and activities of personnel inside the area and tasked “to apprehend violators of the Market Ordinance.”

The team cleared City Administrator Elmer Apolinario who, it noted, “was not remiss in the strict implementation of the Market Code as evidenced by his several memoranda and letters on the matter.”

His panel also advised the City Engineer’s Office to conduct regular survey of the market structures and recommended the rehabilitation of the market’s old perimeter fence to prevent persons from passing through it as well as to reduce the number of gates with padlocks so no one can enter the place after closing hours.

M O N D AY : M A R c h 14 , 2 0 1 6

A8

opinion

ADELLE chuA eDiTor

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

opinion

the Supreme Court needS an outSider

[ EDI TORI A L ]

A cleAr cAse of blAckmAil

By Stephen l. Carter

RECENT warnings from the Commission on Elections about a possible failure of election recall the classic January 1973 cover of the now defunct National Lampoon magazine depicting a dog looking worriedly at a revolver pressed to its head, with the title: “If You Don’t Buy This Magazine, We’ll Kill This Dog.” The parody was humorous because the blackmail was so blatant.

No less blatant—but certainly not humorous—was the warning from Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista that failed elections might result from the Supreme Court recent decision ordering the poll agency to issue voter receipts.

This was blackmail no less flagrant, with a gun being held to the heart of our democratic system.

With questionable wisdom, the Comelec had earlier decided it could dispense with the printed audit trail incorporated into the vote counting machines to be used in the May 9 elections.

This was not the first time the commission had taken upon itself to violate the Automated Election Law, having done so in 2010 and 2013. But this time around, the author of that law—a senatorial candidate, Richard Gordon—challenged its decision to disable a key security feature that was required by that law—a printed audit trail.

Repudiated by the Supreme Court, the Comelec fell back on its threadbare excuse that we are running out of time. This was the same reason used by the previous Comelec chairman to justify signing a dubious negotiated repair and maintenance contract that was subsequently struck down by the Supreme Court as being unlawful. Congress has correctly seen the latest Comelec pronouncements as blackmail.

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said it was improper for the Comelec to make any noises about a postponement because they have not even exhausted all the remedies available.

Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Carlos Zarate said the Comelec’s actions are a disgrace and only bolster public distrust in the election process. The issue of voter receipts is not new, in fact, and has been raised since 2010, he added.

“If only Comelec did not choose to be blind, deaf and numb to the demands and proposals for a more transparent process, it could have inspired more confidence in the upcoming elections,” he said. Instead, the Comelec is now holding the nation hostage with its threats of a failed election.

What is it in our system of government that gives Comelec commissioners the notion that they can break the law again and again with impunity? Instead of following the election laws, why do they so often fall back on shortcuts that eventually lead us astray? Why can’t they simply follow the law?

Even the Comelec’s latest trial balloon of returning to a manual voting system betrays the same tendency to defy the law, which mandates automated elections. Unless that law is struck down, automation is mandatory, not optional. That some commissioners are now even considering a return to a manual system shows the disregard they have for the law.

Perhaps part of the problem is the power commissioners hold over the fate of elected officials, who are wary of antagonizing them, lest they end up on the short end of a disqualification case.

But the latest dust-up over voter receipts clearly points to the need to hold the commissioners accountable and to break the mindset that they can do as they please because we have no choice.

Call it genoCide pensées fr. rAnhilio cAllAngAn Aquino In the furor following the Supreme Court’s decision on the Grace Poe case, hardly anyone paid heed to a statement of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines expressing sympathy for the Missionaries of Charity, the “Sisters of Mother Theresa of Calcutta,” who were recently

martyred in Yemen. In the same statement, Archbishop Soc Villegas, on behalf of the CBCP, expressed solidarity with calls that the attacks against Christians by ISIS and allied terror groups be legally characterized as genocide. It is the same call that American Catholics have made on the US State Department.

Genocide is a mass atrocity crime. It is the intentional killing of individuals because of their race, ethnicity, language or religion.

The

attack against the individual is motivated by hatred or aversion of the individual’s racial, ethnic, linguistic or religious affiliation. In fact, genocide is not limited to killing.

Decimating populations, the forcible transfer of peoples, making births impossible, imposing harsh living conditions all aimed preventing a group from flourishing— all these are genocidal. hitler and his henchmen committed the crime of genocide against the Jews, and in recent times,

A9

it is important for the world to recognize the horror of what tends to be occluded by politicians’ polite exchanges.

it was this crime that figured prominently before the two ad hoc tribunals created by the Security Council— the International Criminal tribunal for Former Yugoslavia and the International Criminal

tribunal for rwanda. It is one of the crimes of which the International Criminal Court may take cognizance, under the treaty of rome, but it is generally accepted as a crime under customary international

law. The practical consequence of this being that even non-parties to the treaty of rome are covered by the prohibition of genocide, and their nationals, or elements, subject to prosecution and indictment for violations of this sort.

One of the most horrible pictures imprinted in the world’s collective consciousness is that of a long line of Middle eastern Christians, wearing orange-colored jump suits, kneeling on the sand, each with an executioner

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

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

behind him, minutes before being brutally beheaded. But these were not the only martyrs. The Missionaries of Charity were among the latest, but will certainly not be the last, while those who have the capacity to stop ISIS in its tracks, vacillate about taking action. Meanwhile, the mad rampage goes on. Church and monasteries, many of them centuries old—some dating back to the very first centuries of Christianity—are leveled to the ground for no other reason than

5550. P.O. Box 2933, Manila Central Post Office, Manila. Website: www. manilastandardtoday.com E-mail: contact@thestandard.com.ph

MST ONLINE

can be accessed at: www.manilastandardtoday.com

MEMBER

PPI

Philippine Press Institute The National Association of Philippine Newspapers

hatred for anything un-Islamic!

Why then the urgency in the call for characterizing these atrocities as genocide? First, it is important for the world to recognize the horror of what tends to be occluded by politicians’ polite exchanges. While world leaders engage in double-speak from the sanitized confines of conference halls and the relative safety of podiums, the slaughter continues, and the world must recognize it for what it is: an 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

AS PreSIDent Barack Obama prepares to square off with Senate republicans over his Supreme Court nominee, I offer a soft word of advice: Don’t pick a judge.

I mean this quite seriously. My Yale colleague Akhil Amar has written thoughtfully about what he calls the “judicialization” of the Supreme Court.

It is rare nowadays for anyone to be selected who has not attended a top law school, enjoyed a top clerkship and spent several years on the bench. In his fine book “The Law of the Land: A Grand tour of Our Constitutional republic,” Amar tells us this: “On the day that Samuel Alito replaced Sandra Day O’Connor in early 2006, not only was every justice a former judge, but each had been a (1) sitting (2) federal (3) circuit-court judge at the time of his or her Supreme Court appointment. never before in history had the Court been so deeply judicialized.”

Obama’s subsequent appointment of elena Kagan, dean of harvard Law School, broke the pattern, but Amar considers the distinction insignificant: “Granted, Kagan came to the Court without having previously served as a federal judge. But she had served as solicitor general (SG) of the United States, the one technically nonjudicial position in America that is closest to being a judge. The SG is tasked with representing the United States in courtrooms across America, and in the Supreme Court in particular. For good reason, this officer is often called ‘the tenth Justice.’”

The selection of justices, Amar tells us in dismay, has become much like advancement in the civil service. And this lack of “portfolio diversification,” he wants us to understand, is a new thing in the nation’s history.

What difference does background make? Amar is concerned about diversity in several important senses.

It’s notorious that every sitting justice attended either Yale or harvard. But he’s also concerned for a lack of diversity in styles of argument. Those who have spent their careers on the bench tend to think that “judges are more right than they really are.” There are more ways to think about the Constitution than the ways we think about it in the cases. Part of the triumph of Brown v.

Board of Education is the richness of its understanding of politics. Amar implies that this is in part because nobody on the Brown court had spent a career in the judiciary. On the other hand, he Continued on A10

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

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

Emil P. Jurado Chairman Emeritus, Editiorial Board

M O N D AY : M A R c h 14 , 2 0 1 6

A8

opinion

ADELLE chuA eDiTor

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

opinion

the Supreme Court needS an outSider

[ EDI TORI A L ]

A cleAr cAse of blAckmAil

By Stephen l. Carter

RECENT warnings from the Commission on Elections about a possible failure of election recall the classic January 1973 cover of the now defunct National Lampoon magazine depicting a dog looking worriedly at a revolver pressed to its head, with the title: “If You Don’t Buy This Magazine, We’ll Kill This Dog.” The parody was humorous because the blackmail was so blatant.

No less blatant—but certainly not humorous—was the warning from Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista that failed elections might result from the Supreme Court recent decision ordering the poll agency to issue voter receipts.

This was blackmail no less flagrant, with a gun being held to the heart of our democratic system.

With questionable wisdom, the Comelec had earlier decided it could dispense with the printed audit trail incorporated into the vote counting machines to be used in the May 9 elections.

This was not the first time the commission had taken upon itself to violate the Automated Election Law, having done so in 2010 and 2013. But this time around, the author of that law—a senatorial candidate, Richard Gordon—challenged its decision to disable a key security feature that was required by that law—a printed audit trail.

Repudiated by the Supreme Court, the Comelec fell back on its threadbare excuse that we are running out of time. This was the same reason used by the previous Comelec chairman to justify signing a dubious negotiated repair and maintenance contract that was subsequently struck down by the Supreme Court as being unlawful. Congress has correctly seen the latest Comelec pronouncements as blackmail.

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said it was improper for the Comelec to make any noises about a postponement because they have not even exhausted all the remedies available.

Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Carlos Zarate said the Comelec’s actions are a disgrace and only bolster public distrust in the election process. The issue of voter receipts is not new, in fact, and has been raised since 2010, he added.

“If only Comelec did not choose to be blind, deaf and numb to the demands and proposals for a more transparent process, it could have inspired more confidence in the upcoming elections,” he said. Instead, the Comelec is now holding the nation hostage with its threats of a failed election.

What is it in our system of government that gives Comelec commissioners the notion that they can break the law again and again with impunity? Instead of following the election laws, why do they so often fall back on shortcuts that eventually lead us astray? Why can’t they simply follow the law?

Even the Comelec’s latest trial balloon of returning to a manual voting system betrays the same tendency to defy the law, which mandates automated elections. Unless that law is struck down, automation is mandatory, not optional. That some commissioners are now even considering a return to a manual system shows the disregard they have for the law.

Perhaps part of the problem is the power commissioners hold over the fate of elected officials, who are wary of antagonizing them, lest they end up on the short end of a disqualification case.

But the latest dust-up over voter receipts clearly points to the need to hold the commissioners accountable and to break the mindset that they can do as they please because we have no choice.

Call it genoCide pensées fr. rAnhilio cAllAngAn Aquino In the furor following the Supreme Court’s decision on the Grace Poe case, hardly anyone paid heed to a statement of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines expressing sympathy for the Missionaries of Charity, the “Sisters of Mother Theresa of Calcutta,” who were recently

martyred in Yemen. In the same statement, Archbishop Soc Villegas, on behalf of the CBCP, expressed solidarity with calls that the attacks against Christians by ISIS and allied terror groups be legally characterized as genocide. It is the same call that American Catholics have made on the US State Department.

Genocide is a mass atrocity crime. It is the intentional killing of individuals because of their race, ethnicity, language or religion.

The

attack against the individual is motivated by hatred or aversion of the individual’s racial, ethnic, linguistic or religious affiliation. In fact, genocide is not limited to killing.

Decimating populations, the forcible transfer of peoples, making births impossible, imposing harsh living conditions all aimed preventing a group from flourishing— all these are genocidal. hitler and his henchmen committed the crime of genocide against the Jews, and in recent times,

A9

it is important for the world to recognize the horror of what tends to be occluded by politicians’ polite exchanges.

it was this crime that figured prominently before the two ad hoc tribunals created by the Security Council— the International Criminal tribunal for Former Yugoslavia and the International Criminal

tribunal for rwanda. It is one of the crimes of which the International Criminal Court may take cognizance, under the treaty of rome, but it is generally accepted as a crime under customary international

law. The practical consequence of this being that even non-parties to the treaty of rome are covered by the prohibition of genocide, and their nationals, or elements, subject to prosecution and indictment for violations of this sort.

One of the most horrible pictures imprinted in the world’s collective consciousness is that of a long line of Middle eastern Christians, wearing orange-colored jump suits, kneeling on the sand, each with an executioner

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

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

behind him, minutes before being brutally beheaded. But these were not the only martyrs. The Missionaries of Charity were among the latest, but will certainly not be the last, while those who have the capacity to stop ISIS in its tracks, vacillate about taking action. Meanwhile, the mad rampage goes on. Church and monasteries, many of them centuries old—some dating back to the very first centuries of Christianity—are leveled to the ground for no other reason than

5550. P.O. Box 2933, Manila Central Post Office, Manila. Website: www. manilastandardtoday.com E-mail: contact@thestandard.com.ph

MST ONLINE

can be accessed at: www.manilastandardtoday.com

MEMBER

PPI

Philippine Press Institute The National Association of Philippine Newspapers

hatred for anything un-Islamic!

Why then the urgency in the call for characterizing these atrocities as genocide? First, it is important for the world to recognize the horror of what tends to be occluded by politicians’ polite exchanges. While world leaders engage in double-speak from the sanitized confines of conference halls and the relative safety of podiums, the slaughter continues, and the world must recognize it for what it is: an 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

AS PreSIDent Barack Obama prepares to square off with Senate republicans over his Supreme Court nominee, I offer a soft word of advice: Don’t pick a judge.

I mean this quite seriously. My Yale colleague Akhil Amar has written thoughtfully about what he calls the “judicialization” of the Supreme Court.

It is rare nowadays for anyone to be selected who has not attended a top law school, enjoyed a top clerkship and spent several years on the bench. In his fine book “The Law of the Land: A Grand tour of Our Constitutional republic,” Amar tells us this: “On the day that Samuel Alito replaced Sandra Day O’Connor in early 2006, not only was every justice a former judge, but each had been a (1) sitting (2) federal (3) circuit-court judge at the time of his or her Supreme Court appointment. never before in history had the Court been so deeply judicialized.”

Obama’s subsequent appointment of elena Kagan, dean of harvard Law School, broke the pattern, but Amar considers the distinction insignificant: “Granted, Kagan came to the Court without having previously served as a federal judge. But she had served as solicitor general (SG) of the United States, the one technically nonjudicial position in America that is closest to being a judge. The SG is tasked with representing the United States in courtrooms across America, and in the Supreme Court in particular. For good reason, this officer is often called ‘the tenth Justice.’”

The selection of justices, Amar tells us in dismay, has become much like advancement in the civil service. And this lack of “portfolio diversification,” he wants us to understand, is a new thing in the nation’s history.

What difference does background make? Amar is concerned about diversity in several important senses.

It’s notorious that every sitting justice attended either Yale or harvard. But he’s also concerned for a lack of diversity in styles of argument. Those who have spent their careers on the bench tend to think that “judges are more right than they really are.” There are more ways to think about the Constitution than the ways we think about it in the cases. Part of the triumph of Brown v.

Board of Education is the richness of its understanding of politics. Amar implies that this is in part because nobody on the Brown court had spent a career in the judiciary. On the other hand, he Continued on A10

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

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

Emil P. Jurado Chairman Emeritus, Editiorial Board

A10 Manila politics THERE was a time BACK Manila politics got as much news coverage ChANNeL as the presidential ALeJANDrO race. The names DeL rOsArIO of former Manila mayors Arsenio Lacson, Antonio Villegas, Ramon Bagatsing, Mel Lopez, three-termer Lito Atienza and even a younger Fred Lim come to mind when recalling the city’s colorful political past.

Why is there a declining interest on what happens in Manila and the future of the nation’s capital?

I posed this question to a gathering of friends during a wake for someone who like us, was a true-blue Manileño. I myself had lived for years at different times in Quiapo, Sampaloc and Malate but moved to Makati when the quality of life deteriorated in the city where I grew up and studied. I was dismayed by the answer of friends who told me they no longer held much hope for the future of Manila.

W h y ?

They said that between a g i n g incumbent M a y o r Bagatsing is not doing J o s e p h the usual house-toEstrada and even older house, door-to-door returning campaigning a serious cha l lenger Alfredo candidate should be Lim, there doing. isn’t much of a choice.

Estrada, the former president convicted of plunder but pardoned by then-President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, is 79, while Lim is pushing 86. To say there’s a need for new blood in Manila politics would have to be the understatement of the year. Only Manila is older than these two, quipped someone.

What about Rep. Amado Bagatsing? We thought he was the alternative to Erap and Fred Lim. My friends looked at me and told me I had been out of the country and Manila too long when I was posted as ambassador in Europe. So much has changed, it seems, while I was gone.

But nothing much has changed. Things even got worse, they complained. My friends cited a litany of grievances against the present city administration— corruption, crime, traffic and an exorbitant 300-percent increase in real estate property tax. This is where it really hurts, since many of them were retirees living on pensions while some still managed to sustain small businesses which have seen better days.

If they don’t like Erap or Fred Lim, then vote for Bagatsing, I suggested. But how, they asked, can we vote for someone who does not criticize Erap and fight for the issues we raised against the mayor? There’s a nagging suspicion Erap could be encouraging Bagatsing to run just to take away votes from Lim. Politics, after all, is a numbers game. If you do the math, Erap has a better chance of being reelected if he does not go head to head against Lim. The 68-year-old Bagatsing is on his third term as congressman representing the 5th district of Manila which includes Malate, Ermita, Paco, Intramuros and Port Area.

Although he promised to rescue Manila from “kaErapan (poverty) and kadiLiman (darkness), nothing much has been heard from Bagatsing. Aside from not criticizing Erap lately, we are told Bagatsing is not doing the usual house-to-house, door-to-door campaigning a serious candidate should be doing.

Open-door policy Let’s not be too harsh on the management of the Light Rail Transit for keeping open the door of a train while running between Central Station and the Pedro Gil stop. The people running the LRT were simply

M O N D AY : M A r c h 14 , 2 0 1 6

OPINION

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

lula is the Big test for petroBras prosecutors

By Mac Margolis THE worries for Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva seem to have no end. On March 3, a newsmagazine published what it said were accusations by a onetime political ally, including that the former Brazilian president, known as Lula, had orchestrated a plot to buy off a witness in the giant corruption case at state-run oil company Petrobras.

The next day, federal police detained and interrogated Lula on suspicion that he’d benefited from the Petrobras scheme. And now, in a separate case, Sao Paulo prosecutors are seeking Lula’s arrest on charges of money laundering and false declarations; if a judge decides to send him to trial, Lula could face up to 13 years in jail.

Why all the fuss over a septuagenarian ex-president? Sure, the charges are a slap to a leader who charmed heads of state, hoisted his country to international prominence and left office with a rock-star approval rating. But more than a legend, Lula is still revered in Brazil as a shrewd deal-maker, whose sway over the ruling leftist Workers’ Party is key to the survival not only of beleaguered President Dilma Rousseff but also of the ambitious political project Lula launched to remake the country 13 years ago. If Brazil’s heralded new generation of cops and sleuths fails to curb its excesses, they stand to lose the crucial battle for public opinion. And the small revolution they started to root out powerful crooks could be in jeopardy.

Don’t count Brazil’s political tag team out yet. Rousseff is facing an impeachment drive in Congress, and her foes will demand her ouster in street demonstrations Sunday. the supreme... From A9 attributes John Roberts’s vote to uphold the Affordable Care Act in part to the chief justice’s extensive earlier experience in the intricacies of executive-branch policymaking, including four years in the White House counsel’s office.

There’s something very Jacksonian about this argument —and I refer not to Justice Robert Jackson, one of the heroes of Amar’s fine book, but to President Andrew Jackson, who campaigned against both the judiciary and the rule of lawyers. But although Jackson is in bad odor these days, on this point I think the seventh president was mostly right. He worried that judges were becoming an aristocracy in

But she has yet to be charged with a crime, and the allegations against Lula must stand up in court. For that, investigators will need time and flawless detective work but also discernment and temperance, qualities that look to be in short supply at this fevered political moment.

For the past two years, the socalled Car Wash case probing corruption at Petrobras has been a model of even-handed investigative rigor. A team of dedicated federal prosecutors and police has conducted 1,114 inquiries, carried out 133 arrests and is pursuing $4 billion in stolen assets, with care and little drama. Sergio Moro, the federal judge presiding over the cases, has been discreet, even when bringing down giants. The public has responded positively, and Moro’s supporters have practically beatified him. But the recent tumult suggests that some of the glory may have gone to the avengers’ heads.

Lula’s detention by the police— not quite an arrest, but more than a summons—was a jolt. When police showed up at his door on the morning of March 4, the former leader apparently said he would only leave in handcuffs, although he agreed to go after talking to his lawyer. The public reacted strongly, with angry supporters rushing to Lula’s defense, likening his detention to a coup and scuffling with anti-Lula protestors.

The effect was to cast Lula as a political detainee of a state captured by “retrogade economic elites,” in the words of one loyalist governor.

(The irony, of course, is that Lula is in trouble largely because of his perhaps too cozy relations with some of the country’s elites.) Lula emerged from

his interrogation “more or less like Nelson Mandela left prison in South Africa,” as one columnist put it. That’s a role that the former steelworker who was persecuted and jailed under Brazil’s military dictatorship knows how to play well.

Brazil’s economy may be slipping from recession to outright depression, but to many poor and blue-collar Brazilians, Lula is still a hero. Moro knows the risks of taking on the big shots. He warned of them in a 2004 paper on how Italian prosecutors and judges in the Clean Hands operation broke up a cabal of crooked companies and their seemingly untouchable sponsors in high office. Being right and diligent is essential but not enough: In a porous justice system and a culture of complacency, “The corrupt politician, for example, has comparative advantages,” Moro wrote. The way to even the score is to take the argument public: “Informed public opinion, expressed through appropriate channels, is what it takes to attack the structural causes of corruption.”

