The Standard - 2016 July 1 - Friday by Manila Standard

VOL. XXX NO. 139 3 Sections 32 Pages P18 FRIDAY : JULY 1, 2016 www.thestandard.com.ph editorial@thestandard.com.ph

SAF 44 kin set to file criminal raps vs PNoy

Solemn moment. Rodrigo Duterte takes a flight of stairs leading to Rizal Hall in Malacañang, just a few minutes before taking his oath as the 16th President of the Philippines. MALACAÑANG PHOTO BUREAU

‘CHANGE BEGINS’

Minus the expletives, Rody calls for ‘change within us’ By John Paolo Bencito

FORMER Davao City mayor Rodrigo Roa Duterte took his oath as the 16th president of the Philippines Thursday, saying people hungry for change must start with themselves—and showed them how by delivering an inaugural address minus the expletives that marked his ascent to the presidency. Speaking on live TV before government officials and members of the diplomatic corps, Duterte said that people hungry for change must also “change” themselves. “These were battle cries articulated by me in behalf of the people hungry for genuine and meaningful change. But the change, if it is to be permanent and significant, must start with us and in us,” Duterte said. “To borrow the language of F. Sionil Jose, we have become our own worst enemies. And we must have the courage and the will to change ourselves,” he added. Known for his hardline stance, Duterte said that no matter how strong he is, “he can succeed at anything of national importance or significance unless he has the support and cooperation of the people he is tasked to lead and

sworn to serve.” The President added that lost and faded values should be revitalized. “Love of country, subordination of personal interests to the common good, concern and care for the helpless and the impoverished—these are among the lost and faded values that we seek to recover and revitalize as we commence our journey towards a better Philippines,” Duterte said. “The ride will be rough. But come and join me just the same. Together, shoulder to shoulder, let us take the first wobbly steps in this quest,” he added. In the same speech, Duterte said that Congress and the Commission on Human Rights should let him do his own business and fulfill his mandate. Next page

His marching orders • • • • •

Cut processing time Don’t change rules at midstream Keep transactions transparent Scrap redundant requirements Suppress criminality

So help me God. Surrounded by his children Paolo, Sebastian, Sara and Veronica, President Duterte takes his oath of office before Supreme Court Associate Justice Bienvenido Reyes. MALACAÑANG PHOTO BUREAU

Rody’s speech: The long and short of it By Macon Ramos-Araneta, Maricel V. Cruz and Christine F. Herrera PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte’s 15-minute inaugural address was presidential, purposeful and persuasive, one senator said, while another described it as simple, brief and understandable.

“We all know it won’t be easy and we should unite as a nation behind these lofty goals,” said Senator Ralph Recto. “Like a great woman’s dress, it was long enough to cover the subject, but short enough to be interesting. It proved that brevity need not be junked to accommodate a host of bold statements,” he added.

Senator Juan Edgardo Angara, who said the address was simple and brief, said the message from Duterte and Vice President Leni Robredo, who was sworn in at a separate ceremony earlier in the day, were both relevant as they called for unity against corruption and poverty. He added that it was Next page

F R I D AY : J U LY 1 , 2 0 1 6

NEWS

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Agencies told: Cut the red tape ‘Change.. From A1

“In this fight, I ask Congress and the Commission on Human Rights and all others who are similarly situated to allow us a level of governance that is consistent to our mandate. The fight will be relentless and it will be sustained,” Duterte said shortly after taking oath as President. “You mind your work and I will mind mine,” he added. The President’s legislative platform includes asking Congress to reimpose capital punishment, policies to lower corporate and personal income taxes, and to create a bill enabling a constitutional convention for a shift to federalism. He assured both Congress and the CHR, however, that he knows the limits of the presidency. “As a lawyer and a former prosecutor, I know the limits of the power and authority of the President. I know what is legal and what is not,” he said. “My adherence to due process and the rule of law is uncompromising,” he added. Duterte on Thursday also emphasized that the erosion of faith and trust in government is the “real” problem confronting the incoming administration—bigger than corruption and criminality.

Rody’s... From A1

a good start for the two highest officials of the land. Recto said he believed the address covered the breadth of things he initially wanted to do, balancing audacity with guarantees that his administration wouldn’t go overboard in pursuing them. “He will go hard after criminals but not at the expense of killing the rule of law. He will comfort the afflicted but not by impoverishing the already comfortable. He will help laborers but will not harm capital in the process,” Recto said. He noted that Duterte’s pronouncements struck the right mix of being bold but responsible. He said they were courageous and comforting at the same time. Senators Loren Legarda and Nancy Binay expressed their full support for Duterte. Legarda said she acknowledged the issues that the President raised in his inaugural speech, such as the need to restore people’s faith and trust in government, and vowed to work with the administration to address these matters. “President Duterte hit the nail right on the head. I agree with all that he said especially to cut bureaucracy and remove redundancy because the role of government is to uplift the people, not to burden them. I will fully support him as he has a huge mandate and the political will to get things done,” she said. Legarda also said that she agreed with Duterte when he said that for change to be permanent and significant, it must start with each and every citizen. She also hailed the President’s pronouncement on inclusivity to ensure that the Moros and indigenous peoples are part of the peace process and overall development of the country. “We can see the sincerity in the President’s words, the single-mindedness of a true leader, the political

“Erosion of faith and trust in the government—that is the real problem that confronts us. Resulting therefrom, I see the erosion of the people’s trust in our country’s leaders; the erosion of faith in our judicial system; the erosion of confidence in the capacity of our public servants to make the people’s lives better, safer and healthier,” Duterte said. He also assured the public that he was elected to the presidency to serve the entire country. “I was not elected to serve the interests of any one person or any group or any one class. I serve every one and not only one,” he said. “I have no friends to serve, I have no enemies to harm,” he added. The first elected president from Mindanao, Duterte took his oath at noon on June 30 as President Benigno Aquino III left the Palace. Duterte, who has been known for arriving late, was on time as he fetched Aquino in Malacañang Palace. After an ecumenical prayer and the singing of Duterte’s campaign jingle “Ipaglalaban Ko” by singer Freddie Aguilar, Supreme Court Associate Justice Bienvenido Reyes administered the oath while his youngest daughter, 12-year-old Veronica “Kitty” Duterte, held the bible of the new president’s late mother. Duterte’s family and supporters

flew in from Davao to witness the event, including his former wife, Elizabeth Zimmerman and current partner, Honeylet Avanceña, together with his other children, Paolo, Sara and Sebastian. Also present during the inauguration were House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, Senate President Franklin Drilon, Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, members of the diplomatic corps, and Cabinet members who were sworn in later in the ceremony. Duterte received a 21-gun salute and a band played the Mabuhay March, the anthem of the presidency. A diplomatic reception was held in honor of the President, with Duterte having a ceremonial toast with Papal Nuncio Guiseppe Pinto with members of the diplomatic corps in lieu of a vin’d honneur. A modest lunch was served, which only included five dishes on its menu: lumpiang ubod (coconut pith spring roll), pandesal with kesong puti (white cheese made from unskimmed carabao’s milk) and Vigan longganisa (sausage from Northern Ilocandia) grilled on the spot, monggo soup mixed with smoked fish and alugbati (malabar spinach) in demitasse cups, fried saba (banana) slices, and Durian tartlet. Before going to Malacañang, Du-

terte stayed at The Linden Suites in Ortigas, Pasig City together with Avanceña and youngest daughter Veronica while his former wife, Elizabeth, stayed with Davao Mayor Sara, Vice Mayor Paulo and son Sebastian at the City of Dreams in Parañaque. The President immediately went to work after he met with the Cabinet. Duterte, the country’s 16th president, is the first to take his oath of office in Malacañang since the restoration of democracy in 1986. In Davao City, hundreds of people gathered at the Bankerohan public market to witness Duterte’s inauguration. Romedel Garing, tenant of Mallengke, said that she was very pleased to witness the inauguration, and said Duterte brought pride and honor to all Davaoeños. “I feel famous because I am from Davao and the president came from our city,” Garing said. She added that she did not mind leaving her store unattended so that she could witness the historic event. The security guard at the market, Alfie Ambaig, said the excitement was palpable. “I can feel the excitement of everybody,” Ambaig said. “The people started arriving at 8 a.m.” Nobody complained about the heat because they were too focused on the inauguration, he added.

will to bring a government that truly serves the people with passion, vision, and compassion. I am very optimistic that we can fully push for inclusive, equitable, and sustainable growth under the new administration as the President himself embraces these concepts and reaches out to all sectors of society,” Legarda added. Binay congratulated Duterte and Robredo, and said she looked forward to working with the new administration. “As a legislator, I will fully support legislation that the administration needs in order to realize its plans for genuine change,” she said. “I am one with the good goals of our new President particularly in supporting the fight against criminality, illegal drugs and corruption in our government,” she said. Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats president Martin Romualdez on Thursday rallied to Duterte’s call for unity. Romualdez, former head of the House independent minority bloc, said Duterte deserves the support of the Filipino people in his quest to fortify the faith or win back the trust of Filipinos in government. “It was a great, impressive, concise and direct-to-the-point speech,” Romualdez said. “He is committed to carry genuine change. The public, Congress and CHR [Commission on Human Rights] should give him full support in his fight against criminality, illegal drugs and corruption in light of his commitment to respect the rule of law,” Romualdez said. Reps. Jose Antonio Sy-Alvarado of Bulacan, Karlo Alexei Nograles of Davao City, and Jerry Trenas of Iloilo City said Duterte was right in his advocacy to restore the Filipinos’ eroding faith and trust in government. “President Duterte delivered a powerful and inspirational speech. Calling us to join his crusade to fight crime and corruption and push genuine reforms,” Sy-Alvarado, a member of the National Unity Party (NUP), said. Nograles, a stalwart of NUP, shared

a similar view. “The speech was direct to the point. President Duterte’s speech is a glimpse of what we should expect from his administration: straightforward, unembellished [and] unpretentious.” “It summarizes his policy against crime and corruption, on foreign policy and on the peace process. It is short but powerful in inspiring our people to unite and bring their faith back to the government. It is a reminder that change is coming and change starts today,” Nograles said. Trenas, a member of Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan said: “President Duterte’s reassurance that his administration is committed to honor ongoing government contracts and international treaties is a positive indication that his government is indeed a government of the people and by the people.” “It erases all uncertainties on how business will be conducted under his administration. It is an assurance that of our gains will be sustained and nurtured and not destroyed due to partisanship. We are ready to answer his call for unity and brotherhood,” he added. In laying down the framework for his government, Duterte quoted two US presidents—Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln. Ramon Casiple, executive director of Institute for Political and Electoral Reform (IPER), said the public would accept Duterte’s promises as his framework would address the problems of the weak and the poor. “The public will definitely give Duterte the benefit of the doubt and make his US-inspired framework work because he has proven to be consistent in his pronouncements. He has the mandate after all,” Casiple said. Antonio La Viña, dean of Ateneo School of Government described Duterte’s speech as “great.” “I have to say this was a great speech, one of the best I have heard. The language is good, plain, straight to the point, consistent with his advocacies, but this time there is reassurance about knowing his limits. Duterte is

off to a good start. I like especially his call for unity,” La Viña said. “There are two quotations from revered figures that shall serve as the foundation upon which this administration shall be built. ‘The test of government is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide for those who have little.’—Franklin Delano Roosevelt,” Duterte said. “And from [Abraham] Lincoln I draw this expression: ‘You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong; You cannot help the poor by discouraging the rich; You cannot help the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer; You cannot further brotherhood by inciting class hatred among men.’” “My economic and financial, political policies are contained in those quotations, though couched in general terms. Read between the lines. I need not go into specifics now. They shall be supplied to you in due time,” Duterte declared. Casiple said Duterte’s framework was “actionable.” He said Duterte has, in fact, already given the signs that he would impose change based on his previous pronouncements and campaign speeches. Casiple said just like the two US presidents, Duterte should be ready to face his detractors. He said that when Roosevelt said his line, he was accused of being a socialist and that when Lincoln delivered his speech, he was on the brink of waging a civil war. Casiple said Duterte has started to make the government run by elite irrelevant. “We have seen how the administration candidate’s platform had been rejected by the electorate. Duterte won by a landslide and majority who voted for him were the poor,” said Casiple, referring to the Aquino administration’s campaign platform Daang Matuwid, which carried Liberal Party standard bearer Manuel Roxas II to his defeat. With Rio N. Araja

