The Standard - 2016 June 6 - Monday

VOL. XXX NO. 114 3 Sections 32 Pages P18 MONDAY : JUNE 6, 2016 www.thestandard.com.ph editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Marcos: I got no votes in 113 areas

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QUIT, RODY TELLS 3 PNP GENERALS

‘Do not wait to be humiliated,’ Duterte tells top cops

By John Paolo Bencito

DAVAO CITY—President-elect Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday urged three high-ranking police generals with alleged links to the illegal drug trade to resign or be humiliated.

Speaking before crowds of his staunch supporters at the Crocodile Park grounds in Maa, Davao City, Duterte also said that cases against police officers that were dismissed would be reviewed for further action.

“Corruption must stop. I will ask three generals there in [Camp] Crame to resign. Do not wait for

me to name you in public because I will only humiliate you,” Duterte said.

Duterte said crooked cops usually avoided conviction by waiting a few years until the complainants or witnesses were no longer available, then had their cases dismissed.

“I won’t agree to that,” he said.

“All policemen with cases—you’re

all wanted.”

During the campaign, Duterte alleged that at least three highranking officials in the Philippine National Police had ties with illegal drugs but refused to name them.

“Don’t take this as a joke,” he said, addressing himself to the police on Saturday. “I’m not joking.

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Davao party. President-elect Rodrigo Duterte speaks to supporters during a victory party in Crocodile Park in Davao City on Saturday night. The city of Davao was in party mode to celebrate the election of its mayor as the country’s next president. AFP

‘No room for Leni at agency for poor’

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China slams US ‘provocations’ at summit SINGAPORE—An Asian security summit ended in discord Sunday after China denounced US “provocations” in the South China Sea and declared it does not fear trouble in the contested waters.

“The South China Sea issue has become overheated because of the provocations of certain countries for their own selfish interests,” Admiral Sun Jianguo

told an annual forum in Singapore.

Sun, who stressed China’s desire for a peaceful solution, spoke one day after US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said any Chinese construction on an islet near the Philippines would prompt unspecified “actions” by the United States and other nations.

On a visit to Mongolia Sunday, US

Secretary of State John Kerry also warned Beijing against setting up an air defense identification zone over the disputed waters.

“We would consider an ADIZ, an ADIZ zone, over portions of the South China Sea as a provocative and destabilizing act, which would automatically Next page

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Marcos claims he got no votes in 113 Vis-Min areas

Marcos, on his FaceBook page, appealed to the public to report to him how the massive cheating was done in these areas if they had voted for him but their votes were not counted.

Marcos, who lost by 263,000 to Vice President-elect Leni Robredo, got zero votes in 63 municipalities and three cities in 15 provinces nationwide.

The senator posted a Notice to the Public that said: “If you voted for Bongbong Marcos and belong to the following areas where he received zero votes, we ask you to send us a report via email: report@ bongbongmarcos.com.”

Posted in the notice were the provinces, municipalities, barangay and the number of clustered precincts to guide those who wished to make a report.

Marcos suffered the most zero votes in 49 precincts in Lanao del Sur, 26 precincts in Maguindanao, including Mamasapano, and 14 precincts in Basilan that included two cities of Lamitan and Isabela.

It was in Lamitan City in Basilan where members of the powerful Iglesia ni Cristo protested that they were robbed of their votes for Marcos as Robredo got the most votes and the other presidential candidates, including Marcos, all obtained zero votes.

The INC members complained it would have been impossible for Marcos, who was endorsed by the INC, to get zero votes when there were three churches in the city.

The INC members practice bloc voting and heed the leadership’s decision in “unconditional unity and loyalty.”

Marcos also got zero votes in Robredo’s bailiwicks in seven municipalities of Camarines Sur and three municipalities of Sorsogon.

He also obtained zero votes in the bailiwick of the ruling Liberal Party and Robredo’s running mate Manuel Roxas II in Iloilo.

He got zero votes in Baao, Bato, Calabanga, Caramoan, Lupi and Milaor, all in Camarines Sur, and in Bulan, Castilla and Prieto Diaz in Sorsogon.

But Marcos also recorded zero votes in his own bailiwicks, in four precincts in Eastern Samar, in municipalities of Hilongos and Mahaplag in Leyte also in six precincts in Matuguinao, Motiong, San Jose de Buan and Santa Margarita in Western Samar.

Marcos’ mother, former first lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos, was a native of Leyte and was the most famous “Waray.”

In a privilege speech upon the resumption of sessions on May 23, Marcos told his fellow senators:

“We cannot hold false confidence that we had free and fair elections if we did not.”

“Our colleague, Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago warns us now of a garrison state where the authoritarian government feels free to manufacture numbers as they are needed.”

Marcos said: No less an authority than Abraham Lincoln reminds us: “Elections belong to the people.”

“We should listen to these words.

No one, no president, no party, no backroom, no machine, no operative, has the right to thwart the will of the Filipino people. Elections belong to the people,” Marcos said.

He said no one has the right to use political advantage to influence or manipulate an election.

“And we never—ever—can let that happen…. because what’s at stake is our future,” he said.

“In this chamber, our job is to fight those who want to keep taking us backwards. Two days before the May 9th election, I said this: We must—all of us—guard against coming intimidation, manipulation, and even fraud by forces of the political status quo.”

“Again, this is not about one candidate against another, or one family versus another, or one party versus another. This is not about a foreign technology vendor scandal,” he said.

“This is about eternal vigilance,” Marcos said.

Marcos said Internet users have documented and shared video footage of cheating and other election offenses, belying the claim of Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista that the Philippines was teaching other countries the “best practices” in automated elections.

“As captured... through photos

China...

val and air patrols in the sea were a display of “military muscle” and China was being forced to “accept and honor” the tribunal’s ruling.

“China firmly opposes such behavior. We do not make trouble but we have no fear of trouble,” Sun, the leader of the Chinese delegation in Singapore, said in prepared remarks.

Carter had left Singapore by the time Sun made his speech.

Sun also took exception to Carter’s statement on Saturday that Beijing risks building a “Great Wall of self-isolation” with its military expansion.

“We were not isolated in the past.

We’re not isolated, and we will not be isolated in the future. Actually I am worried some people and countries are still looking at China with a Cold War mentality and prejudice,” the Chinese admiral said in response to questions from other delegates.

Apparently referring to the United States and the Philippines, Sun said “some hegemonic countries have empowered small countries to make provocations against big countries.”

The SCMP has reported that China plans to establish an outpost on Scarborough Shoal 230 kilometers off the Philippines, which considers it part of its exclusive economic

zone.

According to a Pentagon report, China has added more than 1,295 hectares of land to the seven islets it occupies in the Spratlys, a separate island chain from Scarborough.

Manila says China took effective control of Scarborough Shoal in 2012, stationing patrol vessels and shooing away Filipino fishermen.

Carter declined to elaborate when pressed on Saturday over what “actions” Washington might take.

But the Pentagon chief proposed stronger bilateral security cooperation with China to reduce the risk of a mishap.

French Defense Minister JeanYves Le Drian told the forum that the European Union had a stake in maintaining freedom of shipping and navigation in the South China Sea, and said he would speak to his counterparts on the issue.

Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam and Taiwan also have competing claims in the sea.

Beijing’s territorial claims, based on controversial historical records, have pitted it against the United States, which has conducted patrols near Chinese-held islands to press for “freedom of navigation” in the waterway.

Pentagon officials say two Chi-

By Christine F. Herrera

SENATOR Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Sunday said he obtained zero votes in 113 areas in Visayas and Mindanao, bolstering his case against the Commission on Elections and Smartmatic that widespread electoral fraud took place in the May 9 elections where he ran and lost the vice presidential race.

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raise tensions and call into serious question China’s commitment to diplomatically manage the territorial disputes of the South China Sea,” Kerry said.

“We believe that it is critical that no country move unilaterally to militarize the region,” he added.

His remarks came on the eve of a US-China dialogue in Beijing and after Hong Kong’s South China Morning Post newspaper cited Chinese army sources as saying Beijing was mulling such a zone.

China claims nearly all of the sea despite competing claims by several Southeast Asian neighbors, and has pressed its claims by rapidly building artificial islands suitable for military use.

Washington has responded by sending warships close to Chineseclaimed reefs, angering Beijing.

Rhetoric has escalated ahead of a decision at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague on a case brought by the Philippines, a longtime US ally and former colony, against China, which says it will not recognize any ruling.

The Chinese admiral said US na-

and videos, we see the same sad story in the Philippines. Vote-buying has become ever more rampant, as have been the acts of terrorism, threats and intimidation,” Marcos said.

“We have received reports of information and communications technology [ICT] companies that were engaged by candidates to boost their chances in winning the automated elections. Parts of the package included access to official voters database and vaunted ‘magic laptops’ which they claimed could tap into the Comelec’s main server.

“I brushed aside all these alleged offers as mere being hearsay until I saw it happening before my—and the country’s—very eyes on the day of elections.”

Marcos then recounted how Smartmatic’s Marlon Garcia had introduced a new, unauthorized script into the transparency server that was being used to tally the unofficial vote count a few hours after the polls closed. Over the next few hours, a one-million vote lead that he enjoyed over Robredo vanished.

“It was after this particular act of computer programming wizardry that votes for this representation started to slow down and the votes for another candidate started to accelerate—at an unprecedented and linear rate of 45,000 votes for every additional one percent of votes counted.

This is the very same Marlon Garcia who was charged with electoral sabotage for doing the very same thing during the 2013 elections.

“What are the chances that this computer programming change can be linked to the odd pattern that emerged during the PPCRV quick-count?” Marcos said. nese fighters last month conducted an “unsafe” intercept of a US spy plane in international airspace over the South China Sea. The Palace on Sunday said the petition filed by the Philippine government against China was in compliance with the rule of law of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. In an interview over state-run radio dzRB, Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said Manila’s move has gained support from various countries around the world.

China has repeatedly said it would not abide by any ruling from the court, which it said has no jurisdiction.

China has now said it will not abide by whatever ruling the court advances.

“To put it simply, the arbitration case actually has gone beyond the jurisdiction” of a UN arbitration panel, said Rear Adm. Guan Youfei, director of the foreign affairs office of China’s National Defense Ministry.

“Because the territorial and sovereignty disputes have not been subjected to the arbitration, we think the arbitration is illegal,” Guan told reporters on the sidelines of an international security conference in Singapore. AFP, Sandy Araneta

Quit,...

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I will kill you,” he said to cheers from the crowd. “It’s up to you if you want to believe me, but just ask the people of Davao. If you are into [drugs] stop it. If you destroy the youth of this country, I will kill you.”

Duterte said the public has the authority to arrest drug suspects under the law.

If the suspect is armed and resists arrest, Duterte said: “Shoot him. I will give you a medal.”

Malacañang on Sunday urged Duterte to give due process to the three PNP generals that he accused of being involved in the drug trade.

“Any action against corruption must still comply with due process in accordance with the provisions of the law,” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said in a radio interview over state-run dzRB. “The call of president-elect Duterte on some members of the PNP [to resign] is his prerogative as president-elect,” said Coloma.

At the same time, any step the government does to fight illegal drugs must be supported, Coloma said.

“One of the fundamental pillars of the Aquino administration is to combat corruption at all levels and government agencies including the Philippine National Police.

Any step toward achieving this goal must be given support,” said Coloma.

Duterte’s statements came as other officials began paying bounties for slain suspected criminals in an apparent attempt to ride on Duterte’s success.

Duterte won the presidential election last month, running on a platform of a ruthless anti-crime campaign.

After previously saying he would unleash the military and police on criminals, Duterte said the public could go after them as well.

“If they are there in your neighborhood, feel free to call us, the police or do it yourself if you have the gun. You have my support,” he told his cheering followers.

“If he fights and fights to the death, you can kill him,” he said, adding: “I will give you a medal.”

He said drug addicts could not be rehabilitated and warned, “if you are involved in drugs, I will kill you. You son of a whore, I will really kill you.”

Duterte reiterated that his anti-crime campaign would be “a bloody war,” as he offered money for slain drug lords.

“I will pay, for a drug lord: P5 million if he is dead. If he is alive, only P4.999 million,” he laughed.

Duterte, who takes office on June 30 and is the longtime mayor of the southern city of Davao, also offered smaller amounts for lower-ranked figures involved in the drug trade.

He did not say how a private citizen could identify suspects.

Duterte has previously been linked with vigilante “death squads” that have killed scores of people in Davao and has vowed to widen his campaign when he becomes president.

Others have followed his lead with the elected mayor of the central city of Cebu, Tomas Osmeña, admitting he paid more than $3,000 to police officers for killing drug traffickers. With AFP

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Cayetano chided on Senate post SENATOR Alan Peter Cayetano was chided by his colleagues over his plan to turn into a “parking slot” the Senate presidency when he reportedly appealed to incumbent Senate President Franklin Drilon to give him the Senate’s highest post after one year.

Security. Officers from the Manila Police District secure personnel from the Commission on Elections on Sunday as they return to the Comelec office in Arroceros, Manila, some ballot boxes used during the May 9 elections. DANNY PATA

Leni rejected as head of anti-poverty agency THE urban poor group Kadamay on Sunday rejected a recommendation that Vice President-elect Leni Robredo head the National Anti-Poverty Commission, saying she used money from the 4Ps program or dole to the poor to get elected.

That recommendation was made by incoming National Economic Development Authority Chief Ernesto Pernia.

“How can we trust Leni to address poverty in the country when she has been known to have used poverty-alleviation funds to advance her political agenda? Kadamay head Gloria Arellano said.

“Despite so many complaints from the 4Ps or Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program beneficiaries of electioneering, have we heard any apology from Leni’s camp?”

Arellano said Kadamay had a pending complaint with the Commission on Elections against Robredo and her running mate, Ma-

nuel Roxas II, for using money from the 4Ps to force its beneficiaries to attend their political sorties.

“After joining the Liberal Party’s last election, Robredo had quickly identified herself among the ‘yellow trapos’ who have made use of poverty and the plight of the poor to advance their own political interests,” Arellano said.

“The failure of [President Benigno Aquino III’s] Daang Matuwid program over the last six years is a clear indicator not to entrust poverty alleviation to anyone from the LP camp.”

Kadamay also criticized Robredo’s earlier manifestation of her desire to streamline the government’s anti-poverty efforts. It said it considered Robredo’s move as “very alarming.”

But the group praised President-elect Rodrigo Duterte’s statement that he will entrust the NAPC to a woman from the Left.

Arellano said Robredo, aside from her signature bus travels and her late husband Jessie

Robredo-influenced tsinelas, had nothing to prove about her sincerity in addressing poverty in the country compared to other left-leaning rivals for the NAPC post.

“Robredo, together with outgoing DSWD Secretary Dinky Soliman, has to prove herself innocent of using the 4Ps to boost her win in the last election,” Arellano said.

Once Robredo was appointed to NAPC or any poverty-alleviation agency of the Duterte administration, Arellano said, Kadamay was convinced that Robredo might only continue the policies that were espoused by the Aquino administration that proved to be very detrimental to the poor.

Kadamay also expressed fears that Robredo might not endorse the implementation of genuine land reform and national industrialization as the fundamental components of any government’s poverty alleviation program.

Christine F. Herrera

Informed about the reports that Cayetano had requested Drilon to allot the Senate presidency for him after one year, reelected Senator Vicente Sotto III said there could be a good reason.

“But looking at the other perspective, I heard it would seem that it’s not good for him to make a parking slot for one year the Senate presidency,’’ Sotto told DWIZ radio.

“There are two views here:-it might be wrong, it might be right. It depends on the Senate. I leave it to the majority in the Senate to decide.”

Cayetano, Duterte’s defeated running mate, is barred by law to occupy any government position for one year. He has remained mum over the Cabinet posts of Justice or Foreign Affairs secretary being offered to him by Duterte.

Sotto, Cayetano and Drilon are among the aspirants in the race for the Senate presidency. Senator Aquilino Pimentel III is also eyeing the position.

But political observers believe the vote will be split between Cayetano and Pimentel if they do not decide on who to represent PDP-Laban in the tough battle for the Senate leadership. This might also result in Drilon retaining his position.

Cayetano and Pimentel are staunch allies of incoming President Rodrigo Duterte who needs to control the Senate for his legislative agenda.

Cayetano was Duterte’s defeated running mate in the May 9 elections. Pimentel is the president of PDP-Laban, which is also led by Duterte as its chairman.

Duterte has told Cayetano he is free to choose the Cabinet position he wants.

In an earlier interview, Cayetano said 15 senators had been rallying behind him to become the next Senate president. A resolution was being circulated to get the support of his colleagues. Senator Cynthia Villar, his party mate at the Nacionalista Party and Senator-elect Manny Pacquiao, had signed the resolution.

Another Senator-elect, Jose Miguel Zubiri, had also aired his support for Cayetano.

A candidate for Senate president needs 13 votes to wrest the position from Drilon. Macon Ramos-Araneta

Candidates told: Submit list of poll contributors THE Commission on Elections on Sunday reminded the candidates in the May 9 elections to list down and submit the contributions they received during the campaign period.

Comelec Commissioner Rowena Guanzon said the candidates must comply with the June 8 deadline for submitting their statement of contributions and expenditures.

“The June 8 deadline for the submission of the SOCE will be strictly enforced by the Campaign Finance Office headed by Commissioner Christian Robert Lim, so there will be no extension,” Guanzon said.

“The earlier they comply with the submission of the SOCE, the better.”

Guanzon said the winning candidates who overspent during the campaign period could be removed from office.

“If you overspent during the campaign period, even if you were elected into office, the Comelec could still order your removal from office,” she said The candidates who overspent will also be ordered to pay administrative fines of P10,000 to P30,000 for the first offense and P20,000 to P60,000 for the second offense depending on the elective position.

A Comelec resolution says an incomplete SOCE will be considered “not filed and shall subject the candidate or party treasurer to the penalties prescribed by law.”

Rey E. Requejo

Temporary shelter. Members of a squatter family take shelter under an Edsa flyover in Quezon City as the city government begins talks with squatters about the national government’s relocation plan before the rainy season kicks in. MANNY PALMERO

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A4 ‘Delisting of NPA can form part of talks’ INCOMING National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. said the suggestion to request the United States government to remove the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing, the New People’s Army, from its list of terrorist organizations should be part of the renewed peace negotiations.

Esperon said this call from the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan to the government of President-elect Rodrigo Duterte can be settled by the negotiating panels of both sides.

“There should be no pre-conditions [for the resumption of the talks].

Having said that, the National Democratic Front can bring up the issue on the negotiating table and it should be part of the peace talks,” the former chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines said in a brief phone interview.

The government panel is headed by the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza while Luis Jalandoni is representing the NDF in the negotiations.

Esperon said that sincerity on both sides is key to hammering out a final peace agreement that will finally end hostilities between the government and the NPA that have gone on for more than 47 years, making the conflict the longest-running communist armed struggle in Asia.

During his time as military chief of former President Gloria M a c a p a g a l -A r r o y o , Esperon promised to eliminate the NPA. Florante Solmerin

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Abu Sayyaf kills 2 AFP troops in Basilan attack

By Florante S. Solmerin and Sandy Araneta

SUSPECTED members of the Abu Sayyaf Group killed two more soldiers in Basilan province on Sunday even as the Armed Forces of the Philippines said it was working on a program to annihilate the terrorist group in six months.

A report from the Western Mindanao Command said the soldiers were riding a motorcycle when they were ambushed at 10:25 a.m. in Barangay Tumahubong in Sumisip town.

Military public affairs officer Ma. Filemon Tan said the two victims died instantly of multiple gunshot wounds.

Tan did not give the names of the

slain soldiers because their families had not yet been informed, but said they belonged to the Alpha Company of the Army’s 64th Infantry Battalion.

“They were on their way back from Barangay Tumahubong to their command post in Barangay Sapah Bulak when a band of Abu Sayyaf bandits ambushed them,” Tan said.

Meanwhile, incoming AFP chief

of staff Lt. Gen. Ricardo Visaya, the current Southern Luzon Command chief, said a “drastic operational plan” will be implemented against the ASG. “It’s now being prepared.

Definitely, we will implement a plan that aims to eliminate the ASG problem in six months,” Visaya said.

He declined to elaborate, saying only that he saw no need to insert more troops into the provinces of Sulu and Basilan.

“We’ve a lot troops already there,” he said.

At present, up to seven battalions are deployed in Sulu and almost the same number of soldiers are assigned in Basilan, all of them

seeking out the ASG. The bandits are still holding nearly a dozen hostages, including Robert Hall and Kjartan Sekkingstad, a Canadian and a Norwegian, respectively. The bandits are also holding Hall’s Filipino girlfriend Marites Flor.

In April, the ASG beheaded John Ridsdel, another Canadian, after his family failed to give their demand for a ransom of P300 million.

The bandits promised to behead another captive if the P300 million each demanded for Hall and Sekkingstad is not delivered.

President-elect Rodrigo Duterte has called on the Abu Sayyaf to surrender or else “I will invade Jolo.”

Selling flags. A man peddles Philippine flags to motorists along a Manila street on Sunday, a week before the 118th commemoration of the declaration of Philippine Independence. EY ACASIO

Sotto sees better Rody-media ties

Donations. Indigent children of Parola compound in Tondo, Manila line up to get free

meals and school supplies from a non-government organization on Sunday. DANNY PATA

REELECTED Senator Vicente “Tito” Sotto III expects the rift between President-elect Rodrigo Duterte and the media to end soon because they are just getting to know each other right now.

Sotto said Duterte is still in the process of learning how to deal with the national media since he has long been accustomed to the local media in his hometown of Davao City.

He said Duterte himself admitted that he was not used to the national media.

The tough-talking Duterte, who was mayor of Davao City for 22 years,

admitted he was more comfortable with the local media in his hometown who have been with him for many years.

He said these journalists know him well and can tell if he was serious or was merely joking.

Sotto said it’s also a good thing that the rift between the president- elect and the journalists covering him happened before he took his oath of office.

“There’s a big possibility for a good rapport between President Rody and the media because he knows how to get along well [with people]. He just needs to know

when to crack a joke or not,” Sotto said.

Sotto, who was Quezon City vice mayor from 1988 to 1992, said the national media are more conservative than their local counterparts and are also more discerning in their questions.

He said the presidential spokesman and press secretary have the big responsibility of building a good relationship with the media.

Meanwhile, Duterte on Saturday admitted getting angry after being questioned by a journalist about the status of his health.

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Ecozones may spur Congress action on Cha-cha

Rody to rev up spending

By John Paolo Bencito

DAVAO CITY—President-elect Rodrigo Duterte has launched a plan to boost infrastructure spending and put an end to the practice of underspending while chiding the Aquino administration for politicizing the bottom-up budgeting scheme during the recent election campaign.

By Christine F. Herrera PRESIDENT-elect Rodrigo Duterte’s vow to create economic zones and spur development outside Metro Manila should serve as a “strong impetus” for Congress to give its full backing to the shift to a federal form of government, congressman-elect LRay Villafuerte of Camarines Sur said Sunday.

Villafuerte, who earlier sought a “grand coalition” of pro-administration and opposition parties in the 17th Congress to spearhead the switch to federalism, pointed out that this long-overdue overhaul of government structure would bolster the next President’s plan to decongest Metro Manila by attracting investments.

Currently, he said, over 50 percent of economic zones are located in either Metro Manila or neighboring provinces like Cavite, Laguna and Batangas.

He said that the World Bank, in its Mindanao Jobs Report, said that the island alone needs 4.3 million jobs over the next seven years, and that the challenge for government is to stop large numbers of workers in the island-region from migrating to the national capital region in search of jobs.

“I have to create more jobs but Manila is already saturated… I have to relocate them (poor people) but before that, I have to establish economic activity,” said Duterte in a prescon last month.

Ramadan. Young Muslim students are taught how to read the Quran at a mosque in Baseco compound of Manila at the onset of the holy month of Ramadan on Monday, June 06. EY ACASIO

“There aren’t much infrastructure built.

There is a need that whatever is given to you —use it,” Duterte told tens of thousands of his supporters gathered at the Davao Crocodile Park to celebrate his election victory dubbed “DU 31” (Duterte Won).

“If you are a department and I give you 30 million, at the end of the year, that 30 million must be spent to the last centavo,” he added.

During the last six years of the Aquino administration, government has continued to underspend that slowed down the economy in the later years of Aquino’s term.

While failing to meet its spending targets, the government’s revenue-collecting agencies—Bureau of Internal Revenue and Bureau of Customs—have consistently failed to meet their respective collection goals.

Last year, the BIR missed its full-year collection target by 8.3 percent: it collected P1.335 trillion versus its revenue target of P1.456 trillion. The BoC missed its revenue target by 9.5 percent it collected P369.3 billion versus its planned revenue goal of P408 billion. In 2014 alone, planned spending was P2,284.3 billion while actual spending was P1,981.6 billion, or a difference of P302.7 billion.

Another program aimed at bankrolling infrastructure projects within communities, the Bottom Up Budgeting was criticized after being used by administration stalwarts to allegedly “bribe” officials into supporting candidates from the ruling Liberal Party.

“Ang problema with bottoms up [it] came late, ginagamit sa pamumulitika,” Duterte said.

Peter Laviña, Duterte’s campaign spokesperson had earlier criticized the program for cornering support from local officials into voting for the administration bet, Manuel Roxas.

Duterte said that government workers should be “like bank tellers,” adding that “corruption must stop” in government agencies.

“If you lose or overspent government money, you’re not doing your job properly...

Like bank tellers, at the end of the day, you should not have deficient or excess money. Because if you have surplus or deficit, your’e a fool.”

Defense experts tackle US-PH deal

Rescued. Dr. Rizza Salinas, head veterinarian of the Wildlife Rescue Center of the

Biodiversity Management Bureau examines a Philippine eagle turned over recently by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Dingalan, Aurora. The eagle was rescued by an upland farmer in Aurora from a trap intended for monkeys. Salinas later declared the eagle in overall good condition despite a broken feather shaft and the stress from its short captivity and long journey to Quezon City.

THE impact of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement between the Philippines and the United States on security in the Asia Pacific region will be discussed among security and defense experts on Tuesday morning at a forum to be held at the National Defense College of the Philippines in Quezon City.

This was announced yesterday by Dindo Manhit, the event organizer. Manhit is president of independent think tank Stratbase Albert del Rosario Institute (ADRi) for International Studies.

Former Foreign Affairs secretary Albert del Rosario and Defense Undersecretary

Pio Lorenzo Batino will attend the event.

In a press statement, Manhit said the event with the theme “Asia-Pacific Perspectives on Implementing the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement” would feature representatives from the country’s Departments of National Defense and Foreign Affairs who will share insight from the bilateral strategic dialogue that took place in Washington early this year.

He said a panel of representatives from the non-government sector in the Philippines, Japan, the US, and Australia will then give their

feedback on the agreement.