It’s too soon to know who will win the argument in Brazil. In many ways, the widening Car Wash case is driving national politics, with every new bust or raid putting government on the defensive, undermining consensus on crucial policies to right the economy and inflaming partisan passions. It’s no exaggeration to say that both Rousseff’s political survival and the fight to stamp out Brazilian corruption are at stake. The country’s prosecutors have done their part, albeit sometimes to a fault. Soon, we’ll get a sense of whether they’ve gone too far, or not nearly far enough.

the new nation.

Amar doesn’t go quite so far, but perhaps he should.

Both major parties are facing Jacksonian moments, with their bases believing—with reason, I would say—that their views are rarely reflected or even seriously solicited in the making of policy.

More and more they see what goes on in the power centers they mistrust (Washington and Wall Street) as an ever-heavier burden of impositions. One needn’t share this opinion to see that it exists.

How does this relate to the judicialization of the Supreme Court? Because of the system that produces the justices, few Americans have heard of any of the nominees

before they are nominated. Already, then, there exists a barrier that non-lawyers can’t easily breach.

And yet in the past, the Supreme Court’s great justices have included both politicians and prominent advocates, some of them household names. Justices like Earl Warren, Hugo Black and Salmon Chase were already widely known. So was William Howard Taft, former president. Thurgood Marshall and Louis Brandeis were practically household names.

This isn’t to suggest that selecting a non-Ivy League non-judge who has not been a clerk would suddenly cure the nation of its current passionate mistrust toward those in authority. But it might help.

Bloomberg

trying to solve the train’s air-conditioning problem.

Commuters were earlier complaining the aircon system was not working. So the management opened the door.

Problem solved.

The video of the running train with its door open was taken by a concerned citizen. It has since gone viral and evoked more thoughts of trains and how well they are run in other major cities. The mass railway systems of neighboring Bangkok, Singapore and Hong Kong are efficient people-movers.

In New York City’s subterranean railways, commuters

are told to “stay away from the door for your safety.”

The sound system repeatedly reminds passengers of this. The train’s door will automatically open and close until the passenger blocking the sensor steps away or else the train won’t run.

That Metro Manila’s commuters are a hardy lot more than New York’s is seen on how they cope with the daily grind of taking our bankrupt public transport system.

They pack themselves into a moving train with its door open. With no choice left, they have to get to work after lining up for blocks early in the morning.

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OPINION lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

RepuBlicans’ new taRget: the ‘pRe-convention’ What happens during the pre-convention will depend partly on how close the front-runner is to 1,237 The Republican delegate tangle has people talking delegates, and on how big the gap is between him and excitedly about a contested national convention this the second-highest vote-getter.

Party actors, including delegates, may care which summer. Not so fast. even if no candidate wins the necessary 1,237 delegates by the end of primaries and candidate has won the final contests, including some in caucuses on June 7, the six weeks that follow provide big states like California, as well as what the national another opportunity to settle the matter before the polls are saying. even if they haven’t publicly committed to a candidate, party gathers in Cleveland on July 18. I’ll call this period some party leaders may contact delegates to discuss a the “pre-convention.”

Republicans can’t have an undecided convention course of action, and even push some contenders to step without first passing through a contested pre- aside in favor of someone who has a chance to wrap up convention period. With all the delegates chosen but no the nomination early.

Most Republican delegates will have been chosen as candidate having a secure majority, the action will shift from the week-to-week slog from one state primary to “bound,” meaning they would be required to vote for a the next in search of voters to a collective decision to be certain candidate on at least the first ballot in Cleveland. made by the delegates: 2,472 party actors, most of them A small number will be chosen as “uncommitted,” obscure but a handful well known, most of them loyal meaning they could choose to support any candidate to the candidate they are supporting but many of them before the convention, or change allegiance from one to another. with other interests and preferences.

Another batch of delegates—anywhere from a few If no one has the nomination locked up in June, everyone involved—candidates, delegates and other dozen to several hundred—will have been selected party actors—will feel intense pressure to get this to be delegates for a candidate who has withdrawn. done before the convention. The purpose of national Depending on their state party rules, some will be conventions today is advertising for the party and its bound to support their candidate anyway, at least on candidate, and that opportunity would be forfeited if the first ballot. Others will be free to choose. even some of those who are pledged to vote for a the convention was convened without a nominee. The worst case would be day after day of deadlock under candidate who is still running could conceivably be in the full gaze of the national media with controversies play. Unlike the Democrats, the Republicans in many heating up and plenty of chances for those 2,472 states separate the selection of the individual delegates delegates (and the hundreds of other Republicans who from the allocation of how they are supposed to vote on will be in attendance) to make the party and whomever the first ballot for a given candidate. This means many delegates could be bound to vote for a candidate despite they eventually settle on look bad.

So the campaigns will scramble to win the allegiance not actually supporting him.

For example, Donald Trump won the Virginia of delegates, both those who are not tethered to a particular candidate and those who are, since bound primary on March 1 and was allocated 17 of Virginia’s delegates might become available if the convention 49 delegates. Separately, Virginia Republicans are holding a series of party conventions in April and May decides to let them vote however they want.

Delegates who are unbound and uncommitted won’t in each of the state’s congressional districts to select necessarily wait until Cleveland to commit. As some of the actual delegates. Seventeen of those delegates will them declare for a candidate (and are added to the tallies be assigned to Trump, and under the tentative rules news organizations keep), the delegate counts will change they will have to vote for Trump on the first ballot in as the convention approaches. A candidate could go over Cleveland. But there’s nothing in the rules to guarantee Trump is the actual preference of those 17 people. the top during those six weeks. The lead could change.

By Jonathan Bernstein

call it ... From A9 assault on Christians because they are Christians (which is not to say that the faithful of other religions are not victimized as well).

Second, characterizing the crime as genocide invites the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, either at the behest of the Security Council or of any State party, to commence investigations. When one or the other perpetrator is prosecuted, then the ICC at The hague may very well issue a warrant of arrest. Not only will that assure the world that the international

#failocracy

legal order still works. It will also send ISIS the clear message that it cannot, with impunity, flaunt its blatant disregard of law and common human decency.

Finally, the prohibition of genocide is a precept erga omnes…against all, binding on all, addressed to all. It offends reason to hold only the nationals of State-parties to the prohibition against attacking others because of their race, language, ethnicity or religion. Owing to the “universal” odium for the crime, it also triggers the application of “universal jurisdiction.”

Genocide is a crime that gives all States the right to apprehend, investigate,

This means that even a candidate who has captured 1,237 delegates by June 7 might not be truly safe. It’s unclear if Republicans would be willing to thwart the will of their voters by upending a chosen winner, but if the delegates want to, nothing can stop them. This too is a fight that could start during the pre-convention.

Unfortunately, we have little historical precedent for how this jockeying works in practice. It’s possible that well-organized campaigns will have been able to secure their choices for delegates and that poorly organized campaigns will have had less success. By the preconvention period, one or more candidates might have a real advantage in the share of their delegates who are truly loyal.

So not only are the rules confusing and subject to interpretation. They’re also subject to change. The tentative rules for the convention bind all delegates to vote the way they were allocated on the first ballot, but the convention can change those rules. So we may be in for a convention floor fight about whether to “free” the delegates to vote how they choose. If so, the first rounds of that fight and any other rules fight will take place in the pre-convention period, when the convention Rules Committee is chosen and begins its deliberations.

Another possibility: fights in the convention credentials committee about any disputes over who the properly elected delegates might be.

In the old days of brokered conventions, party bosses chose delegates who would do as they were instructed.

Today’s delegates have far more leeway to do what they want. So if, for example, Marco Rubio drops out after losing Florida on Tuesday and endorses Cruz, the delegates he has won so far wouldn’t necessarily have to listen to him or anyone else. And efforts to win commitments from those delegates would hardly wait until the convention. however, uncharted the period is between the end of the primaries and the beginning of the convention, if no one reaches 1,237 by June 7 then party actors will press hard to get everything resolved before everyone arrives in Cleveland. If they’re successful, the convention won’t appear to have been contested after all. If not? There’s a good chance of absolute chaos, with everyone watching.

Bloomberg

prosecute, try and punish the offender, regardless of where the crime was committed, regardless of who the victims were, regardless of the nationality of the perpetrator.

Characterizing the ongoing attack on Christians by ISIS and its affiliates is

out of the box rita linda v. jimeno Atty. Jimeno’s column will resume soon.

one way the world can continue to cling to its faith in law and its adherence to the norms of our common humanity. rannie_aquino@sanbeda.edu.ph ranne_aquino@csu.edu.ph rannie_aquino@yahoo.com

plumbline pastor apollo quiboloy Pastor Quiboloy’s column will resume next week.

chong ardivilla

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sports sports@thestandard.com.ph

Warriors, Spurs stay perfect at home LOS ANGELES— The Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs needed dominant fourth quarters on Saturday to keep their impressive NBA home winning streaks alive.

Conley out at least 3 weeks WASHINGTON—Memphis Grizzlies starting point guard Mike Conley will miss at least three to four weeks with an Achilles tendon injury, the NBA team announced Saturday (Sunday, Manila time).

Conley missed the last two games with left foot soreness and received an additional examination Friday that showed Achilles tendonitis.

In 56 games, all starts, Conley averaged 15.3 points, 2.9 rebounds, a team-high 6.1 assists and 1.20 steals for the Grizzlies this season.

Memphis also announced that center Chris Andersen is out indefinitely with a shoulder injury suffered a week ago agaginst Phoenix. An additional examination and MRI confirmed the injury.

Andersen has averaged 4.0 points and 4.7 rebounds in nine games for the Grizzlies since being obtained from Miami in a three-team trade last month.

The Grizzlies already are without Spanish center Marc Gasol, who will miss the rest of the season with a broken foot, and reserve guard Mario Chalmers was waived Thursday after suffering a season-ending Achilles tendon injury.

In addititon, Grizzlies forward Zach Randolph was expected to miss his fourth game in a row Saturday with a knee injury.

At 39-26, the Grizzlies rank fifth in the Western Conference. AFP

Draymond Green (23) of the Golden State Warriors shoots over Brandon Knight #3 of the Phoenix Suns at ORACLE Arena on March 12, 2016 in Oakland, California. AFP

Tennis: Top women seeds fall at Indian Wells INDIAN WELLS – Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber, fourth seed Garbine Muguruza and Spanish star Carla Suarez Navarro were all second-round casualties at the Indian Wells hardcourt tennis tournament on Saturday (Sunday, Manila time).

World No. 2 and second seed Kerber crashed out of the joint WTA and ATP event, losing her opening match in straight sets 7-5,

7-5 to Czech Denisa Allertova.

Former Wimbledon finalist Muguruza was upset by American Christina McHale 7-5, 6-1 and sixth seeded Suarez Navarro withdrew from the tournament with a right ankle injury just prior to her opening match against Daria Kasatkina.

Kerber knocked off Serena Williams in the Australian Open final in January for the first Grand Slam

tournament victory of her career.

But Kerber’s biggest problem on the WTA Tour has been inconsistency. She played superbly in Australia but then lost her first match at Doha. This is the third straight year she has lost her opening match at Indian Wells.

“If you lose in the first round you always have the next week to make it better,” she said.

“I achieved my goal of winning a

Grand Slam. Nobody can take that away from me.”

The 28-year-old German said there are now more demands on her time since her victory in Australia.

“The pressure is much different than it was a few months ago,” she said. “I will try to learn from this experience. It was a busy week for me. It is a new situation I have to try to get used to.” AFP

Gonzales wins PH lightweight crown

By Ronnie Nathanielsz THE protégé of “Saved by the Bell” promoter Elmer Anuran, Roberto Gonzales, battered and stopped previously unbeaten Arjan Canillas of the ALA Gym to win the vacant Philippine lightweight title at the Ynares Center in Pasig City, Saturday night.

The 25-year-old Gonzales used his jab effectively and combined them with big right hands that bloodied the mouth of Canillas and caused his left eye to swell badly.

When Gonzales, the winner of seven fights in a row, nailed Canillas with a big uppercut it was clear the end was near.

Veteran international referee Ver

Abainza stopped the contest at 0:57 of the seventh round. Canillas could hardly see and was absorbing too much punishment.

The goal of youthful promoter Elmer Anuran is to have Gonzales go after a regional belt in the months ahead.

With the win, Gonzales improved to 26-2 with 17 knockouts, while Canillas fell to 13-1-2 with 10 knockouts.

Gonzales, who trains out of Batangas, has now won seven straight since suffering a pair of knockout losses in 2012.

Anuran says the goal is to continue building his career in the Manila area while targeting a regional title in the near future.

Eugenie Bouchard of Canada returns a shot against Sloane Stephens during the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 11 at Indian Wells Tennis Garden in Indian Wells, California. AFP

Spurs guard Danny Green was an unlikely catalyst in San Antonio, where the Spurs trailed by two going into the final period but emerged with a 93-85 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Green had missed all eight of his shots before draining a go-ahead threepointer with 7:19 left to play that ignited the Spurs’ finishing burst. “(Green’s) a pro and we made it clear to him there’s only two outcomes -- it goes in or it doesn’t,” San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said. “He still gets his paycheck. His family still loves him, so screw it, let ‘em fly -- and he did.”

The Spurs improved to 32-0 at home this season and have won 41 in a row dating back to last season.

In Oakland, California, the Warriors stretched their NBA record home winning streak to 48 with their 30th home win of this season, 123-116 over the struggling Phoenix Suns.

But they, too, had to rally in the fourth, overcoming a nine-point deficit after three quarters with the aid of a 14-0 fourth-quarter scoring run.

Superstar sharp-shooter Stephen Curry, who missed most of the third quarter because of foul trouble, returned to score 15 points in the final frame.

Golden State trailed 108105 before Curry launched the decisive run with a game-tying three-pointer with 5:36 remaining.

The Suns missed their next six shots as the Warriors got a dunk by reserve center Marreese Speights, a dunk by Harrison Barnes and another three-pointer from Curry that gave the Warriors a 115-108 lead with 3:31 to play.

Draymond Green stretched the lead to nine with a driving basket and Curry made two freethrows to cap the 14-0 run.

Curry scored a game-high 35 points, making seven of 16 three-point attempts and handing out six assists.

Speights added 25 points, Klay Thompson scored 20 and Green 19 for the Warriors, who were without NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Andre Iguodala because of a sprained left ankle.

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sports sports@thestandard.com.ph

Toniacao, Balatbat dominate Run United

ANDY Toniacao and Emilaine Balatibat both got off to strong starts to lord it over their respective divisions in the 21-kilometer category of ActiveHealth’s Run United 1 2016 Sunday at the Mall of Asia complex, Pasay City.

Toniacao crossed the finish line with an official time of 01:21:16 to rule the men’s division of the 21K category. Following him to finish second and third place, respectively, were Joseph Gantaleo (01:26:13) and Juan Gabriel Velasco (01:26:44).

Balatibat, on the other hand, dominated the field of female runners also from the 21k category. A resident physician at the Mandaluyong City Medical Center, Balatibat clocked in at 01:50:06 to claim the first place in her division, and was trailed by Maria Sherry Aguila (01:52:45) and Charlotte Garana (01:57:47).

Also conquering their respective divisions via podium finishes were Dante Baay (34:22) and Mark Hosana (34:57) for the male’s 10K category; Mirasol Abad (41:02), Ma. Claire Adorna (49:04), and Lauren Lim (50:06) for the females 10K category; Christophe Boutain (19:45), Neil Kevin de Leon (21:09), and Jayson Ang (21:03) for the male’s 5K category; and Mary Grace dela Torre (22:05), May Oro (23:25), and Annaliza Ayeras (24:12) for the female’s 5k category.

Run United 1—the first of three events for the ActiveHealth Run United Series, and which followed the milestone that Tri-United 1 set last February 28—lured close to 12,000 runners this year. “Over the years, the number of people who continue to take part in our races has steadily grown. We’re happy to see that we now have a combination of people who stayed on and run longer races, as well as new names and new faces who are beginning to take on the challenge to exceed themselves,” said ActiveHealth head, Alex Panlilio.

Helping progressive athletes exceed themselves This year’s RU1 emphasized the need for progressive athletes to promote the right sports nutrition regimen via the ActiveHealth Carbgel. A prominent element from ActiveHealth Sports Nutrition Solutions together with EnervonActiv and Enervon HP, ActiveHealth Carbgel is packed with a specialized combination of quick-acting and long-burning carbs to help athletes sustain their energy from the start of race until the finish line.

Participants of the ActiveHealth’s Run United 1 answer the starting gun Sunday at the Mall of Asia complex, Pasay City.

Spieth battles back but Haas grabs lead MIAMI - Top-ranked defending champion Jordan Spieth fought into contention but it was fellow American Bill Haas who grabbed the lead after Saturday’s (Sunday, Manila time) third round of the US PGA Valspar Championship.

Reigning Masters and US Open champion Spieth, frustrated after opening with a 76, fired a bogey-free fourunder par 67 to reach twounder 211, six shots off the pace of Haas, who also had a 67 on the Copperhead course at Innisbrook.

“I’m still in this golf tournament,” Spieth said. “(I will need) something like seven-under tomorrow, which is feasible. So to think after the first round that I go Saturday night and be able to sleep with a chance to win

the golf tournament, I’m very pleased with that.”

Haas birdied the par-5 first and par-3 fourth then began the back nine with back-toback birdies. He answered a bogey at the par-3 13th with a chip-in birdie at the par3 15th to grab his seventh career 54-hole lead, his first since winning last year at Palm Desert, California.

“I made some nice putts early and some loose shots on the back nine I was able to get away with,” Haas said.

“Overall somewhat solid.

Very pleased to shoot fourunder.”

Canada’s Graham DeLaet, seeking his first US PGA title, was second on 206 after a 68 while Americans Charley Hoffman and Ryan Moore shared third on 208, a US trio of Steve Stricker, Patrick Reed and Charles Howell were on 209 and South African Charl Schwartzel was on 210.

Then came Spieth in a pack of 10 players on 211. The 22-year-old Texan said he wouldn’t rule out flirting with the course record of 61 even though the layout has been stingy this week.

“I don’t even think we need to do that tomorrow and we’re definitely capable of it,” Spieth said.

Spieth found all but two fairways after reaching only seven in the first two rounds

and his greens in regulation has progressed from six to 10 to 12.

“My misses were still on the greens today,” Spieth said. “I drove the ball a bit better. To be honest with you, it really felt like it was a 6-, 7-under round.”

Spieth opened with a tap-in birdie, added a 31-foot birdie at the 12th and sank a 51-foot eagle putt at the par-5 14th hole.

“I was leaving everything short, which you’ll see a lot this week here, but started to be a little more aggressive today on the greens, hitting my longer putts harder and it was stressfree pars for the majority of the round,” Spieth said. “Really nice to have no blemishes.”

Spieth, who won the Hyundai Tournament of Champions in January, was happy at his fightback from a poor start.

“Very well could have packed

CardiMax powers UP women’s volley team

UP coach Jerry Yee with his players during a recent training session

THE UAAP Season 78 Volleyball tournament is in full swing and the UP Women’s Volleyball Varsity Team is stepping up its game.

And thanks to the dietary supplement CardiMax, players of the UPWVVT will be playing with extra doses of energy.

UPWVVT coach Jerry Yee and manager Maria Cecilia Ronquillo recently joined representatives from Integrated Pharmaceutical, Inc.—the company behind CardiMax—at Via Mare in University of

the Philippines Diliman for the signing of the support agreement between CardiMax and the team.

“The team is young, strong, and very promising. We envision the team to be a top contender in the next few years,” said UP alumna Katheryn Feliciano, Integrated Pharmaceutical VP for Operations. “This is the perfect time to help in their athletic development.”

Aside from financial support, UPWVVT members will receive CardiMax supplements that they can

take to help with training and competitions. Because the team undergoes rigorous preparation for their UAAP matches, the UPWVVT players always need to maintain a high energy level.

“The girls have always been working hard, and both training and games can be very grueling. Aside from being athletes, their lives as students are equally energy-consuming,” said Yee. “With CardiMax, they get added energy that enables them to realize their full potential as ath-

letes and students.”

Harnessing power from within CardiMax is a dietary supplement that offers pure L-Carnitine, a nutrient that the human body naturally produces.

However, a complete set of nutrients is required for the body to create enough L-Carnitine to convert fat into energy.

One way of increasing production is by consuming red meat, but an increased intake of meat and fat also has harmful effects to health.

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Navy riders rule Iloilo leg of Ronda ILOILO CITY—The NavyStandard Insurance domination of the LBC Ronda Pilipinas 2016 continues.

Executing their plan to perfection, the Navymen came through with another impressive effort as Rudy Roque, Ronald Oranza and Jan Paul Morales completed a one-two-three finish in Stage Two of the Visayas Leg at the Iloilo Business Park here yesterday.

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D-022-04304 situated at 51 Laura Street, Plainview Subd., Mandaluyong City acknowledge before notary public Atty. John Domingo A. Ponce, Jr. as per doc. no.

296; page no. 60; book no.

09; Series of 2016.

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The 23-year-old Roque won it by a split second as he clocked one hour, seven minutes and 26.69 seconds, barely besting Oranza, the Stage One winner who timed in 1:07:26.75, and Morales, the Mindanao Leg champion who finished with a time of 1:07:26.83.

The three actually held on to each other’s bike as they entered the finish line that underscored Navy’s utter domination of the stage.

“The plan is to win every significant award possible,” said Roque, a 23-yearold native from Bataan, in Filipino.

Morales and Oranza wasted no time in jumping to a fast start as the two broke free from the chase pack and peloton before Roque clawed his way to the lead group in the middle of the race.

It was smooth-sailing from there as the three alternated at the front and slowly but surely widened their gap ahead of the peloton.

