The Standard - 2016 May 21 - Saturday

VOL. XXX  NO. 98  3 Sections 32 Pages P18  SATURDAY : MAY 21, 2016  www.thestandard.com.ph  editorial@thestandard.com.ph

PURISIMA NABBED, GETS OUT ON BAIL

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INFIGHTING BEGINS Quiboloy: Duterte aides shutting us out

By John Paolo Bencito

DAVAO CITY—In fighting over Cabinet posts in the incoming administration surfaced Friday, after the spokesman of an influential religious leader complained that he was being shut out of the discussions about who should serve in the new government led by president-in-waiting Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.

A spokesman for Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, a long-time friend and campaign financier of Duterte, expressed disappointment Friday about being eased out of the transition, and being rejected several times when he offered to help select members of the new Cabinet.

“There are many instances that [Quiboloy] wanted to talk with the mayor, but it seems that the message isn’t reaching the mayor,” said Mike Abe, Quiboloy’s spokesman during a TV interview.

“We tried to reach out, but we cannot reach out to the mayor. [In the past], Pastor [Quiboloy] and the mayor would often talk, but there’s already an apparent gap now.”

At the center of the controversy is Christopher Go, Duterte’s top aide, who vets all incoming communications.

“Somebody is blocking him,” Abe said. “Everyone knows that Duterte’s aide, Mr. Bong [Christopher] Go is the only one who’s holding the cellphones, Next page

Friend’s counsel. President-apparent Rodrigo Duterte is all ears as Christian evangelist Apollo Quiboloy whispers into his ear in a meeting in Davao City before the election when it was not yet clear that the Davao City mayor would become president. JOHN PAOLO BENCITO

BOUNTY STIRS FEARS OF EXECUTIONS NEWLY elected Mayor Tomas Osmeña of Cebu City said Friday he is offering to pay police a bounty of P50,000 for every criminal they kill, deepening concerns of summary executions under the incoming Duterte administration.

“If you kill a criminal in the line of duty, [you’ll be rewarded], no questions asked. I’m there to assist the police, not to prosecute them,” Osmeña told the Agence

France-Presse on the phone.

“That is my purpose: to instill fear in the criminals. If they want to commit crimes, they get into war with me. I will see to it that they will be casualties.”

He said he would also offer P5,000 for each wounded criminal.

Asked if such rewards might encourage vigilante killings, Osmeña said: “I’m not going to suppress vigilantes.”

Osmeña’s pledge comes after Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte won the May 9 presidential elections in a landslide largely due to a controversial law-and-order platform headlined by a vow to kill tens of thousands of criminals.

Duterte vowed during the campaign to wipe out crime within six months by unleashing security forces with shoot-to-kill orders.

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PIMENTEL GUNNING TO LEAD SENATE

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PURISIMA NABBED OVER GRAFT CASE

By Joel Zurbano, Rio N. Araja and Sandy Araneta

DISMISSED National Police chief Alan Purisima posted bail Friday after he was arrested at the airport in connection with charges that he entered into an anomalous deal with a courier service for the delivery of gun licenses in 2011.

Clad in dark shorts and gray polo shirt, Purisima arrived around 1:40 p.m. on board Philippine Airlines PR 2968 from Butuan City, and was arrested by members the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group at the arrival lobby of Terminal 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

CIDG director Victor Deona said Purisima was immediately brought to the Sandiganbayan, which said Wednesday there was sufficient ground to put him on trial.

He underwent booking procedures and posted P30,000 bail for his temporary liberty.

Purisima, a good friend of President Benigno Aquino III, has denied any wrong-

doing, saying the contract was executed on May 25, 2011, or more than a year before he was appointed as chief of the Philippine National Police.

But the Office of the Ombudsman recently issued a consolidated decision against Purisima and other PNP officials, saying it found substantial evidence to hold them liable for grave misconduct, serious dishonesty and grave abuse of authority.

Aside from dismissal, the Ombudsman also forfeited Purisma’s retirement benefits, canceled his eligibility and barred him from reemployment in government service.

The other officials ordered dismissed by

the Ombudsman were: Chief Supt. Napoleon Estilles, Senior Supt. Allan Parreno, Senior Supt. Eduardo Acierto, Senior Supt. Melchor Reyes, Supt. Lenbell Fabia, Chief Inspector Sonia Calixto, Chief Inspector Nelson Bautista, Chief Inspector Ricardo Zapata Jr. and Senior Inspector Ford Tuazon.

The case stemmed from two separate complaints filed in 2014 by private citizen Glenn Gerard Ricafranca and the fact-finding investigation bureau of the Office of the Deputy Ombudsman for the Military and Other Law Enforcement Offices regarding the engagement and accreditation of Werfast as the provider of courier services for renewed firearms licenses.

The Ombudsman said Purisima entered into a memorandum of agreement with Werfast Documentary Agency Inc. and accredited the company as the PNP’s courier service for all firearms license applications despite its failure to comply with government regulations.

Top cop arrested. Police officers escort former Philippine National Police chief Alan Purisima to the Sandiganbayan where he was brought after he was arrested at the airport in connection with an allegedly anomalous contract while he was PNP chief. MANNY PALMERO

Bounty...

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He said 100,000 criminals would die in his crackdown, and that so many bodies would be dumped in Manila Bay that the fish there would grow fat from feeding on them.

Since winning the election, Duterte also said he would bring back the death penalty, with hanging as his preferred method of execution.

Asked if he was following Duterte’s example, Osmeña, a member of a powerful family and a former Cebu mayor, said: “I’m not encouraged by him. But I think he is doing the right thing.”

Osmeña said the bounties would not come from government funds but would not disclose their source.

Osmeña already gave a reward this week of P20,000 to a Cebu policeman who wounded two

robbers in a gun battle, Supt. Oscar Monteroyo of the Cebu police civil relations office said.

Duterte’s spokesman, Salvador Panelo, said the incoming president would not allow extra-judicial killings, though he declined to condemn the bounties.

“Maybe mayor Osmeña is just joking, attempting a new gimmick so that his administration will be popular. To each his own,” Panelo said.

Investigators looking into the Davao Death Squad that has been linked to Duterte have been stymied after the witness against him left the witness protection program.

“There is really nothing there anymore,” Justice Secretary Emmanuel Caparas said, in an inteview.

The Death Squad, a vigilante group based in Davao, has been implicated in the summary execution of some 1,020 to 1,040 people between 1998 to 2008.

Caparas said he tried to look into

the identity of the witness, purportedly a member of the group, but could not find the witness.

He said a person’s entry and exit from the witness protection program is voluntary.

In April, Caparas assured the public that investigations on the infamous vigilante group were still “taking place” and that the National Bureau of Investigation was taking the matter seriously.

“It was brought to [our] attention last year. It remains on the radar.

There are agencies actively looking at that,” Caparas said last month.

Senator-elect Leila De Lima, who was still Justice secretary at the time, said the government had a witness to pin Duterte to the Death Squad.

She said the witness was the basis of the NBI’s case buildup against Duterte, whom she had described as “annoying and definitely disturbing.”

The former Justice secretary

noted that Duterte was a popular public servant, but warned people against idolizing him.

Human Rights Watch on Friday said Osmeña’s constituted a de facto support for extra-judicial executions and noted that the mayor had “a troubling history of exhorting summary killings of criminal suspects.”

During his previous stint as Cebu mayor, Osmeña told police: “Go ahead, pull the trigger. As mayor, my warning to anybody doing a crime is I will see to it that you’ll be dead on the spot. If we catch you, you will be so sorry— you won’t be around.”

Phelim Kine, deputy director for the group’s Asia division, said the Davao City model of targeted killings as a crime-fighting strategy appears to have spread to other cities in the Philippines including Toledo, Carcar, and Tagum City. AFP, Rey E. Requejo

and Sandy Araneta

Infighting...

From A1 all incoming and outgoing communications for the mayor. That’s the problem.”

Abe said Quiboloy only wanted “to help the mayor.”

Quiboloy and Duterte’s friendship go back to 1988, when the former was the latter’s vice mayor.

Two days after his landslide finish in the May 9 polls—Duterte had formed a fiveman team consisting of former Agriculture secretary Carlos Dominguez, lawyers Salvador Medialdea and Loreto Ata, Maribojoc Mayor Leoncio Jun Evasco, Go and his spokesman, Peter Laviña, to handle the transition to his assumption of office on June 30.

Duterte has been in marathon meetings every day with well-wishers and people looking for one of 400 positions up for grabs.

Since last Sunday, Duterte and the people around him have named members of his prospective Cabinet.

Duterte’s spokesman, Laviña, acknowledged that some people who helped the mayor were not happy after being eased out of his inner circle.

“There has been negative reactions on the nominees and the appointments, and we welcome them. Some have expressed their disappointments, we have been receiving [reports]. It is unfortunate that some people did not like the nominees and maybe the process. We welcome their suggestions yet we have not completed our work. Certainly we are open, democratic and participative,” Laviña said at a press briefing at the Royal Mandaya Hotel.

Laviña, a former Davao councilor who also served as Duterte’s campaign spokesman, played down that there were splits in the Duterte camp.

“There’s no rift [within the team.] But I’m not in constant touch [with the others],” he said.

Laviña also apologized to Quiboloy and assured him that he was not being eased out, but said the pastor was never part of “the selection process.”

Laviña said Duterte has been entertaining “all possible guests” since last Sunday, but due to the volume of the well-wishers, many of them could not be accommodated.

Since 2014, Duterte has been engaging in so-called “listening tours” around the country explaining his position on federalism and its advantages along with some close supporters who were actively convincing him to run as president.

Sources within the Duterte camp, however, said some politicians who were not even part of the listening tours were being accommodated.

One recently announced Cabinet member, a source said, was given a post because a Manila politician close to Duterte had lobbied for him.

“Depending on your level of access, [you can get earmarked for a position], but some were being kept out,” said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Many well-wishers, including present Aquino Cabinet members, some politicians, and even showbiz personalities have sought audiences with Duterte in marathon meetings held at Davao hotels such as the Royal Mandaya Hotel, Mandaya Enclaves and the Dominguez-owned Marco Polo Hote.

But many returned home with nothing, the source said.

On Sunday, Duterte said he would be picking the “best and the brightest” to form his Cabinet.

But even his spokesman, Laviña, has been criticized because he served as the lawyer of the Ampatuan clan, which was accused of the Maguindanao massacre in which 58 people—including 34 journalists—were slaughtered.

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Pimentel wants Senate post SENATOR Aquilino Pimentel III said Friday he intended to to run for president of the Senate in the coming 17th Congress.

“As president of the party, I will aspire to be Senate president so that the agenda of the party and the president can be shepherded through the Senate,” Pimentel told reporters before his political group, PDP-Laban, signed a coalition agreement with the Nationalist People’s Coalition.

Pimentel is president of PDP-Laban while presumptive Presidentelect Rodrigo Duterte is its national chairman.

Pimentel, the only PDP-Laban member in the Senate, was the first senator to announce his plan to seek the position now occupied by Franklin Drilon, the vice chairman of the Liberal Party.

He said Duterte had been informed by his party mates about his decision to join the fight for the highest post in the Senate.

He has yet to receive Duterte’s blessings, but Pimentel said he had already received the blessings of his party mates in PDP-Laban. He said this was the reason he is aspiring for the position.

Pimentel said he was ready to slug it out with Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, Duterte’s defeated running mate.

Senator Vicente Sotto III has also expressed interest in the post, claiming 11 colleagues are pushing him to run for the Senate presidency.

Cayetano belongs to the Nacionalista Party, which signed an alliance with PDP-Laban last Monday to support the Duterte administration.

Sotto is a member of the NPC, which forged a coalition agreement with the PDP-Laban on Friday. The NPC is the country’s second biggest political party.

Pimentel thanked the NPC for the coalition and for its commitment to help the Duterte administration. He noted that the deal with the NPC “was not a cosmetic agreement but based on substance.”

Pimentel said he would engage Cayetano in a “friendly competition” since they belonged to one group that rallied behind Duterte.

But he dismissed the idea of termsharing. Macon Ramos-Araneta

Agreement. Photo shows the signing of the PDP Laban and the NPC ‘Coalition for Change’ agreement to support presumptive President

Rodrigo Duterte led by ( from right) Pantaleon Alvarez of PDP-Laban, Senator Aquilino Pimentel III of PDP-Laban, Faustino Dy Jr. of NPC, and Giorgidi Aggabao of NPC in Makati City on Friday. LINO SANTOS

Still no justice for the relatives of the SAF 44 THE families of the fallen SAF 44 may not yet expect the justice they have been yearning for after the Department of Justice on Friday said “there are certain sensitivities” being taken into account and which had stalled the case’s resolution.

Outgoing Justice Secretary Emmanuel Caparas made the statement after his department failed to meet its deadline to resolve the case filed against those responsible for the death of 35 of the 44 members of the Special Action Force in January 2015 in Mamasapano, Maguindanao,

during a firefight with Moro rebels and other groups.

“It is hard to commit,” Caparas said.

“Like I explained the last time, there are certain sensitivities that we are trying to protect, we want to do what is best for everybody as much as possible.”

Caparas declined to explain what “sensitivities” needed to be considered in resolving the case, but said the May elections had nothing to do with the delay in the completion of the Mamasapano probe.

He refused to set a specific date when his department could come up with results.

In late February, Prosecutor General Claro Arellano, head of the National Prosecution Service, said the case would probably be resolved in March after he reviewed the findings of the investigating panel led by Assistant State Prosecutor Alexander Suarez.

Caparas, however, later told reporters that the result of the investigation was not yet available for release and would instead be released at a later date. Rey E. Requejo

6 officials dismissed for graft

Warning. Romeo Cabarde (right) , vice chairman of Amnesty international, Ritz Lee Santos (middle), group chairman, and member at large Veronica Cabe called a press conference in Quezon City on Friday to warn presumptive President Rodrigo Duterte to uphold the rule of law and respect human rights. MANNY PALMERO

THE Office of the Ombudsman on Friday dismissed six government officials for illegally appropriating money from the multi-billion-peso Priority Development Assistance Fund or pork barrel.

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales ordered the dismissal of Dennis Cunanan, Marivic Jover and Consuelo Lilian Espiritu of the Technology Resource Center, along with Maria Ninez Guañizo, Victor Roman Cacal and Rhodora Mendoza from National Agribusiness Corp. for dishonesty.

Morales also ordered the forfeiture of all their retirement benefits and their perpetual disqualification from holding public office.

Investigators found Cunanan and the other respondents guilty of illegally using the pork barrel of representatives Candido Pancrudo Jr. of Bukidnon and Reno Lim of Albay.

From 2007 to 2010, Pancrudo received P49.2 million in pork barrel for livelihood training and to buy kits on goat and swine raising, banana and sweet potato culturing. Lim received P30 million in 2007 as his pork barrel for livelihood training.

But the investigators found that the projects and their supposed recipients were fake.

The non-government organizations identified and endorsed by the lawmakers were also dubious, while the liquidation report submitted to account for the pork-barrel funds were fabricated.

“While they may argue that they had nothing to do with the submission of these falsified documents, the patent inconsistencies or irregularities should have alerted them and urged them to exercise more caution in the approval of the disbursement vouchers,” the Ombudsman’s resolution says. Rio N. Araja

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Marcos files rap vs script changer

By Joel E. Zurbano and Sara D. Fabunan

Where are our votes? Supporters of Senator Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos protest in front of Commission on Elections office in Intramuros, Manila as his lawyers filed charges against Smartmatic official Marlon Garcia. LINO SANTOS

Parents protest K to 12 program over vouchers

By Sandy Araneta STUDENTS, parents, teachers and various groups launched on Friday a petition against the government’s K-to-12 program with parents complaining that they are not sure to enroll their kids in June because of the absence of tuition vouchers for all prospective Grade 11 entrants.

“The Department of Education is useless because it has failed to properly implement the K-12 senior high school,” said parent Obeth Montes, convenor of the Parents’ Movement Against K-12, as protesters angrily banged the gates of the DepEd main offices in Pasig City.

The groups complained that the DepEd failed to inform people that the tuition vouchers are not

for everyone aside from the lack of facilities for the program.

“It’s also very difficul to get vouchers because there is so much red tape. The vouchers do not cover the entire tuition because families still have to spend a lot for other expenses,” Montes said.

Incoming Gabriela party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas urged the incoming administration of Rodrigo Duterte and designated Educa-

tion Secretary Peter Laurel to act decisively on the mounting difficulties that parents face in getting their children enrolled.

“The Duterte government should strive to be different from the insensitive stonewalling that families encountered in Aquino and Secretary Armin Luistro.

The best Mayor Digong can do is to stop the implementation of K-12, and the least he can do for the moment is to allow all Grade 11 enrollees to be listed in all the available schools whether vouchers are available or not,” Brosas said.

At the same time, parents also formed the Stop K to 12 MultiSectoral Alliance launched on Friday to urge Duterte to abolish the K to 12 program.

“Across sectors, we stand firm and united in our demand to

stop the K to 12 program. Today, we wish to show President Duterte that there is a growing number of youth and students, teachers, parents, and other parts of our society who are looking forward to his actions against the anti-people K to 12 policy,” said League of Filipino Students secretary-general and Stop K to 12 Alliance convener Aries Gupit said.

Gupit hoped that Duterte will be able to firm up with his stand against K to 12 and reminded the presumptive president that people have high expectations in the change that is promised by his new administration.

Gupit said that one of these expectations is that he will stand by his anti-K to 12 pronouncements that he released during the election campaign period.

THE camp of Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. filed a criminal complaints against Smartmatic executive Marlon Garcia over the controversial insertion of a computer script in the transparency server of the Commission on Elections.

“We are filing this case because we want to know the truth what happened then.

We are are not accusing anyone of cheating,” said Marcos’ campaign adviser Abakada Party-List Rep. Jonathan Dela Cruz.

He said they filed the 14page complaint against Garcia for violating the Automated Election System Law, particularly Section 28 of RA 9369 which prohibits acts that include “interfering with, impeding, absconding for purpose of gain, preventing the installation or use of computer counting devices and the processing, storage, generation and transmission of election results, data or information.”

Garcia, a Venezuelan national, was identified as the one who introduced the script change into the transparency server in violation of the Comelec protocols on the night of May 9 during the counting of the ballots.

“We don’t want this Venezuelan to get away with it,” said Dela Cruz, noting Garcia was charged earlier for a similar offense in connection with the 2013 elections.

Lawyer Jose Amor Amorado, head of the BBM Quick Count Center, said they will also request the poll body for additional access to other components of the Automated Election System in addition to a system audit of the transparency server and central server.

Angara pushes for tax cuts

By Macon R. Araneta SENATOR Sonny Angara welcomed the plans of the incoming Duterte administration to overhaul the income tax system and reiterated his vow to continue pushing for income tax reform in the 17th Congress.

“We very much welcome presumptive President Rodrigo Duterte’s plans of improving the country’s income tax system to make it more progressive and equitable. We’ve been pushing for this reform since I was elected senator in 2013,” said Angara, chairman of the ways and means committee.

Angara’s initial proposal, Senate Bill 2149 which was filed in February 2014, aims to lower income tax rates across-theboard, reducing the highest tax rate from 32 to 25 percent, and to compress the tax brackets from seven to five.

Subsequently, in November of last year,

he filed SB 3003 that seeks to adjust the levels of taxable income to take into account inflation.

The senator said that given the remaining time of the Aquino administration, SB 3003 was a more viable proposal and should be the minimum position of the government in reforming the country’s tax system.

Under the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, individuals with taxable income of over P500,000 are taxed a fixed amount of P125,000 plus the 32 percent of the excess over P500,000.

At present, the Philippines has the second highest individual income tax rate at 32 percent in the Asean region, next to Thailand and Vietnam’s 35 percent.

He said P500,000 in 1997 does not have the same value today due to inflation. P1 in 1997, when adjusted for inflation, is now worth only 44 centavos.

Foreign media gab. President Benigno S. Aquino III answers questions from reporters of foreign news organizations at the President’s Hall of Malacañan Palace on Thursday. MALACAÑANG PHOTO

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US to take action vs China—PNoy

By Sandy Araneta The United States will be obligated to take military action against China in the South China Sea disputes if Beijing moves to reclaim Scarborough Shoal, a hotly contested reef also claimed by the Philippines, President Benigno Aquino III said Thursday.

Beauties of the North. Photo shows the winners of the Miss Ilocos Norte pageant. From left: third runner-up, Marifil Tolen, Miss Sarrat; first runner-up, Jazrell Caldito, Miss Solsona; Miss Ilocos Norte 2016, Roxette Gyle de Roxas, Miss Dingras; second runner-up, Gwyneth Austria, Miss Vintar; and fourth runner-up, Celine Martin, Miss Laoag.

Duterte defends incoming AFP chief

By Florante S. Solmerin

PReSiDeNT-eLeCT Rodrigo Duterte has defended Southern Luzon Command (Solcom) Lt. Gen. Ricardo Visaya from accusations by human rights group Karapatan that he was a “human rights violator.” Karapatan also linked him to retired Gen. Jovito “The Butcher” Palparan. “i think it would be unfair not to consider Visaya just because he is a friend of Palparan. i do not like the guy Palparan, i mean…a terrible rightist. The crime of Palparan is not the crime of Visaya. And mere association of the guy…[makes] you deprive him [of] the honor [of] becoming the chief of staff,” Duterte said in an exclusive interview by a news anchor of TV5 network.

Duterte had chosen Visaya, a member of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) “Matikas” Class 1983, as his first

chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. he calls Visaya a “vibrant general.”

The camp of Duterte had already confirmed the appointment of Chief Supt. Ronald Dela Rosa (PMA “Sinagtala” Class ’86) as director general of the Philippine National Police. Dela Rosa currently carries the rank of a brigadier general or one-star general in the military. The PNP chief just like the AFP chief holds a 4-star position.

Meantime, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin is reportedly scheduled to meet Duterte on May 30 in Davao City.

A source from the inner circle of Duterte said there is a possibility the meeting would be made public since Gazmin is an outgoing Cabinet official meeting with an incoming president-elect. “it’s not only us but, most of all, the public [who] would want to know what will be discussed by both sides,” the

source said. he said Visaya and Dela Rosa will be installed in their new positions after the oathtaking of Duterte on June 30 at the Malacañan Palace.

Despite the tirades against him, Visaya dismissed as “rehash” the accusations hurled against him by Karapatan and challenged leftist organization to prove their claim in a proper venue.

“Visaya was the ground commander during the 2004 hacienda Luisita massacre where seven farm-workers were killed. he was also commander of the troops in Central Luzon and Metro Manila involved in rights violations during Arroyo’s reign of terror during the implementation of the counterinsurgency program Oplan Bantay Laya,” Karapatan secretarygeneral Cristina Palabay said in an earlier statement.

But Visaya responded with a challenge.

Aquino said the country would be prepared for any action by China, as the Philippines stresses its claim to Scarborough Shoal, located 185 nautical miles from Manila.

“We don’t subscribe to the notion that it’s theirs,” Aquino said during an interview with The New York Times. he warned there would be a harsh response if China decided to claim the shoal.

According to an article published in the Times, Aquino said he had no indication that China had imminent plans to develop the reef, known as Scarborough Shoal. he said he had not seen any recent intelligence reflecting a Chinese buildup at the shoal, which China effectively took control of in 2012, after a long standoff. if China would push to make Scarborough Shoal a strategic outpost, it would be a major coup, given its proximity to American and Philippine military forces.

Aquino said, in his view, the United States would be forced to defend the Philippines or risk losing its credibility in the region.“it has to maintain its ascendancy, moral ascendancy, and also the confidence of one of its allies,” said Aquino, during an interview in Malacañang.

According to reports, China moved swiftly in recent years to strengthen its presence in the South China Sea, one of the world’s major shipping routes, by building artificial islands equipped with airstrips and radar on top of rocks and shoals.

China’s actions angered neighboring countries, including the Philippines, which claim many of the territories as their own.

The United States recently gained approval from the Philippines to begin stationing troops at five bases, in hopes of deterring China. in recent weeks, Chinese military commentators have indicated that Beijing would like to begin developing the shoal, possibly by adding an airstrip.

A report by Xinhua, China’s official news agency, called Scarborough Shoal an “inalienable part of the Chinese territory” since ancient times.

Military analysts have suggested that efforts by China to reclaim the shoal could prompt an aggressive response from the United States.

3 cops promoted for nabbing bomber

By Joel E. Zurbano The National Police Commission has approved the special promotion of three police officers who arrested the suspect in the Valentine’s Day bombing in Makati City in 2005 that killed four persons and wounded 60 others.

Napolcom vice chairman and executive Officer Rogelio Casurao said SPO1 Sebastian De Leon, PO3 Rolando Maximo and PO2 Pedro Silva Jr., all members of the Special Task Team, investigated and conducted the manhunt against Gappal hannah, alias Boy Negro, a member of the Abu Sayyaf

Group who claimed responsibility for the bombing of the RRCG bus at the intersection of edsa and Ayala Avenue on Feb. 14, 2005.

After two weeks of intelligence operations, the team of De Leon, Maximo and Silva traced the whereabouts of Boy Negro in Libmanan, Camarines Sur. The policemen immediately coordinated with barangay officials of Libmanan and disguised as village watchmen proceeded to the hideout of their target.

The suspect did not resist arrest when apprehended on March 3, 2005.

“The commission ap-

proved the special promotion to the next higher rank of SPO1 De Leon, PO3 Maximo and PO2 Silva after it meticulously validated their bravery following the recommendations made by the Philippine National Police - Special Promotion, Awards and Decorations Board,” Casurao said.

Special promotions are granted to any member of the PNP for acts of conspicuous courage and gallantry at the risk of his/her life above and beyond the call of duty pursuant to Section 38 (b) of Republic Act No. 6975, as amended by Section 33 (b) of Republic Act No. 8551.

Inoculation. Photo shows senior citizens being vaccinated during the launch of the

Expanded Pneumococcal Immunization Program in the SMX Convention Center, Davao.

Free pneumococcal vaccines can be availed at the city’s health centers

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Peña files electoral protest before Comelec

No to K-12.

Parents and students stage a protest rally in front of Department of Education main office in Pasig City against senior high school. Many students face the prospect of not being enrolled and missing an entire school year because tuition vouchers for prospective Grade 11 entrants were not given in time. The group called for the junking of the K12 program.

MANNY PALMERO

By Sara D. Fabunan A loSInG mayoral candidate of the liberal Party on Friday filed an electoral complaint against newly proclaimed makati mayor Abigail Binay for alleged vote buying and fraud, and requested the Commission on elections for a manual recount of votes in the city’s second district.

In an interview after he filed his petition before the Comelec main office, former makati mayor Romulo “Kid” Peña said that they attached photos, videos and witnesses’ affidavit to the complaint to prove the “massive cheating” in the district.

“We believe there was fraud. There was massive vote buying. According to the voters there, when the ballots are inserted in the PCoS (now called Vote Counting machine), my name is not recorded,” he alleged.

Peña requested the Comelec for manual recount, saying it will prove that he won the elections.

He claimed victory in the villages and subdivisions of makati District 1 and even in District 2 but was surprised when he lost by only 17,805 votes.

In a petition filed before the Comelec law Department, Peña asked for a suspension of Binay’s proclamation until the manual recount is done.

