The Standard - 2016 April 2 - Saturday

VOL. XXX  NO. 49  3 Sections 32 Pages P18  SATURDAY : APRIL 2, 2016  www.thestandard.com.ph  editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Obama, Xi hold talks

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3 DEAD AS POLICE FIRE ON FARMERS

By John Paolo Bencito, Christine F. Herrera and Macon Ramos-Araneta

THREE farmers were killed and at least 53 others were injured when police seeking to break up a three-day protest along the Cotabato-Davao highway fired their M-16 rifles into the crowd. Sixty more farmers, who were demanding food aid amid a worsening drought, were missing.

In the aftermath of the bloody dispersal, protesters sought refuge at the nearby Spottswood Methodist Mission Center, fearing for their lives.

Kidapawan Mayor Joseph Evangelista said the leaders of the protest would be arrested the moment they stepped out of the center.

“They committed a crime; we should prosecute them. They cannot just go out of the Methodist center and walk scot-free. They have a responsibility to account for [what happened,]” he said.

The mayor added that police were also injured during the dis-

persal, some of them critically, and that not all of those at the barricades were farmers.

On Wednesday, some 6,000 farmers suffering from drought brought about by the El Niño phenomenon blocked a portion of the Cotabato-Davao highway to dramatize their misery and to prod the government to action. The protest in front of the National Food Authority warehouse stranded hundreds of vehicles and commuters on both sides of the 220-kilometer freeway connecting Cotabato and Davao.

The farmers and city officials blamed each other for the bloody incident.

Negotiations with North Cotabato Gov. Emmylou Mendoza failed after the governor refused to give into the farmers’ demand for 15,000 sacks of rice as food relief in the face of a drought.

Pedro Arnado, chairman of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) Cotabato chapter, said the governor was supposed to hold a second round of talks with the farmers Friday, but they received a call early Friday from someone who read a resolution telling them to leave the area and accusing them of economic sabotage for disrupting the flow of commerce.

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Hungry and battered. A farmer from Mindanao is helped after he was injured when the police broke up their protest at a highway in Kidapawan City on Friday aimed at seeking government assistance to ease the impact of a prevailing drought. KILAB MULTIMEDIA

Roxas has no Yolanda regrets

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Poe regains solo lead in March survey

By Sandy Araneta and Macon Ramos-Araneta SENATOR Grace Poe took the solo lead in the latest ABS-CBN Pre-Electoral National Survey, conducted among 4,000 registered voters by Pulse Asia Research Inc., from March 15 to 20.

With 28 percent saying they would vote for Poe, the neophyte senator pulled ahead of her rivals for the presidency,

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte (24 percent), Vice President Jejomar C. Binay (23 percent), former Interior and Local Government secretary Manuel A. Roxas II (19 percent), and Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago (2 percent).

Only four percent of registered voters were not inclined to support any of the presidential candidates.

Poe was the favored presidential candidate in the rest of Luzon (35 percent) while

Roxas has the led in the Visayas (37 percent).

Among Mindanaoans, the top choice for the post was Duterte (43 percent).

Poe and Duterte shared the lead in Metro Manila (31 percent and 30 percent, respectively), Class ABC (30 percent and 32 percent, respectively), and Class D (27 percent and 25 percent, respectively). Those in Class E were most supportive of Poe and Binay (30 percent and 28 percent, respectively). Next page

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Obama-Xi talks tackle sea dispute WASHINGTON—US President Barack Obama opened a meeting with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping with a promise of candid discussion over Beijing’s alleged military buildup in the South China Sea. “We will have candid exchanges about areas where we have differences, issues like human rights, cyber and maritime issues,” Obama said as he sat across the conference table from his Chinese counterpart.

US officials have expressed concern that China’s actions in the South China Sea are not consistent with Xi’s pledge at the White House last year not to pursue militarization of the hotly contested and strategically vital waterway.

China claims virtually all the South China Sea despite conflicting claims by Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam, Taiwan and the Philippines, and has built up artificial islands in the area in recent months, including some with airstrips.

“We do continue to be concerned about militarization in the South China Sea,”

said senior Obama foreign policy aide Ben Rhodes ahead of the meeting with Xi. “We certainly have seen developments, reports that are not consistent with commitments to avoid and to non-militarize the South China Sea.” “This will be certainly an important topic of conversation between the two presidents.”

Washington has since October carried out two high-profile “freedom of navigation” operations in which it sailed warships within 12 nautical miles of islets claimed by China.

Xi spoke of the need to avoid misunderstandings and big disruptions in the “major power relations” between the two countries.

But state-run news agency Xinhua cited

the Chinese leader as saying that “China will not accept any behavior under the disguise of freedom of navigation that violates its sovereignty and damages its security interests.”

On Thursday, Beijing’s defense ministry also warned the US Navy to “be careful” in the South China Sea and slammed a newly signed agreement between Washington and Manila.

Earlier this month, the Philippines agreed to give US forces access to five military bases, including some close to the disputed South China Sea, where tensions have risen over Beijing’s assertion of its territorial claims.

A defense ministry spokesman said strengthening military alliances was “a reflection of a Cold War mentality.”

In Washington, Obama and Xi also discussed pressure on North Korea, which in January detonated a nuclear device and launched a long-range rocket a month later, prompting UN sanctions backed by both Beijing and Washington. AFP

Nuclear talks. United States Presidenet Barack Obama speaks during a bilateral meeting with China’s President Xi Jinping at the sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. AFP

Poe...

From A1

The survey, which used face-to-face interviews, has a margin of error of ± 1.5 percent at a confidence level of 95 percent on the national level. Regional estimates for the geographic areas covered in the survey have the following error margins at 95 percent confidence level: ± 4.6 percent for Metro Manila, ± 2.3 percent for the rest of Luzon and ± 3.4 percent for Visayas and ± 3.3 for Mindanao.

Should their first choice for president end up not running in the May 2016 elections, 29 percent of registered voters would instead vote for Poe. Binay, Duterte, and Roxas register essentially the same second-choice presi-

dential voter preferences (15 percent to 18 percent).

Santiago was the alternative presidential candidate of seven percent of registered voters. Almost two out of every 10 Filipino registered voters (17 percent) did not identify a second choice for president.

In the vice presidential race, Senators Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Francis Escudero shared the lead, with each at 25 percent.

In second place was Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo (21 percent) while Senator Alan Peter S. Cayetano occupied third place (14 percent).

Essentially the same percentages of registered voters either supported Senators Gregorio Honasan II (5 percent) or Antonio Trillanes IV (four percent) or were not inclined to elect any vice presidential candidate (five percent).

In Metro Manila, Marcos has a clear lead over the other vice presidential bets with 41 percent.

Robredo is the top choice in the Visayas (34 percent) while Cayetano enjoyed a lead in Mindanao (28 percent).

Marcos and Escudero were the most preferred vice presidential candidate in the rest of Luzon (32 percent and 29 percent, respectively), Class ABC (35 percent and 23 percent, respectively), and Class D (27 percent and 25 percent, respectively). Those in Class E were most supportive of the candidacies of Escudero (25 percent) and Robredo (23 percent).

Filipino registered voters identify an average of seven of their favored senatorial candidates while only 35 percent of registered voters have a complete senatorial slate for the May 2016 elections; 12 out of 50 senatorial candidates are making it to the winners’ circle.

3 dead...

From A1 Arnado said that after they received the call, the mayor and some social workers from the city government tried “to rescue” pregnant women and children who had joined the picket.

Evangelista, in an interview, told The Standard that they had given the farmers “enough time” to air their grievances, and that the farmers should understand that they were protecting their constituents and the businesses in the area, who were hurt by the blockade.

“We kept on insisting that the rice is already in the barangay level, after the barangay has released its calamity funds, they could go to the municipal level. Even the governor has ensured that the provincial calamity funds will be used... We gave them enough time, but the economy of Kidapawan is suffering. We cannot just let these things pass,” Evangelista said.

The mayor said they followed standard operating procedure in dealing with the farmers’ protest.

“We requested them to clear the highway and [to let] the children, the pregnant women… [be] rescued…. My chief of police then issued a notice... for them to leave,” he said.

But Arnado said they pleaded with the authorities.

“All we wanted was relief from the drought, especially the rice, and we would peacefully leave but the chief of police insisted that they would disperse us by force if we did not leave,” Arnado said.

The mayor said because the protesters “resisted,” Col. Alex Tagum “give them a final warning.”

“That’s why our troops entered to clear the highway,” he said.

Arnado said it was the police who started the violence.

“Upon orders of the Col. Alex Tagum, the engines of the firetrucks were turned on and water cannons started bombarding us. The riot police began moving in, we were pushed by their shields and they began striking us with their batons. The farmers were very angry and started to resist the dispersal by throwing stones at the police… I was telling them that we should not counter [the police] because we do not have any fighting chance against them, but they started shooting us with M16 rifles—bang bang bang, I told them to retreat,” Arnado said.

Evangelista countered that the water cannon was used only after “three angry farmers started to hit one of my policemen.”

“They were hitting our men with stones.

We all have the footages to prove what happened,” he said.

Mendoza, in an interview with Mindanao-based reporters, said the police were non-violent in performing their duties at the barricade because they were ordered to observe maximum tolerance.

“While the police were trying to rescue the children, the protesters started throwing stones at them. At least 20 cops sustained wounds from the rocks. And then a gunshot was heard and a police reportedly got hit,” Mendoza said, claiming that the first shot came from the protesters.

Jerome Aba, a spokesman of Moro human rights group Suara Bangsamoro, who also suffered a leg injury, confirmed that two farmers from the line of the protesters were dead on the spot, identified as Victor Lumandang and Rutello Daelto, both from North Cotabato province.

The third farmer, identified as Enrico Pabrica of Kidapawan City, died of gunshot wounds as he was being treated.

Reports from independent outfit Kilab Multimedia confirmed that more than 60 farmers were missing and more than 30 from the side of the farmers were injured.

With Sandy Araneta, Vito Barcelo, Francisco Tuyay and Maricel V. Cruz

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Mar: No regrets on ‘Yolanda’ ADMINISTRATION standard bearer Manuel Roxas II on Friday said that he had no regrets about how the government handled the Yolanda tragedy in 2013 even as his opponents continued to use the issue to attack his candidacy.

“How could I regret something that helped our countrymen? How could... there’s no regret for me,” Roxas told reporters in General Santos City.

“I went there not only because it’s my job. Our countrymen WERE there. We didn’t go home, we were there until the situation stabilized.”

In his campaign sortie in Tacloban, Vice President Jejomar Binay slammed Roxas for depicting himself as a hero during the Yolanda tragedy in a comic book distributed by his supporters.

Binay said that while there was no doubt that Roxas was there, his flaws were all glaring, that the response during that time was very “shameful.”

“How shameful! Bayani sa Yolanda?

Oh my god! Outstanding in incompetence,” Binay said.

Roxas’ experience during the onslaught of Super Typhoon “Yolanda” was once again put in the spotlight after copies of the comic book, “Sa Gitna ng Unos” [In the Eye of the Storm] were distributed by his supporters, saying it was commissioned “without his knowledge.”

Roxas slammed Binay, saying he only went to Tacloban to take photos when he handed over relief goods to the victims of the typhoon.

Roxas said his rivals should stop spreading lies about the government’s response to Yolanda, which killed at least 6,000 people and rendered scores of families homeless in its aftermath.

“I was there helping in the relief efforts and I did my job as DILG in Tacloban so they should not fool the people,” he said.

He said Binay should use his campaign sorties instead to explain the string of corruption allegations he is facing.

Roxas said he was facing criticism over Yolanda because he was the only presidential candidate on the ground that time while the others were in their comfortable offices. John Paolo Bencito

Charm offensive. Celebrities Heart Evangelista-Escudero and Lovi Poe campaign at the Puerto Princesa public market, on Thursday. Heart is campaigning for husband Chiz Escudero who is running for vice president while Lovi is rooting for halfsister Grace Poe who is vying for the presidential post. GRACE-CHIZ 2016 MEDIA BUREAU

Duterte camp slams Aquino’s verbal offensive THE camp of presidential candidate Rodrigo Duterte on Friday scoffed at President Benigno Aquino III’s verbal offensive against the Davao City mayor.

Leoncio Evaco Jr., Duterte’s national campaign manager, said just like Liberal Party standard bearer Manuel Roxas II, Aquino “cannot handle stress well,” and that the duo “are very much alike.”

He reacted after Aquino, in a campaign rally in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, criticized Duterte for saying that, if elected, he would resign if he could not eradicate

crime in three to six months.

Evaco mad his statement even as Malacañang on Friday asked if Duterte would release “his death squads all over the country” to eradicate crime in three to six months into his presidency.

“Duterte is long on sound bite but short on implementation other than killing every child and adult offender,” Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda said in a statement.

“He was mayor for 20 years and crime is still rampant,” Lacierda said.

“How can he expect crimes to be

solved in three to six months? Will he release his death squads all over the country and spread the reign of terror all over the country?”

Evasco said the Aquino administration was “now in panic mode as its bet Roxas continued to suffer from one blunder to another.”

“The barrage of criticism generated by the ridiculous characterization of Roxas as a Typhoon “Yolanda” hero was just too much for Aquino to handle. Frightened, the President wants to deflect the attention of the public away from the shame.”

No matter how the President will attack the rivals of Roxas, the administration bet will remain a tailender in the presidential race, Evasco said.

“No amount of presidential verbal calisthenics will revive or salvage his chances of being elected.”

Peter Laviña, Duterte’s official spokesman, said Duterte had always maintained that his self-imposed deadline was not a cop-out or an easy way out but rather “a guarantee that something will be done about crime.” Rio N. Araja and Sandy Araneta

San Luis supports Grace Poe

In Bulacan. Vice presidential candidate Ferdinand Marcos Jr. campaigns in Bulacan.

LUMBAN, Laguna—A ranking official of President Benigno Aquino III’s Liberal Party bolted the ruling party and declared his support for the presidential bid of Senator Grace Poe during a minipolitical rally here on Friday.

Returning Laguna Rep. Edgar San Luis went up the stage set up near the church and introduced Poe to his constituents.

San Luis was the LP’s regional chairman in Southern Tagalog before he severed his ties with the administration in October 2015.

However, San Luis did not endorse Poe’s running mate Senator Francis Escudero.

Poe was joined in her campaign sortie in Laguna by Senators Lorna Kapunan, Miguel Zubiri, Neil Colmenares and Edu Manzano.

Another senatorial canidate,

Roman Romulo, was represented by his wife, former Valenzuela Councilor Shalani Romulo.

After the Lumban rally, Poe proceeded to Pagsanjan and paid a courtesy call on former Laguna Gov. Emilio Ramon Ejercito and his wife, Lumban Mayor Maite Ejercito.

While the dismissed governor has remained mum about his support for Poe, sources said Ejercito might soon follow the footsteps of his uncle, former president—and now Manila City Mayor Erap Estrada.

During his reelection bid at Liwasang Bonifacio on Monday, Estrada announced his support for Poe, his goddaughter.

Ejercito, who was disqualified for overspending in the 2013 elections, is running for governor in the May elections. Macon Ramos-Araneta

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PNP eyes 3 more hot spots Prelate warns voters vs liars

By Sara D. Fabunan THE head of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines advised Catholic voters not to vote liars in the upcoming elections.

“The campaign period is a good time to see the different forms of lying,” said CBCP president Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas. “Beware of liars. Lying is a devil with many faces. Be wise.

Watch out. Do not vote for liars.”

Villegas said candidates may employ different kinds of lies in their campaign for public office and these include exaggerating qualities or actions to gain favor, making excuses for previous failures, hearsay and contrived flattery.

“When it is obviously exaggerated in order to gain undue favor of voters, or win favor with another in personal relations or in politics,” Villegas said.

The archbishop said even silence is one of the more serious lies. “Even subtle silence can be a lie when it is the coward’s ‘refuge’ to avoid trouble or to support something known to be wrong,” Villegas added.

The prelate also said black propaganda is also a more serious lie meant to intentionally deceive and leads others into error, spread “half-truths” by which the truth is twisted or slanted to gain more favor and votes.

By Francisco Tuyay THE Philippine National Police tagged three more provinces as “election hot spots” on Friday, bringing to nine the number of provinces where the authorities expect possible trouble related to the upcoming elections on May 9.

PNP chief Director General Ricardo Marquez said the provinces of Abra, Nueva Ecija and Lanao del Norte have been added to the list that already includes Pangasinan, Masbate, Negros Oriental, Western Samar, Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur.

Marquez said the decision to include three more provinces as election hotspots was meant to ensure that no election violence will erupt in the aforementioned areas.

“Although there have not been significant incidents, it is a matter of focus and proac-

tive measures. We included the three so that we could deploy additional forces there, to install more senior commanders who could manage our operations,” said Marquez.

So far, five people, including three mayoral candidates, have already been killed in separate election-related incidents and the authorities are still trying to verify if the seven persons injured in 34 other incidents are electionrelated.

Marquez also revealed that seven more private armed groups have been added to the list which already includes 78 PAGs. “We are now monitoring 85,”

Marquez said, declining to specify where the private armies are located except to say they were in Luzon.

Last month, Marquez ordered the deployment of an additional company of Special Action Force commandos to Masbate in the wake of killings allegedly perpetrated by New People’s Army rebels and criminal elements.

Marquez also said that they had requested additional budget in the performance of its election duty to the Commission on Elections. The poll body has so far disbursed P462 million out of the P800 million requested by the PNP.

Election duty. Philippine Air Force soldiers arrive at the Manila Police District headquarters in Manila on Friday after they were deployed for election security duties. DANNY PATA

Solons: Wong still liable

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

Recovered loot. Anti-Money Laundering Council executive director Julia Abad (right) and Bangladesh Ambassador John Gomes speak to the press at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas after businessman Kim Wong surrendered more than $4.5 million that was stolen from Bangladesh and funnelled into Philippine casinos. NOEL CELIS

WHILE senators commended casino junket operator Kim Wong for voluntary surrendering some of the proceeds of the $81-million cyberheist of the funds of the Bangladesh Bank, he still cannot escape liability.

“Once a criminal case like robbery, estafa or money laundering had been committed, the return of the money would not eradicate the crime so [the perpetrator] would not be absolved,” said Senator Koko Pimentel, who conceded that Wong’s act also helped Bangladesh cut its losses.

Senator Bam Aquino agreed that the action of Wong will not absolve him as the investigation by the authorities is ongoing and the true picture of what happened is still unclear to the public.

“In the previous hearing, we know that he received much more than that. In fact, I am hoping that all in-

stitutions that received the illegally acquired funds will return it at the soonest possible time,” Aquino said.

“We should insist that the other junket operators, casinos and other institutions return the money that were coursed through them, in good faith, and because it is the right thing to do,” he further said.

Senator Ralph Recto, on the other hand, hoped Wong’s act would spur others to follow suit.

“That is $4.6 million down. $30.26 million more to go. It’s a good example for others to follow,” Recto said.

Recto expressed optimism that Wong’s act will pave the way for the recovery of other accounts where the loot was diverted into.

Recto said as much as $34.86 million—almost half of the sum stolen— could be recovered from local corporations, based on testimonies made in three hearings conducted by the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee.

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Marcos: Protect OFW earnings

By Macon Araneta ViCE presidential candidate Senator Ferdinand “bongbong” r. Marcos Jr. urged the government to put up a contingency plan for Overseas Filipino Workers to continue remitting their earnings in case more local banks close their remittance shops abroad.

Marcos said the government should immediately put up a contingency plan to cushion the impact of possible shut down of more money transfer operations abroad to help our OFWs. He aired the call following the warning of the Department of Finance of possible closure of remittance shops of local banks abroad after the Philippines was involved in the $81 million bangladesh bank cyber heist.

DoF Secretary Cesar Purisima had disclosed several foreign banks have recently closed accounts of money transfer operators that service OFWs and if the trend continues OFWs might have to pay double for sending their money to their families here in the Philippines.

Marcos cited reports that rizal Commercial banking Corp., where the $81-million fund was funneled, and the bank of the Philippine islands were forced to close shops in rome and Milan.

Although it was claimed that the closure was not related to the money-laundering scandal, Marcos said the timing is alarming and should prompt the DoF to ready possible measures to assist OFWs in case the remittance situation worsens.

“We call our OFWs our modern day heroes because their remittances are the main driving force of our economy,” said Marcos.

Courtesy call. President Benigno S. Aquino III welcomes United States congressman Robert Scott, who called on Aquino at Malacañang Palace on

Friday.

Samar poverty scored

By Vito Barcelo UNITED Nationalist Alliance standard bearer Vice President Jejomar Binay vowed to give priority assistance to Northern Samar when he personally witnessed the conditions of the poor in the province which is the second poorest province in the Philippines with 61.6-percent poverty incidence. binay was saddened by the continued neglect of the government to extend assistance to the northern and Eastern Visayas region which were among the hardest hit

by Typhoon “Yolanda.’’

Lanao del Sur is number 1 among provinces with the most number of poor families with 67.3-percent poverty incidence, according to

the Philippine Statistics Authority, but binay said he will also work to fight poverty in northern Samar, which had a 49.5-percent poverty rate in the first half of 2015. binay and the UnA candidates held a campaign in Calabayog and Catarman in Samar, calling on the people to choose a candidate who will personally give what they need

to improve their lives. binay took a swipe at the current government for ignoring the people’s plea for help right after the disaster struck the region.

He added that he will implement programs meant to address poverty, just like what he did during his term as Makati mayor. “i grew up poor and i promise infront of you that i will do what i did in Makati while i am the mayor of the city, binay told the crowd. binay as president will improve infrastructure in the province, bring investments in agriculture and expand the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program.

The vice president has identified agriculture as one of the key sectors that will generate jobs.

Atty. rico Quicho, UnA campaign spokesperson said that under the binay administration, Samar will be a priority in terms of infrastructure development to create jobs.

This will offset losses brought about by the current El niño phenomenon affecting the region, binay’s camp said. The current rice harvest in the region is expected to be cut by an estimated 44,000 metric tons due to El niño.

His camp said that a binay administration will also push for the cultivation of high value crops for export like cacao and vegetables that can generate income after a few months. The province, along with the rest of the region, is frequently visited by typhoons which commonly damages farms.

Gordon eyes better railway

Registration time. Parents and students flocked to the Araullo High School on United Nations Avenue in Manila to list-up under the new K to 12 program for the next school year. DANNY PATA

TO bring much-needed development outside of Metro Manila, former Senator richard J. gordon yesterday cited the need to immediately undertake intensified improvement on the country’s railway system. gordon, speaking at the Pilipino Movement for Transformational Leadership’s People’s Choice covenant signing, said the train going to Laguna and all the way to bicol, should be rehabilitated to facilitate the movement of people or freight, such as raw materials, crops, supplies or finished goods, and sometimes both.

“Our train system was built in four years, from 1887 to 1891, and began operating in the same year. in the movie Heneral Luna, there was a scene showing the general riding a train. Train journeys used to start or stop at the Tutuban Central Terminal, with the north line going as far as Damortis in La Union and the South Line as far as Legazpi City in bicol. We even had

trains in Cebu, Panay and negros. but our railway system deteriorated due to years of indifference, negligence and no improvements have been done,” said gordon, who is seeking a fresh senatorial term. “in the United States, railroads served as the main mode of transportation and made it cheap and easy to ship supplies and goods, even for Union and Confederate armies during the Civil War. After the Civil War, when the transcontinental railway was completed in 1869, new townships sprouted along the railway lines, and the railroad hastened westward expansion. if we improve our railways too, progress and development will also reach our provinces,” he added. gordon pointed out that in countries like the United States, United Kingdom, germany, Japan, Korea, india, to cite but a few, having an efficient train system contributed largely to their economic development.

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‘Incalculable losses in UP Diliman fire’

By Rio Araja

A FIRE hit the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City dawn of April 1, destroying research materials, archival materials, such as theses and dissertations, and historical documents, including paintings more than 300 years old, and valuables belonging to faculty members.

The fire struck the Faculty Center of the College of Arts and Letters and the College of Social Sciences and Philosophy at 1:15 a.m., and was declared under control at 4:40 a.m.

The Faculty Center, also known as Rizal Hall or Bulwagang Rizal, houses most of the department of CAL and CSSL. The three-hour fire erased bodies of work of history, art, literature, languages, philosophy, political science, sociology and anthropology, according to Vice Chancellor for Community Affairs Nestor Castro.

“Those destroyed were priceless materials,” he said.

“You cannot put a peso value of what was lost in terms of years of research,” Chancellor

Michael Tan said.

The blaze began at the Faculty Center’s third floor and reached the fifth alarm or Task Force Alpha at 2:20 a.m.

It gutted down the west wing of the Faculty Center facing the side of the CAL building.

About 20 firetrucks responded on the scene.

At least 250 faculty members had been affected by the fire.

“There were no injuries or casualties. The other losses are incalculable, considering all the books, research notes, archival materials that went up in flames. There was much grieving from faculty, staff, students who rushed to the site,” Tan’s statement read.

Drill. Men from the Bureau of Fire Protection conduct a fire drill at the Quezon City hall on Friday.