It appeared there was some tension in the final stretch when Oranza quickened his pace only to slow down to allow Roque and Morales to catch up

with him at the finish.

The stage win gave Roque 15 general individual classification points and hiked his overall points to 28, the same output of Oranza.

But the 23-year-old Oranza, who reigned supreme in the Stage One criterium in Bago City, Negros Occidental Friday, kept the LBC red jersey and the overall lead with a faster time of 2:16:50.69 against the Roque’s 2:16:50.77.

“I’m happy that a Navy teammate won,” said Oranza, who boasts of six stage victories including the first two stages of the Mindanao Leg in Butuan City a month back.

Navy’s El Joshua Carino wound up No. 4 in the stage in 1:09:50.38, outsprinting Team LBC-MVP Sports Foundation’s Ronald Lomotos, who came in at No. 5 with a time of 1:09:50.40.

LBC-MVPSF’s Mark Julius Bonzo, Navy’s John Mark Camingao and Lloyd Lucien Reynante and LBC-MVPSF’s Jerry Aquino, Jr. and Rustom Lim

finished sixth to 10th in 1:09:56.38, 1:09:57.12, 1:10:08.52, 1:10:08.57 and 1:10:09.20, respectively.

Overall, Morales, who topped the two intermediate sprints of the stage, and Lomots were at distant third and fourth with 16 points apiece while Lim at No. 5 with 13 points.

Rounding up the top 10 were Bonzo (10), El Joshua Carino (10), younger brother Daniel Ven Carino of Navy (8) and two more Navymen Joel Calderon (7) and Reynante (7).

Oranza continued to lead the way in the sprints category with 15 points ahead of Morales and Roque with 10 and nine points.

Team Ilolilo’s Alejado Novendane finished 12th in Stage Two and was at No. 14 overall to remain the best Visayan cyclist.

Stage Three, a road race through the major arteries of Iloilo City, is set on Tuesday with the last two stages – the Individual Time Trial and criterium – to be held Thursday.

Republic of the Philippines Department of Transportation and Communications

Repub lic of t he Philippine s D epar t ment of Financ e Securities and Exchange Commission S EC B ldg. EDSA , G re enhills, M andaluyo ng Cit y 15 5 4

CIVIL AERONAUTICS BOARD IN RE:

PETITION FOR ISSUANCE OF CERTIFICATE OF PUBLIC CONVENIENCE AND NECESSITY (CPCN) TO OPERATE DOMESTIC NON-SCHEDULED (AIR TAXI) AIR TRANSPORTATION SERVICES CAB Case No. EP-227-16/HED022016863

CORPOR ATE GOVERNANCE AND FINANCE DEPARTMENT

LlTEAIR EXPRESS INCORPORATED, Petitioner. x-----------------------------------------------x

NOTICE OF HEARING

O N E W E A LT H Y N AT I O N F U N D, I N C .:

Pursuant to the provisions of RA 776, as amended, Notice is hereby given that LlTEAIR EXPRESS INCORPOPRATED has filed with the Civil Aeronautics Board a petition for issuance of Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) to operate domestic non-scheduled (air taxi) air transportation services.

The above-entitled case is scheduled for hearing on April 6, 2016 at 2:00 PM at the CAB Conference Room, Old MIA Road, Pasay City before the undersigned, wherein the applicant shall present relevant evidence. Pre-marking of documents to be presented during the hearing shall be on March 30, 2016 at 10:30 AM.

-Registrant: x-------------------------------------------------x

The applicant is hereby required to have this Notice of Hearing published at least once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation and that copy of this Notice and the Application be sent to all Philippine carriers, either by personal service or by registered mail with return card at least five (5) days before the scheduled hearing.

Parties opposed to the granting of this application must file their written opposition on or before the date of hearing, furnishing a copy of the same to the applicant or appear at the hearing with such evidence as may be proper under the circumstances. Failure on the part of any interested party to file their opposition on time or appear at the hearing shall be construed as a waiver of their right to be heard and the Civil Aeronautics Board shall proceed to hear and decide the application on its merits.

Let a copy of the petition and this Notice be posted at the CAB Bulletin Board beginning today.

23 February 2016 Pasay City, Philippines

Notice is hereby given that on January 26, 2016 an Amended Registration Statement was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on behalf of ONE WEALTHY NATION FUND, INC. to reflect the change in its investment objective as follows: Subject

Original P r ov i s i o n

Proposed Amendments

R e a s o n /s

I nve s t m e n t O b j e c t i ve

T h e Fu n d s e e k s to p r ov i d e total return consisting of as h i g h a l eve l o f current income as is consistent with the preservation of capital and liquidity and longterm capital appreciation by i nve s t i n g i n a mix of debt instruments and equity securities

The Fu n d is designed to seek longterm capital appreciation by i nve s t i n g p r i m a r i l y in carefully selected listed and nonlisted equity securities

To cater to existing i n v e s t o r s who prefer higher equity rating due to low interest environment.

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION OFFICE OF THE CLERK OF COURT & EX-OFFICIO SHERIFF MANDALUYONG CITY BSA TWIN TOWERS CONDOMINIUM CORPORATION (BSATTCC)., Petitioner, -versus-

MC16-56FA Extra-Judicial Foreclosure of Assessment/Lien pursuant to Sec. 20, R.A. 4726 as Amended by Act 4118

JAIME GOSIACO, Respondent. x--------------------------------------------x NOTICE OF SHERIFF’S SALE Upon the verified petition for Extra-Judicial Foreclosure of sale pursuant to Section 20, Republic Act 4726, as amended (otherwise known as the “Condominium Act) in relation to Act 3135, as amended by Act 4118, filed by BSA TWIN TOWERS CONDOMINIUM CORP. (BSATTCC), petitioner with office address at Ground Floor, BSA Twin Towers, Bank Drive, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City against JAIME GOSIACO respondent, Condominium Unit Owner, with postal address at 2968 Jose Abad Santos Ave., Tondo Manila to satisfy the lawfully annotated assessments, under the Master Deed of restriction in the BSA Twin Towers Condominium Corp., and the by-laws of said corporation, in the amount of THREE HUNDRED NINETY SEVEN THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED SIXTY THREE PESOS and 31/100 (397,663.31) ONLY, Philippine Currency, as of December 20, 2014, inclusive of interest other charges and attorney’s fees, cost and other foreclosure expenses of the public auction, the Ex-Officio Sheriff of Mandaluyong City or his duly authorized deputy will sale at PUBLIC AUCTION to the HIGHEST BIDDER FOR CASH OR MANAGER’S CHECK and in Philippine Currency on the 15th day of April 2016 at 9:00 A.M. or soon thereafter in front of the main entrance of the Hall of Justice building, Maysilo Circle, Mandaluyong City, the following described real estate property together with the improvements existing thereon, to wit: CONDOMINIUM CERTIFICATE OF TITLE No. 008-2012002230 Registry of Deeds – City of Mandaluyong -------------------------------------------------------------IT IS HEREBY CERTIFIED that the unit identified and described as: UNIT NO. : A4917 COVERED AREA (SQ.M.) : 40.79 OPEN AREA (SQ.M.) : 1.44 TOTAL AREA (SQ.M.) : 42.23 OF “BSA TWIN TOWERS” CONDOMINIUM PROJECT In the diagrammatic floor plan appended to the enabling or master deed of the condominium project annotated on TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE 9834; 9835 which embraces and describes the land located at Mandaluyong City within an area of (THREE THOUSAND THIRTY SEVEN SQUARE METERS AND THIRTY TWO SQUARE DECEMETERS (3,037.32), is registered in the name of: Owner: Address :

JAIME GOSIACO, MARRIED TO JUDITH T. GOSIACO, BOTH LEGAL AGE, FILIPINO CITIZENS 2968 J. ABAD SANTOS ST., TONDO, MANILA

“All sealed bids must be submitted to the undersigned on the above stated time and date.

“In the event the public auction should not take place on the said date, it shall be held on April 28, 2016 9:00 A.M. or soon thereafter without further notice”.

Prospective bidders or buyer are hereby enjoined to investigate for themselves the title of the said real property and the encumbrances thereon, if any there be.

Mandaluyong City, Philippines, March 4, 2016.

(Sgd.)HELDER A. DYANGCO Sheriff IV

(Sgd.) ATTY. ERWIN N. BARATA Clerk of Court VI Ex-Officio Sheriff

Amended Registration Statement

NOTICE

(SGD)MARIA ELBEN SL. MORO Hearing Officer

( T S - M A R 7,14 & 21, 2 016)

According to the paper/documents presented, the following are the directors/officers of the corporation: Name

Citizenship

Po s i t i o n

Fr a n c i s c o J . C o l ayc o M a r y A n n e B . C o l ayc o Armand Q. Bengco Victor C. Macalincag D r. C i e l i t o F. H a b i t o Alfonso B. Cruz D r. V i c t o r A . A b o l a

Filipino Filipino Filipino Filipino Filipino Filipino Filipino

Chairman of President Director Director Independent Independent Independent

the Board

Hector C. De Leon

Filipino

Vice - President

J o s e p h A n t h o ny B a u t i s t a

Filipino

Tr e a s u r e r

M e l i s s a B . R eye s

Filipino

Corporate Secretar y

Aristotle Cala

Filipino

Compliance Of ficer

Director Director Director

Said Amended Registration Statement and other papers/documents attached thereto are open to inspection by interested parties during business hours and copies thereof, photostatic or otherwise, shall be furnished to any party upon request at such fees as the Commission may prescribe. The Registration Statement dated January 22, 2016 m ais be downloaded from www.fami.com.ph.

WARNING: It is absolutely prohibited to remove, deface or destroy this Notice of Sheriff’s Sale on or before the date of Auction Sale under penalty of the law.

J U S T I N A F. CA L L A N G A N Director

Copy furnished: Jaime Gosiaco 2968 Jose Abad Santos Ave., Tondo, Manila/Unit A4917, BSA Twin Towers, Bank Drive, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City BSA Twin Towers Condominium Corp.

Bank Drive, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City

(TS-MAR.7/14/21 , 2016)

F2 Logistics beats Cignal in Batangas

( T S - M A R . 7/14 , 2 016)

BATANGAS CITY – F2 Logistics weathered the furious late-game rally by Cignal to eke out a heartstopping 25-18, 25-17, 21-25, 25-22 victory on Saturday in the 2016 PLDT Home Ultera Philippine Superliga (PSL) Invitational Conference women’s volleyball tournament at the Batangas City Sports Coliseum.

In dire need of a victory that will improve their chances to advance to the final round, the Cargo Movers fought tooth and nail up to the very end to close the second round of this prestigious interclub tourney bankrolled by Asics, Mikasa, Senoh, Mueller and Grand Sport with TV5 as official broadcast partner on a winning note.

F2 Logistics finished the elimination round with a 4-2 mark, installing it in a strategic position to march into the final round should Cignal and Foton surrender one of their three remaining games in the third round starting this Tuesday at the Imus Sports Complex.

Meanwhile, Petron flashed its championship stance to demolish neophyte New San Jose Builders, 25-20, 25-16, 25-8, in the first game.

New San Jose Builders bombed out of the tourney without a single win in five games.

Philracom amends rule on jockey suspension THE Philippine Racing Commission recently announced that in the interest of equity, it amended a rule regarding suspended jockeys allowing them to ride while under a pending appeal.

Philippine racing rule (PR) 29-F states that “a suspended jockey shall still be allowed to ride if he has already been declared for a race prior to his suspension.” This was amended on March 2 by Resolution 23-16 by the addition of the phrase “or in case he has appealed his suspension.”

Section 1 of the same rule allows a jockey who is suspended for 12 racing days or less to be declared by his trainer or owner to ride while his case is still on appeal.

The amendment is a logical extension of that section to cover all similar cases regardless of the length of suspension.

The jockeys association had been requesting for the change in the rule for some time, pointing out that this ‘stay of execution’ while an appeal is pending is also the usual practice in the United States.

According to Philracom Chairman Andrew A. Sanchez, “After a careful and thorough study of cases that fell under this rule, in the interest of fairness we decided to make the amendment.”

M O N DAY : M A RC H 1 4 , 2 0 1 6

A15

SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Pacquiao promises action-packed fight

By Ronnie Nathanielsz

EIGHT division world champion Manny Pacquiao promised an action-packed fight when he meets Timothy “Desert Storm” Bradley for the third time at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on April 9.

There was pandemonium when Pacquiao and his entourage arrived in Los Angeles as a horde of photographers, reporters and fans tried to get closer to the charismatic Filipino who had announced that the fight against Bradley will be his farewell appearance.

Pacquiao said he had “a very good training camp” in his hometown of General Santos City and had sparred ten rounds before leaving for Los Angeles with trainer Freddie Roach and will resume training at the Wild Card Gym on Monday.

Pacquiao told Christina Poncher of Top Rank that “there is going to be a lot of action” in the Bradley fight and he will “answer the questions

in everybody’s mind” about his abilities at the age of 37.

Roach told the Top Rank live streaming of the arrival that they had “a very good training camp in the Philippines” and Manny sparred ten rounds with Ghislain Maduma and Lydell Rhodes before leaving. Roach described it as “a very good day.”

Roach will bring in two additional sparring partners, including undefeated welterweight Frankie Gomez who has a record of 20-0 with 13 knockouts, when Pacquiao resumes sparring at the Wild Card Gym. The Hall of Fame trainer predicted an “exciting fight in which Manny will look for a knockout.”

Lee Jeong-hwa reads the green before attempting a putt. Lee will bank on familiarity with the course as she seeks a second straight win at ICTSI Champion Tour.

Lee seeks back-to-back Carlos dreams of joining PGA Tour Champion Tour titles LOCKER ROOM RANDY CALUAG

I ONCE portrayed golf as a sport for senior citizens. Yes, my bad.

When it was my time to try the sport, I got hooked and it became one of my weekend hobbies.

In this sport, you learn the importance of planning to win.

It’s the kind of game that will test your ability to calculate, your patience and consistency.

Somebody said the best things in life are worth waiting for. Patience is a virtue that must be embedded in every golfer who want to make it big in the sport.

Golf sensation Jobim Carlos is one fine athlete who believes that the best things in life are worth waiting—and working—for.

The back-to-back Philippine amateur golf champion and qualifier to the 2016 Asian Tour is willing to take the long road in his dream to becoming the first Filipino to enter the Professional Golfers Association—considered as the NBA of golf.

“Whatever it takes,” Carlos told this corner

during an interview at the Kagitingan Driving Range at the BGC in Taguig. “It’s going to be a long road, no cutting corners. Hindi ko masasabi but I will try hard and see what happens.”

For one aspirant to reach the PGA, he has to go through a lot of difficult tournaments. Joining PGA sanctioned tournaments is one of them. His recent accomplishment was placing 15th among 200 participants in the Qualifying School event in Thailand and getting closer to earning a ticket to the Asian Tour.

From there, the 23-yearold aspires to join the PGA web.com tour, a minor PGA event, and play at least 25 tournaments across the United States. Doing that could cost him millions of pesos.

“It really takes a lot of resources. It’s a long a road and sobrang hirap but it’s the only way,” said the 23-yearold who idolizes golf legend Jack Nicklaus.

“Iba talaga ang confidence ni Jack compared with other players. He has certain belief in himself, the character in him. That’s what I want to emulate.”

There’s one big reason why this man dares to

dream and is brimming with confidence. He has no less than the former three-time world Carito Villaroman as his coach.

Villaroman said he has high hopes for Carlos to become the first Filipino to play in the PGA. “I joined his team because I saw his demeanor, his willingness to do the task. He has what to it takes to become what he aspires for himself.”

Villaroman definitely recognizes a talent when he sees one. He held the world junior record as a 15-yearold. He is the first recipient of a US NCAA scholarship among Filipinos and has seen action for 20 years in the Asian Tour.

“I always tell Jobim to just stay in the process, love the process because it’s a very long journey,” said Villaroman. “Golf is not a speed game, it’s a marathon.

He has to train, practice and be patient.”

Then, just as I finished a bucket at the driving range, Villaroman also advised me to be patient as well and to start my golf all over again— from the basic.

Yes, it’s going to be long process. Now I understand why I see more citizens playing at the golf course.

KOR EAN Lee Jeong-hwa gets the top billing as she shoots for back-to-back victories on the Taiwan LPGA Tour, headlining a stellar field in the ICTSI Champion Tour at Manila Southwoods presented by Champion and Taiwan LPGA Tour beginning Wednesday (March 16) at the Legends course in Carmona, Cavite.

Not only is she coming into the $75,000 event brimming with confidence following her thrilling one-stroke triumph over Japanese Fumika Kawagishi at Splendido last week but also making a return to her home course where she nipped Princess Superal to snare the Philippine Ladies Open diadem in 2012.

That PLO win prompted Lee to move to the pro ranks but the Korean lass has had so-so stints on the Korean tour and in a number of tournaments here. She continued to work on her game until she regained her touch and form with that remarkable victory last week.

Lee birdied two of the last four holes to rally from two down with eight holes left and snatch the victory that made her the marked player in the upcoming 54-hole championship sponsored by International Container Terminal Services, Inc., the sixth leg of the Taiwan LPGA and the second stage of the ICTSI Ladies Philippine Golf Tour.

“The course familiarity will help me play well this week. I’m feeling

Best Center offers basketball, volleyball lessons THE hot summer month of April gets more productive for children as the multi-awarded BEST Center (Basketball Efficiency and Scientific Training Center) sponsored by Milo opens its basketball and volleyball clinics in different Metro Manila venues.

From April 1, the Starmall-Alabang and the Amoranto Sports Complex will host Tuesday and Friday basketball clinics for students in Preparatory Level and for Levels 1-4.

Wednesday and Saturday sessions

starting April 2 will be held at the Caloocan High School and Xavier School (Preparatory Level, Levels 1, 2 and 3) and Malate Catholic School (Preparatory Level and Levels 1, 2, 3, 4).

Monday and Thursday sessions starting April 4 will be held at the University of Perpetual Help, Las Piñas (Preparatory Level, Levels 1, 2 and 3) and Ateneo College Covered Courts starting April 11 for Preparatory Level, Levels 1-6).

Sunday sessions will be held at Lancaster, New City - Imus, Cavite from April 17 - May 22.

Volleyball activities will start with Monday and Thursday sessions at Starmall Alabang for Levels 1 and 2 starting April 4 from 1:30 - 4:30 p.m.

Tuesdays and Fridays will be at the Malate Catholic School starting April 5 for Levels 1 and 2 and at Ateneo College Covered Courts starting on April 12 from 8:00 - 11:30 am for Levels 1, 2 and Mastery.

really good with my game and few good breaks on the putting green will surely help,” said Lee, who has made the bunker-laden layout her home when on break from the Korean circuit.

Emphasis will indeed be on putting given the layout’s sleek surface although shot selections will also be a key especially if the wind come into play in most holes.

But Kawagishi will surely go all-out to get back at Lee while a slew of other Taiwan LPGA campaigners are also raring to put themselves in early contention for the top $15,000 purse in the event organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. and backed by adidas, Custom Clubmakers, KZG, TaylorMade, Champion, Summit Natural Drinking Water, Pacsports, Sharp and Rustans Supermarket.

They include Splendido joint third placers Kanphanitnan Muangkhumaskul and Taiwan Chen Yu-ju. Korean Kang Jiwon, Thai Mookharin Ladgratok and Taiwan Chen Min-jou, who shared sixth place, and joint ninth placers Chorphaka Jaengkit of Thailand and Symetra Tour campaigner Mia Piccio.

Dottie Ardina, who also campaigns on the Symetra Tour and winner of three LPGT tournaments, sets out to atone for her 11th place effort at Splendido. She hopes to play in top form after a bout with colds and coughs that hampered her campaign last week.

LOTTO RESULTS

6/49 00-00-00-00-00-0

P16M

3 DIGITS 0-0-0 2 EZ2 0-0

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

A16

m o n day : m a rc h 1 4 , 2 0 1 6 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

Tropang TNT forward Ranidel De Ocampo (33) drives strong to the hoop against NLEX Road Warriors defenders Asi Taulava (88) and Rob Reyes (42) in a 2016 PBA Commissioner’s Cup game. The Tropang Texters turned back the determined challenge of the NLEX Road Warriors, 85-80, yesterday Sunday at the Philsports Arena.

Texters subdue Road Warriors

By Peter Atencio

THE NLEX Road Warriors rallied from 27 points down but faltered in the end as the Talk N Text Tropang Texters escaped with a scrambling 85-80 triumph yesterday at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.

This allowed the Tropang Texters to pick up their third win in seven games in the 2016 Philippine Basketball Association Commissioners’ Cup. David Simon topscored for 23 points and hauled down 16 rebounds in leading the Tropang Texters to their second consecutive win after three straight losses.

With the victory TNT (3 wins, 4 losses) climbed to a tie at eighth place with the Road Warriors (3-4) and

games Wednesday (at the Araneta Coliseum) 4:15 p.m. Mahindra vs Rain or Shine 7 p.m. San Miguel vs Alaska

the Star Hotshots (3-4).

The Alaska Aces (5-1) are alone at the top of the standings. Trailing them are the Meralco Bolts (5-2), the San Miguel Beermen (3-2), the Blackwater Elite (3-3), Barangay Ginebra San Miguel (3-3), the Ma-

WArriors, sPurs stAy Perfect At home

hindra Enforcers (3-3) and the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters (3-3).

At the bottom of the standings are the Phoenix Petroleum Fuel Masters (2-4) and the GlobalPort Batang Pier (2-5).

Matt Rosser had nine points for the Tropang Texters. He led a 13-0 run in the start of the game, scoring five points in the initial five minutes of the game.

They went on to post a 24-2 spread off Ryan Reyes’ three-pointer with 4:09 left.

The Tropang Texters went on to post a 27-point lead, 42-15, in the remaining 9:05 of the second period off Simon’s rim-rattling dunk.