Binay, for her part, said they were not involved in any irregularity that the incumbent mayor claimed.

“There is no truth about that. In all elections in makati we won in a clean and honorable way. mister Peña is the acting mayor of makati and commands the resources of the City Government,” Binay said.

“I have no machinery and influence to [cheat] and aside from that he (Peña) is a member of the administration party who has control of the entire country. If anyone has the means to buy votes it would be his camp,” she added.

Peña said that he was protesting the counted or canvassed result in 287 precincts of the 559 clustered precincts for alleged irregularities in the counting.

He said he obtained 142,315 votes while Binay supposedly got 160,120 votes.

Supporters of Peña earlier staged a rally infront of city hall, accusing the camp of Binay as the persons behind the electoral fraud.

They claimed that the incumbent mayor did not get a single vote in at least three schools that served as polling precincts in the city’s second district, known to residents as his bailiwick.

Trillanes, Lacson urge caution vs communists

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

Senator antonio trillanes IV on Friday denied reports that he was part of or even planning to mount a coup d’etat to oust presumptive President-elect rodrigo Duterte. “let me categorically state that I am not part of or even planning any coup d’etat,” said Trillanes in a statement sent through text.

“Presumptive President Duterte was duly elected by the people and the proper way of removing him from office, in case he violates the Constitution, is through impeachment,” said the former navy officer who is on an official business trip to Hawaii.

Trillanes had earlier warned

that Duterte would likely be impeached if he kept on saying that we have lost Scarborough Shoal to China as if that would weaken our claim to the disputed territory. The senator insisted the Scarborough Shoal still belonged to the Philippines and no defense or security officials of the country will say that we have already lost it to China.

However, Trillanes said that while a coup by disgruntled members of the military

and the police in the future was unlikely, it would only be because they wouldn’t stand the sight of Jose ma. Sison and his communist buddies being part of a coalition government after remorselessly killing tens of thousands of soldiers, policemen and innocent civilians in pursuit of their universally discredited ideology.

Sison is the founding chairman of the Communist Party of the Philippines.

Duterte said he is reserving the Department of Agrarian Reform, the Department of environment and natural Resources, the Department of labor and employment and the Department of Social Welfare and Development for communist rebels.

But he noted that those to lead these government agencies, where the “most oppressed” people are found, should be qualified educationally.

“Do we really believe that Joma Sison will truly give up his communist aspirations?

Would the political detainees be given amnesty, like the Tiamsons, be swearing an oath of allegiance to our government and permanently lay down their arms?”Trillanes asked.

He said this was done to the communist rebels during the time of the late President Corazon Aquino, but he did not elaborate. “We should learn from history,” he added.

Duterte offered a Cabinet post to Sison, his former professor at the lyceum of the

Philippines in 1960, but the CPP declined the offer.

Sison said f he CPP-nPA would only accept Cabinet position after the successful conclusion of the peace negotiations.

Returning Senator Panfilo “Ping” lacson said the reported plan to grant amnesty to political prisoners should be treated with “guarded optimism.”

In a text message, lacson stressed that the peace process, especially with a fivedecade old insurgency problem, should start with good faith and goodwill. “nevertheless, we must look at this move with guarded optimism,”said lacson who served as chief of the Philippine national Police.

BuCor escapee living in US arrested after 29 years

By Florante S. Solmerin

Rommel Ventura lachica escaped detention in 1986 at the Bureau of Corrections, went to the United States and acquired citizenship there in 1990 as “Rommel Reyes Agoncillo.” While lachica was on vacation to visit his family, authorities were informed of his presence in the country and arrested him last Wednesday in a subdivision in Cainta, Rizal.

According to Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Police Director Victor Deona, the group of Calabarzon CIDG regional chief Senior Superintendent Joel Pernito collared lachica inside his family’s home in St. Francis

Subdivision in Barangay San Juan at 7:30 a.m.

Deona said lachica was missing for 29 years after escaping from detention on march 18, 1986 after he was sentenced for life imprisonment in 1979 by the Pasig Regional Trial Court.

“He left the country for los Angeles, California, USA and became a US citizen sometime in 1990 under the name of Rommel Reyes Agoncillo,” the CIDG chief said.

He said lachica has been turned over to the BuCor in muntinlupa City and is facing charges for using a fictitious name, concealing true name and falsification of public documents.

Anti-Mining. Militant group Sanlakas staged a lighting rally in front of the Mines and Geoscience Bureau in North Avenue in Quezon City. They vandalized the signage and vowed to lock the office down until a moratorium on large-scale mining across the country is declared. The protesters included distressed mining-affected communities, supporting communities from Metro Manila and enviromental advocates MANNY PALMERO

S AT U R D AY : M AY 2 1 , 2 0 1 6

A7

NEWS

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Wounded soldier in Samar gets award for election duty

By Ronald O. Reyes

TACLOBAN CITY—Private First Class Michael P Cagata of 20th Infantry Battalion in Northern Samar has received the Wounded Personnel Medal from Maj. Gen. Jet Velarmino, Commander of the 8th Infantry Division in Eastern Visayas.

Cagata was wounded in action during an ambush staged by

around 30 members of the New People’s Army along Cory Aqui-

no Highway in Barangay Anito, Gamay, Northern Samar while conducting election duty.

The medal was awarded to him at Camp Lukban Station Hospital in Catbalogan, Samar.

The Philippine Army was deputized by the Commission on Elections, together with the Philippine National Police, to ensure a peaceful and credible elections in the region.

“It is very unfortunate that our soldiers were ambushed while serving the people to attain a credible election, while protecting the Board of Election Inspectors and the Vote Counting Machines,” Velarmino said.

The election related violence has been reduced because of the immediate response of the Philippine Army, he added.

The moves. Health trainers Tonee and Jim Sere lead an exercise session in Burnham Park in Baguio CIty. DAVID CHAN

Ombudsman indicts former lawmaker for PDAF misuse

By Rio N. Araja THE Office of the Ombudsman on Friday indicted ex-La Union representative Thomas Dumpit Jr. for the questionable utilization of his Priority Development Assistance Fund of P66.5 million in 2007 to 2009.

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales ordered the filing of 15 counts of graft, nine counts of malversation through falsification of public documents and six counts of malversation of public funds against the former lawmaker.

Citing a Commission on Audit report, the Ombudsman found that from 2007 to 2009, Dumpit received P66.5 million in pork barrel fund channelled to ghost projects, such as the distribution of livelihood training kits, business clinics, market development, livelihood trainings, and instructional and livelihood materials for the constituents of District 2 in La Union.

Ombudsman investigators discovered that no kits were distributed, no trainings conducted and that the documents submitted to support the liquidation of the public funds were all fabricated.

Investigators who went to La Union were also able to validate reports that the recipients listed as beneficiaries did not receive any kits, seedlings or trainings.

Many of the purported beneficiaries whose names appeared on the list of beneficiaries were not even residents or registered voters of La Union.

Records showed Dumpit identified the National Livelihood Development Corp., National Agri-Business Corp. and the Technological Livelihood Resource Center as implementing agencies.

Dumpit also indentified and endorsed the Aaron Foundation of the Philippines Inc., Kabuhayan at Kalusugan Alay sa Masa Foundation and Kasangga sa Magandang Bukas Foundation Inc. as non-government organizations and recipients of his PDAF.

Magat land owners decry unfair settlement schemes

By Dexter A. See ALFONSO LISTA, Ifugao— Several property owners in Barangay Sto. Domingo here have decried the alleged unfair settlement schemes allegedly being implored by the management of SN Aboitiz Power–Magat in the acquisition of lands to pave the way for the P900-million Magat River Irrigation System optimization project.

Lawyer Noel Magalgalit said his client who owns some 2.4 hectares of agricultural land that will be submerged by the project, is one of those who have received an unfair offer from the company just for them to allow the project to proceed.

In fact, Magalgalit revealed a land owner who

owns a 3,000-square meter land was paid more than P926,000 in livelihood gratuity plus P18 per square meter payment of the land allegedly based on existing values in the area.

Further, another land owner who owns a land 7,000 square meters was paid more than P1.7 million in livelihood gratuity and P18 per square meter value of the land while another land owner who owns a land measuring 3,600 square meters stands to receive P1.2 million in livelihood gratuity and P18 per square meter value of the land.

However, Magalgalit cited that his client, who has four heirs over the 2.4-hectare land that will be submerged, was offered only P525,000 in livelihood gratuity and P18

per square meter of the land.

“We find the offer to be unfair and not in accordance with standards comparing the same to the other offers made to the affected land owners,” Magalgalit stressed.

It was learned that Judge Rufus G. Malecdan of the Regional Trial Court Branch 15, dismissed the motion for reconsideration filed by NIA after it junked the expropriation proceedings filed against the land owner while the Court of Appeals denied the petition for certiorari with urgent motion for issuance of TRO and/or Injunction filed by the power firm seeking to stop the court proceedings on the complaint for injunction filed by the affected land claimants before RTC-15.

Still parched. This farmland in Jaen, Nueva Ecija, much affected by El Niño, awaits the start of the rainy season. MANNY PALMERO

S AT U R D AY : M AY 2 1 , 2 0 1 6

A8

OPINION

ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

OPINION

HAIL TO THE CHAIR VICTOR AVECILLA

PROMINENT ELECTION CASUALTIES

[ EDI TORI A L ]

THE WRONG MESSAGE

JUST last week, under the glow of victory, the people around Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said they envisioned a Cabinet akin to that one formed by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau—inclusive and diverse. In the Trudeau team, there was a healthy mix of young and old officials, women and men, and those from backgrounds other than what their leader had.

It is tempting to peg one’s first few choices on Trudeau. The Canadian leader, while hailing from a traditional political family, is young, attractive, and affable, and has exhibited a refreshing openness to challenge convention in the interest of inclusion.

Our presumptive president has uttered statements indicating he would make bold changes to how things are done in government. Alas, he has populated his would-be Cabinet so far with the same type of faces—with some carrying heavier baggage than others.

We have pointed out the unpalatable choice of Rep. Mark Villar as public works secretary with its glaring conflict of interest issue that even the Villar family’s real estate company share price celebrated.

An even more appalling choice is that of lawyer Salvador Panelo, who will be the face and the voice of Duterte—the sole one, they emphasized, as opposed to the several spokesmen under the incumbent president.

Panelo’s appointment to speak for the chief executive is objectionable given his previous record of defending the Ampatuan family accused of killing 58 individuals, 32 of them media workers.

Two years ago, Panelo went to the extent of branding the accusations against the Ampatuan family “fabricated.” They were innocent and an injustice has been committed against them, he said.

This same man will face journalists every day, explain the administration’s side on issues and answer the media’s questions.

If we go by Panelo’s record, he would then be shooting down—figuratively, of course—the press’ inquiries on how the Duterte administration would seek to improve the lot of Filipinos while respecting the rule of law and practicing common decency.

What then will happen to valid questions and the role of the media in keeping officials in check for their words, actions and inaction?

Then again, it’s not just how Panelo would prospectively deal with journalists.

It’s the entire message that his appointment brings. Is Duterte saying it is all right to appoint people who had made reprehensible statements in the past just so long as they enjoyed his confidence? Such insensitivity reeks of traditional politics.

It’s beginning to feel a lot like the only change we can expect, after the big todo about challenging the status quo, is being shortchanged.

BUILDING THE ‘COALITION OF CHANGE’ POWER POINT ELIZABETH ANGSIOCO IT APPEARS that incoming President Rodrigo Duterte is trying to build a grand coalition of political forces under his administration. He dubs it the “coalition of change.”

As defections of individual politicians to the Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino-Laban (Duterte’s party) are happening particularly from the Liberal Party, the party of outgoing president Benigno Simeon Aquino III and

defeated presidential candidate Mar Roxas, we also see PDPLaban forging agreements with the Nacionalista Party, the Nationalist People’s Coalition, and Lakas-Christian-Muslim Democrats. Besides these, Duterte also reserved four seats in his Cabinet for nominees of the Communist Party of the Philippines.

For the first time, it looks like the CPP will be heading and controlling four vital departments— the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Agrarian Reform, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and Department of Labor and Employment. Should this happen, the CPP will now be

part of mainstream government and will have to work with all the other parties that are in coalition with Duterte’s administration.

This is a big challenge not only for the CPP but also for the other parties. It will be most interesting to see how the relationship will turn out.

Just like in previous national elections, the party of the winning presidential candidate suddenly becomes the dominant party because most politicians would want to be in the good graces of the president. However, this is one of the rare times that we see a presumptive president already building a grand coalition even before he is actually sworn into

A9

The best time for Duterte to forge such unity is now when the level of support for him is highest, when everyone wants to be his friend.

office. The last time I have seen a similar coalition-building initiative was during the time of Jose De Venecia when he was Speaker of the House of Representatives.

He initiated the “Rainbow Coalition” within the HOR. Therefore, the De Venecia initiative was not as grand as the one being initiated by the next president.

This move on Duterte’s part, I think, is a good one. The best time to forge such unity is now when the level of support for him is highest, when everyone wants to be his friend, and people are eager to see the changes he will institutionalize. After all, his campaign battle cry was “change is coming!”

To me, the biggest promise Duterte made in terms of change has to do with systems change.

Seriously pursuing the radical

changes from unitary to federal form of government, and from presidential to parliamentary system will require the widest level of support from the various political parties. Such changes need a new Constitution, and this alone takes time.

As early as now, however, Duterte’s people have already said that they want the plebiscite on the new constitution to coincide with the midterm elections in 2019. The time frame is just a short three years. This means that either a Constitutional Convention or the Constituent Assembly should have already hammered

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-

out the new constitution, and that ample time is given for the citizenry to debate on and understand this most important document. A grand coalition, assuming that the parties inside agree to the fundamental changes, can facilitate the realization of this great project.

Presumptive President Duterte knows that the shift will not be easily accomplished especially with the various political interests at play. Thus, he has threatened to “close Congress down” if legislators do not cooperate.

The coalition-building that Duterte is doing is vital to what he wants to achieve.

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

It is, thus, very interesting to find out if the coalition will hold.

For now, it is plain to see that Cabinet positions are being used to build the coalition. Representative Mark Villar and Peter Laurel of the Laurel clan, both from the NP have been named as the incoming secretaries of the Department of Public Works and Highways and Department of Education, respectively. Jesus Dureza and Silvestre Bello III, both associated with Lakas-CMD, have been named to head the peace processes with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the New 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

IT’S BEEN two weeks since the May 9, 2016 elections. Rodrigo Duterte is the undisputed victor in the presidential derby.

He is the first Philippine president from Mindanao, and the first to assume the presidency right after holding a local government post.

Duterte’s supporters are elated, the business community is confident in his leadership, and the stock market remains optimistic. Even the clergy who criticized him during the campaign now wish him well in his management of the country.

As in every election, there are prominent casualties.

The most prominent casualty is Mar Roxas of the pro-administration Liberal Party. In 2010, Roxas sought the presidency, but his status in the surveys forced him to yield to Benigno Aquino III and run instead for vice president. Roxas focused his campaign against his rival, Senator Loren Legarda. In the end, another rival, Makati’s Jejomar Binay, defeated them.

Aquino won the presidency and promised Roxas a Cabinet post in his administration.

After Roxas joined the Aquino administration in mid-2011, he was seen as Aquino’s inevitable successor. While that status afforded Roxas considerable political visibility, it also associated him with the shortcomings and corruption of the Aquino administration. Roxas was probably better off without the endorsement of Aquino, but that would have made Roxas’ presidential campaign more expensive.

It wasn’t always smooth sailing for Roxas. In 2015, and with the election season a year away, LP stalwarts taunted Roxas with the possibility that the LP may come up with a presidential candidate other than Roxas.

Vice President Jejomar Binay is another prominent casualty. Binay had been the consistent leader in the surveys since 2014.

After all, each failure in the administration of President Aquino III made voters turn to Binay as the visible alternative. By early 2015, Binay was virtually unbeatable.

Many politicians moved heaven and earth just to be associated with him.

Unfortunately for Binay, the Aquino administration attributed many anomalies to him, including a parking building near the Makati City Hall which was allegedly overpriced. Another issue was about a large plantation in Batangas said to be owned by the Binay family. It had an air-conditioned piggery and a labyrinth.

One more issue against Binay was about an alleged arrogant demand made by his son, Makati Mayor Jun-jun Binay, that a closed gate of Dasmariñas Village be opened for him during one late evening.

The incident was reported on television.

Malacañang also branded the Binay family a political dynasty because many family members held elective posts—the vice presidency, a seat in the Senate, a seat in the House of Representatives, and the Continued on A11 Rolando G. Estabillo Jojo A. Robles Ramonchito L. Tomeldan Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano Francis Lagniton Joyce Pangco Pañares Adelle Chua Romel J. Mendez Roberto Cabrera

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 : M AY 2 1 , 2 0 1 6

A8

OPINION

ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

OPINION

HAIL TO THE CHAIR VICTOR AVECILLA

PROMINENT ELECTION CASUALTIES

[ EDI TORI A L ]

THE WRONG MESSAGE

JUST last week, under the glow of victory, the people around Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said they envisioned a Cabinet akin to that one formed by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau—inclusive and diverse. In the Trudeau team, there was a healthy mix of young and old officials, women and men, and those from backgrounds other than what their leader had.

It is tempting to peg one’s first few choices on Trudeau. The Canadian leader, while hailing from a traditional political family, is young, attractive, and affable, and has exhibited a refreshing openness to challenge convention in the interest of inclusion.

Our presumptive president has uttered statements indicating he would make bold changes to how things are done in government. Alas, he has populated his would-be Cabinet so far with the same type of faces—with some carrying heavier baggage than others.

We have pointed out the unpalatable choice of Rep. Mark Villar as public works secretary with its glaring conflict of interest issue that even the Villar family’s real estate company share price celebrated.

An even more appalling choice is that of lawyer Salvador Panelo, who will be the face and the voice of Duterte—the sole one, they emphasized, as opposed to the several spokesmen under the incumbent president.

Panelo’s appointment to speak for the chief executive is objectionable given his previous record of defending the Ampatuan family accused of killing 58 individuals, 32 of them media workers.

Two years ago, Panelo went to the extent of branding the accusations against the Ampatuan family “fabricated.” They were innocent and an injustice has been committed against them, he said.

This same man will face journalists every day, explain the administration’s side on issues and answer the media’s questions.

If we go by Panelo’s record, he would then be shooting down—figuratively, of course—the press’ inquiries on how the Duterte administration would seek to improve the lot of Filipinos while respecting the rule of law and practicing common decency.

What then will happen to valid questions and the role of the media in keeping officials in check for their words, actions and inaction?

Then again, it’s not just how Panelo would prospectively deal with journalists.

It’s the entire message that his appointment brings. Is Duterte saying it is all right to appoint people who had made reprehensible statements in the past just so long as they enjoyed his confidence? Such insensitivity reeks of traditional politics.

It’s beginning to feel a lot like the only change we can expect, after the big todo about challenging the status quo, is being shortchanged.

BUILDING THE ‘COALITION OF CHANGE’ POWER POINT ELIZABETH ANGSIOCO IT APPEARS that incoming President Rodrigo Duterte is trying to build a grand coalition of political forces under his administration. He dubs it the “coalition of change.”

As defections of individual politicians to the Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino-Laban (Duterte’s party) are happening particularly from the Liberal Party, the party of outgoing president Benigno Simeon Aquino III and

defeated presidential candidate Mar Roxas, we also see PDPLaban forging agreements with the Nacionalista Party, the Nationalist People’s Coalition, and Lakas-Christian-Muslim Democrats. Besides these, Duterte also reserved four seats in his Cabinet for nominees of the Communist Party of the Philippines.

For the first time, it looks like the CPP will be heading and controlling four vital departments— the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Agrarian Reform, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and Department of Labor and Employment. Should this happen, the CPP will now be

part of mainstream government and will have to work with all the other parties that are in coalition with Duterte’s administration.

This is a big challenge not only for the CPP but also for the other parties. It will be most interesting to see how the relationship will turn out.

Just like in previous national elections, the party of the winning presidential candidate suddenly becomes the dominant party because most politicians would want to be in the good graces of the president. However, this is one of the rare times that we see a presumptive president already building a grand coalition even before he is actually sworn into

A9

The best time for Duterte to forge such unity is now when the level of support for him is highest, when everyone wants to be his friend.

office. The last time I have seen a similar coalition-building initiative was during the time of Jose De Venecia when he was Speaker of the House of Representatives.

He initiated the “Rainbow Coalition” within the HOR. Therefore, the De Venecia initiative was not as grand as the one being initiated by the next president.

This move on Duterte’s part, I think, is a good one. The best time to forge such unity is now when the level of support for him is highest, when everyone wants to be his friend, and people are eager to see the changes he will institutionalize. After all, his campaign battle cry was “change is coming!”

To me, the biggest promise Duterte made in terms of change has to do with systems change.

Seriously pursuing the radical

changes from unitary to federal form of government, and from presidential to parliamentary system will require the widest level of support from the various political parties. Such changes need a new Constitution, and this alone takes time.

As early as now, however, Duterte’s people have already said that they want the plebiscite on the new constitution to coincide with the midterm elections in 2019. The time frame is just a short three years. This means that either a Constitutional Convention or the Constituent Assembly should have already hammered

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-

out the new constitution, and that ample time is given for the citizenry to debate on and understand this most important document. A grand coalition, assuming that the parties inside agree to the fundamental changes, can facilitate the realization of this great project.

Presumptive President Duterte knows that the shift will not be easily accomplished especially with the various political interests at play. Thus, he has threatened to “close Congress down” if legislators do not cooperate.

The coalition-building that Duterte is doing is vital to what he wants to achieve.

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

It is, thus, very interesting to find out if the coalition will hold.

For now, it is plain to see that Cabinet positions are being used to build the coalition. Representative Mark Villar and Peter Laurel of the Laurel clan, both from the NP have been named as the incoming secretaries of the Department of Public Works and Highways and Department of Education, respectively. Jesus Dureza and Silvestre Bello III, both associated with Lakas-CMD, have been named to head the peace processes with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the New 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

IT’S BEEN two weeks since the May 9, 2016 elections. Rodrigo Duterte is the undisputed victor in the presidential derby.

He is the first Philippine president from Mindanao, and the first to assume the presidency right after holding a local government post.

Duterte’s supporters are elated, the business community is confident in his leadership, and the stock market remains optimistic. Even the clergy who criticized him during the campaign now wish him well in his management of the country.

As in every election, there are prominent casualties.

The most prominent casualty is Mar Roxas of the pro-administration Liberal Party. In 2010, Roxas sought the presidency, but his status in the surveys forced him to yield to Benigno Aquino III and run instead for vice president. Roxas focused his campaign against his rival, Senator Loren Legarda. In the end, another rival, Makati’s Jejomar Binay, defeated them.

Aquino won the presidency and promised Roxas a Cabinet post in his administration.

After Roxas joined the Aquino administration in mid-2011, he was seen as Aquino’s inevitable successor. While that status afforded Roxas considerable political visibility, it also associated him with the shortcomings and corruption of the Aquino administration. Roxas was probably better off without the endorsement of Aquino, but that would have made Roxas’ presidential campaign more expensive.

It wasn’t always smooth sailing for Roxas. In 2015, and with the election season a year away, LP stalwarts taunted Roxas with the possibility that the LP may come up with a presidential candidate other than Roxas.

Vice President Jejomar Binay is another prominent casualty. Binay had been the consistent leader in the surveys since 2014.

After all, each failure in the administration of President Aquino III made voters turn to Binay as the visible alternative. By early 2015, Binay was virtually unbeatable.

Many politicians moved heaven and earth just to be associated with him.

Unfortunately for Binay, the Aquino administration attributed many anomalies to him, including a parking building near the Makati City Hall which was allegedly overpriced. Another issue was about a large plantation in Batangas said to be owned by the Binay family. It had an air-conditioned piggery and a labyrinth.

One more issue against Binay was about an alleged arrogant demand made by his son, Makati Mayor Jun-jun Binay, that a closed gate of Dasmariñas Village be opened for him during one late evening.

The incident was reported on television.

Malacañang also branded the Binay family a political dynasty because many family members held elective posts—the vice presidency, a seat in the Senate, a seat in the House of Representatives, and the Continued on A11 Rolando G. Estabillo Jojo A. Robles Ramonchito L. Tomeldan Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano Francis Lagniton Joyce Pangco Pañares Adelle Chua Romel J. Mendez Roberto Cabrera

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 : M AY 2 1 , 2 0 1 6

OPINION

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

‘HUWAG KANG MAGNANAKAW’ BACK­ BENCHER ROD P. KAPUNAN Part I FANATICAL members of a Catholic Church organization often parade themselves publicly wearing T-shirts showing in print the 8th Commandment of God stated in the vernacular, “Huwag kang magnanakaw.” When this Christian counterpart of the Islamic bigots adopted that as their slogan, they nurture the belief they are morally superior because the word “kang” has reference to the person reading it, a ludicrous presumption that we Filipinos are bunch of thieves.

Not one of us ever bothered to analyze their slogan because we tend to equate the corruption and immorality of others as our own to necessitate our joining the crusade towards the path of righteousness. The problem, however, is that the magnitude of corruption and hypocrisy committed by this yellow regime has only intensified. The peculiarity is they are all claiming to be honest, incorruptible and pious; and those who are not with them are dishonest, corrupt and sacrilegious. This is exactly the deceptive propaganda they have been dishing out to people they believe have the mentality level of the Neanderthal Man. To begin with, the Catholic Church should confine itself to guiding its followers on what they are supposed to do like preparing their soul after death.

It should not infringe in our relationship with the State, or tell us whom to vote which is our inalienable right as citizens of this country. Church interference in State affairs has transcended beyond the boundaries that it now tends to incite antireligious sentiment. Today, the various fronts of the Catholic Church have been empowered, such that the members of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting no longer acts as laity guiding their devotees, but has been assertive in exercising their misplaced power.

The PPCRV, which is led by half-dazed fanatics, intolerant people, and bigots who could no longer distinguish what is right or wrong or from what is logically coherent has now arrogantly usurped our mundane obligation in electing our leaders. These hypocrites are dangerously pushing this

country to the precipice of a fratricidal war. Specifically, the PPCRV not only failed to reexamine its status that it now freely involves itself in the wholesale rigging of the election returns, thereby justifying their “pagnanakaw” that the election just held is a war between good and evil, and those who are not with them are ipso facto on the side of evil.

The members of the PPCRV failed to realize that their role is at the outset immoral and illegal, much that this organization does not pay its tax using the status of NGO; and the Church to which it stands as subsidiary, enjoys the exemption from the payment of real estate tax on their properties and on their income from their various educational institutions; and is exempted from the coverage of land reform. Maybe the interference of the PPCRV is goaded on assumption that

The irony is that the rigging of the election is a form of stealing, no different from taking the property of another without his knowledge and consent.

men are essentially corrupt and their existence as an electoral watchdog was borne out of corruption because their motive is not about honesty and clean election, but of ensuring that their puppets will win to guarantee the continuity of the privileges and the powers bestowed on them by their captive state.