MANNY PALMERO

Ombudsman sues examiner, former bank officers for direct bribery THE Office of the Ombudsman has indicted a former officer and a major stockholder of a closed bank, and a former examiner of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas for direct bribery and corruption of public official. The respondents were also charged with violation of Section 3(e) of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. Charged were Mary Lou Apelo (former assistant manager of the BSP Supervision and Examination Department), and Fidel L.

Cu and Carmelita B. Zate, major stockholder and former chairman/president of the closed BDB Bank, respectively. BDB Bank is a two-unit rural bank located in Legazpi City and placed under the receivership of the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. by the Monetary Board in December 2008.

The Ombudsman issued the indictment in response to the ruling of the Supreme Court dated Sept. 2, 2015 that reversed and set aside the Ombudsman’s Reso-

lution in January 2012 and Order in October 2012 that found no probable cause to prosecute the respondents for graft and direct bribery. In its ruling, the Supreme Court found sufficient evidence to establish probable cause against respondents for said offenses. The PDIC filed in May 2013 a petition for certiorari with the Supreme Court questioning the Order of the Ombudsman.

Based on the complaint filed by PDIC, as Liquidator of the closed BDB Bank, before the Office of the

Ombudsman, respondents Cu and Zate caused the unauthorized withdrawal of funds on three separate occasions from November 2006 to October 2007 of funds from BDB Bank aggregating P140,000.00 which was deposited to the payroll account of respondent Apelo as “professional fee.” These transactions were evidenced by copies of deposit slips.

In her affidavit, BDB Bank’s former cashier further disclosed that respondent Cu would always get advance information every time

BSP officials would come to conduct an examination of the bank.

This allowed Cu to prepare beforehand and bring cash to the bank’s vault to make it appear that the cash per the bank’s books and the actual cash count in the vault are reconciled. The complaint alleged that the amount given to Apelo was monetary consideration in exchange for the advance information that Apelo leaked to Cu and Zate. Apelo, in her capacity as bank examiner, conducted examinations at BDB Bank.

Beware of sham weddings by fake reverends—QC official

PWD Law. Leyte Rep Martin Romualdez (left) discusses with NET 25 TV program Saganang

Mamamayan hosts Gen Subardiaga and Nelson Lubao Republic Act 10754 or the PWD Law that expands the benefits and privileges of persons with disabilities. VER NOVENO

A QUEZON City official on Tuesday vowed to clamp down on sham weddings. Ramon Matabang, the city’s civil registry head, warned the public of fake reverends who are being contracted to solemnize marriages.

“Don’t deceive people. To the reverends out there, don’t make solemnization [of wedding] your [only source of] livelihood. If you wed a couple, ensure proper documentation,” he told reporters.

Fake weddings still proliferate because of flyby-night pastors, he said.

A reverend cannot

solemnize a wedding not within his church, he noted. “If you officiate a wedding outside the church, that is a sham,” he said.

According to Matabang, Karen Czarina Santiago, 28, of 17 Cordillera St., Barangay Don Manuel in Quezon City, along with her mother, came to his office last March 23 and complained about a certain Rev. Edcel Corpuz, 51, of 2417 Taal St., Malate, Manila.

Corpuz, also known as Neil or Art Corpuz, solemnized the garden wedding of Santiago with her millionaire

Malaysian fiance, Kee Hui Huang, at the posh Aqua Verde Resort in Laiya, San Juan, Batangas on Dec. 6, 2015, and promised the immediate registration of the couple’s marriage certificate in Quezon City.

Four months later, Corpuz failed to make good on his promise, prompting Santiago to verify with the Quezon City civil registry office.

Also last March 23, Matabang sought police assistance to arrest Corpuz, who was then trying to convince employees to register the marriage contract of Santiago and Huang.

S AT U R D AY : A P R I L 2 , 2 0 1 6

A7

NEWS

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

8 T’boli artists vie for ‘living treasures’ recognition GENERAL Santos City— Eight tribal artists from Lake Sebu town in South Cotabato have been nominated for the prestigious Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan or the National Living Treasures Award.

Roy Uncal, Lake Sebu tourism coordinator, said Friday the nominees are currently awaiting confirmation for the award, which is conferred by the national government through the National Commission for the Culture and the Arts.

He said the eight artists, who are all from the T’boli tribe, were earlier endorsed by concerned groups and stakeholders for the award, which is considered as equivalent to the National Artist Award.

“This is the highest award given by the national government to traditional artists so it’s a major boost to our tribal artists and the T’boli culture as well,” Uncal said.

The nominees are Boi Luming Maguan Tuan and Maria Fe Flang for hegelung (wooden two-stringed lute); Linda Usman Weaver for klintang (kulintang); Rosie “Boi Lemingon” Sula for chanting; Maria “Oyog” Todi for performing arts; Yab Trulan Man and Barbara “Buwat” Kibed Ofong for T’nalak weaving; and, Bernadeth “Nadet” Ofong for Malong weaving.

An awardee will receive a specially designed medallion and plaque, with a duplicate set that would be donated and displayed in a provincial museum or the largest cultural center in his/ her community.

National govt leads efforts to stop Apo forest burning

By Sandy Araneta, Sara Susanne D. Fabunan

MALACAÑANG on Friday said the national government is working to put out the fire in Mt. Apo even as a church official from Davao emphasized the importance of protecting Mt. Apo and other forests instead of just putting out fires when they happen.

Grill ‘em. A less fatty and sugary method of cooking banana for snacks is the Lucena City version called binanging saba. DIANA B. NOCHE

The Department of the Interior and Local Government, Bureau of Fire Protection and the Philippine Air Force have teamed up to contain the fire, said Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. “All the LGUs are united in Davao del Sur and Davao City in their action in order to prevent the spread of the fire,” Coloma said.

Despite these efforts, the fire continues to devastate more areas, said Davao Archbishop Romulo Valles.

Several forest fires have already erupted in the past five days but the terrain has made it difficult for firefighters to completely put them out.

Digos City disaster risk reduction and management chief Harry Camoro said the trails leading up to the fire are difficult to climb, the vegetation too thick, and the source too near the cliffs for firefighters to get close.

He reiterated the call for donations, saying they needed logistical support, tools—bolos, machetes, shovels, and pikes in particular—and other utilities like gloves and chainsaws.

Since Saturday, hundreds of firefighters and volunteers have surrounded the forest fire that has affected some 300 hectares of areas around the mountain.

Local authorities have already ordered the closure of Mt. Apo to trekkers for a period of three to five years.

“This sad situation brings us again to the truth: we must work together to preserve, protect, and help sustain God’s gift of nature and environment, his gift which is in fact our very home,” Valles said in a statement.

Tawi-Tawi tourists numbered 55 thousand, spent P1b in 2015

By A. Perez Rimando BONGAO, Tawi-Tawi—A total of 55,085 foreign and domestic tourists visited Tawi-Tawi in 2015 and spent close to P1 billion during the 12-month period, a Department of Tourism executive of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao said.

DoT-ARMM Secretary engineer Marites Maguindra said the visitors came to the country’s southernmost province for holiday and business purposes and spent P985 million for various activities in major local tourist destinations, including Pamanangan Island, Cagayan de Tawi-Tawi, Sapa Sapa Island, Sanga-Sanga island, and Turtle Island named after the thousands of turtles which crawl yearround to its kilometers-long white sands to lay their eggs.

Maguindra said DoT-ARMM is also set to develop local eco-tourism packages, such as promotion of scuba diving, island hopping, and touring scenic destinations and communities to further entice more visitors.

Staying in local hotels, inns and beach houses for a week or two, the tourists also regularly patronize the

Bongao public market to purchase abundant fresh fish which they themselves usually cook or broil, agal-agal (seaweeds) and shells as well as native products not found in other areas.

Maguindra noted that based on the region’s tourism department’s annual report, much of Tawi- Tawi’s income is derived during its weeklong Agal-Agal festival in April and the annual celebration in Simunul island town of the inauguration of the centuries-old historic mosque built by Skeikh Kanimul Makhdum, the first Arab religious leader to come and spread Islam religion in Southern Philippines.

She said regional public works and highways Secretary Don Mustapha Loong recently earmarked P55 million for the development of the province’s scenic Bud Bongao Peak, including the construction of a multipurpose hall, view deck, station point, concrete pathway, parking area and informational billboard.

The development of Bud Bongao Peak, Maguindra said, is expected to later increase tourist arrivals and boost the Tawi-Tawi local government’s income.

Tree huggers. Residents of Carigara, Leyte participate in the Turogpo Festival. MEL CASPE

S AT U R D AY : A P R I L 2 , 2 0 1 6

A8

OPINION

ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

OPINION

HAIL TO THE CHAIR VICTOR AVECILLA

EMERSON CARLOS AND HERBERT BAUTISTA SHOULD WAKE UP

[ EDI TORI A L ]

A SEASON FOR PRANKS

THE first day of April gives license to many people to play practical jokes and spread lies. April Fools’ Day provides them cover for their pranks and allows them to not take any responsibility for the consequences of their actions.

Many take this game to social media, where they make various announcements and elicit reactions from their friends and acquaintances, only to say they have been joking all along.

It feels very much like April Fools season in the Philippines, however, now that the campaign season for national and local positions is in full swing. Every day we hear statements, promises, commitments, and stories that try to sway the voters in favor of this or that candidate.

Right on cue, the association of Catholic bishops has warned the public against voting for liars in the coming elections.

Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines president, Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas, enumerated the various forms of lying that candidates commit: exaggerating qualities or actions, saving face, invoking hearsay, resorting to flattery, refusing to respond to issues, and using black propaganda against one’s rivals.

If we were to take the archbishop’s words to heart, there may not be anybody left to vote at all.

The truth is, nearly every candidate has lied—using these methods—at one time or another. It’s a question of degree: the only difference is that others may lie more brazenly than the others.

A recent example would be a comic book circulated by the supporters of the administration presidential bet, portraying him as a hero who defied odds to do his job for the benefit of the victims of the typhoon.

Another candidate has been called out for material misrepresentations in her Certificate of Candidacy—even as the order for the its cancellation has been overturned by the high court.

Other candidates have refused to answer allegations of corruption, reveal the state of their health, and come clean with their human rights records.

All have exaggerated their qualities and portrayed themselves as larger than life. And that is only for one position; numerous other posts are open.

And since it is unthinkable that people should write nothing at all on their ballots, the situation forces us to compromise, whether we like it or not.

Unfortunately for the country, the season for charades will not pass and be forgotten. The consequences of playing the fool, to the gratification of these jesters, will last long and reach far.

BINAY VS ROXAS POWER POINT ELIZABETH ANGSIOCO THIS is a sequel to my last piece entitled “Poe vs. Duterte”.

Pulse Asia’s most recently released survey results on presidential candidates show an unchanged ranking since the last.

Senator Grace Poe still leads with 28percent (from 26 percent), Mayor Rodrigo Duterte comes second with 24 percent (from 25 percent), Vice President Jejomar Binay on third spot, 23 percent (from 22 percent), and

Liberal Party’s Mar Roxas, ranking fourth (19 percent from 20 percent). Both Poe and Binay gained, two percent points for the first, and one percent for the second. Duterte and Roxas lost one percent each.

In terms of geographic support, Poe’s support significantly increased in Mindanao (4percent); Duterte retains lead in Mindanao but lost three percent; Roxas is strongest in the Visayas and maintains a 37 percent support level despite Duterte’s two percent gain. Binay’s ratings remain highest in the balance of Luzon (26 percent) but this is way below Poe’s 35 percent.

When it comes to socio-eco-

nomic classes, Poe is strongest in the ABC and E classes (both at 30 percent) where she gained 8 percent and 3 percent respectively. Duterte’s strongest support still comes from the ABC group (32 percent) though he lost 3p ercent here. This means that Poe has gained significantly from the ABC group after the Supreme Court said that she is eligible to run as president. While overall there is no big surge in Poe’s numbers post the SC decision, she now enjoys much better support from what is referred to as the “thinking class”. To me, this shows that the vacillation before was largely due to the uncertainty of her status as a candidate. Bi-

A9

It is not impossible for either one to win.

nay’s best support comes from class E at 28percent, up by 3percent from last survey. Roxas’ support seems almost even at 16percent (ABC), 20percent (D), and 18percent (E).

As things stand, Poe is on top, Duterte and Binay are statistically tied for second place, and Roxas remains in the fourth slot.

However, for this piece, I would like to focus on Binay and Roxas.

From the beginning of the electoral season (meaning about a year ago), I expected Binay and Roxas to be the top contenders for the presidency. Yes, I was wrong.

This does not mean, however, that I am convinced that the two cannot win in May. My interest in these two candidates is also because of how Binay almost came from nowhere and beat Roxas in the 2010 VP race.

Binay was first to declare his intent to run as president. He just won the vice-presidency when he said that he was after the topmost position. He lost no time in building alliances with local government units. Go to the remote areas of the country and chances are, you are going to see a vehicle or two with Binay’s name on them.

In my travels to far-flung provinces, I have spoken with common folk who expressed appreciation for the VP because as they said, “he took time out to go to them, talk with them, and gift them with something they could use”. They were

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-

impressed that someone occupying a very high position in government would visit them. They felt that he was one of them. The VP, pre-corruption accusations, enjoyed the rural and poor city folk’s support.

His numbers in initial surveys were quite impressive. He was the one to beat.

This, however, changed when corruption allegations, one after another, were hurled at him. I am not saying that the VP is not guilty of these charges, far from it. I am almost sure though, that there was an orchestrated campaign to destroy him. His attitude towards these accusa-

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

tions did, and does not help him any. Not responding to these in the way that people want him to significantly contributed to the gradual but meaningful dive in his popularity. The entry of Poe and Duterte was also a big blow to him (and Roxas as well). People found alternatives. And now, Binay is on third place per surveys.

Mar Roxas, LP’s golden boy, on the other hand, from day one, was sure of the president’s, and his party’s endorsement.

After all, he put aside his presidential ambitions, gave way to PNoy so the latter could run. Roxas never wavered in his 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

WITH the obvious exception of the helmsman of the Department of Transportation and Communications, Chairman Emerson Carlos of the Metro Manila Development Authority must be the most hopelessly incompetent and inutile official of the moribund administration of President Benigno Aquino III. In the local government scene, however, that distinction belongs to reelectionist Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista of the Liberal Party (LP), the pro-administration political party.

In the late morning of last Tuesday, around a hundred sympathizers of the New People’s Army staged a motorcade in the Cubao district of Quezon City.

Most of them were displaying the hammer and sickle, the international symbol of that godless ideology called communism. The motorcade was led by a hearse which carried the ashes of one of the group’s fallen leaders. Being a hearse, it was travelling at a snail’s pace. Whenever the motorcade reached a populated area, it stopped and, almost automatically, speeches against the government were delivered by several of the group’s leaders.

The speeches continued as long as there were listeners.

By around noontime, the motorcade stopped infront of the Nepa-Q-Mart wet market on the northbound lane of Edsa, and another series of anti-government tirades took place. The hearse was stationed at the bottleneck beside the Edsa-Kamias flyover, thus blocking vehicular access thereto, and ultimately preventing vehicles from Edsa from proceeding to either Kamias or Kamuning. This incident delayed the flow of traffic all the way to Shaw Boulevard in Mandaluyong for several hours.

For obvious reasons, rallies are not allowed along Edsa, and this rule applies also to rallies masquerading as funeral motorcades. Being so, it looks like both the NPA rally infront of Nepa-Q-Mart did not have any permit from Quezon City Hall. Didn’t Mayor Bautista or any of his city hall officials know about it?

Perhaps Bautista is busy campaigning for his reelection (even if he has no real opponent) and is oblivious to the sufferings of taxpaying motorists sojourning in his territorial jurisidiction.

MMDA Chairman Emerson Carlos is no different. Not a single one of his MMDA traffic enforcers was anywhere in sight within the vicinity of the rally, even just to clear the roadway for the suffering motorists. Those traffic enforcers are probably busy campaigning for Liberal Party candidates. Continued on A11 Rolando G. Estabillo Jojo A. Robles Ramonchito L. Tomeldan Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano Francis Lagniton Joyce Pangco Pañares Adelle Chua Romel J. Mendez Roberto Cabrera

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

Emil P. Jurado Chairman Emeritus, Editiorial Board

S AT U R D AY : A P R I L 2 , 2 0 1 6

A8

OPINION

ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

OPINION

HAIL TO THE CHAIR VICTOR AVECILLA

EMERSON CARLOS AND HERBERT BAUTISTA SHOULD WAKE UP

[ EDI TORI A L ]

A SEASON FOR PRANKS

THE first day of April gives license to many people to play practical jokes and spread lies. April Fools’ Day provides them cover for their pranks and allows them to not take any responsibility for the consequences of their actions.

Many take this game to social media, where they make various announcements and elicit reactions from their friends and acquaintances, only to say they have been joking all along.

It feels very much like April Fools season in the Philippines, however, now that the campaign season for national and local positions is in full swing. Every day we hear statements, promises, commitments, and stories that try to sway the voters in favor of this or that candidate.

Right on cue, the association of Catholic bishops has warned the public against voting for liars in the coming elections.

Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines president, Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas, enumerated the various forms of lying that candidates commit: exaggerating qualities or actions, saving face, invoking hearsay, resorting to flattery, refusing to respond to issues, and using black propaganda against one’s rivals.

If we were to take the archbishop’s words to heart, there may not be anybody left to vote at all.

The truth is, nearly every candidate has lied—using these methods—at one time or another. It’s a question of degree: the only difference is that others may lie more brazenly than the others.

A recent example would be a comic book circulated by the supporters of the administration presidential bet, portraying him as a hero who defied odds to do his job for the benefit of the victims of the typhoon.

Another candidate has been called out for material misrepresentations in her Certificate of Candidacy—even as the order for the its cancellation has been overturned by the high court.

Other candidates have refused to answer allegations of corruption, reveal the state of their health, and come clean with their human rights records.

All have exaggerated their qualities and portrayed themselves as larger than life. And that is only for one position; numerous other posts are open.

And since it is unthinkable that people should write nothing at all on their ballots, the situation forces us to compromise, whether we like it or not.

Unfortunately for the country, the season for charades will not pass and be forgotten. The consequences of playing the fool, to the gratification of these jesters, will last long and reach far.

BINAY VS ROXAS POWER POINT ELIZABETH ANGSIOCO THIS is a sequel to my last piece entitled “Poe vs. Duterte”.

Pulse Asia’s most recently released survey results on presidential candidates show an unchanged ranking since the last.

Senator Grace Poe still leads with 28percent (from 26 percent), Mayor Rodrigo Duterte comes second with 24 percent (from 25 percent), Vice President Jejomar Binay on third spot, 23 percent (from 22 percent), and

Liberal Party’s Mar Roxas, ranking fourth (19 percent from 20 percent). Both Poe and Binay gained, two percent points for the first, and one percent for the second. Duterte and Roxas lost one percent each.

In terms of geographic support, Poe’s support significantly increased in Mindanao (4percent); Duterte retains lead in Mindanao but lost three percent; Roxas is strongest in the Visayas and maintains a 37 percent support level despite Duterte’s two percent gain. Binay’s ratings remain highest in the balance of Luzon (26 percent) but this is way below Poe’s 35 percent.

When it comes to socio-eco-

nomic classes, Poe is strongest in the ABC and E classes (both at 30 percent) where she gained 8 percent and 3 percent respectively. Duterte’s strongest support still comes from the ABC group (32 percent) though he lost 3p ercent here. This means that Poe has gained significantly from the ABC group after the Supreme Court said that she is eligible to run as president. While overall there is no big surge in Poe’s numbers post the SC decision, she now enjoys much better support from what is referred to as the “thinking class”. To me, this shows that the vacillation before was largely due to the uncertainty of her status as a candidate. Bi-

A9

It is not impossible for either one to win.

nay’s best support comes from class E at 28percent, up by 3percent from last survey. Roxas’ support seems almost even at 16percent (ABC), 20percent (D), and 18percent (E).

As things stand, Poe is on top, Duterte and Binay are statistically tied for second place, and Roxas remains in the fourth slot.

However, for this piece, I would like to focus on Binay and Roxas.

From the beginning of the electoral season (meaning about a year ago), I expected Binay and Roxas to be the top contenders for the presidency. Yes, I was wrong.

This does not mean, however, that I am convinced that the two cannot win in May. My interest in these two candidates is also because of how Binay almost came from nowhere and beat Roxas in the 2010 VP race.

Binay was first to declare his intent to run as president. He just won the vice-presidency when he said that he was after the topmost position. He lost no time in building alliances with local government units. Go to the remote areas of the country and chances are, you are going to see a vehicle or two with Binay’s name on them.

In my travels to far-flung provinces, I have spoken with common folk who expressed appreciation for the VP because as they said, “he took time out to go to them, talk with them, and gift them with something they could use”. They were

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-

impressed that someone occupying a very high position in government would visit them. They felt that he was one of them. The VP, pre-corruption accusations, enjoyed the rural and poor city folk’s support.

His numbers in initial surveys were quite impressive. He was the one to beat.

This, however, changed when corruption allegations, one after another, were hurled at him. I am not saying that the VP is not guilty of these charges, far from it. I am almost sure though, that there was an orchestrated campaign to destroy him. His attitude towards these accusa-

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

tions did, and does not help him any. Not responding to these in the way that people want him to significantly contributed to the gradual but meaningful dive in his popularity. The entry of Poe and Duterte was also a big blow to him (and Roxas as well). People found alternatives. And now, Binay is on third place per surveys.

Mar Roxas, LP’s golden boy, on the other hand, from day one, was sure of the president’s, and his party’s endorsement.

After all, he put aside his presidential ambitions, gave way to PNoy so the latter could run. Roxas never wavered in his 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

WITH the obvious exception of the helmsman of the Department of Transportation and Communications, Chairman Emerson Carlos of the Metro Manila Development Authority must be the most hopelessly incompetent and inutile official of the moribund administration of President Benigno Aquino III. In the local government scene, however, that distinction belongs to reelectionist Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista of the Liberal Party (LP), the pro-administration political party.

In the late morning of last Tuesday, around a hundred sympathizers of the New People’s Army staged a motorcade in the Cubao district of Quezon City.

Most of them were displaying the hammer and sickle, the international symbol of that godless ideology called communism. The motorcade was led by a hearse which carried the ashes of one of the group’s fallen leaders. Being a hearse, it was travelling at a snail’s pace. Whenever the motorcade reached a populated area, it stopped and, almost automatically, speeches against the government were delivered by several of the group’s leaders.

The speeches continued as long as there were listeners.

By around noontime, the motorcade stopped infront of the Nepa-Q-Mart wet market on the northbound lane of Edsa, and another series of anti-government tirades took place. The hearse was stationed at the bottleneck beside the Edsa-Kamias flyover, thus blocking vehicular access thereto, and ultimately preventing vehicles from Edsa from proceeding to either Kamias or Kamuning. This incident delayed the flow of traffic all the way to Shaw Boulevard in Mandaluyong for several hours.

For obvious reasons, rallies are not allowed along Edsa, and this rule applies also to rallies masquerading as funeral motorcades. Being so, it looks like both the NPA rally infront of Nepa-Q-Mart did not have any permit from Quezon City Hall. Didn’t Mayor Bautista or any of his city hall officials know about it?

Perhaps Bautista is busy campaigning for his reelection (even if he has no real opponent) and is oblivious to the sufferings of taxpaying motorists sojourning in his territorial jurisidiction.

MMDA Chairman Emerson Carlos is no different. Not a single one of his MMDA traffic enforcers was anywhere in sight within the vicinity of the rally, even just to clear the roadway for the suffering motorists. Those traffic enforcers are probably busy campaigning for Liberal Party candidates. Continued on A11 Rolando G. Estabillo Jojo A. Robles Ramonchito L. Tomeldan Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano Francis Lagniton Joyce Pangco Pañares Adelle Chua Romel J. Mendez Roberto Cabrera

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

Emil P. Jurado Chairman Emeritus, Editiorial Board

A10

S AT U R D AY : A P R I L 2 , 2 0 1 6

OPINION

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

LOSING OUR SENSE OF DIRECTION BACK­ BENCHER ROD P. KAPUNAN OUR nation has practically lost its sense of direction, and maybe sanity, for practically we could no longer distinguish our status as a sovereign state.

We could not even determine the parameters to distinguish our status as an independent state, free to chart our own destiny. We no longer speak as a nation through our Constitution or treat it as sacred, omniscient and infallible. If there are disagreements or shortcomings in our fundamental law, we do not have the guts to set it aside until after we go through the process of amending it to rectify the inequities borne out of any questionable provision.

This column is saying this because it seems the very institution we entrusted to enforce our Basic Law is the one that is spearheading in vandalizing it with all the fervor of distorting, misinterpreting and even rendering a provision dysfunctional.

The magistrates whom we distinctly classify as our most learned specimen in the field of law, instead of coming out with their wisdom and philosophy behind that specific provision to rhyme it to our aspirations, are the ones giving most abominable interpretation often coming out their illogical explanation to make what is strictly prohibited constitutional and legal.

Such sham interpretation transcends the issue of what is in fact constitutional or unconstitutional, but more of an insult to our people, for even an ordinary layman who knows how to read and write could well say that those miserable justices have decided on a terminology and gave meaning to it which is not found in the provision or even thought of by the framers of the Constitution. To evade the wrath of public opinion, the miserable justices always casually call their decision a “political issue,” than in squarely deciding that it is against the Constitution. Their casual referral in judging important issues as a “political question” has become their easy way to abnegate their responsibility and to soothe the insult they made to our people.