By John Paolo Bencito PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday ordered his Cabinet secretaries and heads of agencies to immediately cut red tape in their respective departments and to make no changes to government contracts that have already been approved. Speaking before his Cabinet and members of the diplomatic corps after he was sworn into office, Duterte said these policies needed to be set straight immediately. “I direct all department secretaries and the heads of agencies to reduce requirements and the processing time of all applications, from the submission to the release. I order all department secretaries and heads of agencies to remove redundant requirements and compliance with one department or agency, shall be accepted as sufficient for all,” Duterte said in his inaugural address. “I order all department secretaries and heads of agencies to refrain from changing and bending the rules on government contracts, transactions and projects already approved and awaiting implementation. Changing the rules when the game is ongoing is wrong,” he added. During the campaign, Duterte said bureaucratic red tape, particularly in the most corrupt agencies, reduced the country’s business competitiveness. He added that he would respect government contracts to avoid the problems encountered by businesses in the past, a reference to the outgoing Aquino administration that had canceled several projects that had been approved by then President Gloria Arroyo. “I abhor secrecy and instead advocate transparency in all government contracts, projects and business transactions from submission of proposals to negotiation to perfection and finally, to consummation,” he said to applause from audience. He also warned his Cabinet secretaries that should they follow his instructions well or the would “part sooner than later.” “I now ask everyone, and I mean everyone, to join me as we embark on this crusade for a better and brighter tomorrow,” Duterte said. The Makati Business Club, a staunch supporter of outgoing President Benigno Aquino III, applauded Duterte’s first orders. “We laud President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s first order to all Cabinet secretaries to reduce requirements and processing time of all applications across agencies and remove redundancies in these requirements and to respect the sanctity of contracts,” MBC Executive Director Peter Angelo Perfecto said in a text message. The business group also welcomed President Duterte’s statement on honoring all existing treaties and international obligations as well as inclusivity in the ongoing and other peace process. The group said it welcomed the statements from Duterte and Vice President Leni Robredo calling for the nation to work together and to set aside personal interests for the common good. With Christine F. Herrera

A3 F R I D AY : J U LY 1 , 2 0 1 6

NEWS

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Agency solely for migrant workers

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday broached the creation of a separate department for the Filipinos working abroad to protect them from fixers. “If Bebot [Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III] will allow, we can set up another department for overseas workers only,” Duterte told his Cabinet in a meeting that was broadcast live through Radio-TV Malacañang. “We can make an agency effectively solely for them. I will protect them from fixers.” In a recent speech, Duterte vowed to end the long queues to obtain government permits and documents and to arrest extortionists. Duterte said he does not wish to interfere with the Cabinet secretaries and government officials in leading their respective departments, but he will order them to lessen the public complaints, citing his concern over the long queues to avail of services. He also vowed to shorten the process of releasing passports for migrant workers. “I don’t want to be heroic. I just want honesty and good faith in dealing with the public,” Duterte said. He described situations in which Filipinos were miserable because they had to wait a long time for their documents. He said he will issue an order to release permits within three days. “The Filipinos are suffering too much,” Duterte said. “If only they could get their documents without having to endure bureaucratic utility. I am bound to protect workers who are traveling.” Duterte said the processes for migrant workers will be streamlined for their convenience. John Paolo Bencito

South China Sea ruling out on July 12 THE United Nations-backed Permanent Court of Arbitration said Wednesday it will rule on the arbitration case initiated by the Philippines against China on July 12, and the Philippines said it will respect the ruling. The Philippines initiated the case challenging China’s claims to much of the South China Sea. The Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs said that despite China’s repeated declaration that it will not recognize the tribunal’s ruling, China remains a party to the arbitration and is bound under international law to accept the PCA’s decision. “The Philippines believes that the rule of law prescribes a just and peaceful means of resolving differences, which is why the Philippines will fully respect the tribunal’s award as an affirmation of the UNCLOS and hopes that the members of the international community and the Parties to the Convention will do the same,” the Foreign Affairs said in a statement. President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday said his administration will wait for the PCA’s decision before deciding what to do. Vito Barcelo, John Paolo Bencito and AFP

f R I D AY : J U LY 1 , 2 0 1 6

NEWS

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Comelec chairman hits back at critics By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan REELING from criticism of his supposed “failure of leadership” at the Commission on Elections, Chairman Andres Bautista asked Comelec employees on Monday for a “fresh start” in the agency riled by the controversy between him and his fellow commissioners. “Today, we have a new President. I hope we can also have a fresh start here in Comelec. As I said, we should consider first the welfare of this institution, what can we do for the interest of Comelec,” Bautista said before some poll employees outside the Comelec building in Intramuros, Manila. “I have been here for one year already and you can continue to expect professionalism from me. That is very important. We should do the duty that were mandated on us to support our commission and our employees,” Bautista stressed. “In the end, the Comelec is not the chairman, not the en banc. The Comelec is made up of all of you. That’s why you need to take care of your job, your duties, and you should be treated right with respect and courtesy to each other,” Bautista said. Some employees said Bautista was taking a dig at an unnamed commissioner who supposedly demanded that employees rise when she enters the room and asked for an elevator for the exclusive use of commissioners. Bautista also needled his fellow commissioners for threatening to boycott the barangay elections set for October. But when told about Bautista’s remarks, Commissioner Luie Guia clarified that he and Commisioners Christian Robert Lim and Rowena Guanzon never said they will boycott the barangay elections and they only asked that they be excused from operational aspects because of their work load.

Farewell. President Rodrigo Duterte bids farewell to former President Benigno Aquino III after departure honors at the Malacañan Palace grounds on Thursday. MALACAÑANG PHOTO

SAF 44 kin set to file raps vs Aquino today By Rio N. Araja and Sandy Araneta THE relatives of the police commandos killed in the controversial 2015 Mamasapano massacre are set to file multiple charges of homicide against former President Benigno Aquino III for the wrongful deaths of their kin, their lawyer said Thursday. Lawyer Ferdinand Topacio said the relatives will be assisted by the Volunteers against Crime and Corruption in the filing charges against Aquino, former Philippine National Police chief Alan Purisima and former PNP Special Action Force director Getulio Napeñas. After stepping down from office on Thurday, Aquino lost his six-year immunity from

suit after the assumption into office of President Rodrigo Duterte. The Mamasapano clash was an incident that occurred during a police operation, codenamed Oplan Exodus, which took place on Jan. 25, 2015 at Mamasapano, Maguindanao, by the SAF against the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

The operation was intended to capture or kill wanted Malaysian terrorist and bomb-maker Zulkifli Abdhir and other Malaysian terrorists and/or high-ranking members of the BIFF. Originally a mission to serve arrest warrants for high-ranking terrorists, it led to the deaths of 44 members of SAF, 18 from MILF, 5 from the BIFF, several civilians and Abdhir himself. In April 2015, the National Bureau of Investigation and National Prosecution Service recommended the filing of appropriate charges against 90 MILF and BIFF members believed to have participated in the Mamasapano encounter. On the other hand, the Department of Justice was not able to

resolve the complaints of the victims’ relatives despite a preliminary investigation, while the Philippine National Police’s Board of Inquiry came up with the findings that Aquino bypassed the chain of command. According to a Senate report, the death of the 44 elite SAF members was a massacre, and not a botched operation, and that the police officers were even robbed of their personal valuables and belongings. With Aquino’s knowledge, Purisima, who was then under a preventive suspension by the Office of the Ombudsman, and Napeñas kept acting Interior and Local Government secretary Mar Roxas and acting PNP chief Leonardo Espina in the dark.

Robredo takes oath as VP By Rio N. Araja

New vice president. Vice President Leni Robredo signs her oath of office before village heads Regina San Miguel and Ronaldo Coner at the Reception House in Quezon City. DANNY PATA

VICE President Leni Robredo took her oath of office before the two barangay chairmen at the so-called Boracay Mansion, now called the Quezon City Reception House, in the city’s New Manila district. Robredo thanked all those who supported her in the last May 9 polls, and those who trusted in her. “Please, join me once more in my new journey in life,” she said, adding the vice presidency is not just about her, but about the opportunity to help the marginalized sectors of society. “I cannot turn my back at the call of duty.”

Having not been appointed to any Cabinet post under the Duterte presidency, Robredo, in her inaugural speech, also repeatedly asked for the full support of the people, saying nothing is impossible if the country is one and united. “I believe that the challenge to all of us is to get together, strengthen our unification and turn our weakness into our strength as the only way to be able to attain our objective for our country,” she said. “We need to do what is only right for the majority, and not for the few. We can only give our sincerity to the duty we have sworn in even if that would go

against self-interest. We have been exposed to such service and we will continue to sustain this as long as we live.” In her first 100 days in office, Robredo said she go to the farthest and smallest barangays to know what they need “so that you could feel the government is with you.” She admitted that while there have been too many poverty reduction programs of the Aquino administration, there is still so much work to be done. She vowed to give her full support for President Rodrigo Duterte, and to partner with the people and even the private sector.

f R I D AY : J U LY 1 , 2 0 1 6

NEWS

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Death penalty 1st bill filed in House By Maricel V. Cruz The proposed measure to reimpose death penalty on drug traffickers was the first bill to be filed at the house of Representatives on Thursday. At the opening of the filing of bills and resolutions in the incoming 17th Congress, Muntinlupa Rep. Ruffy Biazon filed House Bill No. 1 seeking amend to Section 1 of Republic Act 9346, or an act prohibiting the imposition of death penalty in the Philippines. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte as soon as he assumed office, asked lawmakers to prioritize the passage of the death penalty for certain crimes, such as illegal drugs, gun-for-hire syndicates and heinous crimes such as rape and robbery. “Filing ahead will give the bill a headstart in being referred to the committees, and hopefully, be taken up ahead in the agenda,” Biazon said. The proposal for the country’s shift to a federalism type of government was also filed at the House by Negros Occidental Rep. Albee Benitez. Benitez’s resolution sought to convene Congress into a Constituent Assembly to introduce revisions and or amendments to the 198 Constitution. “There have been clamor for change in the system of government, shift to a federal form of government, provision of more autonomy and empowerment of the local government , less restrictive economic policies and other proposals that necessitate changes in the present Constitution,” Benitez said. It proposes that Congress shall create a “Council of Elders” composed of not less than 20 members coming from different sectors, inlcuding but not limited to religious, non-government organizations, urban poor, business, academe, former justices, to serve as council of experts to provide inputs to Congress in drafting the revisions to the Constitution. The Duterte administration is pushing for a change in government as this would allow the much needed development for the country, especially the countryside. At least 90 congressmen have filed their bills and resolutions on the first day of filing Thursday. Each congressman is allowed to file five bills and two resolutions on the first round; and may file additional measures on the second round or as soon as all the lawmakers who are on the list have been accommodated. Apart from death penalty and the Charter Change bills, the proposed legalization of medical marijuana of Isabela Rep. Rodolfo Albano III was also refiled.

High hopes. Militant groups and workers march to Mendiola with high hopes that the new administration will deliver on its promise so that the next generation can attain peace based on justice. EY ACASIO

PDP-Laban challenges SOCE ruling By Rey E. Requejo THE controversy arising from the decision of the Commission on Elections extending the deadline for filing of Statements of Contributions and Expenditures of national candidates in last election is far from over despite a Supreme Court decision to uphold the legality of the Comelec ruling. During its en banc session last Tuesday, the SC junked the petition filed by retired Army Col. Justino Padiernos of the People’s Freedom Party and lawyer Manuelito Luna of 1-Abilidad party-list on technicality questioning the Comelec grant on the request of the Liberal Party. But the new administration’s ruling party PDP-Laban has vowed to file another petition before the high court again questioning the legality of the deadline extension.

DU30 wares.

Car plates, keychains and other DU30 merchandise are selling like hotcakes in Mendiola while a rally is taking place in celebration of President Duterte’s inauguration. EY ACASIO

Lawyer George Garcia, who will represent petitioners including new House Speaker Pantaleon “Bebot” Alvarez, said they will file the new petition today (Friday). The SC dismissed the first petition on technicality, citing failure of petitioners to attach a duplicate original or certified copy of the assailed Comelec resolution as required under Section 5, rule 64 of the Rules of Civil Procedures. Luna said they were surprised by the ground cited by the SC in dismissing their petition, saying they have actually submitted the Comelec resolution last Monday. “I cannot understand the rationalization of the SC in dismissing the petition. Records show that the petitioners have submitted the certified copy of the assailed resolution of the Comelec,” he said. “The SC should check its record since we

have the evidence of the submission and filing of the resolution. I hope the Court of last resort is not playing politics here,” the lawyer added. In their petition, Luna and Padiernos argued that the 30-day deadline was set under Republic Act 7166 (Synchronized Local and National Elections and Electoral Reforms Act) and that the poll body “is constitutionally and statutorily mandated to enforce and administer all election laws and regulations relative to the conduct of an election, plebiscite, initiative, referendum and recall.” The petitioners alleged that the extension made by Comelec was tantamount “to an impermissible amendment of Section 14 of R.A. 7166,” which prohibits winning candidates of a political party that would fail to meet the deadline set by law to assume their respective posts.

Crime database gets Napolcom’s OK By Joel E. Zurbano THE National Police Commission has greenlighted the creation of a centralized national police clearance system to help the new administration of President Rodrigo Duterte in its fight against criminality. The commission en banc issued Resolution No. 2016393, dated June 17, 2016, approving the implementation of a secure centralized system which provides for a comprehensive technologybased criminal record check. In a statement, Commission Chairman and Executive Officer Rogelio Casurao

said a study conducted by the National Police showed that the current setup concerning police clearance is not responsive to the need of both the police and the community in terms of safety and security by way of preventing and solving crime. He added the present setup is more inclined to generate revenues because the fees collected for such purpose go to the coffers of local government units and service providers. Casurao explains that the new clearance system is not intended to preclude individuals with police records or pending criminal cases from employment or put

them in a bad light. A police clearance only contains the necessary information which may be needed by a person or entity as additional reference in the exercise of prerogative or discretion. “The shift from locally based to a national system would significantly improve the process for criminal record checks across jurisdictions wherein an applicant’s criminal history and biometrics are verified from databases. The system would also assist investigators in case build-up and consequently increase crime solution efficiency,” Casurao said.