The name alone of this Catholic-based poll watchdog denotes an insult to our capacity as responsible citizens that by acquiescence has justified their meddling on our right to vote which is purely a secular obligation. As one columnist observed, it is only in this weird country where we accredited a private poll watcher to assist voters, the Board of Election Inspectors, protect the election returns, monitor electoral exercise, and watch the canvassing of votes. In short, we gave the PPCRV the right to assist voters because it

EAGLE EYES DEAN TONY LA VIÑA MANY political and governance people are undergoing important transitions now and in the next few weeks. Some are leaving government; a few with regrets, others with relief. Many will be joining the Duterte government; change may not happen right away to our society but I guarantee to these lucky or unlucky ones, their lives are going to drastically change. Whether leaving or joining an administration, all of them need the guidance and comfort of the Holy Spirit.

In his traditional Pentecost message, Pope Francis once again reminds us about the gift that the Holy Spirit brings to us, a gift of hope and joy that frees us from a nagging state of emptiness and desolation.

In the age of technology, human society has been able to conjure the most advanced treatment for all forms of sickness, the most advanced means of producing food and progress in myriad aspects of life.

With our advanced communication facilities, we have literally (through our cellphones and computers) in our fingertips the most efficient means of communication; yet many people still feel very alone and empty. Despite all these beneficence, humans continuous to be threatened by the perils of constant hunger, ill-health, disharmony, death and general misery.

Indeed, we can still be orphans in our own home.

Pope Francis vividly describes this feeling of being orphans in his homily “. . . assumes that the Filipino people do not know how to count and worse, consider us as bunch of thieves who are likely to defraud others in the name of democracy.

The petition for a manual recounting of the ballots is now treated by the Comelec, PPCRV and Smartmatic as an uphill battle, for it seems they are determined to maintain their carefully manipulated results. There is much braggadocio because these people who are hiding behind the cloak of religiosity are demanding the petitioners to come out with hard evidence to justify a recount. They forgot that a petition for a recount is not a charge or an indictment against the alleged “winning” candidate to justify their demand that he who alleges should come out with prima facie evidence. All that the aggrieved candidates’ demand is an honest recounting of the ballots.

Besides, the evidence they now demand was withheld

FOR THOSE LEAVING, JOINING GOVERNMENT we see various signs of our being orphans: in the interior loneliness which we feel even when we are surrounded by people, a loneliness which can become an existential sadness; in the attempt to be free of God, even if accompanied by a desire for his presence; in the all-too-common spiritual illiteracy which renders us incapable of prayer; in the difficulty in grasping the truth and reality of eternal life as that fullness of communion which begins on earth and reaches full flower after death; in the effort to see others as “brothers” and “sisters,” since we are children of the same Father; and other such signs.”

As children of God, this feeling of emptiness runs contrary to our nature. We were made to be God’s children, it is in our DNA, the Holy Father says. It is sin and intransigence to acknowledge our primordial vocation of being God’s children that severs our relationship with the Father.

The central purpose therefore of Jesus’ mission, which culminated in the gift of the Holy Spirit, was to renew our relationship with the Father a relationship severed by sin, to take us from our state of being orphaned children and to restore us as his sons and daughters, the Holy Father adds.

The Holy Spirit plays a primordial role in the economy of salvation. God, with the mercy of the father, through the gift of the Son and the Holy Spirit, acts to regenerate this fallen spirit.

He frees us from the condiby the Comelec who treated the voters like children; that after being allowed to peep on their printed votes, were required to surrender their only copy which they could have used as evidence.

Being accredited by the Commission on Elections to assist it in ensuring a clean, honest and fair election, the PPCRV has overstepped on what it is supposed to do. Other than looking down at the Filipinos as incapable of responsible voting, they acted in what we say in the vernacular as “bantay salakay.” Instead of safeguarding the sanctity of the ballots using their selfserving slogan of “boto ko, ipagtatanggol ko,” it collaborated with the Comelec and with what many believe as CIA-operated Smartmatic in defrauding the people. The PPCRV participated or maybe spearheaded in the wholesale rigging the results.

The irony is that the rigging of the election is

tion of being orphans.

The Apostle Paul, writing to the Christians in Rome, says: “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the spirit of sonship, which enables us to cry out, ‘Abba, Father’” (Rom 8:14-15).

Here we see our relationship renewed: the paternity of God is reestablished in us thanks to the redemptive work of Christ and the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Pope Francis likewise draws us to the presence of the Blessed Virgin Mary who, with the other disciples, was present in the Upper Room when the Holy Spirit descended upon them. She is the living remembrance of the Son and the living invocation of the Holy Spirit. She is the Mother of the Church.

The desire for God is indelibly imprinted in the heart of man. By his very nature, man desires to be in communion with God just us God constantly draws himself to His creation.

Only in God can creation find rest. This is why there remains a pervading sense of existential sadness even as man successfully fills his heart with the transient and fleeting things that the world can offer. God never ceases to call on every man to seek Him. But the quest for God demands from us every effort of all our faculties, intellect and will.

It requires a positive response from us whom He calls. Jesus assured us that an unequivocal nod on our

part will bring joy and contentment, and ultimately salvation. But a total rejection of His invitation and grace spells misery and destruction. The Scripture describes the kingdom of heaven in this manner: “. . . like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.”

The playbook of humanity is replete with testimonials of successful men who sink into the depths of misery because of or in spite of power, fame and wealth. Crushed in a state of wretchedness, they finally find deliverance when they accepted Jesus Christ in their hearts.

Pentecost is therefore a time to reflect on the essential role of God, acting through the Holy Spirit. In order to take full benefit of the gifts that He brings, it is but proper that we listen intently and with contrite and humble heart to the gentle promptings of the Spirit of God as He continually calls upon us to commune with God by doing the will of the Father.

My personal prayer intention for all my readers, especially those leaving and those entering government (the former are more fortunate than the latter but both need support and encouragement), is that the Holy Spirit renew them and give them wisdom, hope and strength in their new missions.

a form of stealing, no different from one taking the property of another without his knowledge and consent. Yet, it was this Catholic-based PPCRV whose members have been styling themselves as possessing the sterling credibility of honesty and morality that committed the wholesale act of cheating; and these people insist that the election was a fight between good and evil, and good must triumph by whatever means to achieve it. They are the ISIS terrorists in the Christian world - intolerant, deceitful and savage.

Stealing in this case includes the transferring of votes from the winner, the reduction of votes from one who rightfully obtained them, or withholding the canvass results in areas when the real candidate was leading to impress that it was their candidate who won.

The indoctrinated followers no longer see the logic why the opposition and

Bongbong Marcos would make a protest. They already laid down the predicate that their demagogue candidate, Leni Robredo, through their controlled poll surveys, is likely to win that if only dogs can talk, he would flatly say he did not vote the one who now styles herself as a saint-to-be-in-waiting.

In other words, the indoctrination of the people on the somnambulist value of submissiveness began by the conditioning of the people’s mind that their stooge is likely to win, and all that they need is to carry out their evil plan to commit wholesale cheating. As they cheat, they invoke that evil must not triumph even if they will have to resort to stealing the people’s votes to do it. As the rigged result is about to be announced, they praise God for ordaining Leni Robredo as the “winner” in their unofficial count.

Facebook: tonylavs5 or Dean Tony La Viña Twitter: tonylavs

rpkapunan@gmail.com

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OPINION

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

DID BOMBING HIROSHIMA SAVE JAPANESE LIVES?

By James Gibney “YOSHIKADO-SENSEI said, ‘They’re still there. Spear them!

Spear them!’ and it was really fun. I was tired, but I realized that even one person can kill a lot of the enemy.”

So wrote Mihoko Nakane, a 10-year-old Japanese girl, in her diary in July 1945. She was describing the hand-to-hand combat training she and her classmates were getting for the “decisive battle” to be fought if and when the US and its allies invaded mainland Japan.

It’s one of many sobering vignettes recounted in Samuel Yamashita’s recently published “Daily Life in Wartime Japan.”

Drawing on more than 100 wartime diaries, Yamashita offers snapshots of how Japanese civilians mobilized for war, celebrated their military’s initial stunning victories, obeyed (or resisted) their government’s edicts, and endured the tightening circles of hardship that culminated in the collapse of the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere.

Yamashita, a professor of history at Pomona College (where he and my father were colleagues), didn’t intend to add to the brouhaha over whether President Barack Obama should apologize to Japan on his planned visit to Hiroshima next week—the latest installment of a seven-decade debate over whether the US was justified in dropping atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Instead, Yamashita wrote it largely to fill a gap in the war’s English-language historical record.

Yet Yamashita’s effort to surface wartime Japanese civilian accounts illuminates that debate, providing real-time evidence of how willingly most Japanese embraced the regimentation and

sacrifice of the war effort. In so doing, his book lends weight to the idea that a massive, terrible shock was necessary to convince Japan that even an envisioned “suicide of 100 million” civilians —to borrow a phrase used by military officials in 1945— would not achieve a negotiated conditional surrender, much less victory.

Japan had been girding its people for war since well before the attack on Pearl Harbor. As Yamashita documents, popular indoctrination, restrictions on media, and controls on raw materials were ratcheted up from the mid-1930s onward, especially after Japan’s 1937 attack on China.

In 1940, the government took over food distribution, with the Home Ministry using new community councils and nearly a million neighborhood associations to oversee rationing, sell war bonds, organize scrap drives and rally the populace.

As Yamashita writes, these new bodies “not only subtly shaped the behavior of wartime Japanese but also served to keep them in line.”

Diary entries show their almost daily intrusions, whether in the form of air raid drills, work brigades, or feverish troop send-offs.

As war crept closer to the homeland, the government encouraged families to send their children to the countryside to escape bombing raids; by war’s end, nearly 1.3 million had been evacuated. Yet the government had more than safety in mind.

As Yamashita writes, it was also intent on transforming the transplanted youngsters into what it called “splendid little citizens” who embodied national virtues.

Their textbooks extolled Japanese as the politest people in the world and Japan as “the only divine country.” Children were instruct-

Prominent... From A9 office of the city mayor of Makati, which a Binay always held since 1986.

Considering the number of television and newspaper advertisements endorsing Binay for president, Binay must have spent a big fortune in the campaign.

Despite the expenses, however, he still lost. If the Aquino and Roxas camps make good on their threat, Binay will be facing plunder raps after he steps down as vice president.

Grace Poe is another prominent casualty. After placing first in the 2013 senatorial elections, Poe saw a chance at the presidency in 2016. Her citizenship, however, stirred an issue. As a foundling, Poe did not meet the Constitution’s definition of a natural-born citizen. Despite this impediment, Poe insisted on running for president. Cases were filed against her but the Supreme Court ultimately allowed her to run.

Experts in Constitutional Law consider that ruling an all-time low in Philippine jurisprudence.

For a brief period, Poe topped the surveys. Her star diminished after Duterte joined the presidential race. Voters also saw through her empty motherhood statements, and her reliance on an inexistent “political legacy” of her father, the late film star Fernando Poe Jr. Like Binay, Poe spent a fortune in her political campaign.

Chiz Escudero is probably the most prominent among those defeated in the vice presidential race.

Despite being a senator, Escudero saw an express lane ticket to higher office in Grace Poe. Despite the obvious support of his political party, the Nationalist People’s Coalition, Escudero claimed to be an independent candidate for vice president together with Poe. In doing so, many voters saw Escudero as an equivocal, slippery politician.

ed to keep diaries, which administrators regularly inspected. They wrote “comfort letters” to soldiers at the front, and greeted processions carrying the boxed ashes of war dead. Teachers imparted the “national citizens’ quotation of the day” and added their own commentary, along the lines of “What will happen with the attacks of the foreign devils? We must harden our spirits and resolve to launch a great counterattack.”

As Japan’s depleted military resorted to “special attack units” (the infamous kamikaze pilots), teachers lionized these suicide squads as “divine spirits” who had “reached the territory of understanding.” The evacuated children’s long hikes to forage for firewood, bamboo shoots, edible roots, frogs and grasshoppers gave way to exercises in spearfighting, swordplay, and hand grenade-throwing. On these trips, some of the teachers would break away to learn how to fly gliders to be loaded with explosives and flown into Allied ships.

The last third of Yamashita’s book is a close reading of 24 diaries and 25 “last letters” of Japan’s kamikazes. As Yamashita notes, the special attack units were not an ad hoc initiative, but something discussed “at the highest levels” of Japan’s military leadership, with a strong emphasis on the pilots’ spiritual training, especially the inculcation of “selfcultivation” and “self-sacrifice.”

As one kamikaze pilot wrote in January 1945: I exist because my country exists; without a country, I would have no family. If there is life, there is death. Joining a special attack unit and ‘shattering the jewel’ is, to me, the highest site of death.

In the last year of the war, Yamashita writes, “this same discourse began appearing in the

Escudero also saw a political opportunity in the protest rally of the Iglesia Ni Cristo at Shaw Boulevard in Mandaluyong City last year. Although Escudero was allowed to deliver a speech during the rally, he was not able to get the nod of the INC in the election.

What sealed Escudero’s defeat was his criticism of the Martial Law regime in the Philippines. While Escudero claimed in his campaign advertisements that he was against a repetition of the “abusive Martial Law regime” of President Ferdinand Marcos, he was conveniently silent about his family’s close ties with that regime. Evidently, Escudero’s duplicity did not sit well with voters who experienced bad times during the Martial Law years.

Another name in the list is Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, who “launched” a bogus run for vice president. He supposedly ran as an independent, although he is affiliated with the Nacionalista Party. With no presidential candidate and no senatorial slate to campaign with him, Trillanes had all the characteristics of a nuisance candidate.

Prior to his entering politics, Trillanes was a soldier who tried to overthrow the government of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Failing in that regard, he was thrown in a military stockade. Trillanes remained in detention even after he got elected to the Senate in 2007. Grateful for his release by President Aquino in 2010, Trillanes tried to repay Aquino by accusing Duterte of corruption during the homestretch of the presidential election. Happily, the voters did not fall for Trillanes’ manifestly bad timing.

Prior to the elections, Duterte said that he would take legal action against Trillanes for his unfounded accusations. In an obvious attempt to get himself off the hook now that Duterte is president, Trillanes said he is going to support the Duterte administration. Good grief!

government-controlled mass media.” Japan’s biggest cities were by then fields of ash and rubble, their residents reduced to near-starvation. But despite isolated acts of subversion and resistance, “most Japanese did what their government urged them to do; namely, to prepare for the ‘decisive battle’ that would take place when the enemy invaded the Japanese home islands in the fall of 1945.”

That decisive battle never took place, in large part because of the devastating atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945. At least, that’s Yamashita’s view; he reminded me that Japan’s military-dominated cabinet was still arguing whether to surrender after the Hiroshima bombing when news arrived of the bombing of Nagasaki. Others point to different reasons for Japan’s surrender, notably the sudden decision by the Soviet Union to enter the war.

After reading this book, though, I found it hard to argue with what Yamashita told me: “Had the bombs not been dropped, and had the Allies invaded as they were planning to, it would have been horrible beyond belief.” The numbers support him: As many as 150,000 civilians may have perished in the battle for Okinawa alone, for instance. Never mind the Allied servicemen who might have died—including perhaps my father, a battlefield interrogator in US naval intelligence who went on to join a cadre of postwar Japanologists. Spare a thought for the Japanese boys and girls training to throw themselves under advancing US tanks with bombs strapped to their chests.

Nearly two-and-a-half million Japanese died in World War II. But thanks in part to President Harry Truman’s decision to use atomic weapons, Mihoko Nakane wasn’t one of them. Bloomberg

MAIL MATTERS GAZMIN HAS NO REASON TO SEEK MEETING WITH DUTERTE WE WRITE in reference to the article published in The Standard on 19 May 2016, entitled “Defense chief seeks meeting with Duterte,” written

by Mr. Florante S. Solmerin.

We would like to clarify that Defense Secretary Voltaire T. Gazmin has no intention, nor reason, to seek a meeting with President-elect Rodrigo Duterte in Davao City. Indeed, we are confident that with the work we have done under the leadership of Secretary Gazmin for the past six years, the defense department is capable, more than ever, to continue serving the Filipino people under the new administration.

Allegations against Secretary Gazmin have been refuted time and again, and have been proven to be mere malicious insinuations meant to discredit the reputation of the Secretary and the DND. We would like to assure the public that the Armed Forces of the Philippines is a professional institution that follows strict guidelines and processes, and Secretary Gazmin does not meddle in AFP affairs beyond his capacity as the Defense Secretary.

DIR. PETER PAUL REUBEN G. GALVEZ, MNSA, CESO III Spokesperson Department of National Defense

Building... From A9 People’s Army. We already know of the four departments reserved for the CPP. Political observers will notice that Duterte’s Cabinet will be composed of people of various political persuasions. The NP is one of the two oldest political parties in the country and ideologically, cannot be considered as progressive. Lakas-CMD’s principles are said to have been based on the ideology of Christian Democracy which, can be considered as centrist. The NPC, based on available information is a split from the NP and said to be a conservative party. And then you have the CPP which is on the other side of the spectrum representing the extreme left.

Ideologically (if these groups adhere to their avowed principles), these parties contradict each other. In other countries, these parties will not coalesce with each other. Their interests are very different that it is difficult to imagine how consensus on issues can be reached between and among them. For instance, on the issue of death penalty, I do not know if the CPP and LakasCMD will agree with this considering their supposedly strong position on human rights. Parties may also clash on the issue of contractualization since some are pro-business, and the CPP is understandably pro-labor.

The thing is, all these political parties will need to come together and cooperate with each other under Duterte’s leadership.

One major challenge to be faced by presumptive president is keeping the Cabinet united, and by extension, keeping the coalition together.

As far as systems change is concerned, the country faces exciting but very challenging years. Presumptive president Duterte’s capacity to keep the “coalition of change” intact may significantly affect the success or failure in achieving such change. bethangsioco@gmail.com @bethangsioco on Twitter Elizabeth Angsioco on Facebook

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Federer pulls out

Sergio Garcia of Spain plays his shot from the seventh tee during the third round of THE PLAYERS Championship at the Stadium course at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. AFP

PARIS—Roger Federer withdrew from the French Open on Thursday after failing to recover from a back injury, bringing to an end the 17-time major winner’s astonishing run of 65 consecutive Grand Slams.

But the 34-year-old world number three insisted that his career, which has yielded 88 titles and close to $100 million in prize money, is not facing its endgame.

“I regret to announce that I have made the decision not to play in this year’s French Open,” the 2009 Roland Garros champion wrote on his Facebook page.

“I have been making steady progress with my overall fitness, but I am still not 100% and feel I might be taking an unnecessary risk by playing in this event before I am really ready.”

The former world number one, who has been plagued by knee and back injuries this year, last missed a Grand Slam event in 1999 when he

Garcia, Lee, Wagner share PGA golf lead WASHINGTON—New Zealand’s Danny Lee, Spain’s Sergio Garcia and American Johnson Wagner each fired seven-under-par 63s to share the lead in Thursday’s storm-hit opening round of the US PGA Byron Nelson Championship.

World number two Jordan Spieth, who missed the cut at the Players Championship last week in his return after a last-day Masters meltdown cost him a title, shot 64 at the TPC Four Seasons, finding form in his home state on the Irving, Texas, layout.

A morning storm delay led to the first round being halted by darkness with 30 players from the field of 156 being forced to finish their opening round on Friday.

Garcia finished early while Lee was among the late finishers and Wagner made his final putt in twilight. All three started on the back nine and went bogey-free.

It was a great time for Garcia to find his form with the US Open only a month away.

“I’ve been playing decent and

obviously I still feel like I can play better,” Garcia said. “Hopefully I can keep this momentum going and have a good solid week before the US Open.”

Garcia’s only US tour triumph since the 2008 Players Championship was in 2012 at Greensboro. His most recent title came last December at the Ho Tram Open in Vietnam on the Asian Tour.

“It was a great round of golf,” Garcia said. “I played pretty solid.”

Garcia sank a 17-foot birdie putt at the 15th hole to make the turn at one-under. At the par-3 second, he landed a tee shot three feet from the cup and made the birdie putt.

After adding a five-foot birdie putt on the fouth hole, Garcia

ran off a 26-foot birdie putt at the sixth, eagled the par-5 seventh from 58 feet and followed with a 10-foot birdie putt at the eighth hole.

“I had a couple of pretty nice saves and I really got going on the (second) nine,” Garcia said.

“I made a couple of bombs out there and that really helped.”

South Korean-born Kiwi Lee, who won his first PGA event at last year’s Greenbrier Classic, began his round with three birdies, the last of them from 21 feet. He sank a 34-foot birdie putt at the 15th and a 13-footer at the fourth, birdied the par-5 seventh and rolled in a 19-foot birdie putt at the eighth to grab a share of the lead.

Wagner opened with a 24-foot

birdie at the 10th, drained a 30-footer for birdie at 14 and birdied the par-5 16th and par-3 17th. He followed with birdies at the second and third holes, the latter on a 38-foot chip, and sank another stunner birdie putt from 45 feet at the sixth to share the lead.

Wagner has won three PGA titles, the most recent of them at the 2012 Sony Open in Hawaii.

- Spieth sinks stunners Spieth shared fourth along with fellow American Dustin Johnson and Sweden’s Freddie Jacobson. Also at four-under with four holes to finish was American Tom Hoge.

Reiging US Open champion Spieth began the round with a 25-foot chip in for birdie and added birdies at the seventh and ninth holes. He birdied 11 and 12, the latter from 21 feet, but took a bogey at the par-3 13th, missing a six-foot par putt. AFP

skipped the US Open.

Federer, with his 35th birthday looming in August, has played only four tournaments this year.

After losing to Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open semi-finals, he underwent knee surgery in February -- his first such operation -- after injuring himself while giving his children a bath.

He missed the US hardcourt swing before returning to action at the Monte Carlo Masters in April.

Back pain then forced him to sit out Madrid before the Swiss legend lasted just two matches at the Rome Masters where he was dumped out by Austrian youngster Dominic Thiem.

Despite Thursday’s decision, Federer insists he will keep playing and will concentrate on preparing for the grass court season and a fresh bid to win an eighth Wimbledon, the scene of his most recent Grand Slam triumph in 2012. AFP

Ginebra jrs notch 3rd win in 4 tiffs Games Today (Phil. Science High gym, Q.C.) 8 a.m. – Rain or Shine vs Globalport 9:30 a.m. – Mahindra vs Star 11 a.m. – Blackwater vs Meralco

BARANGAY Ginebra San Miguel rolled to its third win in four games to tie idle Phoenix atop Group A in the 2016 Cloudfone-Batang PBA 16-Under basketball tournament, even as San Miguel Beer kept solo leadership in Group B after Thursday’s action at the Philippine Science High School gym in Quezon City.

The Batang Kings sped to a 17-point halftime lead over Alaska and coasted to a 77-66 win as Stacey Tibayan scored 12 points and Shaquelle Bryant Pineda added 11.

The Batang Aces, who got 21 points from Nathaniel Tulabot and 14 from Adrian Joaquin Lopez, fell to 2-2.

In other games, San Miguel plastered Rain or Shine, 83-47, after holding the Batang Elasto Painters to seven points in two quarters, while Meralco edged Tropang TNT, 61-57, coming back from a 42-40 halftime deficit.

Four Batang Beermen were in double figures – Mikhael James Gutierrez (17 points), Etienne Evangelio (15), Clark Santa Cruz (12) and Emmanuel John dela Rosa (12) – while the Batang Bolts had Francis Glorioso with 24 points, Keenan Victor Lim 15, and Christian Jae de Leon 14 points.

Rio sets record in free condoms RIO DE JANEIRO—The Rio Olympics have not yet begun, but the Games have already set a record -- in the number of free condoms for athletes.

Officials will be distributing 450,000 condoms to the 10,500 athletes expected in Brazil starting on July 24, the day the Olympic Village opens, said Lucas Dantas, a spokesman for the Rio 2016 Committee who spoke with AFP on Thursday.

That’s an average of 42 condoms per athlete and a three-fold increase over the number of condoms distributed at the London Olym-

pics, the Folha de Sao Paulo daily reported.

One third -- or 150,000 -- of the condoms to be given out by Brazil’s Ministry of Health will be female condoms, Dantas added.

Why so many condoms? “There are never enough!” Dantas joked.

On a more serious note, he said Brazil is a leader in the world when it comes to AIDS prevention.

“Brazil really encourages safe sex and athletes set an example to the general population. They can play an important role in the fight against AIDS,” he said.

Dantas also noted that many Olympic athletes do not have access to condoms in their native countries and take the freebies home after the Games.

Athletes can obtain the “little shirts of Venus,” as condoms are called in Brazil, at the Olympic Village health clinic or from one of 41 dispensers.

Brazil, a country of 204 million people with the largest Catholic population in the world, is a pioneer in the fight against AIDS and offers free treatment to 730,000 HIV-positive people in the country. AFP

South Korean captain Kim Yeon-Koung (right) spikes the ball over Alexandra Munoz (6) and Mirtha Uribe (2) of Peru during the women’s volleyball world final qualification for the Rio de Janeiro Olympics 2016 in Tokyo. AFP

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Bucks fall for scam, reveal finance data

Man vs beast. Spanish matador Roman performs a pass to a bull during the San Isidro Feria at Las Ventas bullring in Madrid. AFP

Indian climber dies KATHMANDU, Nepal—An Indian mountaineer became the second climber to die in the Himalayas this week after falling ill while descending Mount Dhaulagiri, the world’s seventhhighest peak, an expedition agency said Friday.

Rajib Bhattacharya, an experienced climber who reached the top of Mount Everest in 2011, was on his way down after scaling 8,167-metre (26,795-foot) high Dhaulagiri when he passed away on Thursday afternoon.

“He had suffered a bout of snow blindness earlier in the day and stopped breathing around 4:00 pm (1015 GMT),” Mingma Sherpa, managing director of Seven Summit Treks told AFP. The 43-year-old mountaineer had also complained to teammates about feeling unwell during his descent, Sherpa said.

“We will know more about the cause of death once his team returns to base camp,” he said. AFP

CHICAGO—A Milwaukee Bucks employee was tricked by an e-mail scam and handed over financial data of players and other employees to a hacker, the NBA club admitted Thursday.

In a statement, the Bucks revealed that they learned Monday that Internal Revenue Service (IRS) tax forms were provided to an unknown person who faked being team president Peter Feigin.

“On May 16, 2016, we discovered our company was the victim of an e-mail spoofing attack that occurred when a request was recently made by an unknown impersonator of our president for 2015 employee W-2s,” the Bucks statement said.

“Unfortunately, that information was provided by an employee before it was determined that the request was made from

a spoofed e-mail address.”

Reports said the scam was successful on April 26, meaning almost three weeks lapsed before the breach of security was uncovered.

The Bucks told the IRS and FBI about the breach and vowed to work with authorities on their investigations.

But the financial details for such Bucks players as Greek forward Giannis Antetokounmpo and Venezuelan forward Greivis Vazquez as well as employees in other areas of the club were revealed, including names, addresses, US Social Security numbers, birth dates and total compensation packages.

“We take this incident, and the privacy and security of our employees, very seriously,” the Bucks said. “We immediately launched an investigation, which is aggressive and ongoing. AFP

Thai champ gets help from Filipino trainers

By Ronnie Nathanielsz IT’S clear that boxing is business and that trainers and assistants cross borders to help an opponent against a countryman.