But the Road Warriors did not just give up. They managed to find the right moment to come back.

First, Garvo Lanete struck twice in the closing minutes of the third, with his charity and jumper capping a big rally which allowed the Road Warriors to threaten, 61-67.

The Road Warriors then bungled their chances to overtake the Tropang Texters. Simon completed a three-point play to help TNT stay ahead by six points, 84-78, in the remaining 1:07.

The Tropang Texters managed to keep their lead after Al Thornton and Asi Taulava split their charities, 80-84, in the last 52 seconds.

The Tropang Texters played without superstar Jayson Castro after an old Achilles injury reemerged when he took a wrong step in the team’s 96-88 loss to Star last week.

PAcquiAo Promises slugfest vs BrAdley

turn to A12 turn to A14

Journeyman Paypa upsets Concepcion in Pasig bout By ronnie nathanielsz JOURNEYMAN Jimmy Paypa from the famed ALA Gym in Cebu stunned two-time world title challenger Bernabe Concepcion at the Ynares Center in Pasig City Saturday evening to score a split decision victory and virtually end Concepcion’s bid to regain his standing as a super bantamweight contender.

Paypa who isn’t known as a big puncher dropped the relatively hard-hitting and more experienced Concepcion in round one and effectively outboxed him to win the WBO Oriental 122-pound title.

Although judge Gil Co scored the fight 115-112 for Concepcion the two other judges Greg Ortega (114-113) and veteran international referee/judge Ver Abainza had Paypa winning by a wider 116-111 margin to seal the biggest win of his career.

B1

MONDAY: MARCH 14, 2016

RAY S. EÑANO EDITOR

RODERICK T. DELA CRUZ ASSISTANT EDITOR

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

BUSINESS

Coca-Cola scholar. Labor

Undersecretary Nicon Fameronag (second from right) awards migrant Filipino worker Nenita de Guzman (second from left) a ‘Store Training and Access to Resources’ scholarship administered by CocaCola Philippines. With them are (from left) Coca-Cola Philippines president and general manager Diego Eduardo Granizo Carillo and corporate affairs director Juan Carlos Dominguez at the Tesda Women’s Center in Taguig City.

MANNY PALMERO

PSe comPoSite index Closing March 11, 2016

8300 7840 7380 6920 6460 6000

7,098.64 50.56

PeSo-dollar rate

Closing March 11, 2016 48.00 46.00 45.00

P46.620

44.00

India’s Tata plans PH auto assembly

By Othel V. Campos

TATA Motors Philippines Inc., a unit of India’s largest auto manufacturer Tata Motors Ltd., may put up an assembly line in the Philippines to take advantage of an improving economy and a population moving up fast the socio-economic ladder.

“The Tata phase 2 may be on assembly. They’re testing the market here and from what I understand from the local distributor, they’re even short of supply. This means that the company is doing well here,” Philippine-India Business Council chairman Johnny Chotrani said.

Tata plans to initially build vehicle bodies in the assembly plant

and import the rest of the auto parts like chassis and engines from India.

Tata has been bringing in vehicles from India in the last two years. Car imports from India carry duties of about 30 percent.

Despite having difficulty penetrating the passenger car market, the company has carved a niche in the local automotive market,

mainly heavy-duty vehicles for construction and garbage disposal trucks through local partner Pilipinas Taj Autogroup Inc. Filipinos are known as a brand conscious market preferring Japanese or American cars.

Tata Motors so far is focused on selling light trucks with plans to bring in big buses.

The company has customized its vehicles to better serve the need of developing countries like the Philippines.

It assembles smaller dump trucks that can penetrate narrow roads and alleys, which are still prevalent in developing countries like the Philippines.

Tata is positioning itself as a brand in between Japanese, which are considered premium, and Chinese vehicles, which are more affordable compared with their

Indian counterpart.

Pilipinas Taj director Freddie Raquelsantos is optimistic sales will continue to grow due to the increasing popularity of “Ace” multicab, which accounted for 80 percent of Tata’s sales in the Philippines.

“The small commercial vehicle segment like multicabs is growing because buyers now realize the reliability of the brand new models compared with the chop-chop second hand units,” Raquelsantos earlier said.

He noted that the Tata line-up was better than most imported vehicles because all were Euro 4 compliant.

Parent Tata Motors is a $42-billion company and a leading global automobile manufacturer with a portfolio that covers a wide range of cars, sports vehicles, buses, trucks and defence vehicles.

CLOSE

43.00

HIGH P46.600 LOW P46.795 AVERAGE P46.692 VOLUME 712.00M

P400.00-P620.00 LPG/11-kg tank P30.00-P39.32 Unleaded Gasoline

oPriceS il P today

P19.25-P22.75 Diesel P34.55-P39.15 Kerosene Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Friday, March 11, 2016

F oreign e xchange r ate Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

46.7440

Japan

Yen

0.008835

0.4130

UK

Pound

1.428500

66.7738

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128833

6.0222

Switzerland

Franc

1.015744

47.4799

Canada

Dollar

0.749400

35.0300

Singapore

Dollar

0.724795

33.8798

Australia

Dollar

0.745100

34.8290

Bahrain

Dinar

2.658019

124.2464

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266709

12.4670

Brunei

Dollar

0.722178

33.7575

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000077

0.0036

Thailand

Baht

0.028377

1.3265

UAE

Dirham

0.272287

12.7278

Euro

Euro

1.117800

52.2504

Korea

Won

0.000831

0.0388

China

Yuan

0.153669

7.1831

India

Rupee

0.014861

0.6947

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.244499

11.4289

New Zealand

Dollar

0.666200

31.1409

Taiwan

Dollar

0.030418

1.4219 Source: PDS Bridge

PH needs to generate 14.6m new jobs by 2020—World Bank

By Gabrielle H. Binaday THE Philippines must generate 14.6 million jobs until 2020 to address the needs of both the unemployed and new job seekers, the World Bank said over the weekend.

World Bank lead economist in the Philippines Rogier van den Brink said the country would face a massive job challenge in the next four years, as millions of young Filipinos were expected to join the labor force.

Van den Brink said of the total number of jobs needed over the next four years, 10 million represented the number of job seekers as of 2012 while the rest pertained to the average 1.15 million jobseekers joining the work force every year.

He said more than 20 percent or 240,000 job seekers entering the workforce every year were expected to find jobs in the formal sector, while 200,000 would land employment overseas. Around 60,000 would not likely find a job. The largest portion of the job

seekers would find them in the informal sector.

“More educated people are more unemployed compared to the poor because the the poor cannot afford to be unemployed.

That is why underemployment is the more relevant measure for the poor,” van den Brink said.

Latest data from Philippine Statistics Authority showed that underemployment rate worsened to 19.7 percent in the 2016 January labor force survey from 17.9 percent a year ago.

The National Economic and Development Authority said there were 7.7 million underemployed persons, most of whom were wage and salary workers in private establishments.

“Despite the increase in underemployment, positive results in indicators of quality of work, such as the mean hours of work, class of workers and the full-time employment, signal that efforts to foster more remunerative employment are gaining traction,” Economic Secretary Emmanuel

Esguerra said.

Esguerra said last week the government should further equip students with industry-relevant competencies and skills to improve the employment situation as the jobless rate in the Philippines eased to 5.6 percent in January from 6.6 percent recorded in January 2015.

Neda noted the broad-based improvement in most regions, across all age groups, almost all educational levels and for both men and women.

MONDAY: MARCH 14, 2016

B2

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

The STandard BuSineSS Weekly STockS revieW STOCKS

MARCH 7-11, 2016 Close Volume

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

MEDCO Holdings Metrobank Natl Reinsurance Corp.

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

2.98 45.5 105.00 86.20 36.9 2.75 1.44 14.18 15.2 6.90 1.7 585.00 0.600 84.1 0.95 14.84 52.55 102 275 31.7 154.5 1320.00 57.20 1.54

Aboitiz Power Corp.

Agrinurture Inc. Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. Alsons Cons.

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

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

LBC Express Liberty Flour LMG Chemicals Mabuhay Vinyl Corp.

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

Pepsi-Cola Products Phil.

Petron Corporation Phil H2O Phinma Corporation Phoenix Petroleum Phils.

Phoenix Semiconductor Pryce Corp. `A’ RFM Corporation Roxas and Co. Roxas Holdings San Miguel’Pure Foods `B’ SPC Power Corp.

Splash Corporation Swift Foods, Inc. TKC Steel Corp.

Trans-Asia Oil Universal Robina Victorias Milling Vitarich Corp.

Vivant Corp.

Vulcan Ind’l.

43.9 5.2 0.7 1.5 10.7 170.00 17.9 59.5 18.74 41 2.45 5.71 12.2 9.080 8.00 6.34 7.02 1.55 21.9 63.8 12.00 13.70 5.46 2.790 230.00 10.5 32.00 1.91 2.91 37.40 26.4 19 6.25 326.40 4.00 3.59 10.30 3.32 11.60 4.17 1.66 2.6 4.00 2.42 4.55 161.5 3.7 2.46 0.155 1.20 2.50 204 4.72 0.86 23.00 1.17

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

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

Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp.

Mabuhay Holdings `A’ Metro Pacific Inv. Corp.

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

0.360 61.00 16.00 1.15 6.10 0.275 0.275 757 7.71 12.90 5 4.99 4.96 0.222 1410 6.05 9.77 76.00 6.1 0.71 15.92 0.475 6.03 0.0320 1.410 1.950 2.7 75.60 2.3 926.50 1.15 0.77 164.000 0.3100 0.2150 0.295

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

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

Double Dragon Empire East Land Ever Gotesco Global-Estate Filinvest Land,Inc. Interport `A’ Keppel Properties Megaworld Prop.

7.270 7.80 0.90 1.480 0.228 35.300 3.15 5.16 0.550 0.97 1.100 0.127 0.480 34.5 0.890 0.153 1.08 1.69 1.26 3.74 4.14

Value

FINANCIAL 5,835,370.00 2,907,200.00 1,698,792,862 612,973,539.50 62,385,545.00 1,375,290.00 1,177,380.00 1,019,224.00 8,734,566.00 32,500 414,040.00 594,245.00 12,382,850.00 1,353,980,064.50 1,149,700.00 1,775,626.00 8,472,373.00 1,453,329.00 2,299,174.00 28,714,215 768,194,852.00 972,825.00 9,942,296.00 852,740.00 INDUSTRIAL 10,404,100 456,655,000.00 5,132,600 27,034,296.00 582,000 410,830.00 2,744,000 4,151,370.00 10,900 115,966.00 6,510 982,660.00 3,366,900 41,806,960 2,530 137,510.00 1,168,600 22,115,794.00 969,800 38,813,070 12,107,000 28,727,010.00 72,605,000 428,988,397.00 1,317,900 16,128,864.00 19,545,300 172,433,444.00 23,034,500 181,912,266.00 90,254,100 558,198,703.00 2,502,000 17,509,113.00 28,000 43,870.00 28,277,400 585,108,998.00 1,142,270 71,148,071.00 10,600 129,802.00 161,900 2,249,932.00 2,519,000 13,852,213.00 29,695,000 82,067,790.00 5,297,740 1,207,915,330.00 131,500 1,315,176.00 18,900 630,180.00 18,000 35,180.00 106,000 296,810.00 12,100 432,770.00 2,769,100 73,853,075.00 4,653,000 81,898,904.00 1,039,800 6,283,098.00 733,350 239,623,484.00 6,000 24,000.00 1,621,000 5,529,760.00 46,114,200 475,879,033.00 28,000 92,260.00 124,100 1,434,298.00 3,803,000 15,673,660.00 3,703,000 6,040,980.00 3,191,000 9,182,490.00 33,055,000 131,919,310.00 3,000 7,260.00 751,000 3,541,460.00 290,240 46,630,325.00 28,000 110,400.00 899,000 2,192,480.00 40,590,000 6,457,050.00 923,000 1,057,800.00 35,968,000 87,038,870.00 4,848,310 983,245,915.00 10,433,000 48,096,280.00 104,026,000 88,813,550.00 100 2,300.00 504,000 569,990.00 HOLDING FIRMS 6,190,000 2,237,650.00 5,924,910 357,563,416.50 50,768,400 793,109,066.00 9,000 9,770.00 186,400 1,137,653.00 7,880,000 2,092,880.00 7,850,000 2,099,000.00 1,811,250 1,351,178,965.00 8,818,700 67,548,236.00 24,355,000 314,384,348.00 63,100 310,488.00 1,000 4,990.00 1,385,000 6,790,600.00 711,000 237,400.00 1,451,265 1,982,866,675.00 371,600 2,231,997.00 12,662,500 123,872,972.00 11,304,040 838,394,949.50 37,432,700 215,723,093.00 3,606,000 2,551,660.00 15,187,800 239,145,210.00 760,000 372,250.00 161,667,600 945,701,063.00 177,400,000 5,499,400.00 37,000 51,530.00 20,392,000 13,123,500.00 10,000 27,000.00 3,446,550 264,610,638.50 2,000 4,600.00 1,182,440 1,086,079,740.00 7,264,000 8,463,650.00 31,000 23,410.00 566,800 94,208,421.00 9,220,000 2,891,700.00 2,580,000 530,210.00 1,370,000 403,450.00 PROPERTY 1,275,700 9,250,052.00 1,100 8,401.00 7,668,000 6,951,440.00 1,570,000 2,339,130.00 420,000 97,620.00 44,376,100 1,530,311,250.00 16,944,000 55,220,230.00 400,300 2,073,528.00 44,248,000 24,191,080.00 92,000 94,990.00 579,000 604,860.00 30,180,000 3,901,750.00 190,803,000 59,907,690.00 18,251,600 607,272,170.00 25,992,000 22,373,500.00 1,560,000 240,950.00 52,524,000 52,552,120.00 247,533,000 211,531,490.00 2,116,000 2,058,790.00 17,000 63,310.00 182,176,000 732,449,130.00 1,892,000 64,400 16,695,890 7,257,070 1,716,300 464,000 824,000 72,600 574,200 5,000 235,002 1,000 20,262,000 16,771,920 1,246,000 119,400 161,530 14,780 8,400 875,100 5,145,990 745 173,570 554,000

FEBRUARY 29-MARCH 4, 2016 Close Volume Value 2.95 45.05 99.00 83.70 36.15 3.12 1.40 14 14.92

561,000 183,400 14,747,140 9,967,180 1,879,500 513,000 1,131,000 664,200 7,262,700

1,616,280.00 8,218,235.00 1,465,933,147 833,950,831.50 67,392,495.00 1,593,440.00 1,568,900.00 9,397,316.00 107,727,038.00

1.75 675.00 0.560 77.05 0.92 15.00 52.00 98.3 274 33.5 143.2 1300.00 56.50 1.54

141,000 220 17,855,000 13,569,050 313,000 105,900 548,060 8,260 67,390 842,400 3,304,080 320 927,760 2,311,000

241,350.00 148,650.00 10,493,660.00 1,043,232,900.50 284,060.00 1,589,026.00 28,512,753.50 810,713.50 18,453,120.00 27,414,075 470,149,344.00 422,125.00 51,709,225.00 3,556,770.00

43.55 5.5 0.69 1.49 10.58 180.00 17.6 51.9 19 40 2.43 5.36 12.2 9.000 7.70 6.03 7.05 1.51 19.96 61.6 12.00 13.80 5.51 2.750 225.00 9.1 32.50 1.95 2.99 37.45 26.85 17 5.88 327.00 3.97 3.24 9.90

13,075,300 9,942,300 598,000 75,043,000 4,300 330 8,717,500 6,430 561,400 809,400 5,908,000 77,921,000 413,700 40,907,700 20,296,500 125,562,100 1,711,800 462,000 12,835,500 871,870 2,900 921,800 1,330,400 57,430,000 6,857,290 198,400 25,100 6,000 16,000 9,500 4,698,300 3,561,400 352,800 1,427,680 6,000 17,839,000 62,621,500

567,622,630.00 55,681,088.00 413,910.00 118,461,730.00 44,942.00 60,320.00 154,793,788 297,484.00 10,101,826.00 32,370,500 13,813,850.00 304,651,690.00 4,863,784.00 358,416,571.00 149,996,267.00 733,236,935.00 10,255,474.00 728,610.00 260,262,590.00 53,181,263.00 34,800.00 12,764,382.00 59,930,705.00 152,202,540.00 1,535,837,956.00 1,837,082.00 779,480.00 11,700.00 48,540.00 343,045.00 125,785,815.00 60,651,168.00 2,070,059.00 471,670,314.00 23,940.00 56,835,740.00 537,371,722.00

11.50 3.91 1.74 3.02 4.14 2.31 4.6 143 4.05 2.48 0.158 1.11 2.25 201 4.6 0.74

129,500 4,845,000 1,738,000 3,601,000 27,512,000 10,000 276,000 221,830 45,000 961,000 78,980,000 429,000 30,820,000 9,271,360 114,000 32,360,000

1,474,922.00 18,453,580.00 3,007,120.00 10,668,630.00 105,897,300.00 23,190.00 1,245,430.00 31,270,407.00 175,950.00 2,406,430.00 12,711,000.00 490,490.00 71,033,600.00 1,862,955,114.00 528,870.00 23,205,010.00

1.14

4,373,000

5,261,890.00

0.320 59.95 15.30 1.15 6.17 0.250 0.255 734.5 7.64 12.96 5

2,420,000 10,676,820 32,015,900 1,000 513,000 4,520,000 650,000 1,861,240 11,128,500 29,264,700 137,900

766,300.00 626,951,803.50 476,918,656.00 1,150.00 3,078,036.00 1,119,240.00 163,500.00 1,328,849,180.00 83,457,569.00 378,265,790.00 657,885.00

4.80 0.213 1349 6.00 9.78 72.90 5.46 0.7 16 0.495 5.7 0.0300 1.410 2.010 2.75 74.80 2.3 910.00 1.07 0.77 167.500 0.3150 0.2080 0.295

408,000 1,040,000 1,075,925 152,300 11,218,300 11,266,570 18,548,000 3,217,000 10,617,400 290,000 369,114,900 189,200,000 12,000 11,559,000 114,000 3,576,430 3,000 2,255,490 8,371,000 934,000 544,370 31,100,000 1,970,000 1,700,000

1,957,890.00 227,430.00 1,432,577,410.00 911,041.00 109,761,374.00 795,778,338.00 98,566,564.00 2,206,120.00 170,085,328.00 142,300.00 2,181,468,636.00 5,769,900.00 15,880.00 22,984,360.00 308,750.00 266,220,035.50 6,900.00 2,024,540,205.00 8,715,730.00 725,630.00 90,129,705.00 9,849,650.00 394,740.00 499,700.00

7.270 7.60 0.88 1.450 0.222 34.000 3.22 5.26 0.560 0.93 0.960 0.119 0.425 29.5 0.830 0.155 0.96 1.53 1.27 4.46 3.82

2,733,500 9,000 11,158,000 3,614,000 140,000 60,363,600 9,612,000 1,013,700 25,775,000 12,000 39,942,000 22,200,000 16,730,000 16,060,600 5,251,000 680,000 24,524,000 128,980,000 743,000 4,000 294,236,000

19,346,755.00 70,838.00 9,896,260.00 5,285,190.00 31,150.00 2,024,572,075.00 30,345,660.00 5,350,110.00 14,252,610.00 11,460.00 3,945,770.00 2,761,740.00 7,081,800.00 435,232,565.00 4,292,880.00 105,460.00 22,984,740.00 198,137,620.00 941,120.00 17,840.00 1,077,689,310.00

STOCKS

MARCH 7-11, 2016 Close Volume

MRC Allied Ind. Phil. Estates Corp.

Phil. Realty `A’ Primex Corp.

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

0.101 0.2350 0.440 8.69 27.65 1.5 3.13 21.40 0.84 5.4 1.050 4.550

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

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

Discovery World DFNN Inc. Easy Call “Common” FEUI Globe Telecom GMA Network Inc. Grand Plaza Hotel Harbor Star I.C.T.S.I. IPeople Inc. `A’ IP E-Game Ventures Inc. Island Info ISM Communications Jackstones Leisure & Resorts Liberty Telecom Lorenzo Shipping Macroasia Corp.

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

Pacific Online Sys. Corp.

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

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

SSI Group STI Holdings Transpacific Broadcast Travellers Waterfront Phils.

Yehey

7.23 55.95 1.24 0.530 10.3 5.05 0.0580 3.15 86.6 9.9 1.56 6.39 3.19 956 1770 6.85 18.26 1.33 66.3 11.3 0.0090 0.217 1.3300 2.2 7.90 4.29 1.23 2.75 19.00 0.560 1.87 2.8 3.85 0.275 0.850 17.38 4.80 2.45 8.49 99.00 22.15 1704.00 0.460 0.970 36.95 70.00 6.36 3.56 0.540 1.69 4.01 0.325 4.770

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

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

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

TA Petroleum United Paragon

0.0045 2.28 4.55 12.80 0.247 5.2000 0.63 0.480 7.50 0.760 0.310 0.295 0.310 0.0130 0.013 2.31 5.7 2.65 0.5500 1.2300 0.0091 3.70 6.15 1.75 0.0120 135.90 2.35 0.0083

ABS-CBN Holdings Corp.

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

MWIDE PREF PCOR-Preferred A PCOR-Preferred B PF Pref 2 PNX PREF 3B SMC Preferred B SMC Preferred C SMC Preferred D SMC Preferred E SMC Preferred F Swift Pref

56.2 523 530 117.8 527 6.76 1.1 108 1028 1060 1012 107 80 82.5 76.5 76.5 77 1.99

Leisure & Resort Warr.

2.700

Alterra Capital Makati Fin. Corp.