Their feedback will then serve as a jump-off point for discussions, including the progress in its implementation and its effects on areas of cooperation in the region.

Other speakers are DFA Undersecretary for American Affairs Maria Andrelita S. Austria; Stratbase ADRi convenor Renato de Castro; Ernest Bower and Gregory Poling of US-based think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies; Lisa Sharland, senior analyst of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute and Professor Katsuyuki Yakushiji of Toyo University in Japan.

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Street kids shift ‘sniff’ from rugby to Vulcaseal STREET children have switched to the use of Vulcaseal from rugby, prompting the Dangerous Drugs Board to study ways to dampen its attractive smell.

DDB Undersecretary Edgar Galvante said after the cement toluene-based inhalant, known as rugby, was made “unappealing” to users, street kids have shifted to sniffing Vulcaseal, an elastomeric sealant being used for patching holes on roofs and plastic pipes.

“We are studying the ingredients of this solvent if one of them is in the list of the conBayanihan. Thousands of public school children in the Philippines can now sit comfortably while attending their classes through the help of trolled substances,” he told the ‘Pinoy Bayanihan,’ a collaborative undertaking of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp., Department of Education, Department of The Standard.

Environment and Natural Resources, and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.

“We have already made rugby smell less aromatic when we recommended and approved the addition of mustard oil [to this inhalant].”

Still, some street children would rather sniff rugby, he said.

Cement contact has toluene which attracts drug users for its aromatic and addictive properties.

Mustard oil is a colorless to pale yellow pungent irritating oil that is obtained from the seeds “No one will be exempted. The atives from the National Bureau of of black mustard.

By Rio N. Araja government will go after them. Investigation, Philippine Drug EnGalvante, however, said what The full force of the law will be forcement Agency, SM-MoA, Uni- is more disturbing is the increasCONGRESS will conduct a joint hearing of its three implemented to give justice to lever Philippines Inc., Pasay police ing number of children shifting the victims for their negligence,” and the event organizer, Close-up, to Vulcaseal. committees today to look into the security lapses in Castelo said. have also been summoned to atMeanwnhile, Senator Vicente they would get down tend today’s inquiry.

Sotto has proposed expanding the management of the “Close-Up Forever Summer’’ intoHetheadded bottom as to why illegal drugs On May 21, at least five of the powers of the Presidential the concert-goers including an Drug Enforce Agency and give concert that resulted in the deaths of five people due found their way into the concert. organization involved American, collapsed and died. it supervision over all matters to possible intake of prohibited drugs at an open in “Every the tragic event will be given NBI operatives arrested one ample time to explain their spe- of the suspects, Joshua Habalo, involving prohibited drugs. parking area near a Pasay City mall.

This will fit into the plan for cific roles, particularly the agency alias “Josh,” during a party at a total war on the illegal drug tasked to secure every point of en- the House of Manila club inside trade, Sotto said.

Quezon City Rep. Winston curity measures implemented to try of the event ground,” he cited. Remington Hotel in Pasay City.

He promised to file in the Castelo, chairman of the House determine possible security lapsThe management of Close-Up He was caught in possession 17th Congress a bill incorcommittee on Metro Manila de- es,” he said. tapped the Activation Advertis- of pink ecstasy tablets, packets of velopment, vowed to dig deeper The investigation will be pursued ing Inc. to handle the safety of the cocaine, and three green-colored porting all the functions reinto the incident amid security by Castelo’s panel and the com- concert-goers and security of the tablets believed to be the green lated to illegal drugs under lapses by organizers. mittees on dangerous drugs and on summer concert. amore, a lethal mix of shabu and one agency. Rio Araja and “We have to look into the se- youth and sports development.

Macon Araneta According to Castelo, represent- ecstasy.

3 House panels probe Close-Up party deaths

Cyber sex trade cause for alarm, says group A CHILD and family’s protection group has expressed alarm over the high incidence of Internet-mediated sex industry.

At a media forum, Plan International in the Philippines researcher Dr. Marie Therese Galang said commercial sexual exploitation is now facilitated through the Internet, and not through physical contact.

Not only children but also adolescents are now involved in the Internet-mediated sex industry, and that they are older and more often freelancers, she said.

They demand generally higher fees than do prostitutes who engage in actual sex, she added.

Based on the study and research done by Plan International-Philippines, family, interpersonal, social, educational and

personal needs are the main reasons why there are children and adolescents who would engage in cyber sex.

Entry and initiation into the sex industry is largely influenced by the family and peers, the study showed.

“The main reason for entry remained to be poverty, but there are other reasons, too, such as wanting to have extra money for personal wants,” it said.

The incidence of those who “ just [want] to try” paid sex, getting involved in paid sex is increasing,” the advocacy group said.

The most common reason for voluntary exit are health reasons, and having the opportunity to improve their lives and to study.

According to Galang, they see a need to sit down with all stake-

holders, “not only with the national government but also with the local governments, civil society organizations and private sector” to address the problem.

Still, prevention is still the best way to curb commercial sex exploitation using the platform of the social media, the group said.

“At the national level, the regulation of the information and communication technology must be enforced. Mechanisms for regulating access to certain websites and social media, particularly in schools, are available but not known to public, especially to parents,” it added.

One of the group’s recommendations is massive information drive to heighten public awareness of responsible use of the social media.

M O N D AY : j u N e 6 , 2 0 1 6

A7

NEWS

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Police nab 3 suspected pushers BALANGA CITY, Bataan—Police arrested Friday three suspected drug pushers and seized 18 sachets of crystalline substance believed to be shabu in a buy-bust operation at a secluded house in this city.

By the truckload.

Men unload a truckload of squash at Carbon market in Cebu City.

DAVID CHAN

Supt. Joel Tampis, Balanga City police chief, said in a lightning raid in Barangay Tenejero, they arrested Jeric Raymundo, 31, his father Enrico Raymundo, 50, and Marck Arboleda, 34. All were from Orion, Bataan.

Confiscated were 12 teabag-size and six medium-size heat-sealed transparent plastic sachets of suspected shabu and three marked P1,000 bills.

“These illegal drugs are worth some P150,000.

We are looking for their source considering the big volume of these confiscated shabu,” Tampis said.

He said that the three had been under surveillance for some time.

“Balanga is their transit point to Orion and Limay,”’ he added.

Tampis said Jeric Raymundo is facing three drug-related cases but has been able to post bail because of technicalities.

“This time, the case is airtight. With the volume of drugs confiscated, it would be difficult for him to get out of jail, “he said.

The police chief said the young Raymundo is the source of most of the confiscated drugs.

“My son texted me. That’s why I went to Balanga. I have knowledge about the illegal drugs. I have been [trying to stop him from committing] such illegal act,” the father said.

Tampis said they are readying case for violation of Sections 5 and 11 of RA 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act against the three suspects.

He thanked Chief Insp. Don Dicksie de Dios, Limay police chief, for cooperating with the Balanga police in the successful anti-illegal drug operation. PNA

1 cop slain, 2 wounded as Reds stage Masbate ambush LEGAZPI CITY—A policeman died while two fellow policemen were wounded in an ambush staged by New People’s Army rebels at Barangay Lagta, Baleno, Masbate at about 5:40 a.m. Sunday.

PO2 Jack Brondial died on the spot when he was hit in the head by a shrapnel coming from an improvised explosive device set off by the rebels.

PO1 Warren Amistoso and PO1 Rex Baldemoro suffered gunshot and shrapnel wounds.

Senior Insp. Ma. Luisa Calubaquib, Police Regional Office 5 information officer, said the Baleno Municipal Police Station received a report at about 5:30 a.m. about a dead man along the national highway in Barangay Gangao, Baleno town.

After conducting an investigation on the dead body, the three police officers returned to their station but upon reaching Barangay Lagta, the rebels, waiting in an ambush position, set the improvised bomb off while the Toyota Hi-lux patrol car of the BMPS was passing by.

The rebels then peppered the vehicle with bullets, causing its driver to lose control over it until it hit a concrete wall near the road, about 120 meters from the explosion spot.

The law enforcers engaged the rebels in a 10-minute firefight until reinforcement from the Masbate Police Provincial Office, Philippine National Police Special Action Force, Provincial Public Safety Company and Regional Special Operation Task Group came.

The arrival of the reinforcing officers forced the dissidents to withdraw towards a mountainous area in the direction of Aroroy, Masbate.

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A8

opinion [ EDI TORI A L ]

DefenDers of the faith IT Is remarkable to see how unquestioning loyalty can overwhelm cold logic, turning educated men and women into rabid defenders of the faith. For faith is what President-elect Rodrigo Duterte has been selling so far in his self-proclaimed “Iglesia ni Duterte”— laying out more incendiary attacks than thoughtful ideas.

After declaring from Davao last week that it was all right to murder corrupt journalists and wolf-whistling at a female reporter during a nationally televised press conference, his supporters came out of the woodwork to defend him.

When the reporter’s husband, also a broadcast journalist, had the temerity to complain on Facebook, one Duterte defender—a woman—replied: “Then let your wife stay at home and be a wife.” Another asked why his wife was smiling during the press conference, and yet another said if the husband was so sensitive, he should not have allowed his wife to be assigned to Davao. senator Pia Cayetano, sister of Duterte’s losing vice presidential running mate senator Alan Peter Cayetano, parsed words on her Twitter feed when she said she supported Duterte but disagreed with the whistling, prompting one follower to comment that this is exactly why the public has trust issues with today’s politicians— they don’t stand up for what they believe.

Another adoring female supporter posted these comments on her Facebook page--her flawed grammar and logic bear repeating only to illustrate the lengths to which the faithful will go to protect their own beliefs.

“I think Duterte is trying to piss off the media,” she wrote. “That’s his style. He leaves out innuendos and double meanings to see how people react. He toys with people’s emotions to see how defensive they become. Thats his way of exposing your character. Will you be weak enough to take it personally? Guilty enough to be defensive? stupid enough to get angry? Or wise enough to figure it out and take his words with a grain of salt. Its like chess. He sends out pawns and if you go after them, he will learn so much more about your motives…. We’re dealing with a high level thinking mastermind with a very complex thought process and if you are too simple and onionskinned, you obviously cant keep up with him.”

Trying to dig deep on shallow ground, this supporter was all too ready to characterize non-believers as weak, guilty, defensive, simple and stupid for reacting to Duterte’s provocations, and to ascribe to the president-elect some form of genius for uttering words such as “F--- you, UN!” and telling an archbishop “Don’t f--- with me.”

But perhaps even worse than these rabid supporters are those who cynically go against their principles to support the presidentelect out of sheer self interest. senator Pia Cayetano certainly has lost credibility as an advocate for women’s issues by failing to speak out against Duterte’s excesses.

The Pimentels—father and son—have stood behind Duterte simply because he ran under the party they lead, the PDP-Laban.

Former senator Aquilino Pimentel Jr., an outspoke opponent of the death penalty, last month defended Duterte’s plan to reinstate capital punishment, saying it showed his commitment to the rule of law. His son, senator Aquilino Pimentel III, defended Duterte’s kissing spree during the campaign, and his remarks that he should have been first to have sex with an attractive Australian missionary who was raped and killed in a jail break in 1989. More recently, he also defended Duterte’s statements about media violence, saying that he was merely emphasizing the need for responsible journalism.

If these supporters believe in Duterte so much and wish to see him succeed, perhaps it is time they emulated his example and speak plainly and call him out when he does wrong. To do this, however, they must first take off the blinders.

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The mighT of The powerless Once upon a time, there were should have learned—that it the Papal States. The Popes will not do to stake its fidelity Pensées had temporal power then. They to its mission in the favor and commanded armies—Pope fr. ranhiLio good graces of earthly rulers!

Julius II (of Sistine chapel fame) no political election is CaLLangan led his troops personally—and ever about the church. The aquino maintained a navy. The pope was church is never a candidate. a sovereign among sovereigns.

And while the church In retrospect, it was then that it was hardest to may, when in its own fallible discernment, recognize the church that Jesus had gathered. think it necessary to admonish against some The more likened it was to the kingdoms of the candidates, its relevance as the sacrament of earth, the more distant it was an image of the the encounter with God will never be measured kingdom of heaven. by election returns, nor votes cast in favor of or So when President-elect Digong taunts the against one candidate or other. To read matters church about being powerless, he is right. It this way is to totally misunderstand the nature is powerless. It should be of the church and of its powerless. Power corrupts the mission. Unless the matter church and blurs the image on hand is one of defined of the suffering, serving Lord dogma, or of universal, that it is its vocation to be. unanimous teaching, there Power was exactly what Pilate Power corrupts the is ample room for dissent in interrogated Jesus about. Do the church. From the time Church and blurs you have power like mine? christians quarreled about In effect, that was Pilate’s the date of easter to this day the image of the question, and Jesus’ reply must that they quarrel over who suffering, serving is worthy of public office or forever remain normative for the whole church: “My who catholics should not Lord that it is its kingdom is not of this world.” vote for, there has always vocation to be.

When the church curries been and there will always favor with earthly potentates, be dissent. This is attendant tacitly allows itself to be a to what our faith does vassal so that it may partake not compromise: dignitas of empire and dominion, humanae (human dignity). it betrays Jesus. chastened Pope Francis recently by a history that included chapters of popes preached a series of conferences on the appointing kings, crowning them, deposing occasion of the Jubilee of Priests. I listened them and settling disputes among them and to them through eWTn’s coverage. In one bishops being invested by kings in turn as a sign of them, he recalled the tradition about the Continued on A9 of royal favor, the church has learned—and

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M O N d aY : j u N e 6 , 2 0 1 6

OPINION lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

So many mouthS to feeD LET me begin this article by paraphrasing one of the most-quoted lines from Robert Frost’s inimitable poetry: The fields are lovely, the seas are deep, but i have promises to keep, and mouths to feed before i sleep, and mouths to feed before i sleep.

The original lines come from the American-British poet’s “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening,” and reads: “The woods are lovely, dark and deep. But i have promises to keep. And miles to go before i sleep. And miles to go before i sleep.” one of the new leadership’s most difficult challenge ahead is fulfilling the promise of “availability and affordability of food” for the Filipino family. it is a challenge that faces not only the incoming agriculture secretary, former North Cotabato gov. Emmanuel Piñol, but the entire economic management team of President-elect Rodrigo duterte, led by his finance secretary, Carlos g. dominguez, himself the agriculture secretary of President Cory Aquino.

The challenge is quite daunting, and the reasons for the difficulty of attaining the same are quantifiable: The Philippines has one of the biggest populations in the world relative to habitable and cultivable land area. The 103-million souls that exist in our 7,100 islands constitute the 12th largest population in the world. That population grows faster than any other country in East Asia.

These 7,100 islands constitute 30 million hectares, not all of which— for lack of water resources or quality of soil—grows food. or can be made to grow food at reasonably recoverable cost.

Compare the paucity of land vis-à-vis population with neighboring Thailand: The kingdom has

51.3-million ger country, SO hectares, both in land with ample area (190-milI SEE w a t e r lion hectares) LITO re s ou rc e s , as well as banayO and just popu lat ion 66 million (258 million). mouths to feed. Seventy That’s two and a half times percent more land than the Philippine population, ours, but only 64 percent but then again, they have a of bodies to feed and land area six times larger. nourish. And the land imagine what happens area is contiguous, not a when Myanmar, with a gaggle of islands as ours, mere 51-million people, which account for higher begins to extensively transport costs. See how cultivate its 67.6-million daunting the odds are? hectares. That’s more than Now compare the per double the land and less capita incomes: Philippines than half our population. has $7,846 but wealth i cringe every time media distribution and income twit our government for disparities are so lopsided in failure to achieve “selffavor of a few rich ones and sufficiency” in rice, a promise against teeming millions oft-repeated by government mired in poverty. Thailand’s after government, yet fail per capita income is $16,706 to achieve repeatedly as —twice as high. well. Media keeps recalling Now look at Vietnam those halcyon days when which, until 40 years Thais and other Southeast ago, was a nation caught Asians came to the country in the turmoil of a most to study at UP Los Banos, or destructive war of attrition even fisheries development between ideology and at our SEAFdEC. “Pero neo-colonialism. it is just ngayon, import tayo ng a bit larger—33-million import sa Thailand at hectares, populated by 90 Vietnam,” media persons million people. Ten percent keep complaining in larger, again in a contiguous shallow comparison. whole, but with a population The reason behind the 10 percent smaller. perennial problem of And because of the food insecurity and lack great Mekong River whose of sufficiency of domestic headwaters come from supply is simple: there are so the Himalayas and the many mouths to feed, and Tibetan highlands and flow there is relatively less land. throughout the length of Yet in 1978, Thailand Vietnam, its agricultural under a military government productivity is significantly sanctioned by its sovereign, higher than the Philippines’. the highly revered Per capita income of $6,414, Bhumibol Adulyadej, had is lower than ours, but it is 44-million people. And so growing faster. had the Philippines, under Malaysia has basically the authoritarian rule of the same area of land— Ferdinand Marcos and the 33-million hectares, cabal of generals that kept but the population is him in power. in 1978, we quite small at 31-million could produce enough rice people. Look at the out of 4.5-million hectares numbers and weep. cultivated to the staple, it’s citizens’ per capita with great thanks to a highincome? $25,833, three cost Masagana 99 program times higher than the of the late dictator at that.

Filipinos’.

But Thailand embarked on indonesia is a much big- a serious program to limit

THE mIgHT... From A8 martyrdom of St. Peter. Unwilling to be crucified in the same way that the Master was, Peter chose to be crucified upside down, a rather uncomfortable way to die. But Pope Francis had a very insightful quip. He said that because Peter got things frequently muddled in his head, he wanted his head down; his feet that had always followed after the Master’s, he wanted elevated. People in the Church will have different ideas about different things and even in the days of the High Scholastics—among the greatest minds not only of Church but of human history—Aquinas and Bonaventure and Scotus did not always agree with each other and in fact, often stormily disagreed! in like manner,

to this day, Catholics may disagree vigorously about who should be elected to office, but that will not keep their feet from following the Lord.

Equally important a figure to the history of the Church is St. Paul— he whose thunderous sermons and voluminous epistolary gave present-day Christianity much of its shape. i boast of my weakness, he wrote, because it is when i am weak that i am strong. Now, of course, to those who know of no other power than that which compels obeisance by harsh, even vulgar speech, or the dread that the threat to kill without much ceremony can strike in the hearts of most mortals, this Pauline paradox is sheer nonsense, an empty play of words. Except, of course, that it played out dramatically—and beautifully—in

population growth. The Philippines after Marcos got Cory following whatever Sin the cardinal said, thus scuttling a nascent population management policy. in 2016, how could the same area of land feed 103-million people? Thailand cultivates 11 million of its 51-million hectares to rice, yet has only 66 million to feed. So it exports rice, while we import the same.

Foolishly, the Aquino government proclaimed an ambitious rice self-sufficiency target by 2013. And thereby pumped so many billions into the quixotic “Filipino dream.” By 2014, selfsufficiency was not in sight, and in the middle of that year, rice prices rose dramatically due to inefficient supply management. That prompted the president to de-link NFA from the department of Agriculture, and threw in NiA, PCA and FPA as well.

The regime will be functus oficio 24 days from now, and yet, there is neither selfsufficiency nor food security.

And there are billions upon billions of precious pesos thrown down the drain in the department of Agriculture’s vain attempt to achieve these. one hundred and three million to feed, as against 66 million. Four and a half million hectares, as against 11 million. Look at the numbers and weep.

Better yet, weep inside the holy confines of your Catholic parish church, especially when the priest riles and rants against reproductive health programs and population management.

Worse, because of low agricultural productivity, plus the problem of water sources, plus climate change that creates a periodic El Niño, and the annual occurrence of strong typhoons, think of how much more difficult it has become to feed so many mouths.

the life of Paul himself. Subjected to humiliation of every kind, including being stripped, flogged and sent off as a prisoner, he won the attention of the whole world, and kept his promise to carry the gospel to the ends of the earth.

That is power of a different kind— different, but nonetheless real!

No, the Church will not be silenced on matters of justice, human dignity, progress, morality and the protection of humankind’s vulnerable sectors. To be silent so as to avoid incurring the wrath of those who wield power is exactly to succumb to one of the first temptations that Jesus roundly rejected: “if you would only bend the knee to me, all of this power will be yours.” Satan lured Jesus, and Jesus said: “No way.” The Kingdom of god does not find relevance only when all the kingdoms

adelle chua EDITOR

A9

Drawing flak early baCK CHannEL aLEJanDRO DEL ROSaRIO RodRigo duterte is the only incoming president who’s drawing flak this early even before he has taken his oath. But the brash, foul-mouthed davao City mayor only brought this upon himself. in his daily davao news conferences, he uses the “p… ina” phrase and the “F” word. on one occasion, he even let out a wolf whistle at a comely female news reporter who was asking a question. The press and the public have never seen such errant behavior from an elected head of state.

“Whistling has no sexual undertone; it’s a freedom of expression,” lamely explained tough-guy digong.

“Any statement or action taken by the president is an indication of official policy,” chimed in Vice President-elect Leni Robredo as she reminded duterte to be careful on how he conducts himself in his public appearances. in reacting to the killing of a reporter in Manila, duterte, instead of condemning the crime, cast aspersion on the victim and media in general, claiming these killings are triggered by corruption in media. Could he not first find out the motive for the murder instead of shooting his mouth off? For his frequent thoughtless remarks, duterte will be known as a loose-lipped, loose-cannon president.

Earlier in the political campaign, duterte cursed Pope Francis during his Manila visit when the mayor got caught in gridlocked traffic. He also made a bad rape joke when he said that as mayor he should have been first in line in the gang-rape of a beautiful Australian missionary in davao. Tsk… tsk. i wonder what the Aussies now think of Pinoys. i suppose digong, with a snap of the finger, would just dismiss what the Australians think.

Well, Mr. President-elect, if you’re telling us not to “F” with you, don’t also “F” with us. The Fourth Estate doesn’t consider itself as a privileged Continued on A10

of earth shall have perished. Brick by brick, stone by stone, heart by heart, life by life, the Kingdom must be built now, and the Church is its seed.

And so when the Church is challenged to demonstrate its power, it must confidently concede: “We have none”—like Lawrence the deacon presented to the raging prefect the poor of Rome when a demand was made on him to present the riches of the Church.

But it will not, for that reason, be any less confident, any less bold, any less prophetic because she follows in the footsteps of a king who wore a crown of thorns—the ultimate symbol of the vanquishment of human stupidity by divine sovereignty! rannie_aquino@sanbeda.edu.ph rannie_aquino@csu.edu.ph rannie_aquino@yahoo.com

A10

M O N D AY : j u N e 6 , 2 0 1 6

OPINION

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

The promise of federalism For all the President-elect’s out of the units that have the capacity to brashness and rude behavior, create jobs and provide education box those who supported and voted and quality social services to their rita linda for him are still optimistic that constituents. This is so because v. jimeno his administration will spell a taxation, which is the lifeblood of difference in their lives. one who any government unit, is limited to belongs to the upper middle class and whose minor local taxation as mayors’ and other permits. reaction I sought about the President-elect’s recent The big-ticket taxes such as taxes on income and press conference said that his trust and faith in capital gains, documentary stamp taxes, customs Duterte has not diminished. Explaining, he said duties, taxes on donation, inheritance, sale of that Duterte is doing exactly what he was voted for agricultural and aquatic products, corporate taxes, —showing what he really is, being straightforward, excise taxes, VAT, etc., all go to the coffers of the and having no fear of the consequences of his national government, although collected by local words or acts. Another said that Duterte’s behavior government units. In turn, the local government is, by no means, an indicator units receive an internal that he would not be a good revenue allotment—or what is chief executive because he has known as the IrA—from the proven himself. There are many, national government. on the other hand, who shake Is the IrA enough to make their heads and say how they way for progress? Hardly.

What is this concept For 2016, the national budget wish the President-elect would behave more in keeping with and will it improve the is P3.002 trillion while the the dignity of the office as he revenue allotments that will lives of the filipino will soon be representing the be distributed among all local people?

Filipino nation to the world’s government units all over the community of nations. country is a mere 14.28 percent The President-elect has of this year’s budget. In a federal promised to metamorphose system of government, states (or from a caterpillar to a butterfly regions) will have the power to when he takes his oath of office. exercise taxation and keep the Even without that promise, he deserves no less revenues in their states, remitting only their respective than a fair shake at proving his mettle. one, he has contributions to the national government. As it is now, the mandate of no fewer than 16,601,997 Filipino the national government sits in Malacañang Palace in voters. Two, the changes he promised are worth Manila, making it nearly impossible for the president watching out for. to know the situation on the ground in the rest of the one such promised change—something I have country. Thus, imperial Manila is over-developed and been dreaming of for this country—is the shift of the gets overpopulated with the influx of people from government structure from a too-centralized unitary various regions seeking jobs. The provinces, generally, system to federalism. President-elect Duterte has been are neglected, causing poverty. In the present system, saying that he favors a shift to federalism during his growth does not trickle down to the poor. campaign. What is this concept and will it improve Moreover, in federalism, candidates are not the lives of the Filipino people? elected at large. They are elected in their respective Federalism, as a political concept, is defined as the states, making the cost of campaigning so much mode of political organization that unites separate less than it is now which requires billions of pesos polities within an overarching or all-encompassing for those seeking a seat in the Senate or the vice political system by distributing power among presidency and the presidency. From among the general and constituent governments in a manner elected representatives of states will be elected the designed to protect the existence and authority of Prime Minister who shall head the government. A both. Although this definition seems a mouthful, president may still be elected at large, depending in simple terms, federalism only means genuine on what the people desire in a plebiscite, and he decentralization of powers to constituent units will be the head of state, representing the country which are the states or regions. Balance of power is in international fora. inherent in federalism.

To my mind, if only this one promise is achieved What we have now is a unitary presidential system by the President-elect in his term, he make a legacy of government, the very opposite of federalism. he will be remembered for.

Local government units such as provinces, cities and municipalities have difficulty raising enough Email: ritalindaj@gmail.com funds to transform themselves into progressive Visit: www.jimenolaw.com.ph

#failocracy

draWing... From A9 class because of their line of work. In fact, it’s a job fraught with danger. You are now public property whether you like it or not. You sought the presidency; anything you say or do will be subject to scrutiny by media. other powerful people have tried killing the messenger bearing the bad news. In the end, the press will survive this onslaught to press freedom. Public officials have a fixed shelf life of six years. Welcome to a whole new world of adversarial relationship, Mr. President!

Senator Pia Cayetano, the sister of Senator Alan Peter Cayetano who lost as Duterte’s VP running mate, said that although she supports Duterte, she found his wolf whistle to a female reporter attending his press conference unacceptable. Well said, Pia. You said what brother Alan was unable to say. But that’s understandable because Alan Cayetano wants to be Senate President or Secretary of Foreign Affairs and that can only happen with Duterte’s blessing.