F R I D AY : J U LY 1 , 2 0 1 6

NEWS editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Five Finance men get jail term By Rio N. Araja

THE Sandiganbayan on Thursday sentenced five former Finance department officials to a 42-year jail term for multiple counts of graft raps for the illegal issuance of tax credit certificates (TCCs) to unqualified firms in 1997 and 1998. Sentenced by the antigraft court’s First Division for seven counts of graft were Finance’s one-stop inter-agen-

AUCTION SALE CINTHY PAWNSHOP All unredeemed pledges during the month of FEBRUARY 2016 will be sold to public auction on: JULY 24, 2016 STA. MESA – 8:00 AM # 3630 Ramon Magsaysay Blvd. Sta. Mesa, Manila at JUAN LANUZA & SONS- AUCTIONEER ( T S - J U LY 1, 2 0 16 )

AUCTION SALE PENTHOUSE PAWNSHOP

All unredeemed pledges during the month of FEBRUARY 2016 will be sold to public auction on JULY 4, 2016 at BETTER - 8:00 AM at # 82 Betterliving Subd. Parañaque City at JUAN LANUZA & SONSAUCTIONEER

( T S - J U LY 1, 2 0 16 )

AUCTION SALE POB CASA DE EMPEÑOS All unredeemed pledges during the month of FEBRUARY 2016 will be sold to public auction on JULY 23, 2016 at the ff. branches: ST. FRANCIS - 10:30 AM at # 40 Kingfisher St., St. Francis, Meycauayan, Bulacan POBLACION – 11:30 AM # 721 Barrera St., Poblacion, Baliuag, Bulacan at JUAN LANUZA & SONSAUCTIONEER ( T S - J U LY 1, 2 0 16 )

AUCTION SALE TAMCAR PAWNSHOP CORP. All unredeemed pledges during the month of FEBRUARY 2016 will be sold to public auction on JULY 11, 2016 at the ff. branches: BUSTILLOS -2:00 PM at # L2522-28 Road 216, Earnshaw Bustillos, Manila JULY 24, 2016 CALOOCAN – 1:00 PM # 434 J. RODRIGUEZ ST., at JUAN LANUZA & SONS- AUCTIONEER

( T S - J U LY 1, 2 0 16 )

AUCTION SALE PEARLAS PAWNSHOP CO., INC. All unredeemed pledges during the month of FEBRUARY 2016 will be sold to public auction on JULY 04, 2016 at the ff. branches: MONTILLANO 12:30 PM at 249 Montillano St., Alabang, Muntinlupa City JULY 07, 2016 SUMULONG – 9:00 AM # 24 Sumulong Hway Sto. Niño, Marikina City CONCEPCION – 10:00 AM #19 Bayan Bayanan Ave., Concepcion, Marikina City JULY 12, 2016 G. NUEVO – 9:00 AM Tan Hock Bldg., Cor. EDSA, Makati City JULY 23, 2016 B. BARRIO - 11:30 AM # 35 Malolos Ave., B. Barrio, Caloocan City JULY 23, 2016 VALENZUELA – 12:00 PM # 115 Faustino St., Punturin, Valenzuela City at JUAN LANUZA & SONSAUCTIONEER ( T S - J U LY 1, 2 0 16 )

cy tax credit and duty drawback center deputy executive director Uldarico Andutan and garment division re-

viewer A private defendant, Kuldip Singh, an executive of J.K. Apparel Manufacturing Inc. and United Apparel, was also convicted. Each of them were sentenced to 42 years of imprisonment. The anti-graft court also directed them to reimburse the Bureau of Treasury P9,699,639 equivalent to the amount defrauded from the government because of the unlawfully issued TCCs. Three other finance

personnel, one-stop shop tax specialists Lucila Cueto, Galdys Olaño and Irene Magbojos, were also found guilty of two counts of graft. They were sentenced to 12 years of imprisonment. The Sandiganbayan gave credit to the testimony of prosecution witnesses that the TCCs were granted to the garment firm despite the submission of photocopies of required documents. In addition, the antigraft court ruled there

was no basis for the grant of tax credits to the applicant firm for failure to observe the rules requiring submission of complete and original documents including bank credit memoranda, delivery receipts and sales invoices. “By granting J.K. Apparel and United Apparel tax credits when none should have been given, the conspirators unjustifiably reduced the government coffer. Thus, undue injury

was caused to the government in the amount indicated in the tax credit certificates issued without valid basis,” the court’s resolution read. Former undersecretary Antonio Belicena, the principal accused in all of the cases, was suffering from dementia due to old age in March 2014 based on the evaluation of the National Center for Mental Health. Charges against him have been archived.

ERRORS & OMISSIONS

In Classified Ads section must be brought to our attention the very day the advertisement is published. We will not be responsible for any incorrect ads not reported to us immediately.

AUCTION SALE

NORTHERN LEGASPI

N.C. TAMBUNTING

All unredeemed pledges during the month of FEBRUARY 2016 will be sold to public auction on JULY 24, 2016 at NAVOTAS - 2:30 PM at # 256 Champaca St., Navotas Metro Manila at JUAN LANUZA & SONSAUCTIONEER

All unredeemed pledges during the month of FEBRUARY 2016 will be sold to public auction on JULY 7, 2016 at PATEROS - 8:00 AM at # M. Almeda Cor. B. Morcilla St., Pateros, Metro Manila at JUAN LANUZA & SONSAUCTIONEER

( T S - J U LY 1, 2 0 16)

AUCTION SALE

WESTCHESTER

RACATAM PAWNSHOP CO., INC.

All unredeemed pledges during the month of FEBRUARY 2016 will be sold to public auction on JULY 11, 2016 at the ff. branches: HERRAN - 8:00 AM at # 1101 P. Gil St., Paco, Manila STA. ANA – 10:00 AM # 390 AP Reyes Cor. JP Rizal St., Makati City at JUAN LANUZA & SONSAUCTIONEER ( T S - J U LY 1, 2 0 16)

AUCTION SALE CITRINE PAWNSHOP CO., INC All unredeemed pledges during the month of FEBRUARY 2016 will be sold to public auction on JULY 4, 2016 at RITZ - 12:00 PM at Stall # New Muntinlupa Public Market, Alabang Muntinlupa City JUAN LANUZA & SONSAUCTIONEER ( T S - J U LY 1, 2 0 16)

All unredeemed pledges during the month of FEBRUARY 2016 will be sold to public auction on JULY 18, 2016 at the ff. branches: PRITIL - 8:00 AM at 1833 N. Zamora St., Pritil, Tondo, Manila BLUMENTRITT – 10:30 AM #1687 M. Hizon St., Blumentritt, Manila VARONA – 8:30 AM 1872 F. VARONA ST., BRGY 95, ZONE 8, TONDO, MANILA JULY 24, 2016 ALTURA – 9:00 AM # 418 Altura St. Sta. Mesa, Manila at JUAN LANUZA & SONSAUCTIONEER ( T S - J U LY 1, 2 0 16)

AUCTION SALE PANG NEGOSYO PAWNSHOP

All unredeemed pledges during the month of FEBRUARY 2016 will be sold to public auction on JULY 7, 2016 at the ff. branches: COUNTRYSIDE - 12:30 PM at 49 Countryside Ave., Sta. Lucia, Pasig City JUNCTION – 2:30 PM # Star Valley Plaza Mall, Junction at JUAN LANUZA & SONSAUCTIONEER ( T S - J U LY 1, 2 0 16)

AUCTION SALE

LUIROM PAWNSHOP CO., INC.

MAKATI LUXURY JEWELRY PAWNSHOP CO.,

All unredeemed pledges during the month of FEBUARY 2016 will be sold to public auction on JULY 4, 2016 at the ff. branches: SUCAT - 9:00 AM at #3 Dr., A. Santos Ave., Sucat, Parañaque City MUNTI – 1:30 PM #659 National Road, Poblacion St., Muntinlupa City JULY 08, 2016 SAN JOAQUIN – 1:30 PM # 9 M. Concepcion San Joaquin, Pasig City JULY 24, 2016 10TH AVE. – 2:00 PM # 245-B 10TH Ave., Brgy., 60 Zone 6, Caloocan City JULY 23, 2016 MARILAO – 1 PM #5 NETWORK AVE., MERALCO VILL. LIAS MARILAO BULACAN JULY 12, 2016 SAGRADA – 11:00AM #1978 ESTRADA ST., FORMER SAGRADA FAMILIA STA. ANA, MLA. JULY 18, 2016 GAGALANGIN – 8:45 AM #2 JUAN LUNA ST., COR. GUIDO ST., TONDO MANILA JULY 23, 2016, STO NIÑO – 9:30 AM #30 ST., THERESE COR, ST. PETER, P3 STO NIÑO MEYCAUAN BULACAN at JUAN LANUZA & SONSAUCTIONEER ( T S - J U LY 1, 2 0 16)

All unredeemed pledges during the month of FEBRUARY 2016 will be sold to public auction on JULY 04, 2016 at BF Homes – 10:00 AM # 43 President’s Ave., BF Homes, Parañaque City SPL - 3:00 PM at Casa Hacienda San Pedro, Laguna on JULY 07, 2016 at the ff. branches: ROMULO - 10:00 AM at 135 13TH Ave., Cor. P. Tuazon, Cubao, QC SANTOLAN – 4:00 PM 526 ADR Bldg., Dela Paz, Santolan, Pasig City on JULY 11, 2016 JP RIZAL – 11:00 AM # 529 Olympia St., JP Rizal, Makati City ALPHALAND – 5:00 PM G11 South Gate Towers, P. Tamo Ext., Makati City MANUELA – 3:00 PM G/F Starmall, Wack2, Mandaluyong City JULY 18, 2016 LALOMA – 11:30 AM # 67 Calavite St., Brgy., P. Bundok, QC RETIRO - 12:30 PM # 270 N.S. amoranto Street, Retiro QC. ROTONDA – 2:00 PM # 1 Sto. Tomas St., Rotonda QC at JUAN LANUZA & SONS- AUCTIONEER ( T S - J U LY 1, 2 0 16)

Flood control. Construction crew members rush work on the concrete box culvert and junction box along the southbound portion of NLEX Balintawak, aimed at flood mitigation in the area. At a cost of P3.75 million, the project is part of the larger and already completed P119-million drainage improvement project of the Manila North Tollways Corp., which covers the northbound side of the Balintawak Cloverleaf and the southbound segment of Valenzuela. Construction works will cover four lanes of Balintawak southbound and will be completed by August 2016. MNTC president and CEO Rodrigo E. Franco explained: ‘Improving drainage systems serves the larger purpose of providing safe and convenient travel for our NLEX motorists even under inclement weather conditions.’ He further said that the Tollways Management Corp., Metro Manila Development Authority and local traffic authorities are within the vicinity of the construction site. This will assure motorists that a traffic management plan is in place even while construction work is ongoing, enforced by patrol and traffic teams.

MMDA chief’s parting shot: 20-seater ferry launching operational ferries in our fleet. These will service passengers THE Metro Manila Develop- along Pasig River, which stretchment Authority on Thursday es from Pasig City up to Plaza introduced a new commuter Mexico in Manila,” said Carlos. boat to improve the service of The ferry network covers the Pasig River Ferry system as terminals in Pinagbuhatan, and an alternative mode of transpor- San Joaquin in Pasig City; Guadtation in the metropolis. alupe and Valenzuela in Makati The inauguration of the City; Hulo in Mandaluyong 20-seater brand new ferry boat City; PUP Sta. Mesa, Sta. Ana, at the Guadalupe Station in Lambingan, Lawton, Escolta, Makati City marked the last and Plaza Mexico, all in Manila. day of official duty of MMDA The system operates from 6 chairman Emerson Carlos, who a.m. to 6 p.m. daily from Monserved the agency for more than days to Sundays. eight months. MMDA records showed that The brand new fiber glass boat the total ridership of the ferry brings to 16 the total number of system has reached more than MMDA-run ferries in commer- 150,000 as of March. cial operation. “This is our way to help the “Smaller, but quicker. All in people find an alternative mode all, we now have a total of 16 of transportation. We all know

By Joel E. Zurbano

that major roads are congested because of numerous projects like the Skyway Stage 3 and the Naia elevated expressway,” Carlos said. The MMDA revived the Pasig River system in April 2014 as a means to decongest Metro Manila’s major roads affected by 15 road construction projects being implemented by the Aquino administration in the next two years. The program also aimed to boost Metro Manila’s tourism and can be used for disaster and rescue purposes as well. The government stopped the Pasig River Ferry operations in 2011 following complaints from passengers about the long waiting time at the terminals and the foul odor emanating from the river.