The Constitution is presumed to be infallible, as constitutionalists would

insist. If one disagrees with some of its provisions, the door remains open for them to go through the process of seeking an amendment because the rule of law, and not the rule of the jungle, is what we observe here. We cannot interpret the Constitution the way we would want it to be, or bend it just to accommodate the wishes of one party. Moreover, while those justices possess the exclusive right to interpret a provision in the Constitution as final, that should not go beyond by amending the fundamental law or worse, give it a different interpretation when the word upon which they based their interpretation is not even found in the provision in question.

The act committed by those miserable justices constitutes a culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of the public trust (Section 3[2] Article XI of the Constitution). To misinterpret the Constitution for the purpose, giving it a different meaning or to render it dysfunctional constitutes a grave offense, for it appears that they purposely and maliciously did it with the intent of misleading our people.

Their act of despoliation and destruction of the Constitution constitutes an open invitation for our people to rebel.

Constitutional vandalism is the highest form of injustice because it affects all of us and the future direction of this country that trots itself to the world as independent and sovereign.

Thus, if people rebel, they do so because they feel the rules for which they have sworn their oath of allegiance has become selective or is wrongly being interpreted in favor of one class or party.

The people see the decision of the magistrates as a spectacle of stupidity in a manner that when they dissected such terminology as “foundlings,” “visiting forces agreement,” and “enhanced defense cooperation agreement,” they knew it was nowhere to be found in the 1987 Constitution or that to insert them is to misrepresent what it means. For one, the candidate is insulting the intelligence of all Filipinos because after renouncing her citizenship, she wants it back claiming to be a “foundling” just to fulfill her aching ambition of becoming president, which is reserved only to naturalborn Filipino citizens, and the Supreme Court is now

EAGLE EYES DEAN TONY LA VIÑA THE Gospel of Mark tells us that on Sunday morning, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome went to the tomb, bringing with them spices so that they might anoint Jesus. In keeping with Jewish burial traditions, the three women had to go to the tomb after the Sabbath as any kind of work was prohibited on that day by the Torah.

They brought spices so that they m ight anoint Jesus’ body and pay respects to man whom they call Master. Standing before the tomb, they who among the, would roll the stone open. At this point, there was an earthquake as an angel descended from heaven and rolled back the stone from the tomb’s entrance. When they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. The man comforted them and said, “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here.

See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’”

At this point, we read in the Gospels that Jesus has risen from the dead as he had promised to do so.

The risen Lord is a powerful testament that God is alive. He is the God of history who is part of our every struggle, pain, suffering and every joy. He acting as her accomplice with some shameless retired justices sponsoring her claim of being a natural born.

It is no longer a question of whether one is for or against the candidacy of this overtly ambitious woman who once renounced her citizenship for greener pasture and is back because the oligarchy is brokering her candidacy, but on the more basic issue why our lamentable justices came out with an idiotic decision when it is clear that Poe is not qualified for the office (Section 1, Section 2, Section 5,Article IV and Section 2, Article VII). The same is true on why the magistrates came out with a stupid decision when it is clear that foreign military base is prohibited, and ships and aircrafts armed with nuclear weapons are banned from entering the country (Section 25, Article XVIII, and Section 8, Article II).

It is no longer a question of

EASTER AND POLITICS comforts and abides in us in every tear that we shed, and in every pain that we suffer. In this topsy-turvy world, with all forms of death and misery evident in every corner, we are consoled by the thought that God is alive and will never abandon us. His resurrection taught us how to conquer death and that with faith, there is no separating from the love of God. As the scripture says, there is nothing to separate us from the love of God. Neither tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, nor sword can separate us from the love of Christ.

Easter is a time for joy.

It is primarily a message of hope in the resurrection.

The scripture, describing Christ’s first meeting with his followers since the resurrection, recounts that the disciples were filled with joy when they saw the Lord, and he said to them again: ‘Peace be with you.

As the Father sent me, so am I sending you.’ In their ecstasy, the disciples found the realization that Christ has risen as he had promised; a realization of the enduring power of resurrection that the love of God has existed before the foundation of the world; the realization that Christ abides in us as he abides in the Father.

In his Easter homily this year, Pope Francis calls on all of us not be closed to the newness that God wants to bring into our lives. The Pope asks and exhorts: “Are we often weary, disheartened and sad? Do we feel weighed down by our sins? Do we think that we

We cannot interpret the Constitution the way we would want it to be, or bend it just to accommodate the wishes of one party.

whether one is in favor of restoring the US military bases using the military facilities we have built for our own soldiers and free from all expenses because they are needed for our defense against China.

If this subservient government desires for this country to be ruled

won’t be able to cope? Let us not close our hearts, let us not lose confidence, let us never give up: there are no situations which God cannot change, there is no sin which he cannot forgive if only we open ourselves to him.”

Pope Francis invites us to let the risen Jesus enter our lives, to welcome our Messiah as a friend, with trust. He says: “If up till now you have kept him at a distance, step forward. He will receive you with open arms. If you have been indifferent, take a risk: you won’t be disappointed. If following him seems difficult, don’t be afraid, trust him, be confident that he is close to you, he is with you and he will give you the peace you are looking for and the strength to live as he would have you do.”

What does all this mean to me?

Post-Easter, realizing that with the grace of the Lord we can rise above our meanness and hatred, I have decided to walk the talk and no longer post or repost negative attacks against candidates in the 2016 elections. I realized that I had allowed myself to be dragged into the mud, into the lack of civility that is marking our political discourse.

Following this realization, I will now take every chance to put every candidate in a good light. Seeing the shouting and screaming at each other by partisan supporters, I find all our potential presidents to have been diminished, for sure resulting in a country that will be disunited regardless of who will win,

with a significant number angry and/or fearful. I will not play a part in that even as I support a candidate— Grace Poe—and am neutral publicly on the vice presidential race.

It would of course be challenging to do this given the current atmosphere. I will still post or repost articles on legitimate issues but only after personal factchecking and only if the language used is polite and respectful. Language that is personally hurtful, outrageous and wild accusations, and angry memes will all be banned from my Facebook wall and Twitter feed.

For sure, the volume of my posts will go down but that’s OK as I post too much anyway. I will have one guide only in the political things I post—what makes all of us better persons and a better country, i.e. what promotes debate and even more importantly dialogue.

Above all, Easter reminds me that politics is not everything, that whatever happens in May 9, whoever wins, this country will be well. We will be well as long as we pray in this season this plea of our Pope during this year’s Via Crucis: “O Cross of Christ, teach us that the rising of the sun is more powerful than the darkness of night.

O Cross of Christ, teach us that the apparent victory of evil vanishes before the empty tomb and before the certainty of the Resurrection and the love of God which nothing can defeat, obscure or weaken.”

by a former alien or recolonized again by the same conqueror, it can go ahead, but our Supreme Court should be brave enough to stand up and tell this good-for-nothing hypocritical government that we have first to amend the Constitution and have it ratified by the people.

That way, there would be no clamor for agitation, unrest, name-calling. We would possibly avoid inviting a rebellion because the people already ratified a provision that would allow their leader to sell their country down the river. The justices would also be spared the time coming out with ludicrous decisions that would only make them look more like stupid political sycophants breaking their neck just to give their shoddy decision a semblance of constitutionality.

Those lousy decisions have a far-ranging effect on the future of this country. The justices can never assert that their decisions

as political questions for no matter how one would look at the provisions because they are required by law to do their duty of interpreting the Constitution diligently in consonance with the aspiration of our people. It cannot even be said they committed an act of judicial legislation, for as one lawyer would put it, the issue is not about the lack or absence of a clear provision. Rather, their rotten and unpalatable decisions now become jurisprudence, that no matter how stupid and illogical they might be will be swallowed by lawyers in this land of the gentile. In other words, the disfigurement in our Constitution now becomes a permanent fixture, all because some pathetic justices came out with decisions designed to please their appointing power, and from which, all must suffer the consequence of their stupidity.

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OPINION

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

WHAT DO WOMEN WANT? NOT TRUMP

By Margaret Carlson WOULDN’T it be fitting if Donald Trump fell as quickly as he rose and at the hands of those he calls fat pigs and disgusting?

Actually, it would be amazing, because so far no amount of ignorance or vicious insults has popped the Trump balloon. But maybe, just maybe, calling for subjecting women to “some sort of punishment” for having an abortion will do it. In his interview with MSNBC’s Chris Matthews, prison was on the table.

And in case you think his misogyny is not real, Matthews asked if that would go for the father as well as the mother. Nope, just mom.

OK. How many times in this bizarre campaign have we been certain that Trump had gone too far, only to watch him emerge stronger?

His 40-plus percent of loyal followers forgive him everything, or even applaud his transgressions as evidence of his refreshing spontaneity or disregard for political correctness. And who can keep track of all of his outrageous claims anyway

(remember the 42-percent unemployment rate)?

This time, his comments elicited a collective gasp of indignation from all sides, and he uncharacteristically retreated, a few hours later, clarifying that he’s only after the doctors.

But he hadn’t misspoken, as his team keeps saying. Trump is so new to the pro-life side that he didn’t get the memo from high command that this kind of talk isn’t going to fly in Republican suburbs where national elections are won and lost.

The party has suffered some selfinflicted wounds with candidates who went down in flames for saying that women don’t get pregnant when there is a “legitimate rape” and that pregnancy is “something that’s intended” by God even if due to rape.

The word went out to tone it down: Yes, it should be almost impossible to get an abortion, but women who do should also be treated as victims, not perpetrators. So you send the doctor up the river instead.

Trump blew the dog whistle for evangelical Christians just a little too loud. They’ve been whispering

The city government also tried to collect garbage fees from its Reporting the incident to the residents, but it stopped only offices of either Bautista or Car- when the citizens vehemently los was an exercise in futility. protested the extortion.

The telephone number to BauOn another occasion, the attista’s office is always busy. On tempt of the city government to the other hand, the so-called impose an arbitrary limitation MMDA hotline flaunted by on the number of pet animals Carlos is useless—a recording a resident may own at any one will tell you that the line is busy, time, met tough opposition and that you should try calling from both the residents and up again at some future time. animal enthusiasts as well.

In all likelihood, that hotline is Nobody in slippers is allowed connected to a call center made to enter the Quezon City Hall up of incompetent attendants, of Justice, despite the fact that and that its fees are paid for by justice should be readily accesthe taxpayers. sible by everybody, rich and Even assuming that the ral- poor alike. ly was kept a secret from city Real estate taxes in Quezon authorities or the MMDA at City, the workingman’s haven the start, the activity was long envisioned by Philippine Comand conspicuous enough to at- monwealth President Manuel L. tract the attention of Bautista Quezon, are among the highest and his minions at city hall, or in Metropolitan Manila today.

Carlos and his hirelings. The There is, however, hardly any activity caught the attention of benefit to the general public, as the media—why did it escape demonstrated by the illegal rally the attention of Bautista and which created a traffic mess in Carlos?

Cubao last Tuesday.

Quezon City under Mayor An unannounced fire drill Bautista has become an aw- yesterday at Quezon City Hall ful place to be a resident of. disrupted court hearings in the Months ago, the Office of the nearby Hall of Justice. When Ombudsman filed anti-graft asked how long the fire drill charges at the Sandiganbayan was to take place, none of the against a number of Que- cops assigned to city hall could zon City councilors who were provide any answer. It became found to have allowed the use a needless holiday for many. of public funds to pay the salaThe MMDA under Carlos ries of several ghost employees. is just as inept. Plastic or-

Emerson... From A9

#FAILOCRACY

that he might be a bit wobbly on the commitment the party has made to the right on judicial appointments, on everyone’s mind after the death of Justice Antonin Scalia. Despite his New York values, his too-recent switch to their side, and his checkered romantic history, Trump wanted them to know that their veto power on who gets appointed is safe with him.

Trump has already dug himself a deep hole with women. An adproduced by an anti-Trump Republican super-PAC ad offers a montage of his most egregious comments, and we don’t want to know what dark place his obsession with Fox News anchor Megyn Kellyemanates from.

He denounced Senator Ted Cruz’s wife with an unflattering picture and worse words. Then there’s the female reporter who had the nerve to press charges against his campaign manager Corey Lewandowski for allegedly grabbing her at a news conference. Trump has portrayed his aide as a hero for protecting him from a potential assassin (the reporter was holding a pen that Trump says

ange road blocks dot Edsa and other major roadways, thus narrowing the available road space. These road blocks, mockingly called “orange Toblerone bars” by many motorists, often get misaligned, and when they do so, they become road obstacles. An opening on top of each road block suggests that it is supposed to be filled with water to make it too heavy to get easily misaligned, but those openings have missing lids. This, in turn, means that whatever water is inside each of them easily evaporates, especially this summer season.

Many of the orange road blocks are not even reflectorized. This makes them road hazards at night. A motorist who gets into an accident because of these road hazards can easily sue Carlos for damages. Graft raps may also be filed against him.

Metropolitan Manila was one large traffic nightmare last December because Carlos was too occupied with the Metropolitan Manila Film Festival. Under the MMDA charter, the MMDA has nothing to do with this annual film festival.

By involving itself in the film festival, the MMDA is performing a function that is not authorized by law. This makes MMDA officials vulnerable to anti-graft raps.

could have been “a little bomb” or “a knife”).

It’s not much of a surprise then that Trump’s standing with women already was abysmal. In Wisconsin, which holds a primary April 5, aMarquette University poll showed his negatives among women at 70 percent and among Republican women at 45 percent. Women aren’t a voting bloc, like vegan millennials. They’re a majority, and they vote.

Trump almost boasts that he doesn’t need to take the time to learn about difficult issues, or read much. On foreign policy, he’s too busy looking in the mirror and seeing an expert looking back, to figure out the nuclear triad.

Just in the last week he advocated a major retrenchment from Nato and the Geneva Conventions; said he would appoint Supreme Court justices who would investigate Hillary Clinton’s e-mails; suggested that Japan, South Korea and Saudi Arabia get nuclear weapons; and said that as president he wouldn’t rule out using nukes in Europe if necessary. In an instance of conservative

Binay... From A9 support for PNoy despite all odds, and despite people’s prodding for him to be his own person, distinct from PNoy. Thus, it was not a surprise that LP chose him to be its standard bearer.

Roxas was given all the golden opportunities to prove himself.

He headed the Department of Transportation and Communications and Department of the Interior and Local Government, two very important government instrumentalities that he could have used to show the people what a Roxas presidency will do to make people’s lives better. But he miserably failed.

At the end of the day, officials are measured based on their impact on ordinary people’s lives.

We should remember that the big bulk of voters are in classes D and E. Voters will choose based on their experience. Roxas is largely blamed for the disastrous traffic in Metro Manila where people are trapped three to four hours almost daily. The MRT problems are also blamed on Roxas. Government’s failure to effectively and timely address the disaster brought about by Yolanda is also a big issue against Roxas. The SAF 44 massacre was another black eye. People sympathized with our fallen heroes and their families and expected Roxas to come out strongly and condemn

heresy, he would make health care and education two of the top three functions of the federal government.

There’s a rough consensus on abortion when it’s not a football being tossed around by politicians. No one likes it, but few want a 13-yearold who lives in hopelessness, with a boyfriend who has disappeared, or an abusive uncle who hasn’t, to be forced to have a baby. But neither do they want her to abort it after eight months.

Trump’s fresh, uninformed prolife position was that the 13-yearold needed to be punished beyond the life she leads already. He may have scored some points with those at the furthest edges of the far right, but he lost many more of those who live closer to the messy middle.

Every so often we get a peek behind the curtain. Trump will move on as he always has when he accidentally reveals his dark heart. He may keep the most misogynistic among his base with him, but he won’t keep enough women to balance it out. There are way more of us.

Bloomberg

those responsible. He did not.

These are problems that affected, and continue to affect ordinary Filipinos. The deterioration of people’s quality of life is this administration’s and Roxas’ failures, according to not a few people. For many, ‘daang matuwid’ turned out to be a farce.

Because ‘daang matuwid’ has been heavily discredited, Roxas’ stubbornness in clinging to this message cost him. He may be a good, educated, decent guy BUT people seem to have a hard time imagining him as the president—a position requiring strong political will, which many believe he does not have.

Roxas’ numbers in surveys, thus, consistently remain quite low. His supporters optimistically say that the LGUs, LP’s machinery, will prop him up and make him win.

This is going to be quite interesting because local support is also what the Binay camp heavily banks on. This Binay vs. Roxas thing can be a repeat of 2010. The difference, however, is they will need to bump the two top candidates off and this is going to be very tough especially in fair play.

Still, it is not impossible for either one to win. bethangsioco@gmail.com Follow @bethangsioco on Twitter and Elizabeth Angsioco on Facebook

CHONG ARDIVILLA

SATURDAY : APRIL 2, 2016

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

French duo create magic in Boston BOSTON—France’s Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron created magic on Thursday with a mesmerizing free skate to seal their second ice dance world title at the 2016 ISU World Figure Skating Championships.

The fans at Boston’s TD Garden erupted in cheers as they rose to their feet in appreciation of the couple’s performance.

The defending world champions also dazzled the judges who rewarded them with a whopping 118.17 points, the most ever awarded for a free dance performance.

Their winning points total of 194.46 was the second highest ever.

“We are just speechless now,” Cizeron said.

“We didn’t feel too much pressure after the short dance. Half of the job was already done. We had really good energy and a good feeling out there on the ice tonight.”

Papadakis added, “We didn’t expect these high scores at all. We were really able to give our very best tonight.

“It took us a moment at the end of our program to realize what we had achieved and I still can’t believe it.

“I just want to catch this moment and enjoy it.”

With their free dance complete, Papadakis and Cizeron were able to sit back and see what the final competitors of the night would do.

Siblings Maia and Alex Shibutani of the United States also had the audience in thrall as they sailed through their routine set to Coldplay’s “Fix You.” Fifth-ranked at the worlds last year, the Shibutanis have gathered mo-

mentum at every competition this season, but on this night it wasn’t quite enough to overtake the French.

The Shibutanis settled for silver, posting 113.73 for the free dance and 188.43 overall.

Their US teammates Madison Chock and Evan Bates, the 2015 world silver medallists rode the dramatic waves of Rachmaninov concertos into bronze medal position, scoring 113.31 for a total of 185.77 points.

Winning a second consecutive world title was a fine ending to a season that began in a frightening way for Papadakis.

She sustained a concussion last August that forced the couple out of the autumn Grands Prix. Her recovery from debilitating symptoms was long and difficult.

After their win on Thursday, she also revealed Cizeron’s skate blade had sliced her knee open, a cut that required six stitches to close.

But Papadakis brushed off that injury, which happened just before they came to Boston, saying “I was back on the ice after three days.”

The French duo took a risk with this season’s free dance, which is contemporary and abstract, a departure from last year’s love story.

Papadakis said they considered it a huge challenge to convey emotion to the audience without a theme or story to their performance. AFP

Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron of France celebrate their score in the Free Dance Program with their coaches Marie-France Dubreuil, left, and Romain Haguenauer, right, during Day 4 of the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2016 at TD Garden on March 31, in Boston, Massachusetts. AFP

Vettel blasts chaos at Australia opening MANAMA, Bahrain—Formula One chiefs will hold further crisis talks to try and resolve the problems with the panned ‘progressive elimination’ qualifying format with former world champion Sebastian Vettel comparing bosses to ice cream salesmen.

The new system, which ended in fiasco without a car on the track at the season opening Australian Grand Prix, was widely slammed again on Thursday ahead of this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix.

“I am as disappointed as probably anyone that I know that we didn’t go back,” said four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari, referring to the sport’s failure to ditch the system and revert to the previous format.

Vettel and other top drivers were unified in calling for changes in the sport’s decision-making processes and management.

He was notably disappointed that the teams’ decision to dump a system that failed was not upheld.

“Put it this way,” he said. “If you sell vanilla ice cream, but everybody who comes to your shop is asking for chocolate ice cream, the next day you open, you expect to sell chocolate ice cream, but instead you just sell vanilla ice cream again.

“Usually you do what your clients would like you to do, but you are not really doing the job if you do the exact opposite. It’s something that we can’t be proud of.

“If everybody is against something and you still decide for it... well, qualifying is just one example that something is not right.”

Vettel and others believe the qualifying fiasco highlights all that is wrong in F1, as the drivers’ declared in an open letter last week.

“I think the point we are trying to make is very clear so I don’t think there’s much to add,” he said.

“It’s just to rethink what’s currently happening. It’s clear that if we write a letter, it doesn’t change overnight because it’s very difficult to give proposals.

“We didn’t give any proposals. We made it clear that there’s something that’s not right and something has to change.” AFP

Kuznetsova wants equal pay for female tennis players

Backhand winner. Victoria Azarenka of Belarus returns a shot to Angelique Kerber of Germany during the semifinals of the Miami Open presented by Itau at Crandon Park Tennis Center on March 31, in Key Biscayne, Florida. Azarenka beat Kerber to advance to the finals. AFP

MIAMI—Women athletes who sacrifice having children and raising families during the peak years of their playing careers should earn what men do, says twotime Grand Slam champion Svetlana Kuznetsova.

The 30-year-old Russian weighed in on the gender pay equity issue raised last week when the former Indian Wells tournament director and top-ranked Novak Djokovic made comments knocking level prize money for men and women at tennis events.

It came on the same day the US women’s national football team, reigning Women’s World Cup and three-time defending Olympic champions, went to the government

to seek equal pay to their male counterparts.

Kuznetsova, who advanced to the ATP and WTA Miami Open final Thursday by downing Swiss 19th seed Timea Bacsinszky, says men can have children and start families in their 20s without surrendering a year or more of their careers.

“Some of the men say we shouldn’t get the same prize money. The guys that travel on the road, they say they give more than we do. But they can have kids. They can have a family, right? We cannot,” Kuznetsova said.

“I play since I am 14. Since 16, I am professional. I was playing eight months a year every year. I didn’t have anything. I gave up everything.

Friends. Home.

“I think we do deserve (equal pay). We give more than 100 percent. We give our life. I think we’re owed that.”

British world number two Andy Murray, 28, became a father in February, his wife Kim giving birth to daughter Sophia.

And 28-year-old Djokovic, who walked back his comments to support equal pay in Miami, became a father in October 2014 when son Stefan was born.

Roger Federer, 34, has a record 17 Grand Slam titles and four children, two sets of twins, one born in 2014 and the other in 2009, a year when he won two Grand Slam titles and was twice a Slam runner-up. AFP

SATURDAY : APRIL 2, 2016

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

‘Cursed’ Chicago among favorites LOS ANGELES—The Chicago Cubs have Major League Baseball buzzing at the prospect of seeing the game’s longtime loveable losers end their century-plus World Series title drought in 2016.

The Cubs were a group of over-achieving youngsters when they powered to the National League Championship Series last season, only to have their hearts broken by the New York Mets.

They are still one of the youngest teams in the National League, but boast the playoff experience of last year as well as the additions of outfielder Jason Heyward and pitcher John Lackey -- signed away from NL Central rivals St. Louis.

Heyward and Lackey join a team that already includes NL Cy Young Award-winning pitcher Jake Arrieta, NL Rookie of the Year Kris Bryant, two-time All-Star first baseman Anthony Rizzo and big-hitting rookie Kyle Schwarber.

With that talent at his command, it’s a good bet that managerial mastermind Joe Maddon can take these Cubs deep -- perhaps to a first World Series title in 108 years.

Maddon is all for “embracing the target” as the 2016 season gets underway on Sunday.

But Bryant said he’ll be taking the lengthy campaign one game at a time.

“I don’t even focus on it,” Bryant said of the team’s chances of ending the curse.

“On paper it looks good.”

And, Bryant added, the Cubs have something to prove after being swept in the NLCS by the Mets last year.

“We didn’t end the way we wanted it to end and this year we’re going to do all we can to go even further,” he said.

The Kansas City Royals would seem to have nothing to prove after beating the Mets in five games to win last year’s World Series. AFP

Bulls rally past Houston to boost waning playoff bid LOS ANGELES—The Chicago Bulls rallied from a 14-point third-quarter deficit to shock the Houston Rockets 103-100 on Thursday and boost their NBA playoff hopes.

Nikola Mirotic drained a goahead three-pointer with less than three minutes to play and Houston’s Trevor Ariza saw an attempted game-tying three-pointer fail at the buzzer.

Mirotic scored a game-high 28 points. His three-pointer from the corner with 2:56 remaining put the Bulls up 92-91 and was followed by a dunk from Jimmy Butler and a three-pointer from E’Twaun Moore that stretched Chicago’s lead to 97-91 with 1:30 remaining.

“We’re fighting for our lives,”

said Chicago coach Fred Hoiberg of the crucial win in a game between two teams jockeying for the final playoff spots in their respective conferences.

The Bulls were without Taj Gibson, who has a broken rib, and Derrick Rose didn’t play the second half because of his bruised left elbow.

But the Bulls reserves scored 67 points and Chicago outscored the Rockets 32-20 in the fourth quarter to come up with the win.