This is the situation with regard to IBF flyweight champion Amnat Ruenroeng, who defends his title in a rematch with former IBF light flyweight

champion John Reil Casimero in Beijing, China as a highlight of the IBF Annual Convention.

Aljoe Jaro, who helped train the Thai and was in his corner

for the first clash with Casimero, told The Standard that his brother Frankie helped train Ruenrong, who requested him to help wrap his hands and to assist in the corner.

In their first meeting, where referee Larry Doggett did a terrible job ignoring many infractions by the Thai champion in a foul-infested bout, Jaro, who helped train the Thai, defended his tactics, saying it was a strategy that ultimately paid off.

However, Casimero and veter-

an trainer Jhun Agrabio have expressed the hope that there won’t be a repeat of the foul plays as was the case in Thailand, because the rematch is in Beijing and with top IBF officials present no such favoritism is expected.

Casimero, whose only problem at the moment is the fact that he is overweight and has had an 11- month layoff, has, however, trained hard and is dead set on avenging his loss to Ruenrong in their first encounter.

Bakers seek redemption in PBA Foundation Cup AFTER coming up short last conference, the Café France Bakers are out to make a splash and redeem themselves in the PBA D-League Foundation Cup. No less than Café France coach Egay Macaraya has admitted that the Bakers are still emotional after losing to the Phoenix Fuel Accelerators in the finals of the Aspirants’

Cup. Nonetheless, the defeat has kept them motivated and determined in their quest for a title repeat in the season-ending tournament that begins on June 2.

“We can’t wait to get back on the court,” Macaraya declared.

The Bakers open their campaign against the Topstar Z.C. Mindanao Aguilas.

Café France’s title defense will encounter tough challenges primarily from the Accelerators, who will be aiming for a title double. The core of the Phoenix Fuel will be participating in the Seaba Stankovich Cup next week in Thailand that should keep them at the top of their game once they return.

Young Palaro athletes in spotlight A SWIMMER, who overcame a heart problem. A physically challenged athlete who also works as a fisherman. A Manobo runner who’s competing to bring pride to her tribe.

They are only three of the more than 10,000 young Filipino athletes from all over the nation that taught us the value of sacrifice, discipline, and honor weeks ago in “Palarong Pambansa 2016.”

Get to know them more as they show us how to be a winner not only in sports but in the game of life in “Palaro,” a documentary that will air on Saturday, 6:30 p.m. on ABS-CBN Sports + Action.

Follow the stories of tanker Nikki Pamintuan, who won her

fight against a heart problem with the help of her grandmother, who was always her number one fan; Juan Canelas, a visually impaired fisherman who got into sports to help his family despite his condition; and Jeanette Mansumilya, a Manobo runner who wants to make history by making her tribe known in the sporting event. They gave their all in training and competition and now they will show us what keeps them going - not only glory, or fame, but for their future.

Our future in sports.

ABS-CBN Integrated Sports, the sports arm of the country’s leading media and entertainment company, will uncover the journey of the young athletes—their sweat, blood, tears,

and the grueling hours of practice they put in in this special documentary on the biggest national sporting event in the Philippines.

Attended by athletes from 18 regions, “Palarong Pambansa” is the training ground of future star athletes like track legend Elma Murros, basketball star Johnny Abarientos, and Olympian Ral Rosario. It is also the place where collegiate stars Ernesto Obiena (athletics), Jack Danielle Animam (basketball), and Axel Ngui (swimming) were discovered.

Because of the hope and promises that “Palarong Pambansa” gives to students, it is the most anticipated event for aspiring student athletes.

Tour of California. The peloton rides by Caples Lake during Stage 5 of the Tour of California from Lodi to South Lake Tahoe in Kirkwood, California. AFP

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Mondilla hangs on to 3-shot golf lead

CALATAGAN—Clyde Mondilla slowed down after a record-setting feat with a bum stomach, settling for a one-under 71 and enabling Elmer Salvador to pull within three after three rounds of the P2 million ICTSI Calatagan Invitational at the Calatagan Golf Club here Friday.

Clyde Mondilla blasts out off a fairway bunker en route to saving par on No. 3 ORIE NTA L MINDORO E LEC TRIC COOPE R ATIV E , INC. (O R M E C O) Simaron, Calapan Cit y INVITATION TO BID All interested parties are invited to participate in the actual bidding for this one (1) LOT listed below: LOT- I Supply of Labor and Materials for 52 Sitios of Congressional District 1 and 2 of Oriental Mindoro) Approved Budget Cost: Php19,231,552.04 Source of Funding: P-Noy Projects (NEA Subsidy Batch 2015 Additional) Delivery Schedule: To be announced during the pre-bid conference.

GENERAL GUIDELINES

2.

Interested parties may secure BID DOCUMENTS / INFORMATIONS from the Procurement Section, ORMECO, Inc., Simaron, Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro. A non-refundable fee of Php 45,000.00 and shall be collected as payment for BID DOCUMENTS. Interested Bidder must be accredited as contractor before joining the pre-bidding conference and accreditation will start on May 21, 2016 of 8:00am until May 26, 2016 of 5:00p.m. You can call at telephone number 043-2882349 or email at ormeco_ coop@yahoo.com.

3.

4.

PRE-BID CONFERRENCE will be held at ORMECO, Inc. compound at 2:00 p.m. of May 27, 2016.

SEALED PROPOSALS will be received at 2:00 p.m. of June 10, 2016, immediately after which, the said proposals will be opened during the actual bidding in the presence of the attending bidders.

5.

ALL BIDS must be accompanied by a BID BOND payable to ORMECO in the form of CASH, CASHIER’S CHECK, MANAGER’S CHECK or BANK DRAFT issued by a reputable bank equivalent to TWO PERCENT (2%) of the ABC. No Bid Bond in the form of Surety Bond shall be accepted.

6.

The winning bidder shall issue FIVE PERCENT (5%) in the form of CASH, CASHIER’S CHECK, MANAGER’S CHECK or BANK DRAFT from a reputable bank, representing the PERFORMANCE BOND.

7.

If the bidder who submitted the best offer refuses to push through with his / her proposed BID during and after the bidding, his / her Bid Bond shall be forfeited, and failure of bidding shall be declared.

8.

ORMECO reserves the right to reject all Bids, declare failure of bidding and not to award the contract without incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders. ORMECO also has no responsibility whatsoever to compensate or indemnity bidders for any expenses incurred in the preparation of their bids.

1.

ORMECO, INC. ENGR. PATROCINIO M. PANAGSAGAN, JR. General Manager

(TS-MAY 21, 2016)

Mondilla, who stormed to a sevenstroke lead with a new course mark 64 Thursday, actually padded his lead to eight with a birdie opening but the Del Monte ace struggled a bit with his shots from there, fumbling with a doublebogey six on No. 5 and hitting just three birdies against a bogey the rest of the way.

He also lost his putting touch that has anchored his sterling rounds in the first two days, muffing at least three birdie chances from close range that allowed Salvador and Jhonnel Ababa back in the hunt for the top P360,000 purse in the sixth leg of the Philippine Golf Tour sponsored by International Container Terminal Services. Inc. Though Mondilla remained in the lead with a 14-under 202 aggregate, Salvador moved within three at 205 with a bogeyfree five-under 67 while Ababa, who also closed to within three in the early going but stumbled with a double-bogey on No. 6, birdied three of the last five holes to card an eagle-aided 68 and stood another stroke farther back at 206.

“Elmer played solid and I struggled a bit with my condition. But I’m still in the lead, won’t give up and will give it my best shot to win again,” said Mondilla, who moved 18 holes away from scoring a follow-up to his playoff victory over Jobim Carlos at ICTSI Manila Masters at Eastridge two weeks ago.

He faces Salvador and Ababa again in the championship flight, hoping to recover lost grounds and nail a second straight win and fifth overall while Salvador is out to sustain his comeback for a crack at the

Republic of the Philippines Office of the President

Republic of the Philippines Office of the President

National Irrigation Administration

National Irrigation Administration

(PAMBANSANG PANGASIWAAN NG PATUBIG) Region 3 Bulacan-Aurora-Nueva Ecija Irrigation Management Office Office Address: Telephone Nos.: Email Address:

Tambubong, San Rafael, Bulacan (044) 766-3888 / 766-4142 / 766-0157 / 766-3524 niabaneimo_es@yahoo.com/niabaneimo_om@yahoo.com niabaneimoafs@yahoo.com

championship and an end to a year-long title spell.

Four adrift, Ababa also vowed to unleash a strong finishing kick and snap a longer drought on the circuit organized

by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. and backed by Custom Clubmakers, adidas, KZG, Sharp, Summit, Srixon, Pacsports, TaylorMade and Champion.

The rest are too far behind and would need super low rounds coupled with a Mondilla meltdown to get back into the mix.

They include Tony Lascuna, who rammed in three birdies in the last eight holes to shoot a 69 for a 208; Jay Bayron, who also carded a 69 for a 210; and Japanese Syotaro Onuki, who missed joining Bayron at fifth with a bogey on No. 17 for another 69 and a 211.

Mhark Fernando, winner here in 2012, also turned in a three-under card but lay way behind at 212 while Michael Bibat, Rufino Bayron and first-round co-leader Joenard Rates posted identical 214s after a 69, 71, and 72, respectively.

Just when he thought he had Salvador and Ababa all figured out after birdying the opening hole and pulling away by eight, Mondilla hit an errant drive to the right on the tight par-4 No. 5, took a penalty drop and reached the green in four then two-putted.

From eight down, Ababa charged back with a birdie on No. 3 and an eagle on the next and with Mondilla dropping two strokes on the fifth, the former threatened to within four, only to fall behind by six again after double-bogeying the sixth.

(PAMBANSANG PANGASIWAAN NG PATUBIG) Region 3 Bulacan-Aurora-Nueva Ecija Irrigation Management Office

Telefax No. (044) 766-3888 TIN No. 000-578-009-000

Office Address: Telephone Nos.: Email Address:

Tambubong, San Rafael, Bulacan (044) 766-3888 / 766-4142 / 766-0157 / 766-3524 niabaneimo_es@yahoo.com/niabaneimo_om@yahoo.com niabaneimoafs@yahoo.com

INVITATION TO BID

Telefax No. (044) 766-3888 TIN No. 000-578-009-000

INVITATION TO BID

May 18, 2016

May 18, 2016

The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) Bulacan-Aurora-Nueva Ecija Irrigation Management Office (BANE IMO) Tambubong, San Rafael, Bulacan, through its Bids and Award Committee (BAC), invites Contractors to bid for:

The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) Bulacan-Aurora-Nueva Ecija Irrigation Management Office (BANE IMO) Tambubong, San Rafael, Bulacan, through its Bids and Award Committee (BAC), invites Contractors to bid for:

ITB No. R3-BANE-RGPIS-2016-BU-63 BUSPAN REPAIR OF PUMP & IMPROVEMENT OF IRRIGATION FACILITIES, Bustos, Bulacan. The Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) isP9,480,237.80 with contract duration of 210 calendar days.

ITB No. R3-BANE-RGPIS-2016-BU-64 ANBUSPA REPAIR OF PUMP & IMPROVEMENT OF IRRIGATION FACILITIES, Bustos, Bulacan. The Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) is P9,481,414.75 with contract duration of 210 calendar days.

ITB No.R3-BANE-RGPIS-2016-BU-63, Package 1 BUSPAN-REPAIR OF PUMP, Bustos, Bulacan. ABC – P 1,929,705.22; Bid Documents – P 2,000.00 ITB No. R3-BANE-RGPIS-2016-BU-63, Package 2 BUSPAN–IMPROVEMENT OF IRRIGATION FACILITIES, Bustos, Bulacan; ABC – P 7,550,532.58; Bid Documents – P 8,000.00 Only those, Letter of Intent together with the company profile, submitted by the owner or its authorized liaison officer will be accepted.

Interested bidders must have experience in undertaking similar project within the last three (3) years with an amount of at least 50% of the proposed project for bidding.

Any bid above the ABC as stated above each ITB shall be rejected outright.

Issuance of Bid Documents; (upon payment of non-refundable amount as stated above each ITB)

May 20, 2016 @ 10:00 AM NIA BANE, Tambubong, San Rafael, Bulacan

Schedule of Activities; NIA-BANE IMO ITB No. R3-BANE-RGPIS-2016-BU-63, Package 1 ITB No. R3-BANE-RGPIS-2016-BU-63, Package 2

Pre-Bidding

Submission/ Opening of Bids May 27, 2016 June 10, 2016 2:00 PM 1:30 PM 3:00 PM 2:30 PM

The NIA-BANE assumes no responsibility whatsoever to compensate or indemnify bidders for any expenses incurred in the preparation of bids. Also, NIA reserves the right to reject any or all bids at any time prior to award, waive any defects therein and to declare the bidding a failure for whatever reasons it may deem appropriate.

(TS-MAy 21, 2016)

SGD. ROBERTO J. DELA CRUZ Chairman – BAC

ITB No.R3-BANE-RGPIS-2016-BU-64, Package 1 ANBUSPA-REPAIR OF PUMP, Bustos, Bulacan. ABC – P 3,473,196.47; Bid Documents – P 3,000.00 ITB No. R3-BANE-RGPIS-2016-BU-63, Package 2 ANBUSPA–IMPROVEMENT OF IRRIGATION FACILITIES, Bustos, Bulacan; ABC – P 6,008,218.28; Bid Documents – P 6,000.00 Only those, Letter of Intent together with the company profile, submitted by the owner or its authorized liaison officer will be accepted.

Interested bidders must have experience in undertaking similar project within the last three (3) years with an amount of at least 50% of the proposed project for bidding.

Any bid above the ABC as stated above each ITB shall be rejected outright.

Issuance of Bid Documents; (upon payment of non-refundable amount as stated above each ITB)

May 20, 2016 @ 10:00 AM NIA BANE, Tambubong, San Rafael, Bulacan

Schedule of Activities; NIA-BANE IMO

Pre-Bidding

ITB No. R3-BANE-RGPIS-2016-BU-64, Package 1 ITB No. R3-BANE-RGPIS-2016-BU-64, Package 2

Submission/ Opening of Bids May 27, 2016 June 10, 2016 10:00 AM 10:00 AM 11:00 AM 11:00 AM

The NIA-BANE assumes no responsibility whatsoever to compensate or indemnify bidders for any expenses incurred in the preparation of bids. Also, NIA reserves the right to reject any or all bids at any time prior to award, waive any defects therein and to declare the bidding a failure for whatever reasons it may deem appropriate.

(TS-MAy 21, 2016)

SGD. ROBERTO J. DELA CRUZ Chairman – BAC

Ateneo’s Valdez leads UAAP awardees

By Peter Atencio WOMEN’S volleyball star Alyssa Valdez of Ateneo will be among the many student-athletes who made a big impact and will be honored when Season 78 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines draws to an end in today’s closing ceremonies at the Ang Bahay ng Alumni inside the University of the Philippines campus.

Valdez, who just finished her stint with Lady Eagles as one of league’s 15 MVPs, is a candidate for this year’s Athlete of the Year honors.

She joins other candidates which include men’s basketball cager Kiefer Ravena and men’s football player Daniel Gadia of the University of the Philippines.

Rio Olympics-bound table tennis star Ian Lariba of La Salle, who won it last year with Far Eastern University woodpusher Janelle Frayna and Ateneo swimmer Hannah Dato, is also a contender.

Lariba recently led the Lady Archers to a second straight table tennis crown, helping La Salle retain the seniors’ division general championship.

The awards rites will start at 5 p.m.

The Cagayan de Oro native also made history by being the first Philippine table tennis player to qualify in the Olympics. She was unbeaten in her five-year stint with La Salle.

The UAAP will also honor the athlete-scholars who not only excelled in sports, but also in academics.

Citations will also be given to the league’s athletes, who competed in various international tournaments during the 2015-16 season.

Outgoing Season 78 president Dr. Michael Tan of UP will then hand over the league flag to incoming Season 79 president Fr. Ermito de Sagun of University of Santo Tomas.

Season 78 ended with FEU coming out of a 10-year title drought to claim a record 20th men’s basketball.

De La Salle regained the women’s volleyball throne and won its first-ever women’s beach volleyball crown, with UP achieving a golden double in football.

CYAN MAGENTA YEL

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

LOTTO RESULTS

Surfing ace. Brazilian surfer Gabriel Medina competes during the Rio Pro Men’s surfing championsghip tour semifinal at Barra de Tijuca beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. AFP

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Pacman...

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France hopeful Batum can play in Manila tilt

By Ronnie Nathanielsz

FRANCE has not given up hope that veteran small forward Nicolas Batum will be able to play at the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Manila after the 27-year-old NBA player was included by the team in the 17-man preliminary roster for the event, set on July 5 to 10.

A report by FIBA from Paris said Batum’s agent had previously indicated that his client, a free agent, who just had a terrific first season with the Charlotte Hornets, would be in the United States resolving his NBA future and that the paperwork would not be finalized in time for him to play.

However, it is understood that the 6’8” French player and the Hornets will quickly agree terms on a new deal and that could give France enough time to obtain insurance for Batum and allow him to take part.

“Although the situation has been complicated, Batum is such a talent that France is doing everything it can to have him at the OQT,

where they will take on the Philippines and New Zealand in Group B then potentially face Canada, Senegal or Turkey in the knockout stages. Batum did not make the All-Star Five of EuroBasket 2015, but he did achieve that feat the year before at the FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain,” FIBA said.

What is certain is that Batum will be in Pau, France, when the French national team launches its preparations on June 10. He will do physical work, but not take part in drills or scrimmages in order to avoid contact.

Also on the list of players is center Alexis Ajinca, who played for the team when it won

The fight against doping INSIDE SPORTS RONNIE NATHANIELSZ

THE World Boxing Council, under its president Mauricio Sulaiman, must be commended for the lead role it has played in exposing the ills of performance-enhancing drugs and inspiring the International Olympic Committee to take action against cheats.

The WBC, some months ago, joined forces with VADA, the Voluntary Anti Doping Agency under the renowned Dr. Margaret Goodman to initiate what President Mauricio Sulaiman labeled as the WBC Clean Boxing Program.

The program was first proposed by the late WBC president Don Jose Sulaiman and

his son and current president Mauricio Sulaiman has pursued the program, which he says “will be another WBC dream come true.”

“Along with the invaluable support and tireless efforts of VADA and President Dr. Margaret Goodman, the program will start with the premier world boxing organization’s participation in the testing/ funding for the upcoming title clash for the vacant Super Lightweight World Championship between Viktor Postol of the Ukraine and Lucas Matthysse of Argentina scheduled on Oct. 3,” the WBC said.

It added: “While it is true the WBC-VADA program is quite ambitious, its main goal aside from testing is to educate the athletes on the danger and disadvantages that doping can bring to their present and future wellbeing,

along with the penalties in testing positive for prohibited substances, in or out of competition. It is its firm position to become a bastion of a drug free boxing profession.”

It’s obvious that the innovative program, which we hope other professional world boxing organizations such as the WBO, WBA and IBF will adopt has, as the WBC says, “planned, designed and developed with countless hours of hard work and dedication of many passionate members of the WBC and VADA.” It is basically divided in 3 primary objectives : Awareness program to educate and prevent boxers about the dangers of substances and the tragic effects that they can lead to. This is done by tutorials, webinars, forums, materials, etc.

-Out of competition Random testing

EuroBasket 2013 in Slovenia. Ajinca is a musthave for France with towering pivot Rudy Gobert not available for the OQT. The report from Paris noted that, “Perhaps most important for coach Vincent Collet is that he will have players that have featured for several years and helped France climb to No. 5 in the FIBA World Ranking.”

Nando de Colo, who made the All-Star Five at last year’s EuroBasket and also scooped the honor of Euroleague Final Four MVP last weekend after leading CSKA Moscow to the title, is among them.

Key men in the squad are Tony Parker and Boris Diaw from the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA, along with Florent Pietrus, Mickael Gelable, Joffrey Luvergne and Antoine Diot.

“The core will help compensate for the short preparation (for the OQT),” Collet said on Thursday.

As part of the build-up, France will play friendly games against other sides preparing for the OQT in Belgrade. The venues for those warm-up games will be where Collet and his squad have training camps.

-Voluntary enrollment by fighters.

Sulaiman said the WBC and VADA will be “continuously reporting progress of this historic venture and we are certain that the boxing community at large will endorse and participate to achieve the main goal, which is to protect our athletes and our sport.”

The news was welcomed in Manila by the leading promotional outfit—ALA Promotions—with president Michael Aldeguer saying “It’s fantastic.”

But regrettably, we still have to hear from other promoters although it would be the responsibility primarily of managers, trainers and boxers themselves.

Meantime, the International Olympic Committee has awakened to the insidious threat posed by some countries that engage in doping as a matter of state policy.

The IOC now says a special World Anti-Doping Agency

Mayweather, who have announced their retirement, would have a change of heart and step back into the ring.

Pacquiao wants his countrymen to help him decide on whether or not to join Filipino athletes in the quest for the country’s first-ever Olympic Games gold medal in Rio. Should he decide to engage in one last hurrah for Olympic glory, he will compete in the 140-lb light welterweight category in which he has reigned in a stellar pro career.

However, Pacquiao will have to make up his mind on or before May 27, the deadline for submission of entries for the final AIBA Open-Olympic qualifying boxing event in Baku, Azerbaijan next month.

ABAP executive director Ed Picson is hoping Pacquiao says yes, following a meeting with the Filipino ring icom at his Forbes Park residence last Wednesday.

Picson said that while flag and country remain irresistible drawing factors for Pacquiao, the boxing champion nonetheless wants to get the general public’s view if it would be prudent for him to return to the ring just weeks after the polls, instead of immediately buckling down to work in the Senate.

“He’s concerned with what the people will say,” Picson said.

The ABAP official said there are two ways Pacquiao could get to Rio—through a wildcard invitation to be issued by the International Boxing Federation and via an Olympic qualifying event.

“We’ll find out once Manny decides,” Picson said.

Pacquiao was a personal guest of AIBA president Dr. Wu Ching-kuo during the World Championship in Doja, Qatar last October, and it was there that the offer to fight in the Olympics was reportedly relayed, an idea that apparently appealed to Pacquiao after the AIBA president assured him he would be seeded into the championship rounds and won’t need to go through the elimination rounds.

task force will identify athletes, who should be targeted for drug-testing ahead of the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro to deter and weed out any cheats before they get to the games.

The IOC also confirmed, as reported by The Associated Press last week, that hundreds of doping samples from the 2008 Beijing Olympics and 2012 London Games are currently being re-analyzed with enhanced tests before Rio to catch any athletes who escaped detection at the time.

The International Olympic Committee said a WADA task force is gathering information and intelligence, identifying any gaps in pre-games testing and coordinating extra doping checks in the lead-up to the Rio Games in August.

The task force “will identify athletes or groups of athletes who should be included in registered testing pools, and those who the IOC should test

during the four-week period” of the Olympics.

The WADA group will work with national antidoping agencies of Australia, Denmark, Japan, South Africa, Britain and the United States.

The task force will advise the IOC and Rio organizers who should be tested, both in and out of competition. The intelligence will be used to finalize the day-by-day testing plan during the period of the games, which begins with the opening of the athletes village on July 24.

IOC medical director Dr. Richard Budgett said: “We are trying passionately to protect those clean athletes who are going to Rio and the best way to do that is to catch the cheats and deter the cheats before we get to Rio de Janeiro.”

The twin actions by the WBC and the IOC are to be commended and given the full support of the world’s sporting fraternity

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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

Cavaliers on a roll, go 10-0 in playoffs WASHINGTON—With LeBron James producing another overpowering performance, the Cleveland Cavaliers routed Toronto 108-89 Thursday, stretching their playoff record to 10-0 and moving closer to an NBA Finals return.

James scored 23 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and passed out 11 assists as the host Cavaliers, who swept through the first two playoff rounds, seized a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference finals with game three Saturday at Toronto.

“We’re just a well-balanced, (well-)oiled machine,” James said.

“You have to do multiple things depending on how the series and the games go and we’ve been able to do that.”

Kyrie Irving scored a game-high 26 points and Kevin Love added 19

Garcia, Wagner, Lee share PGA lead TURN TO A12

for Cleveland, whose run is one shy of the NBA record playoff start of 11-0 achieved by the Los Angeles Lakers in 1989 and 2001.

“It’s always difficult to deal with me,” four-time NBA Most Valuable Player James said. “It adds even more when you have two all-stars with you who command multiple eyes every possession. They are in such a great rhythm I can do other things to help us win.”

“This is the best I’ve felt in a while. When you have two guys like this to help you, it takes a lot of things off you.”

LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers reacts during the second half against the Toronto Raptors in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. AFP

The Cavaliers are two wins from facing the Western Conference champion, either Oklahoma City or defending NBA champion Golden State, in the NBA Finals that begin on June 2.

Cleveland lost to Golden State in last year’s NBA Finals, but Love was out with an injury and Irving went down with an injury in game one.

“We just do a great job of having each other’s backs,” said Irving.

“We missed our chance last year and we want to make the most of this time.”

The Cavaliers have led Toronto by 10 or more points throughout the second half in both games and Cleveland’s Tyronn Lue, the first NBA coach to win his first 10 playoff games, credits Irving and Love for helping ease the load on James.

“When Kevin and Kyrie are playing at a high level it opens the floor

for LeBron. He can take a game over,” Lue said. “The better the team performs, the easier it is on him.”

Rested LeBron lethal The playoff victory was Cleveland’s 17th in a row over foes from the same conference, the longest such NBA streak since 1970-71.

“I don’t think it feels like a streak,” James said. “We won one game.

How do we get better the next game?

We haven’t overlooked any steps.

That’s why we’re in the position we are. We’ve enjoyed the process.”

James, seeking a sixth consecutive trip to the NBA Finals after four years with Miami and last year, is hitting 18-of-26 from the field, dominating Toronto inside.

“Great teammates are getting me open,” James said. “I’m trying to be aggressive, see what the defense is giving me. Everyone is feeding off one another.” AFP

Mondilla hangs on to 3-shot ICTSI lead TURN TO A14

Pacman has until May 27 to decide on Rio stint

By Ronnie Nathanielsz EIGHT-DIVISION world boxing champion and recently elected senator Manny Pacquiao has only until May 27 to decide on whether to fight in the Rio Olympic Games in the quest for the Philippines’ first gold medal.

Pacquiao is reportedly seeking divine intervention and his compatriots’ blessings as he ponders the possibility of performing his swan song, not at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, but at Riocentro Pavillion 6 in Barra, site of the boxing event in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

A possible mega-buck rematch with Floyd Mayweather looms following the reported settlement between Top Rank promoter Bob Arum and Mayweather adviser Al Haymon. This is a major roadblock to a rematch that has been removed, although there is no certainty that both Pacquiao and Turn to A15

SATURDAY: MAY 21, 2016

RAY S. EÑANO EDITOR

RODERICK T. DELA CRUZ ASSISTANT EDITOR

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

BUSINESS

B1

PAL set to start three-city flights

By Darwin G. Amojelar

BSP award. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas receives The Best Macroeconomic Regulator in Asia Pacific award from The Asian Banker for the second time. Monetary policy sub-sector managing director Francisco Dakila Jr. (leftmost) represented the BSP during The Asian Banker Awards Dinner in Hanoi, Vietnam on May 10 2016. He presented the plaque to BSP Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. (center), along with (from left) Deputy Governors Nestor Espenilla Jr., Diwa Guinigundo and Vicente S. Aquino.