The mercurial president even raised the bar by challenging media to boycott his news conferences. The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines issued a statement saying a boycott is not the solution because it would be a dereliction of their duty. Whether they like the president or not, he’s the main source of major news. But why not a boycott? After all, the Malacañang press office will still churn out the news. Poor Sal Panelo, who has been appointed presidential spokesman.

He does not know what he’s getting into. Being a lawyer like outgoing PNoy spokesman Edwin Lacierda does not make you more credible. It also does not make the job easier. Duterte’s advisers ask the press to understand the often-abrasive words of their principal, adding the man will change and conduct himself in a more presidential manner once he takes office. Yeah, right. Can the leopard change his spots or the tiger his stripes? Such is the nature of the beast even if you put it in a cage in a zoo. What you see is what you get. Too bad 16 million Filipino voters did not see through Duterte’s tough-guy demeanor early enough during the political campaign.

While the incoming president’s public pronouncement to fight crime and drug trafficking is commendable, his shoot-to-kill and reward money offer is encouraging vigilante justice among law enforcers. In Cebu City, Mayor Tommy osmeña is offering blood money for any drug pusher killed.

In Batangas, another mayor parades drug-pushing suspects to shame.

But they are still plumbline suspects and have a right to due process. pastor What we need is strict apollo law enforcement and quiboloy airtight prosecution Pastor Quiboloy’s column will of drug trafficking resume soon. cases.

chong ardivilla

m o n day : j un e 6 , 2 0 1 6

A11

sports sports@thestandard.com.ph

Fuellas, Ong dominate HEAD tilt TOP seed Emmanuel Fuellas and Althea Faye Ong dominated their respective ranks to lead all winners in the recent ninth leg of 18th HEAD Graphene XT Junior Tennis Satellite Circuit at the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority Tennis Center in Olongapo City.

Fuellas showcased his powerful serves and strong forehand volleys to pull off a 6-3, 6-1 win over Jonas Silva and cop the boys’ 18-and-under singles’ title of the grassroots satellite tennis competition yearly organized by the Dynamic Sports.

Althea Faye Ong, the No. 1 seed in the girls’ 14-and-under singles class, blasted Angelyn Atos, 6-3, 6-0, to win the trophy. She also did the same thing on Jannah Reyes, 6-0, 6-2, to take home her second crown – the girls’ 16-under singles’ division.

The tournament was participated in by more than 200 players around central Luzon and supported by HEAD, Chris Sports, Toalson, 92.5 FM Aksyon Sports, Reach Magazine, Philippine Tennis Association, Pilipino Mirror, ANC, Impact Magazine and Podcast.ph.

In other boys’ finals results, No. 4 Aljon Talatayod blanked Jonas Silva, 6-4, 3-6, 6-2, to earn the boys’ 16-and-under trophy; Aldwyn Jerico Rosales bashed Andrei Jarata, 6-3, 6-3, to bag the boys’ 14-and-under title; and Andrei Jarata outplayed Joewyn Pascua, 6-4, 6-3, for the boys’ 12-and-under crown.

Jet Spikers eye share of lead Games today 1 p.m. – Cignal vs Navy 4 p.m. – Air Force vs UP 6:30 p.m. – NU vs Bali Pure

AIR Force seeks a share of the lead with a streaking Pocari Sweat side as it collides with University of the Philippines Monday in the Shakey’s V-League Season 13-Open Conference at The Arena in San Juan City.

The Lady Jet Spikers overpowered the Baguio Summer Spikers, 25-15, 25-19, 25-18, last Saturday after trouncing the undermanned BaliPure squad last week, putting the comebacking squad on track in the early going of the season-opening conference of the league sponsored by Shakey’s and organized

by Sports Vision.

Despite their fine start, Air Force coach Jasper Jimenez has opted to down play their chances and instead urges his wards to toughen up and improve their reception and net and floor defense.

Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors and Kyrie Irving (inset) of the Cleveland Cavaliers are shown during practice and media availability as part of the 2016 NBA Finals at ORACLE Arena in Oakland, California. AFP

Curry, Irving seek better shooting form OAKLAND—Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry and Cleveland Cavaliers playmaker Kyrie Irving will try to shake off poor shooting performances Sunday in game two of the NBA Finals NBA scoring champion Curry connected on only 4-of-15 shots for 11 points in the Warriors’ 104-89 victory in Thursday’s best-of-seven series opener while Irving hit just 7-of-22 from the f loor but went 11-of-12 from the free throw line to score a game-high 26 points.

“I’m going to continue to have an aggressive mindset,” Irving said. “You have to pick and choose your spots. It’s just being more efficient in those spots

when we’re in transition, more efficient on those opportunities.”

Two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Curry, who hit a record 402 3-pointers this season, will often be guarding Irving as he tries to bounce back from one of his worst showings.

“I just need to play better,” Curry said. “When we’re at our competitive best as a team is usually when I’m playing a pretty good game. I don’t think I need to press to score a cer-

tain amount of points, but be more decisive with the ball.”

That’s the same thing Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue wants to see from Irving.

“We want Kyrie to be aggressive but it has to be sharp, quick attacks,” Lue said. “You can’t dribble for eight or nine seconds.

“But we need him to score.

Kyrie is the one guy we have who can break down guys off the dribble, so it’s going to be a fine line but he has to be quicker on the attack.”

Lue also told Cavaliers star LeBron James to pick up the offensive pace and make quicker decisions just as Irving must.

“He can score with the best of them and you never want to take that aggression from him,” James said of Irving.

“We know as a team when the

ball is moving and has good energy behind it, we’re all in good rhythm.”

Curry got a brief lesson in Saturday’s practice from Jerry West, a Warriors part owner and executive who was a 1960s star for the Los Angeles Lakers.

West, whose silhouette was used for the NBA’s logo, worked with Curry on hand positions but downplayed his effort, saying, “I’m no messenger.”

Still, it was clear Curry was intently paying attention to every hint and idea.

“He has such a unique perspective and the little things he sees, especially from my game —how to use leverage with your hands, use your body to create space—that’s invaluable advice,” Curry said.

Elite grab 2nd Penang win

Pague stamps class in Ozamis netfest

PENANG, Malaysia—Blackwater came through with a flurry of threepoint shots from its bench players in the second quarter and rolled past Thailand Pea Basketball Club, 89-76 in the 2016 Penang Chief Minister Cup International Basketball Invitational Championships Saturday at the Han Chiang Indoor Stadium here.

Raphael Reyes, Juami Tiongson and rookie Almond Vosotros combined for seven triples that saw the Elite pull away from a tight contest for a 57-39 halftime lead.

Reyes led Blackwater with 16, while Lastimosa and Bambam Gamalinda chipped in 14 and 13, respectively, as the Elite chalked up their second straight

ZAMBOANGA, Sibugay native Jose Maria Pague has established a stranglehold on the 16-under and 18-under boys’ age groups in the Cebuana Lhuillier Age Group Tennis Championship Series leg in Ozamis City after dominating anew the two categories.

Pague brushed off Lanao del Norte bet Andrei Cuevas’s challenge in the 16-under finals, winning, 6-3, 6-2, and followed it with an easy 6-2, 6-1 victory over Marawi City ‘s Duma Hakim Boloto in the 18- under champion-

win in as many outings.

The Elite, however, need to play a lot tougher and smarter if they want to upset powerhouse Zhejiang Chouzhou Commercial Bank of China.

“Basing it from the performances of Malaysia and India, siguro tingin ko China din ‘yung malakas, pero sana we can play our very best against them,” said Blackwater coach Leo Isaac, noting China’s tall front court of Zhang Yong Peng, Zhang Dayu and Lai Jung.

The Blackwater coach said starting center JP Erram, the tallest player in the team at 6’8”, will need all the help he can get from his other big men like James Sena, Kyle Pascual and undersized energy player Gilbert Bulawan.

ship match of the series, supported by Dunlop Sports as official ball.

The tournament is now on its first decade of discovering and producing young tennis champions from different regions of the country.

In the distaff side, Cebuana bet Elizabeth Abarquez duplicated Pague’s feat, beating Carlyn Bless Guarde, 0-6, 6-1, 6-3, in the finals of the 16-under, and had an easier time against local player Carmeville Gervacio, 6-2, 6-2 for the 18-under crown.

“Pague’s performance

has been phenomenal in the ongoing series and we expect him to be donning the country’s colors in the very near future,” said an elated Jean Henri Lhuillier, President/CEO of the sponsoring Cebuana Lhuillier Group and current Philippine Tennis Association Chairman.

Lhuillier is also a many-time team manager of the Philippine Davis Cup team.

Other familiar faces emerged winners in the leg hosted by the Ozamis City Tennis Club and attracted close to

200 entries.

In the boys’ side, Lanao del Norte’s Richard Bautista had an easy 6-3, 6-2 win over provincemate Euri Tagal for the 14-under crown; Brent Sigmond Cortes annexed the 12-under title anew, beating Nash Agustines from Oroquieta City, 6-4, 6-3 in the finals; while Heinz Asian Carbonilla maintained his dominance in the 10-under unisex age group, sweeping Kurt Gervan Bandolis, 4-0, 4-0 in their championship meeting.

Republic of the Philippines DEPARTMENT of AGRARIAN REFORM

1.7.5 Investors ensure that projects respect the rule of law, reflect industry best practice, are viable economically, and result in durable shared value.18

ELLIPTICAL ROAD, DILIMAN, QUEZON CITY • TELS. 928-7031 TO 39

1.7.6 Investments generate desirable social and distributional impacts and do not increase vulnerability.19

ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER No. 04 Series of 2016 SUBJECT: RULES ON AGRI-BUSINESS AGREEMENTS

VENTURE

1.8 The DAR adopts and observes the provisions of the VGGT:

PREFATORY STATEMENT

1.8.1 The DAR shall:

Since the issuance of Administrative Order (A.O.) No. 9, Series of 2006, many issues have cropped up in relation to AgriBusiness Venture Agreements (AVAs) over the last decade.

This required the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) to undertake consultations1 to look into these matters. Relatedly, many international principles2 related to AVAs were issued in the said period. Based on the results of the consultations, the guidance of new international principles, and in keeping with the policies provided by our Constitution and Republic Act (R.A.) No. 6657, as amended, these Rules on AVAs are hereby promulgated.

CHAPTER 1 STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLES 1.1 The State shall promote social justice in all phases of national development.3 The promotion of social justice shall include the commitment to create economic opportunities based on freedom of initiative and selfreliance.4

Prevent tenure disputes, violent conflicts and corruption. It shall take active measures to prevent tenure disputes from arising and from escalating into violent conflicts.22 Ensure that business enterprises act with due diligence to avoid infringing on the human rights and legitimate tenure rights of others.23

1.8.3 All forms of transactions in tenure rights as a result of investments in land shall be done transparently in line with relevant national sectoral policies and be consistent with the objectives of social and economic growth and sustainable human development focusing on smallholders.25 Responsible investments shall do no harm, safeguard against dispossession of legitimate tenure right holders and environmental damage, and shall be compliant with national laws and international core labor standards.26

1.4 The use of property bears a social function, and all economic agents shall contribute to the common good.

Individuals and private groups, including corporations, cooperatives, and similar collective organizations, shall have the right to own, establish, and operate economic enterprises, subject to the duty of the State to promote distributive justice and to intervene when the common good so demands.8 Owners of agricultural land have the obligation to cultivate directly or through labor administration the lands they own and thereby make the land productive.9

1.8.4 The DAR shall, with appropriate consultation and participation, provide transparent rules on the scale, scope and nature of allowable transactions in tenure rights and should define what constitutes large-scale transactions in tenure rights.27 1.8.5 The DAR and other relevant parties shall inform individuals, families and communities of their tenure rights, and assist to develop their capacity in consultations and participation, including providing professional assistance as required.

1.5 The State shall promote comprehensive rural development and agrarian reform.10 The State shall, by law, undertake an agrarian reform program founded on the right of farmers and regular farmworkers, who are landless, to own directly or collectively the lands they till or, in the case of other farmworkers, to receive a just share of the fruits thereof.11 It is the policy of the State to pursue a Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP). The welfare of the landless farmers and farmworkers will receive the highest consideration to promote social justice and to move the nation toward sound rural development and industrialization, and the establishment of owner cultivatorship of economic-size farms as the basis of Philippine agriculture.12

1.8.6 Contracting parties should provide comprehensive information to ensure that all relevant persons are engaged and informed in the negotiations, and should seek that the agreements are documented and understood by all who are affected. The negotiation process should be non-discriminatory and gender sensitive.28 1.8.7 The DAR and affected parties should contribute to the effective monitoring of the implementation and impacts of agreements involving large-scale transactions in tenure rights, including acquisitions and partnership agreements. The State should take corrective action where necessary to enforce agreements and protect tenure and other rights and provide mechanisms whereby aggrieved parties can request such action.29

1.6 The DAR shall respect both the investors’ and the ARBs’ rights to freely and voluntarily enter into AVA, in that the contracting parties may establish such stipulations, clauses, terms and conditions as it may deem convenient, provided they are not contrary to laws, morals, good customs, public order, or public policy.13

1.8.8 In case of disagreements between the parties arising from the validity, enforceability, breach of contract, the State shall strive to provide legal assistance to vulnerable and marginalized persons to ensure safe access for all to justice without discrimination.30

1.7 The DAR adopts and adheres to the following principles of the CFS-RAI: 1.7.1 Existing rights to land are recognized and respected.14

1.9 The DAR recognizes that benefits of perennial agriculture include: reduced expenditure for smallholder farmers (i.e. seed, fertilizer, and other inputs; extended growing seasons); protection of biodiversity and the development of healthy soil ecosystems that can ensure food security over the long term. Moreover systems which include perennial crops should offer farmers greater flexibility and diversity of enterprise, including livestock, and greater stability of income.31 To this end, the State shall encourage the cultivation perennial crops as far as practicable.

1.7.2 Investments do not jeopardize food security but rather strengthen it.15 1.7.3 Processes relating to investments in agriculture are transparent, monitored, and ensure accountability by all stakeholders, within a proper business, legal, and regulatory environment.16 1.7.4 All those materially affected are consulted, and agreements from consultations are recorded and enforced.17

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

Provide access to justice to deal with infringements of legitimate tenure rights.

It shall provide effective and accessible means to everyone, through judicial authorities or other approaches, to resolve disputes over tenure rights; and to provide affordable and prompt enforcement of outcomes.21

1.8.2 The DAR acknowledges that responsible public and private investments are essential to improve food security. Responsible governance of tenure of land encourages tenure right holders to make responsible investments in these resources, increasing sustainable agricultural production and generating higher incomes.24

1.3 The goals of the national economy are a more equitable distribution of opportunities, income, and wealth; a sustained increase in the amount of goods and services produced by the nation for the benefit of the people; and an expanding productivity as the key to raising the quality of life for all, especially the underprivileged.

The State shall promote industrialization and full employment based on sound agricultural development and agrarian reform, through industries that make full and efficient use of human and natural resources, and which are competitive in both domestic and foreign markets.7

2

1.8.1.2

1.8.1.4

1.2 The State recognizes the indispensable role of the private sector, encourages private enterprise, and provides incentives to needed investments.5 The State shall pursue a trade policy that serves the general welfare and utilizes all forms and arrangements of exchange on the basis of equality and reciprocity.6

The Philippine Government, through the Department of Agrarian Reform, sought the technical and financial assistance of the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (UN FAO) and the expertise of the World Resources Institute (WRI) in conducting a Multi-Sectoral Study on Agribusiness Venture Arrangement (AVA) Policy and Implementation under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) in order to install more responsive policies and guidelines addressing the needs of agrarian reform beneficiaries, smallholder farmers, and their farmer organizations in increasing their farm-based income, and the private investors with regard to sustaining the profitability of their investments.

Such as the (a) the Principles for Responsible Agricultural Investment That Respects Rights, Livelihoods and Resources (CFS-RAI); (b) the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests in the Context of National Food Security (VGGT); and (c) the UNIDROIT, FAO and IFAD. 2015. UNIDROIT/FAO/IFAD Legal Guide on Contract Farming. Rome.

Sec.10, Article II, 1987 Philippine Constitution.

Sec. 2, Article XIII, 1987 Philippine Constitution.

Sec. 20, Article II, 1987 Philippine Constitution.

Sec. 13, Article XII, 1987 Philippine Constitution.

Sec. 1, Article XII, 1987 Philippine Constitution.

Sec. 6, Article XII, 1987 Philippine Constitution.

Sec. 2, R.A. No. 6657, 1987 Philippine Constitution.

Sec. 21, Article II, 1987 Philippine Constitution.

Sec. 4, Article XIII, 1987 Philippine Constitution.

Sec. 2, Republic Act (R.A.) No. 6657, as amended by R.A. No. 9700.

Art. 1306, Civil Code of the Philippines.

Principle 1, CFS-RAI. Principle 2, CFS-RAI. Principle 3, CFS-RAI. Principle 4, CFS-RAI.

Recognize, respect, and safeguard all legitimate tenure right holders and their rights, and promote and facilitate the enjoyment of the same.20

1.8.1.3

Section 1. Statements of Principles. –

1

1.8.1.1

CHAPTER 2 PRELIMINARY PROVISIONS Section 2. Definition, Scope, and Coverage – This A.O. shall be limited to Agri-Business Venture Agreements covering lands covered by Emancipation Patents (EPs) and Certificates of Land Ownership Award (CLOAs) and such other Titles issued pursuant to an agrarian reform law.

18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

Principle 5, CFS-RAI. Principle 6, CFS-RAI. Secs. 3A.1.1 to 3A.1.3 and 12.5, VGGT. Sec. 3A.1.4, VGGT. Sec. 3A.1.5, VGGT. Sec. 3A.2, VGGT. Sec. 12.1, VGGT. Sec. 12.3, VGGT. See Sec. 12.4, VGGT. Sec. 12.4, VGGT. Sec. 12.11, VGGT. Sec. 12.14, VGGT. Sec. 21.6, VGGT: In providing dispute resolution mechanisms, States should strive to provide legal assistance to vulnerable and marginalized persons to ensure safe access for all to justice without discrimination. Judicial authorities and other bodies should ensure that their staff have the necessary skills and competencies to provide such services.

31 FAO, Consiglio per la Ricerca e la sperimentazione in Agticoltura (CRA), et. al. Perennial Crops for Food Security Proceeding of the FAO Expert Workshop (2013). Rome, Italy: FAO.

For purposes of this AO, an Agri-Business Venture Agreement (AVA) refers to a contract entered into by an agrarian reform beneficiary (ARB) or group of ARBs, or such juridical entities of ARBs owning the awarded land involved, on the one hand, and an investor, on the other, which involves the: (i) Possession of the land; (ii) Management of the operations of the farming of the land; (iii) Control/Distribution of the produce of the land, for a period of more than two cropping seasons; (iv) Commitment of the owners to produce certain crops, at a determinable quantity, for a period of more than two cropping seasons; and/or (v) Such other arrangements abovementioned.

similar

to

the

Provided, That simple transactions of purchase of inputs or sale of crops or products, insofar as these are not linked to any of the abovementioned enumeration, shall not be considered as an AVA. CHAPTER 3 ENTERING INTO AVA CONTRACT ARTICLE A PERSONALITY TO NEGOTIATE AND SIGN Section 3. Owners as Principal Bargaining Unit. – The owner(s) of the awarded land has the ultimate authority whether or not to enter into an AVA. He/she/they is/are the principal bargaining unit.

Section 4. Agrarian Reform Cooperative as Owner. – In case the ARBs transferred ownership of the land, pursuant to the pertinent laws and rules, to an Agrarian Reform Cooperative32 (AR Cooperative), the laws (especially the Cooperative Code) and pertinent rules on entering into such contracts akin to AVA shall govern in concurrence with this AO. Section 5. Multiple Individual Owners, Agent an Option.

– In case the proposed AVA involves several awarded lands covered by individual CLOAs, or tracts of land covered by a Collective CLOA, the affected ARB-Owners have the option to designate, elect, or appoint an Agent, through a written Special Power of Attorney (SPA), to negotiate a possible AVA with an investor.

The Agent can be a person (whether the ARB-Owner or a third person), a group of persons (all ARB-Owners, all third persons, or a combination of both), or a juridical entity (such as, among others, a cooperative).

In crafting the SPA, it is recommended that the ARB-Owners consider the following matters: (a) The number of members of the Agent, if they decide to create a team; (b) Whether or not the Agent shall only be granted the authority to negotiate, or will include the authority to give consent to, sign and/or execute the proposed AVA on behalf of the several ARB-Owners; (c) If the Agent is granted the authority to sign and execute, whether it is necessary for the Agent to seek the concurrence, ratification or approval of the individual ARBs on the contents of the AVA negotiated before Agent can sign and execute the same, Provided, That the Agent will still be required to explain to the individual ARBs the AVA agreed upon and its repercussions; (d) Limitations or restrictions on the provisions of the AVA that the Agent can negotiate, such as, but not limited to, the length of contract, amount of consideration, benefits that must be sought, and quantity of crops to be committed; (e) Handling of expenses of the Agent in relation and incidental to the process of negotiations; and (f) Whether or not they want the DAR to be an Observer during the negotiation conferences.

If sought by the ARBs, it is the duty of the DAR Provincial Office (DARPO) to assist the ARBs in the crafting of the SPA, but the substance thereof must be collectively decided solely by the ARBs. In all instances, whether the SPA was executed with or without the assistance of the DARPO, the Agent shall submit at least one original copy of the SPA to the DAR. The DAR may, on its own initiative, through a petition, or as the circumstances may warrant, look into whether or not the ARB-Owners who signed the same gave their free, informed consent.

Section 6. Stabilization of Collective CLOA, a Prerequisite. – The stability of the tenure of the collective owners of a Collective CLOA will necessarily affect the stability of an AVA. Unless all ownership issues have been threshed out, any question as to the consent given by the ARBs to an AVA will pose a danger to the stability of the latter.

Hence, the procedure of the stability of Collective CLOAs, as provided in A.O. No. 03, Series of 2016, with respect to a particular Collective CLOA must be completed first before the collective owners thereof enter into an AVA. Section 7. Reference to ARBs. – The ARB-Owner(s) or the AR Cooperative, by himself/herself/itself/themselves or acting through their Agent, as the case may be, shall be hereafter referred to as the ARB Negotiation Unit or “ANU” for brevity.

ARTICLE B INITIATION AND PRE-NEGOTIATION Section 8. Initiating Official Negotiation Process. – In case an ANU and an investor agree to start negotiating for an AVA, the parties shall submit their intention in writing to the DAR Provincial Office (DARPO) which has jurisdiction over the pertinent landholding.

If the ARB-Owner(s) is/are acting through their Agent, his/her/its SPA must be attached to the written intent; Provided, however, that the written intent shall not be deemed as defective if the SPA was not attached thereto for the reason that it was not yet 32 As defined and governed by R.A. No. 9520.

executed at that time. Unless such SPA has been duly submitted to and received by the DAR, the Agent may not represent and act on behalf of the other ARB-Owners whose landholdings shall be covered under the prospective AVA.

11.3 Other Services Available – The ARBs shall be informed of the services and programs available to them from the national government agencies and the local government units.

The written intention must also state, among others, whether or not one or both the parties wants the DAR to sit as an observer in their negotiation meetings, and if so shall undertake the obligation to inform DAR in writing the schedule of their negotiation meetings no earlier than three (3) days prior to each meeting. They will also undertake to wait for the DAR Advisory to Proceed with Negotiations (DAPN) before proceeding with their first negotiation meeting.

Access to these programs will depend on the needs of the ARBOwners, the qualification rules of the activity and program, and the availability of resources.

In addition, the following must be attached to their written application: (1) A list of EP/CLOA Numbers, TCT Numbers, and date of registration of the landholdings to be covered by the AVA; (2) Information regarding any issue as to the tenurial status of the ARB-Owners such as: a.

Cases and disputes questioning the qualification or ownership of one or more of the ARB-Owners;

b.

Issues on possession over the landholdings to be covered by the AVA;

c.

Formal and informal encumbrances over the landholdings to be covered by the AVA;

d.

Real Property Tax arrears, if any;

e.

Amortization status of the ARB-Owners

(3) Information regarding the investors, including the following: a.

Certified copies of memoranda and articles of association or incorporation.

b.

Location of the registered office in the country of domicile.

c.

List of directors of the company

d.

Local representatives (if company is foreign owned).

e.

Previous experience of this type of investment.

f.

Overview of business plan – production model and alternatives, number of hectares, export versus domestic sales, timeline, expected pass-on rates, etc.

g.

h.

Involvement in any tenure rights disputes/violations and/or other environmental or social disputes/ violations.

Copy of most recent financial statements or, if company is new, copy of bank statement showing capital for investment, or such other sources of funds.33

Section 9. Ensuring the Transparency between the parties. – Upon receipt of the written intent to negotiate and its attachments, the DARPO will immediately assess the information submitted by the ARB-Owners with respect to their tenurial status, and the investors with respect to themselves, by looking at data and resources available to the Office and submit its findings to both the ANU and the investors for their reference.

Section 10. Improving the Bargaining Power of ARBs and smallholder farmers – Simultaneous to the conduct of the assessment stated in Section 9 hereof, the DAR, by itself or through other private or public entities which will be funded by the DAR34 through a capacity building fund35,36, shall provide the ARB-Owners of the following with the purpose of strengthening the bargaining power of the ARBs and smallholder farmers: 10.1 Business and legal advice and consultation – Capacity building, coaching or mentoring services on business development services, market-oriented agricultural extension services and legal services.

This may be provided either directly by government or indirectly by tapping professional service providers that shall be paid for by the government subject to availability of fund. Such advice, however, shall not be deemed ratification of the terms of the AVA or warranty thereof on the part of the government and its duly authorized representative.

10.2 Data and Information – Data on feasibility studies, industry analyses, crop data, and annual reports of potential partners and other pertinent information to aid the ARB-Owners in decision-making. The standard prices of inputs with respect to the crop(s) involved and the national and international data on prices of the said crop(s) shall also be given. These shall be explained to the ARBs and smallholder farmers.

Section 11. Pre-Negotiation Conference. – Simultaneous to the conduct of the assessment stated in Section 9 hereof and the activities to improve the bargaining power of the ANU under Section 10 hereof, the DAR shall convene a Pre-Negotiation Conference.

The DAR, during the Pre-Negotiation Conference, will inform the ARBs of the following available support services program which may be availed, subject to the needs of the ARB-Owners and the availability of government resources, through the government or private institutions: 11.1 Financial services and crop insurance37 – Financial services and agricultural insurance shall be made available for ARBs and smallholder farmers.

Financial and insurance service providers shall be tapped to enhance the flow of these services.

11.2 Rural infrastructure – Critical rural infrastructure like roads and irrigation.

33 FAO (2015). Governance of Tenure Technical Guide No. 4, page 50. Available at http://www.fao. org/3/a-i4998e.pdf, last accessed 9 April 2016.