Italpinas Xurpas

3.66 3.19 3.11 18.1

First Metro ETF

114.8

FEBRUARY 29-MARCH 4, 2016 Close Volume Value

Value

59,250,000 690,000 250,000 294,000 14,616,500 3,582,000 176,000 60,274,800 17,725,000 19,600 12,670,000 37,608,000

5,771,870.00 158,170.00 107,050.00 2,513,372.00 405,597,995.00 5,363,290.00 546,520.00 1,287,698,105.00 14,804,330.00 107,311.00 13,050,820.00 169,584,640.00 SERVICES 848,900 6,035,146.00 354,800 19,479,582.50 686,000 890,890.00 7,670,000 4,061,510.00 31,200 321,296.00 55,611,000 271,228,200.00 689,410,000 40,268,830.00 4,397,000 13,825,340.00 2,435,930 211,492,436.00 21,100 206,630.00 122,000 183,840 964,300 6,082,387.00 14,000 44,680.00 1,810 1,730,360.00 376,030 650,488,350 1,445,700 9,645,305.00 400 7,304 2,691,000 3,503,110.00 5,436,330 341,037,582.00 10,000 113,000.00 5,200,000 51,600.00 215,660,000 46,381,160.00 27,582,000 36,589,860.00 32,000 68,360.00 372,900 2,913,932.00 3,656,000 15,773,610.00 97,000 108,990.00 605,000 1,611,020.00 400 7,134.00 415,001 297,540.00 109,000 205,810.00 224,284,000 570,522,370.00 13,225,000 49,875,040.00 2,100,000 575,700.00 125,457,000 106,999,290.00 28,700 490,874.00 158,000 763,960 40,000 96,500.00 1,400 12,070.00 92,930 9,200,320.00 2,148,400 46,638,175.00 1,204,765 2,080,957,550.00 1,840,000 822,100.00 245,941,000 224,950,950.00 19,463,900 688,930,325.00 16,528,720 1,096,656,281.50 13,826,200 89,216,615.00 42,876,000 150,023,390.00 30,184,000 15,896,090.00 12,000 18,020.00 10,112,000 39,319,930.00 1,300,000 425,400.00 195,000 931,230.00 MINING & OIL 798,000,000 3,575,600.00 883,000 1,918,590.00 3,864,000 17,052,810.00 5,600 69,260.00 1,480,000 359,690.00 117,400 610,453.00 7,153,000 4,571,410.00 11,950,000 5,561,750.00 114,500 841,821.00 324,814,000 252,974,190.00 20,840,000 5,898,350.00 396,750,000 119,764,200.00 79,060,000 24,947,200.00 177,100,000 2,131,700.00 316,500,000 4,119,400.00 6,137,000 14,068,440.00 33,771,000 195,991,385.00 2,255,000 6,087,070.00 59,000 31,910.00 557,000 696,250.00 56,000,000 519,000.00 674,000 2,459,330.00 28,526,400 179,248,281.00 10,423,000 18,724,990.00 173,000,000 1,990,100.00 1,921,220 249,934,295.00 1,003,000 2,442,440.00 4,000,000 32,100.00 PREFERRED 1,184,020 64,471,161.00 38,480 20,193,510.00 13,340 7,066,200 35,670 4,086,199.00 16,350 8,597,500.00 1,776,600 11,530,401.00 448,000 480,800 9,610 1,045,190.00 2,400 2,467,200.00 325 344,800.00 10,030 10,217,460.00 2,510 268,570.00 30 2,400.00 93,710 7,598,829.00 113,450 8,679,937.50 54,880 4,193,527.50 605,500 46,622,739.00 48,000 88,240.00 WARRANTS & BONDS 4,329,000 11,896,470.00 SME 25,000 90,370.00 43,800 157,020.00 11,689,000 36,768,490.00 29,015,800 503,345,134.00 EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 276,720 31,659,553.00

0.090 0.2250 0.445 8.46 27.50 1.43 3.09 20.90 0.85 5.59 1.000 4.500

5,160,000 121,550 4,200,000 66,800 13,869,200 1,979,000 41,000 66,398,500 21,875,000 62,800 11,518,000 41,011,000

453,730.00 383,480.00 1,831,550.00 564,535.00 370,272,770.00 2,856,340.00 125,980.00 1,399,287,940.00 17,908,970.00 353,785.00 11,376,800.00 183,981,160.00

6.73 55.7 1.15 0.485 11.16 4.87 0.0510 3.13 85.95 10 1.6 6.15 3.00 960 1745 6.59 21.35 1.19 61.05 11.3 0.0092 0.214 1.2000 2.1 7.71 4.42 1.12 2.58 24.00 0.570 1.91 2.39 3.84 0.265 0.720 17 4.55 2.4 8.95 100.00 22.10 1797.00 0.440 0.930 33.80 62.50 6.10 3.30 0.510 1.7 3.74 0.335 4.920

402,200 315,630 140,000 1,601,000 5,100 43,033,000 188,780,000 3,933,000 2,320,450 3,100 157,000 1,599,300 2,000 3,800 351,271,405 376,400 1,100 506,000 8,547,410 6,400 5,000,000 602,700,000 3,573,000 95,000 314,900 3,728,000 25,000 449,000 300 50,000 17,000 172,511,000 10,146,000 810,000 16,858,000 10,400 122,000 306,000 100 547,620 15,470,600 1,925,510 23,030,000 181,142,000 17,478,900 11,049,470 34,297,600 57,355,000 37,366,000 40,000 5,772,000 30,000 143,000

2,703,176.00 17,223,172.50 160,980.00 782,330.00 55,878.00 197,912,190.00 9,745,360.00 12,229,990.00 195,651,084.00 30,600.00 240,150 9,761,814.00 6,000.00 3,646,080.00 539,366,565 2,480,604.00 23,445 616,910.00 429,607,148.00 71,740.00 47,200.00 133,038,200.00 4,251,900.00 195,970.00 2,387,708.00 16,080,630.00 27,640.00 1,118,290.00 7,200.00 27,630.00 32,960.00 379,215,730.00 36,865,560.00 216,450.00 11,939,070.00 177,752.00 555,750 734,400.00 895.00 54,760,000.00 341,972,750.00 3,573,256,660.00 9,983,100.00 166,176,900.00 592,595,660.00 685,705,470.50 221,940,674.00 191,194,600.00 18,965,935.00 61,910.00 21,529,460.00 9,750.00 678,550.00

0.0045 2.16 4.28 12.80 0.248

3,618,000,000 573,000 3,443,000 35,700 2,190,000

16,424,600.00 1,234,970.00 14,687,350.00 386,910.00 540,620.00

0.61 0.435 7.50 0.710 0.285 0.310 0.330 0.0130 0.014 2.13 5.68 2.75 0.5400 1.2400 0.0096 3.35 6.01 1.68 0.0120 126.00 2.34 0.0082

2,368,000 2,020,000 231,900 115,680,000 900,000 494,850,000 95,950,000 325,500,000 126,200,000 4,860,000 51,591,200 3,392,000 426,000 3,112,000 25,000,000 127,000 17,247,700 13,747,000 235,900,000 1,412,620 665,000 5,000,000

1,437,160.00 875,400.00 1,728,156.00 82,543,970.00 254,600.00 151,570,650.00 29,257,500.00 3,892,200.00 1,677,000.00 9,796,830.00 281,154,583.00 8,585,320.00 231,250.00 3,928,010.00 232,600.00 432,480.00 102,558,093.00 23,027,330.00 2,629,200.00 259,476,527.00 1,549,620.00 37,400.00

54.95 538 532 118 527 6.52 1.07 109 1028 1061 1018 108.7 78 82 76.5 76.5 77 2

1,700,340 83,680 3,010 73,100 2,680 11,700 1,431,000 53,640 13,840 1,100 23,860 6,020 85,900 107,250 1,063,450 223,600 2,788,870 4,000

92,347,734.50 44,371,005.00 1,601,320 8,625,800.00 1,427,480.00 76,284.00 1,539,680 6,134,331.00 14,639,700.00 1,167,880.00 24,830,600.00 647,812.00 6,839,700.00 8,673,809.00 82,894,625.00 17,147,135.50 217,382,915.00 7,400.00

2.710

4,308,000

10,998,450.00

3.56 3 2.55 15.4

673,000 191,000 1,317,000 11,442,700

1,889,590.00 573,700.00 3,332,510.00 164,932,380.00

112.7

653,330

73,016,276

WEEKLY MOST TRADED STOCKS Abra Mining Boulevard Holdings Lepanto `A’ Ferronickel Manila Mining `B’ Filinvest Land,Inc. Premium Leisure Melco Crown Island Info Cyber Bay Corp.

VOLUME 798,000,000 689,410,000 396,750,000 324,814,000 316,500,000 247,533,000 245,941,000 224,284,000 215,660,000 190,803,000

STOCKS PLDT Common GT Capital Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. Ayala Land `B’ Metrobank Ayala Corp `A’ SM Prime Holdings Jollibee Foods Corp.

Robinsons Retail SM Investments Inc.

VALUE 2,080,957,550.00 1,982,866,675.00 1,698,792,862.00 1,530,311,250.00 1,353,980,064.50 1,351,178,965.00 1,287,698,105.00 1,207,915,330.00 1,096,656,281.50 1,086,079,740.00

MONDAY: MARCH 14, 2016

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

B3

Cemex prepares for P40-b IPO

By Jenniffer B. Austria

Cemex Holdings Philippines Inc., the local cement unit of Mexico’s Cemex S.A.B De C.V., is raising as much as P39.74 billion in what could be the largest initial public offering in the Philippines.

Cemex Holdings said in a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission it planned to sell 2.337 million common shares at up to P17 per share.

The company hired Citgroup Global Markets Ltd., The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corp. Ltd. and JP Morgan Securities Plc. as joint international underwriters.

BDO Capital and Investments Corp. is the domestic lead underwriter for the offering.

Cemex said in a disclosure to the New York Stock Exchange the filing of the registration statement with the Philippine SEC marked the first step in one of the alternatives the group was exploring in the context of its previously announced asset divestiture plan.

“Cemex continues to explore other alternatives, and the ultimate implementation of any such alternative remains at the discretion of Cemex,” it said.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index climbed 2.1 percent since the start of the year and recently hit a 2016 high of 7,119.86.

The country’s biggest share sale was launched in 2013 when the LT Group Inc. of Lucio Tan raised P37.72 billion through a followon offering.

Cemex Holdings’ assets consist primarily of cement manufacturing assets in the Philippines with total capacity of 5.7 million tons.

The company entered the Philippine market in 1997, with a minority investment of 30 percent in Rizal Cement Company Inc., a company which was established in November 1930, which was later merged with Solid Cement.

Cemex together with other investors purchased an aggregate 99.9 percent interest in Apo Cement in 1999.

Cemex announced in May 2015 it would undertake a new $300-million investment in the Philippines that would include the construction of a new 1.5-million-ton, integrated cement-production line at Solid Cement plant in Luzon.

This will double the capacity of the Solid plant and will represent a 25-percent increase in the company’s cement capacity in the Philippines.

Cemex is a global building materials company and has presence in more than 50 countries.

Aside from Cemex, other big cement players in the domestic industry include Holcim Philippines and Republic Cement & Building Materials Inc., formerly Lafarge Republic Inc., which is now owned

by AEV-CRH Holdings Inc.

Toyota vegetable project. Toyota Motor Philippines Foundation launches ‘Oh My Gulay! – Tanim sa Kinabukasan’ vegetable project in its adopted school, Pulong Santa Cruz Elementary School, in partnership with East-West Seed Foundation Inc., Oh My Gulay Inc. and the Department of Education division of Santa Rosa, Laguna. Shown during the agreement signing are (seated from left) DepEd Santa Rosa Laguna division representative Jayson Sagaysay, EWSF executive director Crisanto Sabino, TMPF assistant vice president Ronald Gaspar, PSCES principal Nelia Tabuyo and DepEd education program specialist Alvin Sta. Maria. Standing are (from left) EWSF program director Mary Joyce Gaviola and TMPF Adopt-ASchool coordinator Ringo Flores.

Market expected to move sideways STOCKS are expected to trade within a wide range this week, as uncertainty in the global market continues, ahead of the Federal Reserve meeting.

BPI Asset Management said in its weekly outlook the bellwether Philippine Stock Exchange index would likely trade between 6,800 and 7,100 points this week.

F. Yap Securities investment analyst Jason Escartin said investors would carefully monitor developments overseas, as the Fed was scheduled to meet mid-week to consider another round of interest rate hikes amid rising inflation expectations driven by an improvement in the oil market.

“At Fed chief Yellen’s testimony before Congress this past February, she highlighted some key risks that could affect the central bank’s inflation outlook, thus signaling the FOMC won’t hike rates in the short term. This conservative stance has not changed, whittling down expectations from 3 to 4 hikes to 1 to 2, seen later in the year,” Escartin said.

Escartin said given the upcoming Fed meeting, the market would face a make-or-break situation this week, after hitting a high of 7,119.86 this year.

“Should the PSEi break out of its 200-day moving average, it could reverse the pessi-

mism that took hold in August last year. However, it would be prudent for players not to be too giddy with optimism, as a golden cross is not imminent yet,” Escartin said.

The PSEi last week climbed 2.9 percent to close at 7,098.64 on Friday, while the broader allshare index gained 2.7 percent to 4,095.76, as investor sentiment was bolstered by the rise in Brent crude oil prices and significant stimulus released by the European Central Bank.

All major sub-indices ended in the green, led by financials which advanced 5.2 percent, followed by mining and oil which jumped 3.5 percent and property which climbed 3.3 percent.

Holding companies also rose 2.8 percent; industrials, 2.3 percent; and services, 1.3 percent.

Foreign investors were net buyers by P1.86 billion, at total foreign buying last week hit P19.84 billion while overseas selling amounted to P17.97 billion.

Top gainers last week were Italpinas Development Corp., which surged 22 percent to P3.11; Xurpas Inc., which jumped 18.1 percent to P18.10; and Melco Crown (Philippines) Resorts Corp., which gained 17.2 percent to P2.80.

Jenniffer B. Austria

B4

ABS-CBN Corp., the country’s leading media and entertainment company, signs a P4.75-billion loan agreement with Union Bank of the Philippines to refinance a syndicated loan acquired in 2010. With a maturity of 10 years, the loan aims to finance the company’s capital expenditures. At the loan signing ceremony are (from left) ABS-CBN officials Ricardo Tan, Jr., treasury head; Aldrin Cerrado, chief financial officer; Rolando Valdueza, Group chief finance officer and head of corporate services group; and Carlo Katigbak, president and chief executive; UnionBank officials Edwin Bautista, president and COO; Eugene Acevedo, senior executive vice president; Frederick Claudio, SVP; and John Cary Ong, SVP.

ABS-CBN gets loan to finance expansion

By Darwin G Amojelar ABS-CBN Corp., the biggest broadcasting comnpany, said it borrowed P4.75 billion from Union Bank of the Philippines to refinance debt and partly fund expansion plans this year.

The broadcasting network owned by the Lopez Group said it signed a P4.75-billion loan agreement with Union Bank to refinance a syndicated loan secured in 2010.

With a maturity of 10 years, the loan aims to finance the network’s capital expenditures.

ABS-CBN’s current projects include the building of stages for TV and film production, and the construction of additional transmission towers to expand the coverage of its digital terrestrial television initiative to some cities in the Visayas and Mindanao regions.

The broadcasting network earlier said it planned to build 10 Hollywood-style studios in Bulacan province until 2016 in a bid to cut production costs and improve the quality of television shows.

The broadcast firm said in 2013 it would invest P6 billion for the construction of the sound stages.

The network aims to save about 65 percent to 75 percent in shooting location costs, with the construction of the modern sound stages.

About 80 percent of ABSCBN’s production is remote and only 20 percent is shot in studio.

ABS-CBN last year had programmed P600 million to expand the coverage of its digital DTT service.

ABS-CBN last week signed a partnership agreement with IBM as part of a strategy to modernize the information and technology network of the broadcast company.

LT Group’s income jumps 50% to P6.6b LT GROUP Inc. of tobacco and airline tycoon Lucio Tan said unaudited attributable net income in 2015 reached P6.6 billion, up 50 percent from P4.4 billion in 2014, on the strong contribution of its banking and tobacco businesses.

Philippine National Bank accounted for P3.51 billion or 53 percent of LG Group’s total income. Asia Brewery Inc. added P1.10 billion or 17 percent of the total, followed by the tobacco business at P1.04 billion or 16 percent.

Tanduay Distillers Inc. accounted for P422 million or 6 percent, while Eton Properties Philippines Inc. added P312 million or 5 percent.

LT Group said equity in net earnings from its stake in Victorias Milling Corp. contributed P214 million or 3 percent of the profits. LT

Group’s stake in VMC as of end 2015 stood at 22.59 percent. With the purchase of additional shares in February 2016, LTG’s stake in VMC rose to 30.17 percent.

LT Group said its balance sheet remained strong, with the parent company’s cash balance at P2.6 billion as of the end of 2015. The debt-to-equity ratio stood at at 3.41:1 at the end of 2015 with the bank, and at 0.13:1 without the bank.

PNB reported a net income of P6.8 billion in 2015, up 15 percent from P5.9 billion in 2014. Net interest income increased 6 percent to P17.6 billion from P16.7 billion in 2014, while net service fees and commission income jumped 38 percent to P3.6 billion.

Trading and foreign exchange gains declined 34 percent to P1.8 billion, while other income was 35 percent lower at P3.7 billion.

The income of the tobacco business jumped to P1.04 billion in 2015 from just P148 million in 2014.

Equity in net earnings from a 49.6 percent stake in PMFTC reached P975 million, or 89 percent higher than P515 million realized in 2014. The illicit trade, however, continued to affect the overall profitability of the cigarette

business.

ABI’s unaudited income in 2015, meanwhile, reached P1.099 billion, down 2 percent from P1.122 billion in 2014.

The Cobra energy drink, Absolute and Summit water, Tanduay Ice alcopop and Vitamilk soymilk remained the market leaders. Intense competition in the beverage market, though, affected volumes and margins.

Tanduay’s unaudited net income in 2015 surged to P422 million from just P101 million in 2014.

Revenues were relatively flat, as lower volumes were offset by price increases. Nielsen said Tanduay’s market share improved to 24 percent as of the end of 2015 from 22 percent at the end of 2014. Tanduay booked the market share gain from the Visayas and Mindanao areas.

Eton’s income also rose to P313 million from P120 million reported in 2014.

Revenues were 9 percent higher with higher lease rates for new or renewed contracts in office buildings. Eton plans to add a fifth business process outsourcing office tower at Eton Centris in Quezon City to increase its leasing portfolio.

Yao’s bank seeks higher lending to smaller firms

By Julito G. Rada PUBLICLY-LISTED Philippine Business Bank, the financial arm of the Yao Group of Companies, plans to increase lending by double digits this year on sustained loan demand from small and medium enterprises.

Former ambassador and bank chairman emeritus Alfredo Yao expressed optimism on the growth outlook of the industry, especially with the booming economy that could be translated into more credit to different industries.

“As far as loans, we are looking at a double-digit growth this year.

Previously, most banks relied on

treasury and trading gains. That was before. But now, most banks are into the back-to-basic mode, which is lending,” Yao said in a press briefing in Makati City over the weekend.

He said PBB’s loan growth could be achieved through an expected sustained demand from small and medium enterprises, the bank’s target sector since it started operations several years ago.

Yao, however,conceded that the growth of thrift banks could be challenged by bigger banks eating into the share of smaller banks when it comes to SME lending.

To widen its coverage and

reach potential growth areas, Yao said the bank planned to put up 25 additional branches this year, on top of the current 148 outlets scattered nationwide.

“Most of these will be located in the provinces but we also plan to put up branches in the restricted areas in Metro Manila,” Yao said.

Yao, meanwhile, was mum on the details of the reported talks with a foreign bank for a possible partnership in the future. He said his group would “not give up the majority” if there was foreign capital infusion in the bank, “You must read between the lines. A foreign bank [usually] comes looking at a universal

bank. The first requisite of a universal bank is that it should be a listed bank, and we are a listed thrift bank,” Yao said.

He declined to say if PBB had any plan of converting into a universal bank.

PBB posted a 14-percent increase in net income to P513.4 million in the first nine months of 2015 from P449.7 million a year ago.

The bank’s pro-forma recurring core income was almost flat at ₱691.5 million against ₱690.1 million on year. The bank’s recurring net profit included earnings of Insular Savers Bank, a rural bank acquired by PBB earlier last year.

M O N D AY : M A R C H 14 , 2 0 1 6

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

B5

EDC investing P14b this year

By Alena Mae S. Flores

ENERGY Development Corp. has earmarked P14 billion in capital expenditures this year from around P10 billion to P12 billion in 2015, company officials said over the weekend.

EDC president and chief operating officer Richard Tantoco told reporters the company would allot the bulk of the amount to improve the reliability of the 112.5-megawatt Tongonan geothermal power plant in Leyte.

“Because last year, it cost us about P700 million in foregone revenues when the plant was down for six months, so we want

to put investments on that to boost the reliability,” Tantoco said.

He said the company would spend around P4.3 billion for the Tongonan project, which he estimated to take 145 days.

“We already have all the equipment from Mitsubishi two years ago, it will arrive fourth quarter this year and all the units will start shutting down one after the

other,” Tantoco said.

He said the company was investing to improve the reliability of other assets, as well such as the 125-MW Upper Mahiao geothermal plant in Leyte.

“For the Upper Mahiyao, we’ve ordered new motors from GE, they’ll arrive from Chicago in third or fourth quarter of this year. So we are also investing to boost the reliability of our assets,” Tantoco said.

He said the company, the country’s biggest geothermal producer, would also invest for geothermal drilling operations this year.

“The capex is P14 billion this year which includes drilling [costs],” EDC chief financial of-

ficer Nestor Vasay said.

Tantoco, meanwhile, said EDC’s bottom line in 2016 was dependent on the movement of prices at the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market, the country’s trading floor of electricity.