The Bulls now trail Indiana by

one game for the eighth and last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Pacers fell 114-94 to the Orlando Magic in Indianapolis on Thursday, and Chicago hold the tiebreaker over Indiana.

Meanwhile, Al-Farouq Aminu scored a career-high 28 points and pulled down nine rebounds as the Portland Trail Blazers rallied for a 116-109 victory over the Boston Celtics in Portland.

CJ McCollum added 17 points and eight assists and Gerald Henderson came off the bench to score 15 points for a Portland team that had fallen 116-93 to the Celtics in Boston on March 2.

The win moved the Trail Blazers to within 1 1/2 games of the Western Conference’s fifth-place Memphis Grizzlies with six games to play in the regular season.

The defeat dropped Boston from fourth to sixth in the East, half a game behind Miami and Charlotte.

James Harden led the Rockets with 24 points. Houston are half a game behind Utah and Dallas, who with matching records of 37-38 occupy the last two spots in the West.

In Cleveland, LeBron James scored 24 points to move into 12th place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list as the Cavaliers thumped the Brooklyn Nets 107-87.

James, who also handed out 11 assists, has 26,689 points in his career and moved past Dominique Wilkins on the scoring chart. He is 21 points behind Oscar Robertson for 11th, and can surpass him on Friday when Cleveland visit Atlanta. AFP

Isaiah Thomas (4) of the Boston Celtics dribbles past Portland defenders during the game against the Portland Trail Blazers on March 31, at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon. The Blazers beat Boston, 116-109. AFP

Hoffman seizes Houston Open lead LOS ANGELES—Charley Hoffman fired nine birdies in an eightunder par 64 on Thursday to grab a one-shot lead after the first round of the Houston Open over a quartet of players that included Dustin Johnson.

Hoffman’s 64 was one stroke shy of the Tournament Course record at the Golf Club of Houston held by five players.

He opened with a birdie at the 10th, and added birdies at 13 and 14 -- adding a burst of four straight birdies from the first through fourth holes.

“Hit it great,” said Hoffman, who won the most recent of his three PGA Tour titles in 2014.

“Hit a lot of fairways, hit a ton of greens, gave myself a bunch of

chances and luckily enough a few went in today.”

Johnson, a nine-time winner on the PGA Tour, powered into contention with a 10-footer for eagle at his penultimate hole, the parfive eighth and a birdie at the last, where he holed a long one from the fringe.

Johnson was tied for second with fellow Americans Roberto Castro, Scott Brown and Morgan Hoffmann.

Another four Americans were tied on 66: Johnson Wagner, Justin Hicks, Chez Reavie and Scott Pinckney.

“Overall, it was a great day,” Johnson said after a round that included seven birdies total.

“I made just two bogeys and one

of them was a mud ball on five.”

“Then I had a penalty shot on the par-five 13th. Other than that, I felt like I played really solid today and holed some nice putts,” he said.

World number two Jordan Spieth, trying to build momentum heading into his Masters title defence next week, carded a 67 that left him tied for 10th.

Five-time major winner Phil Mickelson opened with a 69.

Defending champion JB Holmes, who won last year in a playoff with Spieth and Wagner, withdrew from the tournament on Wednesday with a shoulder injury. He was replaced in Thursday’s group with Spieth and Patrick Reed by Luke List, who carded a 68. AFP

Goal-scorer. Jannik Hansen (36) of the Vancouver Canucks scores a goal in the third period against the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center on March 31 in San Jose, California. AFP

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Pinoy fighters vow to bounce back

By Homer Vidal

TWO of the most renowned Filipino mixed martial arts fighters vowed to bounce back from disappointing losses.

Eric “The Natural” Kelly (12-2) and Team Lakay’s Honorio “The Rock” Banario (8-6), who are both coming off stinging defeats, get their chance to get back to

the winner’s circle at ONE: GLOBAL RIVALS on April 15 at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

The two Baguio City fighters made the prom-

Filipino mixed martial arts fighters Eric Kelly (left) and Team Lakay’s Honorio Banario (8-6) get their chance to get back into the winner’s circle when they see action against separate rivals at ONE: GLOBAL RIVALS, April 15 at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City, Philippines.

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P 17, 315,742.14

1M -5M P5,000.00 5M up-10M- 10,000.00 10M up15,000.00

The bidding documents shall be available to interested bidders at the BAC Secretariat, BAC Office, 2/F, VMC, Padrigal St., Karuhatan, Valenzuela City from 9:00AM to 3:00PM, starting April 9, 2016 upon payment of non-refundable fee as indicated above. Only those who have purchased the bidding documents shall be allowed to participate in the pre bid conference and raise or submit written queries (see revised IRR of RA 9184). The pre-bidding conference will be on April 8, 2016, 10:00 am at the BAC Office, 2/F, VMC Annex Bldg., Padrigal St., Karuhatan, Valenzuela City. Bid opening will be on April 20, 2016, 10:00AM at the 2/F, VMC Conference Room, Padrigal St., Karuhatan, Valenzuela City.

All particulars relative to bid evaluation and award of contract shall be governed by the provisions of R.A. 9184 otherwise known as the Government Procurement Reform Act. Bids received in excess of the Approved Budget of the Contract (ABC) shall be automatically rejected at bid opening. LATE BIDS SHALL NOT BE ACCEPTED. ALTERNATIVE BIDS SHALL BE REJECTED. Bid bond shall be in form of cash, cashier’s check or manager’s check equivalent to two percent (2%) of the approved budget of the contract.

This invitation is also advertised with the Government Electronic Procurement System (G-EPS) at www.procurementservice.org and posted at the VMC BAC bulletin board.

For inquiry, please call the BAC Secretariat Office at Telephone No. 294-4625 .

VALENZUELA MEDICAL CENTER RESERVES THE RIGHT TO 1) REVIEW ALL THE REQUIREMENTS; 2) REJECT ANY OR ALL BIDS; 3) CONFISCATE THE BID BOND AND/OR PURSUE APPROPRIATE LEGAL ACTION SHOULD A BIDDER BE FOUND TO HAVE VIOLATED R.A. 9184; 4) WAIVE ANY DEFECTS CONTAINED THEREIN; and/or 5) ACCEPT THE OFFER MOST ADVANTAGEOUS TO THE GOVERNMENT. ANY DECISION MADE BY THE VALENZUELA MEDICAL CENTER IS FINAL AND EXECUTORY. FURTHER, VALENZUELA MEDICAL CENTER ASSUMES NO OBLIGATION WHATSOEVER TO COMPENSATE OR INDEMNIFY THE BIDDER OR WINNING BIDDER. AS THE CASE MAY BE, FOR ANY EXPENSE OR LOSS THAT SAID PARTY (IES) MAY INCUR IN ITS PARTICIPATION IN THE PRE-BIDDING AND BIDDING PROCESS NOR DOES IT GUARANTEE THAT AN AWARD WILL BE MADE.

(TS-APR. 2, 2016)

(SGD)DONA D. SALMOS, RN, MAN Chairman, BAC

ise before media at a press luncheon last March 31.

Ironically, both Kelly, 33, and Banario, 26, lost their previous bouts to the same man in Malaysia’s Ev Ting who submitted both fighters through a Guillotine choke hold. Both are ready to show the world that there’s still a lot of gas left in the tank.

Kelly, who was once on the cusp of a featherweight title shot, will face the dangerous Timofey Nastyukhin (9-2) of Russia. Kelly was a fighter on the rise until he was sidetracked by lackluster performances against Hiroshige Tanaka and then Ting. He’s looking for redemption and another crack at ONE Championship gold.

“The goal of every fighter is to become champion, but for now my focus is on (Timofey) Nastyukhin,” said Kelly, who returned to the high altitude of Baguio to better prepare himself for the coming bouts.

“For me, I don’t have a stable gym where I train full-time. I train more naturally. Whichever gym I find myself in, that’s where I train. Mostly, I just watch YouTube videos and apply it to my training and then I go

to some gyms to test it out.

I am in constant search for more knowledge for my career,” said Kelly.

The once fearsome Banario is in a hole he wants to climb out of. After a spectacular string of victories under another promotion Banario has lost his last five bouts under the ONE Championship banner. To his credit Banario lost to the best in his division in fighters Koji Oishi, former champion Narantungalag Jadambaa, Herbert Burns and Ting.

Banario faces fellow Filipino and former URCC standout Vaughn “The Spawn” Donayre (8-4). Donayre, who is based in Dubai, is also searching for his first victory inside the ONE Cage.

“Vaughn Donayre is a complete fighter also. I prepared for this fight. This will be my comeback fight because in the past few years I’ve been losing to the biggest fighters in my division. But now this is a new challenge for me if I can come back,” said Banario who wants to prove that he belongs in the ONE Championship banner and can compete with the best fighters there.

Ateneo, De La Salle seek Final 4 slots DEFENDING champion Ateneo and De La Salle seek to clinch the two twice-to-beat slots in the Final Four as they battle also-rans today in the UAAP Season 78 women’s volleyball tournament at the Mall of Asia Arena.

The Lady Eagles face Adamson University at 4 p.m., right after the Lady Spikers take on University of the East in the curtain raiser at 2 p.m.

Ahead by two-anda-half games over joint third placers University of the Philippines and Far Eastern University, Ateneo and De La Salle, both sporting 9-2 slates,

should have no trouble in clinching the semifinals bonus which the two fiercest rivals needed if they want to cross paths in the championship round for the fifth straight season.

On their seventh straight Final Four appearance, the Lady Eagles are hoping to go all the way even without injured middle hitter Maddie Madayag, as Amy Ahomiro is back from her old position where she does best.

“We really miss her,” said Ateneo skipper Alyssa Valdez, on Madayag, who led in the service department in

the first round.

Already out of the Final Four running for the second straight season, the Lady Falcons (3-8) will just try to play the role of spoiler to the Lady Eagles’ quest of getting a higher seeding in the playoffs.

The Lady Spikers, back in the semis for the eighth straight year, are hoping to have spiker Cyd Demecillo back in harness after hurting her knee two weeks ago, as coach Ramil de Jesus can dug deep again on his roster in case the utility spiker is not yet 100 percent against the winless Lady Warriors.

Action returns to the Filoil Flying V Center tomorrow, with the Lady Maroons and the Lady Tamaraws battling it out for the allimportant eighth victory at 4 p.m.

The winner of the UPFEU match coupled by a National University loss to University of Santo Tomas in the first game at 2 p.m. will get the third Final Four berth.

Both toting 7-5 records, the Lady Maroons and the Lady Tamaraws are just ahead by one game over the fifth-running Lady Bulldogs (66) in the race for the last semis slot.

Young chess champions.

National Chess Federation of the Philippines Executive Secretary GM Jayson Gonzales (left) joins Luzon leg winners Virgenie Ruaya (Girls 20-Under) and Vince Angelo Medina (Open 20-Under) during the awarding ceremony of the Luzon leg age group qualifying tounament held at the PSC Dining Area recently.

S AT U R D AY : A P R I L 2 , 2 0 1 6

A15

SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

LOTTO RESULTS 6/45 00-00-00-00-00-00 P0.0 M+ 4 DIGITS 00-00-00-00 3 DIGITS 00-00-00 2 EZ2 00-00

Athletes seen to set new records at Palaro

Justin Quiban (right) takes his turn on the eighth mound ahead of Tony Lascuña with the duo bracing for a shootout in today’s final round.

By Peter Atencio

Lascuna, Quiban survive heat to keep ICTSI Luisita lead TARLAC—Tony Lascuna and Justin Quiban barely held on to the lead with a pair of scrambling 71s, enabling Japanes e Toru Nakajima and Clyde Mondilla to gain a crack at the crown after the punishing third round in the P3.5 million ICTSI Luisita Championship here yesterday.

Lascuna and Quiban, who went 3-up on Nakajima with flawless rounds at the Luisita Golf and Country Club Thursday, switched places at the helm with roller-coaster rounds from tee-off, yielded the lead to a surging Nakajima halfway through but found themselves tied again at the helm at 207 with those one-under par cards in sweltering heat.

But Nakajima lurked behind at 208 after a 69, failing to sustain an impressive 32 start that startled his joint leading flightmates with a bogey on No. 10. But his run of pars the rest of the way kept the Japanese within sight of a second ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour title after nipping Jay Bayron in the playoff to snare the ICTSI Wack Wack Invitational crown in 2013.

Mondilla made it a four-way battle in the second leg of the 17-stage ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour as the Del Monte ace matched Nakajima’s 69 to seize solo fourth at 209, just two

adrift of the joint leaders.

“I have to play extra cautious and concentrate on my game tomorrow (today) because my rivals are young and aggressive,” said the 45-yearold Lascuña, a multi-titled tour winner but still in search of a first win on the former home of local circuit’s version of the President’s Cup. He said putting will be the key in what promises to be a high-noon shootout for the top P650,000 purse in the 72-hole championship sponsored by International Container Terminal Services, Inc. “I have to keep my putting in check because it will determine the winner. If my putting clicks, I have good chances of winning,” said Lascuña.

Quiban underscored his readiness for the crown on his first foray on the pro tour by draining a 20-foot birdie putt on the last hole to save a 71 and stay side-by-side with the former three-time Order of Merit winner.

Flawed sense of priorities INSIDE SPORTS RONNIE NATHANIELSZ

AS we sat down to pen this column hours before two more gallant Filipino boxers Mario Fernandez and Eumir Alex Marcial strive to win their box-off for a bronze medal with victory assuring them of a berth in the Rio Olympic Games this August where they will join Rogen Ladon and skipper Charly Suarez who scored magnificent wins over touted opponents in the semi finals, we remembered that POC president Jose “Peping” Cojuango’s badly misplaced action in denying ABAP P3 million in funding for the trip

which his lackey, PSC Chairman Richie Garcia dutifully complied with.

This decision taken against the revelation that discredited former PNP Chief Gen. Alan Purisima had siphoned off almost P1 billion in five years that was meant for our athletes, makes us wonder where the money went and why the PSC and Pagcor have failed to provide a semblance of an explanation while the Ombudsman, who continues to go after opposition personalities most of the time, hasn’t thought it fit to investigate.

Its much like the Philippine Basketball Association board of governors who have subjected employees in the Commissioner’s Office to lie detector tests by the NBI while

using kid gloves treatment against the person who committed a crime by submitting falsified academic documents to secure her job in the PBA as marketing head.

Where is fairness, justice and delicadeza and what has happened to integrity which two esteemed Commissioners, the late Leo Prieto and Rudy Salud had indicated was non negotiable?

We recall the song with the lyrics “you’ve got mud on your face” what a disgrace as most appropriate f or Cojuangco and Garcia, two socalled sports leaders who apparently haven’t a clue about the sport of boxing and most other sports and have driven the Philippines to the depths of disaster in international

“I’ll just play it relaxed. If everything goes smoothly, well and good. If not, it’s also fine,” said the 20-year-old Quiban.

At least six others made a run and moved into contention with impressive starts only to get slowed down by the heat and errant shots and flubbed putts and stayed way behind.

Korean Park Jun Hyeok, eight down after 36 holes on a pair of 72s, strung up six birdies in an eight-hole stretch from No. 4, including four straight, to bounce back, only to reel back with back-to-back bogeys from No. 15.

But he came through with a rare birdie on the treacherous par-3 17th that all but wiped out Angelo Que’s chances as Park shot the day’s best 67. He, however, stood four shots off the leaders at 211.

Jerson Balasabas, the former amateur hotshot still in pursuit of a big win, turned in a more impressive start of five-under 31 and tied the course record with two more birdies on Nos. 13 and 14. But like majority of the field, he lost steam, wavered and dropped three strokes in last four holes, including a closing double bogey for a 68 and 212 in a tie with Orlan Sumcad and Albin Engino, who carded a 70 and 72, respectively. competitions even in the lowly Southeast Asian Games.

In denying the financial assistance of P3 million, Garcia mouthed the line of Cojuangco that training in the US and returning to Manila on March 18 and flying to China five days later “would be too taxing for the boxers who would have been training, sparring in the US and have to travel back home only to fly back to China. It makes sense to just go to China.”

We are glad that ABAP president Ricky Vargas and executive director Ed Picson who continues to do a fine job in China ignored Cojuangco and Garcia and proceeded with the trip which has so far resulted in two boxers—Rogen Ladon and Charly Suarez qualifying for the Olympics.

Obviously these two gentlemen haven’t a clue about the

MANY records are expected to fall again in the coming 2016 Palarong Pambansa.

Sports officials are upbeat about this possibility when the games get under way from April 10 to 16 in Legazpi, Albay.

With preparations nearing its completion, officials of the Department of Education (DepEd) hope that the athletes will see last year’s achievements as a goal to surpass.

Among those expected to shine are tracksters competing under the banner of the Negros Island Region, which will fight for dominance in athletics in the coming 2016 Palarong Palarong Pambansa in Albay.

Three gold medallists last year will be part of the newly formed region 18, and will fight for precious gold medals when action commences from April 10 to 16 in Legazpi City, Albay.

There’s Alexis Soqueno, who broke the record anew in the secondary boys high jump and who topped the 400-meter hurdles and the 4x100-meter relays as well. He will be back.

And so will long jumper Jerry James Belibestre and discus thrower John Christian Capasao.

Their coach Miguel Arca said their athletes are ready and are prepared for the stronger competition that awaits them in the Palarong Pambansa.

“It will be more competitive as our athletes will be going up against their former teammates from the Western Visayas team,” Arca in a statement.

Last year, when Davao del Norte hosted the 58th Palarong Pambansa in 2015, record-breaking feats were showcased by a new breed of student athletes in the swimming and athletics category.

demands of amateur boxing where fighters have to battle almost every day and make sure they keep within the stipulated weight limit which means that the hard grind helps condition them for their battles ahead.

By all accounts the US training stint was a resounding success and further enhanced the skills and conditioning of our boxers as proven by the results in China where Ladon showed his uncanny skill and mental and physical toughness to beat lanky and awkward Devendro Singh Laisham of India while veteran Suarez took no chances against the hometown boy Shan Jun of China, broke his nose in the very first round and forced him to quit at the end of the second.

Welterweight Marcial who was seeded No.1 suffered an injury to his left hand and was handicapped with the swelling

and pain but fought on like a true Filipino warrior and has one more chance later Friday to make it while Fernandez who lost to the classy Thai Chatchai Butdee but has a shot at making it to Rio if he can overcome Kairat Yeraliev of Kazakhstan late Friday.

What is sickening about this whole episode is the fact that Garcia congratulated the team for a job well done and even “Peping’s” longtime associate and right hand man Joey Romasanta who is basically a nice person, also joined in congratulating the fighters and wishing them the best. What gall!

We wonder what kind of men are these who, when success comes along, suddenly turn around and seek to share in the limelight.

Truly they have “Mud on their face!”

S AT U R DAY : A P R I L 2 , 2 0 16

A16

RIERA U. MALL ARI EDITOR

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

sports@thestandard.com.ph

SPORTS Rain or Shine Elasto Painters big man Beau Belga (30) dribbles past Phoenix Fuel Masters import Kevinn Pinkney.

The Elasto Painters beat the Phoenix Fuel Masters, 109-104, in a crucial tiff in the homestretch of the 2016 Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup last night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Ladon loses to Uzbek

By Ronnie Nathanielsz

ROGEN Ladon who already booked a berth to the Rio Olympics with a masterful victory over India’s shifty Devendro Singh Laisham in the semi finals failed in his bid for a gold medal losing by a questionable split decision to Uzbekistan’s Hasanboy Dusmatov who had also denied Ladon a finals berth in the 2015 Asian Confederation Boxing Championships winning by a decision.

Ladon appeared to have done enough to win but two of the three judges thought otherwise and scored the fight for Dusmatov by a close 29-28 margin while the third judge had Ladon the winner 29-28.

Mario Fernandez who was also hoping to qualify for the Olympics by beating Kairat Yeraliev of Kazakhstan in a box-off for the bronze medal was overcome by the Kazakh fighter although the scores of 30-27 were no indication of the closeness of the contest.

Meanwhile, despite his swollen and aching hand, Eumir Marcial told executive director Ed Picson he is determined to fight and win and qualify for the Olympics when he clashes with tough Uzbek fighter, 22-year-old Shakram Giyasov in an evening session.

E-Painters trip Phoenix

By Jeric Lopez

NERVES of steel, a huge break and a controversial call allowed the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters to emerge victorious from a dog fight.

The Elasto Painters barely escaped as they were able to bag a gut-wrenching squeaker against the feisty Phoenix Fuel Masters, 109104, in a crucial tiff in the homestretch of the 2016 Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup last night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Jeff Chan had his best game of the tournament thus far, firing a conference-high 25 points, hitting all of his eight field goal attempts from the arc, to pace the Painters.

Mo Charlo scored on a go-ahead lay-up with 32.1

French ice dance duo create magic in Boston TURN TO A12

seconds left to give Rain or Shine the lead, 105-104.

From there, a tumultuous finish followed.

It seemed that Phoenix gained the upper hand after import Kevinn Pinkney countered with a lay-up of his own with 17.9 seconds left to the joy of the Fuel Masters.

That joy was short lived though as the referees nullified Pinkney’s basket as they called an offensive interference after he touched the net while the ball was still bouncing above the rim.

This allowed Rain or Shine to keep its slim lead in the

closing seconds.

Left without a choice, Phoenix was forced to foul and Chan calmly sank two free throws to stretch Rain or Shine’s lead to three, 107-104.

Still with a chance, the Fuel Masters went to Pinkney again but he missed a potential-tying three-pointer, forcing the Fuel Masters to foul the Painters once more.

Raymund Almazan sank two more free throws in the dying seconds to finalize the count for Rain or Shine.

“It’s a hard struggle. I thought that the goal tending call was a break due for us,” said Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao of how his team won in the closing seconds. “I felt sure that it was goal tending.”

The victory improved Rain or Shine’s standing.

The Elasto Painters climbed to a three-way tie for fourth place with powerhouses

Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters and Barangay Ginebra San Miguel. All three teams are carrying 5-4 slates at the moment with two games left to play each.

More importantly, the Elasto Painters placed a foot in the quarterfinals and another win will cement their place in the top eight.

Leading the standings are the Meralco Bolts (6-2), the San Miguel Beermen (4-2) and the Alaska Aces (5-3).

The other teams include the Mahindra Enforcers (4-4), the NLEX Road Warriors (4-4), the Star Hotshots (4-4), Phoenix (3-6), the Blackwater Elite (3-7) and the GlobalPort Batang Pier (2-5).

Phoenix blew a golden chance of moving up the ladder and tying several teams as a win would have pushed them to a tie with Rain or Shine and Star. Instead, it

Pinoy MMA fighters promise to bounce back TURN TO A14

remained at 10th with its chance of making it in the quarters slowly slipping away.

The game was hanging in the balance in the payoff period, with both teams separated by a just a point, 77-76, for the Painters. Rain or Shine proved to be steadier in the pressure-packed moments in the closing seconds where the game was decided.

Charlo added 17 points and Jericho Cruz 16 for the Painters’ cause.

The Elasto Painters slowly opened up a 39-31 advantage following a 12-4 run to begin the second period.

The Elasto Painters then established a double-digit lead, 50-39, after a triple from Paul Lee in the latter minutes of the second to tighten its hold of the contest that they methodically handled. At the half, Rain or Shine held on to a 54-45 cushion.

B1

SATURDAY: APRIL 2, 2016

RAY S. EÑANO EDITOR

RODERICK T. DELA CRUZ ASSISTANT EDITOR

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

BUSINESS Benitez, STI end P1-b row

By Jenniffer B. Austria

THE Benitez family, owner of Philippine Women’s University, agreed to give up its properties in Quezon City and Davao City, to end a P1-billion dispute with STI Group of businessman Eusebio Tanco.

STI said in a disclosure to the stock exchange the Benitez group would surrender the site of Jose Abad Santos Memorial School in Quezon City and another property as debt settlement with STI. It said the move effectively ended the P1-billion legal dispute be-

tween the Benitez family and STI. STI said both parties settled their differences through a dacion en pago arrangement of certain assets controlled by Unlad Resources Development Corp. of the Benitez group.

Under the agreement, the Benitez group will retain owner-

ship of PWU campuses at Taft Ave. and Indiana St. in Manila while the STI Group will get the JASMS Quezon City campus and a property in Davao under the name of Unlad Resources.

STI representatives in turn will resign from PWU Manila, which will remain under the control of the Benitez family.

JASMS will continue to operate in the Quezon City campus along Edsa until the end of school year 2017, after which it will move to a new location.

PWU president Francisco Benitez welcomed the settlement as “a mandate to rebuild PWU and JASMS while remaining true

to the educational legacy of our founders.”

Benitez said talks were also underway to open new campuses outside Metro Manila in time for PWU’s centennial celebration in 2019.

The row between Benitez family and STI Group stemmed from a P1-billion debt that the Benitez family allegedly owed STI. STI Group issued notices of default to PWU and Unlad Resources in December 2014, after the Benitez group allegedly failed to meet its obligations.

STI demanded a payment of close to P1 billion from the Benitez group to cover invest-

ments, interest, penalties, lawyers’ fees and value added taxes that the company had spent since 2011.