34 Following the pertinent procurement rules and procedures.

35 To be composed of SILCAB (Social Infrastructure and Local Capability Building) and SARED (Sustainable Area-Based Rural Enterprise Development) funds of the DAR Central, Regional, and Provincial Offices.

36 Multi-Sectoral Study on AVA Policy and Implementation under the CARP engaged by FAO and DAR 37 Multi-Sectoral Study on AVA Policy and Implementation under the CARP engaged by FAO and DAR

Section 12. DAR Advisory to Proceed with Negotiations. – Once the DAR accomplishes the steps laid down in Sections 9, 10, and 11 hereof, the PARPO shall immediately issue a DAR Advisory to Proceed with Negotiations (DAPN). A list of the mandatory provisions provided in Section 15 hereof shall be attached to the DAPN. The investor and the ANU shall each be given an original copy of the said Advisory and its attachment.

Thereafter, the parties may schedule their Negotiation Conference meetings.

ARTICLE C NEGOTIATION Section 13. The Negotiation Conference. – The ANU and the investor will act with mutual respect during their negotiation conference.

Should one or both of the parties request the DAR to observe the proceedings, the DARPO shall act only as an impartial and neutral observer during the conference. It shall endeavor to enable the negotiation to proceed peacefully and without any violence, duress, force, or threat thereof, intimidation, fraud or malice from either party.

Regardless if it is invited as an observer or not, any of the parties may request for relevant data or information from the DAR. Should it have access to the said data or information and it is available for public viewing, then the DAR shall immediately provide the requested data/information.

At the option of the ANU and upon their written request, the DAR, through the Provincial Agrarian Legal Assistance Unit (hereafter referred to as the ALA team), may render free legal assistance to them. The ALA team shall work independently from the DAR Observers. The ALA team, unlike the DAR Observers, is tasked to advocate for the legal rights of the ANU. However, the opinion and advice of the ALA team shall not be binding upon the DAR and shall not be deemed as a ratification by the DAR of the provisions that may be included in the AVA on the basis thereof.

The official report of the DAR Observers shall be open for viewing by any of the participants of the conference, subject to the DAR’s rules on transparency. The parties shall also be given copies of the said report.

Section 14. Consensus and Reports – Should the DAR be invited as an observer, the DARPO shall report to both parties the summary of discussions. This report shall in no way be binding, but it shall simply advice the parties of what transpired per record of the DAR. ARTICLE D MANDATORY PROVISIONS AND PROVISIONS TO CONSIDER IN THE AVA Section 15. Mandatory Provisions. – The following provisions are required in every AVA: 15.1. The consideration of the AVA, the determination of which must consider several factors but which must include the following: 15.1.1. land amortization38 value per hectare per year, multiplied by the number of hectares and the number of years of the life of the AVA; 15.1.2 annual real property tax per hectare, multiplied by the number of hectares and the number of years of the life of the AVA; and 15.1.3 in case of lease AVAs, the increase of annual consideration on the basis of the annualized Core Inflation Rate most recently published by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

The two abovementioned factors however must not be the only factors in determining the annual consideration.

15.2. A period for renegotiation of the AVA which should start not earlier than three (3) years, or, in case the primary crop is a perennial one, one (1) year, from the end of the term of the AVA.39 15.3. That failure to renegotiate or agree to an extension shall result in the immediate and actual cessation of the relationship created under the AVA. 15.4 An express statement that both parties obligate themselves to uphold the provisions of the labor law and such rules and regulations issued pursuant thereto in the implementation of the AVA. 15.5. An express statement that both parties agree that any issue or dispute arising from the AVA, or such questions pertaining to its validity, shall be threshed out through a mediation/conciliation proceeding40 first before the filing of an action.

15.6. The AVA and the employment contracts of the investor with its employees (including ARB-owners who may be hired as a result of the AVA) shall be separate, distinct and independent from one another, such that the termination of the employment shall not affect the terms of the AVA, and, conversely, the expiration or termination of the AVA shall not cause the automatic termination of the employer-employee relationship between the employees and the investor.

15.7. In the case of AVAs involving lease of agricultural land, the terms and conditions pertaining to the improvements introduced by the investor over the land leased, such as, among others, the manner by which such improvements may be retained or removed at the termination of the lease and/or the manner of its valuation by such date.

38 Amortization herein pertains to that required under Section 26 of R.A. No. 6657. If the amortization has already been fully paid, or there is no required amortization (such as in the case of public lands distributed through CARP), then the value of LAV shall be 0.

39 For example, if the term of the AVA is until June 2016, the period for renegotiation must begin sometime between June 2013 and June 2016, or in case of a perennial crop, between June 2015 and June 2016.

40 The DAR may conduct such mediation/conciliation proceeding if so desired by the parties, but the parties are not required to have the DAR act as facilitator of the same. They may engage mediators/ conciliators accredited by the DAR.

15.8. Provision by the investor of a program for technology and farm management training for the ARBs. 15.9. The date of effectivity of the AVA must not be earlier than the date of its approval pursuant to Article F hereof.

15.10. Furthermore, the AVA may not contain the following provisions: i.

an automatic extension or re-enactment of the AVA;

ii.

unilateral take-over of the investor over the possession or management of the land;

iii. non-payment of rentals on the ground of crop failure due to natural calamities and/or force majeure, in case of lease AVAs; and iv. transfer of ownership of the land.

15.11. Finally, the AVA may not contain any provision that is contrary to an agrarian or any other law.

Section 16. Guide. – Based on the UNIDROIT Principles 201041, the VGGT42, the CRS-RAI the findings and recommendations contained in the Multi-Sectoral Study on AVAs43, and the previous A.O.s on AVAs, the following provisions in the AVA may also be provided by the parties, at their option and whenever applicable; Provided, that it shall not be required that the parties incorporate and adopt any of the following provisions enumerated herein: 16.1. AVAs in general 16.1.1. Goals and objectives.

16.1.2. Production process: (a) provision and use of inputs, (b) production methods, compliance and control; (c)product quantity and quality, and product safety; and (d) delivery of product: (i) Time and place; (ii) Acceptance.

16.1.3. Risk allocation: (a) production risk allocation, (b) commercial risk allocation, and (c) exclusivity.

16.1.4.Payment mechanisms, scales and time and method of payment.

16.1.5. Insurance obligations and other mitigation and allocation schemes.

risk

16.1.6. Communication mechanisms between parties: (a) framework for consultations and monitoring between the investor and the ARB/s-Owner/s and the means by which the ARB/s-Owner/s can participate in the planning, implementation, management, measurement and monitoring of activities; (b) the means and consultation process for defining the roles and obligations in sustainable development of the investor and ARB/s-Owner/s; (c) The location where parties can consult the agreement.

16.1.7. Accounting, auditing, record keeping and information management, transparency and annual reporting mechanisms: (1) means by which funds made available under the agreement are disbursed and for what purposes; (2) The accounts that must be kept and by whom; and reporting and auditing requirements.

16.1.8. Remedies for breach of obligation: (a) corrective measures and penalty; (b) grounds for (i) price reduction, the (ii) suspension of the agreement, (iii) termination with proper notice and exit and winding up clauses 16.1.9. Excuses for non-performance of obligation, i.e. recognition and consequence of change of circumstances (rebus sic stantibus).

16.1.10. Dispute resolution mechanisms.

16.1.11. Terms of renegotiation and renewal.

16.1.12. Review, amendment, and modification of contract provisions: (a) means for reviewing the agreement and how parties will be bound by the current agreement if any modifications sought by one party are not agreed to by the other party; (b) review mechanisms for setting of prices; (c) changes in the economic assumptions and/ or the prevailing economic conditions at the time of AVA application and processing as well as changes on the physical attributes of the land, the critical terms of the contracts (i.e., duration and amounts involved); Provided, that all modified contracts shall be subject to the same process of review and approval as provided in herein.

16.2 AVAs concerning lease of land: 16.2.1. Frequency of rent revisions and method of calculating adjustments to the rent; Contribution to or payment of the legal expenses of the community or holder(s) of legitimate tenure rights through an “arm’s length” fund; 16.2.2. Management and operation of the subject landholding within the period stipulated in the lease agreement in accordance with sound agricultural, financial, business and environmental practices; 16.2.3. Full and peaceful possession and enjoyment of the leased property by the lesseeinvestor during the duration of the lease agreement; bar on physical appropriation or partition of the leased land among the ARB cooperative’s/association’s members; 41 UNIDROIT, FAO and IFAD. 2015. UNIDROIT/FAO/IFAD Legal Guide on Contract Farming. Rome.

42 FAO (2015). Governance of Tenure Technical Guide No. 4, page 90-91. Available at http://www. fao.org/3/a-i4998e.pdf, last accessed 9 April 2016.

43 Multi-Sectoral Study on AVA Policy and Implementation under the CARP engaged by FAO and DAR

16.2.4. Conditions under which the lessor can enter the property to inspect the investor’s activities and monitor lease compliance; 16.2.5. Option to buy non-permanent improvements which are beneficial to the land at the amount agreed upon by both parties; 16.2.6. Option to remove, transfer or move nonpermanent improvements with the written consent of the lessor-ARB/s, prior to or upon termination/expiration of the lease agreement in case the lessor-ARB/s will not opt to purchase such non-permanent improvement, chargeable to the lessee’s account, and without causing any damage to the premises and the land; 16.2.7. Maintenance of ecological balance through sustainable and efficient use of natural resources in the area, preserve soil fertility by providing the necessary investments to conserve the quality of the land such as soil and water conservation and fertility maintenance, and ensure the safety of the agricultural workers by conforming to internationally accepted standards in the use of hazardous chemicals.

16.2.8. Obtaining the consent of the lessor-ARB/s before the conduct of any experimental project(s) not directly related to the production and processing of the agricultural products, but deemed necessary for sound agricultural production; 16.2.9. Condition in which land is to be returned and the liabilities for deterioration; 16.2.10. Details of rehabilitation and resettlement plans for land users who do not hold legitimate tenure rights; 16.3 AVAs concerning Joint Venture Contracts (JVC): 16.3.1. Additional seats in the board for ARBs, as agreed by the parties, as special privilege as incorporators or founders pursuant to Sec. 7 of B.P. Blg. 68.

16.3.2. Preference for employment in the joint venture for ARBs and/or their dependents.

16.3.3. Option of a member to sell his/her share capital to the cooperative or nominate his/ her successor to the cooperative, in cases of his/her permanent total incapacity. In case of death, his/her heirs have the option either to monetize his/her share capital or nominate his/her successor to the cooperative. In both cases, the nominated successor should be qualified as an ARB and approved by the cooperative and the DAR. 16.4 AVAs concerning Production/Contract Growing/ Growership/Marketing Contract: 16.4.1. If the application of the prescribed production technology results in the degradation of the substance and form of the land, the ARBs shall be justified in applying alternative and equally effective production technology upon proper notice to the investor.

16.4.2. If production exceeds the volume of crops agreed upon in the contract, the ARBs may dispose of the excess to other interested buyers, subject to the investor’s right of first refusal. The proceeds of the sale of the excess shall accrue exclusively to the ARBs. 16.4.3 In case the investor assigns/delegates his/ her marketing rights in the marketing contract to other investors, he/she shall inform the ARBs, in writing, on the matter, with the assurance that the terms and conditions of the existing marketing contract shall be honored and respected by the assignee. He/ She shall furnish the AVA-TF a copy of the written assurance.

16.5 AVAs concerning Management Contract: 16.5.1 A human resource development program for members of the cooperative, association or federation may be implemented in coordination with DARPO. The DAR shall create and/or propose model contracts to guide the parties, although the parties are not required to adopt such model contracts.

ARTICLE E EXECUTION Section 17. No Execution without PARPO Permit. – No AVA may be executed until the parties have obtained a Permit to Execute the AVA (PTE) or a Permit to Execute the AVA and Observations (PEO) from the PARPO. Section 18. Submission of Proposed AVA to DARPO. – Once the parties have drawn up the proposed written AVA, five (5) copies thereof shall be submitted to the DARPO together with an Application for PTE (form to be made available free of charge in all DAR Offices and the DAR Website) accomplished by both parties.

If the ANU is an Agent, a Verification Conference must be set wherein the Agent shall explain to the ARB-Owners or AR Cooperative, as the case may be, the contents of the AVA and its consequences. The DAR is required to attend the said Verification Conference. Hence, a Notice as to the date and venue of the Verification Conference must be attached to the Application for PTE, otherwise the Application will not be accepted.

Section 19. Verification Conference among ARBs. – In case the ANU is the Agent of the ARB-Owners/AR Cooperative, the former must explain to the latter the contents of the AVA and its consequences through a Verification Conference. The DAR is required to attend the said Conference.

In case the DARPO was invited as an observer in the Negotiation Conference, the Observer Team shall also give a report to the ARB-Owners/AR Cooperative.

While the Agent is primarily responsible for explaining the consequences of the AVA to the ARB-Owners/AR Cooperative, this fact does not prohibit the DAR from explaining such matters to them, if warranted.

Section 20. Review of the AVA. – Upon receipt, the DARPO shall review the proposed AVA to determine that the mandatory provisions as provided under Section 15 hereof (those that must be included and those that may not be included) is stated therein.

Upon the completion of review, it shall forward the proposed AVA to the PARPO together with its written report.

In case the DARPO was invited as an Observer in the negotiations, the DARPO Observer team shall also review the proposed AVA. The Observer team shall review the proposed AVA to determine that (1) its contents contain what has been agreed upon during the negotiation process and that nothing that has been agreed upon were left out from the written draft; and that (2) the Agent acted within the parameters of its authority under the provisions in the SPA, if applicable. Upon the completion of review, it shall forward the proposed AVA to the PARPO together with its written report and observations.

The team reviewing the existence of the mandatory provisions and the observer team shall each be given a copy of the proposed AVA so that both teams can review the same simultaneously.

Section 21. Actions on the Application for PAE. – In case the PARPO determines that the proposed AVA does not violate Section 15 hereof, is faithful to what has been negotiated, and the ANU has not exceeded the parameters provided in the SPA, he/she shall approve the application by issuing the PTE. However, if the DARPO was invited as an Observer in the Negotiation Conference and the PARPO determines that while the proposed AVA does not violate Section 15 hereof, the provisions therein is not in keeping with what has been negotiated, he/she shall still approve the application by issuing a PEO. The PEO shall detail the observed discrepancies between what was stated in the negotiations vis-àvis what is written in the AVA. The PTE/PEO shall be issued in triplicate and shall be issued to the following: (1) Records of the DARPO; (2) Investor; and (3) ANU. Three (3) of the five (5) copies of the proposed AVA submitted together with the Application shall be attached to each of the PTE/ PEO. In case the PARPO finds that the proposed AVA violates Section 15, it shall deny the Application for PTE in writing and furnish one copy of the same to each party. Both parties may decide to amend the AVA by adding the required provision or removing the violating provision. If they disagree with the PARPO, they may file an ALI case with the Regional Director.

Section 22. Non-Action of the DARPO. – If within ninety (90) days from receipt of the Application for PTE, the DARPO has yet to issue its decision, the PARPO must immediately, which in no case may be later than five (5) working days from the ninetieth (90th) day, issue a report to the Office of the Secretary, with copies furnished to the PARC Secretariat, the ARB-Owners, and the investor, stating the reason for the delay.

The DARPO shall then transmit one of its two original copies of the AVA for the AVA Registry.

Section 28. PARC May Delegate Authority to Approve. – The PARC may delegate, through a Resolution, its authority to approve AVAs to the pertinent DAR Regional Directors.

In approving the AVA, the Regional Directors shall use such standards that the PARC shall provide.

The Regional Directors must furnish not only the investors and ANUs copies of its Resolution approving or denying the AVA, but also the PARC through its Secretariat.

In case the parties disagree with the decision of the Regional Director, he/she/it/they may appeal the said Resolution to the PARC.44 If within ninety (90) days from receipt of the recommendation of the PARCCOM, the Regional Director has yet to issue his/ her decision, the Director must immediately, which in no case may be later than five (5) working days from the ninetieth (90th) day, issue a report to the Office of the Secretary, with copies furnished to the PARC Secretariat, the ARB-Owners, and the investor, stating the reason for the delay.

CHAPTER 4 DISPUTE RESOLUTION Section 29. Grounds for Extinguishing, Nullifying, Annulling, or Revoking. – An AVA is a special agrarian contract between two parties, and therefore the grounds for extinguishing obligations under the AVA, and/or nullifying, annulling, or revoking the AVA shall be those provided by the Civil Code (R.A. No. 386), R.A. No. 6657, and such other pertinent laws and jurisprudence.

Section 30. Primacy of Mediation and Conciliation. – Mediation and conciliation shall be the first mode of resolving any disputes between the parties of the AVA. Upon complaint by the ARBs or the investor, the DAR shall call both parties to a mediation/conciliation conference to see if the issue can be resolved amicably. Amendment of particular provisions of the AVA may be a solution to problems, and the DAR shall not act to hinder this possible solution unless such amendment is in violation of any law.

The parties are not limited to the DAR as facilitator of the mediation/conciliation.

They may engage as mediators/ conciliators such other persons accredited by the DAR. Section 31. Jurisdiction over Cases. – Jurisdiction for cases involving specific performance or extinguishment of an obligation under, or for the nullification, annulment, or revocation of, the AVA shall be with the DAR Adjudication Board (pursuant to its rules and procedures).

CHAPTER 5 MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS Section 32. AVA Online Registry. – The DAR shall create an online repository of all approved AVAs. The online registry shall be open to the public, and may be used as reference by potential investors and ARBs who wishes to enter into an AVA. Section 33. ARB Discussion Sessions. – The DAR shall regularly invite ARBs of lands primarily growing the same crops into discussion sessions to relay to them the results of industry studies, which may include, among others – national and international prices of crop commodities, prices of inputs, and average consideration of AVAs. The discussion session can involve ARBs within the same area, or all ARBs nationwide of lands primarily growing the same crops.

Section 23. Execution of the AVA. – Upon obtaining a PTE/PEO, the parties may execute the AVA.

Section 34. Process for Amendment or Extension of AVA. – Should the parties want to amend the AVA within its term, or before the end of the term of the AVA sought to extend the same, the process under Chapter 3 hereof must be followed.

ARTICLE F APPROVAL OF THE AVA

CHAPTER 6 EXISTING AVAS

Section 24. Three Copies of the Signed AVA to be Submitted to DAR. – Once the AVA has been executed, three original copies thereof must be submitted to the DARPO. The DARPO shall immediately undertake to determine that the signed AVA is the same as that it has reviewed in issuing the permit. Once this has been verified, which in no case must be later than fifteen days from submission thereof, the PARPO shall issue a Certification that it contains the same provisions as that reviewed prior to its execution, and recommend for its approval.

Section 35. Immediate Inventory of AVAs. – Upon the effectivity of this A.O., the DARPOs shall immediately undertake the inventory of all AVAs existing within their respective provinces, including those which have not been approved by the PARC.

The Certification, together with one original copy of the AVA and such number of photocopies equivalent to the number of members of the PARCCOM, shall be transmitted to the PARCCOM. The two remaining original copies of the signed AVA shall be kept by the DARPO Section 25. PARCCOM Review. – Pursuant to Section 44 of R.A. No. 6657, as amended, the PARCCOM is tasked to make a recommendation to the PARC as to the matter of approval of the AVA. In reviewing the AVA, the PARCCOM shall limit its standards of recommendation to the process culminating to its execution (i.e., whether or not consent thereto were freely given with prior and informed consent, and whether or not the mandatory provisions are followed, among others), and such other matters expressly provided by the PARC, through a resolution, to be reviewed.

Upon reviewing the same, it shall make its recommendation to the PARC.

Section 36. Mediation/Conciliation and Other Options in case of Disputes. – In case there are disputes between parties in existing AVAs, whether approved by the PARC or not, with respect to the said AVAs, mediation/conciliation shall be the first mode of resolving the same.

The DARPO shall also be responsible for explaining to the ARBs other options available to them aside from litigation (such as the cost-benefit analysis of litigation), taking in mind, however, that the ARBs shall have the final say as to their next steps.

CHAPTER 7 FINAL PROVISIONS Section 37. Repealing Clause. - A.O. No. 09, Series of 2006, A.O. No. 02, Series of 2008, and all other orders, circulars, rules and regulations, and issuances or portions thereof that are inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed or amended accordingly.

Section 38. Separability Clause. – Any judicial pronouncement declaring as unconstitutional any provision of these Rules shall have no effect on the validity of the other provisions not affected thereby.

If within ninety (90) days from receipt of the Certification of the PARPO the PARCCOM have yet to issue its recommendation, it must immediately, which in no case may be later than five (5) working days from the ninetieth (90th) day, issue a report to the PARC Secretariat, with copies furnished to the ARB-Owners, and the investor, stating the reason for the delay.

Section 39. Effectivity Clause. – These Rules shall take effect ten (10) days after its publication in two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Section 26. PARC Review and Approval. – The PARC shall thereafter review the AVA.

VIRGILIO R. DE LOS REYES Secretary

Diliman, Quezon City, 27 May 2016.

Upon its approval, the PARC shall furnish both parties and the pertinent PARPO a copy of its Resolution.

Section 27. Certification of Approval and Effectivity. – Immediately upon receipt of the Resolution of the PARC, which in no case may be later than three business days therefrom, the PARPO shall issue a Certificate to both parties that the AVA has been registered and is recognized as valid.

44 The Secretary shall have no appellate jurisdiction over the Resolution of the Regional Director approving or disapproving the AVA.

Standard – June 6, 2016

M O N DAY : J UN E 6 , 2 0 1 6

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Tabal awaits her Rio Olympic fate

By Peter Atencio

THE experience of hitting the Olympic qualifying standard in the 2016 Scotia Bank Marathon in Ottawa two weekends ago was a priceless one.

Long distance runner Mary Joy Tabal said this as she gets ready to return home to Cebu City and await her fate.

“Mixed feelings ako, excited na may halong kaba. Pero nu’ng pagkafinish ko, I felt like I was the happiest runner na sumali sa Ottawa, priceless moment ko ‘yun, parang nabuo na ako bilang isang marathoner,” said the 26-year-old Tabal.

Tabal said she has sets her sights on making it to the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, knowing that it was not going to be easy.

“As I expected sa mga roads na pinagdadaanan ko, there were a lot

of challenges. It’s never been that easy for me to be here and now for Rio, I will be expecting that it’s going to be harder and tougher for me. I just needed to be focused and positive,” added Tabal.

Her clocking of two hours, 43 minutes and 31 seconds, surpassed the national record which Jhoann Banayag set in the 2007 Southeast Asian Games at 2:44.2. More importantly, it allowed her to beat the Olympic standard of 2:45.

Because Tabal was training on her own after she resigned from the national team last December, her efforts surprised the Philip-

pine Athletics Track and Field Association.

PATAFA officials, led by its president Philip Ella Juico, said Tabal will need to seek reinstatement with the national team to be able to make it the Olympiad.

Romasanta, following a POC executive board meeting last Friday, said that Tabal’s status has somehow put long jumper Marestella Torres-Sunang’s status in jeopardy after the latter was given an universality slot earlier. Torres-Sunang’s slot was given her on the premise that no one other female athlete will qualify for the Olympics.

Because of this, POC secretarygeneral Steve Hontiveros has been assigned to appeal the case of Torres-Sunang before the Rio sports entries committee.

He added that should Tabal make the cut, the POC wants Torres-Sunang to keep her place in the national delegation.

Ali’s memories will never die

By Ronnie Nathanielsz

BY A strange coincidence, we were being interviewed by Jim Gomez of the Associated Press around noon (Manila time) about the famous “Thrilla in Manila” between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier since I was Ali’s government-appointed Liaison Officer.

Gomez informed me that Ali was in bad shape and he wanted my insights since I was close to him and developed a strong friendship with the man they called “The Greatest.”

It was a lengthy conversation and when it was over, Gomez thanked me for the time and the thoughts.

Hardly five minutes had gone by when my phone rang again and Jim informed me: “Ronnie when we were talking, Ali passed away.”

I was utterly distraught because only the previous night, I was going through my stories on the “Thrilla,” which would be included in a book I am writing titled “Reflections of 50 years in the Philippines” and was scanning through my library of photographs with Ali, bringing back a flood of memories of an incredible human being in a cherished era.

We were flooded by calls both from at home and abroad regarding our memories of the “Thrilla in Manila” and at times, had to hold back the tears as we reflected on a good and decent man, who touched the lives of millions in the Philippines and around the world.

We remember having first called Ali, while he was training at his camp in Deer Lake camp in Pennsylvania during the “Morning Show,” hosted by Tina Monzon Palma on dzHP “The Sound

of the City” in Manila. To my utter surprise, it was Ali who picked up the phone and after I introduced myself, we had a long interview in which he said he would love to fight in the Philippines and that he wanted to take on Frazier and George Foreman on the same night, one after another.

He asked us to give his love to the Filipinos and his Muslim brothers and promised to visit the country.

When Louie Tabuena and the First Lady Imelda Marcos met with promoters Don King and Bob Arum and finalized the deal, President Ferdinand Marcos asked Louie to report to him which he dutifully did and informed him that it would cost $10 million for the purses of the two fighters and that King would take care of everything else, including air fares of the entourage of both boxers, hotel accommodation and everything else.

Marcos said “let’s do it,” and clearly, Mrs. Marcos had a major impact on the decision because she was aware how much the publicity would mean for the country in the midst of some rumblings in the western media about martial rule.

When Ali and his girlfriend at that time, the statuesque Veronica Porsche paid a courtesy call on President Marcos and the First Lady, Marcos looked at Veronica told Ali: “Your wife is beautiful.”

Ali immediately took one glance at Imelda Marcos and quipped: “Mr. President you haven’t done too badly yourself,” and everybody enjoyed a hearty laugh.

President Marcos told the media moments later that he wanted the “Thrilla in Manila” so he could “show the world that the

country was peaceful, we have no peace and order problems, the economy is doing well and our people are content.”

Ali embraced the president and told me in his hotel suite that he respected President Marcos very much. Their bond was strengthened by the fact that Marcos himself was a boxer during his college days and was an ardent fan of the sport.

I remember the fight itself before a jam-packed Araneta Coliseum, which was re-named the Philippine Coliseum on instructions of President Marcos, who wanted the country’s name to gain international recognition.

Ali, who was hammered by Frazier with thunderous body shots in the middle rounds, wanted to quit and in fact asked Bundini Brown to untie the laces of his gloves, which was, I believe somewhere in between the championship rounds of 10 to 14.

But Dundee pushed Ali back onto his stool and told him, “sit down, you are going to finish this fight.”

He did and the rest is history.

His rapier-like jabs almost totally shut the left eye of Frazier, who couldn’t see the right hand of Ali as he continued to pepper him with right straights. This promoted Frazier’s esteemed trainer Eddie Futch to tell referee Sonny Padilla to stop the fight because Joe “couldn’t see Ali’s right hand” and he didn’t want to see him go blind and end his career.