EDC earlier said consolidated recurring net income attributable to equity holders of the parent company declined four percent to P8.8 billion in 2015 from P9.2 billion in 2014 on higher operating expenditures.

Inclusive of non-recurring items, EDC’s consolidated net income attributable to equity holders of the parent, or core net income, also declined 35 percent to P7.6 billion from P11.7 billion

in 2014.

“The outlook for the year is highly dependent on what’s going to go on with the WESM prices, because 85 percent of our output is contracted, so the 15 percent will depend on the outlook for oil,” Tantoco said.

He said the company closed its full year operations with P18 billion in cash but EDC had a major refinancing of close to P5 billion from local banks planned at the later part of the year.

EDC, an affiliate of First Gen Corp., owns 1,441 megawatts of generating capacity comprising of 1,159 MW of geothermal, 150 MW of wind, 132 MW of hydro and 4 MW of solar.

Govt set to award road link deal in Q3

By Darwin G Amojelar THE Public Works Department said it expects to award the contract to build and operate an expressway linking the north and south of Manila in the third quarter of the year.

The signing of the 35-year concession agreement for the P23.2billion North Luzon Expressway-South Luzon Expressway Connector Road Project is scheduled in the fourth quarter of 2016.

The issuance of bidding documents for project and the actual Swiss Challenge are scheduled in the second quarter of 2016.

Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson earlier said the agency would publish the Swiss Challenge this month.

The Swiss Challenge was set after Manila North Tollways Corp., the original proponent of the project, agreed to reduce the internal rate of return to 10.87 percent from 12.09 percent, by lowering the opening tariff from P100 to P87.

The P23.2-billion project involves the construction of an eight-kilometer, four-lane toll road that will pass through Metro Manila along the existing Philippine National Railways alignment.

Citra Metro Manila Tollways Corp., which is separately buildings the P26.7-billion Skyway Stage 3 Project, will build the five-kilometer common alignment from Polytechnic University of the Philippines in Sta. Mesa, Manila to Buendia in Makati City of the NLEx-SLEx project.

MNTC, which operates NLEx, signed a joint venture with Philippine National Construction Corp. in a bid to facilitate construction of the NLEx-SLEx connector.

Other MNTC shareholders are Egis Projects S.A. of France, Leighton Asia Ltd. of Australia and PNCC, which holds the franchise to run the expressway.

Thrift banks’ convention. It’s all systems go for the Chamber of Thrift Banks 2016 National Convention slated on March 18, 2016 at the

Dusit Thani Manila, Makati City. With theme ‘Thrift Banks: Sustaining the Momentum for Inclusive Growth,’ the conference will be keynoted by Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. Showing their readiness to luanch the convention are (from left) CTB trustee and University Savings Bank director Ma. Consorcia Tamayo; CTB executive director Suzanne Felix; CTB trustee, convention chair and City Savings Bank president Catalino Abacan; CTB and RCBC Savings Bank president Rommel Latinazo; CTB trustee/past president and Philippine Business Bank chairman emeritus Alfredo Yao; and CTB trustee and Sun Savings Bank president Francisco Dizon.

Panlilio, lawyers sued over Boracay lot dispute

By Jennifer B. Austria A BORACAY property owner filed a libel suit against Boulevard Holdings Inc. chairman Jose Marcel Panlilio for a series of media reports that allegedly maligned her in questioning her planned, court-sanctioned public auction of a beachfront lot to settle her debt to a Quezon Citybased realty company.

Mila Yap-Sumndad, who owns part of the beach frontage of Friday’s Boracay Island Resort, said in a statement she filed the criminal complaint against Panlilio for issuing “malicious charges and accusations” to the media in February, questioning her right to sell a property that Panlilio claimed she no longer owned.

Two lawyers, meanwhile, are facing disbarment charges be-

fore the Integrated Bar of the Philippines for their alleged complicity in what the complainant described as last year’s unauthorized and violent takeover of the beachfront property.

Chief security officer Carlos Bautista of Underwatch Providers Inc. formally asked the IBP Commission on Bar Discipline last week to disbar lawyers Don Carlo Ybañez and Carl Jon Mucho for directing a Municipal Circuit Trial Court sheriff, local policemen and civilians to unlawfully “break open the premises” in a portion of Friday’s Boracay Island Resort.

“For wantonly violating the Code of Professional Responsibility, Ybañez and Mucho of Chavez Mirana Aseoche Law Offices should be removed from the practice of law,” said Bautista in his March 4 complaint to

the IBP against these lawyers of Friday’s Holdings.

UPI was the Quezon Citybased security agency tapped

by Yap-Sumndad to secure her parcel of land within Friday’s resort after she repossessed it following the 2014 expiration of her family’s 25-year lease agreement with Friday’s Holdings Inc. that operates the resort.

Ybañez and Mucho, meanwhile, both belong to the Chavez Miranda Aseoche law firm hired by FHI in an ongoing legal battle with the original lessor over the beach frontage that FHI has publicly estimated to be worth P240 million.

BHI controls Friday’s Holdings Inc. that operates the resort, while Yap-Sumndad owns a 1,447-square meter parcel within the tourist establishment.

Yap-Sumndad is a daughter and one of the successors-in-interest of the late Benjamin and Pilar Yap, the original owners of 2,564 square meter of land inside the resort. The Yaps forged a 25-year lease agreement with FHI in 1989.

Yap-Sumndad acquired about 60 percent, or 1,447 sq. m. of the property after her parents died, while the rest was shared equally by her siblings.

Yap-Sumndad said she repossessed her property when the 25-year lease agreement expired in February 2014.

However a year later, the BHI/FHI group forcibly took over the lot with the aid of a local court sheriff and over a hundred persons, including cops belonging to the Philippine National Police Boracay Tourist Assistance Center.

MONDAY: MARCH 14, 2016

B6 Aboitiz completes solar plant in Negros

By Alena Mae S. Flores ABOITIZ Power Corp. said unit San Carlos Sun Power has completed the construction and commissioning of a 59-megawatt solar power project in Negros Occidental.

Aboitiz Power said the plant was now exporting power to the Visayas grid, joining other players in the race for the feed-in tariff eligibility.

Aboitiz Power said in a statement the project was completed before the Energy Department’s March 15 deadline for solar power projects to avail of the feed-in tariff rate of P8.69 per kilowatt-hour under the second wave of installation target.

“We have successfully completed the project in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental and we are now exporting power into the Visayas grid,” said SaCaSun president and chief operating officer Lino Bernardo.

“We look forward to working with all of our stakeholders to further contribute to a cleaner energy future for Negros and for the Philippines as a whole,” Bernardo said.

Energy Regulatory Commission commissioner Patricia Asirit said the 450-MW installation target under the second wave for solar projects would likely be fully subscribed.

The plant is expected to generate more than 85 gigawatt-hours of clean electricity a year, enough to power 27,600 homes.

This should help avoid the emission of more than 44,000 tons of carbon dioxide over 20 years— the equivalent of taking around 10,000 cars off the road, according to Aboitiz Power.

BUSINESS business@manilastandardtoday.com extrastory2000@gmail.com

Peza asks Foxconn to build PH factory

By Othel V. Campos

THE Philippine Economic Zone Authority is inviting Taiwanese electronics contract manufacturing company Foxconn Technology Group to set up operations in the Philippines.

“We will try to convince them [Foxconn] to, again, consider the Philippines as a second site for its operations in Asia,” Peza directorgeneral Lilia De Lima said over the weekend.

De Lima will visit Taiwan this week to promote the Philippines as an attractive destination for manufacturers and investors.

Headquartered in Tucheng, New Taipei, Foxconn is the

world’s largest electronics contractor manufacturer and the third largest information technology company. It supplies electronic parts to Samsung, Ipad and Blackberry.

Foxcoon earlier expressed interest to locate in the Philippines, partly to declog production in China and partly to spread risks.

It is also the largest private employer in China.

Analysts said once the company decided to transfer some of its manufacturing functions to the country, the Philippine electronic sector would have more reason to see renewed growth.

Foxconn designs original concepts for clients such as Blackberry, Ipad, Kindle, Playstation, IPhone, Xbox one and Wii. Investment opportunities in the Philippines for Taiwan include LED module packaging assembly, printer and related equipment, automotive manufacturing (including electronic auto parts), shipbuilding and yacht-building, agribusiness and aquaculture and information and communication technology.

A top official of the Taiwan Ex-

ternal Trade and Development Council said many Taiwanese companies had called the agency to ask for investment opportunities.

About 90 percent of Taiwanese manufacturers are present in China, while 10 percent are still in Taiwan.

Taitra said that in recent years Japanese, Korean and Taiwanese companies started leaving China due to labor problems that affected the profitability of these companies.

The Taiwanese agency continues to woo big, worldclass Taiwanese firms including Foxconn and Pou Chen to set up manufacturing operations in the Philippines.

New Finance official.

Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima administers the oath of office to Alvin Peñaflor Diaz, who was appointed acting director IV of the Department of Finance by President Benigno Aquino III on March 4, 2016.

The greediest guys in the room THE movie ‘The Smartest Guys in the Room’ is a comprehensive history and analysis of the rise of Enron and its dramatic and catastrophic collapse. It starts when Ken Lay becomes CEO of Houston Natural Gas and concludes with the collapse of Enron. Along the way, it paints a fascinating and compelling picture not only of what Enron did as a company, but also the personalities that ran it and the details of where and how it went wrong.

People: The core of the story The core of the Enron story is the people, an array of brilliant, egotistical and arrogant executives who create a corporate culture that selects for raw intelligence and vicious competition and discards most of the social virtues typical of a corporation. Both the intelligence and the arrogance come through clearly. Whatever else those involved in the Enron story were, they were smart.

The company was filled with people capable of solving advanced equations in their head, and brilliant economists who came up with both revolutionary trading techniques and ways of exploiting legal loopholes before anyone else. That it

captures not only the conflict of interest built weaknesses but also into our legal system the strengths of Enron because the company MAVILLE ALFEREZ and shows how much has an incentive to use talent was let loose in these funds in ways that REEN IGHT an environment with no advantage the company effective controls. even when they may Legal and regulatory causes disadvantage employees.

I think that one of the obvious systemic And fourth, most companies like Encauses of the Enron scandal is the legal ron have codes of ethics that prohibit and regulatory structure. First, laws and managers and executives from being regulations allow firms to provide con- involved in another business entity that sulting services to a company and then does business with their own company. turn around and provide the audited re- But these codes of ethics are voluntary port about the financial results of these and can be set aside by the board of diconsulting activities. This is an obvious rectors. The managers and executives, conflict of interest that is built into the le- of course, have a fiduciary duty to act in gal structure. the best interest of the company and its Second, a private company like Enron shareholders, But the law leaves considcurrently hires and pays its own auditors. erable discretion to managers and execuThis again is a conflict of interest built tives to exercise their own business judginto the legal system because the auditor ment about what is in the best interests of has an incentive not to issue an unfavor- the company. able report on the company that is paying Mainstream point of view him or her.

Add to this, from a mainstream (MateThird, most large companies like En- rialistic and Individualistic) point of view, ron are allowed to manage their own managers at Enron grew arrogant, thinkemployee pension funds. Again, this is a ing themselves as invincible. Due to its

G

L

leaders, there was a tendency for the company to seal itself off from outside forces.

Or perhaps, it was the corporate culture in which they operated that led to the problem. They had rank-and-yank performance appraisal system, which eliminated anyone who fell behind, survival of the fittest, as they say.

It was painful to watch the outcome of this scandal. However, I am more pleased that I had the opportunity to watch this movie as this shows an accurate picture of what we, the future leaders would have to deal with in the near future.

The author is an MBA student at the Ramon V. del Rosario College of Business.

This essay is part of a journal she keeps in fulfillment of the requirements of the course, Lasallian Business Leadership with Corporate Social Responsibility and Ethics.

Visit her blog at http://transcendenceph. blogspot.com/.

The views expressed here are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official position of DLSU, its faculty, and its administrators.

M o n D aY : M a r c H 14 , 2 0 1 6

WORLD

cesar barrioquinto EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

B7

End eyed to long Karadzic trial THE HAGUE—It may have taken over two decades but as the verdict looms in the trial of Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic, his UN prosecutor says it’s never too late for justice.

More than 20 years after the excruciating 44-month siege of Sarajevo and the massacre of almost 8,000 Muslim men and boys in Srebrenica, Karadzic will on March 24 hear whether judges have found him guilty of 11 charges, including two of genocide “There have been many important trials in this tribunal, there have been many important judgments, but the one in relation to Karadzic will for sure be one of the most important in the history of the tribunal,” Serge Brammertz told AFP Friday in an exclusive interview.

After former Serbian president Slobodan Milosevic died in 2006 while on trial at the International

Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, Karadzic will become the highest level politician to be judged for the atrocities which accompanied the break-up of the country in the 1990s.

That makes the verdict “very important in terms of the responsibility of political leaders for the suffering of their own people,” said Brammertz, a Belgian national and seasoned jurist.

Brammertz was only a few months into his post as chief prosecutor at the ICTY when he received a call in July 2008 to say that, after 13 years on the run, it looked like Karadzic was about to be nabbed.

It was a pivotal moment. Over the years since the tribunal was

set up by the United Nations at the height of the wars in 1993, everybody had become “very pessimistic” about the chances of tracking the fugitives down.

A date for wrapping up the court had already been set—2010.

And yet in every meeting with victims’ groups “the number one request” was always to arrest Karadzic and notorious Bosnian Serb army chief Ratko Mladic.

As Brammertz took in the news that one of Europe’s most wanted men had finally been captured and would be headed for the tribunal in The Hague, he felt the weight of the moment and what it “represented for those thousands of victims waiting for their day.”

“We all know the saying ‘justice delayed, is justice denied’ but in this specific case, it’s never too late.

And it will bring justice to victims.”

The massacre in Srebrenica, a UN-protected enclave, was “the

most important single crime committed since World War II on European soil.”

More than 10,000 people, including 1,500 children, died in the siege of Sarajevo as Bosnian Serb forces sought to squeeze their Bosnian Muslims rivals into surrendering.

Karadzic went on trial in October 2009, and closing arguments wrapped up in October 2014.

Despite the fact that it’s been a long road—a verdict in the Mladic case is only due next year after his capture in 2011—bringing people to justice remains Brammertz’s priority.

He dismisses criticism that the ICTY is only stirring up painful memories of events that happened long ago and should be laid to rest.

“Personally I’m absolutely convinced that to give reconciliation a chance, accountability is absolutely important,” said Brammertz, in his office in The Hague, adorned with a

large portrait of Mahatma Gandhi.

It remains painful that so many people are still missing two decades after the wars, and Brammertz has also been dismayed by the lingering bitter divisions in the region.

Yet he recognizes the tribunal’s limitations -- and that some who committed atrocities may also have slipped through the net.

“Justice has been done for sure.

To all victims? Unfortunately no, because we have to select cases,” Brammertz said.

Limited resources and time meant prosecutors were given an unpalatable choice “between grave and even graver cases”.

The tribunal—which has indicted 161 people, more than any other single international tribunal— could not “prosecute each single rape, massacre and other important crimes. This is for sure one of our greatest frustrations.” AFP

Republic of the Philippines D E PA RTM E NT O F L A BO R A N D E M PLOY M E NT Regional O f f ic e N o. III S W LTC B l d g ., D i o s d a d o M a c a p a g a l G ove r n m e n t C e n t e r, B r g y.

M a i m p i s C i t y o f S a n Fe r n a n d o Pa m p a n g a Te l . N o s . (0 4 5) 4 5 5 -1613 ( Fa x) 4 5 5 -1614; 4 5 5 -1618; 4 5 5 -1619 e - m a i l a d d r e s s: d o l e r o 3 @ g m a i l .c o m

I N V I TAT I O N TO B I D FO R PRO CU R E M E N T O F 2 4 ,16 9 S E T S O F PE RS O N A L PROT EC T I V E E Q U I PM E N T S ( PPE s) FO R T H E I M PL E M E N TAT I O N O F T H E T U LO N G PA N G H A N A PB U H AY S A AT I N G D I S A DVA N TAG E D W O R K E R S ( T U PA D) FO R T H E PROV I N C E S O F B U L ACA N A N D PA M PA N G A 1. T h e D e p a r t m e n t o f L a b o r a n d E m p l oy m e n t , R e g i o n a l O f f i c e N o. I I I ( D O L E - R O I I I) t h r o u g h t h e F Y 2 016 G e n e r a l A p p r o p r i a t i o n s A c t u n d e r R e p u b l i c A c t N o. 10717 i n t e n d t o a p p l y t h e s u m o f EI G H T M I L L I O N FO U R H U N D R E D FI F T Y- N I N E T H O U S A N D O N E H U N D R E D FI F T Y P ES O S ( P h P 8 , 4 5 9 ,15 0 . 0 0) a s t h e A p p r ove d B u d g e t C o n t r a c t ( A B C) f o r t h e p r o c u r e m e n t o f 2 4 ,16 9 s e t s o f Pe r s o n a l P r o t e c t i ve Eq u i p m e n t s ( P P E s) t o b e u s e d i n t h e i m p l e m e n t a t i o n o f t h e Tu l o n g P a n g h a n a p b u h ay s a A t i n g D i s a d v a n t a g e d Wo r ke r s ( T U PA D) f o r t h e P r ov i n c e o f B u l a c a n . E a c h s e t o f P P E s i s c o m p o s e d o f o n e (1) p i e c e C a p w i t h D O L E L o g o a n d o n e (1) p i e c e L o n g S l e eve s S h i r t p r i n t e d w i t h D O L E L o g o a n d T U PA D p r o g r a m n a m e . B i d s r e c e i ve d i n exc e s s o f t h e A B C s h a l l b e a u t o m a t i c a l l y r e j e c t e d a t t h e b i d opening.

Backstage. Singers/Songwriters Ross Copperman, John Randall Stewart, Brett James (In Mirror), Dierks Bentley and Angelo Patraqlia are shown backstage during The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum Presents an Interview and Acoustic Performance With Dierks Bentley at the CMA Theater at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum on March 12, 2016, in Nashville, Tennessee. AFP

Scandal taints working-class hero SAO PAULO—An ex-metalworker who became one of Brazil’s most popular presidents, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva now sees his legacy under threat after he was implicated in a corruption probe.

Lula, as he is known to all in Brazil, left office in 2011 as a bluecollar hero who presided over a watershed boom and helped lift tens of millions of people from poverty.

Brazil’s first democratically elected leftist was so widely admired as president that Foreign Policy magazine called him a “rock star” and his US counterpart Barack Obama referred to him as “the man.”

Known for his charisma and common touch, Lula’s popularity in Brazil and the success of the economy during a period of high commodities prices helped him ride out numerous corruption scandals. When he stepped down after two terms, he basked in 80 percent popularity ratings.

But five years after helping

handpicked successor Dilma Rousseff take his place, graft allegations have left him fighting for his reputation—and potentially his freedom.

Rousseff meanwhile is in the midst of a crucial weekend for her political survival, culminating Sunday with expected nationwide protests calling for her impeachment.

Lula, a gruff, bearded 70-yearold, was briefly detained for questioning earlier this month in the investigation into a massive embezzlement and bribery conspiracy centered on state oil giant Petrobras.

Prosecutors accused Lula of accepting “many” favors from corrupt construction companies seeking Petrobras contracts.

Lula, who was not charged, has rejected any involvement in the Petrobras scheme.

Lula grew up in deep poverty, the last of eight children born to a family of farmers in the arid, hardscrabble northeastern state of Pernambuco.

He had little formal education, quitting grade school to help his family get by.

When he was seven, his family joined a wave of migration to the industrial heartland of Sao Paulo state, where Lula worked as a shoeshine boy and street vendor before becoming a steel worker.

He rose to become president of his trade union, less than a decade after joining.

He was the force behind big strikes in the 1970s that challenged the military dictatorship in power at the time. And in 1980, Lula founded the Workers’ Party, first standing as its candidate for president nine years later.

Lula made three unsuccessful presidential bids from 1989 to 1998, each time chipping away at the establishment parties and the idea that a poor, uneducated labor leader could never be president of Brazil. The fourth time, in 2002, he succeeded, taking office on January 1, 2003. AFP

2 . T h e D O L E - R O I I I n o w i nv i t e s b i d s f o r t h e P r o c u r e m e n t s o f t h e a b ove 2 4 ,16 9 s e t s o f Pe r s o n a l P r o t e c t i ve Eq u i p m e n t s ( P P E s) t o b e d e l i ve r e d w i t h i n 10 c a l e n d a r d ay s f r o m r e c e i p t o f N o t i c e t o P r o c e e d t o b e d e l i ve r e d a t D O L E R e g i o n a l O f f i c e w i t h o f f i c e a d d r e s s a t S W LC B u i l d i n g , D i o s d a d o M a c a p a g a l G ove r n m e n t C e n t e r, B r g y.

M a i m p i s , C i t y o f S a n Fe r n a n d o, P a m p a n g a a n d D O L E B u l a c a n P r ov i n c i a l O f f i c e a n d /o r v a r i o u s m u n i c i p a l i t i e s o f B u l a c a n a n d Pampanga.

Description of eligible bidder is contained in the B i d d i n g D o c u m e n t s a s p r ov i d e d f o r i n S e c t i o n I I – I n s t r u c t i o n s t o Bidders.

3 . B i d d i n g w i l l b e c o n d u c t e d t h r o u g h o p e n c o m p e t i t i ve b i d d i n g p r o c e d u r e s a s p r ov i d e d f o r i n t h e I m p l e m e n t i n g R u l e s a n d R e g u l a t i o n s o f R e p u b l i c A c t 918 4 , o t h e r w i s e k n o w n a s t h e “ G ove r n m e n t P r o c u r e m e n t R e f o r m A c t ”.