It’s a blessing, an honor to serve President Duterte—Visaya

Lt. Gen. Ricardo Visaya said he never expected that he would be chosen by President Rodrigo Duterte to become his first chief of staff to lead the Armed Forces of the Philippines. He said a “mistah” or classmate at the Philippine Military Academy whom he declined to identify was the one who broke to him the news that the then President-elect wanted to see him. “After a simple introduction by a mistah, sitting across the table with President Duterte, he just said to me, ‘Usapang lalaki ito, ikaw na.’ I was stunned, momentarily paralyzed, and when I came back to my senses all I could say was thank you sir,” Visaya said. “It’s a blessing and an honor to serve our new commander-in-chief, President Duterte. Actually, it did not cross my mind that I could still become the AFP chief of staff because I have only less than seven months remaining in the service,” he added. Visaya said that unlike other senior officers in the military, he and Duterte had no chance to know each other well.

“In truth, he does not know me like he knows other senior officials of the AFP and the Philippine National Police. That’s why it was a leap of faith, it was trust and confidence on his part because his sole basis for getting me is my career background,” he said. After that fateful meeting, Duterte made a statement to the media calling Visaya a “vibrant general.” Duterte also defended Visaya from accusations from leftist groups who tagged the general as a “human rights violator,” comparing him to retired Gen. Jovito Palparan. “I think it would be unfair not to consider Visaya just because he is a friend of Palparan. The crime of Palparan is not the crime of Visaya,” Duterte said. Visaya said what is important now is the mission that Duterte wants him to accomplish, including the fight against the illegal drug trade and the terror group Abu Sayyaf in Mindanao. “The AFP is ready to take the challenge. Tall order, uphill battle, whatever you call it, we have to act and act fast to accomplish the mission,” he added.

Meet the 47th AFP chief Lt. Gen. Ricardo Visaya, the 47th chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, is a professional soldier known not only for his decisive action in the field but also for his strategic acumen honed by years of experience in military operations. Visaya traces his roots to Bacarra, Ilocos Norte where he was born on December 8, 1960. He is married to the former Mildred Libatique and they are blessed with three children, Melvin, Veechee Maricar and Raymund. Prior to his appointment as, he was the 28th commander of the Southern Luzon Command which covers Region 4-A (Calabarzon), Region 4-B except Palawan and Region 5 (Bicol). Visaya entered the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) in 1979 and graduated as a proud member of “Matikas” Class of 1983. His military education served him

in good stead as he distinguished himself early on in his career His leadership capabilities were tried, tested and proven as he took on major positions such as Commanding Officer of the 69th Infantry Battalion, 7th Infantry Division in Central Luzon; and Commander of the CMO Battalion, Civil Military Operation Group in Metro Manila. He served as commander of the Task Group White Area of the 202nd Brigade in Southern Tagalog, Task Force Nilad and Joint Task Force Land-NCR. He also held the position as brigade commander of two prestigious brigades- the 104th Infantry Brigade of the 1st Infantry Division that operated in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao, Lanao Provinces and Basilan, and the 901st Brigade of the 9th Infantry Division in the Bicol Region. Likewise, he was also designated

as Assistant Division Commander of the 6th Infantry Division in Cotabato and commander of the 4th Infantry Division in Cagayan de Oro City. Visaya has finished the Professional Managers Program at the Ateneo University, Financial Statement Analysis at the University of Asia and the Pacific and Masters in Project Management at the Australian Defence Force in Canberra, Australia. He is a recipient of four Distinguished Service Stars – the third highest award in the AFP given for imminently meritorious performance of duty in a position of major responsibility; three Gawad sa Kaunlaran; 11 Bronze Cross Medals; 49 Military Merit Medals; 14 Military Commendation Medals; Sagisag ng Ulirang Kawal; two Silver Wing Medals; and 20 plaques of recognition.

F R I D AY, J U LY 1 , 2 0 1 6

OPINION

ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

OPINION

BACK CHANNEL ALEJANDRO DEL ROSARIO

IMPERFECT NOMINEE

[ EDI TORI A L ]

A STARK DEPARTURE PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte’s inaugural speech was a stark departure from his previous statements and his demeanor in the past few weeks. It was a good first day in office. Those who were anticipating a strongly worded speech from the usually tough-talking Duterte were surprised that he was presidential— calm and even tentative in a few unguarded moments, as if he were just coming to terms with the overwhelming task that lay before him. The speech, interrupted numerous times by applause, did not last longer than a few minutes. But it was enough to lay the foundation for what we may expect in the next six years. The President said there were ills to be fought: criminality, corruption, illegal drugs, and the breakdown of law and order. He said, however, that these ills were just symptoms of a bigger problem—the erosion of faith and trust in government. This, he said, was “a virulent social disease that creeps and cuts into the moral fiber of Philippine society.” The succinct, simple and straightforward address also indicated that inclusive growth would be a priority in the next administration. We cannot disagree with this. The speech and all that took place on Thursday fit the narrative that Mr. Duterte would undergo a metamorphosis the moment he is sworn into office. He ran and won, after all, on the promise of change—even as he earlier petulantly said he would never do so. A most encouraging sign was the emblem of the Philippine flag pinned to his barong, telling us that he is our leader whether or not we supported him. There were no attempts to portray himself as a savior out to deliver the country from the claws of evil. What was there instead was an acknowledgment of the difficult task and an invitation to unite. “The ride will be rough, but come and join me just the same,” he said. The absence of pomp and fiery rhetoric in Mr. Duterte’s inauguration tells us exactly how we should think about the next six years. This is not a time for grand gestures. The patriotism and commitment of the next batch of leaders will be tested every day, in the big and little things alike, based on their actions and omissions instead of their words. We look forward to the metamorphosis—not Mr. Duterte’s, but the nation’s.

GOODBYE, NOYNOY (3) LOWDOWN JOJO A. ROBLES (Conclusion) “BU HAY pa naman kayo, di ba?” a sarcastic Noynoy Aquino told a businessman who had dared to complain to him about the sad state of affairs in Tacloban City after Typhoon “Yolanda” hit. And that haughty, condescending remark from the president washed away any remaining doubts among most Filipinos about his real feelings towards

the people he called his “bosses,” meaning you and me. We were not Aquino’s bosses, ever. His real bosses were, in no particular order: the oligarchs and the subservient media who helped him get power and preserve it; his Cabinet men, whom he defended to the very end of his term even if they robbed the country blind; and his political allies, whom he rewarded with pork and pelf while he persecuted and destroyed the opposition. It took some time—years, in fact—for the people to wise up to Noynoy’s fakery and sugary

(if nicotine-stained) tongue. And when they did, they decided to turn down Aquino’s offer to continue as before by rejecting his chosen candidate. Of course, if you don’t listen to anything but the Aquino reality distortion channel, you’d believe, as Aquino himself does, that the victory of Rodrigo Duterte was not really a repudiation of his supposed legacy. And you’d take heart in the fact that Leni Robredo, the Liberal Party’s Great Bicolana Hope, is just a heartbeat—or the lack of it, really, on Duterte’s part—away from another Yellow Restoration.

May Aquino and his patronizing, condescending, faux-populist kind never inflict themselves on us again.

The undeniable truth is, Aquino and his followers have never really thought highly of the people. Like elitists everywhere, they know they need the people to win elections— but they have never trusted them to lead themselves, something that the Yellowists believe is a privilege that only they have. And so, when pro-people candidates like Duterte or Joseph Estrada grab the people’s imagination, the elite can always be trusted to be backing some other candidate. And that candidate will most likely be one of their own, like Noynoy or Mar Roxas. But the people, as the saying goes, can only be fooled

some of the time. And when they saw that Noynoy was only paying them lip service, doing everything in his power to preserve the wealth of the elite and to keep the poor impoverished, it became simply a matter of time before he was unceremoniously sent packing back to his mother’s house on Times Street. And yes, I’m glad we’re still alive to see Aquino go. That, after all, is more than you can say about the thousands who died because of Yolanda or the 44 troopers killed in Mamasapano,

Maguindanao.

*** If you ever believed Aquino when he called you his boss, you’re not alone. But by yesterday, when Noynoy stepped down from office, you can also be forgiven if you only felt like you’ve been had all this time. Because if you and I were really Aquino’s bosses, he would never have allowed the destruction of the perfectly functioning Metro Manila commuter railway system. He would never have claimed that traffic was a sign of eco-

The Standard Published Monday to Sunday by Philippine Manila Standard Publishing Inc. at 6/F Universal Re Building, 106 Paseo de Roxas, corner Perea St., Legaspi Village, Makati City. Telephone numbers 832-5554, 8325556, 832-5558 (connecting all departments), (Editorial), 832-5546, (Advertising), 832-5550. P.O. Box 2933, Manila Central Post Office, Manila. Website: www.thestandard.com.ph; E-mail: contact@thestandard.com.ph

ONLINE

can be accessed at: thestandard.com.ph

MEMBER

PPI

Philippine Press Institute The National Association of Philippine Newspapers

nomic growth, thus giving all his officials involved in solving it a license to ignore the problem. If you and I were really Aquino’s bosses, he would not have allowed the airport to become the den of thieves, scammers and incompetents that it has become under his term. He would have fired that relative of his at the airport, for making that facility the world’s worst and for planting bullets like it was the latest cash crop (which it was, really). Continued on A10 Rolando G. Estabillo Ramonchito L. Tomeldan Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano Francis Lagniton Joyce Pangco Pañares Adelle Chua Romel J. Mendez Roberto Cabrera

WHAT’S in a name? Perfecto may be his first name but it’s getting to be a handicap for Perfecto Yasay Jr. How else do you explain the flak he is getting? The nominee for secretary of Foreign Affairs is drawing all kinds of opposition even before he has gone up the powerful Commission on Appointments who will surely ask him questions about his plans and vision for the Department of Foreign Affairs. The CA is a bicameral body composed of senators and select congressmen who are given the awesome responsibility of assuring that the nominees for Cabinet appointments and posting of ambassadors for overseas assignments, and the promotion of officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines are well deserved and not simply on the say-so of the Commander-in-Chief. This is the arena wherein the legislators can stand up to the President and say “hey, wait a minute, this person won’t do. He’s/ She’s not fit for the job.” It will be time for the nominees to get sweaty palms as they wait for their turn to be grilled by the CA panel. I must confess I felt this way when I went up twice before them for my posting as ambassador to Hungary and a second time for my assignment as envoy to Poland. I’m proud to say I hurdled the CA questions. Yasay should brace himself for some hard and probing questions from the CA. Last week, two prominent figures in the diplomatic establishment raised issues against President Rodrigo Duterte’s imperfect nominee. After former Foreign Secretary Roberto R. Romulo’s tirade calling Yasay unfit for the job, came an even more scathing remark from current Philippine Ambassador to Washington Jose Cuisia. “Yasay has no integrity for the premiere Cabinet post,” said Cuisia, who was even offered an extension by Duterte for his job as ambassador to DC. Cuisia turned down the extension offer from Perfecto’s patron, the president himself. Now that’s called integrity in case the nominee does not know what the word means. Aside from Cuisia politely declining the offer, he said Yasay as head of the DFA would pose a problem in our dealings with Washington. He did not elaborate. Hmm. Continued on A11

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

Emil P. Jurado Chairman Emeritus, Editiorial Board

Anita F. Grefal Treasury Manager Maan Ilustre Advertising and Marketing Head Edgar M. Valmorida Circulation Manager

F R I D AY, J U LY 1 , 2 0 1 6

OPINION

ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

OPINION

BACK CHANNEL ALEJANDRO DEL ROSARIO

IMPERFECT NOMINEE

[ EDI TORI A L ]

May Aquino and his patronizing, condescending, faux-populist kind never inflict themselves on us again.

Maguindanao.