Ali said moments later: “It was the closest thing to dying.”

But in the context of the times and what he had done for the Philippines, his memory as “The Greatest” would never die.

Amelia Watkinson of New Zealand soaks in Regent 5150 triumph after posting a runaway win in the women’s division of the local version of the world’s largest Olympic distance triathlon series in Subic Sunday.

Betten, Watkinson rule Regent triathlon SUBIC—Aussie Sam Betten retained the men’s pro crown while Kiwi Amelia Watkinson reigned in the women’s side as they scored wireto-wire triumphs in the 2016 Regent 5150 Triathlon on a hot and humid Sunday here.

Betten tackled the challenging 1.5K swim, 40K bike, 10K run course in two hours, six minutes and 55 seconds to capture the coveted title for the second straight year with plenty to spare.

His compatriot, Mitch Robins, finished a far second with 2:21:27, his bid hurt by two flat tire mishaps in the bike leg, while Slovak Michal Bucek took third place in the local version of the world’s largest Olympic distance triathlon series with his 2:24:38 effort.

Watkinson checked in at 2:10:59 —just a few minutes after Betten — to run away with the women’s tiara, beating Aussies Michelle Duffield (2:22:03) and Dimity-Lee Duke (2:24:38).

Paul Jumamil topped the Filipino male elite category with 2:19:08 – the third best time across all divisions.

August Benedicto crossed the finish line six seconds later to settle for second while Banjo Norte wound up No. 3 with 2:20:28. Maria Danielle Infantado (2:50:50) beat Amale Jopson (3:08:24) for the Filipino female elite crown.

“It’s tough to win any race and it’s even tougher to win it twice in a row so this is really very special,” said Betten after accomplishing his mission in the event produced and organized by Sunrise Events, Inc. in partnership with Regent Foods, the country’s leading snack manufacturing company.

The 28-year-old Betten came out

Rising junior netters show wares starting today THE chase for top honors and ranking points among the country’s leading and rising junior netters begins Monday as the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala regional age-group tennis tournament holds the Manila leg at the Olivarez Sports Center indoor courts in Sucat, Paranaque.

The bulk of the close to 400 players seeing action in the biggest gathering of age-groupers in

years open their respective campaigns in various divisions, all seeking victories for the needed momentum in this cutthroat competition featuring a mix of fancied players and lesser lights raring to prove their worth.

All events in the boys’ section drew full-packed 64-player rosters, including a slew of unheralded players out to spring surprises in the event serving as the 24th

leg of the 45-stage nationwide circuit sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop headed by president and CEO Bobby Castro and presented by Slazenger.

Al Francis Andrade, Joseph Apilado Jr., Finney Apilado and Joel Atienza are the players to watch in the premier 18-and-under side while Gabriel Tiamson, Marcus del Rosario, Mar Raphael Teng and Tim Gumban head the 16-U pack of the Group

2 tournament backed by Asiatraders Corp., exclusive distributor of Slazenger, and sanctioned by the Philippine Tennis Association headed by president and Paranaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez.

The event was originally set for five days but organizers decided to extend it to a seven-day tournament to accommodate the big number of entries who beat the deadline last week.

of the waters at Acea Beach first and didn’t relinquish control all the way to the ride along the undulating and hot roads of Subic Bay and the finish at Remy Field.

“I just had a good day out there today,” said Betten, revealing that he somehow adopted a “controlled pace” so as not to burn himself too much under the punishing conditions.

Robins, who was touted to contend, fell behind as he had to fix a flat front tire not once but twice. “It’s a disaster but it happens,” he said.

Thailand-based Kiwi Watkinson maintained a blistering pace that left her two rivals gasping.

“I got my own space straight out of the gun, swam consistently and picked it up on the way home. I had a fast transition out on the bike and eased into it, making sure I kept the pace quite even,” she said.

Other backers of the event were 2GO Express as the official courier and logistics partner, venue hosts Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, Traveler Hotel and Event Center and Acea Beach, sponsors CocaCola Femsa, Newton Running, Alaska, David’s Salon, Intercare, GU, Sante Barley, TYR, Department of Tourism – Tourism and Promotions Board, registration partner Active Network, media partners The Philippine STAR, TriLife Magazine, AsiaTri and Finisher Pix, marketing partners Cetaphil, Devant, Ford, Garmin, Omega Pro, PLDT Subictel, Sanicare, Walter Bread, Beer Below Zero, Miller Beer, AlcoPlus and hotel partners The Lighthouse Marina Resort, Court Meridian, Travelers Hotel, Subic Bay Yacht Club and Subic International Hotel.

LOTTO RESULTS

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

P16M

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

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK M O N DAY : J UN E 6 , 2 0 1 6

A16

RIERA U. MALL ARI EDITOR

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

sports@thestandard.com.ph

SPORTS

Mental approach is key, says Muguruza Spain’s Garbine Muguruza serves the ball to US player Serena Williams during their women’s final match at the Roland Garros 2016 French Tennis Open in Paris. AFP

PARIS—Garbine Muguruza said that fixing her mindset and getting rid of all the unnecessary emotions were key to her winning her first Grand Slam title at the French Open on Saturday.

On the face of it her matchup with top seed and defending champion Serena Williams was an experience mismatch.

The 34-year-old American had played 26 Grand Slam finals and won 21 of them. The Spaniard, 12 years her junior, was playing in just her second having lost last year’s Wimbledon final to Williams.

Plent y of reasons t hen for Mug u r u z a, who has su f fered

f rom ner ves i n t he past to get st ressed out. But French coach Sa m Su myk has been work i ng on her menta l approach a nd t hat was what she kept f irm ly i n t he back of her mi nd i n Pa ris.

“I have been saying during the whole week to be less emotional. To believe more that I’m here because I deserve my place here. I earned it,” she said.

“You know, I played well. I earned to be here in the final. I think just to don’t think about other stuff. Just give it all in the court and doesn’t matter who’s in front, which round it is.

“Just to control the emotions I think is the key sometimes, especially in a Grand Slam where you’re very nervous and excited.”

Other factors were at work in the Muguruza brain cells as she prepared to face up to a player many consider to be the greatest of all time.

Firstly, despite losing in straight sets to the American at Wimbledon she was far from disgraced, putting up a strong showing behind her big serve.

And then there were the upset wins over Williams by Roberta Vinci in the US Open semifinals and Angelique Kerber in the Australian Open final.

“Yeah, I thought about it.

I thought about it yesterday.

I’m like, Come on. You can do it,” she said.

“When you see people that are winning and there’s new faces, makes you think like, I can be one of those faces.

“Hey, if Kerber can I can, or whoever is there. Yeah, for sure, it helps to see new faces.”

The tournament win in Paris means that Muguruza will rise to a career-best second in the world rankings behind Williams with Wimbledon

coming up later this month where she already knows she can compete.

It is just a matter of trying to get more consistency into her game and avoid form slumps like the one she underwent earlier this year.

“I t hi n k I’m a mbit ious. I t hi n k I have a st rong cha rac ter a nd I l i ke compet it ion. I l i ke to compete. I l i ke to play aga i nst t he best players,” she sa id.

“This is a source of motivation for me. I’m very happy, because today I proved to myself that I can play really well, that I can manage my stress and win against one of the best players in the world.”

Baguio sessions conclude Power Camp

A young participant of the camp shows the dribbling techniques that he learned.

THE 2016 Alaska Basketball Power Camp completed its summer schedule with sessions at the Philippine Military Academy in Baguio taught

by Philippine Basketball Association legend and Alaska Aces assistant coach Jeff Cariaso.

Almost 2,000 basketball enthusiasts from Luzon joined the basketball camps held at the Ateneo De Manila University Grade School covered courts in Quezon City; the Subic Gym in Zambales; the Sacred Heart School Covered Courts in Cebu; the Aquinas School in San Juan Metro Manila; the Enverga University Foundation in Lucena City; Bacolod Tay Tung High School; Faith School in Batangas and the last one at PMA.

Cariaso said he was happy with the camps after the participants gave their all in trying to become better at basketball through the numerous drills and exercises. The camps may not have necessarily produced a Most Valuable Player but participants were set on the pathway to become the best team player that they could be.

He led a team of expert basketball coaches, including two-time PBA Most Valuable Player Willy Miller, who trained the young campers how to become better basketball players through theoretical and practical lessons.

Cariaso assured that more than just lessons in basketball the participants

were taught the value of discipline, perseverance, teamwork and determination. The children also learned the importance of proper nutrition for their growth and development.

The Alaska power camp offered a holistic program and taught not just the skills in the sport but also gave lessons on the value of proper nutrition for growth and development.

Cariaso added that the safety and well-being of the players was their top priority during the camps.

The power camps embodied Alaska’s philosophy that sports can instill the value of discipline, hard work, teamwork and determination and help children develop into productive members of the community.

MONDAY: JUNE 6, 2016

RAY S. EÑANO EDITOR

RODERICK T. DELA CRUZ ASSISTANT EDITOR

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

BUSINESS

B1

Mitsubishi and Toyota set to bag CARS slots

By Othel V. Campos

Peza forum. Philippine Economic Zone Authority director general Lilia De Lima (below) delivers the keynote address before a forum organized by the I.T. and Business Process Association of the Philippines at the SMX Aura in Taguig City. Heads of Peza’s various departments discussed relevant concerns of the IT-BPM sector.

Dominguez bucks merger of LBP, DBP

By Gabrielle H. Binaday

THE merger of state-owned Land Bank of the Philippines and Development Bank of the Philippines may not push through under the administration of President-elect Rodrigo Duterte, according to incoming Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez.

Dominguez said he was not inclined to pursue the merger of the two staterun banks which was approved by President Benigno Aquino III when he signed Executive Order 198 in February. The secretary of finance serves as chairman of LandBank.

“You know, first of all I don’t think you can do it by an executive order.

But my initial opinion is if it was set up by legislation, how can you ignore legislation and not do it,” Dominguez told reporters in a media round table discussion on Friday.

Dominguez said while the two banks were established through legislation, the merger should also be approved through legislation and not by mere executive order.

Dominguez said the merger would not likely stand up in court. “You know if that was challenged in the court, they will lose,” he said.

The merger of the banks was expected to create a mega bank with total assets of P1.7 trillion, based on end-2015

Bangko Sentral data, challenging local tycoons’ dominance in the banking sector. The merger would make the surviving entity the country’s second largest bank in terms of assets.

“Who cares? What is it to be number two? What is it to be number one?

It doesn’t matter. If they provide the function, if they do it efficiently, that’s okay. I mean you are serving the public,” Dominguez said.

Under the merger, LBP will be the surviving entity as the Governance Commission for GOCCs earlier determined the overlapping functions of the banks.

Landbank is the country’s fourth largest bank in terms of assets at P1.2 trillion as of end-2015, while DBP ranks seventh with P508 billion.

EO 198 stated that the merger would further enhance the financing of priority projects and sectors such as infrastructure, public services, agriculture and small and medium enterprises.

“The merger of DBP and LBP will provide better access and extend quality financial services and products to more unbanked and underserved areas,” the order read.

Dominguez, however, said the two banks were built for two different purposes. “First of all, both were created for different purposes. I don’t see any rational reason to put them together.

One is that a development bank is to give long term finance. The skills you need to do that are very different from the skills you need to do short-term finance particularly for farmers,” he said.

GCG submitted in April to Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and Philippines Deposit Insurance Corp. a final business plan for the merger.

The EO, in justifying the merger, stated that “the functions of DBP and LBP duplicate and/or unnecessarily overlap with one another.”

The government will also infuse P30 billion into the merged bank to support its capital.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. said a written consent from Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. and the approval of Bangko Sentral were needed for the merger.

Land Bank posted a net income of P13.3 billion in 2015, up by 10 percent from P12.1 billion in 2014. DBP earned P4.7 billion last year.

THE Board of Investments is set to confirm the approval of the application of Toyota Motors Philippines Inc. and Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp. to the government’s biggest automotive incentive program within the week.

The approval under the Comprehensive Automotive Resurgence Strategy program may be given as early as Wednesday, an industry source said over the weekend.

An inter-agency committee earlier endorsed the participation of the two car companies. The endorsement implies that both companies successfully complied with the documentations required by government agencies.

The approval is on track with the June timetable of the CARS program.

Toyota and Mitsubishi can proceed with the filing of their registration under the program, with the approval depending on their completion of registration requirements.

Toyota has endorsed the Vios model as its official entry to the CARS program while Mitsubishi enrolled the Mirage model as its official entry.

The CARS program aims to generate 200,000 new jobs, bring in fresh investments worth $1.2 billion, stimulate local demand by increasing vehicle sales to $9.2 billion, and effectively implement industry regulations that will revitalize the Philippine automotive industry.

MONDAY: JUNE 6, 2016

B2

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

The STandard BuSineSS Weekly STockS revieW STOCKS

MAY 30-JUNE 3, 2016 Close Volume

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

MEDCO Holdings Metrobank Natl Reinsurance Corp.

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

3.78 45.7 104.00 94.00 37.9 3.00 1.43 10.16 14.1 16.78 7.18 0.73 1.94 610.00 0.540 86 0.94 15.00 24.20 51.00 101.9 262 31.45 202.6 1358.00 64.50 1.58

Aboitiz Power Corp.

Agrinurture Inc. Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. Alsons Cons.

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

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

Liberty Flour LMG Chemicals Mabuhay Vinyl Corp.

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

Pepsi-Cola Products Phil.

Petron Corporation Phil H2O Phinma Corporation Phoenix Petroleum Phils.

Phoenix Semiconductor Pryce Corp. `A’ RFM Corporation Roxas and Co. Roxas Holdings San Miguel ‘Pure Foods `A’ Splash Corporation Swift Foods, Inc. TKC Steel Corp.

Trans-Asia Oil Universal Robina Victorias Milling Vitarich Corp.

Vivant Corp.

Vulcan Ind’l.

45.6 3.74 0.88 1.93 11.9 55.6 189.00 21.4 115 197 17.78 46.8 2.09 5.4 11.48 9.650 7.15 5.58 7.44 1.8 22.7 67 12.22 15.22 5.75 2.240 230.00 40.00 1.9 3.38 39.80 27.75 28.2 6.55 316.00 0.265 4.12 3.5 11.80 3.06 11.64 5.27 1.80 2.83 4.25 2.31 4.29 219 2.5 0.152 1.77 2.57 199.9 4.8 0.88 31.50 1.26

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

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

Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp.

Mabuhay Holdings `A’ Metro Pacific Inv. Corp.

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

0.390 77.90 15.68 1.15 6.00 0.385 0.385 845 7.89 12.76 5.1 5 6.20 0.246 1411 6.32 83.50 4.34 5.4 5.85 7.85 0.69 15.5 0.490 6.08 3.4 0.0320 1.410 1.810 2.65 77.95 2.22 973.50 1.19 0.81 181.000 0.3100 0.2000 0.340

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

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

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

MRC Allied Ind.

7.900 7.00 1.40 2.490 0.285 36.500 3.19 5.15 5.73 0.510 0.98 1.000 0.132 0.530 55.9 0.790 0.155 0.96 2.02 1.28 4.21 4.41 0.090

Value

FINANCIAL 2,464,380.00 11,345,410.00 1,574,615,332 1,578,468,726.00 13,385,210.00 103,800.00 3,709,960.00 10,160.00 6,474,606.00 15,423,128.00 94,776 730 307,570.00 206,680.00 1,812,510.00 2,846,645,900.50 243,510.00 2,819,916.00 121,000.00 221,897,997.50 681,899.00 2,452,844.00 235,960,835 9,206,093,139.00 1,253,625.00 18,709,209.50 273,100.00 INDUSTRIAL 16,234,700 747,998,910.00 7,817,000 28,534,250.00 510,000 446,160.00 102,515,000 199,559,270.00 116,900 1,415,020.00 250 13,900.00 310 57,690.00 7,055,200 154,116,535 60 6,900.00 3,710 738,534.00 2,950,300 51,010,526.00 287,700 13,415,105 4,732,000 10,028,210.00 6,647,900 35,723,285.00 252,900 2,833,578.00 11,619,400 112,680,277.00 3,878,300 28,483,881.00 92,186,700 518,546,081.00 656,500 4,852,877.00 48,000 85,800.00 17,934,100 410,169,795.00 923,170 61,441,227.50 41,200 507,802.00 273,300 4,108,690.00 19,048,300 109,475,619.00 8,300,000 18,270,380.00 5,258,580 1,231,877,568.00 500 20,990.00 25,000 46,500.00 61,000 197,650.00 3,000 116,570.00 107,726,845.00 3,976,800 6,658,100 181,250,875.00 1,288,800 7,254,868.00 1,961,940 601,440,674.00 3,570,000 948,550.00 22,000 90,510.00 4,113,000 14,029,950.00 33,922,200 396,111,742.00 43,000 131,610.00 493,200 5,692,076.00 2,945,000 15,109,347.00 3,981,000 6,929,160.00 905,000 2,496,740.00 4,661,000 19,824,920.00 170,000 392,700.00 66,000 286,330.00 6,500 1,408,772.00 454,000 1,146,220 3,950,000 598,860.00 12,045,000 21,908,820.00 5,732,000 14,372,620.00 12,671,160 2,498,309,490.00 5,000 23,450.00 7,401,000 6,566,020.00 9,700 305,550.00 1,228,000 1,539,160.00 HOLDING FIRMS 5,760,000 2,307,100.00 31,722,520 2,487,953,333.50 37,679,000 582,493,604.00 372,000 427,170.00 304,600 1,820,511.00 33,510,000 12,872,400.00 21,020,000 8,004,000.00 3,435,380 2,899,939,480.00 6,480,700 50,419,519.00 21,061,400 267,274,938.00 300 1,530.00 300 1,500.00 434,800 2,719,761.00 600,000 137,550.00 709,360 1,000,101,510.00 61,800 389,617.00 52,412,050 4,348,727,752.00 30,000 131,700.00 20,200 109,417.00 25,200 146,231.00 8,042,500 61,456,072.00 762,000 527,380.00 27,690,400 420,748,216.00 40,000 19,600.00 250,779,900 1,521,430,815.00 8,000 25,070.00 46,000,000 1,473,200.00 110,000 144,660.00 4,103,000 7,428,690.00 20,000 53,060.00 5,924,510 471,034,865.00 13,000 28,680.00 1,479,110 1,410,839,405.00 638,000 748,410.00 55,000 44,590.00 129,670 23,158,536.00 13,350,000 4,141,250.00 9,940,000 1,996,600.00 48,260,000 16,283,450.00 PROPERTY 1,127,900 8,914,895.00 5,000 34,100.00 33,210,000 43,731,830.00 23,374,000 59,938,030.00 5,050,000 1,344,550.00 61,130,500 2,224,930,765.00 11,340,000 35,398,760.00 17,200 88,458.00 57,000 326,610.00 16,176,000 8,203,930.00 35,000 34,300.00 48,000 47,860.00 16,920,000 2,228,480.00 14,895,000 7,926,510.00 6,780,340 369,212,443.00 1,085,000 860,060.00 6,960,000 992,610.00 10,103,000 9,776,120.00 119,743,000 240,296,090.00 424,000 541,730.00 8,000 33,660.00 212,717,000 943,949,600.00 16,580,000 1,490,530.00 662,000 251,300 15,367,000 16,994,570 351,900 35,000 2,767,000 1,000 454,800 910,000 13,200 1,000 172,000 340 3,307,000 32,790,530 259,000 188,400 5,000 4,639,910 6,870 9,400 7,755,700 45,651,970 905 315,250 178,000

Close

MAY 23-27, 2016 Volume Value

3.81 46.2 104.00 95.00 38.2 2.95 1.43 9.11 14.26 17.3 7.18

1,915,000 107,100 7,016,950 4,061,780 598,000 251,000 1,516,000 500 46,100 1,318,200 15,600

7,527,240.00 4,923,415.00 725,435,085 377,711,676.00 22,774,550.00 739,220.00 2,155,980.00 4,555.00 651,044.00 22,669,762.00 112,051

1.83 607.00 0.570 85 0.96 14.90 24.00 50.25 102.3 262 31.8 196.6 1410.00 64.15 1.56

805,000 1,060 1,967,000 11,907,570 35,000 184,300 13,000 1,069,990 7,720 8,640 353,200 11,515,540 685 228,620 122,000

1,501,720.00 644,830.00 1,127,390.00 1,013,898,179.50 33,610.00 2,741,130.00 308,670.00 54,013,228.00 758,610.50 2,292,102.00 11,166,910 2,268,614,730.00 964,320.00 14,777,996.50 188,360.00

45.45 3.4 0.9 1.91 12.38 55.55 200.00 21.8

15,115,400 2,646,000 1,017,000 72,499,000 192,700 4,050 90 6,000,200

688,039,505.00 8,864,070.00 902,580.00 143,656,870.00 2,407,662.00 236,735.00 18,000.00 131,307,365

190 17.48 46.5 2.18 4.62 10.78 9.600 7.39 5.66 7.40 1.7 22.45 68 12.50 15.04 5.75 2.260 236.60 43.00

10,060 987,300 2,400,800 1,736,000 1,575,000 146,500 9,929,600 2,369,000 26,056,300 606,200 23,000 16,256,700 423,230 96,200 1,634,800 1,972,900 8,017,000 2,562,600 2,143

1,907,722.00 17,279,696.00 110,434,725 3,786,790.00 7,352,900.00 1,576,146.00 95,960,911.00 17,422,756.00 148,301,244.00 4,443,845.00 38,590.00 360,543,425.00 28,718,909.50 1,191,074.00 24,581,522.00 11,528,715.00 18,607,410.00 603,637,898.00 90,085.00

3.3 39.90 27.2 24.5 6.67 301.80 0.280 4.59 3.39 11.50 3.07 11.62 5.21 1.63 2.7 4.25 2.3 4.49 220 2.5 0.153 2.00 2.52 201.8 4.78 0.9 31.50 1.26

100,000 2,400 6,070,400 4,824,900 1,736,600 2,519,890 2,120,000 55,000 2,711,000 19,568,600 1,000 40,900 6,077,100 2,266,000 848,000 4,638,000 4,000 21,000 14,990 2,344,000 13,380,000 24,879,000 5,284,000 10,650,820 19,000 18,149,000 3,000 1,166,000

329,810.00 95,590.00 167,400,195.00 118,061,435.00 11,856,293.00 787,360,120.00 582,750.00 232,750.00 9,224,620.00 221,841,578.00 3,070.00 474,818.00 32,005,262.00 3,752,580.00 2,300,430.00 19,728,370.00 9,200.00 90,010.00 3,262,444.00 5,869,470 2,047,410.00 45,739,770.00 13,216,280.00 1,508,090,166.00 89,170.00 16,243,350.00 95,100.00 1,482,990.00

0.425 75.90 15.30 1.12 5.97 0.380 0.380 831 7.75 12.60 5.1 5.01 6.40 0.231 1440 6.20 82.70 4 5.2 5.6 7.94 0.69 14.06 0.480 5.99 3.4 0.0320 1.290 1.820 2.65 75.90 2.25 966.00 1.19 0.90 166.000 0.3200 0.2030 0.340

21,820,000 16,440,030 39,875,500 521,000 111,700 96,160,000 12,150,000 2,000,030 6,654,300 28,975,200 418,200 12,000 5,046,500 2,650,000 551,425 287,400 31,302,990 144,000 11,500 15,000 9,003,300 388,000 20,278,900 20,000 218,026,200 55,000 41,800,000 329,000 2,700,000 227,000 1,080,670 21,000 1,207,070 362,000 231,000 34,100 8,670,000 5,430,000 311,120,000

8,901,050.00 1,226,764,403.00 590,715,596.00 602,040.00 668,576.00 36,017,550.00 4,552,350.00 1,656,569,675.00 51,047,154.00 367,444,540.00 2,089,654.00 60,090.00 31,668,177.00 617,660.00 784,605,645.00 1,752,309.00 2,649,614,564.00 562,540.00 59,802.00 84,000.00 69,835,196.00 269,830.00 288,471,448.00 9,600.00 1,317,081,309.00 196,610.00 1,338,800.00 431,650.00 4,872,560.00 617,740.00 79,809,938.00 46,600.00 1,165,036,240.00 425,580.00 197,370.00 5,457,529.00 2,755,550.00 1,121,290.00 97,417,700.00

7.800 7.01 1.19 2.400 0.270 36.850 3.32 5.15

807,400 1,000 10,923,000 10,067,000 2,260,000 73,972,700 19,583,000 73,600

6,171,230.00 7,021.00 12,680,420.00 23,333,600.00 589,600.00 2,685,887,710.00 64,178,340.00 376,826.00

0.520 0.98 1.010 0.129 0.520 53 0.810 0.150 0.97 1.94 1.27 4.60 4.4 0.094

13,600,000 54,000 15,000 10,030,000 15,377,000 14,011,250 1,072,000 1,440,000 12,637,000 45,697,000 877,000 3,000 168,025,000 143,610,000

6,999,090.00 52,560.00 15,060.00 1,302,150.00 8,172,190.00 749,140,126.00 831,220.00 218,890.00 12,217,090.00 88,909,000.00 1,108,130.00 13,800.00 727,785,970.00 14,643,650.00

STOCKS

MAY 30-JUNE 3, 2016 Close Volume

Phil. Estates Corp.

Phil. Realty `A’ Phil. Tob. Flue Cur & Redry Primex Corp.

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

0.3000 0.495 44.80 8.5 29.00 1.62 3.12 24.95 0.92 6.4 1.020 5.200

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

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

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 Lorenzo Shipping Macroasia Corp.

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 Retail SBS Phil. Corp.

SSI Group STI Holdings Travellers Waterfront Phils.

Yehey

7.3 49.9 1.28 0.590 11 28.4 4.37 0.0580 2.99 96.55 9.55 1.97 6.93 3.40 960 2350 6.49 24.00 1.18 58 14.30 194.8 11.56 0.0100 9.61 0.325 1.6600 2.24 11.9 7.50 3.18 1.13 2.68 19.48 0.570 2.03 2.35 4.00 2.900 18 5.04 2.42 123.00 24.35 1980.00 0.450 0.970 42.05 80.50 6.22 2.68 0.600 3.34 0.345 6.850

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

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

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

TA Petroleum United Paragon

0.0043 2.22 4.30 12.80 0.230 7.7800 7.4900 0.65 0.465 8.56 0.900 0.300 0.247 0.265 0.0140 0.0150 1.88 4.2 2.61 0.6000 1.3000 0.0100 0.0100 4.00 7.35 4.05 0.0130 128.50 3.86 0.0120

ABS-CBN Holdings Corp.

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

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

49.1 539.5 535 115 120 534.5 6.48 1.11 108.2 1032 1090 1028 107.4 113 78.9 81 76 76.5 78 76.5 76.9 77 2.6

Leisure & Resort Warr.