4 . I n t e r e s t e d b i d d e r s m ay o b t a i n f u r t h e r i n f o r m a t i o n f r o m D O L E - R O I I I as to the specifications of requested items to be procured through M r. R e n a t o P a c h e c o, S u p p l y O f f i c e r I I I a t ( M o b i l e N o. 0 9 0 6 5 0 0 6118 .

C o m p l e t e s e t o f B i d d i n g D o c u m e n t s m ay b e p u r c h a s e d f r o m D O L E R O I I I f r o m M a r c h 11, 2 016 t o M a r c h 16 , 2 016 a n d u p o n p ay m e n t o f non-refundable fee of Php 8,459.0 0.

B i d d i n g d o c u m e n t s m ay a l s o b e d o w n l o a d e d f r e e o f c h a r g e f r o m t h e o f f i c i a l w e b s i t e o f t h e P h i l i p p i n e G ove r n m e n t E l e c t r o n i c p r o c u r e m e n t S y s t e m ( P h i l G E P S) a n d t h e w e b s i t e o f t h e P r o c u r i n g E n t i t y, p r ov i d e d t h a t B i d d e r s s h a l l p ay t h e n o n - r e f u n d a b l e f e e f o r Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids.

5 . T h e D O L E - R O I I I w i l l h o l d a P r e - B i d C o n f e r e n c e o n M a r c h 16 , 2 016 , 2 p. m . a t t h e D O L E R O I I I M i n i - C o n f e r e n c e R o o m w h i c h s h a l l b e o p e n o n l y t o a l l i n t e r e s t e d p a r t i e s w h o h ave p u r c h a s e d t h e B i d d i n g Documents.

6 . B i d s m u s t b e d e l i ve r e d t o D O L E - R O I I I o n o r b e f o r e M a r c h 2 8 , 2 016 , 2 p. m . A l l B i d s m u s t b e a c c o m p a n i e d a b i d s e c u r i t y i n a ny o f t h e a c c e p t a b l e f o r m s a n d i n t h e a m o u n t s a t e d i n t h e I T B C l a u s e 18 .

Late bids shall not be accepted.

B i d o p e n i n g s h a l l b e o n M a r c h 2 8 , 2 016 , 2 p. m . a t t h e D O L E - R O I I I Mini- Conference Room. Bids shall be opened in the presence o f t h e B i d d e r s a n d /o r t h e i r d u l y a u t h o r i z e d r e p r e s e n t a t i ve s d u l y c ove r e d by a n o t a r i z e d L e t t e r o f A u t h o r i t y.

7.

T h e D O L E - R O I I I r e s e r ve s t h e r i g h t t o a c c e p t o r r e j e c t a ny b i d , t o a n n u l t h e b i d d i n g p r o c e s s a n d t o r e j e c t a l l b i d s a t a ny t i m e p r i o r t o c o n t r a c t a w a r d w i t h o u t t h e r e by i n c u r r i n g a ny l i a b i l i t y t o t h e af fected bidder or bidders.

8 . Fo r f u r t h e r i n f o r m a t i o n a n d c l a r i f i c a t i o n s , p l e a s e r e f e r t o: M r. R E N ATO S . PAC H EC O Supplier Of ficer III D e p a r t m e n t o f L a b o r a n d E m p l oy m e n t - R e g i o n a l O f f i c e N o. I I I D i o s d a d o M a c a p a g a l G ove r n m e n t C e n t e r B r g y. M a i m p i s , C i t y o f S a n Fe r n a n d o, P a m p a n g a Te l . N o. (0 4 5) - 4 5 5 -1614 Fa x N o. (0 4 5) - 4 5 5 -1613 E m a i l a d d r e s s: d o l e r o 3 @ g m a i l .c o m (S g d .) G E R A L D I N E M . PA N L I L I O Chairman Bids and Awards Committee ( T S - M A R . 14 , 2 016)

M O N D AY : M A R C H 14 , 2 0 1 6

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CesAR bARRiOquiNtO EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

world

In attendance. Actors Niecy Nash, Keke Palmer, Abigail Breslin and Billie Lourd attend The Paley Center For Media’s 33rd Annual PALEYFEST Los Angeles “Scream Queens” at the Dolby Theater on March 12, 2016, in Hollywood, California. AFP

Challenged by failing economy Malaysia Airlines sued over missing MH370 SYDNEY—The family of MH370 passenger New Zealander Paul Weeks is suing Malaysia Airlines in an Australian court for the “sudden shock” and “mental harm” they suffered after the plane vanished, a report said Sunday.

Weeks, who was based in the West Australian city of Perth, was one of 239 people on board the Boeing 777 Kuala LumpurBeijing flight when it disappeared on March 8, 2014.

Next-of-kin had started to file lawsuits over the jet’s disappearance as a two-year deadline approached last week, with some hopeful the court scrutiny could shed light on what happened to the ill-fated flight.

Under international agreements, families have up to two

years to sue over air accidents.

Weeks’ wife, mother, brother and sister were separately suing the flag carrier in the Supreme Court of Western Australia, according to Perth’s The Sunday Times, citing five writs lodged on March 4.

They were seeking compensation for “personal injury, loss and damage” suffered as a result of “sudden shock” and “mental harm” after the disappearance, the Times said.

“The cause of the plaintiff ’s pain, injury, loss and damage was negligence of the defendant,” the newspaper cited the writs as saying.

A fifth writ was filed on behalf of Weeks’ two children, the report added, without disclosing the amount of damages sought. AFP

ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan—Pensioner Anna Kovalyova, 63, would struggle to make ends meet on her pension worth $250 if it was not for the subsidies from the authorities in Turkmenistan that make water, gas and electricity almost free.

“In 25 years of independence our country has proven that it does not cast its citizens adrift,” Kovalyova, a former employee of the government, told AFP. “This is a state that looks after its people.”

For years the government of isolated Turkmenistan was happy to claim credit for the country’s double-digit economic growth as its vast gas reserves fueled rising living standards and a construction boom.

But now authorities here—as in other authoritarian nations across ex-Soviet Central Asia—are facing an unexpected legitimacy test as falling oil prices and Russia’s recession shake the economy.

“Almost all sectors in the regional economy in Central Asia are suf-

fering either directly or indirectly from the impact of depressed oil prices,” said Kate Mallinson, a partner at the London-based GPW consultancy.

The currency devaluations triggered by the hydrocarbon crash “have resulted in rapid inflation and diminished real incomes, meaning lower purchasing power for citizens,” Mallinson told AFP. Last year Turkmenistan’s currency—the manat—lost about one fifth of its value against the dollar and economic jitters have pushed President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov to sack several government ministers and oversee the introduction of draconian foreign exchange controls.

Now, as the authorities face up

to a tougher economic climate and low energy prices, some advisers have called for an end to the vital subsidies that citizens like Kovalyova so treasure.

One member of a symbolic progovernment council last September called to cut the support, arguing “citizens’ incomes have increased” since they were first introduced under Berdymukhamedov’s eccentric predecessor Saparmurat Niyazov in 1993.

All-powerful Berdymukhamedov complained the country was “wasting” its natural resource wealth With economies reeling from the impact of oil prices less than a third of their value two years ago, many of the region’s states have resorted to more repression in order to consolidate control.

In Tajikistan, where half of working-age males work in Russia, the government is trying members of a banned opposition party on extremism charges as a personality cult takes shape around 63-year-old President Emomali Rahmon. AFP

Merkel in for drubbing by populists BERLIN—Chancellor Angela Merkel’s party braced for a backlash at key state polls Sunday over the German leader’s liberal refugee policy, while the right-wing populist AfD prepared to scoop up the protest vote from angry voters.

More than 12 million voters headed to the ballot box to elect three new regional parliaments for the southwestern states of Baden-Wuerttemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate, as well as eastern Saxony-Anhalt in the so-called Super Sunday polls.

The elections are the biggest since a record influx of refugees to Germany, and are largely regarded

as a referendum on Merkel’s decision to open the country’s doors to people fleeing war.

“These elections are very important... as they will serve as a litmus test for the government’s disputed policy” on refugees, Duesseldorf University political scientist Jens Walther told AFP ahead of the polls.

Surveys in the run-up to the vote show that support for Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its junior coalition partner Social Democratic Party dropping while the populist Alternative for Germany was steadily gaining momentum and

expected to record a surge in backing in all three states.

The CDU was bracing for one of its poorest showings in years, particularly in its traditional stronghold of Baden-Wuerttemberg, with a poll published late Thursday by ZDF public television showing support plummeting by 10 percentage points to 29 percent—putting it for the first time behind the Greens— while the AfD snatched 11 percent.

Guido Wolf, the CDU’s leading candidate in the southwest, has described Sunday’s as the “most difficult election campaign” the party has had to run. AFP

Award. Honoree Sara Gilbert (R) accepts her award from TV

personality Sharon Osbourne during the Family Equality Council Impact Awards on March 12, 2016, in Beverly Hills, California. AFP

m onday : m arch 14, 2016

TaTUm anchETa EDITOR

BInG ParEL

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

BErnadETTE LUnaS WRITER

life @ thestandard.com.ph

@LIFEatStandard

E aT, drInK , T r aV EL

LIFE

chef hidemasa yamamoto

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US Black angus Beef with In-season Vegetables

EpIC DInIng AT HIDE YAmAmOTO VISA bRIngS bACk SuCCESSful DInIng pROgRAm WITH 30 nEW pARTnERS bY bIng pAREl

G

ood life… good times… good food… These things can make any person happy, and Filipinos are certainly no exception especially when it comes to good food. Sitting down before a table laden with delicious, mouthwatering fare in a classy resto is enough to put one in a good mood, and this is certainly what Filipinos can enjoy once again with the return of Visa’s highly successful Epic Dining by Visa Program.

This time, Visa is partnering with 30 new merchant partners with more exclusive privileges and discounts for Visa cardholders at selected bars and restaurants in Metro Manila. Plus, this good news has now reached Cebu where the program is being extended albeit with a very select number of partners initially. (And who knows, this epic dining program by Visa could even reach other cities like Baguio or Bacolod in the future.)

At the recent launch of the program held in one of the merchant partners of Visa – the Hide Yamamoto restaurant over at the City of Dreams – star chef Hidemasa “Hide” Yamamoto (yup, the resto is eponymously named) showcased his culinary skills to the delight of the guests. The charming chef – who studied under the late well renowned French chef Roger Vergé who is acknowledged as a pioneer of the nouvelle cuisine movement in France during the 1960s – turned the restaurant’s open kitchen area into his “stage” as he showed guests how to prepare Young Whole Chicken Stuffed with Truffle Rice – just one among the plethora of delightful dishes that we enjoyed during the launch.

Asked if he had any signature dish, Chef Hide says he does not really have any signature dish because it would mean he is limiting himself to such. In the case of the stuffed truffle chicken, it just so happened that it became so popular with patrons that it became identified as Hide Yamamoto’s “signature dish,” he explained – and we can certainly

understand why after having sampled the truffle chicken – shamelessly going back for another helping.

The launch event and the chef ’s cooking demo was livened up by host Bianca Valerio’s witty asides and adlibs, inviting guests to post their photos on social media using the hashtag #EpicDiningByVisa. Chef Hide was later on joined by Visa country manager for the Philippines and Guam Stuart Tomlinson for a toast to celebrate the epic partnership between the restaurant and Visa.

“We decided to take this year’s program up a notch higher so our cardholders can enjoy more exciting, exclusive and quality dining experiences,” Tomlinson said, adding that the success of the programs they ran in previous years served as a great encouragement.

Visa cardholders are definitely in for a treat with the signature VIP treatment waiting for them by simply presenting their cards. Perks include as much as 30 percent discounts on meals and bottle purchases, as well as free entrance to select exclusive bars.

Interestingly, the eight-month program offers gastronomic delights in four stages with rotating establishments to refresh the taste buds, with the Hide Yamamoto restaurant just one of the dining outlets and bars where cardholders can enjoy good times with a vast array of epic dining options.

Whether it’s a romantic date, a family celebration, a night out with colleagues to unwind from the toxic pace in the workplace or a special reunion with friends, there is something special waiting for you in any of the 30 partner establishments of Visa in the Metro or in select establishments in Cebu.

Especially designed to suit the lifestyle needs of its mobile and dynamic clients, Epic Dining by Visa allows cardholders to experience the best gastronomic delights through a carefully crafted and curated list of the biggest names in the dining industry. For a full list of offers under the Visa Epic Dining Program, you may visit www.visa.com.ph.

young Whole chicken Stuffed with Truffle rice

Event host Bianca Valerio, chef hide yamamoto and Visa country manager for Philippines and Guam Stuart Tomlinson share a toast

hide yamamoto is just one of the partner establishments for the Epic dining by Visa program

The open kitchen becomes a stage as chef hide yamamoto demonstrates his legendary culinary skills

m onday : m arch 14, 2016

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com.ph

@LIFEatStandard

asiana airlines offers passengers flying from the Philippines to the US an opportunity to explore korea’s Incheon International airport (Icn) and the rest of South korea through its special transit tour packages

T

Flying to the US? Drop by in Korea FirSt!

edious transfers and boring layovers are two of the worst enemies of weary travelers flying across the globe. But while some look at these as a waste of time, many are now realizing the potential of stopovers as a way to explore a country in an abbreviated version.

Asiana Airlines offers passengers flying from the Philippines to the US an opportunity to explore Korea’s Incheon International Airport (ICN) and the rest of South Korea through its special transit tour packages.

Incheon Airport and Korea’s national carrier Asiana Airlines have partnered to unveil the “Stop & Joy in Seoul” premium transit tour that includes roundtrip airport limousine bus service, overnight stay at Tmark Hotel and a free pass to the airport’s Matina Lounge, all for $50 per person.

Travelers availing of the package also get a KRW10,000 gift card for SM airport duty free shopping, 10 percent off coupon meals at CJ Foodville at ICN and an additional 1,000 mileage bonus for Asiana Club members.

South Korea’s major gateway has been rated among the world’s best airports for 11 consecutive years by Airports Council International. It is renowned for its transfer services and amenities, and opportunities

to learn more about Korea are offered within the airport as well.

Passengers who have short layover can experience Korean culture and watch various traditional performances via free ICN transit tour options scheduled for one hour, two hours, three hours, all the way to five hours. ICN hosts 7,400 cultural events annually across the terminal building, including classical concerts, K-Pop music events and historical performances like the Walk of the Korean Royal Family.

Those who have longer layover can pick from the eight different tour options included in the transit package, for a minimal additional cost.

The Gyeongbokgung Palace morning tour offers a peek at Korean history while the Namsan Tower afternoon tour brings an amazing view of Seoul from the famous tower. A one-day pass on the double-decker bus that goes around the traditional markets of Seoul, with designated pick up and drop off points every 30 minutes to one hour, is also available. Travelers can choose to watch the world-famous Nanta show, a nonverbal performance of drumming beats and rhythms with pots, pans and plates.

They may also opt for a tour to COEX Aquarium, a mega ocean theme park; the

From left: yong han cho, asiana airlines regional manager; Seong-kag hong, chief executive officer, president and director of asiana airlines; Jung min Lee, coo of in-corporate Fund at Incheon International airport corporation; and king hye hyun, senior manager of airline marketing at Incheon International airport corporation

Trick Eye Museum, where pictures for 3D optical illusions can be taken; Dragon Hill Spa, for rest and relaxation; or Lotte World, a huge indoor adventure and theme park.

“From Manila, Clark and Cebu, Asiana Airlines flies to cities in 24 countries. We offer flights to six cities in the US and five cities in Europe. This makes Asiana one of the most competitive providers of convenient routing services for travelers in the Philippines to the US,” said Asiana Airlines regional manager Yong Han Cho. In addition, through the check-in service

for Asiana passengers, flyers are ensured that their baggage is checked in to reach their final destination if the connecting flight is within 24 hours. There is no need to change terminals or re-check bags.

Asiana Airlines, consistently rated five-stars

by Skytrax, operates daily from Incheon International Airport. US destinations include Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, New York, Chicago and Honolulu. In Europe, the airline flies to Rome, Paris, Istanbul, Frankfurt and London. -Charmaine Loveria

EaT a hEaLThy brEkkIE

GV michel’s rolled oats has slightly thicker flakes to keep anyone satiated and burn energy longer for a day’s work

They say “eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper” – that is, if you want to jumpstart your day right and be on a healthy diet habit. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day as you need it to recharge your body for a whole day’s toil. After sleeping for hours, your body needs to refuel within the two hours that you wake after an overnight fast, hence it is called “break fast.” Without brekkie in

the morning, it’s like starting an engine without gasoline.

“Breakfast restores glucose levels needed for the brain to function. It has a significant effect on cognitive function during the day. Studies have shown that children who eat breakfast perform at a higher level in school and are more physically active than those who skip breakfast,” says Aida Mallilin, senior Science Research Specialist from the Nutrient Availability Section of the Nutrition Science and Technology Division, Food and Nutrition Research Institute under the Department of Science and Technology.

Aside from making breakfast a daily habit, it is also important that breakfast is a healthy one. A Filipino staple breakfast usually consists of rice, egg, and fried meat or fish which people know as “‘silog.”

Though a good source of energy, fried food is not really healthy, which is why healthy eaters usually resort to oatmeal for morning meals. Oats are almost always synonymous to healthy diet and losing weight. Oats are very high in fiber and provide numerous

benefits such as reducing high low-density lipoprotein or LDL, also known as “bad” cholesterol. Oats also help control blood sugar levels and are believed to be good against heart disease.

“Filipinos are generally rice eaters,” Mallilin explains. “Making them shift to oatmeal requires behavior change plus an intensive, sustained and prolonged advocacy program. Oatmeal’s affordability is also a concern. And if oatmeal is incorporated in another product like an energy bar, the benefits may not be the same since it now becomes just one of the ingredients compared to taking oatmeal as is.”

While there are so many available oat brands in the market, GV Michael Oatmeal of Australia is one of the brands that aims to promote the consumption of oats for a healthy breakfast. The brand entered the Philippine market armed with various oatmeal products that can be used in any oatmeal recipes so that Filipinos can easily adapt it in their regular breakfast diets.

Unlike traditional oatmeal, GV Michel’s Rolled Oats has slightly thicker

flakes to keep anyone satiated and burn energy longer for a day’s work. The brand is GMO-and chemical-free to protect consumers against any possible negative effects of chemicals and pesticides that can result from long-term consumption.

It comes in different variants and there’s almost a variety for each personal need.

Oats are available in GV Michel Oatmeal of Australia Quick Cooking Oats (200g/400g/800g) and GV Michel Oatmeal of Australia Instant Oats (200g/400g/800g ), both made with 100 percent natural whole-grain oats so they cook much faster than rolled oats and makes preparing an oatmeal breakfast an easier task to do. There are also the GV Michel Oatmeal of Australia single-serve instant (35g) and the GV Michel Oatmeal of Australia single-serve chocolate (35g) sachets best for busy you on the go.

In the Philippines, GV Michel Oatmeal of Australia is distributed by Dong-A Pharma Phils., Inc., distributor of Bacchus energy drink and Queen Bakery products. The brand is available in major supermarkets and groceries nationwide.

m onday : m arch 14, 2016

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com.ph

@LIFEatStandard

China and Beyond

The Imperial Palace in The Forbidden city

merCury rising

I

By BoB zozoBrado

remember when I was still in high school and was starting to develop an interest in international relations, I was curious why China was often referred to as “The Sleeping Giant.” A little research revealed that the tag came from Napoleon who said, “The giant sleeps, and let it, for should it wake, the world will shake.”

When Napoleon said that, he knew that the size, the population and the wealth of China could easily rank the country as a world power but, at that time, its government did not do much to grow bigger. China did not exert effort to expand, nor engage in foreign trade, nor in anything else that would establish its clout as a super power… at the time.

Fast forward to today, we now see the opposite, and much has been said about how China is asserting its presence in the West Philippine Sea. Looking back at what Napoleon earlier said, are we beginning to feel some shaking now that China has “awakened?” I’m not going to elaborate on that because foreign policy is not tackled in this column. Instead, I prefer to talk about the many attractive tourist destinations that that country has to offer, focusing on the most popular three.

First on the list is one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World, the Great Wall of China. It is a series of fortifications made of stone, brick, wood, and other materials, built east-to-west across the country’s northern borders to protect it from nomadic groups from Mongolia. It stretches 21,196 kilometers, making it the longest man-made structure in the world.

In fact, it is the only man-made structure than can be seen from the moon.

Another tourist magnet in China is The Forbidden City, the Chinese imperial palace constructed during the Ming dynasty, located in the center of Beijing.

It was the home of emperors, as well as the ceremonial and political center of the Chinese government for almost 500 years.

The complex consists of 980 buildings, spread over an area of 72 hectares. It was declared a World Heritage Site in 1987, and is listed by UNESCO as the largest collection of preserved ancient wooden structures in the world. It now houses the Palace Museum. But why is it called The

Forbidden City? Well, nothing much to it. When it was still the residence of the emperor, no one could enter or leave the palace without his permission.

Completing the top three attractions in the country is the Terracotta Army, a collection of terracotta sculptures depicting the armies of Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China. Buried with him were more than 8,000 figures of soldiers with varying heights, the tallest being the generals, together with 130 chariots attached to 520 horses. This impressive collection was discovered in 1974 by local farmers in Shaanxi province.

There are many other things fascinating about China. Aside from its beautiful tourist attractions, we have also become very familiar with its customs and traditions, because a good chunk of our society can easily trace its roots to this “big neighbor.” And, more than anything else, we love Chinese food. It is always a part of whatever celebration we have through the years.

Not too long ago, the Events Management class of Section H-327 of Lyceum of the Philippines University’s (LPU) College of International Tourism and Hospitality Management under Prof. Rovena Dellova staged a Chinese Exhibit in the school premises to coincide with the celebration of Chinese New Year.