Nomura expects GDP to grow 6.5% in 2016

By Julito G. Rada

THE economy has the potential to grow 6.5 percent this year, higher than the revised 5.9 percent in 2015, as the incoming administration of President-elect Rodrigo Duterte is not expected to veer away from the economic reforms of the Aquino administration, Nomura Global Economics said Friday.

“For 2016, we reiterate our GDP growth forecast of 6.5 percent from 5.9 percent in 2015. Our forecast implies a further pickup in the second quarter likely to above 7-percent growth, before moderating slightly as the impact of election-related spending fades,” Nomura said.

“Our baseline view remains that President-elect Duterte’s policy approach will be pragmatic and he is unlikely to reverse the reforms implemented by the outgoing Aquino administration,” it said.

Duterte on May 12 unveiled an eight-point economic agenda expressing continuity of the reforms in the present administration. The other points include increasing infrastructure spending, reducing land-related bottlenecks and attracting more foreign direct spending.

Nomura said the first-quarter growth of 6.9 percent was solid, higher than the upwardly revised 6.5 percent in the quarter ago. It said domestic demand was robust, led by election-related spending and a strong pickup in investment.

“Domestic final demand remained strong, contributing 11.8 percentage points to headline GDP growth from 11.2pp in Q4 2015. This confirms our view that the national elections on May 9 were a boost to already strong domestic demand, rather than acting as a headwind,” it said.

It noted signs of an underlying improvement in the quality of growth after the elections.

The first-quarter performance was significantly stronger than the sluggish 5 percent posted in the same period last year, which was pulled down by the government’s anemic fiscal expenditures.

The administration’s weak spending started in the third quarter of 2014, when the Supreme Court ruled the disbursement acceleration program of the Aquino administration as unconstitutional.

The Court reversed the ruling later.

But Nomura said the fiscal support to growth increased in the first three months of 2016. Government spending rose 23 percentyer-onyear in March from 21.9 percent in February, bringing the increase in the first quarter to 17.3 percent from 14.2 percent in the fourth quarter of 2015.

“Excluding interest payments, government spending increased faster in the first quarter at 21.2 percent after 18.4 percent in Q4. Revenue collections, however, disappointed in March, falling by 7.8 percent y-o-y after rising 4.7 percent in February...,” it said. “… We reiterate our 2016 fiscal deficit forecast of 2 percent of GDP as we expect the fiscal support for growth to continue for the rest of this year despite the political transition,” Nomura said.

PHILIPPINE Airlines is set to launch triangulated flights from Manila to Osaka and Taipei on June 25 to boost regional tourism.

“Our Manila-Taipei-Osaka service provides the convenience of a three-city route. These triangulated flights provide ease of connections and access to ‘beyond-traffic’,” PAL president and chief operating officer Jaime Bautista said.

The new service (Osaka-Taipei) was made possible through fifth freedom rights held by the Philippines.

Fifth freedom is the freedom to pick up passengers and cargo from a foreign country and carry them to a second country, which is the final destination.

“This will enable the Japanese market to travel to Taiwan with ease, comfort and convenience,” Bautista said.

The new Osaka-Taipei route will allow Japanese travelers to experience the PAL brand of inflight service marked by heartfelt warmth and hospitality.

Passengers may even journey on to Manila after a few days of stay in the Taiwanese city via PAL’s Taipei-Manila service and connect to any of the domestic and international destinations PAL flies to.

Leisure travelers from Taipei may take advantage of the direct flight to Japan and travel on to Manila or Cebu. PAL will used the modern 199-seater Airbus A321 aircraft for the route.

PAL has 10 weekly frequencies between Taipei and Manila and 14 frequencies between Osaka and Manila.

SATURDAY: MAY 21, 2016

B2

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

The STandard BuSineSS daily STockS review Friday, May 20, 2016

52 Weeks

Previous

High Low

STOCKS

7.88 75.3 124.4 107 56.5 2.49 4.2 17 30.45 10.4 2.6 890 1.01 100 1.46 30.5 75 91.5 80 361.2 57 180 1700 124

2.5 66 88.05 88.1 45.45 1.97 1.68 12.02 19.6 6.12 1.02 625 0.225 78 0.9 17.8 58 62 52 276 41 118.2 1200 59

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

MEDCO Holdings Metrobank Natl. Reinsurance Corp.

PB Bank Phil Bank of Comm Phil. National Bank Philippine trust Co. PSE Inc. RCBC `A’ Security Bank Sun Life Financial Union Bank

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 3.95 4 74 33.9 90 13.26 293 0.62 5.25 12.98 15 7.03 3.4 4.5 6.3 7.86 1450 3.28 0.315 2.18 2.65 234 5.28 1.3 2.17

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 2.3 1.63 33 23.35 17.3 5.88 250.2 0.335 3.87 8.45 10.04 3.03 1.95 1 4.02 1.65 801 1.55 0.138 1.02 2.09 152 4.28 0.640 1.2

Aboitiz Power Corp.

45.95 Agrinurture Inc. 3.7 Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. 0.93 Alsons Cons.

1.87 Asiabest Group 14.1 Bogo Medelin 63.95 Century Food 21.75 Conc. Aggr. ‘A’ 200 Cirtek Holdings (Chips) 17.9 Concepcion 46.45 Crown Asia 2.22 Da Vinci Capital 4.65 Del Monte 10.74 DNL Industries Inc. 9.750 Emperador 7.13 Energy Devt. Corp. (EDC) 5.75 EEI 7.40 Euro-Med Lab 1.7 First Gen Corp.

21.4 First Holdings ‘A’ 69.2 Ginebra San Miguel Inc. 12.70 Holcim Philippines Inc. 15.50 Integ. Micro-Electronics 5.6 Ionics Inc 2.290 Jollibee Foods Corp.

233.60 LMG Chemicals 2.17 Mabuhay Vinyl 3.6 Macay Holdings 39.95 Manila Water Co. Inc. 27.55 Maxs Group 24.1 Megawide 6.55 Mla. Elect. Co `A’ 325.20 MG Holdings 0.290 Pepsi-Cola Products Phil. 3.48 Petron Corporation 11.50 Phinma Corporation 11.52 Phoenix Petroleum Phils. 5.49 Phoenix Semiconductor 1.80 Pryce Corp. `A’ 2.76 RFM Corporation 4.25 Roxas and Co. 2.28 San Miguel ‘Pure Foods `A’ 220 Splash Corporation 2.51 Swift Foods, Inc. 0.156 TKC Steel Corp.

1.91 Trans-Asia Oil 2.53 Universal Robina 204 Victorias Milling 4.6 Vitarich Corp.

0.89 Vulcan Ind’l.

1.34

0.59 59.2 30.05 2.16 7.39 3.4 3.35 823.5 10.2 84 3.35 4.92 0.66 1455 7.5 76 5.29 6.66 9.25 0.85 17.3 5.53 0.0670 2.31 1.61 2.99 84.9 3.5 974 1.66 1.39 390 156 0.710 0.435 0.510

0.44 48.1 20.85 1.6 6.62 0.23 0.23 634.5 7.390 12.8 2.6 2.26 0.152 837 5.3 49.55 3 3.52 4.84 0.59 12 4.2 0.030 1.23 0.550 2.26 59.3 1.5 751 1.13 0.93 170 80 0.211 0.179 0.310

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

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

Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp.

LT Group Metro Pacific Inv. Corp.

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

0.415 71.05 14.56 1.22 6.00 0.370 0.385 806 7.77 13.00 5.26 6.20 0.265 1430 6.39 93.25 5.36 5.35 7.9 0.69 13.7 6.12 0.0320 1.360 1.830 2.6 72.00 2.14 985.00 1.16 0.94 190.00 157.900 0.3200 0.2230 0.355

10.5 1.99 1.75 0.375 41.4 5.6 5.59 1.44 0.201 0.69

6.74 0.65 1.2 0.192 30.05 3.36 4.96 0.79 0.083 0.415

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

Ayala Land `B’ Belle Corp. `A’ Cebu Holdings Century Property Crown Equities Inc. Cyber Bay Corp.

7.900 1.23 2.200 0.270 36.000 3.11 5.22 0.530 0.133 0.520

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

SHARES 10,683,259 67,750,909 180,507,670 122,606,088 185,246,941 1,135,721,887 1,751,734,339

Close

High

3.88 46 105.00 93.00 38.2 3.00 1.44 14.2 17.48 7.14 1.9 600.00 0.570 85.5 0.97 14.90 24.50 51.70 380 270 31.95 191.6 1370.00 65.40

Low

FINANCIAL 3.9 3.42 45.95 45.3 104.20 101.90 92.80 91.45 38.25 37.5 3.00 2.95 1.54 1.43 14.3 14.1 17.48 16.84 7.49 7.17 1.9 1.86 600.00 600.00 0.600 0.560 85.5 83.5 0.97 0.97 15.00 14.62 24.20 24.00 51.95 50.90 437 437 270 268 31.8 31.35 193.2 189.3 1370.00 1370.00 65.40 64.50 INDUSTRIAL 46.05 44.05 3.73 3.22 0.93 0.88 1.91 1.83 15 13.62 63.9 55.1 21.75 20.65 200 193 18 17.6 46.45 46 2.21 2.19 4.64 4.62 10.8 10.72 9.740 9.500 7.46 7.29 5.73 5.60 7.50 7.40 1.7 1.7 21.6 20.9 69.45 66 13.00 12.64 15.40 15.10 5.74 5.6 2.350 2.230 237.00 233.00 2.16 2.16 3.5 3.35 39.90 37.50 27.5 26.5 24.1 23.5 6.85 6.55 325.20 318.60 0.305 0.275 3.45 3.4 11.50 11.10 11.62 11.60 5.50 5.40 1.87 1.70 2.75 2.67 4.32 4.25 2.3 2.3 217 216.4 2.53 2.49 0.156 0.154 2.24 2.00 2.51 2.47 205 201 4.6 4.6 0.9 0.87 1.30 1.30 HOLDING FIRMS 0.465 0.415 73.50 71.15 14.56 14.04 1.22 1.19 6.10 6.00 0.385 0.330 0.380 0.330 819.5 790 7.77 7.67 12.98 12.88 5.05 5.04 6.28 6.17 0.270 0.248 1421 1380 6.39 6.20 93.25 92.55 5.34 5.2 5.35 5.35 7.82 7.63 0.71 0.69 13.9 13.68 6.1 5.9 0.0330 0.0320 1.380 1.320 1.840 1.780 2.62 2.62 73.40 71.00 2.22 2.22 985.00 950.00 1.20 1.16 0.93 0.85 190.00 190.00 158.000 152.000 0.3300 0.3100 0.2270 0.2100 0.350 0.330 PROPERTY 7.600 7.500 1.30 1.18 2.200 2.100 0.265 0.260 35.900 34.850 3.14 3.05 5.2 5.15 0.53 0.520 0.136 0.130 0.520 0.500

Close

%

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

3.74 45.95 102.00 92.20 38 2.95 1.54 14.3 17 7.49 1.86 600.00 0.600 84.4 0.97 15.00 24.00 51.00 437 268 31.5 192.6 1370.00 64.50

-3.61 -0.11 -2.86 -0.86 -0.52 -1.67 6.94 0.70 -2.75 4.90 -2.11 0.00 5.26 -1.29 0.00 0.67 -2.04 -1.35 15.00 -0.74 -1.41 0.52 0.00 -1.38

1,052,000 9,400 2,039,430 1,494,190 66,400 38,000 96,000 11,700 364,600 28,100 58,000 10 429,000 1,713,010 8,000 10,200 6,000 191,260 110 30 169,700 1,852,080 30 84,960

45.2 3.72 0.91 1.87 14 55.6 21.3 195 18 46 2.21 4.62 10.76 9.700 7.40 5.60 7.45 1.7 21.6 67.1 12.64 15.10 5.6 2.300 235.00 2.16 3.35 39.90 27.05 24 6.73 321.60 0.290 3.41 11.10 11.62 5.40 1.79 2.74 4.25 2.3 217 2.5 0.155 2.08 2.50 202.6 4.6 0.88 1.30

-1.63 0.54 -2.15 0.00 -0.71 -13.06 -2.07 -2.50 0.56 -0.97 -0.45 -0.65 0.19 -0.51 3.79 -2.61 0.68 0.00 0.93 -3.03 -0.47 -2.58 0.00 0.44 0.60 -0.46 -6.94 -0.13 -1.81 -0.41 2.75 -1.11 0.00 -2.01 -3.48 0.87 -1.64 -0.56 -0.72 0.00 0.88 -1.36 -0.40 -0.64 8.90 -1.19 -0.69 0.00 -1.12 -2.99

1,919,600 1,050,000 123,000 8,947,000 5,900 380 2,304,600 1,040 244,500 12,100 179,000 119,000 28,800 3,441,400 399,700 8,362,300 353,000 2,000 1,205,500 108,780 28,200 37,100 734,900 1,193,000 708,500 5,000 18,000 700 684,100 319,900 1,123,200 441,120 1,060,000 906,000 3,162,400 700 459,100 2,799,000 174,000 1,677,000 1,000 6,010 309,000 2,330,000 7,280,000 2,003,000 2,090,280 5,000 8,380,000 18,000

0.430 72.00 14.22 1.22 6.10 0.340 0.335 794 7.69 12.96 5.04 6.28 0.265 1380 6.30 92.55 5.2 5.35 7.65 0.69 13.9 5.9 0.0320 1.320 1.780 2.62 73.40 2.22 955.00 1.20 0.91 190.00 158.000 0.3200 0.2140 0.345

3.61 1.34 -2.34 0.00 1.67 -8.11 -12.99 -1.49 -1.03 -0.31 -4.18 1.29 0.00 -3.50 -1.41 -0.75 -2.99 0.00 -3.16 0.00 1.46 -3.59 0.00 -2.94 -2.73 0.77 1.94 3.74 -3.05 3.45 -3.19 0.00 0.06 0.00 -4.04 -2.82

16,580,000 4,734,720 4,571,400 144,000 9,800 21,200,000 1,390,000 382,330 574,600 9,606,700 6,100 506,000 150,000 91,795 31,400 3,807,160 4,800 5,900 1,329,300 85,000 2,909,700 27,504,400 60,700,000 31,000 495,000 15,000 85,840 100 488,910 91,000 259,000 70 4,950 7,260,000 3,480,000 11,650,000

7.550 1.23 2.150 0.260 34.900 3.14 5.15 0.520 0.131 0.500

-4.43 0.00 -2.27 -3.70 -3.06 0.96 -1.34 -1.89 -1.50 -3.85

289,700 3,085,000 422,000 20,000 12,668,800 650,000 26,600 1,819,000 6,510,000 7,110,000

35,000.00 101,090.00 -12,354,318 -34,296,466.50

-25,380.00 -2,706,592.00

-10,241,181.50

-1,672,224.00 1,117,825 94,013,032.00 568,957.00 -42,723,360.00 -64,900.00 -1,780.00 5,146,940.00 13,826,500.00 8,850.00 -547,400 -66,000.00 388,080.00 27,056,251.00 557,199.00 -31,086,479.00 1,139,370.00 -6,470,560.00 -3,130,314.00 -34,128.00 3,584,460.00 39,430,692.00

-2,817,700.00 -1,459,220.00 -14,605,952.00 2,595,240.00 -6,962,224.00 -5,500.00 -55,610.00 -94,750.00 188,676.00 -83,050.00 1,246,440.00 -107,468,188.00 68,050.00 57,800.00 169,859,869.00 -21,689,728.00

73,800.00 -48,290,370.00 1,088,605.00 -23,458,320.00

-25,548,040.00 64,684,691.00 308,324.00 33,347,072.00 -5,379,674.00 1,382,400.00

-150,542.50 -140,665,020.00

47,250.00

-1,145,851.00 37,780.00 10,650.00 -45,169,500.00 1,104,250.00

32,320.00

52 Weeks

Previous

High Low

STOCKS

Close

High

%

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

2.4 0.83 0.188 1.15 1.42 1.27 3.1 4.13 0.090 0.290 0.39 23 22.15 1.6 15.08 0.69 0.83 5.73

Double Dragon 48.8 Empire East Land 0.820 Ever Gotesco 0.162 Global-Estate 0.98 Filinvest Land,Inc. 1.96 Interport `A’ 1.30 Keppel Properties 4.70 Megaworld 4.25 MRC Allied Ind. 0.091 Phil. Estates Corp.

0.2800 Phil. Realty `A’ 0.485 Phil. Tob. Flue Cur & Redry 47.00 Robinson’s Land `B’ 29.05 Rockwell 1.6 SM Prime Holdings 24.20 Sta. Lucia Land Inc. 0.9 Suntrust Home Dev. Inc. 1.040 Vista Land & Lifescapes 5.100

0.41 -1.22 -1.23 0.00 -1.02 -1.54 0.00 -3.29 1.10 -3.57 -5.15 -10.64 -2.93 -0.63 -2.89 0.00 0.00 -1.18

930,000 1,000 10,000 1,171,000 16,674,000 150,000 2,000 38,147,000 480,000 150,000 300,000 5,300 2,479,700 394,000 21,912,300 831,000 443,000 5,921,100

10.5 66 1.09 14.88 15.82 0.1430 5.06 99.1 12.3 2.6 7.67 4 1700 2720 8.41 70.5 1.97 119.5 7 5.8 12.5 0.017

1.97 35.2 0.63 10.5 8.6 0.0770 2.95 56.1 10.14 1.6 4.8 2.58 830 1600 5.95 17.02 1.23 102.6 3.01 4 8.72 0.011

0.8200 2.2800 5.93

0.041 1.200 2.34

12.28 3.32 95.5 1 2.46 15.2

6.5 1.91 3.1 0.650 1.8 6

1.040 22.8 6.41 4 185 22.9 3486 0.760 2.28 46.05 90.1

0.37 14.54 3 2.28 79 4.39 2748 0.435 1.2 31.45 60.55

11.6 0.85 10 0.490 1.9

7.59 0.63 5 0.315 1.14

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

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

Discovery World DFNN Inc. Easy Call “Common” FEUI Globe Telecom GMA Network Inc. Grand Plaza Hotel Harbor Star I.C.T.S.I. Imperial Res. `A’ Imperial Res. `B’ IPeople Inc. `A’ IP E-Game Ventures Inc. IPM Holdings Island Info ISM Communications Jackstones LBC Express Leisure & Resorts Liberty Telecom Manila Broadcasting Manila Bulletin Manila Jockey Melco Crown Metro Retail NOW Corp.

Pacific Online Sys. Corp.

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

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

SSI Group STI Holdings Travellers Waterfront Phils.

Yehey

-0.68 -0.76 0.00 -2.97 -2.30 -5.17 -0.96 -0.32 0.00 3.87 0.00 -0.36 1.04 -2.96 -1.05 0.24 0.00 -1.50 -4.02 4.76 -11.09 10.00 0.21 -6.85 -7.65 0.00 3.49 0.39 -2.34 0.00 -3.33 -5.71 -2.62 1.29 -0.67 -2.40 0.00 0.00 -0.09 0.00 -2.35 -5.95 -1.12 -0.48 -1.65 6.65 2.90 -3.33 -1.17 -5.41 -3.45

66,400 59,780 1,715,000 100 3,082,000 59,640,000 878,000 505,620 100 14,000 108,500 5,000 500 31,705 120,900 100 157,000 1,130,550 96,000 1,550 83,600 24,200,000 711,200 31,500,000 6,979,000 308,000 54,800 1,100 21,000 6,800 200,000 84,000 7,106,000 261,000 17,756,000 250,500 6,000 2,000 370 21,000 191,535 3,820,000 2,462,000 910,600 349,730 5,457,200 3,503,000 7,119,000 702,000 290,000 102,600

0.0098 5.45 17.24 25 0.330 12.7 12.8 1.62 9.5 4.2 0.48 0.420 0.440 0.022 0.023 8.2 49.2 4.27 3.06 0.020 7.67 12.88 10.42 0.040 420 9 0.016

0.0043 1.72 6.47 9.43 0.236 6.5 5.11 0.77 5.99 1.17 0.305 0.2130 0.2160 0.013 0.014 3.240 18.96 2.11 1.54 0.012 5.4 7.26 2.27 0.015 115.9 3.67 0.0100

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

Benguet Corp `A’ Benguet Corp `B’ 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 Oriental Peninsula Res. Oriental Pet. `A’ Petroenergy Res. Corp.

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

TA Petroleum United Paragon

-2.33 0.00 -1.09 0.00 -4.00 -2.32 -13.46 1.92 0.00 -2.20 -1.67 1.79 1.72 0.00 -5.88 -2.01 -1.81 0.00 -3.57 0.00 -8.00 3.89 5.09 0.00 -0.55 -3.94 -7.14

295,000,000 1,253,000 -243,500.00 199,000 -26,960.00 700 130,000 26,000 30,600 -153,931.00 884,000 7,600 15,575,000 903,400.00 2,470,000 36,610,000 1,800,000 356,900,000 38,100,000 48,000.00 557,000 4,474,000 -11,873,720.00 128,000 387,000 25,400,000 90,000 4,767,600 -1,025,944.00 9,670,000 254,690.00 181,100,000 1,370,380 -5,161,235.00 2,177,000 -39,200.00 156,300,000

70 553 525 8.21 12.28 111

33 490 500 5.88 6.5 101

1047

1011

84.8

75

1.34

1

ABS-CBN Holdings Corp.

Ayala Corp. Pref `B1’ Ayala Corp. Pref ‘B2’ GMA Holdings Inc. Leisure and Resort MWIDE PREF PCOR-Preferred B PF Pref 2 PNX PREF 3A PNX PREF 3B SMC Preferred C SMC Preferred E SMC Preferred F SMC Preferred H SMC Preferred I Swift Pref

0.00 0.00 0.00 -5.15 -0.90 -1.99 -1.87 0.00 2.22 -3.81 0.87 0.00 0.13 0.07 0.40 -6.33

2,488,880 3,000 10 33,700 341,000 2,670 110 100 3,000 110 48,770 1,410 2,000 206,690 17,460 3,000

6.98

0.8900 LR Warrant

-1.37

97,000

15

3.5

-44.79 9.14 0.33 1.76

48,467,800 1,810,948.00 9,000 28,000 704,100 -5,195,218.00

-1.80

8,510

Alterra Capital Makati Fin. Corp.

Italpinas Xurpas

12.88

5.95

130.7

105.6 First Metro ETF

STOCKS

FINANCIAL 1,662.33 (DOWN) 20.82 INDUSTRIAL 11,710.79 (DOWN) 90.14 HOLDING FIRMS 7,374.92 (DOWN) 115.06 PROPERTY 3,048.89 (DOWN) 84.10 SERVICES 1,443.55 (DOWN) 27.04 MINING & OIL 11,458.35 (DOWN) 27.04 PSEI 7,299.03 (DOWN) 128.30 All Shares Index 4,385.98 (DOWN) 37.70 Gainers: 56; Losers: 140; Unchanged: 42; Total: 238

Close

10.96 0.97 0.305 2.22 2.1 1.8 8.4 5.94 0.180 0.470 0.72 27 31.8 2.29 21.35 1.06 1.62 8.59

49 47.5 49 0.810 0.810 0.810 0.160 0.160 0.160 1.00 0.97 0.98 1.95 1.86 1.94 1.28 1.28 1.28 4.70 4.70 4.70 4.3 4.11 4.11 0.092 0.092 0.092 0.3000 0.2600 0.2700 0.485 0.460 0.460 53.50 30.00 42.00 28.65 27.85 28.20 1.6 1.55 1.59 24.00 23.05 23.50 0.93 0.88 0.9 1.070 1.010 1.040 5.160 5.020 5.040 SERVICES 7.4 7.41 7.3 7.35 52.5 52.5 51.9 52.1 0.630 0.650 0.620 0.630 11.44 11.1 11.1 11.1 4.35 4.39 4.20 4.25 0.0580 0.0580 0.0550 0.0550 3.11 3.14 3 3.08 92.95 92.95 92.2 92.65 9.55 9.55 9.55 9.55 1.81 1.95 1.84 1.88 6.95 7.00 6.93 6.95 2.81 2.81 2.80 2.80 960 970 970 970 2226 2226 2160 2160 6.65 6.64 6.55 6.58 21.15 21.20 21.20 21.20 1.18 1.18 1.12 1.18 63.25 63.2 62 62.3 17.40 18.88 16.10 16.70 189 240 169 198 12.98 11.54 11.5 11.54 0.0100 0.0110 0.0099 0.0110 9.67 9.69 9.53 9.69 0.365 0.365 0.335 0.340 1.8300 1.8000 1.6300 1.6900 2.5 2.75 2.26 2.5 10.32 10.68 10.3 10.68 7.65 7.74 7.68 7.68 4.27 4.30 4.10 4.17 20.00 20.10 19.20 20.00 0.600 0.590 0.580 0.580 2.1 2 1.98 1.98 2.29 2.31 2.2 2.23 3.88 3.95 3.86 3.93 2.980 3.170 2.900 2.960 17.52 17.1 17.1 17.1 4.90 4.90 4.90 4.90 2.41 2.41 2.41 2.41 115.00 115.00 109.00 114.90 23.85 23.85 23.65 23.85 1700.00 1698.00 1650.00 1660.00 0.420 0.420 0.395 0.395 0.890 0.900 0.870 0.880 41.90 41.90 41.65 41.70 78.95 78.95 77.55 77.65 6.17 6.68 6.11 6.58 2.76 2.89 2.78 2.84 0.600 0.600 0.580 0.580 3.41 3.4 3.36 3.37 0.370 0.385 0.350 0.350 7.250 7.220 6.900 7.000 MINING & OIL 0.0043 0.0044 0.0042 0.0042 2.44 2.45 2.35 2.44 4.58 4.56 4.30 4.53 13.88 13.88 12.02 13.88 0.250 0.240 0.240 0.240 8.1900 8 7.64 8.0000 8.8400 7.7500 7.6400 7.6500 0.520 0.530 0.510 0.530 9.00 9.30 9.00 9.00 0.910 0.910 0.880 0.890 0.300 0.320 0.295 0.295 0.280 0.285 0.270 0.285 0.290 0.295 0.280 0.295 0.0160 0.0160 0.0150 0.0160 0.0170 0.1600 0.0160 0.0160 1.99 1.97 1.93 1.95 4.98 5.05 4.85 4.89 2.6 2.69 2.55 2.6 1.4000 1.4000 1.3200 1.3500 0.0110 0.0110 0.0100 0.0110 4.25 4.00 3.91 3.91 7.20 7.48 6.97 7.48 3.93 4.35 3.93 4.13 0.0140 0.0140 0.0120 0.0140 127.70 127.70 126.50 127.00 4.06 4.2 3.82 3.9 0.0140 0.0400 0.0130 0.0130 PREFERRED 51.6 52 51.45 51.6 525 525 525 525 535 535 535 535 6.6 6.26 6.2 6.26 1.11 1.11 1.1 1.1 110.8 110.9 108.6 108.6 1070 1070 1050 1050 1020 1020 1020 1020 103.7 106 106 106 110.3 106.1 106.1 106.1 80.3 81 80.3 81 77.5 77.5 76.5 77.5 77.2 77.3 77.3 77.3 75.45 75.5 75.4 75.5 75.5 75.8 75.7 75.8 3.95 3.7 3.7 3.7 WARRANTS & BONDS 2.920 2.980 2.880 2.880 SME 7.3 7.8 3.71 4.03 3.61 3.94 3.6 3.94 3 3.05 3 3.01 17.08 17.7 17.2 17.38 EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 122 121.8 119.5 119.8

T op g ainerS VALUE 981,308,125.00 1,337,120,458.67 2,061,764,476.26 1,309,743,012.77 918,102,427.835 362,657,990.698 7,207,116,869.988

Low

10,520,050.00 1,000.00 -10,580,680.00 -120,320.00 -5,475,410.00

-41,296,195.00 200,530.00 -209,898,615.00 -7,200.00 -153,000.00 -2,942,119.00

1,110.00 -2,226,700.00 9,240.00 30,952,023.00 65,330.00 -36,012,390.00

-27,627,425.00 -6,300.00 4,843,510.00 51,000.00 68,300.00 -13,000.00 3,870.00

-89,520.00 -2,220,010.00 -3,870.00 -93,300.00

11,490.00 -4,735.00 -152,976,640.00 209,590.00 19,805,055.00 -7,570,869.50 -671,279.00 -882,000.00 11,800.00 1,160,350.00 51,100.00

76,322,865.50 -73,238.00

-102,000.00

2,184,583.50

T op L oSerS Close (P)

Change (%)

STOCKS

Close (P)

Change (%)

Philippine trust Co.