ONLINE

can be accessed at: thestandard.com.ph

MEMBER

PPI

Philippine Press Institute The National Association of Philippine Newspapers

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

Emil P. Jurado Chairman Emeritus, Editiorial Board

Anita F. Grefal Treasury Manager Maan Ilustre Advertising and Marketing Head Edgar M. Valmorida Circulation Manager

F R I D AY, J U LY 1 , 2 0 1 6

A10

OPINION lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

PENSEES

I DO HEREBY SOLEMNLY SWEAR

FR. RANHILIO CALLANGAN AQUINO CHANGE has come—at least insofar as the tenant of Malacañang is concerned, and the entire coterie that is usually called “the official family” of the President. But one can say “change has come” with a sigh of relief, in jubilant exultation or in fear and trembling, and what it will be remains to be seen. President Rodrigo Duterte has taken the oath of office required by the Constitution. He has sworn to uphold and to defend the Constitution, the very same Constitution that obligates him to enforce the laws, but obviously to obey them first, the very same charter of the land that guarantees to all the right to life and liberty, virtuous citizen or “high-value” target! The President must take an oath, because he wields power, in fact has access to that reserve of violence monopolized by the State, only because the laws so

FILIPINO PENSIONER HORACE TEMPLO PERHAPS, many of us haven’t realized yet how deeply social security institutions affect our dayto-day lives now and in the future. Consequently, we just take them for granted without care. They do attract our attention when their officials hit the newspaper headlines after getting caught doing something irregular and scandalous. Early this year, for instance, we became curious with officials of the Social Security System for stubbornly opposing the bill of then-Rep. Neri Colmenares to grant a P2,000 pension increase, which Congress had already approved. But after media contrasted this opposition with their quick approval to themselves of scandalously, over-generous and undeserved bonuses, we became furious with them. We became agitated, but that was all that we did. Most of us probably know now that the program benefits of SSS and its operational expenses including its staff ’s compensation, fringe benefits and bonuses are paid from contributions of private-sector workers, employers, voluntary, and self-employed persons.

ordain. And if, in the post-conventional age, legitimacy comes from the unconstrained and unrestrained power of discourse by which claims are raised, challenged and vindicated, then to say that he exercises the awesome powers of the presidency by virtue of law is to assert in respect to him the right to do so because it is the rational consensus of the people of the Philippines—not only through the votes cast (which did not add up to the majority of Filipinos!) but also through the laws that give juridical significance to the votes—that he so assume the office, wield the powers and enjoy the prerogatives and the privileges of the office of president. The relationship between force and law in a constitutional state is not recondite at all: It is by the use of force (what Austin called “backing by threat”) that law is more than an appeal to

The oath should be the assurance that all will always be able to claim the protection of the law against what can be the very heavy hand of the State.

civic-spiritedness and to goodwill. On the other hand, it is by law that force is more than the conqueror’s might or the victor’s triumph! There is such a thing as the illegitimate use of force, and the fact that one is president is no guarantee that one’s use of force will invariably be in accord

with law. And so it is that the President must take an oath, to bind himself, with the nation as his witnesses, to flex the muscle lent him by the law only according to the law’s dictate. Without legitimacy, the only limit of force is superior force. That is the logic of uprisings, and take-overs and coups. And that is the bitter fruit of governance that goes principally by force and threat and intimidation. It is quite a different thing to cultivate in the citizenry respect for the law. It is that civic virtue you find manifested when roadusers obey traffic rules, stop at flashing ambers, when passengers fall into orderly queues or keep themselves from pillage and thievery even when there are no enforcers hovering ominously around. It is the same collective virtue that allows government to receive taxes

voluntarily and truthfully paid. But in a body-politic that seriously takes oaths, the limit of force is the law, and it can be a very useful limit both for him who holds power and for them on whom it is used. On the part of the president and those who act in his behalf there are the attributes of validity and legitimacy that allow the president to insist that he is no despot, that he is the high priest of something higher than whim and fancy. On the part of the governed, the oath should be the assurance that all will always be able to claim the protection of the law against what can be the very heavy hand of the State—or its agents who can be forgetful of the precept that “ours is a government of laws and not of men.” rannie_aquino@sanbeda.edu.ph rannie_aquino@csu.edu.ph rannie_aquino@yahoo.com

HIDDEN AND UNDETERMINED DOLE But only a few among us know that these expenses are also partly paid from the interests of members’ loans and returns from investments in stocks, fixed-income securities, and real estate. And who knows that these loans and investments are also being sourced from members’ contributions that are not immediately needed for current operations? Clearly, the fruits of these loans and investments belong to members themselves, even if they are credited matter-of-factly to the well-trained and professional SSS investment officers. Of course, when investments go wrong, members as fund owners are entitled to an assurance that neither misdemeanor nor neglect was committed in managing them. The members have to be assured, for instance, that their investments are still safe despite worldwide uncertainties that followed last Thursday’s exit of the British from the European Community. The officials of SSS (with assets of about P450 billion) and the Government Service Insurance System (with almost a trillion-peso fund) must report how Brexit has affected their sizable stock investments. They better

Goodbye... From A9 If you and I were Aquino’s bosses, he would have given us license plates, drivers’ licenses and sticker tags, like we used to before. He would actually have built just one runway, one bridge, one new road or one new flyover in Metro Manila over six years. If you and I were Aquino’s bosses, he would have fired all those officials of his

finish the accounting— markedto-market as of yesterday—of these investments before they turn over their institutions’ operations to the new fiduciaries of the Digong presidency. If they don’t, more thorough auditors would do it for them. Most of us are unaware that these social insurance institutions are tax-exempt and do not pay a single peso of tax on their investment earnings and on what they falsely call net incomes or profits. In contrast, other private and some government corporations —including pension and preneed plans, health maintenance organizations, and health, life and non-life insurance companies—are slapped taxes based on the values of their transactions and net incomes. Personal savings accounts are also taxed, including those that are yet to be set up under the unimplemented Personal Equity and Retirement Account Act of 2008. We don’t know the value of these SSS and GSIS tax exemptions since they are undetermined, but they must be worth billions of pesos. We do know that a peso of tax exemption is always a peso deducted from funds that could be used to finance social protection

who had proven to be corrupt, incompetent or both. He would not have defended them to high heavens, allowing them to say “I serve at the pleasure of the president,” which is code for “I’m his friend, there’s nothing you can do to get rid of me.” If you and I were Aquino’s bosses, he would not have illegally bought Congress with our money just to get rid of a chief justice he detested—but who never committed an impeachable offense. He would

programs such as PhilHealth, conditional cash transfer, and social pensions. These tax exemptions could have been collected first and plowed back later as direct government subsidies to SSS and GSIS. Isn’t this what local government units do—remit first all their tax collections to central government, then beg later for their share of them? If SSS and GSIS were to follow the same procedure, government could decide how much share they deserve, and what part of these tax exemptions should be redistributed to other social protection programs. This is the procedure that all tax-exempt corporations should follow. Government as employer already contributes 12 percent of its payroll to GSIS. But because it does not tax GSIS investment incomes, it unwittingly and unnecessarily contributes these uncollected taxes to GSIS. The lucky recipients are the relatively few GSIS members. Ironically, they do not deserve them because they now earn wages equal or better than their private sector counterparts. SSS in 1954 was open to all Filipinos. At that time, it deserved

not have ordered his justice secretary to defy the Supreme Court, just to keep his predecessor in jail. If you and I were Aquino’s bosses, he would not have told us to basically eat GDP growth and increased FDI instead of actual food. He would not have borrowed from abroad to give money to the poor, when he claimed to have so much money saved. We were never Aquino’s bosses. That was just Aquino attempting to pull the

its tax-exempt status because it benefitted every Filipino. This is no longer true; only employed and self-employed persons could enjoy its program. A universal PhilHealth of 100 million Filipinos truly deserves a tax-exempt status. The problem—government also pays for the contributions of its indigent, sponsored, and senior citizen members who are already heavily subsidized by the much higher contributions of private and public sector employees. Are these tax exemptions not government dole outs to non-indigent beneficiaries of SSS, GSIS and PhiHealth? They are, even if they are hidden and yet to be determined. We are thus being unfair whenever we single out indigent senior citizens and poor families with young children as undeserving of government dole every time they receive their token P500 social pensions and P1,400 conditional cash transfer benefits. A just and equitable government—which President Digong continues committing to us— should determine the actual value of these tax exemptions, and distribute them fairly to all—but more to the needy—if it really cares.

wool over our heads—which he succeeded in doing for a long time, thanks to his enablers in the fawning, oligarch-friendly media. But we are now, thank God, rid of Noynoy, because his time is up and we decided that we have no use for his chosen successor. So, goodbye, Noynoy. May you and your patronizing, condescending, faux-populist kind never inflict yourselves on us again.

F R I D AY, J U LY 1 , 2 0 1 6

A11

OPINION lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

VIRTUAL REALITY TONY LOPEZ IN LESS than a minute, democracy’s most elegant rite and finest moment—the peaceful transfer of power from one duly elected leader to another duly elected leader— took place at Malacañang, the riverside presidential palace, at noon of Thursday, June 30, 2016. And in just 14 minutes and 45 seconds, the new leader, Rodrigo Roa Duterte, 71, the 16th president of the Republic of the Philippines, spelled out his fighting faith, his mission, and his plan of action in the next six years. Charming his audience, he was applauded 26 times—almost two bursts of applause every minute. Digong Duterte’s speech is the most simple, the best, and the most stirring of all presidential inaugural speeches I have heard as a journalist of 46 years. He delivered his speech with calibrated cadence, with passion and earnestness, with an intense gaze and often with agitation. He committed only two mispronunciations. When he addressed the Speaker as “Finance” instead of “Feliciano” (maybe the result of Congress being associated with pork barrel), and when he tried to pronounce “catapulted” as “catapulated,” after

GOOD START, PRESIDENT DUTERTE speaking in his native Visayan (Cebuano). He departed from his prepared speech twice, first when he addressed former President Ramos and told him in Pilipino, “salamat po sa tulong mo” (thank you sir, for your help), making me president”; second, at the end, to stress why he is addressing the people. “I am here. Why? Because I am ready to start my work for the nation.” The audience warmly applauded. Duterte hit all the right chords and stirred the minds and heart of every Filipino listening to him. He vowed to restore the people’s confidence “in the capacity of our public servants to make the people’s lives better, safer, and healthier” to the audience’s thunderous applause. He pledged to recover and revitalize the loss and faded values “as we commerce our journey towards a better Philippines.” (Applause). These are: love of country, subordination of personal interests to the common good, concern and care for the helpless and the impoverished. He reminded every Filipino that “I was elected to the presidency to serve the entire country,” adding “I was not elected to serve the interest of anyone person, or any group, or any one class.” “I serve everyone and not only one,” he declared, as the audience erupted in wild applause.

Imperfect... From A9 What remains a nagging question is how Yasay was able to stay and work in the US for a number of years when he is not American citizen or a green card holder. Please tell us it isn’t so, Mr. Yasay. US citizens and green card holders are not allowed to be appointed to sensitive government positions. Or elected to national office. We could have another Grace Poe citizenship/residency issue in the case of Mr. Yasay. The sensitive office of Secretary of Foreign Affairs is interdicted by the Department of National Defense and

#FAILOCRACY

In that sentence, Duterte made it clear he is not just the President of his family, of his clan, of Davaoweños, of Visayans, of Mindanawans, of the rich, or of just the poor. He is the President of all Filipinos. As if to underscore unity and love of country, Duterte had stitched, not just pinned, on the left chest of his elegant Davao-made jusi barong, a replica of the flag of the Republic of the Philippines. His predecessor, BS Aquino III, never pinned any flag on his collar, on his lapel, or on his chest, the Philippine flag. The 15th president wore always his family’s yellow ribbon symbol, making him a cut above the rest. Duterte listed four problems he must address “with urgency”: “corruption, both in the high and low echelons of government; criminality in the streets, the rampant sale of illegal drugs in all strata of Philippine society, and the breakdown of law and order.” “They have to be stopped by all means that the law allows,” he asserted. Corruption, the President explained, “bled the government of funds, which were allocated for … uplifting the poor from the mire that they are in.” Illegal drugs, he said, “destroyed individuals and ruined family relationships.” Crimi-

Department of Labor and Employment. The DFA will have to deal and coordinate national security matters with the DND while also working with DoLE in the protection of our overseas foreign workers who have fallen victims to their employers’ abuse, mostly in the Middle East. In light of the soon-to-be issued ruling of The Hague’s Permanent Court of Arbitration on the Philippine case against China’s sweeping claim of nearly the entire South China Sea, what would be Manila’s course of action in case Bejing ignores the enforcement order? This, plus the lingering Sabah claim of the Philippines

nality “snatched from the innocent the unsuspecting, the years and years of accumulated savings” and suddenly, “they are back to where they started.” To solve these problems, Duterte asked Congress and the Commission on Human Rights to “mind your work and I will mind mine.” He assured those who think “my methods are unorthodox and verge on the illegal” that “my adherence to due process and the rule of law is uncompromising.” He reminded them that “as a lawyer and a former prosecutor, I know the limits of the power and authority of the President. I know what is legal and what is not.” More serious than corruption, illegal drugs, criminality, the breakdown of law order, Duterte pointed out, is “a virulent social disease that creeps and cuts into the moral fiber of Philippine society.” This is the “real problem” of “erosion of faith and trust in government, in the country’s leaders; the erosion of faith in our judicial system; the erosion of confidence in the capacity of our public servants to make the people’s lives better, safer, and healthier.” Duterte quoted three people to sum up his principles of governance. First, Roosevelt: “The test of government is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is

against Malaysia, will surely be asked by the senators. I don’t expect any of the House panel members in the CA to block Duterte’s nominee if they know what’s good for them—or bad, if they crossed the Davao punisher. Many have joined Digong’s “super majority” for their meal ticket in the next six years. But why is Yasay so hot about the DFA portfolio when he is not the President’s first choice? As early when the campaign dust settled, Duterte announced his defeated vice presidential running mate Senator Alan Peter Cayetano would be his secre-

whether we provide for those who have little.” Second, Lincoln: “You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong; You cannot help the poor by discouraging the rich; You cannot help the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer; You cannot further the brotherhood by inciting class hatred among men.” Third, Anonymous: “I have no friends to serve, I have no enemies to harm.” Finally, the new President gave an order which he said cannot wait for tomorrow: “All department secretaries and the heads of agencies to reduce requirements and the processing time of all applications, (Applause) from the submission to the release. (Applause). I order all department secretaries and heads of agencies to remove redundant requirements and compliance with one department or agency, shall be accepted as sufficient for all. (Applause). I order all department secretaries and heads of agencies to refrain from changing and bending the rules government contracts, transactions and projects already approved and awaiting implementation. (Applause). Changing the rules when the game is ongoing is wrong.” biznewsasia@gmail.com

tary of Foreign Affairs.The problem with Cayetano is the law which does not allow defeated candidates to be appointed by the President until after a year. When Yasay’s name started making the rounds all the way to New York where Jun, at one time, lived in Long Island, family and friends started celebrating and congratulating him. Still, the SFA job is more than just a reward for someone who contributed in Duterte’s campaign for the Filipino community votes. So, is Yasay just going to warm up the SFA seat for Cayetano and ultimately settle for ambassadorship?