STI bailed out PWU in 2011, by buying the debt papers from BDO and provided additional funds needed to pay for salaries and wages, utilities, repair leaks, fix campus flooding, and retirement pay, upgrade laboratory facilities and learning and other operational expenses.

The Benitez family’s offered to amicably settle the loan for P644 million. STI rejected the offer and moved to foreclose PWU’s properties.

PSe comPoSite index Closing April 1, 2016

8300 7840 7380 6920 6460 6000

7,245.13 17.17

PeSo-dollar rate

Closing April 1, 2016 48.00 46.00 45.00

P46.015

44.00

CLOSE

43.00

HIGH P45.950 LOW P46.125 AVERAGE P46.065 VOLUME 832.000M

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

oPriceS il P today

P19.25-P22.75 Diesel

‘Wealth Watch’ book. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. (third from left), holds copy of ‘Wealth Watch,’ a book

P34.55-P39.15 Kerosene

of the central bank on financial health and wellness. The book is now available for sale at the Bangko Sentral head office in Manila. Penned by a team of BSP officers and personnel, the book compiles true-to-life stories, research and pieces of advice on saving, budgeting, credit and borrowing, banking, financial planning/management and consumer protection. The book is for P200 a copy. With Tetangco during the book’s launching ceremony are (from left) BSP Assistant Governor Johnny Noe Ravalo, Deputy Governor Nestor Espenilla Jr. and Financial Consumer Protection Department director Prudence Angelita Kasala.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Friday, April 1, 2016

F oreign e xchange r ate Currency

Unit

US Dollar Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

45.9890

Japan

Yen

0.008887

0.4087

UK

Pound

1.436800

66.0770

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128926

5.9292

Switzerland

Franc

1.040474

47.8504

Canada

Dollar

0.770238

35.4225

Singapore

Dollar

0.741950

34.1215

Australia

Dollar

0.766400

35.2460

Bahrain

Dinar

2.653928

122.0515

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266695

12.2650

Brunei

Dollar

0.739208

33.9954

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000075

0.0034

Thailand

Baht

0.028425

1.3072

UAE

Dirham

0.272287

12.5222

Euro

Euro

1.138400

52.3539

Korea

Won

0.000874

0.0402

China

Yuan

0.155063

7.1312

India

Rupee

0.015094

0.6942

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.256410

11.7920

New Zealand

Dollar

0.691400

31.7968

Taiwan

Dollar

0.031027

1.4269 Source: PDS Bridge

ABS-CBN, iflix team up on airing local TV shows

By Darwin G Amojelar IFLIX, Southeast Asia’s leading Internet TV service, has teamed up with ABS-CBN Corp. as part of its strategy to offer local entertainment content.

The Lopez-led broadcasting company under the agreement will provide over 1,500 hours of classic television shows and hit movies from ABS-CBN Teleseryes, Star Cinema Movies, and Cinema One Original Productions to iflix’s vast library.

“The demand for our existing local program offering has been exceptional. The addition of ABSCBN movies and TV series enables us to now provide the most extensive selection of Filipino content available in the region, as part of our commitment to bring the best in both local and international entertainment to as many devices and homes as possible,” iflix Philippines country manager Sherwin dela Cruz,, said. iflix members from April 1 will have unlimited access to many of

ABS-CBN’s most popular TV classics, including Maging Sino Ka Man, Lobo, Tayong Dalawa, Ina Kapatid Anak and Walang Hanggan.

Star Cinema movies will also be available each month, such as One More Chance, A Very Special Love, You Changed My Life, It Takes a Man and a Woman, The Mistress and On The Job. iflix, which plans to to roll out the service across Southeast Asia, is 7.5 percent owned by Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. after investing $15 million.

Other owners are the Catcha Group, Sky PLC, Europe’s leading entertainment company, and Indonesian company Emtek Group, through its subsidiary PT Surya Citra Media Tbk (SCMA). iflix chairman Patrick Grove earlier said the company was looking at Indonesia, Vietnam and and planned to enter the Middle East and Africa this year.

The Internet TV service as of end-2015 had a total of over a million subscribers, the majority of which are in the Philippines.

SATURDAY: APRIL 2, 2016

B2

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

The STandard BuSineSS daily STockS review Friday, april 1, 2016

52 Weeks

Previous

High Low 7.88 75.3 124.4 107 56.5 4.2 17 30.45 2.6 1.01 100 1.46 30.5 75 91.5 137 361.2 57 180 1700 124 3.26

2.5 66 88.05 88.1 45.45 1.68 12.02 19.6 1.02 0.225 78 0.9 17.8 58 62 88.35 276 41 118.2 1200 59 2.65

47 5 1.46 2.36 15.3 89 20.6 85 36 65.8 2.97 4.14 21.5 21.6 11.96 9.13 11.8 2.89 31.8 109 20.75 15.3 9.4 0.98 241

35.9 1.11 1.01 1.86 7.92 40.3 15.32 20.2 10.08 29.15 1.5 1.5 10.72 9.55 9.04 6.02 8.86 1.06 20.2 71.5 13.86 13.24 5.34 0.395 173

79 3.95 4 33.9 90 13.26 293 5 5.25 12.98 6.75 15 7.03 3.4 4.5 6.3 1450 5.5 3.28 0.315 2.18 2.65 234 5.28 1.3 26 2.17

34.1 2.3 1.63 23.35 17.3 5.88 250.2 3.37 3.87 8.45 3 10.04 3.03 1.95 1 4.02 801 4.1 1.55 0.138 1.02 2.09 152 4.28 0.640 10.02 1.2

0.59 59.2 30.05 2.16 7.39 3.4 3.35 823.5 10.2 84 3.35 3.68 4.92 0.66 1455 7.5

0.44 48.1 20.85 1.6 6.62 0.23 0.23 634.5 7.390 12.8 2.6 1.15 2.26 0.152 837 5.3

76 6.5 5.29 6.66 9.25 0.85 17.3 5.53 9.66 0.0670 1.61 84.9 3.5 974 1.66 1.39 390 156 0.710 0.435 0.510

49.55 3.43 3 3.52 4.84 0.59 12 4.2 3 0.030 0.550 59.3 1.5 751 1.13 0.93 170 80 0.211 0.179 0.310

10.5 1.99 1.75 0.375 41.4 5.6 5.59 1.44 1.97

6.74 0.65 1.2 0.192 30.05 3.36 4.96 0.79 1.1

STOCKS

High

Low

FINANCIAL 3.1 3 46.35 45.1 103.20 100.90 88.65 87.50 39.45 39 1.34 1.31 14.66 14.6 15.86 15.48 1.72 1.72 0.640 0.570 82.9 82.15 0.98 0.93 14.68 14.58 23.65 23.65 53.00 52.55 104 103.9 284.8 270 30.6 30 178 171 1375.00 1375.00 57.50 57.00 1.73 1.6 INDUSTRIAL Aboitiz Power Corp.

43.95 44.3 43.25 Agrinurture Inc. 4.7 4.9 4.71 Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. 0.75 0.75 0.73 Alsons Cons.

1.48 1.5 1.42 Asiabest Group 10.7 10.7 10.6 Bogo Medelin 62 62 55.05 Century Food 19 19 18.86 Conc. Aggr. ‘A’ 339 339 205 Cirtek Holdings (Chips) 19.82 19.82 19.6 Concepcion 43 43.2 43.2 Crown Asia 2.55 2.52 2.47 Da Vinci Capital 5.9 5.92 5.7 Del Monte 11.42 11.5 11.38 DNL Industries Inc. 9.610 9.820 9.540 Emperador 7.58 7.58 7.36 Energy Devt. Corp. (EDC) 5.88 5.93 5.70 EEI 7.60 7.60 7.55 Euro-Med Lab 1.75 1.75 1.67 First Gen Corp.

22.15 22.8 22 First Holdings ‘A’ 66 67 66 Ginebra San Miguel Inc. 12.00 13.78 12.02 Holcim Philippines Inc. 13.78 13.90 13.78 Integ. Micro-Electronics 5.81 5.95 5.85 Ionics Inc 2.840 2.930 2.650 Jollibee Foods Corp.

227.00 229.00 226.40 LBC Express 10.6 11 10.5 Liberty Flour 34.00 354.00 35.00 LMG Chemicals 2 2 1.95 Mabuhay Vinyl 4.78 6.7 3.8 Manila Water Co. Inc. 27 27 26.5 Maxs Group 22.7 22.75 22 Megawide 6.2 6.4 6.12 Mla. Elect. Co `A’ 323.00 324.20 320.80 Panasonic Mfg Phil. Corp. 4.90 5.00 4.75 Pepsi-Cola Products Phil. 3.89 3.78 3.76 Petron Corporation 10.30 10.48 10.30 Phil H2O 3.49 3.2 3.2 Phinma Corporation 11.50 11.50 11.50 Phoenix Petroleum Phils. 4.42 4.43 4.40 Phoenix Semiconductor 1.70 1.77 1.74 Pryce Corp. `A’ 2.84 2.85 2.8 RFM Corporation 4.15 4.18 4.15 San Miguel ‘Pure Foods `A’ 174 177 173 SPC Power Corp.

4.5 4.74 4.5 Splash Corporation 2.46 2.51 2.47 Swift Foods, Inc. 0.159 0.165 0.157 TKC Steel Corp.

1.37 1.34 1.25 Trans-Asia Oil 2.76 2.80 2.70 Universal Robina 216.8 219.8 216.8 Victorias Milling 4.72 4.6 4.6 Vitarich Corp.

0.72 0.74 0.72 Vivant Corp.

22.50 33.75 23.00 Vulcan Ind’l.

1.23 1.31 1.15 HOLDING FIRMS Abacus Cons. `A’ 0.360 0.360 0.360 Aboitiz Equity 65.00 65.00 63.75 Alliance Global Inc. 16.50 16.90 16.28 Anglo Holdings A 1.12 1.11 1.10 Anscor `A’ 6.12 6.01 6.00 ATN Holdings A 0.295 0.300 0.285 ATN Holdings B 0.300 0.300 0.295 Ayala Corp `A’ 750 757 740 Cosco Capital 7.4 7.48 7.4 DMCI Holdings 13.40 13.40 12.82 F&J Prince ‘A’ 5.43 5.69 5.12 F&J Prince ‘B’ 5.7 5.8 5.1 Filinvest Dev. Corp.

5.02 5.04 5.00 Forum Pacific 0.231 0.231 0.231 GT Capital 1390 1400 1384 House of Inv. 6.12 6.41 6.14 IPM Holdings 9.52 9.71 9.54 JG Summit Holdings 79.35 79.35 77.35 Jolliville Holdings 5 5 4.99 Keppel Holdings `A’ 8.49 8.2 5.7 Keppel Holdings `B’ 7.48 7.48 7.2 Lopez Holdings Corp.

7 6.99 6.83 Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp. 0.68 0.72 0.68 LT Group 15.6 15.9 15.62 Metro Pacific Inv. Corp. 5.87 5.95 5.74 MJCI Investments Inc. 4 3.46 2.86 Pacifica `A’ 0.0340 0.0340 0.0330 Prime Orion 1.970 1.990 1.950 San Miguel Corp `A’ 77.00 77.00 75.85 Seafront `A’ 2.4 2.40 2.40 SM Investments Inc. 949.50 961.50 950.00 Solid Group Inc. 1.11 1.28 1.14 South China Res. Inc. 0.80 0.78 0.76 Transgrid 250.00 260.00 200.00 Top Frontier 175.200 185.500 172.700 Unioil Res. & Hldgs 0.3100 0.3150 0.3050 Wellex Industries 0.2050 0.2050 0.1980 Zeus Holdings 0.290 0.290 0.290 PROPERTY 8990 HLDG 7.850 7.800 7.700 A. Brown Co., Inc. 1.05 1.41 1.06 Araneta Prop `A’ 1.570 1.590 1.550 Arthaland Corp.

0.230 0.236 0.236 Ayala Land `B’ 35.250 35.700 34.650 Belle Corp. `A’ 2.99 3.02 2.96 Cebu Holdings 5.15 5.15 5.15 Century Property 0.550 0.57 0.550 City & Land Dev. 0.94 1.00 1.00 AG Finance Asia United Bank Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. Bank of PI China Bank Bright Kindle Resources COL Financial Eastwest Bank I-Remit Inc. MEDCO Holdings Metrobank Natl. Reinsurance Corp.

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

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

Close

SHARES 24,724,769 84,691,023 105,478,219 207,467,813 314,375,336 277,680,299 1,016,172,198

3.09 46.3 102.30 87.00 39.15 1.35 14.64 15.38 1.72 0.570 82.45 0.98 14.52 23.65 52.55 100 284.8 30.05 175 1375.00 57.55 1.6

Close

%

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

3.08 46.3 102.00 88.65 39.2 1.31 14.62 15.64 1.72 0.620 82.6 0.98 14.58 23.65 52.65 104 275 30.3 172 1375.00 57.45 1.6

-0.32 0.00 -0.29 1.90 0.13 -2.96 -0.14 1.69 0.00 8.77 0.18 0.00 0.41 0.00 0.19 4.00 -3.44 0.83 -1.71 0.00 -0.17 0.00

158,000 7,900 1,804,480 2,516,340 28,100 70,000 8,300 227,000 11,000 4,039,000 3,290,230 153,000 47,900 100 8,040 1,000 1,430 9,707,200 1,355,650 60 4,890 501,000

43.5 4.9 0.75 1.43 10.6 55.05 19 206 19.7 43.2 2.47 5.78 11.38 9.650 7.46 5.78 7.55 1.67 22.5 66.65 13.62 13.90 5.94 2.660 227.20 11 35.00 1.95 4.01 26.7 22.55 6.4 332.00 4.75 3.78 10.36 3.2 11.50 4.40 1.75 2.8 4.15 175.1 4.5 2.5 0.159 1.34 2.70 218.2 4.6 0.73 33.75 1.24

-1.02 4.26 0.00 -3.38 -0.93 -11.21 0.00 -39.23 -0.61 0.47 -3.14 -2.03 -0.35 0.42 -1.58 -1.70 -0.66 -4.57 1.58 0.98 13.50 0.87 2.24 -6.34 0.09 3.77 2.94 -2.50 -16.11 -1.11 -0.66 3.23 2.79 -3.06 -2.83 0.58 -8.31 0.00 -0.45 2.94 -1.41 0.00 0.63 0.00 1.63 0.00 -2.19 -2.17 0.65 -2.54 1.39 50.00 0.81

705,900 1,380,000 12,000 2,441,000 2,000 960 207,500 15,710 107,000 100 968,000 897,300 65,600 7,878,800 862,500 13,957,800 138,400 16,000 4,262,900 70,200 700 1,100 255,800 14,340,000 241,180 16,200 35 66,000 2,749,000 794,100 656,900 8,600 78,680 28,000 38,000 2,302,900 3,000 10,000 93,000 584,000 26,000 145,000 189,620 127,000 117,000 13,130,000 212,000 8,003,000 1,990,890 5,000 2,289,000 63,000 2,109,000

0.360 64.95 16.48 1.10 6.00 0.290 0.295 757 7.44 13.00 5.15 5.75 5.03 0.231 1388 6.25 9.70 77.80 5 5.8 7.48 6.98 0.69 15.62 5.8 3.46 0.0330 1.970 76.50 2.4 960.00 1.20 0.76 230.00 177.800 0.3100 0.2050 0.290

0.00 -0.08 -0.12 -1.79 -1.96 -1.69 -1.67 0.93 0.54 -2.99 -5.16 0.88 0.20 0.00 -0.14 2.12 1.89 -1.95 0.00 -31.68 0.00 -0.29 1.47 0.13 -1.19 -13.50 -2.94 0.00 -0.65 0.00 1.11 8.11 -5.00 -8.00 1.48 0.00 0.00 0.00

50,000 812,480 7,961,000 6,000 55,800 1,260,000 400,000 288,060 903,200 3,742,900 208,800 6,100 232,800 50,000 70,550 451,300 1,809,500 1,962,020 2,300 57,700 1,300 8,958,000 560,000 2,539,200 24,197,700 18,000 38,500,000 983,000 272,540 5,000 218,260 4,416,000 215,000 560 74,530 1,970,000 1,080,000 260,000

7.800 1.27 1.550 0.236 35.400 2.99 5.15 0.560 1.00

-0.64 20.95 -1.27 2.61 0.43 0.00 0.00 1.82 6.38

91,900 54,143,000 149,000 80,000 5,863,800 1,229,000 2,000 3,218,000 8,000

52 Weeks

Previous

High Low

STOCKS

Close

1.48 0.201 0.69 10.96 0.97 0.305 2.22 2.1 1.8 8.4 5.94 0.180 0.470 0.72 8.54 31.8 2.29 4.9 21.35 1.06 7.56 1.62 8.59

0.97 0.083 0.415 2.4 0.83 0.188 1.15 1.42 1.27 3.1 4.13 0.090 0.290 0.39 2.69 22.15 1.6 3.1 15.08 0.69 3.38 0.83 5.73

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 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

10.5 66 1.44 1.09 14.88 15.82 0.1430 5.06 99.1 12.3 2.6 7.67 2720 8.41 70.5 1.97 119.5 7 5.8 0.017 0.8200 2.2800 5.93 12.28 3.32 3.2 1 15.2

1.97 35.2 1 0.63 10.5 8.6 0.0770 2.95 56.1 10.14 1.6 4.8 1600 5.95 17.02 1.23 102.6 3.01 4 0.011 0.041 1.200 2.34 6.5 1.91 1.95 0.650 6

0.62 1.040 22.8 6.41 185 22.9 3486 0.760 2.28 46.05 90.1

0.335 0.37 14.54 3 79 4.39 2748 0.435 1.2 31.45 60.55

62,250.00 440,101.00 38,100.00 -69,790.00

11.6 0.85 2.95 10 1.9

7.59 0.63 1.71 5 1.14

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. Globe Telecom GMA Network Inc. Grand Plaza Hotel Harbor Star I.C.T.S.I. Imperial Res. `A’ Imperial Res. `B’ IP E-Game Ventures Inc. Island Info ISM Communications Jackstones Leisure & Resorts Liberty Telecom Macroasia Corp.

Manila Bulletin Melco Crown Metro Retail MG Holdings NOW Corp.

Pacific Online Sys. Corp.

PAL Holdings Inc. Phil. Seven Corp.

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

SSI Group STI Holdings Transpacific Broadcast Travellers Yehey

5,400,000.00 108,660,012.00 23,000.00

0.0098 5.45 17.24 0.330 12.7 12.8 1.19 1.62 9.5 4.2 0.48 0.420 0.440 0.022 0.023 8.2 49.2 4.27 1.030 3.06 0.020 7.67 12.88 10.42 0.040 420 9

0.0043 1.72 6.47 0.236 6.5 5.11 0.85 0.77 5.99 1.17 0.305 0.2130 0.2160 0.013 0.014 3.240 18.96 2.11 0.365 1.54 0.012 5.4 7.26 2.27 0.015 115.9 3.67

Abra Mining Apex `A’ Atlas Cons. `A’ Basic Energy Corp.

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

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

TA Petroleum

-10,108,767.00

70 553 525 120 515 111 1060 1047

33 490 500 101.5 480 101 997 1011

15,165,395.00 114,000.00

84.8

75

ABS-CBN Holdings Corp.

Ayala Corp. Pref `B1’ Ayala Corp. Pref ‘B2’ First Gen G GLOBE PREF P MWIDE PREF PCOR-Preferred A PF Pref 2 PNX PREF 3A PNX PREF 3B SMC Preferred C SMC Preferred D SMC Preferred E SMC Preferred F SMC Preferred G SMC Preferred H SMC Preferred I

324,240.00 -56,821,027 9,667,082.50 554,400.00 -1,501,148.00 -62,000.00 24,530,171.00 -176,706.00 -272,522,955 -1,454,310.00

-670,755.00 -10,300.00 -4,320.00 434,918.00 -206,128.00 -34,860.00 -114,866.00 -11,440.00 32,523,382.00 -1,096,801.00 -12,167,063.00 -111,290.00 7,141,205.00 -999,593.50 5,512.00 53,260.00 -8,330,900.00 -161,930.00 87,500.00 178,900.00 -1,507,395.00 -2,452,160.00 25,600.00 5,722,018.00 1,084,180.00

16,875.00

6,706,475.50 5,397,112.00 47,200.00 72,689,265.00 2,927,229.00 -11,372,650.00 15,300.00 276,710.00 16,560,840.00 246,970.00 -57,663,848.50

55,758,712.00 6,406,892.00 -4,003,266.00

-381,000.00

162,400.00 4,865,285.00 667,280.00 11,000.00

6.98

0.8900 LR Warrant Alterra Capital Makati Fin. Corp.

Italpinas Xurpas

15

3.5

12.88

5.95

130.7

105.6 First Metro ETF

High

VALUE 1,296,978,806.933 1,027,811,633.62 1,296,151,900.08 835,177,026.53 1,236,585,350.81 69,233,607.52 5,784,477,164.993

FINANCIAL 1,602.64 (up) 3.91 INDUSTRIAL 11,830.88 (down) 8.64 HOLDING FIRMS 7,098.97 (down) 7.66 PROPERTY 2,965.66 (up) 9.86 SERVICES 1,531.53 (down) 31.82 MINING & OIL 10,839.20 (down) 146.00 PSEI 7,245.13 (down) 17.17 All Shares Index 4,196.74 (down) 10.70 Gainers: 91; Losers: 104; Unchanged: 46; Total: 241

Close

0.990 0.129 0.530 38.45 0.860 0.154 1.05 1.77 1.43 6.75 4.15 0.090 0.2440 0.475 8.65 27.90 1.51 3.08 21.95 0.9 7.06 1.130 4.660

%

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

1.000 0.990 0.990 0.128 0.127 0.127 0.560 0.510 0.520 38.5 37.5 37.6 0.860 0.850 0.850 0.160 0.153 0.153 1.06 1.03 1.03 1.83 1.77 1.83 1.42 1.35 1.42 6.75 4.90 5.00 4.17 4.09 4.11 0.094 0.087 0.092 0.2490 0.2490 0.2490 0.530 0.495 0.500 8.7 8.69 8.69 28.25 27.30 27.60 1.52 1.49 1.5 3.05 3.05 3.05 22.45 21.95 22.15 0.91 0.88 0.9 7.07 6.4 6.41 1.170 1.100 1.130 4.740 4.660 4.700 SERVICES 7.43 7.5 7.42 7.42 57.05 57.3 57 57.2 1.28 1.28 1.22 1.24 0.580 0.620 0.560 0.560 10.62 10.64 10.64 10.64 5.15 5.15 5.05 5.08 0.0720 0.0730 0.0700 0.0720 3.3 3.3 3.24 3.27 89.5 90.7 89.6 89.65 9.9 9.9 9.9 9.9 1.55 2 1.54 1.9 6.96 6.98 6.85 6.98 2220 2200 2082 2092 6.95 6.99 6.90 6.99 26.50 20.55 20.00 20.55 1.20 1.21 1.20 1.21 67.7 67.5 66.05 67.5 27.05 26.90 20.50 21.70 250 300 250 280 0.0110 0.0100 0.0100 0.0100 0.280 0.290 0.275 0.280 1.3600 1.3700 1.3300 1.3400 2.4 2.35 2.08 2.3 7.75 7.80 7.74 7.80 3.56 3.96 3.70 3.75 2.84 2.85 2.85 2.85 0.550 0.550 0.550 0.550 2.53 2.65 2.43 2.5 3.85 3.92 3.84 3.85 0.280 0.290 0.275 0.290 1.100 1.620 1.100 1.290 17.8 17.9 17.9 17.9 5.08 5.15 5.04 5.04 100.00 139.90 105.00 109.00 22.05 22.05 21.60 22.05 1980.00 1980.00 1915.00 1920.00 0.420 0.430 0.420 0.430 0.900 0.910 0.870 0.900 36.40 36.60 36.35 36.45 74.00 74.80 73.85 74.00 6.11 6.18 6.10 6.12 3.58 3.64 3.39 3.41 0.570 0.610 0.580 0.590 1.79 2.3 1.78 1.81 3.75 3.83 3.71 3.71 4.760 4.820 4.800 4.820 MINING & OIL 0.0044 0.0046 0.0044 0.0045 2.05 2.11 2.04 2.11 4.20 4.24 4.17 4.19 0.245 0.255 0.234 0.250 8.6000 8.6 7.39 7.3900 8.5000 8.5000 7.3000 8.2000 0.62 0.63 0.62 0.62 0.480 0.480 0.480 0.480 8.21 8.40 8.20 8.30 0.840 0.850 0.830 0.830 0.285 0.295 0.280 0.290 0.275 0.280 0.260 0.270 0.295 0.295 0.285 0.285 0.0120 0.0120 0.0120 0.0120 0.0130 0.0120 0.0120 0.0120 2.06 2.06 2.04 2.06 5.26 5.35 5.07 5.09 2.66 2.67 2.53 2.53 0.5900 0.6100 0.5700 0.6000 1.3000 1.3200 1.2600 1.2600 0.0100 0.0100 0.0100 0.0100 3.72 3.88 3.75 3.76 5.59 5.62 5.50 5.50 2.34 2.40 2.27 2.33 0.0120 0.0130 0.0120 0.0120 131.30 132.00 130.50 130.50 2.5 2.54 2.46 2.47 PREFERRED 57 58.95 56.55 56.6 531 525 520 525 530 535 528 528 115.6 115.6 115.6 115.6 522 525 525 525 107.5 107 106 106 1070 1075 1075 1075 1010 1015 1008 1015 103.6 103.6 103.6 103.6 107.5 107 107 107 78.5 81.9 80 81.9 75.5 75.5 75.5 75.5 75.6 76.5 76.5 76.5 76.8 76.9 76.7 76.8 75.5 76 75.6 75.6 75 75.05 74.95 75 75 75 75 75 WARRANTS & BONDS 3.350 3.420 3.270 3.270 SME 4.19 4.48 4 4.47 3.6 3.67 3.52 3.64 3.2 3.4 3.25 3.25 17.88 18.24 17.82 17.92 EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 119.1 118.8 118.2 118.5