437

15.00

Alterra Capital

4.03

-44.79

IP E-Game Ventures Inc.

0.0110

10.00

Benguet Corp `B'

7.6500

-13.46

Makati Fin. Corp.

3.94

9.14

Bogo Medelin

55.6

-13.06

TKC Steel Corp.

2.08

8.90

ATN Holdings B

0.335

-12.99

Bright Kindle Resources

1.54

6.94

IPeople Inc. `A'

11.54

-11.09

SBS Phil. Corp.

6.58

6.65

Phil. Tob. Flue Cur & Redry

42.00

-10.64

MEDCO Holdings

0.600

5.26

ATN Holdings A

0.340

-8.11

PhilexPetroleum

4.13

5.09

Petroenergy Res. Corp.

3.91

-8.00

Filipino Fund Inc.

7.49

4.90

ISM Communications

1.6900

-7.65

Imperial Res. `B'

198

4.76

United Paragon

0.0130

-7.14

SATURDAY: MAY 21, 2016

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

B3

A. Brown doubles capital base to P4b

By Jenniffer B. Austria

A BROWN Company Inc., the holding company of businessman Walter Brown, said Friday it is doubling the authorized capital stock to P4 billion in preparation for a possible fund raising activity.

A. Brown said in a disclosure to the stock exchange its board of directors approved the increase in the company’s authorized capital stock to P4 billion from P2 billion and the declaration of a 20-percent stock dividend.

“Please be advised that the corporation’s board of directors, in a meeting held today, authorized the conduct of a capital raising exercise,” A. Brown said.

“For this purpose, the board of directors also approved the proposal to increase the corporation’s authorized capital stock, out of which increase, together with the other authorized but unissued capital stock of the corporation, the shares needed for the capital raising exercise will be issued,” it said.

A. Brown earlier lined up P17 billion worth of projects in energy and infrastructure, real estate

and agribusiness ventures over the next five years.

Bulk of these projects with estimated cost of P14.5 billion will go to the energy and infrastructure space, including coal, bunker, hydro/renewables and bulk water as well as mineral and oil and gas explorations.

Another P1.3 billion will be allocated for real estate development while close to P1 billion will go to agribusiness, which includes palm oil plantation, milling and refinery.

Financing for the projects will come from a combination of self-generated equity, joint ventures and partnerships and project financing, according to the company.

A Brown subsidiary AB Bulk Water Co. held the groundbreaking last month for the P500-million bulk water supply project in Opol, Misamis Oriental.

AB Bulk Water will undertake the bulk water supply project in partnership with the municipal government of Opol under the public-privatepartnership scheme.

A Brown, a company listed on the Philippine Stock Exchange, is the holding company for the various businesses of Brown and family, with strategic interests in agribusiness (palm oil plantation and milling), power generation (coal, diesel, hydro and renewables) and resources (precious metals, oil and gas exploration).

BENGUET CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES UNAUDITED INTERIM CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL POSITION AS OF MARCH 31, 2016 AND DECEMBER 31, 2015 (Amounts in Thousands) ASSETS

March 31, 2016 (Unaudited)

December 31, 2015 (Audited)

69,147 795,020 205,310 733,537 1,803,014 5,847 1,808,861

P 56,945 808,177 136,126 722,341 1,723,589 – 1,723,589

3,892,675 11,798 545,557 209,558 222,941 4,882,529 P 6,691,390

3,941,580 11,970 544,020 209,558 219,861 4,926,989 P 6,650,578

Current Assets Cash and cash equivalents Trade and other receivables Inventories Other current assets Total Current Assets Assets classified as held for sale Noncurrent Assets Property, plant and equipment Available-for-sale (AFS) investments Deferred mine exploration costs Investment property Other noncurrent assets Total Noncurrent Assets TOTAL ASSETS LIABILITIES AND EQUITY Current Liabilities Current portion of loans payable Trade and other payables Obligations under finance lease Income tax payable Total Current Liabilities Noncurrent Liabilities Loans payable - net of current portion Deferred income tax liabilities - net Liability for mine rehabilitation Pension liability Obligations under finance lease - net of current portion Other noncurrent liabilities Total Noncurrent Liabilities Total Liabilities Equity Capital stock Convertible preferred Class A - P 3.44 par value Authorized - 19,652,912 shares Issued and outstanding - 217,061shares in 2016 and 2015 Common Class A - P 3.00 par value Authorized - 143,460,000 shares Issued and outstanding -123,399,085 shares in 2016 and 2015 Common Class B - P 3.00 par value Authorized - 95,640,000 shares Issued and outstanding -81,537,899 shares in 2016 and 2015 Capital surplus Other components of equity: Revaluation increment - net of deferred income tax liability Cumulative translation adjustments of foreign subsidiaries Cost of share-based payment Unrealized gain on AFS investments Remeasurement loss on pension liability Retained earnings Revaluation increment of assets held for sale Cost of 116,023 shares held in treasury, P 69 per share Total Equity TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY

P

P

805,297 812,655 12,886 22,017 1,652,855

P 798,165 857,468 13,783 37 1,660,453

– 726,177 37,393 76,808 – 330,621 1,170,999 2,823,854

2,890 726,177 37,393 76,808 2,427 330,760 1,176,455 2,836,908

P 745

P 745

370,197

370,197

244,613 344,106

244,613 344,106

715,525 29,763 54,441 897 4,192 2,110,300 773 3,875,552 (8,016) 3,867,536 P 6,691,390

716,298 30,899 54,441 881 4,192 2,055,314 – 3,812,686 (8,016) 3,813,670 P 6,650,578

BENGUET CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES UNAUDITED INTERIM CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, 2016 (With Comparative Figures for the three months ended March 31, 2015) (Amounts in Thousands)

REVENUES Sale of mine products Sale of merchandise and services COSTS AND OPERATING EXPENSES Costs of mine products sold Costs of merchandise sold and services Selling and general Taxes on revenue

THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31 2016 2015 P 598,852 37,305 636,157

P 1,516,911 32,930 1,549,841

321,569 33,105 146,942 34,799 536,415 99,742 3,784

333,726 15,061 663,197 97,249 1,109,233 440,608 6,153

47 1,806 (8,404) (6,551) 89,407 34,421 54,986 P 0.28 P 0.28

113 (351) 53,449 53,211 487,666 132,985 P 354,681 P 1.82 P 1.81

INCOME FROM OPERATIONS INTEREST EXPENSE OTHER INCOME Interest income Foreign exchange gain (loss) Miscellaneous - net INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAX PROVISION FOR INCOME TAX NET INCOME BASIC EARNINGS PER SHARE DILUTED EARNINGS PER SHARE

GMA stockholders’ meeting. GMA Network Inc. chairman and chief executive Felipe Gozon presides over the annual stockholders’ meeting in Quezon City. Gozon announced a plan to launch digital terrestrial TV technology this year. GMA Network reported a net income of P1.01 billion in the first quarter, up 148 percent from P408 million in the same period last year, as consolidated revenues rose 30 percent to P3.9 billion from P3.01 billion.

Market extends losses; Aboitiz climbs STOCKS fell for a second day, as investors shrugged off a strong first-quarter economic growth and reacted more strongly to a possible US interest rate hike in June.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company benchmark, lost 128 points, or 1.7 percent, to close at 7,299.03 Friday. Despite the loss, the bellwether was still up 5 percent since the start of the year.

The heavier index, representing all shares, also dropped 37 points, or 0.9 percent, to settle at 4,385.98, on a value turnover of P7.2 billion. Losers outnumbered gainers, 140 to 56, while 42 issues were unchanged.

Only three of the 20 most active stocks ended in the green led by Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc., which gained 1.3 percent to P72. Jollibee Foods Corp. rose 0.6 percent to P235, while Security Bank Corp. added 0.5 percent to close at P192.60.

Meanwhile, most Asian stocks traded higher Friday, as oil prices rebounded and investors shrugged off a weak lead from New York and Europe that coincided with more talk of a US interest rate hike as soon as June.

Markets were also eyeing a meeting between

finance ministers and central bankers from the Group of Seven countries for fresh trading cues, with the group expected to hammer out their strategy for keeping a global recession at bay.

Sentiment in Europe and the US was slightly unsettled Thursday following the unexplained crash of an EgyptAir plane in the Mediterranean with 66 people aboard, but the unease appeared not to extend to Asia.

Tokyo edged up nearly 0.2 percent, Sydney increased 0.6 percent and Hong Kong rose 1.1 percent. Shanghai was also almost 0.2 percent up.

Energy and commodity firms were among those lifted, as world oil prices advanced in Asian trade, with Brent crude back above $49 a barrel.

US benchmark West Texas Intermediate gained 1.23 percent at $48.75 and Brent crude was trading 0.94 percent, higher at $49.27.

In Hong Kong, China Shenhua Energy gained 3.3 percent and PetroChina increased 0.8 percent.

Sydney-listed mining giants BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto gained 1.7 percent and 2.1 percent respectively, while Woodside Petroleum got a 1.9 percent boost. Bloomberg, AFP

BENGUET CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES UNAUDITED INTERIM CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN EQUITY FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, 2016 (With Comparative Figures for the three months ended March 31, 2015) (Amounts in Thousands) March 31, 2016 (Unaudited) CAPITAL STOCK P 615,555 CAPITAL SURPLUS 344,106 REVALUATION INCREMENT 715,525 CUMULATIVE TRANSLATION ADJUSTMENT Balance at beginning of period 30,899 Translation adjustment (1,136) Balance at end of period 29,763 COST OF SHARE-BASED PAYMENT Balance at beginning of period 54,441 Options vested during the period – Cancellation – Balance at end of period 54,441 UNREALIZED GAIN ON AFS INVESTMENTS Balance at beginning of period 881 Unrealized gain (loss) on AFS investments 16 Balance at end of period 897 REMEASUREMENT LOSS ON PENSION LIABILITY 4,192 RETAINED EARNINGS (DEFICIT) Balance at beginning of period 2,055,314 Assets classified as held for sale – Net income for the period 54,986 Balance at end of period 2,110,300 REVALUATION INCREMENT OF ASSET HELD FOR SALE 773 TREASURY SHARES (8,016) TOTAL EQUITY P 3,867,536 BENGUET CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES UNAUDITED INTERIM CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, 2016 (With Comparative Figures for the three months ended March 31, 2015) (Amounts in Thousands)

CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES Net income Adjustments for: Depreciation, depletion and amortization Unrealized foreign exchange loss (gain) Gain on sale of property, plant and equipment Income taxes paid Decrease (increase) in: Trade and other receivables Inventories Prepaid expenses and other current assets Decrease in trade and other payables Net cash from (used in) operating activities CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES Increase in: Property, plant and equipment Deferred exploration costs Other assets Net cash from (used in) investing activities CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES Net availment (repayment) of loans payable Decrease in other noncurrent liabilities Net cash from (used in) financing activities NET INCREASE (DECREASE) IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT BEGINNING OF PERIOD CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT END OF PERIOD ( TS- M A Y 2 1 , 2 0 1 6 )

P

March 31, 2015 (Unaudited) P 586,222 269,844 800,780

December 31, 2015 (Audited) P 615,555 344,106 716,298

41,449 92 41,541

29,014 1,885 30,899

65,331 – – 65,331

65,331 4,705 (15,595) 54,441

1,010 19 1,029 5,494

1,010 (129) 881 4,192

1,713,027 – 354,681 2,067,708

1,802,112 36,771 15,759 2,055,314

– (8,016) P 3,829,933

– (8,016) P 3,813,670

THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31 2016 2015 P 54,986

P 487,666

45,465 (1,806) – –

28,715 351 (58,239) (2,506)

13,157 (69,184) 10,784 (44,813) 8,589

217,746 34,962 12,655 (386,346) 335,004

(2,407) (2,673) (2,892) (7,972)

40,010 (11,218) 2,069 30,861

9,918 1,667 11,585

(273,471) (88,484) (361,955)

12,202 56,945 P 69,147

3,910 258,113 P 262,023

SATURDAY: MAY 21, 2016

B4

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

IN BRIEF ICTSI still in Brunei INTERNATIONAL Container Terminal

Services Inc. said on Friday it secured an extension notice to operate and maintain a container terminal in Brunei.

The port operator, owned by tycoon Enrique Razon, said its unit in Brunei, New Muara Container Terminal Services SDM BHD, received a notice from the director of Ports, Ports Department, Ministry of Communication extending the services agreement for the operation and maintenance of the Muara Container Terminal for one year, or from May 21 until May 20, 2017.

The NMCTS’ facilities include a 250-meter quay and occupy a total land area of five hectares, and have a capacity of 250,000 twenty-foot equivalent units.

NMCTS as of last year had two quay cranes, seven reach stackers, five empty container handlers, one forklift, 16 prime movers and 18 chassis.

ICTSI also invested $79.1 million in the development of Sociedad Puerto Industrial Aguadulce S.A., its joint venture container terminal development project with PSA International Pte Ltd. in Buenaventura, Colombia.

Darwin G. Amojelar

Megawide profit up

MEGAWIDE Construction Corp. said net income in the first quarter of 2016 jumped 55 percent to P573 million from P370 million year-on-year due to strong earnings from both construction and airport operations.

Megawide said in a disclosure to the stock exchange first-quarter operating revenues surged 119 percent to P5.91 billion from P2.69 billion on year, with the company’s core construction business contributing the bulk at 93 percent.

“The country’s property sector continues to be strong, buoyed by the growing demand for residential and especially office spaces primarily from the business process outsourcing industry. We are proud to be a contractor-of-choice for prime Philippine property developers,” Megawide chief finance officer Oliver Tan said.

Construction revenues increased 134 percent on higher sales generated from new residential, office and retail projects, as well as three solar power farms. Jenniffer B. Austria

Epson sees stronger sales, higher exports

By Darwin G. Amojelar

SIARGAO, Surigao del Norte— Epson Precision Philippines Inc. expects sales this year to grow faster than its counterpart in the region due to a strong domestic economic growth.

“We are quite bullish about this year. The past few years we’ve been blessed with good economic growth, which spurred demand for our products. So, the same thing also [for this year], it looks like the Philippines is expected to be one of the leaders in growth in terms of countries with regards to its neighbors,” Epson’s head of marketing division Ed Bonoan told reporters in a briefing here.

“The economy seems be doing well and it’s suspected to do well, we also expect that we will be able to take advantage also of the demand generated by good economic situation,” he added.

The government expects the economy, as measured by the gross domestic product, to grow 6.8 percent to 7.8 percent this year. The economy in 2015 expanded 5.9 percent.

Bonoan said Epson Philippines expects revenues to expand by double digits this year, driven by higher sales of inkjet printer and projector.

“We are doing a lot of sales with regards to inkjet and we are still expected to grow in terms of our market share, [but] I cannot share how much we will grow in terms of market share. We expect that business condition will be a good driver for growth and also our readiness in terms of competition put us really at an advantage that why we are also help propel our growth,” Bonoan said.

He added Epson planned to expand operations in Visayas and Mindanao.

“Geographically we are seeing a lot of growth in provinces, so there’s a lot of room for expansion in provinces which we are exactly we are going. We are doing a lot of ramping up for our intiatives not only the

major cities but secondary cities,” he added.

Epson earlier said it expected a new plant in Batangas to start operating by 2017 to increase production of ink jet printers and projectors for the local market and exports to the US, Japan and China.

The new plant in Lipa City, which started construction last year, will increase annual capacity by 1.2 million units of inkjet printers and projectors.

Its current manufacturing plant is producing 6 million units of inkjet printers and projectors annually.

The company announced in December 2014 it would invest P4.7 billion to construct a new plant in Batangas to increase inkjet printer and 3LCD projector production volumes.

The state-of-the-art facilities are being constructed inside the existing site in Lipa, Batangas.

Epson will also install a solar power generation system with a capacity of about 3,000 kWh on the roof of the new plant.

EDC expansion on

ENERGY Development Corp. of the Lopez Group is still keen on developing overseas geothermal prospects with a potential of around 1,000 megawatts pending the rebound of world oil prices.

“EDC remains committed to grow its geothermal business overseas,” EDC president Richard Tantoco said, but low oil prices prompted it to temporarily put the project on hold.

The company said geothermal potential in Chile and Peru is estimated at 800 MW at the least.

EDC also completed the geotechnical survey of the Graho Nyabu in Indonesia, where there was an assessed potential of over 200 MW. “In Chile, the recent downtrend in commodity prices has caused the company to re-evaluate the project’s economics and work plan,” Tantoco said.

“The implementation of the threewell drilling program for the Mariposa Project was deferred in order to continue the pursuance of greater focus, including conducting further environmental and technical studies of the steam field, power plant and transmission line interconnection,” Tantoco said. Alena Mae S. Flores

Higher Globe revenues. Globe Telecom Inc. president and chief executive Ernest Cu (right) discusses the company’s financial performance in the first three months of the year on the back of gains across data-related segments and steady customer uptake at a recent analysts’ briefing.

Shown with him are Globe chief commercial officer Albert de Larrazabal (center) and Globe acting chief finance officer Rizza Maniego-Eala.

Mitsubishi produces 600,000th unit, is bullish on PH

BoC Microsoft tie up By Othel V. Campos THE Bureau of Customs on Friday announced a partnership with Microsoft to improve cybersecurity in the agency and reduce corruption.

The BoC said the project costing $1.4 million for a three-year contract would use Microsoft ICT solutions.

“We see with the recent, seemingly harmless attacks on the websites of government agencies that cybersecurity is no longer an option,” Customs Commissioner Alberto Lina said.

“The new norm is to be attacked and until you understand that technology is your only real solution against it, these cybercriminals will succeed,” he added.

The partnership with Microsoft is focused on productivity in customs administration, security of data and transparency.

“We are committed to annihilate alleged controversies and corruption within our agency, and we believe we can empower everyone within the organization to be the best service to our constituents through technology and mobility,” said Lina. Gabrielle Binaday

STA. ROSA, Laguna—Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp. announced Friday that the company’s automotive production has reached 600,000 units in endMarch 2016 with an estimated value of P480 billion.

“This is another production milestone in MMPC’s 53 years of existence as one of the major players in the local automotive, manufacturing industry,” president Yoshiaki Kato said in a briefing at its plant in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.

MMPC in a span over 50 years has manufactured several models that include Dodge Colt, Minica F4, Lancer, Cimarron and Canter (Mitsubishi trucks).

With several models reach-

ing their life cycle, Mitsubishi has moved on to producing the L-300 vans and the Mitsubishi Adventure with plans to beef up manufacturing by including the Mirage model in the production line starting 2017 under the vehicle incentive program of the Trade Department.

The Mitsubishi Adventure was the 600,000th vehicle unit produced by MMPC, while the Lancer 500,000th unit that was celebrated in its former plant in Cainta, Rizal, Kato said the company was still selling Adventure, even after 18 years since its Philippine debut, because of its high level of performance and flexibility befittingthe Philippine market.

Localization of parts for Adventure has reached a high level

of 67 percent while that of L-300 is at 61 percent.

“However, we regret that with the recent thrust of the Environment Department to shift to Euro 4 compliance, production of our pioneer models shall be deferred,” said Kato.

Manufacturing of the same models will start as soon as the company devises Euro-4 compliant engines for Adventure and L-300 vans.

Kato reiterated the company’s commitment to pursue manufacturing operations in the Philippine in the next 50 years.

“Our recent application to the CARS [Comprehensive Automotive Resurgence Strategy] program of the government shall attest to this commitment. Pending receipt of the certificate of recog-

nition for the program, the plant has been preparing already for the production line set-up of our entry model,” he said.

The company as early as June 2016 plans to set up the press manufacturing or stamping facilities for side panels and roof that will account for almost half of the proposed initial capital expenditure the program, or about P2 billion for the press plant alone.

MMPC earlier announced an initial capital expenditure program of P4.3 billion to jumpstart the production of Mirage, the company’s entry model in the CARS program.

MMPC currently brings in the Mirage sedan and hatchback variants from its hub in Thailand.

S AT U R D AY : M AY 2 1 , 2 0 1 6

B5

CESAR BARRIOQUINTO EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

WORLD Iran in spotlight in Cannes TEHRAN—As Iranian films and actors compete this weekend at Cannes, attention is turning toward the country’s thriving independent cinema sector, which is succeeding despite tough regulations.

Cuba braces for rough waters HAVANA—Cuba is bracing for rough waters ahead as it navigates a political sea change in Latin America, where the left is fighting an outgoing tide.

Venezuela is in a full-blown crisis, conservatives have taken the helm in Brazil, and Havana’s leftist allies are losing ground in the elections elsewhere in the region.

The government of President Raul Castro, which has enjoyed smooth sailing until recently, warned in April of a “strong and articulated imperialist counteroffensive” coinciding with the economic slowdown in Latin America.

Indeed, Cuba’s communist regime can no longer count on the rhetorical support it has received in recent years from Latin governments, warns Michael Shifter, head of the InterAmerican Dialogue, a think tank based in Washington.

“For Cuba, the region’s changing political landscape is less hospitable than it was a few years ago,” he said in an interview.

The changes mark the end of a favorable era for Cuba, one that began with Hugo Chavez’s arrival in power in Venezuela in 1999, and reached a high point with the reconciliation with the United States at the end of 2014.

Taken in hand by the late Venezuelan leader, Havana emerged from isolation and economic disarray in which it was left after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1990. AFP

Photocall. US actress Elle Fanning poses on May 20, 2016, during a photocall for the film ‘The Neon Demon’ at the 69th Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France. AFP

Religious, political and cultural red lines represent obstacles to filmmakers and actors in the Islamic republic. Scripts must be preapproved by the state.

Most learn to live with the restrictions but some leave the country, seeking more artistic freedom.

“The Salesman” by Oscar-winning director Asghar Farhadi is challenging for the prestigious Palme d’Or while “Varoonegi” (Inversion), directed by Behnam Behzadi, is competing in the sidebar section “Un Certain Regard”.

Farhadi’s latest effort has already generated interest from US distributors, The New York Times quoted French co-producer Alexandre Mallet-Guy as saying.

This year in Cannes, two Iranian actresses compete for best actress: self-exiled Golshifteh Farahani in “Paterson”, by the award-winning US director Jim Jarmusch, and Taraneh Alidoosti in Farhadi’s “The Salesman”.

The momentum is partly due to Farhadi’s talent, most notably marked by his best foreign film Academy Award in 2012 for “A Separation”, a dark but touching tale of a family breakup set in Tehran.

“With the large global distribution of this film Farhadi gave a great visibility to Iranian cinema, that in fact started long before him,” Agnes Devictor, a professor at the Sorbonne in Paris, specialising in Iranian cinema, told AFP. “A Separation” won a Golden Globe in the same category and his follow-up, “The Past”, set in France, was nominated for the Palme d’Or in 2013.

Farhadi is not alone in gaining accolades. In 2015, “Nahid”, Ida Panahandeh’s debut feature, won the promising future prize in Un Certain Regard.

Dozens of cinemas screened the film in France, Spain and Greece.

Distribution companies such as the Francebased Noori Pictures, headed by Katayoon Shahabi, have played a major role in bringing Iranian films to a wider audience.

Shahabi, a “lioness” who has become “the embodiment of independent film abroad”, according to Devictor, is among the eight jurors for Cannes 2016. AFP

News blackout on Tsai’s inauguration BEIJING—Official mainland Chinese news outlets largely snubbed the inauguration of Taiwan’s Beijing-skeptic new president Tsai Ing-wen on Friday, while searches for her name and “Taiwan” were blocked on social media.

Taiwan’s first female president, who is head of the traditionally pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party, took the oath of office Friday morning at the presidential palace in Taipei, signaling the end of an eight-year rapprochement with China.

China and Taiwan split in 1949

after the Kuomintang nationalist forces lost a civil war to the Communists. But Beijing has always seen the island as a renegade province awaiting reunification, by force if necessary.

China’s state-run media were almost mute about the inauguration, with no coverage at all on national television or the major newspapers such as the People’s Daily, the Communist Party’s mouthpiece.

The official news agency Xinhua took nearly three hours from when she was sworn in to report the fact in a 22-word dispatch in English.

For several hours searches for “Taiwan” or “Tsai Ing-wen” on China’s Twitter-like Sina Weibo both returned the message: “Sorry, no relevant result is found”, although the new leader’s name was later unblocked.

In an editorial, the Global Times a newspaper owned by the People’s Daily group that often takes a nationalistic tone said Tsai’s assumption of power heralded “a new era for a crossStraits region that is characterized by uncertainty”.

DPP rule will make Taiwan “take a larger step away from the mainland politically”, it said. AFP

Competitor. Hawaiian Tatiana Weston-Webb competes during Round 2 of the WSL Rio Pro Women’s World championship Tour at Grumari beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. AFP

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WORLD

CESAR BARRIOQUINTO EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

200,000 flee Colombo as flooding gets worse COLOMBO—Desperate Sri Lankans clambered onto rubber dinghies and makeshift rafts Friday to flee their homes in the flooded capital Colombo as fresh downpours elsewhere stalled rescue efforts at the disaster zones.

The heaviest rains in a quarter of a century have pounded the island since last weekend, sparking huge landslides that have buried victims in up to 50 feet of mud.

Officials have urged those living in affected areas to leave immediately, with more than 60 people known to have died so far and fears that number could spike with many more reported missing.

Housewife Diluka Ishani said she, her husband and two children were marooned on high ground and were plucked to safety by a navy boat and brought to a nearby school.

“We started moving to higher ground as the water level went up and then we found we had no other place to go to,” Ishani said. “The navy saved our lives, but we lost all our belongings. Water went above our roof.”

Around 30 families were camped out at the school where the military were providing food and drinking water.

President Maithripala Sirisena urged citizens to help with caring for nearly half a million people affected by floods in many parts of the island.