2.920

Alterra Capital Makati Fin. Corp.

Italpinas Xurpas

4.02 3.4 3.06 16.4

First Metro ETF

123

Value

Close

1,640,000 452,300.00 3,320,000 1,596,700.00 101,000 4,565,900.00 291,100 2,491,487.00 13,416,600 389,904,730.00 572,000 912,280.00 131,000 405,660.00 103,671,800 2,534,899,075.00 5,127,000 4,641,540.00 23,400 145,741.00 2,687,000 2,700,990.00 44,171,100 227,065,361.00 SERVICES 196,100 1,440,732.00 1,193,280 60,330,125.00 183,000 237,420.00 6,931,000 4,231,210.00 636,700 7,004,440.00 3,900 110,760 89,832,000 377,889,050.00 384,200,000 22,477,520.00 4,610,000 13,732,870.00 3,231,460 309,311,191.50 11,100 104,377.00 491,000 935,070 1,367,300 9,371,892.00 144,000 574,110.00 1,880 1,801,100.00 661,305 1,587,076,990 473,100 3,078,368.00 168,300 3,570,160 787,000 895,460.00 18,372,080 1,056,304,918.50 196,400 2,910,052 540 100,864 24,100 278,596.00 10,700,000 106,660.00 3,833,200 36,345,650.00 133,820,000 44,689,400.00 20,469,000 33,081,700.00 121,000 286,500.00 250,100 3,044,934.00 231,000 1,744,401.00 55,987,000 209,801,890.00 37,000 42,050.00 766,000 1,917,020.00 5,400 104,400 221,000 124,160.00 237,000 474,960.00 29,896,000 69,342,850.00 3,906,000 15,510,100.00 123,854,000 362,401,200.00 273,600 4,857,368.00 67,800 329,927 131,000 316,220.00 20,500 2,548,651.00 750,000 18,016,800.00 3,334,130 6,496,222,315.00 227,300,000 112,315,000.00 78,187,000 73,437,570.00 8,561,100 359,257,590.00 2,751,810 220,696,308.50 877,800 5,455,069.00 31,623,000 85,875,120.00 4,090,000 2,403,660.00 2,149,000 7,208,520.00 2,730,000 949,950.00 226,800 1,485,493.00 MINING & OIL 4,413,000,000 19,129,900.00 821,000 1,802,650.00 418,000 1,826,270.00 3,500 43,542.00 1,650,000 422,720.00 23,500 181,731.00 37,800 285,945.00 2,375,000 1,564,310.00 5,643,000 2,720,160.00 782,600 7,121,125.00 102,885,100 102,251,720.00 510,000 150,350.00 143,600,000 35,622,780.00 7,600,000 2,026,300.00 212,700,000 2,859,200.00 169,800,000 2,445,800.00 1,486,000 2,803,720.00 31,494,000 134,666,800.00 3,844,000 10,010,640.00 609,000 361,150.00 202,000 258,100.00 195,000,000 1,975,580.00 77,900,000 789,980.00 52,000 206,640.00 4,300,700 30,642,413.00 21,885,000 87,342,110.00 267,300,000 3,485,200.00 3,498,840 451,808,020.00 2,866,000 11,337,880.00 108,100,000 1,205,700.00 PREFERRED 1,653,210 82,690,656.00 28,560 15,163,910.00 3,250 1,738,750 450 51,750.00 154,100 18,441,590.00 5,940 3,166,795.00 113,200 731,206.00 2,277,000 2,527,550 1,000 108,200.00 200 206,400.00 100 107,740.00 2,050 2,107,200.00 8,020 856,720.00 35,500 4,006,130.00 38,690 3,046,794.00 76,490 6,200,895.00 71,900 5,486,370.00 107,830 8,251,555.00 85,860 6,592,445.00 150,990 11,673,650.00 350,270 26,902,885.00 840,230 64,673,594.50 26,000 61,440.00 WARRANTS & BONDS 410,000 1,174,040.00 SME 7,852,000 32,137,840.00 44,000 153,980.00 574,000 1,684,740.00 21,831,800 379,063,588.00 EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 227,270 27,884,359.00

MAY 23-27, 2016 Volume Value

0.2900 0.460 48.00 8.5 29.00 1.59 3.13 24.80 0.9 6.4 1.040 4.960

340,000 2,040,000 159,100 162,600 10,529,700 573,000 70,000 46,202,400 8,614,000 5,800 1,998,000 37,585,300

95,550.00 954,450.00 8,258,066.00 1,383,056.00 304,794,730.00 896,500.00 214,080.00 1,120,606,985.00 7,690,960.00 36,910.00 2,064,720.00 186,553,745.00

7.31 50.95 1.28 0.620 11.42

514,300 389,370 166,000 8,267,000 45,700

3,778,909.00 20,051,235.00 214,310.00 5,242,060.00 507,690.00

4.16 0.0530 3.01 94.85 9.55 1.82 6.70 3.88 910.5 2188 6.59 21.20 1.18 58.5 15.04

41,843,000 130,650,000 11,587,000 4,708,360 10,600 168,000 842,300 21,000 3,040 333,820 400,800 247,400 193,000 15,332,200 179,800

176,055,610.00 6,904,690.00 38,469,000.00 450,148,113.00 97,677.00 322,680 5,716,528.00 75,950.00 2,937,550.00 720,082,600 2,629,346.00 5,244,870 224,060.00 942,139,651.50 2,787,312

11.98 0.0100 9.62 0.340 1.7000 2.56 11.48 7.74 4.50 1.12 2.73 20.00 0.580 2 2.36 3.95 3.550 17.48 5.05 2.42 124.00 23.90 1742.00 0.390 0.890 41.95 79.25 6.30 2.76 0.580 3.36 0.360 6.830

34,500 5,300,000 3,247,600 79,590,000 24,436,000 534,000 204,700 438,300 10,777,000 7,000 101,000 800 762,000 440,000 68,294,000 5,896,000 120,408,000 45,400 118,600 130,000 51,280 205,300 926,850 4,430,000 67,330,000 12,447,900 2,824,590 1,118,900 29,528,000 6,002,000 4,671,000 1,060,000 211,900

398,550.00 53,000.00 31,129,787.00 27,192,450.00 42,351,010.00 1,393,400.00 2,248,158.00 3,410,873.00 48,508,010.00 7,830.00 263,590.00 15,516 427,400.00 886,640.00 166,398,030.00 23,344,550.00 424,627,710.00 784,336.00 603,443 314,600.00 6,334,996.00 4,891,650.00 1,553,703,495.00 1,787,300.00 59,893,290.00 516,579,040.00 219,136,679.50 7,133,093.00 81,490,310.00 3,473,350.00 15,680,340.00 373,900.00 1,435,051.00

0.0042 2.31 4.42 12.96 0.233 8.0000 7.7500 0.68 0.520 9.10 0.900 0.300 0.260 0.270 0.0140 0.0160 1.9 4.48 2.63 0.6200 1.3000 0.0110 0.0098 3.92 7.25 3.88 0.0130 128.40 3.99 0.0110

963,000,000 3,876,000 590,000 30,500 3,920,000 42,800 33,000 2,279,000 4,389,000 147,600 980,687,000 1,801,000 380,440,000 45,760,000 1,012,500,000 175,000,000 2,166,000 40,580,000 2,702,180 52,000 1,104,000 101,200,000 1,000,000 110,000 14,278,300 34,836,000 187,500,000 4,306,390 7,786,000 348,200,000

4,078,600.00 8,948,260.00 2,554,560.00 388,360.00 928,080.00 331,882.00 251,044.00 1,517,830.00 2,225,590.00 1,290,486.00 863,861,700.00 673,000.00 99,836,430.00 12,460,300.00 14,377,100.00 2,642,700.00 4,145,670.00 183,714,750.00 5,624,950.00 31,740.00 1,441,020.00 1,028,570.00 9,800.00 430,640.00 104,209,211.00 139,020,540.00 2,438,500.00 548,670,985.00 30,631,710.00 4,040,900.00

50.85 533 535 116.4 118 519 6.5

2,213,700 19,360 3,100 10 30,160 23,130 55,200

114,160,489.50 10,208,700.00 1,685,900 1,164.00 3,558,880.00 11,981,600.00 347,581.00

108 1050 1070 1027 107 112 79 81 76.5 75.6 76.75 77.2 76 76 2.61

69,810 32,910 60 38,770 31,450 910 1,000 97,090 406,400 221,160 57,040 566,300 235,660 295,320 94,000

7,457,265.00 34,340,870.00 63,800.00 39,731,700.00 3,359,750.00 101,810.00 79,000.00 7,858,090.00 30,947,545.00 17,264,307.00 4,413,622.00 44,141,168.00 17,857,402.00 22,459,196.00 258,470.00

2.940

674,000

2,042,980.00

4.24 3.75 2.95 17.52

51,405,000 38,000 214,000 8,536,300

218,652,520.00 141,950.00 632,330.00 151,576,580.00

122

53,980

6,927,079.00

WEEKLY MOST TRADED STOCKS Abra Mining Boulevard Holdings Philodrill Corp. `A’ Metro Pacific Inv. Corp.

PremiereHorizon Megaworld Prop.

Manila Mining `A’ Oriental Pet. `A’ Manila Mining `B’ Lepanto `A’

VOLUME 4,413,000,000 384,200,000 267,300,000 250,779,900 227,300,000 212,717,000 212,700,000 195,000,000 169,800,000 143,600,000

STOCKS Security Bank PLDT Common JG Summit Holdings Ayala Corp `A’ Metrobank SM Prime Holdings Universal Robina Aboitiz Equity Ayala Land `B’ Globe Telecom

VALUE 9,206,093,139.00 6,496,222,315.00 4,348,727,752.00 2,899,939,480.00 2,846,645,900.50 2,534,899,075.00 2,498,309,490.00 2,487,953,333.50 2,224,930,765.00 1,587,076,990

MONDAY: JUNE 6, 2016

B3

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

Evergreen sails to Batangas. Taiwan-based shipping giant Evergreen Marine Corp. becomes the newest shipping line to add Batangas Container Terminal to its port rotation through its North East Asia – South East Asia A or NSA freight service. Shown is ATI executive vice president Andrew Hoad (fifth from left) handing over a commemorative plaque to MV Uni-Premier captain Teng-Kun Tsay (fourth from left) to mark Evergreen’s maiden call and start of weekly service at BCT. With them are senior officers of Evergreen led by senior vice president Terence Wu (third from left).

SM Prime to sell P10-b bonds

By Jenniffer B. Austria

SM Prime Holdings Inc., the country’s leading integrated real estate developer, hired four banks to handle the sale of fixed-rate bonds worth P10 billion in July.

A report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission showed SM Prime tapped BDO Capital and Investments Corp., BPI Capital Corp., Chinabank Capital and First Metro Investments

Corp. as joint issue managers and joint lead underwriters for the offering.

SM Prime will sell P5 billion worth of fixed-rate bonds with an oversubscription option for another P5 billion under the property firm’s P60-billion fixed-rate bonds shelf registration it earlier filed with SEC. Offer period for the bond offering due 2026 was set between last week of June and early part of July.

The bonds will be listed with the Philippine Dealing and Exchange Corp. and shall be issued in scripless form in minimum denominations of P20,000 each, and in multiples of P10,000.

Proceeds from the fund raising activ-

ity will be used to finance capital expenditures for the expansion of the group’s commercial and hotel operations.

SM Prime is currently building office buildings catering to business process outsourcing at its malls in Clark, Sta Rosa (Laguna) and Iloilo.

It is also constructing four new hotels, including the 347-room Conrad Manila at Mall of Asia complex in Pasay City, the 200-room SM Hotels in SM North Edsa and another 250-room SM Hotels in Mall of Asia. It is building another 200-room serviced apartment also at Mall of Asia.

SM Prime’s P10-billion bond sale earlier obtained the highest credit rating of PRS

Aaa from Philippine Rating Services Corp.

Obligations rated “PRS Aaa” are deemed of the highest quality with minimal credit risk. This also means a firm’s capacity to meet its financial obligation is “extremely strong.

SM Prime operates four core businesses: malls, residential, commercial and hotel and convention centers.

The group had 56 malls operating in the Philippines, with a total gross floor area of 7.3 million square meters, as of end-March.

The company also operates six malls in China, in the cities of Xiamen, Jinjiang, Chengdu, Suzhou, Chongqing and Zibo.

Market expected May inflation likely reached 1.4% to move sideways

By Gabrielle H. Binaday

STOCKS are expected to move sideways this week, as investors position ahead of the US Federal Reserve’s policy meeting this month.

Analysts said investors would closely watch the statement of US Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen ahead of the central bank’s policy meeting on June 14 to 15.

The lack of corporate developments in the local front could also push investors to turn their attention to political developments ahead of June 30, when Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte will formally assume the presidency.

“In the weeks to come, [amid expected] absent significant corporate news, investors may likely trade on any business-altering developments the new administration may hint towards in the days leading to Duterte’s inauguration ceremonies on June 30,” RCBC Securi-

ties analyst Anton Alfonso said.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company benchmark, last week managed to stay above the 7,500-point level, gaining 1.4 percent to close at 7,514.22 on June 3, as investors were treated to a handful of huge corporate deals early in the week.

The broader all-share index also went up by 1.3 percent to settle at 4,491.73.

Except for the mining and oil index which declined 1 percent, all major sub-indices ended in the green, led by services which climbed 6.4 percent and holding firms which advanced 1.4 percent.

Foreign investors were net buyers of P3.94 billion, as total foreign buying hit P42.02 billion while foreign selling amounted to P38.07 billion.

Jenniffer B. Austria

INFLATION rate likely rose to 1.4 percent in May from 1.1 percent in April, on higher food prices, according to the Finance Department.

This would mark the 13th straight month that inflation rate settled below 2 percent since April 2015, when it averaged 2.2 percent.

Finance undersecretary and chief economist Gil Beltran said in an internal economic bulletin risks to inflation included the increase in food prices, particularly vegetables.

Beltran, however, said the May inflation forecast would still be slower than the 1.6-percent price

increase registered in the same month last year.

“The below-target forecast can be traced to comparatively lower fuel and electricity prices that the country still enjoys,” Beltran said.

Electricity rate at the franchise area of Manila Electric Co. in May was about 15 percent lower than a year ago.

Beltran said diesel prices also went down by 15.1 percent to an average of P26.40 per liter in May from the same period last year.

“This low rate allows room for monetary policy to sustain rapid economic growth,” Beltran said.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas earlier estimated that inflation in May settled within a range of 1.1 percent to 1.9 percent.

“The BSP forecast suggests that May inflation could settle within the 1.1 percent to 1.9 percent range,” Bangko Sentral Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. said in a text message to reporters last week.

Tetangco said “higher domestic oil prices and the uptick in food prices suggest potential upside inflation pressures, which could be partly offset by lower power rates in Meralco-serviced areas.”

The Finance Department’s forecast remained below the 2 percent to 4 percent target for the year. Bangko Sentral said inflation was expected to average 2.1 percent in 2016, before rising to 3.1 percent in 2017.

B4 Smart set to roll out expanded MHz band

By Darwin G. Amojelar SMART Communications Inc. said it will start rolling out the 700 megahertz frequency as part of a commitment to provide faster and more reliable broadband services throughout the country.

Smart gained access to 700 MHz and other additional frequencies when Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. acquired 50 percent of the telecoms business of San Miguel Corp.

The low-band 700 MHz has a longer range and provides better indoor coverage than high band frequencies.

“Our strategy has two legs. First is the network. Deploying LTE on 700 MHz combines a powerful frequency with the most advanced mobile phone technology,” said PLDT and Smart chief technology and information advisor Joachim Horn.

Horn said LTE on 700 MHz would help expand the coverage and enhance the capacity of the company’s data network at a faster pace.

“Second are the devices. We have been holding discussions with device manufacturers so that more affordable LTE smartphones and tablets using 700 MHz will soon be available in the country. This combination of advanced network and devices will enable allow us to provide the best digital experience to our customers across the country,” he added.

LTE is the fourth-generation (4G) mobile phone technology that currently provides the fastest wireless data service commercially available.

Smart’s statement came after the National Telecommunications Commission warned of terminating the joint use by PLDT and Globe Telecom Inc of the frequency owned by San Miguel, if broadband access and Internet speed failed to improve in a year.

Smart said about 45 percent of its subscribers were using smartphones, up from only 30 percent last year. The majority of these are 3G/HSPA handsets, but the number of LTE handsets is rising fast as the range of available models increases and the handset prices decline.

Globally, according to UKbased global analyst company CCS Insight, shipments of LTE devices rose from 443 million in 2014 to 900 million in 2015.

LTE-capable devices this year are expected to account for half of all smartphone shipments worldwide, further rising up to about three quarters of the global market by 2020.

“As LTE devices become more affordable and accessible, we are at the same time stepping up our efforts to deploy our LTE service using the most efficient set of frequencies,” Horn said.

BCDA remittance. President Aquino (third from left) witnesses the ceremonial turnover of P4 billion by the state-owned Bases Conversion and Development Authority to the National Treasury for calendar 2015 during the Government-Owned and -Controlled Corporations Day ceremony held recently in Malacañan Palace. It marks the fifth straight year that the BCDA remitted over P2 billion a year, or averaging close to P3 billion in remittances for the period 2011-2015. Shown at the ceremony are (from left) Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, Senate President Franklin Drilon, BCDA chairperson Ma. Aurora Geotina-Garcia, BCDA directors Elmar Gomez, Joseph Emile Juico and Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr., and BCDA vice president for Finance Nena Radoc.

Dominguez rejects tax reform package

By Gabrielle Binaday

INCOMING finance secretary Carlos Dominguez called the Finance Department’s Comprehensive Tax Reform Program a “joke.”

Dominguez told reporters in a media round table discussion Finance had more than six years to come out with the tax reform program and released the proposed package with just 40 days left in the current administration.

“You can’t believe that [CTRP]. You’re gonna put it in the last two seconds? You had six years to do it. I mean what kind of joke is that,” Dominguez said.

Dominguez also said he was lukewarm with the said proposal.

“Yes it is safe to say I am lukewarm. It’s better to say that I am absolutely appalled,” he said.

Dominguez said the Duerte government

might not adapt the whole program. “Of course we will read it. If it matches what we want in accordance with what we want, of course we will adopt it,” he said.

The DoF recently released a proposed tax reform package on May 23 and recommend it to the next administration.

The government, under the tax reform package, is expected to gain about P164.5 billion to P351 billion in additional revenues if the Duterte administration pushed it.

Included in the program is the exception of about 11 million salary earners from paying taxes. For individual wage earners, the tax rates will be lowered from the current 32 percent to 25 percent. The corporate tax, meanwhile, will reduced to 25 percent from 32 percent.

The measures will cost the government around P160 billion to P224 billion in foregone revenues during the first year of implementation.

Losses from the measures, however, will be offset by the expansion in the value added tax from 12 percent to 14 percent. The higher VAT

is expected to generate an additional P162 billion in revenues.

Dominguez said the tax exemption for the 11 million salary earners would be useless ifvthe value added tax was raised.

“You raise it [tax exemption] and then you raise the VAT. Is that an exemption?” Dominguez asked.

Another revenue source under the CTRP is the increase in excise tax on petroleum products, which will gain P132 billion.

The equalization of tax treatment for selfemployed and professionals, meanwhile, will generate an additional revenue collection of P2 billion.

The passage of the fiscal incentives rationalization bill will add P5 billion in revenues, while the repeal of Bank Secrecy Law for tax purposes will generate another P87.5 billion to P210 billion.

Dominguez said the incoming government would read and study the proposal. “Were going to do what we want. If it fits, we’ll copy. If it’s not, forget it,” he said.

BSP official calls for repeal of bank secrecy law

By Julito G. Rada CEBU CITY—A high-ranking Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas official is pushing for the repeal or at least amendment to the bank deposit secrecy laws to make the country compliant with international standards and remove one of the impediments to the litigation of some criminal cases.

Deputy Governor Vicente Aquino, during the 12th annual media lecture series of the Bangko Sentral held at Crimson Resort over the weekend, said he was open to

the idea of repealing or amending the two bank secrecy deposit laws in the country. He was referring to Republic Act 1405 passed into law in 1955 and Republic Act 6426 enacted in 1974.

“If a repeal is not successful, at least there must be substantial amendments in order to show the world that we are internationally compliant with anti-money laundering regulations. It is high time for us to do our part,” Aquino told journalists covering the banking beat.

Aquino said both laws had provisions stating bank deposits

were confidential and, including foreign currency deposits, could not be examined by any person, government agency or bureau.

Deposits can only be looked into if there is a written consent from the depositor.

“We have better chances of prosecuting people if the prosecutorial agencies have the authority to examine bank deposits.

Currently, examination of bank deposits are allowed only after the filing of cases before the courts,” Aquino said.

Aquino said the speedy reso-

lution of the recent $81-million money laundering scam recently could be achieved had the country’s laws allowed the examination of bank deposits of individuals suspected of any involvement in crimes.

“The fear of many individuals that they could be targets of criminals if they allow the amounts of their bank deposits be known has no solid basis. People are protective of their deposits, not because they are afraid of criminals, but because the source of their money might be questionable,” he said.

M O N D AY : J U N E 6 , 2 0 1 6

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

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Tetangco: No PH asset bubble

By Julito G. Rada

CEBU CITY—Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. said no asset bubble is occurring in the Philippines despite the 9.2 percent increase in residential real estate prices in the first quarter from 5.5 percent a year ago.

Bangko Sentral released the maiden nationwide Residential Real Estate Price Index over the weekend. The first-quarter growth was also significantly higher than the 5.1-percent expansion in the fourth quarter of 2015.

“While we believe that there’s no real estate bubble right now, we want to continue to monitor the property sector. So the residential real estate price index will help us do that,” Tetangco said during the 12th annual media lecture of Bangko Sentral held at Crimson Resort in Mactan, Cebu.

Tetangco said there was no cause for alarm in the acceleration of prices of condominium units.

“Not at all. They’ve somewhat slowed down in building. And [in] some of the movements in each of the sectors, there’s some that have increased slowly than others. We want to look at the total picture. At this point in time, if you look at other indicators like building permits, there’s no bubble,” Tetangco said.

Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo said the “9.2-percent growth in the first quarter showed a vibrant housing industry in the Philippines,” adding “this is the complete snapshot of the housing sector.”

The index showed real property prices in the National Capital Re-

gion and areas outside it increased 9.7 percent and 9.4 percent, respectively.

Condominium units posted the highest year-on-year growth in prices at 12.9 percent, followed by townhouses at 8.5 percent.

“More demand for condo units is evident in Metro Manila because most urban workers prefer to stay in the city during weekdays rather than go home everyday and brave the heavy traffic... Distance is a very vital reason,” Guinigundo said.

The index showed that about 7 out of 10 residential real state loans granted were for the purchase of new housing units. Condo units were the most common house purchases in the capital region and single-detached houses in areas outside it.

By region, NCR accounted for half or 50.4 percent of the residential real estate loans granted in the first quarter 2016, followed by Calabarzon at 28.4 percent, 7.6 percent in Central Luzon, 3.8 percent in Visayas, and 3.3 percent in Central Visayas.

Guinigundo said the index could serve as a measure in assessing the trends in housing prices.

Bangko Sentral required universal, commercial and thrift banks to submit bank quarterly report on residential real estate loans granted for the generation of the index.

AES set to complete energy storage plant

By Alena Mae S. Flores AES Philippines, a unit of AES Corp. of the US and Electricity Generating Public Company Ltd. of Thailand, expect to complete the country’s first 10-megawatt, battery-based energy storage facility in Masinloc, Zambales province late this month.

EGCO president Chanin Chaonirattisai said in a statement the 10-MW lithium-ion battery energy storage located at the 600-MW Masinloc coalfired power plant aimed to provide reserve power and grid stability services to the Luzon grid.

“The construction commenced in December 2015 and now it is over 90 percent complete,” the official said.

EGCO invested in the 300-MW expansion of the Masinloc power plant and battery-storage project following an agreement signed with AES in 2014.

“We are continuously expanding our investments in overseas markets to keep pace on the company’s earnings growth, especially in the Southeast Asia where the company has strong presence. Lately, we have joined with our partners in Masinloc Unit 1-3 power plants to develop an electricity-related business battery energy storage” in the Philippines,” Chanin said.

The facility, once completed, will be one of the first advanced energy storage installations in Southeast Asia and among the largest in all of the continent.

“AES is pleased to bring this pioneering technology and application to the Philippines. Battery-based energy storage will play a critical role in tomorrow’s grid, helping to improve stability, lower total system costs, and incorporate higher volumes of renewable energy projects. We look forward to working with key stakeholders to demonstrate the value and capabilities of this technology,” AES Philippines managing director Neeraj Bhat said earlier.

The advanced energy storage project at Masinloc will strengthen the Luzon grid by providing fast response ancillary services, like frequency regulation.

AES Philippines said the project was especially valuable to island grids facing challenges in matching supply and demand across a smaller pool of resources.

The company said energy storage could perform this function more effectively than traditional grid resources, resulting in cost savings and lower system-wide emissions.

Refinery excellence. The Shell Tabangao refinery in Batangas wins a Shell Global Reliability

Award for operational excellence for achieving a notable 3 percent full-year unplanned down time, attaining 75 percent less UPDT compared with 2014 and 25 percent less than the company’s global manufacturing target. The recognition attests to the cost-effective and energy efficient operations of the facility in delivering Shell’s cleaner, smarter products to local customers, especially after the completion of its upgrade to Euro-IV compliance in December. Shell global manufacturing executive vice president Lori Ryerkerk (right) presents the award to Shell Tabangao general manager Eduard Geus.

MONDAY: JUNE 6, 2016

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BUSINESS business@manilastandardtoday.com extrastory2000@gmail.com

Albay has least poverty in Bicol LEGAZPI CITY—Albay’s persistent efforts to boost its tourism sector and local economy have started to pay off, as it reduced its poverty rate to 25.1 percent in the first semester of 2015, the lowest in the Bicol region.

The latest poverty incidence report of the Philippine Statistics Authority was based on income data from the Family Income and Expenditure Survey conducted in July 2015.

The survey report presented the comparative poverty incidence of the seven Bicol provinces in 2006 and 2015, respectively.

PSA said poverty incidence in Albay dropped from 32.3 percent in 2006 to 25.1 percent in 2015. Albay’s 2015 figure, however, was still above the national average of 21.1 percent.

Poverty incidence in Camarines Norte increased from 29.5 percent to 36.5 percent while the rate in Camarines Sur dropped from 38.7 percent to 29.2 percent.

Poverty rate in Catanduanes rose from 31.2 percent to 39.7 percent while that of Sorsogon increased from 30.6 percent to 35.7 percent. Poverty in Masbate went down from 47.8 percent to 31.6 percent.