CHONG ARDIVILLA

F RI DAY : J ULY 1 , 2 0 1 6

A12

SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

PH’s top taekwondo jins clash TA E K W O N D O jins from La Salle and University of the East, the reigning UAAP men’s and women’s champions, respectively, take the spotlight as the 2016 MVP Sports FoundationMeralco Philippine Taekwondo League kicks off on Sunday at the SM Bicutan Mall in Paranaque City.

Local bets dominate Cebuana net meet LOCAL bets did their city proud by winning six categories at the recent Valenzuela City leg of the Cebuana Lhuillier Age Group Tennis Championship Series, even as Sta. Rosa, Laguna ‘s Blanch Lagrisola emerged a double winner in the girls’ division of this grassroots tennis developmental program now on its first decade of producing champions. Valenzuela’s young players took home the titles in the 8-under unisex, 12- under boys, 12-under girls, 14-under girls and the 14-under girls’ doubles and the 18-under boys’ doubles, while Lagrisola won both the 16-under and 18-under crowns, beating the same opponent in the finals. She posted straight-set victories over Roni Ysobelle Ortaliz, 6-4, 6-3, in the 16-under and repeated, 6-4, 6-2, in the 18-under category. “Wherever possible, we have introduced the 8-under unisex category to give an opportunity to very young players to get introduced to competitive tennis to prepare them for the future,” said Jean Henri Lhuillier, President/CEO of the sponsoring Cebuana Lhuillier Group and current Philippine Tennis Association Chairman, referring to the 8-under unisex group won here by Hadassah Pascua over Jed Tempoco, 4-2, 2-4, 11-9, in an all-Valenzuela finale of the tournament backed by Dunlop Sports as official ball. Kidron Pascua took the 12-under boys’ title, beating Rainier Angelo Selmar in a three setter, 2-6, 6-2, 6-4, while Edreah de la Torre took the measure of city mate LJ Quines, 2-6, 7-5, 6-1, in another all-Valenzuela finals in the girls’ 12- under, while veteran Patricia Lim and Ruth Demafelis likewise had an all-Valenzuela championship match up in the 14-under girls with Lim prevailing, 6-4, 6-4.

CardiMax once again harnessed the energies of fitness enthusiasts at the recently held CardiMax ZumBaguio event, where hundreds of Zumba-goers participated in a two-hour cardio-intensive workout that aimed to promote a healthy lifestyle.

Zumba enthusiasts get their groove on HUNDREDS of Zumba enthusiasts got their groove on at the break of dawn with the upbeat music and high energy choreography at the recent CardiMax ZumBaguio in Burnham Park, Baguio City. The two-hour cardio-centric fitness party, which featured pulsating Latin music and dance moves, aimed to promote a healthy lifestyle. With the infectious energy of lead Zumba instructor Caesar Damasco, the participants got more pumped up as they danced to the crowd favorite and latest craze in the country, the Running Man Challenge. To harness their energies and help boost their workout performance, the participants were also treated to samples of CardiMax. CardiMax is a supplement that contains pure L-Carnitine, a naturally occurring nutrient in the human body that helps convert fat into energy. The

human body does not usually meet the nutrient requirements needed to make L-Carnitine. While increased intake of red meat could produce more LCarnitine, too much meat and fat often results in a number of health problems. Damasco, who is also a Department of Health officer in the Cordillera Administrative Region, remarked that he experienced the benefits of CardiMax in ZumBaguio. “As a fitness instructor, I really felt the difference. I used to get easily exhausted by hourlong Zumba sessions but today is a different case. I tried CardiMax and I still felt energized even after two hours of dancing,” he said. With CardiMax, the body receives sufficient amounts of LCarnitine without increasing red meat intake. This is helpful for fitness enthusiasts who need to watch their diet while maintaining peak physical per-

formance. “CardiMax used to be known only as a supplement for diabetics and patients with heart disease, but through events like this, we are showcasing that CardiMax is also ideal for fitness enthusiasts and even athletes who need added boost in their energy levels,” according to Integrated Pharmaceutical, Inc.’s VP for Operations, Katheryn Feliciano. Integrated Pharmaceutical is the dynamic and innovative company behind CardiMax. For the second year now, CardiMax is the title sponsor of Clark Ultramarathon, a premier annual running event in Clark Freeport Zone. CardiMax also supports the UP Women’s Volleyball Team, which made its first final four appearance in UAAP Season 78 since 2003. For more information on CardiMax, visit www.facebook. com/CardimaxPH and www. cardimax.com.ph.

La Salle and UE loom as the early favorites in the showcase competition organized by the Philippine Taekwondo Association and supported by PLDT, Meralco, the Philippine Olympic Committee and the Philippine Sports Commission. “The Philippine Taekwondo League features the elite jins from the top UAAP, NCAA and other schools that have strong taekwondo programs,” said tournament director and former national standout Stephen Fernandez. “The tournament also serves as a proving ground for promising and talented athletes who will one day be channeled into the PTA’s national pool,” added Fernandez. He pointed out that the electronic scoring system using sensors as well as instant video replay will be used during the tournament similar to what is done in international competitions. “Following international standards, we want our results to be fair, objective and accurate,” Fernandez said, “and make our matches more spectator-friendly.” The La Salle bets take to the mat against their Lyceum counterparts at 1 p.m. followed by the other men’s seniors clash pitting UE against Arellano University in the series that will be going around SM malls on a virtually weekly basis.

LeBron declines option, but stays with Cavs LOS ANGELES—LeBron James, fresh off guiding the Cleveland Cavaliers to their first NBA title, is headed for free agency after officially declining the $24 million player option on his contract. While the move frees James to talk to other teams, he isn’t expected to leave Cleveland but to negotiate a new contract with them. “I love it here. I love being here,” Ohio native James told the Cleveland Plain Dealer in the afterglow of the Cavs’ NBA Finals triumph. “Obviously my agent will take care of all the logistical things, but I’m happy. I’ve got no plans to go nowhere at this point.” James, 31, was a unanimous choice as NBA Finals Most Valuable Player after leading the Cavaliers back from a 3-1 deficit to beat the

Golden State Warriors. He averaged 29.7 points, 11.3 rebounds and 8.9 assists during the seven-game series. Assuming James returns, the Cavaliers look to be in good shape for next season. The team’s unrestricted free agents are reserves Timofey Mozgov and Richard Jefferson, while backup guard Matthew Dellavedova will be a restricted free agent. Meanwhile, a Chinese businessman has bought a minority stake in the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves, his company and the league said, after taking over Spanish La Liga football team Granada in a 37 million euro deal earlier this month. Jiang Lizhang, 34, runs a littleknown Shanghai-based marketing

firm called Double-Edged Sports (Desports), but has secured spots in two of the world’s highest-profile sporting leagues in as many weeks. He bought a five percent holding in the Minneapolis-based Timberwolves and associated women’s team the Lynx from owner Glen Taylor, who retains a majority stake, Desports said Thursday on a verified Chinese social media account. It did not give an amount for the purchase. The deal makes him the first Chinese citizen to have an ownership stake in an NBA team, the league said in a statement. “My goal is to bring China and this great league closer, and build the Timberwolves and Lynx fan base in our country,” it quoted Jiang as saying. AFP

LeBron James, shown here holding the Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award and the Larry O’Brien NBA Championship Trophy, is expected to stay with the Cavaliers. AFP

F RI DAY : J ULY 1 , 2 0 1 6

A13

SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Spieth still unsure of Rio

Switzerland’s Roger Federer reaches but misses a return from Britain’s Marcus Willis in their men’s singles second round match on the third day of the 2016 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London. AFP

Philracom Triple Crown 3rd leg slated THE third leg of the Philippine Racing Commission’s Triple Crown Series, as well as the Hopeful and 3YO Locally-Bred Stakes races, will be held on July 10 at San Lazaro Leisure Park. Hide original message Radio Active won the first leg of the series, which features the country’s top three-year-olds and patterned after the United States’ Triple Crown, with its three legs comprised of the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes, also with progressively longer distances. But fourth favorite Dewey Boulevard foiled Radio Active’s attempt of notching a second straight win in the Triple Crown, surprising racing fans by winning the second leg of the series at the Metroturf Racecourse in Malvar, Batangas recently. Owned by Herminio S. Esguerra and trained by Ruben S. Tupas, the three-year-old cold posted 1:52 (13’-22’-24-23’-28’) for the 1,800-meter journey under the guidance of Jonathan Hernandez, who was, however, fined P1,000 by the stewards for grandstanding before reaching the finish line. The win was worth P1.8 million for Dewey Boulevard. Corresponding prizes were awarded up to fourth place and to the winning breeder, Herma Farms and Stud, also owned by Esguerra. First-leg winner Radio Active of SC Stockfarm Inc. pocketed P675,000 as runner-up. Coupled entry Underwood (third) and Space Needle (fourth) earned P375,000 and P150,000, respectively. The series was launched in 1978, with Native Gift winning the first two legs and Majority Rule denying him the sweep. Only 10 Triple Crown champions were crowned since then: Fair and Square in 1981, Skywalker (1983), Time Master (1987), Magic Showtime (1988), Sun Dancer (1989), Strong Material (1996), Real Top (1998), Silver Story (2001), Hagdang Bato (2012), and Kid Molave (2014).

WASHINGTON—World number two Jordan Spieth remains uncertain if he will compete in the Rio Olympics when golf returns to the Games lineup for the first time in 112 years. Spieth and many of the world’s top golfers will compete this week at the World Golf Championships Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio. But with world number one Jason Day of Australia joining the list of top names backing out of golf’s Olympic return over his concerns about the Zika virus, the hot topic ahead of Thursday’s opening round was Rio. “Right now, I’m uncertain,” Spieth said. “I have not received enough information to make an informed decision either way or not, so as we gather more information I will be able to make a decision one way or the other. “When I feel confident, I will make a decision either side.” The world rankings of July 11 will determine rosters so players have until then to decide about playing or not. AFP

Djokovic sets Slam record; Federer ends Willis’ dream LONDON—Marcus Willis’s brief flirtation with Wimbledon fame was ended by Roger Federer as Novak Djokovic racked-up an Open era record of 30 successive Grand Slam wins on a day when torrential rain caused more havoc to the schedule. Willis, the world number 772 who had already played seven matches just to make a dream second round clash on Centre Court, went down 6-0, 6-3, 6-4. “It sounds funny but I am disappointed to lose,” admitted the Englishman. “It’s daunting. I was playing alright at first, I settled into the match. I was enjoying it. If I was playing well and competing with Roger for a couple of sets I was doing well. I’ve earned myself a beer now.” Only Federer and Djokovic

managed to complete their second round matches on Wednesday after just 90 minutes of action was possible on the rainlashed outside courts. Only 18 of the 62 ties scheduled for the day were completed. Willis, who makes his living coaching children and senior citizens at a rowing club in the English midlands, has provided the feelgood factor of a wet, cold week in south-west London. Having never played a tour match before Wimbledon, the sturdily-built left-hander,

dubbed ‘Cartman’ after a portly character from cartoon series South Park, found himself facing a man who had won 79 matches more than him at the All England Club. In an indication of the two different worlds they inhabit, Federer has career earnings just shy of $100 million while Willis had banked just $200 this year and still lives with his parents. But the $63,000 he earned for his magical run will ease the burden of a player who took to the court even wearing a shirt bearing Federer’s ‘RG’ monogram. Willis was far from embarrassed by Federer despite shipping the first set in just 24 minutes. Roared on by his friends, who unleashed a series of adapted pop songs for his benefit, as well as his beauty queen-turned-dentist in the players box, Willis got on the scoreboard in the second game of

the second set. The 25-year-old left-hander had cheekily lobbed the seven-time Wimbledon champion earlier in the match. But Federer, the holder of a record 17 majors, was never in trouble, facing just two break points in the 84-minute match and he took victory when Willis went long with an approach. “Marcus brought some unbelievable energy to the court with the fans, his play and his personality as well,” said 34-year-old Federer who next faces either Dan Evans of Britain or Alexander Dolgopolov of Ukraine. “It was very refreshing.” - Very pleasing Defending champion Djokovic brushed aside Adrian Mannarino, who was celebrating his 28th birthday, 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (7/5) to reach the third round. AFP