“We have already got some assistance from our friends in the international community,” he said in a televised address.

“Now I want to ask private individuals, companies and non-governmental organizations to help in anyway you can to help the victims.”

His appeal came as Sri Lanka’s cricket team, who are on tour in England, announced a donation of one million rupees (around $7,000) for victims.

The players wore black bands at the start of the first Test on Thursday at Headlingley.

Sri Lankan media reports said India was sending two naval vessels with emergency relief supplies following Colombo’s initial appeal for foreign assistance to deal with the crisis.

The government announced the lifting of all taxes on relief supplies

sent to the country by foreign donors.

Large parts of Colombo were evacuated overnight in an operation led by the military, involving boats and helicopters.

The national Disaster Management Center said around 200,000 people had been moved from the low-lying capital which has a population of about 650,000.

Official figures showed nearly half a million people had been affected by the floods with most of them seeking shelter at state-run relief camps.

The worst-hit areas were in Colombo’s northeastern suburbs along the Kelani river, which began bursting its banks on Thursday evening.

Residents in the Kolonnawa district of the capital built jury-rigged rafts using plastic barrels to ferry marooned residents to high ground

while the navy used rubber dinghies to help others to safety.

The Lion Brewery, which has the local license to produce Carlsberg, said its factory in an industrial area on the edge of Colombo was under water.

There were sporadic showers in Colombo on Friday, with heavier downpours to the north of the capital that officials said would further swell the Kelani.

Three people have been killed in flood-related incidents in Colombo but the national toll now stands at 63.

The district of Kegalle, about 100 kilometers northeast of Colombo, has been worst-hit, with the toll from two separate landslides rising to 34 after troops pulled another body from the mud overnight.

A police officer in the area said 144 people, including 37 children, had been reported missing since the landslides on Tuesday evening.

“We can’t definitely say if all these missing people were actually in their homes at the time of the disaster,” said the officer, who asked not to be named.

The officer said there was no realistic hope of finding any survivors in landslides that buried two villages in up to 50 feet of mud.

“This is turning into a recovery operation.” AFP

Concern over gender violence in South Korea

Waterworld. Sri Lankan volunteers carry food parcels and drinking water through floodwaters in the suburb of Kaduwela in Colombo. AFP

Malaysian to hang after losing appeal SINGAPORE—Singapore’s top court on Friday denied a Malaysian murder convict’s final bid to escape the gallows, ending a brief stay of execution and warning his lawyers over “abuse” of the court process.

Kho Jabing, who was sentenced to death in 2010 for the murder of a Chinese construction worker, had been due to hang in Changi Prison at dawn Friday, but was granted a last-minute reprieve after his lawyer filed a challenge.

The Court of Appeal heard the latest plea but said it raised no new arguments

about the 2008 robbery gone wrong.

“This case has been about many things but today, it’s about the abuse of the process of the court,” said Court of Appeal Judge Chao Hick Tin. Allowing Kho, 31, to continue with legal challenges would throw the judicial system “into disrepute,” he added.

Rights group We Believe in Second Chances, which has supported Kho’s appeal, said his family had been informed the execution would be carried out quickly.

“Jabing’s family has received news that the execution will take place today,” the

group said on its Facebook page.

The Malaysian High Commission told AFP that it had been informed Kho would be executed Friday afternoon.

In Singapore, executions are normally carried out by hanging at dawn on Fridays. The Ministry of Home Affairs, which supervises the prisons service, declined comment on the arrangements.

After Kho was sentenced to death in 2010, Singapore amended its mandatory death penalty for murder, giving judges the discretion to impose life imprisonment under certain circumstances.AFP

SEOUL—The brutal murder of a woman in Seoul’s upmarket Gangnam district has triggered a public outcry and a debate over what some see as a growing streak of violent misogyny in South Korea.

Hundreds attended a candlelight vigil overnight Thursday in front of Gangnam subway station for the 23-year-old who was stabbed to death by a stranger the previous night in a nearby public bathroom.

Police said the 34-year-old man, identified only by his surname Kim, had told them he carried out the attack because he felt “belittled by women.”

Although they also noted the suspect had been diagnosed with acute schizophrenia, the remark went viral with a tweet that said society should respond to hate crimes against women and not let the incident “be forgotten”.

The subway station exit has since been turned into a mini shrine by thousands of mostly young South Koreans leaving piles of flowers and covering its outer walls with messages written on post-it notes.

“In our next life, let’s meet in a world where we can be happy even as a woman,” read one.

“I’m sorry. I survived once again in this hellish world just because I’m a man,” said another.

High-profile politicians, including Seoul Mayor Park Won-Soon, have visited the site to pay their condolences.

“I’ll try to heal the world into a place where there will be no more hate crimes,” Park said on his official Twitter feed.

The murder and public reaction have received wide media coverage, with the mass circulation JoongAng Daily running an editorial Friday titled “Women at Risk.”

While noting the murder may have been a random act by a mentally unstable young man, the newspaper said it had lifted the lid on simmering anger and concern over gender violence.

“The government must study crimes against women and come up with realistic measures so that women won’t have to be fearful for their safety,” the editorial said.

South Korea generally has a low violent crime rate, but cases of sexual assault have increased in recent years and women’s groups argue that entrenched gender discrimination rooted in a strong Confucian traditions a prime cause.

Abusive Korean men, they say, don’t even see their actions as criminal, while women are extremely wary of being victimized again if they report an assault. AFP

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PROPERTY PROPERTY maannaa@ @ggm maaiill..ccoom m jjddllaaccssaam

JOEL D. L ACSAMANA JOEL D. L ACSAMANA

EDITOR EDITOR

B7

Bank with a heart. Standard Chartered Bank (SCB) Philippines, the oldest international bank in the country, recently upped the ante in its efforts to support the rehabilitation of families affected by the super typhoon Yolanda in eastern Visayas. The bank partnered with non-government organizations to build new housing, school buildings and provide livelihood programs to the typhoon victims. One of the projects was the construction of a Gawad Kalinga village in Ticad, Bantayan, Cebu(Main photo). The bank also hooked up with Habitat for Humanity to build houses in Tacloban, Leyte, and in Burawen, Leyte. Late last year, the bank funded the building of a school building and computer laboratory to Tindog Elementary School in Medellin, Cebu (Inset). The project was a joint effort of SCB Philippines and Children’s Hour.

Creative work space. The “coffice,” brings the coffee-shop experience, e.g. sofas, communal

tables in a casual ambience, to the office setting. Many workplaces in the Philippines are eagerly taking to the concept. Good news for cafés and restaurants that have become the unofficial meeting rooms of the business community, as well as coffee shops that have become hubs for employees, entrepreneurs who want to work in an energized setting. “The changing concept of work leads to new hybrid spaces and business models in a digital economy,” acknowledged Eric Manuel, vice president for business development, Daiichi Properties. Manuel pointed to Daiichi Properties’ developments such as Costa Coffee in One World Place (See photo); World Plaza; and The Finance Centre.

“Change...

From B8

8-point economic agenda, almost everybody expressed excitement.

This sector is definitely one area where the new President’s administration can make an impact. If Duterte can fulfill his promise to make the difficult decisions to resolve the issues in the MRT3 ownership, the LRT1 Cavite Extension construction, PNR —issues the PNoy administration arguably pushed to the corner—the former can help realize the Filipino’s hope of a better, liveable society.

Rail of the future?

Duterte’s proposal of enhancing the current state of the Philippines’ rail system is definitely

a good jump point to address traffic congestion.

Infrastructure observers believe Duterte could take his initiatives on the rail system a step further by encouraging investments in the cargo rail system, too.

They hope his incoming head of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), Art Tugade, would seriously review the proposals, like that of private company MRAIL, which recently established a cooperation with ICTSI, a big port operator, to restore the rail connectivity between the port of Manila to an inland container terminal facility in Laguna. ICSTI operated the cargo trains transporting containers from the port of Manila to Laguna using the PNR tracks from 1998 and was discontinued in 2003.

With the current road situations, revival of

SM Prime kicks off 57th mall in Bulacan. SM Prime Holdings recently

opened its 57th mall in San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan. The 101, 407.28-square meters, five- level mall draws a bead on customers from San Jose del Monte City, nearby cities and towns in Bulacan including northern Metro cities like Caloocan and Quezon City. Spotted at mall’s opening were SM Prime Holdings president Hans Sy with (from left): boob tube personalities Randy Santiago, Liezel Lopez James Teng, Raymart Santiago, Paolo Contis and Benjie Paras. They were joined by Dickies Philippines chief executive officer Jose Atienza (third from right) and vice president for sales and marketing Dody Arcaya (second from left). JUN DAVID

this service should be timely and bring benefits to the city, and to shippers alike. Once operational, the rail cargo project is expected to ease port congestion at the Ports of Manila.

It will speed up flow of cargoes into a central trans-shipment hub connected from the port and closer to the inland destination.

This would surely help decongest traffic in the metro as less cargo trucks will need to ply on the roads. Reelected Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada will no longer resort to banning trucks in the streets of Manila.

The bustling port activity, generated by high trade volumes, inevitably causes heavy congestion along roads within the port area and Metro Manila. The rail cargo project will free up storage within a shorter period to significantly increase port capacity without additional yard space and additional berth resulting in increased revenue generating capacity.

Real estate boom around the corner

”Spine road”. With condos available for lease along the Buendia-South Superhighway intersection area, traffic and flooding becomes irrelevant for Makati office workers. The proximity factor, and the lower cost of living in the Washington area compared to inner Makati and BGC, seals the deal.

The intersection between Buendia and the South Superhighway is one of the most active real estate corners in Metro Manila. But ask anyone about it and the first thing that comes to mind is its reputation for being a flood prone area.

But Andy Manalac, CEO of Think Invest, told the Standard recently that flooding in the area seems to be a thing of the past. “I held office in this area for the past year and the worst that I have personally witnessed after the heaviest rainfall we had was only up to the sidewalks, and no longer covering the islands as in the past,” he said. .

Manalac, a seasoned real estate specialist, described the area as “the west gate of Makati”, which presents a lot of potential for real estate players.

The construction of a skyway ramp on/off at this intersection, as well as the improve-

ment of drainage infrastructure to mitigate the flooding in the area has become a priority. No surprise that major developers have set up camp, including projects by Shang Properties, SMDC, Ayala, Eton, Megaworld and Filinvest.

Bedroom of Makati office workers

Residential condominiums in this area report high occupancy rates because of BPO workers in the area, and the other employees working in the nearby Makati CBD. The 3rd phase of the skyway will reportedly cut travel time from Buendia to Balintawak from 2 Hours down to 20 minutes. This will help ease traffic at Edsa.

The PNR station, also at this intersection is already scheduled for upgrading in line with the PNR modernisation program. The latter will making travel from North to South faster.

In most countries, properties around railway stations command better prices.

The area is the “spine road” connecting BGC and the Entertainment City, and if plans push through in the future, the proposed subway system shows a station planned in this intersection,” said Manalac.

All the major buses going Northeast and Southwest also pass through this intersection and other forms of public transportation are available 24/7.

“This stretch used to be the original line of multinational companies. That is why you will see the very old low rise office buildings that are now being demolished one by one to give way to more modern structures,” Manalac added.

“In a few years, this will have the same, if not a more modern look than Ayala Avenue, which is just around the bend,” he predicted. “ This presents a good potential for investors if they only know the difference in price per square meter in Ayala Avenue and Buendia.”.

B8

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JOEL D. L ACSAMANA EDITOR jdlacsamana@gmail.com

PROPERTY

Have rail will travel.

Trains in the new president’s bonnet?

“CHANGE IS COMING” ¼ IN PH INFRASTRUCTURE

By Joel D. Lacsamana

Y

ear 2015 was rough for commuters in Metro Manila: frequent technical glitches at the busiest mass railway transit line, pending toll hike for most major expressways, severely congested traffic near Port Area in Manila, and the surge of private vehicles on the streets.

Metro Manila is now identified by traffic navigation app Waze as having the worst gridlock in the world.

One report estimated the daily cost of traffic in Metro Manila will increase from P2.4 billion at present, to P6 billion by 2030 in the absence of any intervention.

True, the outgoing government of President Benigno S. Aquino III took steps to address these transportation woes, namely, buying out the assets of Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT3) from private sector owner MRT Holdings II, Incorporated; taking in delivery of new MRT3 coaches; inviting private investors to undertake the construction, operation, and maintenance of a toll road that will link North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and South Luzon Expressway (SLEX); building the MRT Line 7 (MRT7) that will link North Avenue in Quezon City to San Jose in Bu-

lacan; and construction of a common station that will connect MRT3, Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT1), and the future MRT7.

But the prospect of another six years of “Daang Matuwid” where these projects would be snarled anew in policy U-turns and legal roadblocks, if not a total standstill in implementation, saw millions of dissatisfied Filipinos, including thousands of commuters in the metropolis, finally say “enough!”

Metro Manila residents, in particular, ostensibly threw their support behind the tough talking mayor from Davao, Rodrigo Duterte, with his catchy battlecry: “change is coming.”

The Philippines desperately needs this change. Thus, when improvement of the transportation sector was recently announced as one of Duterte’s priorities under his Turn to B7

Best condo.

Century Properties Group recently bagged this year’s best of the best plum as the best condominium development in the Philippines for its project Acqua Private Residences, at the 2016 Philippines Property Awards.

Acqua earned the judges’ nod for the criteria of excellence in design and amenities, location, value for money, use of space, construction and materials, among others. Acqua is home to three branded towers: Acqua Livingstone residences, interior-designed by MissoniHome;

Make mine Iloilo. Real estate firm Sta. Lucia Land is pulling all the stops to develop SotoGrande Iloilo, a six-storey condotel that will rise inside Green Meadows, a residential community in Iloilo. Sta. Lucia’s efforts dovetail with Iloilo City mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog’s vision to boost the city’s tourism potential in the coming years.

Mabilog is aiming for the Department of Tourism (DOT) Western Visayas’ goal of attracting 4.6 million tourists to the region in 2016. Sta. Lucia is helping by put up bigticket real estate developments in the area. At the development’s launch were (from left to right): Mike Hechanova, lead broker; John Eric Escanillas, VP for national sales, Sta. Lucia Marketing; Michael Gorriceta , mayor, Pavia; Liezel Tuason-Magpoc, CEO of Sta. Lucia Marketing; Bea Alonzo, brand ambassador, Sta. Lucia); Arcadio Gorriceta, representative, 2nd district; Ludovico Alfaro, barangay chairman, Pavia; Raymund Gumban, regional chairman, Pavia; and Joey Escalante, regional operations manager, Sta. Lucia Realty.

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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

WITh BARBIE, yOu CAn BE AnyThIng With Barbie, a girl can imagine her future and she can be anything she wants to be

B

arbie is now 57 years old.

And like a grown woman who has been through so much, she has seen so many generations of little girls growing up to become women.

Today, she continues to inspire little girls in every corner of the world, that she can dream, and she can be anything she wants to be.

Last year, Barbie released the new campaign video, Imagine The Possibilities. The video became an instant hit as it made waves on social media. Hello, my name is Gwyneth, and I ll be your professor today, a little girl confidently addresses a confused college class at the start of the video, followed by a scene with Maddie, a pigtailed soccer coach who motivates her team and tells them to keep their knees up like a unicorn. Then three more cute little girls who pretended to be an executive jet setter who just closed a business deal, a veterinarian and a museum tour guide show up.

At the end of the video, Professor Gwyneth is shown talking to a make-believe class of Barbie dolls in her bedroom, and the end credit rolls: When a girl plays with Barbie, she imagines everything she can become.

With 21,095,720 views and counting, people continue to watch that video over and over again, especially women who grew up playing with Barbie and who are now living the dreams they all played out when they were kids.

From the time Ruth Handler launched Barbie in 1959, she had always shared the philosophy of Barbie that, through the doll, the girl could be anything she wanted to be. Barbie always represented the fact that women have choices. Today, this still resonates in the iconic global brand that has evolved so much through the years.

In the Philippines, Barbie, through its distributor Richprime Global, strengthens this campaign through its new brand ambassadors model, writer, and mom Kelly Misa; actress and international beauty queen Precious Lara Quigaman; and model and PR maven Apples Aberin. This stellar cast of women epitomizes the mantra You Can Be Anything. From little girls who dreamed, and now women who have achieved, the new brand ambassadors shared their stories from the moment they first held their Barbie dolls to the women they have become today.

Together with our ambassadors, we hope to continuously make a positive impact that will carry on as long as there are girls who dare to dream and imagine, shares Liza Yao, managing director of Richprime Global.

The Philippine company has also extended Barbie s advocacy in turning young girls' dreams into reality by partnering with and financing the Pearl S. Buck Foundation, an organization dedicated in providing and building better lives for children through various educational and health programs as well as other support services.

Barbie has hundreds of careers under her belt, and these are just what Mattel created for little girls. Through a young mind s imagination, she can be more than what others create for her.

The limit is only her imagination.

Barbie is exclusively distributed

by Richprime Global Inc. For brand updates, promos and event schedules, follow Barbie Philippines on Facebook. Catch the inspirational “Imagine the Possibilities” video on YouTube. Share your Barbie stories or see what others have posted using the hashtag #BarbieYouCanBeAnythingPH.

Women of the hour (from left) Lara Quigaman, RichPrime's president and CEO Myrna Yao, Apples Aberin and Kelly Misa

Girl dreamers. Women achievers. The Barbie 'You Can Be Anything' ambassadors

Rich Prime Global managing director Liza Yao giving her speech about the Barbie 'You Can Be Anything' campaign

Barbie represents little girls' dreams and future careers

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

IT-pREnEURShIp pUShED AT 2016 phILIppInE STARTUp ChALLEngE

he Department of Science and Technology (DOST-ICT Office), Philippine Software Industry Association (PSIA) and Intel Philippines joined forces to launch the 2016 Philippine Startup Challenge. Aimed at encouraging college students to produce socially relevant technological innovations that would provide solutions to real life challenges, the third installment of the Challenge will highlight a new Internet of Things (IoT) track to encourage participants to come up with creative technological innovations that would be relevant and useful to everyday life.

According to ICT Office deputy executive director for eInnovation Monchito Ibrahim, IoT is an emerging trend in the IT industry that innovators, particularly the young ones, can explore to create relevant technology. “We believe that the evolution of this competition – from mostly software innovation to now exploring robotics and hardware – is a great step in welcoming a wider talent to base to the community and will create more exciting use for technology and connectivity,” says Ibrahim. DOST-ICT is the government’s lead agency in ICT related matters.

Intel Philippines for its part expressed excitement to be part of the 2016 Philippine Startup challenge as it will be the first time that students will showcase socially relevant technological innovations relative to IoT. According to Intel Philippines country manager Calum Chisholm, “IoT presents a huge opportunity for aspiring inventors as it touches almost everything in our lives.

Intel is committed to supporting innovation in this space and looks forward to the entries that have the potential to transform experiences across industries and society.”

Accompanying the challenge is a boot camp series to be held in various locations across the country and helmed by Intel Philippines with college instructors

Light-Up Red – Press button to activate a red glow and make Red’s eyebrows move down

From left: PSIA Information and Research Committee chairperson Arup Maity, DOST-ICT Office deputy executive director Monchito Ibrahim, Intel Philippines country manager Calum Chisholm, and former president of the Philippine Society of Information Technology Educators John Ruego

and professors acting as mentors to the competing teams of students. The twoday boot camp includes developing startup ideas, creating viable business models, best practices in effectively operating a tech startup with the basics of building IoT solutions. The boot camp will be scheduled on May 20-21 in Bacolod City, May 27-28 in Metro Manila, June 10-11 in Baguio City, and June 24-25 in General Santos City. Colleges interested in the boot

camp should form student teams of four composed of three students and one faculty adviser to represent their school.

The student teams are required to submit a five-minute video pitch presentation about their startup idea, with the top 10 teams to be chosen for additional mentoring sessions.

Finalists will have a chance to pitch their startup ideas to a panel of judges composed of local startup experts for the Philippine Startup National Finals. For the IoT, 20

chosen entries will receive Intel Boards to help them develop their innovations.

Winners will get a chance to participate in PSIA-SPRING.ph’s LaunchPad program and be mentored by prominent names in the startup industry. Winners will also have access to networks within the country’s startup ecosystem which could pave the way for future partnerships and collaborations.

For more information, visit icto.dost.gov.ph.

Angry Birds invade mcDonald’s happy meal If you are not aware who the Angry Birds are, then you must have been living under a rock all these years! Since its initial release in 2009, the Angry Birds have invaded almost everyone’s smartphones, and probably gave most players tendonitis from the endless swiping to throw these birds and hit the pesky pigs. Three billion downloads after, these flightless birds are still flying off the App Store and now, they have landed on the movie screen.

Sure, we know they’re angry, and some even explode. But the story about why they’re angry has always been an enigma. With the current May release in Philippine cinemas of The Angry Birds movie, people will now begin to understand why these cute birds have lost their tempers. The movie is still showing in your favorite movie house so we won’t give you too many spoilers – but the best part of the story is that you can now get angry birds in 10 new collectible McDonald’s Happy Meal toys.

The 10 Angry Birds Happy Meal toys feature the popular movie

characters: Light-Up Red, Speedster Chuck, Lasso Pig, and the slingshot launchers featuring Red, Bomb, Stella, Terence, Leonard, Cowboy Pig and Pilot Pig. They’re so cute – every kid and kidat-heart would want to get their hands on these collectibles. The clincher?

Catch them while supplies last! Boy, we Continued on C4 Bomb Character Launcher – Load Bomb onto slingshot launcher, then press button to launch toward targets

Lasso Pig – Push button on back to make Lasso spin round and round

Cowboy Pig – Load Cowboy Pig onto slingshot launcher, then press button to launch toward targets

Leonard – Load King Pig onto slingshot launcher and press button to launch toward targets

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

Excellence vs Mediocrity

AnTI-ExcELLEncE

“E

di wow.” “Ikaw na.” “Big words.”

“Daming alam/kuda.”

These are just some of the most common retorts Filipinos use in responding to statements and pronouncements that intimidate them.

They’re a defense mechanism meant to make light of said statements and pronouncements so as to soften their blow. After all, when you joke about something or someone, you take away (some of) their legitimacy.

One-line comebacks are popular because of how they affect a conversation, change its trajectory and disrupt its tone. We utter them to throw people off and deflect attention from ourselves. They’re a classic dodging technique that conceals (albeit lightly) the fact that we can’t offer anything substantial to a conversation and shifts the focus to the perception that what the other party is saying is over the top. And these responses are usually a counter to sentiments deemed too intellectual.

Those who resort to it are essentially smart-shaming; that is, embarrassing people for having an educated point of view, for having an extensive vocabulary, or for knowing how to express themselves in a superior manner. Basically, the message is: You’re too smart for your own good, and you should be ashamed of it. And yes, that’s a form of personal attack. It’s also a contributor to the pervasive Filipino culture of anti-intellectualism.

Not only are we Filipinos anti-intellectual (and I’m not making this up; a cursory Google search will show that much has been written about it), it seems that we are anti-a-lot-of-things as well and we make our convictions known by shaming.

Inasmuch as we dream of a better life for our families, hoping that one day, our sons and daughters will be doctors and lawyers and engineers, we chide others who dare aspire for greatness. I’ve seen posts online by more than a few individuals saying that in the recent elections, they didn’t vote for certain candidates who were “too ambitious.” Since when did ambition become a bad thing?

Instead, we elect those who claim to be one or more of the following: (a) poor (or from a poor family), (b) a reluctant candidate and therefore, without an ambitious agenda, and (c) a simple commoner. Those are the things we want, not PhDs or experience or intellect or excellence – and definitely not ambition.

On TV, it’s the same story. Every scripted show’s protagonist is a poor, undereducated and minimal-wage-earning person who lives a simple life. We don’t take too kindly to extraordinarily powerful characters with marketable skills and remarkable talents who achieve success by being excellent, if not the best, at what they do. We don’t care for them; they’re not relatable. A lead role like Scandal’s Olivia Pope would never work on Philippine TV. And when people we know in real life achieve that kind of status, of course we have to shame them, too. “Hindi ka na ma-reach,” we mock. By saying that, we are forcing them to downplay their success and we almost always expect them to reply, “Hindi naman. Nagkaroon lang ng konti.”

In the office, a common criticism of coworkers who go the extra mile is that they’re “too bibo.” And that is usually interpreted as “papansin,” “pa-star,” or “sipsip sa boss.” Wow, Pinoys. Just, wow.

Why do we do that? Why can’t we just be happy for someone who has made it or working hard to make it? Why can’t we celebrate their achievements, their intelligence and their audacity to be ambitious? Why can’t we instead be inspired by them and encourage them to reach even greater heights? Why do we have to pull them down by reducing their hard-earned success to an insulting oneline joke that is most probably loaded with cynicism, bitterness, jealousy and resentment?

Why are we against excellence in the first place when it’s not our own?

By mocking those who have made it, we are forcing them to downplay their success In the office, a common criticism of coworkers who go the extra mile is that they’re 'too bibo'

Olivia Pope of the hit American TV series Scandal

While I think it’s a travesty, I’m sure there’s a perfectly good explanation why we ended up this way, and I’m pretty sure that explanation can be found in an exploration of “the Filipino condition.” We are, after all, a people born into poverty, guided by traditional values like modesty (“hiya”), and trained under a weak education system.

But we really should change our antiexcellence mindset and stop seeing ourselves

as the perpetual victim of circumstances that we never asked for. And we can start with that change by not giving in to the urge to shame.

We should allow successful people to be proud of their accomplishments, ambitious ones to enjoy the fruits of their labor, and intelligent ones to revel in the fact that they can outsmart us. They earned it. They deserve it.

Follow me on Instagram and Twitter @EdBiado

S AT U R D AY : m AY 2 1 , 2 0 1 6

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

Hip and cool in Blued's stripe prints

@LIFEatStandard

Stripe tanks for men and women are available in a variety of colors

A seAson of Blued

S

ummer means a lot of different things to everyone. It could be the yellow rays of sunshine or the green of the forest. For Blued, it’s the cerulean atraction of the beach and hanging out with friends – and doing it in style!

According to Blued Clothing Inc. president Benzon Tan, the brand has come out with pieces that allow people to dress up or down depending on their mood, paving the way for more versatility with their outfits.

Versatility is easy with everyday basics, with Blued’s fresh prints of stripes and florals, lightweight denim, tees and slipon dresses. The collection designed for the fun and cool people who want easy but stylish dressing.

Stripes get a novel twist as they are interpreted in vintage-inspired looks such as the ’50s waist-cut A-line dresses. Striped tops paired with high-waist shorts or capri pants make for a chic French girl appeal.

Shirt dresses continue to be a hit, made more wearable in various luxe fabrics and silhouettes. Blued also brings back the ’70s boho chic with classic fit and flare dresses that give a whimsical appeal for the breeziest maxi dresses, both in stripes and floral. Off-shoulder tops and dresses,

meantime, provide that perfect excuse to show more skin.

Men’s tees get a tropical vibe with floral prints, while stripes are also made available in a variety of colors and prints to suit men’s divergent style preference. Those who want to stand out can check out the statement tees in hip prints and cool phrases that, when combined with Blued’s new fabrics, make for innovative closet additions.