T op g ainerS STOCKS

Low

0.00 -1.55 -1.89 -2.21 -1.16 -0.65 -1.90 3.39 -0.70 -25.93 -0.96 2.22 2.05 5.26 0.46 -1.08 -0.66 -0.97 0.91 0.00 -9.21 0.00 0.86

34,000 1,430,000 21,147,000 579,000 675,000 310,000 6,921,000 59,427,000 385,000 175,800 17,434,000 3,900,000 200,000 1,940,000 40,500 1,408,900 144,000 77,000 10,603,900 2,084,000 60,200 2,670,000 11,018,000

990.00

-0.13 0.26 -3.13 -3.45 0.19 -1.36 0.00 -0.91 0.17 0.00 22.58 0.29 -5.77 0.58 -22.45 0.83 -0.30 -19.78 12.00 -9.09 0.00 -1.47 -4.17 0.65 5.34 0.35 0.00 -1.19 0.00 3.57 17.27 0.56 -0.79 9.00 0.00 -3.03 2.38 0.00 0.14 0.00 0.16 -4.75 3.51 1.12 -1.07 1.26

90,000 45,360 125,000 314,000 7,000 887,300 382,651.00 65,410,000 142,000.00 193,000 109,790 965,316.00 15,000 233,000 -10,000.00 193,600 128,135 -60,913,610.00 49,100 900 64,000 643,090 -3,969,508.00 615,400 790 1,600,000 48,820,000 -58,500.00 2,617,000 386,000 43,560.00 6,200 -30.00 1,528,000 2,000 13,000 12,870,000 -5,736,670.00 1,253,000 1,240,460.00 60,000 126,084,000 6,696,900.00 1,400 39,700 9,610 65,600 85,420.00 143,910 -40,734,640.00 410,000 14,826,000 928,790.00 520,400 1,266,855.00 3,756,200 63,908,571.00 356,600 12,923,000 824,130.00 14,550,000 6,167,030.00 770,000 91,850.00 1,185,000 852,080.00 4,000

2.27 2.93 -0.24 2.04 -14.07 -3.53 0.00 0.00 1.10 -1.19 1.75 -1.82 -3.39 0.00 -7.69 0.00 -3.23 -4.89 1.69 -3.08 0.00 1.08 -1.61 -0.43 0.00 -0.61 -1.20

75,000,000 21,000 368,000 -196,810.00 140,000 180,200 106,800 -176,844.00 288,000 240,000 62,600 -4,200.00 15,074,000 804,720.00 190,000 50,450,000 8,740,000 87,000.00 108,000,000 4,500,000 360,000 3,868,500 -3,025,684.00 145,000 655,000 276,000 -26,200.00 3,600,000 131,000 677,100 -724,738.00 1,977,000 -34,800.00 1,900,000 21,820 184,939.00 181,000

-0.70 -1.13 -0.38 0.00 0.57 -1.40 0.47 0.50 0.00 -0.47 4.33 0.00 1.19 0.00 0.13 0.00 0.00

47,160 3,990 2,010 13,210 2,030 600 5 2,880 200 1,000 125,760 4,700 45,610 132,730 75,100 113,500 374,600

-2.39

398,000

9,930.00

6.68 1.11 1.56 0.22

194,000 87,000 365,000 1,104,100

4,551,882.00

-0.50

2,580

-222,000.00 -2,938,135.00 -1,600.00 57,226,340.00 36,610.00 16,000.00 -39,396,850.00 49,800.00 -11,712,370.00 -6,300.00 63,561,595.00 11,300.00 4,092,080.00

534,279.50

-53,030.00

225,000.00

T op L oSerS Close (P)

Change (%)

STOCKS

Close (P)

Change (%)

Vivant Corp.

33.75

50.00

Conc. Aggr. 'A'

206

Discovery World

1.9

22.58

Keppel Holdings `A'

5.8

-39.23 -31.68

A. Brown Co., Inc.

1.27

20.95

Keppel Properties

5.00

-25.93

NOW Corp.

1.290

17.27

Grand Plaza Hotel

20.55

-22.45

Ginebra San Miguel Inc.

13.62

13.50

Imperial Res. `A'

21.70

-19.78

Imperial Res. `B'

280

12.00

Mabuhay Vinyl

4.01

-16.11

Phil. Seven Corp.

109.00

9.00

Benguet Corp `A'

7.3900

-14.07

MEDCO Holdings

0.620

8.77

MJCI Investments Inc.

3.46

-13.50

Solid Group Inc.

1.20

8.11

Bogo Medelin

55.05

-11.21

Alterra Capital

4.47

6.68

Starmalls

6.41

-9.21

SATURDAY: APRIL 2, 2016

B3

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

Market declines; Filinvest, BPI climb STOCKS fell for a second day, reflecting the decline in Asian markets after a closely watched survey showed confidence at Japan’s top manufacturers had fallen to a three-year low.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index, the 30-company benchmark, shed 17 points, or 0.2 percent, to close at 7,245.13 Friday. Despite the loss, the bellwether was still up 4.2 percent since the start of the year.

The heavier index, representing all shares, also dropped 10 points, or 0.3 percent, to settle at 4,196.74, on a value turnover of P5.8 billion. Losers outnumbered gainers, 104 to 91, while 46 issues were unchanged.

Eleven of the 20 most active stocks ended in the green, led

by Now Corp., which jumped 17.3 percent to P1.29. The company said earlier it posted a profit in 2015, reversing the losses in recent years.

Property developer Filinvest Land Inc. gained 3.4 percent to P1.83, while Bank of the Philippine Islands rose 1.9 percent to P88.65.

Meanwhile, The Bank of Japan’s quarterly Tankan report of 10,000 firms showed sentiment plunged in JanuaryMarch to plus six from 12. The survey marks the difference between the percentage of firms that are upbeat and those that see conditions as unfavorable.

Forecasts had been for a reading of plus eight.

The figures are the worst since Prime Minister Shinzo Abe put his growth drive fully into action in 2013 and will ramp up pressure on him as the economy struggles to gain traction.

Tokyo’s Nikkei index plunged 3.6 percent in the afternoon, with a stronger yen also hitting exporters.

There were sharp losses across Asia, with Hong Kong down 1.3 percent by lunch, Shanghai losing 1.4 percent and Sydney 1.6 percent lower.

Seoul, Singapore and Wellington were also heavily sold off.

After a painful sell-off in January and February, world markets enjoyed a healthy rally in March as central banks from Asia to the Americas loosened the monetary belt to make borrowing easier. With AFP

Pro-Friends taps Globe. Property Company of Friends Inc. taps Globe Telecom to provide connectivity to Downtown Lancaster, a master-planned 25-hectare commercial, business and lifestyle township in the heart of the 1,400-hectare Lancaster New City in General Trias, Cavite. Shown during the signing of the partnership are (from left) Pro-Friends new projects development head Jessie Alano, Globe chief technology and information officer Gil Genio, Pro-Friends senior executive vice president Jocelyn Guzman and Pro-Friends vice president for commercial and retail development Karen Parungo.

DMCI unveils plan to expand overseas

By Jenniffer B. Austria

DMCI Holdings Inc., the holding company of the Consunji family, plans to expand overseas over the next five years.

DMCI chairman and president Isidro Consunji said the company was looking at Vietnam, Myanmar and East Timor as possible investment sites for its core businesses, including water and construction.

The group is in talks with Marubeni Corp. of Japan as a possible joint venture partner for overseas venture, he said.

Consunji said aside from looking overseas for investment opportunities, the company still saw a lot of growth opportunities in

the Philippines, given its steady economic growth.

“If we don’t expand, our growth will plateau. So we need to shift to higher gear and to another level of growth,” Consunji said.

Consunji did not provide specific details, but said the company’s expertise was acquiring “junk” companies and turning them around into profitability, in the same way it transformed Semirara Mining Corp., Maynilad Water Services Inc. and Calaca power plant project.

He said while the conglomerate planned to be more aggressive with expansion, the new ventures were not expected to affect the company’s return on equity and dividend policy.

DMCI said core net income rose 20 percent in 2015 to P12.3 billion from P10.3 billion in 2014.

“Our growth was driven by the strong performance of all our investments. Despite weak commodity prices and project execution delays, we were able to meet our profit guidance for the year,” Consunji said.

Net income contribution from Semirara Mining rose 18 percent to P4.8 billion from P4.1 billion in 2014.

Net income contribution from property unit DMCI Homes also improved 11 percent from P3.2 bil-

lion to P3.6 billion. Excluding the effect of a gain on sale of an undeveloped lot in 2014, net income rose 18 percent year-on-year.

The continued improvement in operational performance and a 4-percent increase in billed volume in 2015 pushed net earnings contribution of unit Maynilad to grow 17 percent to P2.3 billion from P2 billion reported the prior year.

Net income contribution from DMCI Mining Corp. expanded 38 percent to P501 million, from P362 million in 2014, while off-grid supplier DMCI Power Corp. contributed P382 million, a 57-percent increase from P243 million the previous year.

DMCI has diversified from construction to other businesses such as real estate, coal mining and power generation.

7-Eleven franchise holder posts 15% growth in profit to P1b PHILIPPINE Seven Corp., the local franchise holder of convenience store chain 7-Eleven, said net income rose 15 percent in 2015 to P1.01 billion from P873.3 million in 2014, on aggressive store expansion.

PSC said in a disclosure to the stock exchange retail sales of all stores, including companyowned and franchise outlets, jumped 25 percent to P25.8 billion from P20.6 billion a year

ago.

The company said in the fourth quarter alone, net income increased 21.6 percent to P492.5 million as sales jumped 35.5 percent to P6.67 billion.

The company added 337 stores in 2015 and closed down 17 outlets to end the year with total store count of 1,602 stores, up from 1,282 stores in 2014.

The company said earnings growth in 2015 was slower than the previous year’s level due to

higher capital spending aimed at supporting expansion in the Visayas and Mindanao.

PSC said while this would impact the company’s profitability in the medium term, the move would allow it to achieve dominant position in new markets.

The convenience store operator earmarked P3.5 billion in capital expenditures in 2016, up from P3 billion in 2015, primarily to build more stores.

PSC president and chief ex-

ecutive Jose Victor Paterno said the company’s dominant position in the convenience store industry and the rapid expansion of business process outsourcing industry across the country would continue to drive the company’s growth.

PSC entered the Mindanao market last year with the opening of stores in Davao City and Cagayan de Oro City.

PSC said as of end-December 2015, it had 1,391 7-Eleven

stores in Luzon, 178 in the Visayas and 33 in Mindanao.

It also expanded its existing distribution centers and opened new warehouses in 2015.

PSC had nine warehouse facilities in 2015, up from only four in 2014.

PSC operates the largest convenience store network in the country. It targets to have 2,000 stores in the next three to four years.

Jenniffer B. Austria

SATURDAY: APRIL 2, 2016

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

IN BRIEF Poro Point Baywalk PORO Point Management Corp., a unit of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority, is set to inaugurate the Poro Point Baywalk during the Sillag Poro Point Festival of Lights on April 9, 2016.

Poro Point Chairman Ives Nisce said the project, a 1.3-kilometer bay walk fronting San Fernando Bay, featured a pedestrian walk and a separate bicycle lane with parks, playgrounds, picnic area, gazebos, amphitheater and a commercial strip.

“The commercial strip will be leased out to interested investors and small and medium enterprises. This will promote the participation of local businessmen in the development of the Poro Point Freeport Zone” she said.

The area has 44 lots of 400 square meter cuts each available for lease.

PPMC launched the project during the Sillag Festival in 2015, drawing thousands of participants and highlighting the project’s viability.

Sillag Festival is La Union’s counterpart to Baguio City’s Panagbenga and Clark’s International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta.

Othel V. Campos

FIT-All delay urged A CONSUMER group has asked the government to defer the imposition of feed-in-tariff allowance, or FIT-All, which will increase electricity prices and hurt ordinary consumers starting April 2016.

Consumer Group CitizenWatch questioned the timing of the FIT-All implementation in the dry season, when power rates are normally at peak level.

FIT-All is a government initiative that aims to reward renewable energy producers with higher rates, but would unfairly burden the power consumers, according to consumer Group CitizenWatch.

Wind, solar and small hydro power projects are given incentives in the form of FIT rates, which will be collected

by National Transmission Corp. from consumers.

The Energy Regulatory Commission approved the collection of FIT-All in March, translating into an increase of P0.08 per kilowatt-hour in power rates starting April, at a time when electricity rates typically shoot up due to higher demand. This means an additional monthly bill of P16 for a small household that consumes 200 kWh a month.

Govt invites offers on MPIC’s road link

By Darwin G. Amojelar

THE Public Works Department on Friday invited local and international companies to challenge the proposal of the tollway unit of Metro Pacific Investments Corp. to build and operate an expressway linking the north and south of Manila.

Eugenio Pipo Jr., Special Bids and Awards Committee chairman of the Public Works Department for civil works of PPP projects, said it was inviting local and international companies to submit competitive proposals under a Swiss Challenge bidding process to finance, design, construct, operate and maintain the North Luzon Expressway-South Luzon Expressway Connector Project under a 37-year concession agreement.

The agency published the invitation to submit proposal for the connector road after Metro Pacific Tollways Development Corp. and its subsidiary, Manila North Tollways Corp., the original proponent of the project, signed a joint certification with the Public Works Department signifying the completion of successful negotiations to build the NLEX-SLEX Connector Road Project as an unsolicited proposal.

This means the original pro-

ponent agreed on the terms and conditions of the project, which include the implementation of the Swiss Challenge and the agreed draft toll concession agreement submitted to the Department of Finance and the Office of the Solicitor General .

The board of the National Economic and Development Authority in December requested MNTC to lower the internal rate of return to 10.87 percent from 12.09 percent, by reducing the opening tariff from P100 to P87.

Pipo said a single-stage qualification and bidding for the NLEXSLEX Connector Road project will be conducted and the bid parameter should be the highest offered concession fee as an additional consideration for the right to use the right of way requirements of the connector project.

“In the event that a comparative proponent submits a proposal

better than that submitted by the original proponent, the original proponent shall have the ‘right-tomatch’ the best offer or such proposal in accordance with BOT Law and Revised IRR,” Pipo added.

The instructions to comparative proponents and other relevant qualifications and tender documents, which costs P200,000, will be available from April 12 until May 24.

The comparative proposals should be submitted to the Public Works Department on or before July 5 at 2 p.m.

The P23.2 billion NLEX-SLEX Connector Road project involves the construction of an eight-kilometer, four-lane toll road lining the North Luzon Expressway and South Luzon Expressway, passing through Metro Manila and using the existing Philippine National Railway alignment as its route.

New Aseagas owner THE board of Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc. approved the sale of all of its equity interests in Aseagas Corp. to Aboitiz Renewables Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Aboitiz Power Corp.

“The sale is subject to the usual closing conditions and approvals,” Aboitiz Equity said in a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange on Friday.

Aboitiz Equity said the acquisition price would be computed based on the subscription price of the shares, subject to the results of the fairness valuation being conducted by an independent financial adviser.

Aseagas is a wholly owned subsidiary of Aboitiz Equity and the project company of the 8.8-megawatt biomass plant in Sitio Hermosa, Barangay Malaruhatan, Lian Batangas that utilizes organic wastes.

Aboitiz Renewables, meanwhile, is the holding company of Aboitiz Power’s investments in renewable energy.

Aseagas recently marked a major safety milestone after recording one million hours of safe working without lost time incident. Alena Mae S. Flores

PH a hit in Dubai fair THE Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions said Friday it generated over $109 million worth of negotiated sales during the 21st Gulfood: Gulf Food Hotel and Equipment Exhibition and Salon Culinaire at the Dubai World Trade Center.

The country’s industry brand, FoodPhilippines, showcased its premium, healthy, and Halal-certified products from 24 Philippine companies during the five-day trade fair in February 21-25, 2016.

Among the country’s best selling items are rice and fresh bananas.

Philippine rice products were also well-received by the Dubai market. Other top products during the fair included noodles, coconut products and byproducts, canned fruits, dried mangoes, canned seafood, fermented marine products, confectioneries, snacks, chips, sauces and condiments.

Citem also sees great opportunity for the Philippine coffee in the Middle East market from the volume of inquiries on ground and whole beans in particular.

Othel V. Campos

IGLF assistance. The Industrial Guarantee and Loan Fund and the Foundation for Enterprise Management Innovations Inc. sign an agreement

for a capacity-building project for graduating micro-enterprises moving to become small and medium enterprises. At the signing ceremony are (seated, from left) FEMI treasurer Wilfredo Placino, UP-ISSI officer-in-charge Fidel Nemenzo; FEMI chairperson and president Manuel Avanceña, Economic Planning Secretary Emmanuel Esguerra, Development Bank of the Philippines executive vice president Benel Lagua and National Economic and Development Authority director Brenda Mendoza.

Authorities warn retailers vs fake, smuggled cigarettes THE rampant increase and open selling of smuggled cigarettes in many parts of Mindanao have prompted revenue, customs and police authorities to renew their drive against untaxed brands.

Authorities said the contrabands were detrimental to both consumers and the local economy as they were openly displayed and sold across thousands of stores in the provinces of Lanao del Sur, Lanao del Norte, Bukidnon, Iligan, Misamis Occidental, Zamboanga Peninsula and the Cotabato region.

Authorities said any person in possession or selling smuggled or

fake cigarettes would be charged under existing laws.

Violators under the unfair competition law face a penalty of imprisonment from two to five years and a fine of P50,000 to P200,000.

Republic Act 7394, or the Consumer Protection Act, imposes a penalty of imprisonment from one year to five years, or a fine of P5,000.00 to P10,000.00, or both.

Violators of the National Internal Revenue Code, meanwhile, face a maximum penalty of imprisonment for 12 years and fine of P100,000.00.

Cigarettes smuggled into the

country are subject to outright confiscation by local authorities.

Retailers, distributors and importers involved in the sales of smuggled or counterfeit cigarettes will also be held liable for tax violations and subject to criminal prosecution.

Authorities reminded retailers to purchase cigarette products only from legitimate sales personnel to ensure the products carry the mandated tax stamps.

Late last year, authorities seized and destroyed numerous caches, and prosecuted individuals engaged in the sale of these illicit products in various parts of Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite,

Nueva Ecija and Cebu.

The public is advised not to buy the smuggled cigarettes sold cheaply in sari-sari stores and public markets at around P18 to P20 per pack since these are unregistered, thus, avoiding tax obligations to the government.

Due to the annual increase in excise tax, the cheapest mandated price per pack is currently at P25.

The smuggled and fake cigarette brands have been identified as Malboro, Winston, Mighty, Marvels, Far Star, Fort, American Legend, Union, Navy and Gudang Garam manufactured in China, Indonesia, Malaysia and Cambodia.

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CESAR BARRIOQUINTO EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

WORLD Erdogan defends hard line WASHINGTON—US President Barack Obama met his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Washington Thursday, the White House said, amid tensions over press freedom and the war in Syria.

S. Korea: N. Korea fired missile SEOUL—North Korea fired another short-range missile off its east coast on Friday, South Korean officials said, as regional leaders met in Washington to discuss the threat of Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons program.

It was the latest in a series of North Korean missile launches during what has been an extended period of elevated military tension on the Korean peninsula, triggered by Pyongyang’s fourth nuclear test on January 6.

The launch came as the South Korean coastguard reported that around 70 fishing vessels had been forced back to port after GPS navigation issues caused by North Korean radio-wave jamming.

South Korea’s defense ministry said the surface-to-air missile was fired at around 12:45 pm (0345 GMT) from the eastern city of Sondok.

The range and precise trajectory could not immediately be confirmed, a ministry official said. The South’s Yonhap news agency said it flew 100 kilometers into the East Sea (Sea of Japan).

The launch came in the middle of a two-day nuclear security summit being hosted by Barack Obama in Washington, at which North Korea has been the focus of the US president’s talks with the leaders of China, South Korea and Japan.

Obama spoke Thursday of the need to “vigilantly enforce the strong UN security measures” imposed on the North after its latest nuclear test and subsequent long-range rocket launch. AFP

Swimwear show. A model displays swimwear during the beach resort swimwear show as part of the Marine Diving Fair in Tokyo. AFP

Having previously stated the pair were unlikely to hold sit-down talks a decision widely perceived as a snub by Washington the White House said the two men had in fact met on the sidelines of a nuclear security summit.

They discussed US-Turkey cooperation on regional security, counter-terrorism and migration, it said.

The absence of a presidential meeting on Erdogan’s trip to the US capital had been glaring.

The two countries are meant to be close Nato allies in the thick of a fight against the Islamic State group in Syria.

But tensions have been stirred by Ankara’s attacks on Kurdish militants, some of whom are seen by Washington as the best bet for tackling the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria.

Turkey says the groups are linked to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party, which has fought a long battle for Kurdish independence.

Turkish forays into northern Iraq have also strained ties.

The White House has been increasingly outspoken in recent months about threats to free speech and democracy in Turkey.

And on Thursday it restated its belief in the need for press freedom in Turkey, amid ugly scenes at an Erdogan speech in the US capital.

As the Turkish leader flew in to the US capital ahead of the nuclear safety summit, news broke of another deadly bomb attack targeting police in his country’s southeast, where his forces are battling Kurdish militants.

Against this backdrop his security detail was not amused to find a small group of protesters outside the Washington think tank where he was to speak, brandishing the banners of the YPG, a Kurdish militant group based in Syria.

Ankara regards the YPG as an affiliate of the PKK, Turkey’s main Kurdish separatist movement, and has declared it a terrorist threat. Washington sees the YPG guerrillas as key allies in its campaign against the Islamic State group.

Just ahead of Erdogan’s arrival at the Brookings Institute in Washington, Turkish security officials clashed with the crowd—both sides exchanging insults and scuffling—before local police were able to separate them. AFP

New clashes erupt in Greek ‘hot spot’ ATHENS—Three migrants were hospitalized Friday after a brawl in a camp on the Greek “hot spot” island of Chios, the ANA news agency said, as the country prepared to begin returning migrants to Turkey under an EU deal.

The agency said police used stun grenades to restore calm during the late-night fight, which caused serious damage to the island’s Vial camp, including the medical dispensary.

Pro-migrant activists said the trouble began after demonstrations Thursday evening by migrants demanding they be allowed to leave the camp.

Eight migrants were also hospi-

talized early Thursday after a fight between Syrians and Afghans in the overcrowded migrant camp at the Greek port of Piraeus near Athens.

Chios is one of five so-called hotspot centres set up to house and process migrants on Greek islands, which have been struggling to cope with an influx of desperate people, many fleeing the civil war in Syria.

The Vial camp houses 1,500 people at a site which has capacity for just 1,200, ANA said.

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu confirmed on Thursday that migrant returns from Greece to Turkey will begin on Monday under the terms of an EU deal.

As part of the agreement, all economic migrants landing on the Greek islands after March 20 face being sent back to Turkey -- although the deal calls for each case to be examined individually.

For every Syrian sent back from Greece, the EU has agreed to resettle one refugee directly from Turkey.

Aid groups have criticized the agreement on ethical grounds, warning that the Greek registration sites would become de facto detention centers for people slated to be sent back to Turkey after risking their lives and spending a small fortune just to reach Europe. AFP

Protest. Protesters demonstrate against labor law reforms in the

French capital Paris on March 31, 2016. France faced fresh protests over labor reforms just a day after the beleaguered government of President Francois Hollande was forced into an embarrassing U-turn over constitutional change. AFP

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WORLD

CESAR BARRIOQUINTO EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Belgium will extradite Paris suspect to France BRUSSELS—Belgian authorities Thursday approved the extradition of Paris attacks suspect Salah Abdeslam to France, as officials at the bomb-damaged Brussels airport said it was ready to reopen although flights would not resume immediately.

Abdeslam, the sole surviving suspect in the November attacks in Paris that killed 130 people, was arrested in Brussels on March 18 after four months on the run as Europe’s most wanted man.

Four days after he was arrested, the Belgian capital was struck by coordinated Islamic State group bombings at the airport and a metro station carried out by suicide attackers with links to Abdeslam and the Paris attacks cell.

Abdeslam’s lawyer said that his 26-year-old client had agreed to be

transferred to France under a European arrest warrant, clearing the way for a fast-track extradition.

“What Salah Abdeslam wants to make known is that he wants to cooperate with the French authorities. These are the words he wants to make known,” lawyer Cedric Moisse told reporters in Brussels.