Cebu braces for Ironman staging PREPARATIONS are in full swing for the staging of the 2016 Cobra Energy Drink Ironman 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championships presented by Ford on Aug. 7 in Cebu. This will be the biggest triathlon event to be held in the region and the host Cebuanos, together with the organizing Sunrise Events, Inc., are guaranteeing a world-class setup for the lung-busting race that starts and ends at Shangri-La’s Mactan Resorts and Spa. To ensure the safety of everyone on race day, officials announced road closures in the cities of Lapu-Lapu, Mandaue, Cebu, and Talisay which will serve as part of the route of the 1.9K swim,

90K bike, 21K run race of the event produced by SEI and backed by Cobra Energy Drink as title sponsor. In Lapu-Lapu, the affected roads will be from Punta Engano (Kabesang Tasyo Road) to Manuel L. Quezon National Highway to the Junction of Marcelo Fernan Bridge. The road from Goldberry Hotel, Pusok, up to Punta Engano will be closed from 5 a.m. to 2 p.m. while the Punta Engano side up to Amisa will be opened at 5 p.m. In Mandaue, Ouano Ave. and Plaridel Street will be closed from 4 a.m. to 2 p.m. All vehicles bound for Mandaue City and Northern Cebu are advised to take

L. Jaena and MC Briones Streets, while those going to Lapu Lapu City and Mactan Airport are urged to take L. Jaena, MC Briones and UN Avenue or SB Cabahug and UN Avenue, and motorists bound for Mandaue City and Cebu can take MC Briones and L. Jaena. In Cebu City, the entire Sergio Osmena Blvd, from Mahiga Bridge leading to Legaspi Extension as well as the underpass going straight to South Road Property will be totally closed to traffic from 5 a.m. to 12 noon while the Talisay Fish Port Cebu South Coastal Road to Cong. Bacaltos Roas in Talisay will also be closed from 5 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Back in the Olympics. Michael Phelps of

the United States competes in the final heat for the Men’s 200 Meter Butterfly during Day Four of the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Swimming Trials at CenturyLink Center in Omaha, Nebraska. Phelps is headed to Rio, the 18-time Olympic gold medalist securing a milestone fifth games’ appearance. AFP

FRIDAY : JULY 1, 2016

Department of Transportation and Communication LAND TRANSPORTATION OFFICE Regional Office IV-A B. Morada Avenue Interior, Lipa City, Batangas

NO PLATE

SUNRISER

MHIKO BRUCELIS

NO PLATE

YAMAHA

DANILO LONGA

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

VM6296

YAMAHA

GAUDENCIO CATINDIG

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

VM6452

YAMAHA

ABSCONDED

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

YAMAHA

JAYSON FEDERICO

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

NOTICE OF DISPOSAL The LAND TRANSPORTATION OFFICE is inviting offers for public bidding by way of sealed bids the following impounded motor vehicles for disposal on an “As is Where is” basis; ITEM NO.

PLATE NO.

BODY

MAKE

NAME OF OWNER OR TRADE NAME

EURO

ABSCONDED

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

8249NA

SKYSTAR

MARISONA NEPOMOSENO

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

LOCATION

REMARKS

NO PLATE

MOTORSTAR

ARVIN REY MESIAS

LTO BIÑAN DO

SERVICEABLE

7351PH

SAMY VILLASIS

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

WQ6533

RUSI

ABSCONDED

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

UK6847

HONDA

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

NO PLATE

HONDA

ROMMEL AMA

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

TB2893

YAMAHA

KENNETH BAYANI

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

BP2901

SUZUKI

LTO BIÑAN DO

OF3132

HONDA

ABSCONDED

HK1425

HONDA

LUCILO MABAIT

RE3917

BIG BIKE

WD2540

PJ2034

VT7066

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

AV1214

KAWASAKI

PINLEY GLEN PADILLA

VG3875

YAMAHA

JOEY ARANETA

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

YAMAHA

LEONARIO ESPELETA

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

LTO BIÑAN DO

SERVICEABLE JUNK

NO PLATE

9859DU

KAWASAKI

LEONEL GONDERMA

OR6100

KAWASAKI

ALVIN VILLAPANDO

LTO BIÑAN DO

NO PLATE

HONDA

ROBERT MANUEL

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

NO PLATE

KAWASAKI

RUDY PRADO

LTO BIÑAN DO

SERVICEABLE

1457DH

SUZUKI

TRISTAN HERNANDEZ

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

VP1600

YAMAHA

RAMIRO COSE

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

NO PLATE

SUZUKI

RUEL QUIOHILAG

LTO BIÑAN DO

SERVICEABLE

NO PLATE

SUZUKI

VICTORIANO GONZALES

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

NO PLATE

YAMAHA

HERMIE PABALAN

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

NO PLATE

KYMCO

MARCO SUSTAL

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

NO PLATE

SUZUKI

EDWIN SANTOS

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

ANDRES IGNACIO

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

9220WP

KAWASAKI

MARK CASTILLO

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

JIANSHE

RESARE GESUM

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

NO PLATE

EURO

ERNESTO ORIAS

LTO BIÑAN DO

SERVICEABLE

HONDA

EDWARD ASINO

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

WF1228

SUZUKI

XERXES HILADO

LTO BIÑAN DO

SERVICEABLE

PU4031

HONDA

DANDY PORRAS

LTO BIÑAN DO

SERVICEABLE

UG9159

MOTORSTAR

JEFFREY ALOJADO

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

TU4220

HONDA

MARLOU NAVASA

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

KAWASAKI

ARNEL MARCELIANA

TV8159

LTO BIÑAN DO

MI5149

SYM

MI5149 (ALARMED)

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

OV4599

HONDA

ABSCONDED

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

NO PLATE

HONDA

RYAN INVENTO

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

NO PLATE

HONDA

ROBERTO ALFEJOS

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

UU4255

SUZUKI

MAYO JOVEN

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

PT4252

SUZUKI

MENDOZA ROSEL

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

WH9911

SUZUKI

GARICA PEEJAY

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

NO PLATE

YAMAHA

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

100

NO PLATE

HONDA

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

101

WK6850

HONDA

BUNO RAINIEL

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

NO PLATE

YAMAHA

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

NO PLATE

YAMAHA

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

102

WI7127

RAMJET

PILLA GLEN SUZETTE

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

NO PLATE

SUZUKI

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

103

VT2763

MTC

KAWASAKI

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

HONDA

CHRISTIAN JANSEN RAMOS

ATIENZA REGGIENALD

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

104

NO PLATE

HONDA

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

105

VJ3615

JIANSHE

CARULASAN, RODRIGO C

LTO BATANGAS DO

JUNK

SUZUKI

PARILLA RUEL ODOG

LTO BATANGAS DO

SERVICEABLE SERVICEABLE

NO PLATE

NP2700

YAMAHA

JOSEPH BUSARIN

NO PLATE

HONDA

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

106

8561DS

WH3608

HONDA

RYAN SORIANO

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

NO PLATE

HONDA

LORD WALLY CAGALADA

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

107

WQ3645

HONDA

BASI RONNIE C

MITSUKOSHI

PEPITO ALVAREZ

LTO BATANGAS DO

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

108

5982WB

HONDA

LIBIO REYMON

LTO BATANGAS DO

SERVICEABLE

MOTORSTAR

ARPAN BANUCAG

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

109

NO PLATE

MOTORSTAR

AGPAD JONATHAN A

LTO BATANGAS DO

SERVICEABLE

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

HONDA

PAALAM JHUCEL H

LTO BATANGAS DO

SERVICEABLE

LTO BATANGAS DO

SERVICEABLE

30 31

7130DK WO9037

MC MC

OY7116

HONDA

NELSON DIONEDA

PS8426

SUZUKI

JEFFREY UMALI

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

OV2294

MOTORSTAR

CHRISTOPHER DISCHOSO

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

TA7028

SUZUKI

WILLIAM CAPANAYAN

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

NN4903

KAWASAKI

EUGENIO CAMACHO

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

PT3282

YAMAHA

JOSELYN DAVID

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

NO PLATE

YAMAHA

C/O ALAMINOS

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

NO PLATE

YAMAHA

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

NO PLATE

HONDA

ADRIAN JASARENO

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

WILLIE VILLANUEVA

LTO BIÑAN DO

NO PLATE

SUZUKI

JUNK

110

DQ5917

111

YK7011

HONDA

DELA ROSA LARRY

112

NO PLATE

HONDA

ANDAL MARIA GRACIA D

LTO BATANGAS DO

SERVICEABLE

113

9253PF

SYM

CHAVEZ ROMEL C

LTO BATANGAS DO

SERVICEABLE

HONDA

LEAN BERLIN H

LTO BATANGAS DO

JUNK

LTO BATANGAS DO

SERVICEABLE

114

UT9431

115

9247XP

MOTOPOSH

BENITEZ GEROME O

116

WK1055

MITSOKOSHI

ANTONIO ALFONSO

LTO BATANGAS DO

JUNK

RAMSTAR

LALO LEONARD C

LTO BATANGAS DO

JUNK

YAMAHA

DIMAANO DAVID C

LTO BATANGAS DO

JUNK

LTO BATANGAS DO

SERVICEABLE

117

3474DO

NO PLATE

HONDA

NOE TAN

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

VL3063

YAMAHA

MIGUELA PALMERA

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

DR3907

YAMAHA

MARTY LLAGAS

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

PU5577

ISAGANI ORTIZ

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

NO PLATE

HONDA

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

NO PLATE

YAMAHA

RANDY YATCO

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

121

PT4252

DY6588

KAWASAKI

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

122

WH9911

UK5939

JIANSHE

REVO VILLANUEVA

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

123

WK6850

UJ3604

YAMAHA

EDWIN DEORO

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

124

HONDA

PETER SAN DIEGO

YAMAHA

DOMINIC CARDANA

TO4282

WE5380

HONDA

120

UU4255

SUZUKI

MAYO JOVEN

LTO TAAL EO

JUNK

SUZUKI

MENDOZA ROSEL

LTO TAAL EO

JUNK

SUZUKI

GARICA PEEJAY

LTO TAAL EO

JUNK

HONDA

BUNO RAINIEL

LTO TAAL EO

JUNK

RAMJET

PILLA GLEN SUZETTE

LTO TAAL EO

JUNK

LTO TAAL EO

JUNK

LTO TAAL EO

JUNK

WI7127

VT2763

MTC

KAWASAKI

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

126

NO PLATE

HONDA

NO PLATE

EURO

JOSIE

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

OV6794

HONDA

NESTOR LAMADRID

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

HONDA

ANGEL PUNZALAN

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

WI3152

WL4319

LIFAN

ATANACIO BAYO

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

9161WA

YAMAHA

RODERICK FRIAS

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

ARISTOLE SANTOS

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

NO PLATE

HONDA

NO PLATE

YAMAHA

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

NO PLATE

SYM

DAVE LANE BASCONCILLO

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

VR9903

YAMAHA

LTO BIÑAN DO

SERVICEABLE

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

NO PLATE

SUZUKI

REYNALDO DEPEDRO

NO PLATE

KAWASAKI

ISABELO FLROES

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

DU5675

KAWASAKI

DOMINGO DIAGO

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

NO PLATE

YAMAHA

CHRISTOPHER SASANAS

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

NO PLATE

YAMAHA

JEROLD LABATETE

DN6465

SUZUKI

DANILO PAULIN

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

NO PLATE

KAWASAKI

DONATO ALBERT

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

NW3877

YAMAHA

NOEL LEGASTO

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

BR3629

YAMAHA

ROBERTO QUIHILAG

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

WL6119

KAWASAKI

EDUARDO MILLAN

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

EURO

CRIS CHARLES VIZCARRA

LTO BIÑAN DO

JUNK

119

VERGARA RENIER

125

NO PLATE

JUNK

LTO BIÑAN DO

DG5517

DC9591

ATIENZA REGGIENALD

118

ACTIVITY 1.

Availability Form

Bid

Submission of Sealed Bids

Opening of Bids

DATES

VENUE

Thursday, July 18, 2016

LTO Regional Office IV-A, B.Morada Ave. Interior, Lipa City

Monday, July 25, 2016 (8:00am -1:00pm)

LTO Regional Office IV-A, B.Morada Ave. Interior, Lipa City

Monday, July 25, 2016 (2:00pm)

LTO Regional Office IV-A, B.Morada Ave. Interior, Lipa City

Bid tender should be properly addressed as specified below: FRANCISCO P. RANCHES JR., CESO VI Chairman, Committee on Disposal of Unclaimed Impounded Motor Vehicle Old City Hall Compound, B. Morada Ave., Lipa City, Batangas The LTO reserves the right to reject any or all bid offers, or any part thereof or to wave any required formalities an accept offers most advantageous to the interest of the LTO.