Welcome summer with the favorite hues of Blued that come in blue, red, and white, added with the refresing shades of coral, yellow, green, rose and orange. Drop by the nearest Blued shop to get first dibs on the hottest style picks!

Blued is located at Glorietta 1, Trinoma, Alabang Town Center, Fairview Terraces, SM City Fairview, Marquee Mall Pampanga, Ayala Center Cebu, Robinsons Bacolod, SM Iloilo, Centrio Mall Cagayan de Oro, Robinsons Dumaguete, SM City Lucena, Robinsons Tacloban, Gaisano Mall Davao, SM City Batangas, SM City Cebu and also available online at Lazada and Zalora.

Follow and like Blued on Instagram: @bluedclothing and on Facebook: bluedclothing.

Get inspiration for your next OOTD from Blued’s collection of stripes and florals on tees and slip-on dresses, designed for fun and cool people who want comfortable but stylish dressing

Angry Birds... from C2

speedster Chuck – Pull back Chuck to wind up.

When released, he will move slowly at first then suddenly speed up

stella – Load Stella onto slingshot launcher, then press button to launch toward targets

Terence – Load Terence onto slingshot launcher.

Press button to launch toward targets

Red – Load Red onto slingshot launcher, then press button to launch toward the targets

all know what it feels like when the last character that would complete your collection suddenly runs out of stock, so hurry while they’re still around.

And if these toys aren’t cute enough, McDonald’s extends the fun in the “Angry Birds Action!” app. Just scan the “BirdCode” printed on the Happy Meal Box and unlock an exclusive mobile experience that brings the user to a mini-game.

If you get to unlock the code, you’ll then face a mission to defend McDonald’s from the green pigs, and you will get rewarded with free powerups depending on the score you accumulate.

At the McDonald’s store, you may also avail of the three yummy Angry Birds-themed desserts offered for a limited time – Red’s Cotton Candy McFlurry, the Piggies’ Oreo Matcha McFlurry, and Bomb’s Black Sesame McDip. McDonald’s Angry Birds Happy Meal and Desserts can be availed in all stores nationwide via McDonald’s front counter, Drive-Thru counter, McDelivery.com.ph, by calling 86-2-36, or ordering through the McDo PH App. Share your moments of play with McDonald’s Angry Birds Happy Meal via the official Facebook page McDo.ph, and by tagging @McDo_PH on Twitter and Instagram. Don’t forget to use the hashtag #McDoHappyMeal.

SAt uRDAy : m Ay 2 1, 2016

SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

Former Sexbomb dancer Rochelle Pangilinan teaches locals with her signature dance moves

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

C5

“Encantada” cast entertaining the crowd at the Binatbatan Festival of the Arts in Vigan City

‘EncanTaDIa’ casT EnchanTs IlOcanOs

t

Gabbi Garcia in a song number with a male member of the audience

housands of Kapusong Ilocanos warmly welcomed the stars of Encantadia at the Binatbatan Festival of the Arts in Vigan City, Ilocos Sur on May 7.

Around 6,000 people met the new set of Sang’gres – Kylie Padilla, Gabbi Garcia, Sanya Lopez, and Glaiza de Castro. It was the first time the four came together for a regional show after they have been officially named as the lead stars of the highly anticipated “requel” of the GMA telefantasya series Encantadia.

Bringing entertainment to the crowd as well during the Kapuso Fiesta were the Sang’gres’ co-stars Ruru Madrid and Rochelle Pangilinan. Kapuso comedy actor

Pekto served as the event host.

It was a magical night for those gathered at Plaza Burgos in Vigan City as each Kapuso artist was introduced through his/her Encantadia character via an audio visual presentation, giving the audience a glimpse of what to expect in the requel of the groundbreaking GMA primetime series.

Afterwards, Kylie, Gabbi, Sanya, Glaiza, Ruru, and Rochelle gave the Kapusong Biguenos a show they truly deserve. Each of them owned the stage with their song numbers, much to the delight of the crowd.

“We thank our Kapusong Ilocanos for the warm welcome they extended to our Encantadia stars. The annual Binatbatan

Festival of the Arts is one of the many regional events that we always look forward to be part of as it celebrates the colorful culture and arts of Vigan. Bringing the Sang’gres together for their very first regional event is also our way of thanking all our viewers in the province as they continue to support GMA Network,” says Oliver Amoroso, GMA’s Senior Assistant Vice President for Regional Business Development Division.

To know more about the Network’s regional events, follow GMA on Facebook at www. facebook.com/gmanetwork and GMA Regional TV at www.facebook.com/GMARegionalTV and on Twitter and Instagram via @ GMARegionalTV.

masbate crowns charmers of Cowboyland The Province of Masbate, the Cowboyland of the Philippines, recently crowned its ambassadresses of tourism of goodwill in the Miss Masbate pageant as part of the recent Rodeo Masbateño Festival.

Topping the newly revitalized beauty and talent search is 17-year old Kirsten Delavin, an accounting sophomore at De La Salle University from Fernando in Ticao Island.

Meanwhile, Pamela Jones Cardeno of Batuan and Karen Grace Lasala of Placer bagged first and second runners-up honors.

Binibining Pilipinas 2014 Supranational Yvette Marie Santiago, a home-grown Masbateña, and Miss World Philippines 2015 Hillarie Daniella Parungao bannered the star-studded board of judges.

Other judges included Binibining Pilipinas Official shoe designer Jojo Bragais, hair expert Jesi Mendez, commercial model Xavier Stepanek, GMA Artist Center talent Gab Bayan and social entrepreneur Illac Diaz, who also introduced his Liter of Light project to the rural villages of Masbate.

According to Vice Governor Kaye Revil who spearheaded the event, the pageant aims to discover young blood who will help promote the province as an emerging tourist and adventure destination.

A local rodeo in masbate

She said that aside from being the country’s Rodeo Capital with its numerous cattle ranches and cowboys who tame the herds, Masbate takes pride in its unspoiled powdery beaches, idyllic islands, and natural wonders.

Also seen in the Rodeo was celebrity anchor Atom Araullo who covered the opening ceremonies and first events of the festival.

Rodeo Masbateño is the country’s biggest gathering of cowboys and ranchers who showcase the skills in a sporting extravaganza. The sporting event, which gathered 186 participants from 17 teams, was supported by the Department of Tourism-Region 5, Filminera Resources Corp. and DM Consunji, Inc.

miss masbate top winners Pamela Jones Cardeno, Kirsten Delavin and Karen Lasala

Beauty Queens yvette marie Santiago Gov. Vince Revil and Vice Gov. Kaye Revil with (left) and Hillarie Daniella Parungao Jesi mendez

Broadcast journalist Atom Araullo in a cowboy get up

C6

SAt uRDAy : m Ay 2 1, 2016

SHOWBITZ

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

isahred @ gmail.com

Nora Aunor nominated as Best Actress for the indie film “taklub”

“Heneral Luna” nominated for major awards including Best Picture, Best Direction, Best Screenplay and Best Actor

“Honor thy Father” stars meryl Soriano and Best Actor nominee John Lloyd Cruz

2016 GAWAD uRIAN NOmINEES BEsT pIcTuRE: Heneral Luna - Artikulo Uno Productions Taklub - Centerstage Productions Anino sa Likod ng Buwan - Octobertrain Films and IdeaFirst Company Honor Thy Father - Reality Entertainment Imbisibol - Sinag Maynila, Solar Entertainment ARI: My Life with a King - Holy Angel University Center for Kapampangan Studies Bambanti - Solar Entertainment, Centerstage Productions, Sinag Maynila Da Dog Show – sans cinema, Germany & Queen B Production BEsT DIREcTIOn: Da Dog Show - Ralston Jover Heneral Luna - Jerrold Tarog Taklub - Brilliante Mendoza Anino sa Likod ng Buwan - Jun Lana Honor thy Father - Erik Matti Imbisibol - Lawrence Fajardo ARI: My Life with a King - Carlo Enciso Catu Bambanti - Zig Madamba Dulay Apocalypse Child - Mario Cornejo Balikbayan #1: Memories of Overdevelopment Redux III – Kidlat Tahimik BEsT AcTOR: John Arcilla, Heneral Luna John Lloyd Cruz, Honor Thy Father John Lloyd Cruz, A Second Chance Ricky Davao, Dayang Asu Jericho Rosales, Walang Forever Dennis Trillio, Felix Manalo Sid Lucero, Apocalypse Child Jun Jun Quintana, Water Lemon Luis Alandy, Anino sa Likod ng Buwan Anthony Falcon, Anino sa Likod ng Buwan Francisco Guinto, ARI: My Life with a King Lou Veloso, Da Dog Show BEsT AcTREss: NoraAunor, Taklub Anika Dolonius, Apocalypse Child

LJ Reyes, Anino sa Likod ng Buwan Angeli Bayani, Iisa Alessandrade Rossi, Bambanti Ces Quesada, Imbisibol Jennylyn Mercado, Walang Forever Mercedes Cabral, Da Dog Show BEsT suppORTInG AcTOR: Julio Diaz, Taklub Lou Veloso, Taklub Tirso Cruz III, Honor Thy Father JM de Guzman, Imbisibol Bernardo Bernardo, Imbisibol Micko Laurente, Bambanti RK Bagatsing, Apocalypse Child Alion Ibanez, Da Dog Show BEsT suppORTInG AcTREss: Rio Locsin, Iisa Anna Abad Santos, Apocalypse Child Gwen Zamora, Apocalypse Child Mylene Dizon, Heneral Luna Tessie Tomas, Water Lemon Liza Dinio, Toto Cecil Yumol, ARI: My Life with a King BEsT scREEnplAY: Da Dog Show - Ralston Jover, sans cinema, Germany & Queen B Production Heneral Luna - Henry Francia, E.A. Rocha, and Jer rold Tarog Taklub - Honeylyn Joy Alipio Anino sa Likod ng Buwan - Jun Lana Honor Thy Father - Michiko Yamamoto Imbisibol - Herlyn Gail Alegre and John Paul Bedia ARI: My Life with a King - Robby Tantingco Water Lemon - Lilit Reyes Dayang Asu - Bor Ocampo Bambanti - Zig Madamba Dulay BEsT cInEmATOGRAphY: Da Dog Show - Carlo Mendoza Heneral Luna - Pong Ignacio Taklub - Odyssey Flores

cROsswORD puzzlE

answer PreVIOUs PUZZLe

ACROSS 1 Rock band Pink — 6 Atacama locale 11 Shot meas.

14 Condor’s abode 15 Dromedary stops 16 Talk to a beat 17 Midnight opposites 18 Watch site 19 Poet’s opus

20 Lurid novels 22 Wildlife staple 24 Taps 28 Made a claim 29 Black-belt sport 30 More up to it 32 Disney CEO Bob — 33 Excuse me!

35 Basilica area 39 Provide for oneself 40 Painter — Angelico 41 “I kid you not”

comic 42 Empty, as a seat 43 Gaucho’s rope 45 — spumante 46 Dapper 48 Acid in milk 50 First-rate 53 Soup servers 54 Pastel color 55 Logging chute 57 Website clutter 58 Hunter constellation 60 Sees the sights 65 Bridal notice word 66 Car-wash step 67 Parrot’s word 68 9-digit no.

69 Gave an Rx 70 — -craftsy DOWN 1 Kind of mail 2 Sign before Virgo 3 Galleon cargo 4 Yang complement 5 Tyrant 6 Monks’ hoods 7 Lampshade holder 8 Cow-headed goddess 9 “— Miserables” 10 Heir’s legacy 11 No-good sort 12 Tight-knit team

SATuRDAY, MAY 21 , 2016

13 21 23 24 25 26 27 28 30 31 34 36 37 38 43 44 47 49 50 51 52 53 55 56 59 61 62 63 64

Mall crawl Sporty trucks Turtle shell Rowboat Beeper Castle that danced Corsage flower Devious Vast assortment Sitter’s bane Not the half — — Tomato product Evening gown fabric Ambler and Idle 66 or I-70 Grad Pact Big name in soul Feuding factions, often Squirrels away Folger’s Mrs. Readied a guitar Swimmers’ aid Mislay Carioca’s home Not ‘neath Nth deg.

“Kidnapped” monogram Sauce in a wok

Anino sa Likod ng Buwan - Carlo Mendoza Honor Thy Father - Ber Cruz Apocalypse Child - Ike Avellana Bambanti - Joseph Delos Reyes and Ma. Solita Garcia Felix Manalo - Rody Lacap BEsT pRODucTIOn DEsIGn: Da Dog Show - Deans Habal Bambanti - Gian Gianan Water Lemon - Ben Payumo Honor Thy Father - Ericson Navarro Felix Manalo - Joel Bilbao, Edgar Martin Littaua and Danny Red Bukod Kang Pinagpala - Harley Alcasid Imbisibol - Lawrence Fajardo and Roland Inocencio BEsT EDITInG: Da Dog Show - Kats Serraon Heneral Luna - Jerrold Tarog Taklub - Diego Marx Dobles Anino sa Likod ng Buwan - Lawrence Ang Honor Thy Father - Jay Halili Imbisibol - Lawrence Fajardo ARI: My Life with a King - Carlo Francisco Manatad BEsT musIc: Water Lemon - Alessandra de Rossi Heneral Luna - Jerrold Tarog Taklub - Diwa de Leon Honor Thy Father - Erwin Romulo ARI: My Life with a King - Jake Abella BEsT sOunD: Heneral Luna - Mikko Quizon Taklub - Paulito Homillano, Andrew Milallos, Dennis Payumo and Addiss Tabong Anino sa Likod ng Buwan - Albert Michael Idioma Honor Thy Father - Mikko Quizon Dayang Asu - Stephen Lopez and Sheka Ong Felix Manalo - Albert Michael Idioma ARI: My Life with a King - Gilbert Obispo Da Dog Show - Mark Locsin Natatanging Gawad Urian - Mr. Romy Vitug

SAt uRDAy : m Ay 2 1, 2016

SHOWBITZ

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

isahred @ gmail.com

C7

‘HonoR tHy FAtHER,’ ‘DA Dog SHow’ lEAD tHIS yEAR’S uRIAn nomInEES

T

he members of the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino (MPP) together with Cinema One announced the nominees for the 39th Gawad Urian. The awarding will be held on June 21 at the Kia Theater.

Present during the announcement at ABS-CBN were Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino President Grace Alfonso and members Mario Hernando, Nic Tiongson, and Tito Valiente.

The group also confirmed that cinematographer and FAMAS Hall of Fame awardee Romy Vitug is this year’s Natatanging Gawad Urian or Lifetime Achievement awardee.

Leading the nominees with 10 nominations including Best Pic-

From left, manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino (mPP) members mario Hernando, nic tiongson, grace Alfonso and tito Valiente

ture and Best Direction are Erik Matti’s Honor Thy Father starring John Lloyd Cruz and Ralston Jover’s “Da Dog Show” starring

Mercedes Cabral.

John Lloyd Cruz also got double nominations for Best Actor this year for his perfor-

mances in Honor Thy Father and A Second Chance.

Jennylyn Mercado also got her first Best Actress nomination in Gawad Urian for the film Walang Forever.

Honor Thy Father and Da Dog Show are followed closely in terms of the number of nominations by Jerrold Tarogs Heneral Luna, Brillante Mendoza’s Taklub, Jun Lana’s Anino Sa Likod ng Buwan, and Carlo Encisco Catu’s ARI: My Life With A King. All four films are also nominees in the Best Picture category.

The Gawad Urian is considered the most prestigious among the annual awards given out in the Philiippine movie industry. The nominees and winners are chosen by the Manunuri ng Pelikulang

Pilipino (MPP), a group of critics mostly based in the academe, like Rolando Tolentino, Grace Javier Alfonso, Butch Francisco, Mario Hernando, Bienvenido Lumbera, Miguel Rapatan, Benilda Santos, Dr. Nicanor Tiongson, Tito Genova Valiente, and Lito Zulueta.

The 39th Gawad Urian will be aired live on Cinema One. For more information, visit Cinema One’s official Facebook page (www.facebook.com/Cinema1channel) and the official website of the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino (www.manunuri.com).

For the complete list of nominees, please turn to C6 or visit the official website of ABS-CBN PR at http://abscbnpr.com/list-39thgawad-urian-nominees-named/.

Ricky Reyes on new technologies in ‘gRR tnt’ This week, Gandang Ricky Reyes Todo na Toh (GRR TNT) tackles the topics of making your events rock, achieve a perfect smile, and have gorgeous hair through a new technology suited for both men and women.

Events and parties today have leveled up by making use of LED screen technology through monitors strewn all over the venue to make it more hip and cool. GRR TNT shows you where to get the right LED screen of all sizes and shapes great for your broadcast, concerts, motor shows, exhibitions and sporting events.

And what are parties without food? Get to know more of a very affordable buffet joint in the metro

Shows at Hard Rock Café

Beauty guru Ricky Reyes

perfect for important milestones in life. All Tramway Buffet branches, which serves delicious Chinese, Japanese and Filipino dishes, prom-

Come and see the shows at Hard Rock Café and enjoy an amazing line-up of performers this May. Catch show band Part 3 on May 22, 27, and 29; rock band Red Picasso tonight; show band Street Beat on tonight and May 28; sultry singer Paula Bianca on May 23 and 30; soul band Inner Voices on May 24 and 31; show band Arpie & the Multivitamins on May 25; and retro band 70’s Super Band on May 26. Fans and hard rockers can look forward to fun and exciting evenings with these top performers as they dish out live a selection of today’s hottest chart-toppers mixed with party anthems, standard favorites, and homegrown hits as well as a delicious sampling of all-time favorite throwback hits from the 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s. All shows start at 9 p.m.

ises to satisfy your hunger without sacrificing your budget.

Want to achieve that perfect smile? GRR TNT visits a premier dentist in town who provides solutions to problems on dental aesthetics. Dr. Dungo specializes in Cosmetic Dentistry, which improves the appearance of a person’s teeth, focusing on aesthetics in color, position, size, shape and alignment and over-all smile appearance.

Finally, say goodbye to unruly hair and be more gorgeously beautiful at all Gandang Ricky Reyes Salon with a new technology called the Soft Wave Treatment ideal for both men and women.

“The Soft Wave Treatment is

an introduction to the so-called ‘in-betweeners’ which addresses both the straight and curly haired women”, says host Ricky Reyes.

“Frizzy haired women longing for straight hair and vice-versa can now have it as the end product will neither be too curly, nor too flat”, he adds. And the best part of it is, it’s very affordable.

Reyes touts the Soft Wave Treatment, as a ‘cure-for-all’ method as it caters to all types and textures of hair. Be it dry, oily, brittle and hard as it makes every hair bring back to life, making it soft, shiny and much more manageable.

Catch GRR TNT produced by Scripto Vision every Saturday at 9:00 am on GMA News TV

.

Barbie in love

Nobody dares tell Songbird a lie.

In fact, when Barbie Forteza visited her house, Regine Velasquez-Alcasid surprisingly was able to make Barbie admit that there’s someone that is currently the apple of her eye. No, but we’re not telling who. You’ve got to watch the show. Is it Andre Paras as almost everyone thinks it is? Or is it someone we are not familiar with. But everyone is guessing he can be someone she co-starred with in That’s My Amboy.

Meanwhile, Maey Bautista has been very adroit in keeping her colorful love life a secret. Is Betong Sumaya part of this?

If you want to know more secrets, watch Sarap Diva, every Saturday morning, on GMA Network.

“Sarap Diva” host Regine Vesquez with Barbie Forteza and the show’s co-hosts

glamorous trends and unmatchable living spaces

Singer Paula Bianca

“modern living tV” celebrity hosts Bianca gonzalez and Stephanie Zubiri

In the latest episode of PhilSTAR TV’s Modern Living TV, celebrity hosts and lifestyle columnists Bianca Gonzalez and Stephanie Zubiri scout for the most beautiful living spaces and try out the latest metro trends and hobbies.

Join Steph as she meets up with Mia Borromeo of Philippine Tatler Homes for a quick tour of the lavish Hermès Maison store. Exclusively carrying luxury French home’s furniture, Hermès Maison has the latest luxe styling trends in store as seen in the most grandiose homes here and abroad.

Living glamorously does not have to be confined to one’s home. The MLTV team explores ‘glamping,’ (a portmanteau on glamour and camping) the newest trend among those who wish to experience the great outdoors without sacrificing luxury.

“wish I may” stars Bianca umali and miguel tanfelix

Heartwarming ‘wish I may’ finale

The GMA’s Afternoon Prime series Wish I May had a sweet and heart-warming finale yesterday.

Kapuso viewers were glued to their TV screens as they follow the intriguing drama, which tackled the disease called “chimerism”, a medical condition wherein an individual has two sets of DNA. After portraying the roles of Tristan and Carina, Miguel Tanfelix and Bianca Umali were moved by how their characters in the series fought for their love for each other amid tumultuous circumstances surrounding their families.

For Miguel, he shared that portraying the role of Tristan was definitely unforgettable since it taught him to be strong and to fight for his happiness.

“Most memorable sa akin ay yung nalaman ko na magkapatid kami ni Carina. Hindi alam ni Tristan kung ano ang mararamdaman niya. For me, yun yung time na sinabi sa akin na I should fight for what I have. Will he be happy for Carina because finally, Carina’s family is complete or masasaktan siya because he’s loving the wrong person?” the actor said.

On the other hand, Bianca, who has a lot of favorite scenes in Wish I May, was very grateful for all the things she has learned while performing for the drama series.

“I learned from the show that being patient, kind and down to earth makes everything else easier and better not only for myself but for the people I work with,” she said.

sat urday : m ay 2 1, 2016

C8

IsaH V. rEd EDITOR NICKIE WaNG WRITER

isahred @ gmail.com

SHOWBITZ

Bronze tellys winner adobo Nation featuring segments “sari-sari, Etc.,” “Creativity Explored” and “sama sama Cooperative Camp”

a winning segment of adobo Nation

TFC’s ‘ADObO NATION’ WINs AT 37Th ANNuAl TElly AWARDs ISAH V. RED

a

BS-CBN The Filipino Channel’s (TFC) U.S.produced weekly magazine show, Adobo Nation, is enjoying a banner year, winning three Bronze medals at the 37th Annual Telly Awards and receiving a nomination at the 45th Annual Northern California Area EMMY® Awards.

The winners at the 37th Annual Telly Awards were selected from 13,000 entries across 50 states and five continents. The Telly awards of Adobo Nation are in the show’s “Sari-Sari, Etc.” that includes “Sari-Sari, Etc: Creativity Explored” (2 Bronze Tellys for Film/Video – TV Programs, Segments, or Promotional Pieces – Education and Film/Video and TV Programs, Segments, or Promotional Pieces – Charitable/ Not-for-profit); “Sari-Sari, Etc: Sama Sama Cooperative Camp” ( one Bronze Telly for Film/Video – TV Programs, Segments, or Promotional Pieces – Cultural.

Founded in 1979, the Telly Awards is a premier award honoring outstanding local, regional, and cable TV commercials and programs, the finest video and film productions, and web commercials, videos and films. Winners represent the best work of the most respected advertising agencies, production companies, television stations, cable operators, and corporate video departments in the world.

Meanwhile, Adobo Nation’s “Sari-Sari, Etc” feature called, “The Prodigy”, received a 45th Annual Northern California Area EMMY® Awards nomination for Outstanding Achievement in Sports-Feature Segment.

“The Prodigy” follows 12-yearold Filipino-American Muay Thai champion Justin Rodriguez’s quest to become the greatest fighter of his generation. Despite

TVplus’ 7th channel. For remote controls without a SCAN button, press the MAIL button. KBO logo will be displayed on the 7th channel after scanning.

Apart from movies, your P30 will go a long way since families can also catch the movies on KBO via their mobile phones through iWant TV, the video-on-demand platform that is accessible on ABS-CBNmobile. The offering is also bundled with a one (1) day 200MB iWant TV access and allday access to Facebook, Facebook Messenger, Twitter, Viber, and Kakao Talk once registered.

More family bonding moments are also bound to happen as ABSCBN TVplus and ABS-CBNmobile roll out weekly movies that became big hits in the country and abroad.

To know the roster of movies that will be shown on KBO and what codes to use to register, text KBO <SPACE> LIST to 2131.

Movie screenings at home For users who don’t have an An exciting big movie mara- ABS-CBNmobile SIM, the SIM thon treat awaits families starting is available in any SM store, this weekend as ABS-CBN TV- 7-Eleven branch, telco tiangge, plus and ABS-CBNmobile join and the ABS-CBNmobile store forces to bring hit Star Cinema priced at P30. Users may also orand Hollywood movies to Fili- der through text by sending SIM pino families via the Kapamilya DELIVERY to 23661.

Box Office (KBO) in crystal-clear All ABS-CBN TVplus boxes quality for only P30. priced at P1,999 are bundled with an Through ABS-CBN TVplus and ABS-CBNmobile prepaid SIM and ABS-CBNmobile, families don’t are available in any accredited retail need to queue at the box office and outlets, sales agents, and dealers. spend their money. In this offer, Meanwhile, load for ABS-CBthey can watch four blockbusters Nmobile is available in SM Store, along with a Dolce Amore marathon SM Savemore, 7-Eleven, Cebuana via the “mahiwagang black box.”

Lhuillier, Generika at sari-sari Families can also catch the hor- stores or telco tiangges na may ror film Maria, Leonora, Teresa, autoload max. the comedy Rakenrol, and the The Kapamilya Box Office of Hollywood rom-com film Letters ABS-CBN TVplus is available to Juliet apart from a marathon in GMA, Metro Manila, Rizal, viewing of the top-rating Kapami- Cavite, Laguna, Bulacan, Pamlya primetime series Dolce Amore. panga, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, PanTo have a spectacular bonding gasinan, Benguet, Metro Cebu, this weekend, load P30 on your and Davao City.

ABS-CBNmobile SIM and text Don’t miss a weekly fun family KBO <SPACE> May21 <SPACE> bonding only with commercialTVplus box ID and send it to 2131. free movie screenings via KapamThe seven-character box ID can be ilya Box Office. For more inforfound in the Settings of the ABS- mation on weekly movie line-up, CBN TVplus box. Once a text con- visit tvplus.abs-cbn.com and folfirmation is received, press SCAN low ABS-CBN TVplus on Faceon the TVplus remote control to book. For more information, text activate KBO on the ABS-CBN KBO <SPACE> HELP to 23661. his undefeated record and years of training, Justin needed to overcome his fear of full-contact fighting before a recent title match.

The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS).

San Francisco/Northern California is one of the 19 chapters awarding regional Emmy® statuettes.

Northern California is composed of media companies and individuals from Visalia to the Oregon border and includes Hawaii and Reno, Nevada.

Entries included those that were aired during the 2015 calendar year. This year a record number of 757 English and 179 Spanish entries were received in 67 categories. English and Spanish language entries were judged and scored separately.

The Emmy® Gala returns SFJAZZ Center in San Francisco on Saturday, June 4.

adobo Nation won a bronze trophy for its feature entitled “the Prodigy”, about 11-year-old muay thai fighter Justin rodriguez

aBs-CBN tVplus and aBs-CBNmobile join forces to bring hit star Cinema and Hollywood movies to Filipino families via the Kapamilya Box Office (KBO)