The event started with a thunderous Lion Dance, which always opens any grand Chinese festivity, followed by the ceremonial cutting of the ribbon, officiated

by Prof. Dellova and Sandra Recto, director of the university’s Communication and Public Affairs Department (CPAD).

It was a very colorful affair, with exhibits showcasing the pomp and pageantry of Chinese civilization. It also showed how Chinese culture has practically merged with Filipino culture, including the nuances of the traditions of each in relation to the other. Of course, what would a Chinese exhibit be without food? So there was a wide array of delicious specialties, the most common of which was the sweet tticky rice cake, known in Chinese as nian gao, and in Filipino as tikoy.

Everybody enjoyed going through the entire length of the exhibit hall, which was fully decorated with shimmering Chinese charms and various attractive costumes indigenous to the different provinces of the country. It was interesting to see guests going over the many interesting facts about China while chomping on delicious Chinese treats of the “calorific” kind.

So, what will China be to us in the future? Friend or foe? It all depends on what other activities it will embark on in the West Philippine Sea. Personally, I don’t

The Great Wall of china From left: Tiffany Tan, yvonne ciriaco, Prof. rovena dellova, annie Bee Sy yap of a-Plus, Grace Batocabe of outbound internships, director Sandra recto of LPU’s cPad, and Griffin cruz

The Terracotta army unearthed in Shaanxi Province

think it will bully us any more than what it already is doing, so there’s no need for us to lose sleep over the “what ifs,” the “whys” and the “wherefores.” For as long as lauriats and Peking duck continue to

be offered in our restaurants, why worry about China and beyond?

For feedback, I’m at bobzozobrado@gmail.com.

yoUr Monday ChUCKLe: Q: how do you save a dying woman? a: Tell her about a 90 percent sale going on somewhere.

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com.ph

@LIFEatStandard

The design of the place transports the guests into the lively feel of markets in Japan, with everything made of wood and the stations are near each other

ICHIBA: JApAnese MArket A new ConCept ArrIves In tHe pHIlIppInes pHotos By stAr sABroso

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he newest Japanese seafood market-to-table concept just arrived in the Philippines and it is looking promising. Since it opened its doors last February, people have been curious at the new concept restaurant in Resorts World Manila.

Ichiba: Japanese Market “started as a dream to have something unique in Manila. We want to create illusions of different types of market in Japan. We get inspirations from Osaka where you have Kuromon market, in Tokyo we have Tsukiji market, plus the other markets in Japan. So, we put it in one place,” Bryan Tiu, president and CEO of ifoods Group Incorporated and creator of Ichiba, explained.

The restaurant boasts of an all-inone yakitori, takoyaki, ramen, donburi mini grocery where you can find all your favorite Japanese treats and goodies, and a unique fresh station where you can choose from their aquariums or catch live fish from the pond like red tilapias or lapu-lapu, and have them grilled fresh. The fun interactive aquarium pond station is something kids and families would enjoy. The aquariums have the capacity of sustaining up to 600 kg of live seafood and guests can have a variety of lobsters, different shells like elephant shells, white shells, nylon shells, crabs and different fish varieties.

“I think the challenge for us is also bringing live air flown items from Japan. We have about 60 percent of produce that we get from Japan; (while) 40 percent support local fishermen.

Produce from the Philippines are our tiger lobsters, sleeper lobsters, and clams. The oysters we fly it in from Japan because the Japanese don’t want to risk contamination,” says Tiu. The sashimi station makes you salivate as you watch them create a spectacle of sashimi bouquet with fresh tuna, salmon, oysters, shrimps, and fresh uni. “We have two Japanese guys with us, one is Chef Onishi; he is strong in sushi seafood side. He has been with us for almost two years, helping me

out with my other Japanese projects like Wafu in Greenhills, and we have a Japanese grocery as well,” shares Tiu. “We have another guy, he studied aquaculture and fisheries in Japan. He is the one who is making sure that the live section is properly maintained,” he adds.

“We have a lot of comfort food.

We started with the ones Filipinos are familiar with – yakitori, takoyaki, ramen, donburi, and the fresh stations,” explains Tiu. “We also have the first Asahi bar in the Philippines.” A lovely way to down your crispy tempuras and grilled yakitori is with an ice cold Japanese beer.

The design of the place transports the guests into the lively feel of markets in Japan, with everything made of wood and the stations are near each other, creating the illusion of a busy market with traditional and modern Hiragana, Katakana and Kanji murals decorating the walls.

Meat lovers are not to be shunned as Ichiba also offers slices of tender meat from the yakitori section where one may order bite-sized beef yakitoris, flavorful sukiyakis, juicy gyozas, and a wide range of high-grade steaks and meats like Wagyu or Angus beef.

The place is a lively venue to share good authentic Japanese food with your friends and family, and is also a perfect place for you to hold corporate gatherings as it has three function rooms at the back, perfect for meetings and small group gatherings.

“We wanted something that will touch our people, something that will touch the locals, and something that can be part of your life. We wanted to be first,” says Tiu. “I’ve been going back and forth in Japan; it is an honor that even the Japanese Embassy knows that we’re here. There’s more to come; I think I’ve opened doors for them,” he concludes.

Ichiba: Japanese Market is located at the second Floor of the Newport Mall in Resorts World Manila.

Fresh sashimi platter - fish, oysters, shrimps, lobsters, and fresh uni

Watch the cooks prepare newly cooked takoyaki by the bar

The aquariums have the capacity of sustaining up to 600 kg of live seafood and guests can have a variety of lobsters, different shells like elephant shells, white shells, nylon shells, crabs and different fish varieties

Bryan Tiu, president and cEo of ifoods Group Incorporated and creator of Ichiba

Ichiba offers slices of tender meat from the yakitori section

M ONDAY : M A RCH 14, 2016

SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

Mike Tan as Ivan Meneses and Andrea Torres as Lousia Ignacio

SHOWBITZ

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

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Andrea Torres and Robert Arevalo

NEW KIND OF ADULT DRAMA ISAH V. RED

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oday, the story of The Millionaire’s Wife unfolds on GMA Afternoon Prime.

It is a story about one woman’s crucial decision to settle in a marriage of convenience with an older man, and its subsequent consequences involving her step-daughter, her step-daughter’s children, her lovechild and her lovechild’s father.

Andrea Torres is The Millionaire’s Wife. She will breathe life to the character of Louisa Ignacio, a hardworking single mother who lives for her son. Louisa will do everything for her son; even marry a rich old man. She vows to take care, to serve and to be a loyal and dutiful wife to him in exchange of all the help he is giving her son who has juvenile diabetes.

Portraying the character of Louisa is Andrea’s most mature role to date and she is very excited to take on the role. “It’s the most mature role that I’ve done pati ‘yun story, it’s very different. Kaya nga sobrang laking bagay sa akin na nakuha ko ito kasi nung nabasa ko ang script, ang story parang hindi ko pa siya napapanood sa TV tapos ako yung napili para gawin siya, nakakaexcite talaga.”

Mike Tan is Ivan Meneses. He is willing to do everything for his loved ones especially Louisa. They both have loved each other until an illegal job caused Ivan to go to jail not knowing he got Louisa pregnant.

All the while, Louisa thought that Ivan had abandoned her. Eventually, he finds out that he has a son with Louisa and will do anything to win her and their son back.

For Mike, playing the role of Ivan is far from the characters he portrayed in the past and this is one of the things viewers should watch out for. “Ang kailangan nilang abangan kung papaano tatatak si Ivan sa mga manunood. Kung papaano niya ipaglalaban ang pagmamahal niya kay Louisa at doon sa anak nila.”

Louisa, a devoted mother that she is, started raising her child alone and worked as a nurse at a hospital until she was hired to be a private nurse of Alfredo ‘Fred’ Vergara played by Robert Arevalo, after he went into a stroke.

Fred is a widower and one of the richest businessmen in the country who owns the biggest food manufacturing company, Nourish Food Corp.

Fred, being the longing individual that he was, found compassion in Louisa and offered her marriage for companionship against his family’s approval.

Jaclyn Jose is Stella Vergara-Montecillo, Alfredo’s spoiled unica hija. Stella knows how to spend her money but she doesn’t know how to earn it.

Sid Lucero is Jared Montecillo, Stella’s son. He is an underachiever and his life is all about gambling, alcohol and women.

Ina Raymundo is Allison Montecillo, Stella’s only daughter who runs her grandfather’s company. She is business savvy and her goal is always to be on top.

Louisa’s constant support is Rio Samson played by Rich Asuncion. She is Louisa’s best friend and confidante.

Find out how Louisa will live her life as the millionaire’s wife. Will she be able to fulfill her vows to Fred? Will the plans of Stella, Jared and Allison in ruining Louisa’s life be successful? How far will Ivan go to win back Louisa?

The Millionaire’s Wife is under the direction of Albert Langitan.

**** Heart Evangelista ready to make people happy. She started workin on Juan Happy Love Story last week. This is the latest drama to hit the Kapuso screens. She stars with Dennis Trillo.

Heart plays Happy, a family-oriented individual, but also a very romantic girl who is very choosy when it comes to boys.

Heart says this is the first time she is playing that kind of character and she is grateful to GMA Network for giving her the opportunity to essay the role.

“First day taping of my #juanhappylovestory ! I think this will be my favorite soap! Super excited ako na mapanood niyo!,” the actress poste on her Instagram account.

Heart Evangelista and Dennis Trillo reunite in “Juan Happy Love Story.” They were together previously in “Dwarfina”

Juan Happy Love Story director LA with Erika Padilla, Lotlot de Leon and Heart Evangelista

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m onDAy : m A RcH 14, 2016

SHOWBITZ

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

isahred @ gmail.com

TOm RODRIGuEz as sEnaTOR In OFw-ThEmED pROJEcT

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fter appearing as the male lead in GMA’s successful reboot of Marimar, Tom Rodriguez is currently busy shooting for the indie project Magtanggol by Sigfried Barros Sanchez.

“That’s right!” he says. “I’m very happy and proud to be part of a very competent cast that includes Ms. Dina Bonnevie, Mr. Ricky Davao, Mr. Joonee Gamboa, Ejay Falcon, Albie Casino and Denise Laurel.

This is the initial presentation of Felix and Bert Film Productions. I really hope it performs well at the tills when it gets shown on April 27 so that our producers would be encouraged to make another one.”

His new screen offering tackles a timely issue.

“Actually, it’s about the sad plight of our Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs). The film poses a challenge to the viewers not only to be aware of the pressing issues concerning our fellow Filipinos working abroad but more importantly, con-

shTIcks JOsEph pETER GOnzalEs

tribute something in their own little way to alleviate the pitiful situation of many OFW’s. Our offering has really something deep to say about this critical scenario.”

For the first time, the be-dimpled actor is playing a politician on screen.

“Yes! My role here is that of a senator. He has a big a shoe to fill in since his dad (Gamboa) is also a senator during his prime. I’m being groomed here to become the country’s next president. It’s something new for me.

“Breathing life to the character made me realize how hard it is to become a public servant. You have lots of constituents to take care of. I

just couldn’t imagine the pressures they face every single day. It’s really an eye-opener. I’m simply happy to be part of this ensemble. This is my first action-thriller indie project so I’m excited what its turnout will be.”

Considering the weight of his role, is he expecting to win an award for his portrayal here?

“As I always say, any role I’m assigned, I always give it my best shot.

I always find challenge in it. For me, there are no small roles. When it comes to awards, honestly, I’m not that concerned if I’ll bag one or not. I’m here primarily to work and not to compete. I want to have fun while doing my job so I don’t want to be under pressure when it comes to awards,” explains Tom. How does he feel doing an indie project?

“All I can say is that it’s refreshing. In an indie, you can really explore and go out-of-the-box, so to speak. It’s liberating, unlike in soap operas when you really have to portray your character in such a way

that it would be endearing to the viewers. It’s simply predictable. In indies, you can play with your role.”

Speaking of roles, what does he dream of portraying in the coming days if given the chance?

“Honestly, I’d like to try action.

Yes, I like the action genre. I hope I’ll be given the opportunity to do it in the future. Of course, I’m ready to get de-glamourized if the scene call for it.”

Among his fellow actors, the handsome Kapuso points to one familiar name as one who has his admiration and respect.

“Dennis (Trillo) is such a very good performer. You can feel his intensity in every scene he’s present.

I’m hats-off to him,” ends Tom. ******** Andrea Torres reveals that she has an intimate love scene

with Mike Tan in their new soap over at GMA titled The Millionaire’s Wife.

“Yes! And funny, I was the one on top. Ha-ha-ha! But it’s not being aggressive. The script calls for it because we must project on screen that we are madly I love with each other. One more thing, the scene was done in good taste. It was artistically shot,” she avers.

It’s also the first time that she will breathe life to a mother in the story.

“A young mother! In fact, there’s a scene where I will breastfeed my baby. It’s kind of mature actually, but I’m ready for it!”

It’s good she accepted the part.

“Why not? The story is great.

My role is challenging. I don’t see any reason why I won’t accept it!”

Andrea states.

The cast of BBQ Pit Wars

Get your grill on with DmAX

“The millionaire’s Wife” lead star Andrea Torres (left) reveals that she has an intimate scene with co-star mike Tan (right)

cROsswORD puzzlE

answer PreVIOUs PUZZLe

ACROSS 1 Kitchen gadget 6 “Fernando” band 10 Je ne sais — 14 St. Teresa’s town 15 Glacier’s break-off 16 Strike callers 17 Daydream 19 Son of Adam 20 Its cap. is Yellowknife 21 Type of varnish

22 23 24 26 29 30 31 32 35

Jacques, in song Lecherous look Jagged mountains Dwell Substantial Not flat Leap aside Ally opposite Heavy hydrogen discoverer 36 Quivery dessert 37 Catch the bus

38 Sweater sz.

39 Borneo’s archipelago 40 Atomic No. 5 41 Lowest ebb 42 Appetizer stick 43 Further off 46 Over with 47 Crawled out of bed 48 Get tough 50 Whirlpool locale 53 Baja fast food 54 Cosmetic buy 56 Job-safety org.

57 “Cool Hand —” 58 Dalai Lama’s land 59 Lowest high tide 60 “Has 1,001 —” 61 Hurry DOWN 1 Kind of broker 2 Declare frankly 3 Warden’s fear 4 Annex 5 — Ann doll 6 Man in a cast 7 Words from Scrooge 8 Thankfully 9 It’s south of Eur. 10 Prey 11 Earth tone 12 Wagner opus 13 Castaways’ refuges

MONDAY, MARCH 14, 2016

18 22 23 25 26 27 28 29 31 32 33 34 36 37 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 49 50 51 52 54 55

Helm position Throw a party for Scented flower Desdemona’s enemy Baba au — Blarney Stone site Husky’s vehicle Grinding tooth Super-thrilled Dragon’s breath Nose stimulus Counting-rhyme start Green mineral Starlet’s dream Jane, to Tarzan Not worthy of Emphatic refusal (2 wds.)

Big stack of firewood Play stoolie (2 wds.)

Get the lead out?

Coffee variety Sandy ridges Microwave Twins, e.g.

Limerick writer — up (pay in) Winter woe Pedro’s aunt

They may be some of the most successful BBQ competitors around, but every competition is a clean slate and an imposing challenge.

DMAX follows four noted BBQ teams as they compete in some of the most prestigious and

demanding BBQ competitions on the circuit to see what it’s really like when you’re in the thick of the battle. The all-new season of BBQ Pit Wars premiered on March 10 and airs 9:50 p.m. every Thursday.

m onDAy : m A RcH 14, 2016

SHOWBITZ

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

isahred @ gmail.com

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Zsa Zsa Padilla

Angeline Quinto performs the series’ theme song

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The Story of Us lead stars Xian Lim and Kim chiu with the other members of the cast

‘ThE STORy Of US’ nOw mOST TalkED SERIES On pRImETImE

he love story of Tin and Macoy has just begun in The Story Of Us, but the series has already generated overwhelmingly positive feedback from viewers and netizens for its engaging storyline and spectacular scenes.

The series – starring the premier love team of Kim Chiu and Xian Lim – is mostly praised for its fast-paced narrative set against the breathtaking El Nido, Palawan.

“Feels like watching a movie sa The Story Of Us. Superb cinematography, and it’s also in HD,” commented a Twitter user.

Aside from the stunning scenery and camera-work, the thing that keeps the series together are the heartfelt performances of the cast, which includes actors Aiko Melendez, Susan Africa, Gardo Versoza,

and Zsa Zsa Padilla. Not to be outdone are Zaijian Jaranilla and Alyanna Angeles (young Macoy and Tin) whose performances reveal depth of emotion needed to illustrate the two main characters’ friendship and love.

Many netizens, including Twitter user @ DoYourBestNY88, also commended director Richard Somes by saying, “I cannot stop crying! Not because of sadness but because of extreme joy and gratitude that I am watching this remarkable show. My faith in Pinoy serye has been completely renewed by this show.”

But what truly made a mark on viewers are Kim at Xian who have injected maturity in their performances – a departure from the type of roles they used to play.

“We worked hard to come up with this material. We embraced our characters to show you a very wonderful love story.

You still have a lot to see from Kim and me,” said Xian.

And even though titled The Story Of Us, the series is a reflection of Filipinos’ personal love stories, according to Kim. “There is nobody who won’t be able to relate to this story. Every one of us has experienced it.”

As the story continues, Tin and Macoy are bound to start over in Manila as they prepare to go to college and reach their dreams. But amidst the misunderstandings and efforts to make their relationship work, Tin will be forced to go to the United States to be with her estranged mom.

How will Tin and Macoy confront the

chiz and Heart bonding time After a bout with asthma that compelled Senator Francis “Chiz” Esudero to have her wife, Heart Evangelista be confined in the hospital, the couple are once more enjoying moments together.

Last Sunday, Heart posted a photo on her Instagram account that shows she and Chiz are having a great time together.

The fans are happy to see the couple still very much in love with each other.

On Friday before the Sunday Heart posted that photo, she made a lot of her fans worrying when they saw a photo, also on Instagram of her with

a hospital bracelet. That was the photo when she was having her check up after an asthma attack.

Heart has been very busy in the last couple of months. She finished her paintings for her ArtSpace exhibition at the Ayala Museum called Oceans Apart, and before that she hand-painted gowns for the fashion show of designer friend Mark Bumgarner.

And now she is taping for a new drama series on GMA Network with actor Dennis Trillo.

Heart is also a wife and stepmother to Chiz’s twins Chesi and Quino. She

is also a politician’s wife whose husband is occupied with his campaign as vicepresidential candidate along with presidential aspirant Senator Grace Poe. While Chiz still leads in all poll surveys, Heart can’t just rest on the fact that her husband is the preferred candidate for the position he is running for. She also wants to help in the campaign if time allows her.

Last week, Heart went to Bacolod to campaign for her husband along with Chiz’s avid supporters. And prior to that, she was also in Davao and Cabanatuan cities.

A different touch to Philippine primetime For the first time on free TV, GMA Network offers a primetime block that caters to the growing number of Koreanovela fans all over the world.

Starting today, Heart of Asia Presents features different stories of love, character, family, and relationships that mirror the life struggles and triumphs of Filipino viewers.

Every week, Kapuso viewers will have something to look forward to, as the different genres of short features ranging from romance, self-discovery, com-

edy and even suspense will be at their anticipation. This pioneering brand of entertainment will surely hook the viewers because the brightest and most sought-after Korean actors will star in the features.

For its premiere, Bae Soon Bin plays the role of Jimmy in the romantic drama That Kind of Love. He is a convict without any remorse for his crimes. While serving time, he meets Eunice (Lee Yoon Ji), a volunteer at the correctional who helps the inmates cope with life in prison.

As Jimmy begins to feel comfortable in sharing his thoughts with Eunice, he receives an early parole after being diagnosed with a terminal illness. Setting foot outside the facility, he then looks for Eunice and pursues her but won’t tell her about his illness. Will Eunice return the affection that Jimmy has for her? Now that they are in a different setting, what will they discover about each other?

Don’t miss the premiere of Heart of Asia Presents tonight, after Because of You on GMA.

biggest challenge yet in their relationship?

Will the distance between them eventually make them give up on each other?

And to pay tribute to Filipino migrant workers who work hard to provide a better future for their families, ABS-CBN is set to launch a series of documentaries as part of its advocacy campaign. It will feature the different stories and colorful experiences of migrant Filipinos overseas and will be aired during “The Story Of Us beginning next week.

Stay tuned to The Story of Us weeknights after Dolce Amore on ABS-CBN Primetime Bida.

For exclusive updates, log onto Twitter. com/StarCreativesTV and Instagram.com/ StarCreativesTV.

SHE oncE DREAmED of bEcomIng An AcTRESS

Senator Grace Poe admitted that when she was growing up she also wished she’d be in show business, like her parents Da King or Fernando Poe, Jr. and Susan Roces.

Poe admitted this in Tuguegarao when she and vice presidential candidate Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero were campaigning in the northern Luzon city on Feb. 29.

But, Poe said she was afraid to be compared to her parents. “Siyempre, noong bata ako, gusto ko rin sanang mag-artista. Kaya lamang, habang tumatagal, sabi ko parang mahirap yatang makumpara sa kanila.Unanguna sa height na lang, napakalayo na. Tapos sa hitsura rin. Kaya nag-iba ako ng aking pinagtuunan ng pansin,” she said rather amused at her own anecdote.

Not very many can recall that Poe was a child actress.

She appeared in the Fernando Poe, Jr. movie Dugo ng Bayan with Charo Santos.

Grace says that even if she did not become part of show business, it has become her inspiration in her desire to help fellow Filipinos.

“Artista pa lamang si FPJ kung saan siya nagsyushooting ng mga pelikula hindi niya kinakalimutan ang mga tao roon sa komunidad. Mga magsasaka na kailangan ng irigasyon, mga eskwelahan na butas-butas ang bubong, binigyan niya ng tulong sa kanyang personal na kapasidad,” Grace said.