Albay Gov. Joey Salceda said his administration in the past nine years worked hard to boost the local economy, particularly through tourism promotion, and was able to provide its constituency better health and medical care and support, and greater access to quality education.

He expressed confidence Albay’s tourism industry would continue to prosper and hit its goal of five million tourists, with $1 billion investments and 235,000 jobs in ten years, after the completion of the Bicol International Airport in August 2018.

First BSP auction gets strong interest

By Julito G. Rada

BANKS showed strong interest in the maiden auction of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ reverse repurchase facility under the interest rate corridor system on June 3, a top official said over the weekend.

The daily auction of RRP facility is a part of the interest rate corridor system which Bangko Sentral started implementing Friday.

Overnight RRP rate was pegged at 3 percent.

IRC is a system for guiding short-term market rates toward the BSP policy interest rate which is the RRP rate. It consists of a rate at which the central bank lends to banks (typically an overnight lending rate) and a rate at which it takes deposits from them (deposit rate).

The RRP facility is now offered to qualified

L

Green and Competitive

account rate was maintained at 2.5 percent.

Tetangco said the IRC system did not represent a change in stance of monetary policy.

The IRC reforms are operational in nature and will not affect materially prevailing policy settings upon implementation, he said.

Bangko Sentral said to prepare for the start of IRC operations, placement in the SDA facility underwent a winding down process. Outstanding term placements in the SDA window were allowed to mature without rollover in a phased manner to enable all existing term placements to be converted into overnight placements prior to the start of the auctionbased operations.

Bangko Sentral would also offer P30 billion for the term deposit auction facility on June 8 as the main tool to absorbe liquidity. It would initially include P10 billion for the 7-day tenor and P20 billion for the 28-day offering. Auction day was set every Wednesday.

The second auction will be held on June 15, offering another P30 billion to potential bidders.

Sun Life-8990 partnership.

Insurance company Sun Life of Canada (Philippines) Inc. teams up with property developer 8990 Holdings to promote financial literacy in the country. Shown announcing the partnership during a news conference at Makati Shangri La Hotel in Makati City are Sun Life of Canada (Philippines) president and chief executive Rizalina Mantaring (right) and 8990 Holdings president and chief executive Januario Jesus Atencio.

EY ACASIO

ing green could entail some costs in the short-term, it is also true that it has its benefits in the long-term. As the world is NICOLA MARI EBRADA getting smaller, and people are starting to become more conREEN IGHT scious about what they purchase and consume, as well as its effects to the environment, the pressure is on companies to start having sustainable businesses.

Going green There are a lot of ways for I LOVE the opening question our professor asked upon start- companies to start going ing our class, taken from Porter’s green. I remember a few years Green and Competitive, “Does ago (2010), when my famgoing green mean companies ily and I went to Hong Kong, we purchased some items at have to be less competitive?” the nearby grocery store. Our Opposing ends There is this pre-conceived dad told us to buy eco-bags, notion that going green entails as the grocery didn’t provide the factors of being costly vs. plastic—or paper —bags. And responsibility. But should these true enough, they really didn’t! two factors really be at opposing If I were the usual consumer, I would probably get upset havends?

Personally, I do not agree. I ing to carry all my groceries in believe while it is true that go- my arms—if I had no bag of

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counterparties daily using a fixed-rate and full-allotment method, where individual bidders are awarded a portion of the total offered amount depending on their bid size.

Bangko Sentral Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo said the P305 billion worth of RRP facility offered to the public on June 3 was oversubscribed. “Total tenders stood at P574.072 billion, significantly higher than P305 billion offered,” he said during the 12th annual media lecture series at Crimson Resort and Spa Mactan in Lapu Lapu City, Cebu.

Under the interest rate corridor, Bangko Sentral transformed the reverse repurchase facility into a purely overnight facility, offered using a fixed-rate and full allotment method.

The special deposit account and RP facility were also converted into overnight standing liquidity windows, available on demand during BSP business hours.

The rate on the overnight lending facility of 6 percent was reduced to 3.5 percent, while the overnight borrowing rate was adjusted to 3 percent from 4 percent. The special deposit

some sort. But no. I was actually glad to experience bringing my own eco-bag.

I thought to myself then, when will this happen in the Philippines? Groceries such as SM even give you doble-doble plastic bags for heavy items. There is no way that the Philippines could adapt such a change. Fast forward to 2015, SM is one of the pioneers of promoting ecobags. A lot of major cities in the country have banned the use of plastic bags—and I believe that this is just the beginning. Again, people are starting to become conscious of the environment.

Being more competitive Going green doesn’t have to start with the final product or packaging. Companies can start thinking of sustainability right from the start—from idea conceptualization, harnessing raw materials, production, and so on.

And to answer the question, no, going green doesn’t mean that companies have to be less competitive. In my opinion, they are actually more competitive.

An advantage is that they could be differentiated as a company who is green, as opposed to others who aren’t. Also, as I have mentioned, consumers are starting to become more conscious of what they buy—having a green or eco-friendly product can actually be a plus for consumers to prefer your product over others.

Being a future Lasallian business leader, there is so much I want to change—but change can only happen if you start with yourself—then expand to your spheres of influence, and it will just get bigger and bigger from there. I’m starting with the most “mundane” of things—from segregating my trash, recycling, turning off the lights when not in use, to purchasing products

whose advocacies I support, buying organic food and supporting environmental activities. With the rise of entrepreneurs and numerous startups, my challenge for myself is to be able to come up with a product that is green and eco-friendly.

That is my goal for my future business(es).

The author is an MBA student at the Ramon V. del Rosario College of Business. This essay is part of a journal she kept in fulfillment of the requirements of the course, Lasallian Business Leadership with Corporate Social Responsibility and Ethics. Visit her blog at http://nicolaebrada. blogspot.com/.

The views expressed here are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official position of DLSU, its faculty, and its administrators.

M O N D AY : J U N E 6 , 2 0 1 6

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CESAR BARRIOQUINTO EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

WORLD

Onstage. Brian Kelley and Tyler Hubbard of Florida Georgia Line perform during Pepsi’s Rock The South Festival—Day 2— at Heritage Park on June 4, 2016, in Cullman, Alabama. AFP

Ali’s funeral open to everybody Man hanged in Iran for rape of dozens TEHRAN—Iran hanged a 21-year-old man on Sunday after convicting him of the rape of dozens of women in the historic southern city of Shiraz, the judiciary said.

The convict, identified only as Amin D., earned notoriety as the “Vaseline Man” in Iranian media for his greasing of his body in the pre-dawn attacks on women in their homes that sowed terror in the southern city of some 1.5 million people.

“The man was arrested in August 2015 with CCTV footage provided by one of the victims, DNA and blood type matched and other evidence left on the scene,” Shiraz prosecutor Ali Salehi told the Mizan Online website.

“He was sentenced to death for corruption on earth and creating

widespread insecurity in Shiraz through breaking into the houses of a large number of citizens at night and sexually assaulting and raping women.

Corruption on earth is the most serious offense under the Islamic legal code in force in Iran since the 1979 revolution and is punishable by death.

Fars province police chief Ahmad Goudarzai said last year that the suspect was only identified after he left his trousers at the scene of one attack with a dry cleaning tag The police then narrowed their search to 15,000 people with the same family name.

Eventually they used DNA samples to identify and arrest the suspect. AFP

LOUISVILLE—The world is invited to the funeral of Muhammad Ali in his hometown on Friday where the boxing legend’s life will be celebrated with a public funeral procession and memorial service, a family spokesman said.

Ali, a three-time world heavyweight champion and civil rights activist who was an iconic figure of the 20th century, died Friday aged 74 after health problems complicated by a long battle with Parkinson’s disease.

The official cause of death was septic shock due to unspecified natural causes.

The dazzling fighter—whose words, often delivered in catchy rhymes, were as devastating as his punches—had been admitted to an Arizona hospital earlier in the week.

Political leaders, sports figures, celebrities and fans around the world paused to remember “The Greatest,” whose career spanned three decades.

On Sunday, Ali’s relatives will ac-

company his body from Scottsdale, Arizona, to Louisville, his hometown in the southern state of Kentucky.

After a private family funeral on Thursday, Ali’s coffin will be transported through the streets of Louisville on Friday, before a public memorial service at an arena, with former president Bill Clinton among celebrities expected to offer eulogies.

The procession has been organized to “allow anyone that is there from the world to say goodbye,” family spokesman Bob Gunnell told reporters. ouisville lowered flags to halfstaff in his honor, as fans flocked to the boxer’s modest childhood home, now a museum, to pay their respects.

“Our hearts are literally hurting. But we are happy daddy is free now,” Ali’s daughter Hana Ali wrote on Twitter.

President Barack Obama led the tributes for Ali, issuing an unusually personal statement in which he said he keeps a pair of Ali’s boxing gloves and a photo in his private study.

“Muhammad Ali was The Greatest. Period,” Obama said.

“His fight outside the ring would cost him his title and his public standing. It would earn him enemies on the left and the right, make him reviled and nearly send him to jail. But Ali stood his ground,” Obama said.

Obama later called Ali’s widow Lonnie to offer condolences, the White House said.

In a possible preview of Bill Clinton’s eulogy, he and his wife Hillary, who is seeking the Democratic presidential nomination, said Ali was “a blend of beauty and grace, speed and strength that may never be matched again.” AFP

Another Christian killed in Bangladesh

DHAKA—A Christian grocer was hacked to death near a church on Sunday in northwest Bangladesh, police said, amid the growing deadly attacks by Islamist militants on religious minorities and secular activists.

Unidentified attackers murdered 65-year-old Sunil Gomes in the village of Bonpara, home to one of the oldest Christian communities in Muslim-majority Bangladesh.

“Sunil Gomes was hacked to death at his grocery store just near a church at Bonpara village,” Shafiqul Islam, deputy police chief of the surrounding Natore district,

told AFP. Another police officer, Inspector Abdur Razzak, said the motive for the killing was unclear. But the attack was similar to those on Hindus and members of other religious minorities in recent months.

Bangladesh is reeling from a wave of murders of liberals, secular activists and religious minorities that have left more than 40 people dead in the last three years.

Authorities have blamed homegrown Islamists for the attacks, which have spiked in recent weeks.

International jihadists such as the Islamic State organization and

Al-Qaeda’s South Asia wing have claimed responsibility for most of the murders, but authorities deny these groups are present in the country.

Sunday’s murder came just hours after the wife of a top anti-terror officer was brutally killed in the southeastern city of Chittagong, by suspected members of a local banned extremist group.

Three unidentified men stabbed and then shot Mahmuda Begum in the head as she walked her son to a school bus stop near her home, said Chittagong Metropolitan Police deputy commissioner Moktar Hossain. AFP

Washed out. A man waits at the end of a flooded road after the

Georges River burst its banks in Sydney on June 5, 2016. The east coast of Australia, including Sydney, was battered by a freak storm on June 5 with trees uprooted and thousands left without power. AFP

m onday : J UnE 6, 2016

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

E aT, dRInK , T R aV EL

LIFE Kinilaw na Isda comes in three variants—with green mango, with salted duck's egg, and with cucumber and kamias

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Mama Rosa's signature dish Pako at Suha salad

ThE flAvORS ThAT kEEp MAMA ROSA’S MEMORIES AlIvE

By BERnADETTE lunAS phOTOS By STAR SABROSO

W

ith almost every new restaurant focusing on offering something new or something “Instagrammable” just to attract diners, it’s good to know that there are still some that prioritize what’s truly important to stay afloat in this competitive business – good food made with fresh ingredients.

“If you don’t have quality, fresh ingredients, I don’t think you can come out with something that’s good. Because that’s the basic and that’s the only way,” Teresa “Tiki” Dula Laurel told The Standard Life.

And good food is what Tiki has been offering in her restaurant ever since it opened in 1999.

Tiki and her late brother Rod Dula founded Mama Rosa 17 years ago to honor their mother, Rosa Eco Dula. But before there were tables and chairs and plates, Mama Rosa a decade earlier was already a brand of innovative bottled sauces which Tiki made. These sauces: bagoong, soy wasabi, balsamic vinaigrette, etc. were then offered in the restaurant and used in most of the dishes until Mama Rosa closed down in 2006 when Tiki was diagnosed with glaucoma.

But Tiki had always wanted to relaunch Mama Rosa. Fom Timog and Eastwood – the former locations of the two Mama Rosa branches – the restaurant reopened in the burgeoning food district in Kapitolyo, Pasig City in 2015.

“I just live around the corner – a fiveminute walk from here. One morning I saw this place and thought it was the right size for me [to start again],” she shares.

The reopening of Mama Rosa was wellreceived by its loyal patrons. “They’re really happy that we’re back. I’m happy that some of our old customers seek us out when they found out that we are open again,” says Tiki.

But Mama Rosa’s long hiatus was not a wasted time as Tiki used the downtime to further develop the sauces and dishes to offer to returning and new clients.

For instance, the Kinilaw na Isda which was previously made one way now comes in three variants – with green mango and gata (coco cream), with salted duck’s egg and black beans, and with cucumber, radish and kamias. There’s also the new crowd favorite Sinaing na Tulingan in Olive oil which is made of bullet tuna steamed in olive oil and cooked with capers and dried kamias.

Along with new and improved offerings are Mama Rosa’s signature dishes that made the restaurant a hit when it first opened to diners. The menu still has Pako and Suha salad made of fiddlehead fern, pomelo chunks, julienned jicama and heart of palm

Mama Rosa reopened in the burgeoning Kapitolyo food district in Pasig City in 2015

Monggo

Guinataang Sigarillas

Sinaing na Tulingan in Olive Oil

Gabi ice cream

drizzled with a generous serving of the fresh Mama Rosa Honey-Kalamansi-Wasabi dressing; the tasty Guinataang Sigarillas whose basic ingredients of sauteed wing beans with tinapa (smoked fish) simmered in coconut cream result in a heady mix of sumptuous flavors; and the heavenly Leche Flan which is infused with limon de China, among a couple more other Filipino dishes.

It is evident in her dishes that Tiki prefers to serve Filipino food in traditional fashion but supplements them with creative, unconventional ingredients – something that she advocates in this age when many restaurants get away with dishes whose impressive presentations don’t compensate for the lack of flavors.

“I don’t do fusion, I just innovate,” avers Tiki, citing for example Mama Rosa’s Binagoongang Baboy, which is made of bacon-cut pork belly instead of the usual lechon kawali.

Teresa 'Tiki' Dula Laurel is the brains behind the cult favorite Mama Rosa sauces

But she understands the way the market runs today. When people go to the Internet or their social networking sites to check out restaurants, having pretty photos and positive reviews are crucial for a restaurant to get more customers.

“I notice that we’re losing the essence of Filipino food when we’re just focusing on making them visually pleasing. For instance, my niece always tells me that we should always make our dishes ‘Instagrammable’ and in turn I tell her that if I only work on making my food ‘Instagrammable,’ would my customers from 10 years ago come back?” shares Tiki.

The restaurateur believes that the challenge for the food business today is not so much on serving good food but marketing it the way it should be marketed. And when restaurants are fighting for the most creative plating or the most innovative fusion, the

Leche Flan infused with limon de China

bottomline should always be great quality and delicious taste.

And while Mama Rosa benefits from the traditional word-of-mouth in attracting new patrons and those who are coming back years after – with company in tow – the restaurant has also evolved to go with the changing times. “I have a social media manager and we’re very active on Facebook,” shares Tiki.

Apart from strengthening their online presence, Tiki and her strong R&D team continuously develop more dishes and more sauces (such as Pickled Chillies and Neptuna sauce) “that can help preserve Filipino food” and keep the memories of Mama Rosa alive.

Mama Rosa restaurant is located at 9 East Capitol Drive, Kapitolyo, Pasig City, and is open daily from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. For updates and more information, visit MAMA ROSA Restaurant on Facebook.

m onday : J UnE 6, 2016

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

“Wow! Taiwan Selects Pop-up Store” at Glorietta last May 23

Taiwanese beauty skincare brands

ExpErIEncE ThE BEST oF TaIwan

T

aiwan’s Commerce Development Research Institute gave Filipino consumers a peek of Taiwan’s unique and world-class products in a week-long exhibit dubbed as “Wow! Taiwan Selects Pop-up Store” at Glorietta last May 23.

The theme of “Let’s Home Party” gave the exhibit a party-like vibe suited to millennials, who checked out the pop-up store that featured different beauty and skincare brands, fashion wear, delicacies, technology and household goodies. The activity was in support of Taiwanese manufacturers exporting products to the Philippines which is the store’s first stop in the ASEAN region this 2016.

According to Josh Kang, director of the Department of Global Marketing & Consulting Division of Marketing Research for Wow! Taiwan Selects, they have studied the Philippine market for years, and have seen that the youth make up the majority of the population. “We were convinced about the strong market potential of the country, and that’s why we decided on a store theme that grabs the attention of young Filipinos,” he added.

Nick Ni, director of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO), considers the Philippines as one of the young energetic countries, which is why they selected certain products that are of interest to the young Filipino generation and decided on a partylike vibe store with bright, energetic colors such as blue, yellow, and orange which modern Filipino families would surely enjoy.

Following the exhibit in the Philippines, the next stop of “Wow! Taiwan Selects Pop-up

Taiwan Beer in classic and fruit flavors

Taiwanese treats

mcdonald’s presents the new and improved Burger mcdo The only thing that is constant is change, and this is also true to young people who want most everything – even tried-and tested products – to adjust to their evolving taste and preferences. And when the young ones want change, it doesn’t necessarily mean they want something entirely new or different – just better.

Aware of the need to keep up with the changing times,

McDonald’s is introducing latest change in one of its all-time favorite products – the popular Burger McDo which is now made with beefier and juicier patty, sandwiched in a soft bun and with a tastier and sweeter sauce. Like many, the product has also evolved over time.

Whatever simple or big life changes one is going through – a birthday, new school, accidental meeting with an old friend or a

road trip – a perfect treat would be the new Burger McDo. Embrace life’s changes warmly with every bite of the new Burger McDo with a regular drink for only Php55, available in all McDonald’s stores nationwide.

Share your photos enjoying it with your friends via facebook. com/McDo.ph or tag @McDo_PH on Twitter or Instagram with #WelcomeChange.

Store” would be in Jakarta, Indonesia and Hanoi, Vietnam, Ni disclosed.

About 15 popular Taiwanese brands were introduced, and these include beauty and skincare brands such as Dr. Morita, a facial mask brand that has sold 300 million pieces all over the world; City Color, a brand known for its affordable fashion cosmetic products; Naruko, a brand of skincare products which contain natural botanic ingredients; TS6, a probiotic brand good for feminine care; Hydron which is the top Taiwanese contact lens brand; and Dr. Formula, an affordable and clinical effect skin care product for ageless skin which is produced by a trusted medical team.

The pop-up store event also featured fashion wear like O’Ringo, a well-known, handmade colorful and world-class comfort footwear for modern people. As for household goods and technology, these were Sakura, one of the best brands in integrated kitchenware, and KTV-Brio, a smart mobile product manufacturer.

Experiencing the best of Taiwan wouldn’t be complete without the yummy treats and drinks such as Seven Seven, one of the most classic chocolate brands in Taiwan; the famous Taiwan Beer in classic and fruit flavors; Sweet Mountain which has modern versions of traditional delicious cookies and jelly treats; Royal Family, a well-known brand for Japanese-style rice cakes; and Yon Ho, an internationally popular soy milk brand.

- Marjaleen Ramos Those who are interested in any of the products and willing to become partners or distributors, please visit Wow! Taiwan Selects website at www.wowtaiwanselects.tw

m onday : J UnE 6, 2016

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

ExpLorIng ThE BLUE ConTInEnT merCury rising

By BoB zozoBrado

T

he Pacific Asia Travel Association, or PATA, held its Annual Summit recently in Guam featuring international experts who are at the forefront of the travel industry.

This year’s theme was “Exploring The Secrets Of The Blue Continent,” referring to the many island countries spread over the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean.

With these Pacific island countries at the critical junction of development, the conference unveiled a call to action under the banner “Code BLUE” which explores the key success factors taking travel and tourism organizations to the next phase of sustainable tourism. BLUE is the acronym for: Back to basics, Leveraging knowledge and expertise, Unraveling the mysteries of human capital development, and Energizing ecological efforts.

The 3-day conference, hosted

by Guam Visitors Bureau, was held at the Grand Ballroom of the Dusit Thani Guam Resort and treated guests, representing travel and tourism establishments all over the world, to a large dose of the colorful Chamorro culture.

Blooms of all sizes and colors were aplenty, and the food on the buffet had that distinct “sting” that sets Chamorro cuisine apart from those of the other Pacific countries.

There were many interesting speakers and topics that kept me glued to my Ballroom seat the entire three days. Among them was Mark Baldyga, chairman of Guam Visitors Bureau, who presented their Tourism Strategic Plan which is to begin the transformation and repositioning of Guam as a MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Expositions) destination. This market segment

Guam Governor Eddie Calvo opens the PATA Annual Summit with his welcome remarks

PATA director for International Partnerships Halona Padiachy moderates the Part of the 15-man Philippine delegation to the PATA Annual Summit Chapter Colloquium

PATA chief executive officer Mario Hardy and the columnist

always brings in higher revenues than ordinary tourists.

The Honorable Alain St. Ange, Seychelles’ Minister of Tourism and Culture, explained how a country should project its unique cultural roots to attract new markets without exceeding capacity.

Tony de Brum, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary for Climate Change from the Republic of the Marshall Islands, gave tips on how to ensure the longevity of the entire tourism industry and the island country’s resources, while managing the lack of diversity and sustaining a unique culture.

Faustina K. Rehuher-Marugg, president of the Palau Resource Institute, had a very interesting

talk on the choices made to shape the economy of an island country, and how its external connectivity plays an important role in creating such economy.

I also had the privilege to speak during the Chapter Colloquium participated in by dozens of chairmen of PATA chapters all over the world, highlighting the functions of and the activities embarked on by the dynamic Philippines Chapter which I head as chairman.

There were many other interesting discussions that stemmed from the talks of the 26 speakers invited to this annual gathering of tourism industry leaders from all over the world. Of course, it was not just all business, as we also had a lot of time for some honest-to-goodness fun.

A pre-conference tour of the city and a post-conference tour of the entire island were sponsored for the participants. But Guam Visitors Bureau saved the best for the Welcome Fiesta it hosted for the hundreds of delegates and their spouses.

Colorfully decorated dinner tables were spread out over the entire Plaza de Espana which is right next to the city’s main landmark, the Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral Basilica in downtown Agana. This wide open park also fronts the new and modern Guam Museum.

Arriving guests were greeted with a welcome garland made of big brown seeds, and a headdress – floral for the ladies, and woven leaves for the gentlemen – a perfect match for the “island wear” shirt which all of us were given and required to wear for the event. Before we could even take selfies of our enhanced getup, we were all handed coconut juice served in its fresh shell.

Attractive wahines in floral outfits escorted us to our tables

past groups of islanders in their native costumes singing and dancing to the musical sounds of the island.

After a group picture in front of the Guam Museum, Governor Eddie Calvo officially welcomed all of us and gave the signal for dinner to be served. It was a sumptuous buffet of Chamorro delicacies which, surprisingly, also included lechon. Wine and beer were overflowing, much to the delight of everybody in the crowd.

Attendance to this 3-day PATA event was time well spent as those of us in the tourism industry always hanker for new perspectives that could further enhance our appreciation and involvement in this very dynamic trade. The various talks gave us a stronger grasp of how our region could compete with the tourism industries of the other regions of the world. Best of all, these learnings came with a large dose of fun, the Blue Continent way.

For feedback, I’m at bobzozobrado@gmail.com

yoUr MoNday CHUCKLE Doctor: I’m sorry but you suffer from an extremely terminal illness and you have only 10 to live.

Patient: What do you mean, 10? Ten what? years? months? Weeks? days?

Doctor: nine¼ eight¼

For the love of beef

Get your steak knives ready as Australia continues to offer worldclass products to all meat lovers in Metro Manila. Introducing – the Australian grass fed beef, which will set a new global expectation for red meat.

Identifying the perfect meat sometimes is a bit too overwhelming even for meat lovers. In Australia, majority of cattle and sheep are raised on natural pastures and this meat is described as “grass-fed” or “pasture-fed.” With the climate and its lush green pastures across the island continent, Australia is definitely the best place to raise all types of beef and lamb. Beyond doubt, Australian grass-fed beef is perfect for health conscious people as it is raised exclusively on pasture, and contains Omega-3 fatty acids that are positively good for the heart health.

A few months back, food poisoning was an issue which is why the Meat and Livestock

Australia, in partnership with Whitestripe Foods and Werdenberg International Corporation, recently held the “Let’s Meat Up!” event at I’m Angus Steakhouse. The small get together became a venue for sharing updates about red meats – from cooking methods to safety to cuts and lots of meat choices.

Guests also had the opportunity to taste the finest grass-fed beef.

“Forty-seven percent of what comes to the Philippines as far as beef is concerned is Australian.

Australia is number one as far as supplying the Philippines’ beef needs. And of that 47 percent, 90 percent are grass-fed,” said Paul Perez, Meat and Livestock Australia country manager, Philippines.

Perez added that as demand for natural and wholesome foods increases, Australian grass-fed beef is seen as an important component of a healthy diet. Raised exclusively on pasture, Australian grass-fed beef is a source of Omega-3 fatty

acids, which is important for heart health, and when fat is reduced, the saturated fat is reduced to less than two percent. This is the reason why consumers comtinue to seek out lean, healthy, free range, natural meats.

Australia’s Cape Grim, an allnatural award winning Australian beef from Tasmania, Flinders Island and King Island is indeed known for the best grass-fed beef in the world. Cape Grim has also earned the reputation of being “pure beef ” as cattle are raised on rich pastures with nothing else added. The brand is also very strict when it comes to selecting and grading. Simply put, everything is made by nature.

Matthew Lyne, managing director of Whitestripe, exporters of Cape Grim to the Philippines, explained why Australia is the best place to raise beef cattle as its climate and environment provide the perfect growing conditions to raise premium

47 percent of the beef that comes to the Philippines is Australian

beef. He mentioned as well that Cape Grim has a collective of beef farmers who have a commitment to sustainable farming and ethical practices which results in the production of amazing cattle, processed humanely resulting in a consistent and perfectly flavored grass-fed product everyone can enjoy.

Goldie San Luis, sales manager for Food of Werdenberg International Corporation, expressed her excitement about the product and how it is good in flavor, good for the environment and good for the animal.

Indeed, Australian grass-fed beef is the perfect beef!

- Marjaleen Ramos

m onday : J UnE 6, 2016

C4

LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

SAffy handicraft

Monte Cristo with blueberry Compote

Kath’s jewelries designed by filipino designer Michelle baldemor

MEET THE LOBBY AT ACACIA

F

ilipino upscale hotel Acacia Hotel Manila in Alabang recently unveiled The Lobby at Acacia, where guests can savor its revamped menu offering and shop at the pop-up boutique of Pinoy artisanal products.