Abdeslam’s arrest was considered a rare success in Belgium’s anti-terror fight, although he was found within a short distance of his family home in the Molenbeek dis-

trict of the capital. He has refused to talk since the Brussels bombings.

The transfer to France should happen “within 10 days”, said French justice minister Jean-Jacques Urvoas.

Belgian investigators will still be allowed to question Abdeslam in France.

He is believed to have acted as a logistics coordinator for the Paris attacks and has told investigators he was meant to carry out a suicide bombing at the Stade de France stadium but backed out.

Brussels airport, closed since its departure hall was wrecked in the attacks, said it had received the goahead from fire services and the Belgian Civil Aviation Authority “for a partial restart of passenger flights”.

“The airport is thus technically ready for a restart,” it said in a statement. “However, the authorities have yet to take a formal decision

on the restart date. Until Friday evening, no passenger flights will take place at Brussels Airport.”

In a bid to end the travel chaos caused by the closure of a major European air hub, hundreds of staff staged drills this week to test temporary check-in facilities as well as enhanced security measures.

Under the temporary arrangements, Zaventem airport would be able to handle 800 departing passengers per hour around 20 percent of normal capacity, it said.

Adding to the airport’s woes, police unions threatened to go on strike if security measures are not improved ahead of the reopening.

Also Thursday, Portugal stepped up security at its airports following a message purportedly from the Islamic State group threatening attacks on Lisbon.

“Necessary security measures have been taken, including at airports,” said Helena Fazenda, head of the country’s internal security force, after the non-authenticated message was circulated on social media.

Close links have emerged between the Paris and Brussels attackers, exposing a tangled web of cross-border extremist cells and triggering a series of raids and arrests in several European countries.

In the latest operation on Thursday, police and soldiers searched a wooded area in western Belgium, with authorities saying the raid was linked to a thwarted plot to attack France.

The main suspect in that case, Reda Kriket, has been charged in France with membership of a terrorist organization after police found an arsenal of weapons and explosives at his home.

The joint French-Belgian operation by masked police and soldiers along a busy motorway lasted for several hours but Belgian prosecutors said no weapons or explosives were found and no arrests were made.

Belgian-born French citizen Abdeslam has connections to at least two of the Brussels bombers. Khalid El Bakraoui, who blew himself up at the metro, rented a flat in Brussels where Abdeslam’s fingerprints were found. AFP

Rousseff gets support against impeachment

Meals. Bikers working for food delivery service Deliveroo enter a restaurant to pick up meals they will deliver in Paris. AFP

NOTICE

ruption judge.

The peaceful demonstrators, many waving the red flags of Rousseff’s Workers’ Party, gathered in 31 cities, including Brasilia, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo and northern centers like Recife.

The Globo news site quoted police estimates for total turnout at more than 110,000, while organizers claimed nearly 600,000. At one of the larger rallies, in Brasilia, police told AFP that at least 25,000 to 30,000 people marched.

“No to the coup,” said one placard popular at the protests. “Democracy,” read a large banner at the gathering in Rio, where more than 5,000 people turned out across the city some four months ahead of the 2016 Olympics. AFP

Hope fades for survivors of flyover collapse

M a r c h 31, 2 016 This is to inform the public that Of ficial R e c e i p t o f M s . R o w e n a Pa s c u a , f o r m e r S a l e s A g e n t 2 o f S t . P e t e r L i f e Pl a n Inc. Makati Branch with series number 9 8 0 6 5 6 - 9 8 0 70 0 w a s l o s t .

The said of f icial receipt was already b l o c ke d i n t h e sy s t e m o f S t . Pe t e r L i f e P l a n I n c . I f a ny o f o u r p l a n h o l d e r s h a s o n e o f t h e o f f i c i a l r e c e i p t m e n t i o n e d a b ove o r i f found, please inform to Makati Branch, U n i t 9 0 6 R u f i n o B l d g . Ay a l a Ave . , M a k a t i C i t y o r c a l l ( 0 2) 8 8 6 -76 61. for and on behalf of S t . Pe t e r L i f e P l a n I n c .

(S g d .) C e l l y n e t t e P. R e ye s S a l e s Te a m L e a d e r S P L PI - M a k a t i B r a n c h

BR ASILI A—Bra zi lian President Dilma Rousseff’s fight against impeachment gathered speed when tens of thousands of people marched nationwide to oppose what they said was a “coup.”

The rallies late Thursday were part of a concerted attempt by Rousseff to turn the tide ahead of an impeachment vote over her alleged manipulation of government accounts to disguise the depth of Brazil’s recession during her 2014 reelection.

Further boosting Rousseff, her chief ally in the spiraling political crisis fiery ex-president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva won a major court battle that removes him from the jurisdiction of a crusading anti-cor-

( T S - A P R . 2 , 2 016)

KOLKATA—The death toll from a collapsed flyover in eastern India rose to 25 on Friday, after emergency workers toiled through the night to find any remaining survivors trapped under huge slabs of concrete and metal girders.

But emergency authorities said there was little hope of finding any more survivors after pulling almost 100 people from under the rubble of the road that collapsed onto a busy street in Kolkata on Thursday, crushing cars and pedestrians.

“The rescue operation will

not stop until all the blocks of concrete and iron girders have been cleared,” said deputy police commissioner Akhilesh Chaturvedi as he announced the toll had risen to 25.

“Nearly 300 rescuers, including army and disaster management personnel, are working around the clock to clear the rubble.”

The National Disaster Response Force, however, said there was little hope of finding any more survivors under the rubble of the flyover, which had been under con-

struction since 2009.

It was unclear what caused the sudden collapse, but police have registered a preliminary case against the contractor.

The state government, which is fighting for re-election in a vote that starts on Monday, pledged to take action against those found responsible.

The survivors being treated at a nearby hospital described how tons of metal and concrete came crashing down onto the busy street without warning.

“The flyover collapsed in front of me. When I tried to es-

cape, I was hit,” said housewife Sabita Devi.

Hospital manager Sitaram Agarwal said many people were being treated for head and leg injuries sustained in the disaster.

But authorities initially struggled to get cranes and other large machinery through the narrow streets of Burrabazar, one of the oldest and most congested parts of the city.

An injured builder told AFP at the scene that he had been working on the structure before it collapsed and had seen bolts come out of the metal girders. AFP

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PROPERTY

JOEL D. L ACSAMANA EDITOR

jdlacsamana@gmail.com

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Shaking up the U Belt. Megawide Construction Corporation and Prince Jun Development Corporation recently topped off the University Tower at P. Noval at Metro Manila’s university bustling belt district. UT4 is Megawide’s fourth project with Prince Jun Development Corporation. The construction and engineering firm already have University Towers 1 and 2 in Sampaloc and University Tower 3 in Malate under their belt. “Megawide used an improved precast wall capillary system which drains trapped rain water through the surface of the exterior wall, preventing rain water from entering the building,” revealed Engr. Ronald Paulo, Megawide’s vice president for operations.

UT4 has a a total of 1,077 residential units in 48 floors. Megawide is into projects such as the Mactan-Cebu International Airport and the Southwest Terminal of the country’s first Integrated Transport System.

COMMANDING VIEW

Ayala Land, Inc. has big plans for Ayala Triangle Gardens, particularly an 18,150 square meter lot in the corners of Paseo de Roxas and Makati Avenue. A 39-stories office building will rise here, a marriage of modern architecture and interior design amidst sprawling greens and open spaces.

Good news for runners, dog-walkers and other leisure junkies. Aside from having a commanding view of town,

ALI vows the development will have green building features with an eye towards an award from LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environment Design).

And looks like it will be a diverse place as well: besides an amphitheater, multipurpose hall for special events, and restaurants, its immediate neighbour will be the spanking new, and definitely sorely missed, 24-storey Mandarin Oriental. Both projects will be completed in 2020.

‘FENG SHUI’ WHEN BUYING, DESIGNING A CONDO

At play in the fields of Eton. Jazzing up

the Makati district is the soon-to-rise Eton Tower Makati, at the corner of Dela Rosa and V.A. Rufino streets. All of 41 stories, the project is by Eton Properties, the real estate arm of the Lucio Tan Group of Companies. Something unique about the tower are its mini suites. Inspired by Hong Kong’s Mini Hotel, the mini suites take over floors six to 12, offering 340 single or double rooms and 28 family rooms. The first two floors serve as a commercial and retail center. Meanwhile, premium small-office-home-office (SOHO) areas target start-up ventures, outsourced services, professional practices, independent firms, and corporate office branches who can can pick among the studio, one-bedroom, or two-bedroom options from the 14th to the 22nd floors.

Rockwell Primaries recently held an open house at 53 Benitez to share tips on choosing a home, and what to look out for to attract positive energy with the help of renowned Feng Shui consultant, Dr. Andy Tan. “Purchasing your own place will always entail a lot of considerations – from the developer, price, location, even to the amenities offered,” said Malou Pineda, senior vice president, Rockwell Primaries. “We work with Dr. Tan to invite more positive energy into each of our developments.”

In the year of the Fire Monkey (2016), Tan believes that the units facing the skyline will bring prosperity and good fortune to homeowners. Units facing southeast and southwest are very auspicious for this year. Tan offered tips to attract positive energy into homes: • Get a southward-facing condo unit for better luck. The Feng Shui element Fire is represented by the south direction.

• Decorate with earth tones. Paint one of the walls brick red, change the sofa’s upholstery to brown, or add accent pieces in yellow to keep your home in harmony with the energy of the year (“Fiery Monkey”).

• Brighten up your living space. Replace the warm lights in your home to brighter lights like LED and ZEN lights.

• Stow away those fountains, aquariums until the next few year. Water elements are a no-no in the year of the Fire Monkey. Replace the cool elements of your home

Keeping the “Chi” in. Going with the flow in this condo unit at 53 Benitez.

•

•

•

décor with something fiery.

Know how to maximize the Chi Flow. Chi is the energy or the “good vibrations” that flows through a room, bringing harmony and prosperity with it. Before buying a condo unit, make sure there are no doors directly facing verandas, or windows to make sure the chi stays within the home. As the chi freely enters your home, welcome it as you would welcome a guest.

Be mindful of your source of income. True to the Feng Shui elements of the fire and the monkey, this year is predicted to be an erratic and volatile year. But investing in property, particularly for a home, is a promising bet for 2016.

First things first: do your research, and get a reputable developer. The Feng Shui tips can come later.

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JOEL D. L ACSAMANA EDITOR jdlacsamana@gmail.com

PROPERTY

MILLENIALS EYED IN TIE-UP BETWEEN LOCAL DEVELOPER, ONLINE PROPERTY PORTAL

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eal estate company Megaworld recently partnered with online property portal Lamudi Philippines to shore up its campaign for San Antonio Residence, a new Makati project that eyes millennials as a market.

Aggressive real estate players are currently casting covetous eyes on the growing local internet scene, and how brands and consumers are changing the way they do business. Clearly, easy and real-time viewing of property products and services is trending, and woe to developers who ignore it.

“San Antonio Residence is Megaworld’s 20th residential project in the Makati central business district,” Eugene Em Lozano, Megaworld’s vice president for sales and marketing for Makati CBD, told The Standard.

“The project’s location and amenities complement the lifestyle of millennials, “ he noted.

Taking advantage of Lamudi’s online listings, recently upgrad-

Right moment. San Antonio Residence, a soon-to-rise project along Sen. Gil Puyat Ave., draws a bead on tech-savvy investors trolling for properties online.

ed mobile app and expert market data, makes sense from an online advertising standpoint.

“Now that digital is the way to go, we believe that Lamudi’ expertise can help us reach our target market,” Lozano said.

“Go-to-place” Lamudi Philippines, together with MyProperty.ph, is gearing up to be the “go-to place” for everything related to real estate. The company also released its Real Estate Market Report for 2015.

At a media film screening of “Batman and Superman: Dawn of Justice”, held last week at Megaworld’s own stomping grounds at Newport Cinema, Jacqueline van den Ende, managing director of Lamudi Philippines, discussed the tie-up with The Standard.

“Our website’s page-views and visits are indicative of how much more potential buyers and renters look online to explore their increased real estate options,” she said.

“We tailored our services to the needs of our clients. For Megaworld Makati, our online marketing campaigns fit their carefully designed project meant to cater the lifestyle of young Pinoys.”

Big ticket projects ahead. The Philippines has started its transformation from a highly agricultural economy to a service-based one, almost bypassing industrialization that is common to most economies,” asserted Michael McCullough, managing director of KMC MAG Group. In a recent roundtable held in Makati City, the local associate of global property advisor Savills, explained that the local economy showed remarkable growth in the past few years, and is now one of the fastest-growing economies in Southeast Asia. “The Philippines and Asian real estate, in general, have enjoyed a strong run over recent years,” said McCullough. He said property players are ramping up their spending on big-ticket projects, some of which will kick off in 2016. “Local developers are aggressively buying land, and increasing their portfolios, not only in Metro Manila but also in major cities outside the capital. These projects give these places much-needed facelifts, spread development outside the city, and provide jobs for locals,” he said.

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TATUM ANCHETA EDITOR

BiNG pAREl

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

BERNADETTE lUNAS

life @ thestandard.com .ph

WRITER

@liFEatStandard

p op CU lT U RE

LIFE

Clad in masks and robes, students and faculty members of the Arts and Culture Cluster of De La Salle-College of St. Benilde’s School of Design and Arts performed at the entrance of the SDA Building

ThE MySTERIES Of ChRIST’S DIvInITy A street performAnce by the college of st. benilde’s school of design And Arts becomes An AffirmAtion of fAith

T

he Holy Week is one of the most important holidays for Christian devotees, and this is commemorated in almost all parts of the country.

This year, the Holy Week was observed utilizing traditional customs and in many instances, with a contemporary approach. In the Metro, different contemporary exhibitions and installations, even outside of the confines of the church. were mounted.

For instance, the Arts and Culture Cluster of De La SalleCollege of St. Benilde’s School of Design and Arts celebrated with a two-hour performance of a contemporary interpretation of the Passion of Christ last March 21. Directed by Nonon Padilla, the school presented Ang Mga Misterio Ng Liwanag (The Mysteries of Christ’s Divinity), played and performed by the students of Theater and Dance of the Benilde School of Design and the Arts; faculty and member of PETA, Eric Villanueva; the school’s program chair of dance, Christine Crame; Associate Dean of SDA Culture and Arts, Sunita S. Mukhi; Coro San Benildo; Romancon Dance Company; SDEAS Silent Steps; and Dulaang Filipino.

The theatrical performance commenced at the entrance of the SDA Building followed by a street performance of the Senakulo on Arellano, Estrada and Leon Guinto streets. Within the building facilities, calligraphy is seen on every floor together with some paintings that depict the crown of Christ. Clad in masks, puppet costumes as well as white and red robes, the performers chanted, danced, and moved – displaying the juxtaposition of modern day challenges with religion and tradition.

A depiction of the Last Supper

The students and faculty members prepared for a month, and Associate Dean Mukhi’s performance as a dancing demon was the highlight of the show, representing a realistic view of the world wherein people have this belief that they are better than God. “It was my first time to do this particular thing, but we have done other performances on the ramp,” shares Mukhi.

“We did Dante’s Purgatorio last semester where we did a performance here, but most of the performance happened inside the building.” The Mysteries of Christ’s Divinity is something new for the faculty and the students because the performance extended to the streets of Arellano, Estrada and Leon Guinto. The performance of Mukhi was choreographed in playful dance including traditional Indian dance moves that is something native to her.

“It’s the kind of artwork that I know how to do because I am of Indian origin so I know Indian classical dance,” she explains.

The traditional tropes of chanting the pasyon are interspersed with stories and testimonials of the performer’s

personal experience about faith.

After the performance by the SDA ramp, a version of the senakulo followed into a procession and the Stations of the Cross extended along the streets, ending with the Resurrection and a prayer for peace by Benilde president Brother Dennis Magbanua.

“There is no apathy to the Christian faith in Manila!”

Mukhi expresses. As throughout the performance and even to the procession on the streets, the people including street children became fully engaged, going as close as they could to the performers.

“This performance was an affirmation of faith. My students responded by writing in their reaction papers that they were in fact moved by the performance which reiterated their faith,” shares Mukhi.

During the performance, actors presented their own testimonials on their faith. Highlights were the moving story of each of the performers – a young woman diagnosed with Asperger’s and her plight to overcome this disability and eventually go to school and now take in the play. Another touching testimonial is from Palanca award winning playwright Frank Rivera who narrated the

The traditional tropes of chanting the pasyon are interspersed with stories and testimonials of the performer’s personal experience about faith

Associate Dean of SDA Culture and Arts, Sunita S. Mukhi performed as a dancing demon

story on how he survived nonHodgkin’s lymphoma.

Ang Mga Misterio ng Liwanag is the follow up breakthrough project that The Arts and Culture Cluster of the School of Design and the Arts put together after they staged last year’s five-and-ahalf-hour performance of Dante’s Purgatory: Love Gone Wrong, Love Redeemed, in commemoration of the poet’s 750th birth anniversary.

Parts of the performance involved a procession, choral singing, dance, immersive theater, animation, photo booths, cheerleading, a fashion display, and cosplay actors depicting the seven deadly sins.

According to Mukhi, they plan to have something grand every semester and they are looking to more performances by next year, with perhaps something special to commemorate William Shakespeare’s 450th birthday with an interpretation of Macbeth.

“We are also conjuring a series of exhibitions, performances and symposia around the theme of the Filipino Mythic to bring attention to what Filipinos value as to the ideal, iconic, beatific, from the preternatural, to the divine, to the popular, to the exotic. So watch out, people!” she closes.

– Charmaine Loveria

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

@liFEatStandard

STYlE gUiDE 2016:

“S

pEnShoppE’S SpRing-SUmmER CollECTion EvokES SoCal vibE

ummertime, and the livin’ is easy¼ ” so begins the popular lyrics of that Ella Fitzgerald song that brings to mind images of a laidback yet vibrant life. And this is exactly what penshoppe’s Spring/Summer 2016 collection brings, channeling the Southern California kind of vibe. pieces come in soft, summery tones with prints

Sink & Swim

Combine sunset-shaded “sink & swim” pullovers with acid wash denim shorts for that on-point-without-tryinghard. Modern and straightforward, feel like a pop star out on a summer holiday with this cool ensemble.

Free Spirit

that are retro-vogue, with chic choices from the collection that give off an effortlessly stylish look.

With the sun making the season so brightly cheerful, the collection takes inspiration from popular activities, with combinations that anyone can easily pull off from the key pieces from these latest offerings from penshoppe.

This pair is not for the faint of heart or the old fuddy duddy, but the free-spirited fashonista, with the classic monochromatic white printed tee and colorful rose quartz shorts screaming “free spirit!”

party all the time

The midi dress is still very much on, evoking subtle sophistication with modern flexibility. Get that on fleek casual-chic look with flats and a denim jacket, or transform into quiet elegance with sexy pumps and a black blazer.

FaShionable weekendS

The fashion conscious will suddenly think of weekend trips just to have an excuse to add this white button-front skirt to their summer wardrobe. Paired with either a powder blue or soft pink long-sleeved shirt and a small leather cross body bag or purse, you’re set to channel an off-duty model.

road trip

Get that dynamic urban look that surfer boys from Orange County, California have achieved to nearperfection. Go places in this trendy snapback cap, cool white graphic tee and light blue board shorts. It’s definitely street fashion that can take you from city to countryside any given day.

muSic FeStival

While distressed pants meanwhile perfectly capture the carefree spirit of the season, Boho-chic blouses or muscle shirts for that Coachellainspired look are sure to turn heads anywhere.

You can stay cool and stylishly up-to-date all summer with these pieces from Penshoppe. For more information about the international brand, visit www.penshoppe.com and follow them on Facebook at Penshoppe, on Instagram with handle @penshoppe, on Twitter as @PENSHOPPE, and on Snapchat at @teampenshoppe.

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

Yosi Samra foldable ballet flats can effortlessly take you from city pavements to wild outdoors this summer

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TRAvEL In STYLE AnD comFoRT wITh YoSI SAmRA FLATS

ummer is the best time to go places and explore the sights and sounds of new cities, or stroll down along country roads as that classic song goes. However, pounding the pavement or trekking to the wild outdoors can take its toll on your feet, yet if you’re the type who wouldn’t want to be caught dead

wearing those drab-looking podiatric monstrosities no matter how comfortable they may be, then looking for the right kind of shoes may be a challenge. Sure, you don’t want footwear that, after an hour or two, will make you feel like every step is killing you softly – and yet, you do not want to sacrifice aesthetics or fashion before the altar of comfort.

The solution? Yosi Samra foldable ballet flats – those light but sturdy, high quality shoes that can effortlessly take you from city pavements to the wild outdoors. The New York-based brand is fast becoming a favorite among women because aside from quality craftsmanship and runwayinspired details, Yosi Samra foldable pairs are small enough so that you can easily slip them into your favorite handbag and then whip them out for a fun night out.

And if you are taking a trip, they can fit into your luggage without creating unsightly bulges that can happen when you try to squeeze in a favorite pair of rubber shoes or sneakers.

Yosi Samra may be diminutive in size but they certainly pack a wallop when it comes to style, and of course, that utter feeling of comfort. Pairs come in a variety of styles and in every imaginable combination of the most supple leathers, satins, patents, and suedes. A few stand-out pieces feature

bold prints, rich tones, and classic neutrals.

The brand makes chic and versatile looks available year-round with its everyday line complemented by new collections released every season and for special seasons like weddings for instance. Whether it’s a fun night out with friends or a trip to your favorite vacation spot, Yosi Samra flats will take you to places near and far. As they say, step out in style with YS. Exclusively distributed in the Philippines by Green Tee, Inc., Yosi Samra opened its first standalone store in the country. To date, it has a total of 14 local branches, including ones in Cagayan de Oro, Bacolod, and Iloilo. Globally, it is available in over 1,000 boutiques across the US and 85 other countries.

For branch locations and collection updates, follow Yosi Samra Philippines on Facebook at YosiSamraPhilippines and @yosisamra.ph. on Instagram.

Red Bull SEA Gals: can they make it?

If you were to travel across several places in Europe and take on a series of challenges with no cash, no credit cards and no personal phones – but with only 24 cans of Red Bull as your currency and a smartphone, do you think you will survive the challenge and make it?

This is the challenge that UP Architecture students Nadine Balaccua, Alison Estabaya and Nikki Palma will undertake starting this April 12 as they embark on a journey starting at Florence in Italy and then off to the rest of Europe: Barcelona, Berlin, Edinburgh, and Prague as they represent the Philippines in the Red Bull “Can You Make It?” challenge.

Dubbed as the SEA Gals, Nadine, Allison and Nikki will be competing with 164 other student teams representing 50 countries for the week-long race where they will only rely on their wit, guts, resourcefulness, creativity, charm and of course the Red Bull cans that they can utilize as a trading tool for their food, lodging and transportation requirements to cover the various legs of the race that include Checkpoint Challenges, Adventure List tasks, and Social Following achievements.

For sure, the adventure challenge will test how well they will work under pressure and if their friendship and bond will be able to overcome the difficulties that lie ahead.

Those who watched the application video posted by the UP students on YouTube said they are confident that the trio – who described themselves as “a bunch of

The SEA Gals will embark on a journey starting in Florence, Italy and then off to the rest of Europe to take on a series of challenges with only one smartphone and 24 cans of Red Bull as their currency

girls with different strengths and passions that, together, fuel our common thirst for adventure” – will be able to hold their own against the other competing teams.

“When we’re not staying up all night on our drafting tables or catching up on sleep, we like to get out of our comfort zones and meet new people, learn about new cultures,

and explore new things,” the SEA Gals said, who are preparing for the adventure of a lifetime by reading up on the cities they will be traveling to, and learning useful phrases in the European languages/dialects in the cities covered by the race.

Being architecture students, the girls are also excited at the prospect of seeing for

themselves the world known structures and edifices that they have been reading and learning about in the classroom.

So, can these girls make it? We will soon know.

For more information, visit www.redbullcanyoumakeit.com.

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

sKin Deep: TaTToos anD The sTories BehinD TheM

CoffeeWithKai

What’s in a tattoo? is getting one simply an act of vanity or is it so much more?

By Kai Magsanoc “My body is my journal and my tattoos are my story.” – Johnny Depp

W

hat’s in a tattoo?

This was my question when I thought of shooting an editorial on people with tattoos that tell their story, for a magazine back in 2010. The shoot and story did not push through, and to this day I still long to make it a reality.

I have always been drawn to people with tattoos, not just because they look good, but also because – for me – tattoos are silent stories. One has to look closer, ask questions, dig deeper to understand why they are there on someone’s skin – for good.

(I acknowledge, though, that there may be tattoos that are there just because; that there is no “deep” reason why they are there, and that is perfectly fine. To each his own.)

I got my first tattoo in 2008, a butterfly on my right lower back, from Ricky Sta. Ana. It was a tribute tattoo to my dad, who passed away in 2001. It took me years to decide to get a tattoo and the design I wanted it to have, before I walked into Ricky’s Quezon City studio one cool Tuesday evening.

“Was it painful?” Friends would ask later on. “Yes,” I would answer, “like your flesh is being sliced while you are alive.”