The Lobby at Acacia is a great place to relax and enjoy a nice sit down lunch or dinner in its paisley printed, high back chairs. Guests who are passing time or would like to work by the lobby can enjoy a cup of hot tea or coffee while taking advantage of the complimentary WiFi. According to its head chef Aldo Palaypay, the revamped menu maintained the same kind of quality that has been served prior but now with more creative Asian and Western cuisine options offered. Guests can order any of the 66 dishes with prices that range from P280 to P1,595. Choice of dishes includes the unique Pinoy dish of Chicken and Pork Adobo Pizza, an Aromatic Braised Beef Ragout, the Pan

Fried Salmon with Marinara Risotto that fish lovers can enjoy.

The Crispy Nori Shrimp Salad is also a great choice to whet the appetite which can be followed by Braised Asian Duck Quesadilla that is so easy to eat, diners might end up getting more than one order. Seafood lovers will enjoy the plates of Capellini ala Gamba, and Crab Meat Lasagna with Grilled Shrimps. And for sweet endings, satisfy your sweet tooth with the delectable Mango Crepe or Monte Cristo with Blueberry Compote.

If guests would like to take home or take out pastries, The Lobby also offers home baked treats. One of the products that the hotel is particularly proud of is its own rendition of ensaymada that melts in every bite.

An added attraction to The Lobby is the Souk boutique where people can support local artisanal brands that promote Filipino ingenuity from companies that support livelihood opportunities for marginalized

Japanese-Peruvian cuisine at Buddha-Bar manila Buddha-Bar Manila will be offering the unique flavors of Nikkei cuisine to Manila. Chef Shigeki Iimura, one of the most notable culinary masters when it comes to Nikkei cuisine and is currently the

Chef Shigeki Iimura

corporate Japanese chef of the BuddhaBar group, prepared the new menu. This unique cuisine is a fusion of Japanese food using Peruvian ingredients that are popular in South America and have been enjoyed and prepared by celebrity chefs in many top cities and top restaurants around the globe.

Chef Shigeki recently visited Manila to give guests a sample of his signature dishes, and this special menu can be savored in Buddha-Bar Manila until June 17. The delectable menu includes Aji Tuna Ceviche Chifa, a freshly sliced tuna tossed in umami tiger’s milk or leche de tigre (an important ingredient in Peruvian Ceviche) and Salmon Tiradito with Orange Aji Amarillo, a Peruvian sashimi flavored with Aji Amarillo or spicy yellow peppers with a hint of citrus orange.

Entrées include Miso Black Cod, Mixed Lentils, Black Corn Puree, Black Sesame Souffle or Grilled US Angus Beef Tenderloin Steak with Ponzu Mayo, Onion soya and yakiniku sauces.

For inquiries and reservations, please contact +63 2 8566859 / +63 2 8566719 and 0998-9833918.

Buddha Bar is located in Picar Place, Kalayaan, Makati City.

Mango Crepe

Sweet Seasons' mangoes covered in chocolate

communities. Guests can choose from fashion and home accessories or artisanal pasalubongs from different local brands.

Support SAFFY (Social Action for Filipino Youth) buy buying handicraft products of Filipino craftsmen that sustains their livelihood. Abre Linea bags made by Haiyan-ravaged communities in Leyte and Samar are also available in the Souk.

Also available in the boutique are assorted hyacinth products from Laguna made by the Laguna Water Lily Weavers Association that benefits water lily gatherers and provides jobs for out-of-school youth. For jewelry collectors, locally handcrafted bags

and jewelries by Kath’s designed by Filipino designer Michelle Baldemor will also be on display. For sweet cravings and great pasalubong options, guests can shop for House of Polvoron products and sweet and sun kissed Philippine mangoes covered in bittersweet chocolate from Sweet Seasons.

Crsipy Nori Shrimp Salad

braised Asian Duck Quesodilla

The lobby

Top phoToS by AC brIzuelA

The Lobby at Acacia is located at Commerce Ave., Muntinlupa, Metro Manila and is open from 6:00 a.m. to 12 m.n. For reservations you may reach +632 720 2000 loc. 1550 or email raffy.santos@acaciamanila.com.

phoToS CourTeSy of ACACIA hoTel MANIlA

m oNDAy : J uNE 6, 2016

SHOWBITZ

ISAH V. RED EDITOR NICKIE WANG WRITER

isahred @ gmail.com

Coco martin as the good cop Cardo in the top-rating action series “FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano”

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“Home Sweetie Home” couple John Lloyd Cruz and Toni Gonzaga

ABS-CBN pROgRAmS vIEWED WIDEly ON Tv AND ONlINE

ABS-CBN DOmINATES mAy NATIONAl Tv RATINgS; gRABS NINE SpOTS IN TOp 10 pROgRAmS

A

BS-CBN Corporation continued to register huge viewership on both television and online for the month of May, with a 44 percent audience share compared to GMA Network, Inc. with only 32 percent, while garnering almost 20 million page views on iWant TV. The Philippines’ leading media and entertainment company still had the lion’s share of highestrating shows last month, getting nine out of the Top 10 programs as people continued to watch its programs online using their mobile phones, gadgets, and laptops via ABS-CBN’s pioneering videoon-demand website.

Kantar Media uses a nationwide panel size of 2,610 urban and rural homes that represent 100 percent of the total Philippine TV viewing population, while the other ratings data supplier AGB Nielsen reportedly has only 2,000 homes based solely in urban areas that represent only 57 percent of the Philippine TV viewing population.

ABS-CBN remains in a league of its own at the primetime block with a commanding 49 percent average audience share that is 18 percentage points higher than rival GMA’s 31 percent average audience share during the same time block. The primetime block is the most important part of the day when most Filipinos watch TV and advertisers put a larger chunk of their investment in to reach more consumers effectively.

Nine out of the 10 programs in the Top 10 belong to ABS-CBN, wherein all their major primetime series led by FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano, with an average national TV rating of 41.1 percent, followed by the returning The Voice Kids, which got a 36.1 percent rating, and Dolce Amore with 32.9 percent. The 3-punch combo of the Kapamilya network is joined in the Top 10 most viewed programs in May 2016 by Pilipinas Got Talent (32.8 percent), Maalaala Mo Kaya (30.1 percent), TV Patrol (29.5 percent), Wansapanataym (28.9 percent), Home Sweetie Home (23.7 percent), and Rated K (21.2 percent).

Meanwhile, Be My Lady (17.4 percent) is still the most-watched daytime program while It’s Show-

“The Voice Kids” coaches: (from left) Lea Salonga, Bamboo and Sharon Cuneta

caption

“Dolce Amore” lead stars Enrique Gil and Liza Soberano

time (18.5 percent) continues to edge Eat Bulaga (12.3 percent) in the ratings war during the noontime slot. The Kapamilya Network also ruled the afternoon block with a 46 percent nationwide rating compared to the 33 percent of GMA, thanks to the strong ratings of Doble Kara (18.0 percent) and Tubig at Langis (15.9

percent). It’s also worthy to note that the two afternoon series hit all-time highs last month with Tubig at Langis earning 18.1 percent at one point and Doble Kara scoring 19.8 percent.

ABS-CBN also dominated in other territories across the land like in Balance Luzon (places in Luzon outside of Metro Manila)

where it struck a national average audience share of 47 percent against the 33 percent of GMA; Visayas where it scored 54 percent against the 24 percent of the rival network; and in Mindanao where it garnered 54 percent against the 27 percent of the Kapuso station.

Meanwhile, ABS-CBN continues to lead the way in addressing the change in Filipinos’ viewing habit, wherein more and more Filipinos are consuming content online, by boosting the offerings of iWant TV. Featuring programs from different ABS-CBN channels and platforms, iWant TV had a total of 19.91 million views recorded for the month of May. Primetime favorites Dolce Amore (4.53 million page views) and FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano (2.25 million page views), and afternoon drama Tubig at Langis (1.45 million views) were among the most watched shows online.ABS-CBN’s own live streaming channel on iWant TV got 3.18 million page views.

The high viewership of ABSCBN content in both television and online indicates that many Filipinos are consuming ABS-CBN content on multiple screens, which is in tune with the company’s goal of making content accessible to ev-

ery Filipino anytime and anywhere through its new digital platforms.

ABS-CBN Corporation, which began as a broadcasting network, has evolved through the years to become the leading media and entertainment company in the land that is rapidly evolving into an agile digital company. It has gone beyond radio and television to also become the leader in the local music, film, cable TV, and publishing industries and is also the pioneer of digital television in the country. ABS-CBN has also ventured to other businesses including telecommunication services, money remittance, cargo forwarding, TV shopping services, theme park development, among others, showing that it has become more than a broadcasting network through the years.

Kantar Media is a leading television (TV) audience measurement provider with capabilities in gathering TV viewing data in both digital and analog platforms. It is a multinational market research group that specializes in audience measurement in more than 80 countries, has 26 TV networks, ad agencies, and pan-regional networks subscribing to its ratings services.

Among its local current subscribers are ABS-CBN, Peoples Television Network Inc., The Huddle Room Media Inc., JRA Advertising (J. Romero and Associates), 720 Consumer Connect, Viva Communications Inc., Manprom, Solar Entertainment Corporation, Starcom, Havas Media Ortega, and Media Agency groups IPG Mediabrands (Touch BPN, UM), Dentsu Aegis Network (Dentsu, Mediaforce, Carat), Omnicom Media Group (OMD, PHD and M2M) as well as Group M (Mindshare, MEC, MediaCom, and Maxus).

International subscribers to Kantar Media include Turner Broadcasting System Asia, NBCU Global Networks Asia Pte Ltd, Google Asia Pacific Pte Ltd, Home Box Office (Singapore) Pte Ltd, Scripps Networks Interactive (Asia) Pte. Ltd., MTV Asia, Fox International Channels, Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific Pte Ltd, CSM Media Research (China), AETN All Asia Networks Pte Ltd, Celestial Tiger Entertainment and Sony Pictures International.

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m onDAy : J unE 6, 2016

SHOWBITZ

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

isahred @ gmail.com

QuARtER two SEmIfInAlIStS In wEEk-long SEmIfInAlS

T

he latest semifinalists of Tawag ng Tanghalan are set to clash in the Quarter Two semifinals week-long showdown of the original Pinoy singing competition starting today in the Kapamilya noontime show It’s Showtime.

Don’t miss the “Fab Biritera of Olongapo” Phoebe Salvatierra

and the returning contender, the “Big Sister Belter of Batangas” Pauline Agupitan, as they represent Luzon and showcase their singing prowess to win a spot in the grand finals.

The region of Visayas is also well represented as the “Rockboycalista of Cebu” Christofer Mendrez; the “Endearing Balladeer

of Boracay” Andrey Magada; and the “Singing Voice Actress of Cebu” Marielle Montellano do what it takes to win and make their provinces proud.

Will the next grand finalist be from Luzon? Or will the Visayan contenders avenge their region?

Meanwhile, as the Quarter Three of the competition ap-

proaches, viewers are in for a huge treat as Tawag ng Tanghalan cooks up three big surprises, which will surely heat up the singing battle even more.

Don’t miss the talented Pinoy singers as they battle for supremacy in Tawag ng Tanghalan in the noontime variety show It’s Showtime, Monday to Saturday

on ABS-CBN or ABS-CBN HD (SkyCable ch 167).

For more information, logon to TawagNgTanghalan.abscbn.com/livestream and follow “Tawag ng Tanghalan” on Facebook (facebook.com/TawagNgTanghalan), Twitter (@TNTABSCBN), and Instagram (@ TawagNgTanghalan).

Songs show hopes of Smokey mountain children In Smokey Mountain, scavengers living alongside Metro Manila’s wasteland are a normal sight. The landfill located in Tondo, Manila has always been associated with poverty, alienation, and hopelessness.

Existing for over 40 years, Smokey Mountain is a place that continually draws the attention of missionaries from all over the world. One of the most prominent clerics who helped scores of families in Smokey Mountain is Reverend Benigno P. Beltran, SVD, of the Risen Christ parish.

Father Ben, as he is fondly called, has worked with the residents of Smokey Mountain for more than 27 years. The priest from Lanao del Norte, known for his innova-

fr. Benigno Beltran

tive ideas, has inked partnerships with international companies to bring into the area digital learning,

cROsswORD puzzlE

answer PreVIOUs PUZZLe

ACROSS 1 Gridiron div.

4 Press agents?

9 Cheviot mama 12 Thin tie 13 A certain Friday 14 Maureen O’Sullivan role 16 — -a-brac 17 Horse handler 18 “Como — usted?”

19 21 23 25 26 29 31 32 33 37 38

Trench digger Ghost — Dame Lets out, maybe Fish baskets — pie Change color Undergrad Time teller Cookie sheet Moves in position

41 “— to the West Wind” (Shelley) 42 Cinch 44 Subatomic particle 45 Wyoming range 47 Sorry about 49 Quagmire 50 Cays 53 “— So Vain” 55 Go for trout (hyph.)

57 Ruined 61 Mumbai attire 62 Gladiator’s place 64 Wave maker 65 Small bills 66 Gross out 67 Joie de vivre 68 Mao — -tung 69 Trips around the sun 70 Monk’s title DOWN 1 Ibsen heroine 2 Paris cop 3 London dialect 4 Bullion 5 Harder to find 6 Plastic — Band 7 PFC superiors 8 Fellow feeling 9 Bailed out 10 Fritter away 11 Put in a log 12 Consumer org.

landfill mining, a composting and recycling business, and a cottage industry organic soap making.

MONDAy, JUNE 6, 2016

15 Teacup handles 20 Sank, as a putt 22 New Haven student 24 Green science 26 PC monitors 27 Bronco “brake” 28 Novelist — Ferber 30 Second word of “The Raven” 32 Created a web site?

34 Scintilla 35 Uproars 36 Hubble component 39 Ambassador, e.g.

40 Cache 43 On the money 46 Built 48 Ms. Hagen of films 49 Frescoes 50 In that case (2 wds.)

51 Bias 52 Ancient harps 54 Customer, after the sale 56 Fir 58 About 2.2 lbs.

59 Wax-coated cheese 60 Cave, often 63 It banned DDT

Now the forward-thinking priest is bringing the hopes and aspirations of Smokey Mountain parishioners to the local music scene. All the 10 songs from the album entitled, Bata, Bata, Ano Ang Pangarap Mo?, were written

by Beltran, who hopes to tell the dreams and experiences of the children living in the landfill.

According to Beltran, his experiences have prompted him to write the songs. “I lived in Smokey Mountain, an enormous garbage dump for over 30 years. In this album, I have embodied the misery and dreams of the children living there.”

Featured artists in the album are pop star Sarah Geronimo who sang the title track song and

other homegrown singers such as Jerome Abalos, Martin De Los Santos, and Kawagu.

The album also features the following songs: “Smokey Mountain (Walang Gin si Itay)”; “Banyaga Sa Sariling Lupa”; “Batang Preso”; “Kalapating Mataas ang Lipad” interpreted by Kawagu; “Bata, Bata Halika”; “Sana Magkabuhok Ulit Ako”; and “Inang Daigdig”.

Also included are remixed versions of “Sana Magkabuhok Muli Ako” ; and “Smokey Mountain (Walang Gin si Itay)”.

Proceeds of the album will towards projects aimed at alleviating the plight of abused and marginalized children through Mga Anak ni Inang Daigdig and the Sandiwaan Center for Learning.

m onDAy : J unE 6, 2016

SHOWBITZ

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

isahred @ gmail.com

A

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StEVIE® AwARDS foR ABS-CBn tVpluS

BS-CBN Corporation, the Philippines’ leading media and entertainment organization, clinched two bronzes at the Stevie® Awards for ABS-CBN TVplus, the Philippines’ first digital television service, for its product innovation and for being the first of its kind in the market, at the third annual Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards.

ABS-CBN TVplus was recognized in the Best in New Product Innovation and Bronze Stevie for Best in Branded Development categories.

The biggest innovation on Philippine TV, ABS-CBN TVplus transforms Filipinos’ TV viewing experience in two ways—via clear picture and crisp sound, and the additional premium channels that cater to every member of the family.

ABS-CBN TVplus offers freeto-air channels such as ABS-CBN

and ABS-CBN Sports +Action and four premium channels including CineMo!, the Philippines’ first all-day movie channel in the Philippines, YeY!, the Philippines’ first all-day children’s entertainment channel, Knowledge Channel, which airs curriculum-based programs, and DZMM Teleradyo, the television broadcast platform of the Philippines’ leading AM radio station DZMM Radyo Patrol 630, DZMM Teleradyo.

The service is available where digital signal transmission is currently available, such as Metro Manila, Rizal Cavite, Laguna, Bulacan, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Pangasinan, Benguet, and Metro Cebu. The service has expanded further to key areas in the country including Davao, Iloilo, Bacolod, and Cagayan de Oro. ABS-CBN constantly innovates the product with the introduction of different ser-

vices, which include original programming content for CineMo! with the country’s first sit-com gag-show, Funny Ka, Pare Ko starring Bayani Agbayani and Karla Estrada, and the Kapamilya Box Office, a new all-movie channel that offers the latest Star Cinema movies, teleserye marathons and specials in its lineup.

ABS-CBN is the first media and entertainment company to roll out digital TV service in the country, making it the first to upgrade viewing for Filipino masses by giving them access to content and information. For the first time, the common Filipino has access to all these which were previously unattainable to them.

Prior to this win, ABS-CBN received awards from various prestigious award giving bodies.

It won an Anvil Award under the Special Events category at the 51st

Anvil Awards for the ABS-CBN TVplus launch, a Quill Excellence Award for Marketing, Advertising, and Brand Communication at the 2015 Philippine Quill Awards, a finalist status for Best in Marketing Campaign at the 2015 Asia-Pacific Spark Awards, and a PANAta Marketing Effectiveness Award for Best Integration Thematic Program.

In 2014, ABS-CBN won a Grand Stevie Award and a Gold Stevie Award as Services Company of the Year. Its former president and CEO Charo SantosConcio was named Woman of the Year at the prestigious AsiaPacific Stevie Awards in 2014. It also won a Gold Stevie Award in the Company of the Year – Media & Entertainment category at the 11th Annual International Business Awards; and another Gold Stevie Award for SantosConcio as the Female Executive

of the Year in Asia, Australia, or New Zealand category at the prestigious Stevie Awards for Women in Business.

The Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards are the only business awards program to recognize innovation in the workplace in all 22 nations of the Asia-Pacific region. The Stevie Awards are widely considered to be the world’s premier business awards, conferring recognition for achievement in programs such as The International Business Awards for more than a decade.

Nicknamed the Stevies for the Greek word for “crowned,” the awards was presented to winners at a gala banquet at the Westin Hotel in Sydney, Australia on May 27. Gold, Silver and Bronze Stevie Award winners were determined by the average scores of more than 50 executives around the world acting as judges last March and April.

miss philippines Earth 2016 beauties shine in recycled evening gowns Melanie Mader, a doctor’s assistant representing the Filipino community in Vienna, Austria, won first place (Gold) in the ‘Trash to Class’ preliminary competition of the 2016 Miss Philippines Earth pageant held on Monday at the Versailles Palace, in Las Piñas City.

The 46 Earth-advocates-candidates walked the runway wearing eye-catching ‘out-of-the-box’ original creations made from recycled materials. The ‘Trash to Class’ pre-pageant is a unique part of the annual pageant to help promote the environmental fiveRs campaign “Reduce, Reuse, Re-

cycle, Rethink and Respect” and to showcase the artistry and creativeness of local designers.

Aicha Francisco, an aspiring professional model from Isabela City, and Ellyz Santos, a BS Pharmacy graduate from Laoang, Samar at Centro Escolar University, won second (Silver) and third (Bronze), respectively.

Mader got the judges’ nod with a recycled gown made from plastic straws, while Francisco carried a gown made of rice sacks and Santos wore a gown made from plastic spoons, forks and trash bags.

Peachy Veneracion, VP for

External Affairs of Carousel Productions, organizer of Miss Earth Pageant, sat as one of judges, together with Los Angeles-based fashion designer Tracey Suarkeo, New York-based Mixy Dy and Versailles owner Allen Roxas.

Reigning Miss Earth Angelia Ong will crown Miss Philippines Earth 2016 at the exciting coronation night at the historical General Emilio Aguinaldo Shrine in Kawit, Cavite on the eve of the celebration of Philippine Independence Day, June 11. It will be telecast on ABS CBN Channel, 10 a.m. on June 12. – Eton B. Concepcion

top beauties in the preliminary evening gown competition: (from left) Ellyz Santos, melanie mader and Aicha francisco

your own adventure on Discovery Channel

Survival experts Grady powell and Bill mcConnell of “Dual Survival”

Whether it’s on the toughest terrains or the darkest places on earth, Discovery Channel has the kind of adventure you are looking for all this month.

The Island with Bear Grylls returns for a second series, but this time the ultimate survival experiment will attempt to discover whether British women - as well as men - have what it takes to survive when pushed to the limits of human endurance.

Fourteen British women will be abandoned on a remote desert island in the Pacific Ocean, while 14 British men will inhabit a separate island.

This time, the survival challenge will be harder and longer than be-

fore, as the castaways attempt to survive entirely on their own wits for six grueling weeks at the height of the tropical storm season. Will modern day men and women still have what it takes to survive?

The Island with Bear Grylls premieres 9 p.m. tomorrow and airs Tuesdays thereafter.

Two survivalists have two very different ideas about what it takes to survive. In the new season of Dual Survival, they’ll take on some of the planet’s most unforgiving terrain to demonstrate, in their own way, how the right skills and some creative thinking can keep you alive.

Dual Survival premieres 8 p.m.

June 14, and airs every Sunday.

And in the new season of Trailblazers, the quest to expand the boundaries of human knowledge draws scientists to explore ever deeper, taking them into the darkest places on earth. Death waits at every turn, but protecting them from danger are the Trailblazers -members of a brotherhood of elite survivalists who are sworn to keep every expedition safe, risking their lives to ensure everybody makes it in, completes their mission and gets back out alive.

Trailblazers premieres 10 p.m. June 27, and airs Mondays.

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m oNDAy : J uNE 6, 2016

ISAH V. RED EDITOR NICKIE WANG WRITER

isahred @ gmail.com

SHOWBITZ Contrary to Claims in soCial media…

Ruffa GuTIERREz REmaIns ThE faCE Of COsmO skIn ISAH V. RED

T

he manufacturers of Cosmo Skin, the anti-aging brand in the market, are peeved with a post on a social network about Ruffa Gutierrez, the brand’s endorser, allegedly leaving the company for “moral reasons.” The post said,” I can’t work for a company that rips people off. It’s time to tell the truth, starting with what they told me to use.”

Ruffa, herself, wasn’t surprised something like this would spread on social media. “I have several poseurs that maintain accounts in social media,” she said. “I am also used to bashing. But to use me against the company that welcomed me since 2014 is really out of bounds.”

Ruffa met the members of the press last week at Blue Rocket Café + Kitchen in Quezon City.

She was accompanied by Bargn Farmsceutici Phils. Co.’s Directors Niño Bautista and Red Gatus.

Both Bautista and Gatus expressed disgust and dismay over the fraudulent social media post putting their company in bad light.

Already, the two are mulling over seeking the help of proper authorities in identifying the perpetrator of the malicious post so they can make answerable to the law.

Bargn Farmaceutici Phils Co., makers of the anti-aging and whitening brand Cosmo Skin, is also planning to file charges against an emerging cosmetics brand for fraudulent and misleading online advertisements that malign the company and long-time celebrity endorser Ruffa Gutierrez.

“The article is obviously a scam.

It is malicious. I would never do such a thing to Cosmo Skin. I am a loyal user and I really love its products’ results,” Gutierrez said.

Meanwhile, the BFPC directors are happy and proud to announce that the company bagged the most prestigious “Marketing Excellence” at the recently concluded Watsons HWB Award.

Boy George & Culture Club On June 18 Due to logistical travel issues beyond their control, the recently

English singer and songwriter Boy George

Ruffa Gutierrez (center) flanked by Cosmo Skin executives Niño Bautista and Red Gatus

announced two-night concert in Manila of 80’s supergroup Culture Club will now just be a “one night only” special event.

Boy George and Culture Club will be performing for the first time in Manila on June 18 at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

For those who’ve purchased tickets to the June 17 show, they can refund their tickets or replace them with tickets for June 18.

As promised, Boy George and the original lineup of Culture Club will give their audience a night of unforgettable music and partying.

The group will be performing all their hits like “Karma Chameleon,” “War Is Stupid,” “Do You Really Want To Hurt Me,” “Miss Me Blind,” “Move Away,” “Love is Love,” and a lot more.

Culture Club’s show in the Philippines is part of a 40-city tour of the iconic group in over 12 years, which includes cities in the U.S.A., Canada, Mexico, Australia and Japan.

Since this is the first time that Boy George and Culture Club (with members Mikey Craig on bass guitar, Roy Hay on guitar and keyboards, and Jon Moss on drums and percussion) will be performing in the Philippines, those who grew up in the 80’s as well as music lovers are excited with the news and can’t wait to see them perform their greatest hits.

“This is one big party,” says George about the concert.

As the first multi-racial band with an openly gay front man, Culture Club has set many records, including being the first band since The Beatles to have three Top Ten hits in America from a debut album.

In the eighties, the band dominated the charts in over a dozen

countries, with multi-platinum albums and more than 50 million albums sold worldwide to date.

In 2014, Culture Club reunited to create new music and has been in the studio putting the finishing touches on their new album Tribes, available now for pre-order, set to be released later this year. The band recently headlined iHeart Radios 2016 “iHeart 80s Party” at The Forum in L.A. to a packed crowd.

To make things more exciting for the Manila leg concert of Culture Club, 100 pieces of Special VIP (SVIP) tickets worth P25,000 each will be on sale. Apart from enjoying the concert, SVIP ticket buyers get a privilege to attend a “meet and greet’ session where they can have their photos with Culture Club on June 16, 3 p.m. at Novotel Manila, Araneta Center.

They will also receive a double disc of Culture Club’s greatest hits album and a commemorative concert T-shirt.

Tickets for the “meet and greet” event will be available (cash payment) on June 10 from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., at Greenfield District Central Park’s Kaleidoscope event area, which will have a special Boy George and Culture Club night and sing-and-look alike contest.

Culture Club Featuring Boy George Live In Manila is a production of Royale Chimes Concerts & Events Inc. Tickets are available at Ticketnet (911-5555) or log on to www.ticketnet.com.ph. You can also use your BDO credit and debit card to purchase tickets with a 15-percent discount.

For more info on the concert and to those who want to join the Boy George Sing and Look-Alike contest, call (0918) 497-2121 and (0906) 418-0786.

Pop icon Boy George and Cutlure Club’s Roy Hay (guitar and keyboards), mikey Craig (bass guitar) and Jon moss (drums and percussion)