“But it was nothing,” I would add, “because I did it for my dad.”

Whether they understood or believed, I really didn’t care. I never walked around showing my tattoo off. It was there for me, a mark of my dad on me. I felt complete to have it, and I would not have had it any other way.

I got my next three tattoos in 2014, from Sushi Doll a.k.a. Joanna Lytal. Two of them were the words “Love” on my left wrist and “Live” on my right wrist, perfectly visible to me. They were reminders to Self, so I would not forget to love myself and to really live each day of my life.

Are they unique? No, not really. I have seen several people have the same tattoos, too. But does it matter? No, not really. What matters is when I hit a low point, I see them and I am reminded to send kindness my way, something I easily forget.

This 2016, after a tough 2015 and an even tougher start to the year, I decided to have my butterfly covered up, by Minnehaha Calleja of Good Hand Tattoo. I had gone full circle and felt that I am over that part of my life. This new tattoo is still in progress, but I love it already.

I asked my friends to tell me the story behind their tattoos. Here is what they shared:

happy anDraDa, designer Her tattoo: A pin-up girl Studio: P&P Tattoo “It means everything to me. It reminds me of girl power and strength.

I get my strength from my mom, she’s my role model.”

LaszLo LiM, marketer and strategist His tattoo: His daughter Luthien’s name and a Tolkien feather Artist: Dyun Depasupil “Tattoos have always been personal for me. Some are just designs that I like, while others bear more meaning. These two in the image are because of my love for Tolkien, but the script also represents my daughter.”

iya consengco, model and vlogger Her tattoo: A stylized cross on her right arm with a rose in the middle Artist: Emao Clemen, P&P Tattoo “It is a memorial tattoo for my grandmother who passed away. When I finally got the tattoo done, it was a way for me to finally deal with the grief. It makes me feel strong that I always have a reminder of all of the memories I had with her.”

aBBie reMo, PR and communications practitioner Her tattoo: The sun and a star kissing Artist: Ricky Sta. Ana “My tattoo means ‘I will miss you forever’ – like the stars miss the sun in the morning sky.”

JoeL Varias, communications and language trainer His tattoo: the medallion and prayer of St. Benedict Studio: Island Tattoo “I got this tattoo to keep me safe from bad vibes and to keep me safe while travelling.

All my tattoos are biblical because I was in the seminary for seven years.”

geoff Dizon, creative director His tattoo: Words on both arms – “justified. sanctified. saved.” (right arm) and “chosen. redeemed. sealed.” (left arm) Artist: Kenneth Iwarat “My tattoos are faith-related, things Jesus did for me.”

Follow me on Instagram and Twitter @kaimagsanoc

SAt uRDAy : A pRIl 2, 2016

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ISAH V. RED EDITOR

isahred @ gmail.com

MR. RIgHt. Sam Rockwell plays Francis, a hitman who unexpectedly kills the people ordering the hits

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In the movie, Anna Kendrick is a girl who falls in love with a perfect guy, who turns out to be a hitman

TO lOvE anD TO guaRD

n the tradition of highly successful romantic action comedies comes a oneof-a-kind love story in Mr. Right starring two of Hollywood’s well-sought actors Anna Kendrick and Sam Rockwell.

In Mr. Right, Martha (Anna Kendrick) discovers that her new beau, Francis (Sam Rockwell), is a professional assassin… with a cause. He kills the people ordering the hits. As the bodies pile up, Martha must decide whether to flee or join her man in the mayhem.

When director Paco Cabezas met with the actor in late 2012, Rockwell immediately responded to Mr. Right ‘s subversive sense of humor. “I said ‘yes’ right away because Max Landis wrote a really fun script that reminded me of movies like Grosse Point Blank in the way it mixed action and romantic comedy,” he says. “I saw Mr. Right as being kind of like Mr. and Mrs. Smith-meets-Silver Lining Playbook where you have two dysfunctional bipolar type people who find each other.

They’re both hot messes, on edge and scary. Francis and Martha might freak other people out, but they don’t freak each other out.”

Kendrick also sparked to Mr. Right because she knew Rockwell would be play-

Rockwell and Kendrick in a scene from the action-comedy romance film directed by paco cabezas

ing the title role. “I always pictured Mr. Right as Sam,” she says. “I knew he would bring amazing energy to the character.

He makes you love this guy who’s kill-

ing people. but because it’s Sam playing Francis, you’re rooting for him.”

The movie veered away from using CGI trickery in favor of old-fashioned physi-

cal fisticuffs. “I’m tired of watching action movies plagued with digital effects where nothing is real,” Cabezas explains. “In Mr. Right, everything’s real. Sam Rockwell did 99 percent of the action himself, and he did it with grace and speed.”

Rockwell rose to the live-action challenge. “I’m not formally trained as a dancer but I have been boxing off and on for 20 years so that helped a lot with the lateral movement, feet agility, that kind of crap,” Rockwell explains. “It’s all the same stuff.”

Blending dancing, violence and romance into one-of-a-kind hybrid entertainment, Mr. Right aims to seduce audiences with its twisted take on the classic boy-meets-girl formula. “I don’t have a clue how to categorize this movie, and that’s what I love about Mr. Right,” says Cabezas. “It’s funny, it’s a thriller, it has action and a lot of heart. In that sense, it’s an explosive cocktail. I love movies that are great roller coasters of emotion, where you never know what to expect.

I hope people who see Mr. Right have a laugh and have a good time and say ‘Wow, I wasn’t expecting that.’”

Rated R16 by the MTRCB, Mr. Right opens April 6 in cinemas from Pioneer Films.

AljuR AbREnIcA AS ApRIl boy REgIno Kapuso actor Aljur Abrenica gives a one-of-a-kind performance in Wagas today as he portrays April Boy Regino—who for the very first time, will share his colorful love story with wife Madel, played by Jackie Rice.

His unique singing style and easy-tohum ditties catapulted Regino to fame and eventually earning the moniker “Idol ng Bayan.” One of his hits, “’Di Ko Kayang Tanggapin”, always cause an LSS or “last song syndrome” among listeners.

Lately though, April Boy is facing a lot of problems. He is slowly losing his eyesight.

He was also previously diagnosed with prostate cancer and suffered a heart attack. Currently, he is dealing with diabetes.

Amid all these struggles, there is one person who continues to be April Boy’s number one fan, holding his hand all along: his first love and wife, Madel.

Catch Aljur Abrenica’s moving portrayal of April Boy Regino in Wagas, 7 p.m. tonight on GMA News TV.

young Madel and April boy played by jackie Rice and Aljur Abrenica

April boy Regino (left) is known as “Idol ng bayan” and is one of the most successful music artists of his generation, (right) Aljur Abrenica portrays the singer in the latest episode of “Wagas”

Abrenica and Rice in an intimate scene from the latest episode of “Wagas”

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SAt uRDAy : A pRIl 2, 2016

SHOWBITZ

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

isahred @ gmail.com

AllAN ElGAR kEEpS HEAltHy ‘RAkIStA’ IMAGE

l

ife in a band can be exhausting in the long run. The late night shows and out of town tours can take its toll on the performers’ health and appearance, especially as they age. That’s why it’s remarkable for Allan Elgar, lead guitarist of True Faith, to regain his health and keep a trim figure despite the demands of his profession. From a stocky 205 pounds, the 43-year-old rakista is now maintaining his healthy weight of 135 pounds and is more than happy to share his journey to weight loss.

Allan has been doing out-of-town tours, late night shows and post-gig partying for most of his adult life. No surprise there, considering that his band has been in the industry for more than two decades and is one of the most popular and accomplished bands in the country. Unfortunately, the rock-androll lifestyle took its toll on his health once he reached his mid-30s: “I gained so much weight for the past five to six years because of a combination of binge eating and lack of exercise. Plus, it did not help that I usually don’t get enough sleep at night because of my profession as a touring musician.”

He also found himself suffering from many weight-related health issues: “When I was at my heaviest, I frequently had regular lower back pains, knee and

BEFORE AND AFtER. Allan Edgar’s amazing physical transformation

feet soreness, gastric discomfort, and I was always feeling lethargic.”

The pressure to look “fit for the band” combined with the many health problems that came with his extra weight eventually led him to seek medical help. With the recommendation of his friends in the entertainment industry, he enrolled in the Cohen’s Lifestyle Program: “I took the Cohen program in July 2015 mainly because I felt very unhealthy and tired of carrying all the

extra weight I have accumulated through the years. Being a performer, I also want to look good in front of the public.”

The Cohen’s Lifestyle Program is a rapid weight loss and wellness program devised by international specialist Dr. Rami Cohen. It is prescribed individually based on one’s unique blood profile and uses food to correct the imbalance of hormones that cause weight gain.

Allan recalled that following his eating

iphOTO

G.s.M. Blue Blueniversity cup winners Now on its ninth year, the GSM Blueniversity Skills Showdown has become a highly anticipated event for all Hotel and Restaurant Management (HRM) students across the country.

For its 2016 leg, students were treated with a whole day of topics on current trends in mixology, responsible drinking and service of alcohol.

Winners for the bartending competition received cash prizes and the overall winner of the Flairtending category will be sent by the GSM to represent the philippines in an international competition later this year.

the 43-year-old “rakista” lost 70 pounds with the help of Cohen’s lifestyle program

Fom left, GSM Blue Assistant Brand Manager winchie Tobias, Gold awardee students all from lyceum of the philippines university – Alexis cabugao, John caballes, charmaine Dela paz, Noel Reyes – and GSM Group Brand Manager Marvin Dancel.

cROsswORD puzzlE

answer PreVIOUs PUZZLe

ACROSS 1 Be up in the air 5 Singer Lane et al.

10 Wild canine 14 Roast pig repast 15 Litter 16 Buffalo’s lake 17 Poets’ eyes 18 Movie with a posse 19 Grown-up elvers 20 Bulletin board

items 22 Diplomats 24 “— -Man Fever” 25 FDR’s conflict 26 Loss of power 29 Antarctic penguins 33 Slacks material 34 Big name in PCs 36 — -de-sac 37 Popcorn buy 38 Eager and willing

39 Yalie 40 Before, to bards 41 Spain’s longest river 42 Like a tablet 44 Less punctual 47 Make muddy 48 Ocean predator 49 Kennel sound 50 Dough 53 Leg warmers (2 wds.)

58 Artifact 59 Florida city 61 Wrinkle 62 A Minnelli 63 Winding curves 64 This, to Juan 65 Suggestive look 66 Prom couples 67 Rx directive DOWN 1 Sit down heavily 2 Franc’s successor 3 Slaps the cuffs on 4 Broom partner 5 Right now (2 wds.)

6 Blow hard?

7 Winged mammals 8 Flight dir.

9 With cunning 10 Flour infester 11 Two-piece cookie

SATuRDAY, APRIL 2, 2016

12 Floating flower 13 Parker who played Boone 21 Othello’s foe 23 Never, to Hans 25 Emerson’s middle name 26 Vocal group 27 “Star Trek” role 28 Roman waterway 30 Boadicea’s people 31 Calculus pioneer 32 Avalanche 34 Ms.Paget 35 Listener’s need 38 Kept bouncing back 42 Noted limerick writer 43 Asked too much 45 Single 46 Nest-egg letters 47 Detour 50 Pepper grinder 51 Fat cat’s victim 52 Exude moisture 53 Hang in there 54 Toward shelter 55 Anka’s “Eso —” 56 Raids the fridge 57 Fictional pirate 60 1860s initials

plan under the Cohen’s Lifestyle Program was not easy but it was doable. “I made a few sacrifices along the way. I had to prepare and eat all my food early because I would be out by 9 p.m. to do late night gigs.

I also had to prepare my food days in advance when playing out-of-town gigs.”

In the end, it was a worthy sacrifice for a healthy body. “Imagine, I lost almost 60 lbs in 4 months by just eating the right kind and the right amount of food! I learned how to eat healthier and as a bonus, I developed my skills in preparing and cooking my own food.”

It has been months after Allan graduated from the program, but he still continues to maintain his ideal weight by following the healthy lifestyle introduced by the Cohen’s Lifestyle Program.

“I feel good. My clothes now fit better and I have more energy to get through the day,” he says, beaming with pride.

Meanwhile, his band mates and friends in the industry have remained supportive: “They respect my decision and even compliment my determination and self-discipline to keep my healthy weight through the Cohen program.”

For more information about the Cohen’s Lifestyle Centre and its personalized weight loss and wellness program, visit Cohen’s Lifestyle Centre in Metro Manila at Suite LP-03, Medical Plaza Makati Building, Amorsolo cor. Dela Rosa Sts., Legazpi Village, Makati City or call the following hotlines: (02) 825-5251, 0917-892-6436, and 0917-898-4280 to 82. You can also visit its official website at www.CohenLifestyle. com.ph, its official Facebook page at www. facebook.com/CohenLifestylePhil, and its official Instagram account at www.instagram.com/cohenlifestyleph.

SAt uRDAy : A pRIl 2, 2016

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‘BIyAHE nI DREw’ VISItS ISRAEl, JoRDAn

s Biyahe ni Drew celebrates its third anniversary this April, the 2015 Anak TV Seal Awardee takes its viewers to a month-long trip to Israel and Jordan.

Yesterday, Biyahe ni Drew joins the rest of the world in celebrating the first week of Easter as the show toured Israel. Drew Arellano went back to the holy sites said to have been visited by Jesus Christ during his earthly life—Cana, where the miracle of turning water into wine occurred; and the Sea of Galilee, where Christians believe Jesus walked on water. Drew also tried traditional Israeli dishes like St. Peter’s fish and various kebabs.

The following week, Drew will explore Israel for travelers who seek to go beyond the churches, synagogues, and mosques.

One of the places he will go to is The World Holocaust Remembrance Center—the Jewish people’s living memorial that commemorates the sacrifices of millions of Holocaust martyrs.

No trip to Israel is also complete without a visit to The Western Wall. Known as well as the Wailing Wall. Biyahe ni Drew will take viewers to this place considered holy by Jews, Christians and Muslims alike.

Lastly, Drew will sample the various Israeli desserts made of nuts and honey.

Watch the second episode of Biyahe ni Drew’s 3rd Anniversary Special on April 8, 8 p.m., on GMA News TV.

Drew Arellano at the wailing wall or the western wall within the old City

the “Byahe ni Drew” host with a tour guide inside the Hall of Remembrance for Holocaust martyrs in Israel

Gabby’s fan before, Grace’s fan now Did you know that when Senator Grace Poe was in her teens she was an avid fan of matinee idol Gabby Concepcion?

But the situation has been reversed as Concepcion openly admitted his support for Poe’s candidacy. In fact, he even joined the campaign sortie in Bacolod recently.

Gabby posted on his Instagram account a photo taken on April 27, 1981 when Grace was still his avid fan with the caption: “Grace Poe is my personal friend. Mine is a personal choice. I have no political agenda.

She supported me back in the days. She has my support...anytime!”

In article written by the late Ross F. Celino Jr., then publicist of FPJ, Sen. Grace Poe (she was called Gracia then) is always thrilled when she sees Gabby Concepcion on TV or in person.

When Grace was asked what she sees in Gabby that other matinee idols don’t have,

Senator Grace poe and actor Gabby Concepcion

she said, “Iba kasi si Gabby. He’s cute, he’s nice and a perfect gentleman. Cute siya talaga sa lahat ng bagay.”

“Grace is vocal about her admiration for Gabby. Hindi nahihiya. Kinakausap pa si Papa upang ihingi ng autograph at retrato kay Gabby. So, on the last birthday of Mother Lily at Mother China, naroon ang Ronnie [FPJ]—the King of Philippine Movies and Box Office Champion—asking for Gabby Concepcion’s (who was just starting then and practically wet behind the ears insofar as the movies and acting are concerned) autograph, and possibly, pictures!” Ross F. Celino wrote.

Of course, Gabby was taken aback and he couldn’t believe Da King was asking for his autograph. FPJ explained that it was for her daughter Grace and Gabby obliged since FPJ and Gabby’s father were friends.

“That only goes to show that Ronnie sublimated his own feelings —pride?— for the happiness of his daughter,” Celino’s article said.

Arnel pineda everywhere and beyond The Beatles had their Magical Mystery Tour.

Led Zepplin sang about a “Stairway to Heaven.” Now Arnel Pineda wants to take you on a Voyage to Rockville. A place where you don’t just experience the music, you live it!

“Rockville was an idea I’ve had for a long time,” Arnel said during an interview at the Marriott Resorts World Manila, where he will be performing a streaming concert to an anticipated full house on April 5. “Rockville is where music isn’t just a part of your life or something that you listen to. It is life.

The concert titled Voyage to Rockville is the creation of Arnel Pineda, lead singer of the iconic rock band Journey, and Rene Walter of Sanre Entertainment who has represented Arnel for more than five years.

“Arnel mentioned Rockville practically the first time we met,” Rene said. “At first, it seemed hard to define, but when you’re dedicated to music and to making music a powerful tool for good, we finally got it.” Rockville, isn’t yet on any map. It’s located in our heart, our mind, our soul. It’s where music takes us and lifts our spirits. It’s a place that exists everywhere that there’s music,” says Pineda. “If you love music, you already live in Rockville.”

Rock star and the Journey frontman Arnel pineda

In fact, this dynamic duo soon hopes to create a place where all can go to find Peace, Hope and Love thru Music.

Arnel Pineda will be headlining the concert at the Newport Performing Arts Theater in Resorts World Manila, along with the new American sensation, Namesake.

Namesake will soon be touring Asia in conjunction with the release of their hit songs

“Borders and Fences” and “Worlds Away.”

Outlets of MTV in Asia have had top 10 chartings of their controversial video “Worlds Away.”

Also very special guest, 2016 Grammy Award nominee for best live performance, drummer Morgan Rose will be performing.

This is the first of many streaming events for Sanre Streaming, a new division of Sanre Entertainment Worldwide.

“Voyage to Rockville is the perfect launch of our new streaming concert division,” said Rene Walter. “Sanre Streaming will take millions of people on voyages to places to locations and events they may never have gotten to see.”

Sanre Entertainment in affiliation with Sanre Streaming plan more than 30 streaming concerts or events per year featuring shows from Resorts World Manila, Studio City Macau as well as from unique and exotic locations from around the world.

“We want everyone to take this Voyage with us to everywhere and beyond,” “Once they get there, I’m pretty sure they’ll stay!”

Says Arnel and Rene. For more information go to www.sanrestreaming.com

youtube sensation rocks ‘Sports u’ Bretman Rock, Youtube sensation and new Kapamilya via the Chicken Pork Adobo multi-channel network, was on cam for one crazy episode of witty one-liners with a dose of exercise last in Sports U. The online sensation may love to bust out funny lines and skits but what many do not know is that Bretman is an avid runner, which he believes keeps him fit and healthy.

Meanwhile, it also featured the story of 23-year-old Karate kid Rexor Tacay who is part of the national team of the Philippines.

Ever since his dad died, Rexor has been acting as the man of the house, using the meager allowance of being a national team member to help his family.

Sports U aims to promote athletes who have inspiring stories to share and may possibly become future sports stars of the country. It also promotes fitness and healthy lifestyle by looking into how celebrities stay in shape. Follow their Facebook page at http://facebook.com/SportsUtv and official Twitter account (@SportsUTV) for more updates.

Vlogging sensation Bretman Rock is also popular on Instagram with almost 5 million followers

sat urday : a pril 2, 2016

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isaH V. rEd EDITOR NiCKiE WaNG WRITER

isahred @ gmail.com

SHOWBITZ

tim yap with kid celeb Mona louise rey getting cozy with a stingray

animalife tV host divine lee (right) in a segment that tackles animal and pet issues

FROm TV nEWs REpORTER TO shOW pRODucER ISAH V. RED

i

f you watch news on television regularly, you might have come across the name and face of Claire Delfin in 24 Oras and Saksi and other news programs of GMA Network, particularly on GMA News TV. Now, Delfin has retired from reporting and has moved on to become an independent TV producer, her first venture is AnimaLife TV. Tim Yap and Divine Lee are the hosts of the show that targets children and their parents and caretakers 9 a.m. every Sunday.

The show explores the animal kingdom and introduces audience to various animal species.

The show sets its scope to a broader perspective, exploring not only pets and other domesticated animals, but also the exotic and wild—all in a gentle manner fit for the

young and the young at heart.

AnimaLife TV encompasses four segments. For its pilot episode, Yap and Lee unleash their sweet spot for animals unbeknownst to many, revealing a persona that is more than what meets the eye.

A known party animal and ‘eventologist,’ Yap shares his cat-lover side. He takes pride in his two puspins or pusang pinoy pets, namely Juanita, a stray cat turned celebrity pet on Instagram; and Pringles, a rescued kitten he received from a friend.

But even before Juanita and Pringles came to his life, Yap has also taken care of a number of animals, ranging from dogs to fish and even pythons, all while growing up. He also supports animal welfare related activities and has initiated lobbying of public places, such as malls, to become more pet-friendly.

“For me, we are all beautiful creations of God, we’re all creatures meant to co-exist in this beautiful world. I believe animals and humans are meant to be together, creating harmonious relationships to make this world better place,” Yap shares.

Certainly, with his fun-loving and outgo-

ing personality, Yap completes the “Bet Ko, Pet Mo” segment of AnimaLife TV, which showcases celebrities and their pets, making it more exciting with pet-friendly gimmicks. Also featured in the segment is the “Kuya Tim’s Magic Box Challenge,” where host Yap engages in out-of-the-box challenges with guest celebrities.

Meanwhile, Lee strips off her fashion model and businesswoman image in AnimaLife TV to reveal her innate soft spot for dogs.

Lee owns seven canines, a few of them named after her favorite food – Pritchon and Bagnet. And like Yap’s Juanita, Lee’s pets have become the apple of the eye of the netizens, all because of their unique names.

What’s more, Lee owns a doctor dog, Pritchon, which she brings to child centers to help the kids with cancer ease the pain of battling their illness.

“Actually, it’s very therapeutic for the kids that they have someone or something to play with. Having animals around makes the children develop a sense of responsibility and a sense of purpose. It’s definitely good to have Pritchon around for a couple

of hours,” Lee says.

In AnimaLife TV, Lee delves on a more serious take on animals with “Ask Ate Divs” segment, where she, along with an expert, tackles about animal and pet issues, such as health, behavior, and good grooming. Lee presents advices and solutions to pet owners, and at the same time, teaches the kids the proper care for animals.

Other segments of AnimaLife TV include “Happy Hayop” where viral videos, memes, and photos of various animals are showcased and where viewers can send in videos of their own pets; and “AnimaLife Trivia,” which provides viewers a chockfull of quick facts to get to know more about animals, be it domesticated or wild.

Produced by Claire Delfin Media, AnimaLife TV airs on GMA News TV from 9 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.. every Sunday.

Visit AnimaLife TV’s Facebook page (www.facebook.com/AnimaLifeTV) or follow its Twitter and Instagram accounts (@AnimaLifeTV) to get updates. Have something to share? Drop an email at animalifetv.cdm@gmail.com.

top 12 touristars iN ‘i loVE opM’

Two more Touristars get past “The Bump-Off ” round last Sunday and are joining the 12 Touristars moving-on to Gate 3 in ABS-CBN’s original singing competition for 100 percent non-Filipinos who love OPM music, I Love OPM. Korean-band J-Morning and Matthew May (UK) will be facing the challenges of Gate 3 alongside fellow Touristars Moses Akoh (Nigeria), UchuSentai: Noiz (Japan), Yohan Hwang (Korea), Fathin Amira (Singapore), Daniel Herrington (USA), Jeena Dimaandal (USA), Ryan Gallagher (USA), Dio Smith (Pakistan), Naisa Lasalosi (Australia), and DBD (Australia, Korea, Nigeria).

The last group of Touristars that included Addy Raj, Matthew May, J-Morning and Montri Bootnak headed to Pampanga for

indian exchange student addy raj

their “Sound Trip” but Montri, unfortunately, had to leave the competition early due to conflict with his work in Thailand leaving only three performances in the final “Bump-Off ” round.

Matthew began the night with another impressive performance with his rendition of “Habang May Buhay” by After Image receiving an average score of 89.7. But it was Korean band J-Morning who blew the competition away with an inspired rendition of “Kapag Tumibok Ang Puso” by Donna Cruz, netting them an average score of 95.

Unfortunate, it was Addy Raj who had to bid farewell this week as his energetic performance of James Reid’s “Huwag Ka ng Humirit” was not enough to get him a seat for the next round.

British touristar Matthew May

Korean band J-Morning gets a seat for the next round of competition

In a surprise twist, Sumner Mahaffey came back as a “Chance Passenger” and became the fourth performance for the night but his version of Willie Revillame’s “Ikaw Na Nga” was not enough to see him through to the next round.

What challenge does Gate 3 have in store for the Touristars? Who will be the crowned as the grand winner?

Don’t miss I Love OPM every Saturday right after MMK, and every Sunday after Rated K on ABS-CBN or ABS-CBN HD (SkyCable ch 167).

Catch up via iwantv.com.ph or skyondemand.com.ph for Sky subscribers. For updates, follow @iloveopmtv on Instagram and Twitter or like www.facebook.com/iloveopm on Facebook.