(SGD) FRANCISCO P. RANCHES JR., CESO VI Assistant Regional Director Chairman,Committee on Disposal of Unclaimed Impounded Motor Vehicle (TS-JULY 1/8/15, 2016)

A14 SPORTS

Cray’s Rio Olympic slot now official

By Peter Atencio

FIL-AMERICAN sprinter Eric Cray has obtained official confirmation that he is qualified for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association chief Philip Ella Juico said this after the PATAFA received an official communication from Carlo de Angelis, the International Association of Athletics Federation competition department’s senior manager. De Angelis told the PATAFA that Cray has meet the qualification of 48.98 seconds. “The standard for the men’s 400mH is 49.40s and the athlete’s best results in the qualification period is 48.98s. This result is already in our database and on our website as you can see below. The athlete is therefore qualified for the 2016 Olympic Games,” said De Angelis. The Texas-based Cray ran 48.98 seconds on Thursday evening (early Monday morning in

Manila) in Spain to finish second in the men’s 400-meter hurdles finals at the IAAF Madrid World Challenge Cup. Because of his status, Cray is now seeking a lower time of 48.5 seconds, according to his coach Dacian Clarke. Cray’s time broke the Philippine record of 49.07 seconds, which he himself set in Kawasaki, Japan on May 8, 2016. Clarke told Juico that this is what they are working on after having achieved a breakthrough time of under 49.0 secs. Targeting 48.50 seconds will allow Cray to become a finalist in Rio. Clarke believes that Cray can do 48.10 seconds to win the gold medal in Rio. Cray is the second PATAFA athlete going to the Olympics, with the other being marathoner Mary Joy Tabal.

Low-profile Jet Spikers seek V-League spotlight WHILE focus is on the BaliPure-Pocari Sweat duel, Air Force is basking away from the limelight, contented with its spot and confident of its chances in the Shakey’s V-League Season 13 Open Conference. In fact, after getting back at Laoag, 25-20, 26-24, 2624, in the opener of their best-of-three semifinal clash last Wednesday, the Jet Spikers seem to have the Power Smashers all figured out as they go for a sweep tomorrow for a crack at the championship. With hardly a superstar in its roster, Air Force has been dishing out one solid game after another, emerging as the only team to have beaten the star-studded Pocari Sweat and BaliPure in the elims. The Jet Spikers did drop a three-setter to the Power Smashers in the qualifiers but they more than made up for the setback by beating the erstwhile unbeaten the Lady Warriors at the end of the elims and then evening things up with their tormentors in the Final Four. Now, the Jet Spikers are three wins away from completing a big comeback in the country’s premier women’s volley league sponsored by Shakey’s. Air Force took a leave of absence after placing fourth in the 2014 Open Conference, opting to toughen up by competing in various commercial leagues the next two years. Gaining some experience and confidence, the Jet Spikers are back in the league where it all started, upending the Water Defenders in their first game then racking up five more victories against a lone defeat to clinch the top seeding in the Final Four. Veterans Judy Ann Caballejo and Joy Cases continue to be the team’s anchor both in offense and defense while Jocemer Tapic, Mae Antipuesto, May Ann Pantino, Wendy Semana and Iari Yongco have been providing the needed support along with Jennifer Manzano, Yna Papa and Camille Abanto and liberos Mary Ann Balmaceda and Mae Crisostomo.

FRIDAY : JULY 1, 2016

A15

SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

LOTTO RESULTS

6/49 00-00-00-00-00-00 P0.0 M+ 6/42 00-00-00-00-00-00 P0.0 M+ 6 DIGITS 00-00-00-00-00-00 3 DIGITS 00-00-00 2 EZ2 00-00

Paras leaves UCLA Bruins By Jeric Lopez KOBE Paras will no longer be a Bruin. The promising Filipino cager was forced to withdraw from University of California, Los Angeles after reportedly failing to meet academic requirements of the school. UCLA, which is a part of the US NCAA Division I, released a statement stating that the versatile 6’6” high-flyer was “withdrawn from the university due to academic conditions not being met.” A report from the Los Angeles Times indicated that an “SAT scoring issue” might have been the problem for Paras, though UCLA didn’t divulge further details. This is a big setback for Paras, who is being groomed as one of the most intriguing prospects with a lot of upside. As of now, Paras has still yet to release a statement on his plans moving forward. He can still seek recruitment, though, from other NCAA schools in the US, while also having the option to go back home in the Philippines and resume his luck here locally. Paras was recruited by UCLA, one of the biggest basketball programs in the US, having produced the likes of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Reggie Miller, Russell Westbrook and Kevin Love, among others, as early as 2014 in his junior year playing for the Los Angeles Cathedral High School due to his complete game and athleticism. He has spent the last two years in Los Angeles to pursue his basketball career there after growing up in the Philippines and playing for La Salle Greenhills.

RC Cola-Army stars Rachel Anne Daquis (right) and Jovelyn Gonzaga display their golden tickets as official members of the Philippine Superliga team that will play in the FIVB World Club Women’s Championship. ROMAN PROSPERO

Daquis, Gonzaga named 1 2 spikers of Superliga team st

RC COLA-ARMY stars Rachel Anne Daquis and Jovelyn Gonzaga officially became the first two members of the Philippine Superliga team that will compete in the FIVB World Club Women’s Championship in Manila from Oct. 18 to 23. No less than PSL president Ramon “Tats” Suzara Thursday made the announcement, saying Daquis and Gonzaga possess talents to represent the country in the world stage following an impressive performance during the tryout last week. Suzara handed jackets and golden tickets to the Lady Troopers signifying their qualification in the prestigious tourney where

seven of the world’s best club teams from Brazil, Japan, Turkey, Switzerland and Thailand will be seeing action. They will be formally presented to the media in the tournament’s official launch on July 12. “Rachel and Jovelyn are two of the country’s best players,” said Suzara, the chairman of the marketing and development committee of the Asian Volleyball

A major disservice INSIDE SPORTS RONNIE NATHANIELSZ

WE find it personally distressing that as our country prepares to host the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament at the Mall of Asia Arena on July 5, the gentleman whose vision, commitment, hard work and legendary support for Philippine sports, the esteemed businessman –sportsman Manny Pangilinan is the subject of a relentless campaign to discredit him not merely in the eyes of our countrymen but also in the eyes of the international community that has lauded his efforts, especially in basketball. Pangilinan lifted our country

from the depths of basketball mediocrity under a group of men whose integrity was sullied beyond belief and who sold our respectability in basketball down the drain, and redeemed international respect and stature. Whoever is behind this seemingly orchestrated campaign to vilify Mr. Pangilinan must know that he or she is doing a major disservice to our country and our sports development program by using the social media with a barrage of malicious accusations without any solid proof of wrongdoing on the part of MVP. What pains if not angers us is that a couple of Filipinos, who left our country and settled down in the United States from where they launch their vicious and libelous tirades,

have in the process, also insulted our friends and neighbors in Indonesia, one of our staunchest allies in the Association of Southeast Asian nations. There seems to be an insidious effort to claim that incoming president Rody Duterte began the demolition job, which from what we have reliably gathered is farthest from the truth. Indeed, people close to the president have intimated that President Duterte was actually very gracious and nice to MVP when he visited the incoming president in Davao City and that they themselves couldn’t fathom what is going on and who is actually behind this campaign to demonize a good and decent man who has, in recent years, put his heart and soul and indeed tons of money into developing various

Confederation and a member of the International Volleyball Federation. “That’s why it is only fitting to invite them to be part of the team that will compete in the best club tournament in the world. We welcome Rachel and Jovelyn on board and we hope that they will do everything to make us proud.” Daquis is a veteran international campaigner and a former PSL Most Valuable Player, whose deadly combination of power and beauty turned her into an instant fan-favorite. The same way goes for the lefthanded Gonzaga, who donned the national colors in the beach volleyball tournament in the

sports and enhancing our competitive balance in basketball, the sport that is nearest to the hearts of millions of Filipinos. When Gilas Pilipinas behind the battlecry “Laban! Puso!!” qualified for the basketball World Cup in Spain by finishing runners-up in the 2013 FIBA Asia Championships, losing to Iran in the finals when naturalized American Marcus Douthit was injured and couldn’t play, but defeated South Korea, our perennial nemesis, the packed stadium roared with unbridled delight with thousands from all walks of life and every conceivable social and economic spectrum coming together as one in a celebration that will long linger in our individual and collective memories. That success was achieved under dynamic head coach Chot Reyes, whose fire and ice personality drove the team to heights beyond their own expectations.

26th Southeast Asian Games in Palembang before skippering the national team in the 28th SEA Games in Singapore last year. With Daquis and Gonzaga safely in, only five slots are left at stake for local players while seven slots will be given to imports. The PSL will start introducing the remaining members of the team next week. Aside from the PSL All-Star team, also competing are Rexona Ades of Brazil, Bangkok Glass of Thailand, Volero Zurich of Switzerland, Hisamitsu Springs of Japan, Eczacibasi VitrA Istanbul and VakifBank Istanbul of Turkey and Pomi Casalmaggiore of Italy.

It was MVP, who spent by far the most to achieve the goal of making it to the World Cup in Spain and cheered the loudest and with unbridled passion because he has always told us that sports is indeed a great unifying factor in building a strong and resilient nation and people. He and his able band of workhorses in the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, with executive director and former Philippine Basketball Association commissioner Renauld “Sonny” Barrios and valued supporters like former FIBA Asia secretary general Moying Martelino and others, helped stage a tournament of such magnitude with the style and class that is synonymous with the Philippines. Regrettably, the vicious attacks on the biggest benefactor of Philippine sports in the past decade demonstrate the ugly side of a country known for its

decency and compassion and a sense of gratitude. Who is behind this we hopefully will find out soon enough. In the meantime, let’s go out in droves waving Philippine flags and cheering ourselves hoarse as Gilas Pilipinas takes on World No. 5 ranked France and No. 21-ranked New Zealand in our bracket. The Philippines, which is ranked No. 28, needs to win at least one of its two group matches to have a chance of qualifying for the crossover semifinals. It’s a tough ask but with the support of our people it can be done. In the meantime, we fervently hope that those who are assailing MVP which indirectly also burdens our players and coaching staff, put the interest of the quest for a berth in the Rio Olympics above all else at least for the time being. It isn’t too much to ask, is it?

F R I DAY : J U LY 1 , 2 0 16

A16

RIERA U. MALL ARI EDITOR

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

sports@thestandard.com.ph

SPORTS

Dawn Macandili of F2 keeps the ball alive as teammates Aby Marano and Kim Fajardo look on. ROMAN PROSPERO

F2 whips Generika, gains share of top spot F2 Logistics delivered yet another solid performance as it clobbered Generika, 25-12, 25-15, 25-18, in the 2016 Philippine Superliga All-Filipino ConGames Sunday ference 3:30 p.m. – Foton vs F2 Logistics women’s 5:30 p.m. – Standard v o l Insurance-Navy vs Amy’s leyba l l tournament Thursday at the Cuneta Astrodome. Rested for a week, the Cargo Movers jumped the gun early and never looked back to wrap up the match in just 68 minutes in this topnotch interclub tourney bankrolled by KLab Cyscorpions, Asics, Grand Sports, Mikasa, Mueller and Senoh with TV5 as official broadcast partner. With the win, the Cargo Movers gained a share of the top spot with a 3-0 card with idle Petron. RC Cola-Army has a chance to make it a three-way logjam at the ceiling pending the result of its match against Standard InsuranceNavy at press time. Aby Marano and rookie Ara Galang spewed fire offensively, finishing with 11 points apiece, while Kim Fajardo won her battle with veteran Rubie de Leon as she tallied 25 excellent sets compared to de Leon’s 18. “The one-week break helped us a lot. We were able to do a lot of things and correct our previous mistakes,” said F2 Logistics coach Ramil de Jesus, who is eyeing no less than the title after falling short in his previous tries.

Cubs, Robins crush foes; Chiefs take on SSC Stags By Peter Atencio

THE defending champion San Beda Red Cubs and the Mapua Red Robins pulled off hard-earned victories —their second straight triumphs Thursday in the 92nd National Collegiate Athletic Association junior basketball tournament at the Arena in San Juan. The Red Cubs struggled with their inside game, but banked on their outside shooting in the third period to get past the Lyceum Junior Pirates, 97-88, even as Romuel Junsay and Jasper Salenga delivered 24 and 23 points, respectively, to lead the Mapua Red Robins to a 94-78 swamping of the La Salle Greenhills Greenies. Salenga’s steady hands in the second and third periods allowed the Red Robins to take a 23-point

LeBron opts out but stays a Cavalier TURN TO A12

spread at the end of third, 75-52. Meanwhile, Erol Bongay hit 12 points and Jelo Razon shot 11 for the Perpetual Help Junior Altas, who clinched their first triumph in two matches at the expense of the Jose Rizal University Light Bombers, 82-66. The wins allowed the Red Cubs and the Red Robins to keep their hold on the lead. Eduardo Velasquez showed the way with 17 points for the Red Cubs, while

Evan Nelle and Joshua Tagala provided 13 and 12 points, respectively. The big men of the Junior Pirates, led by Mclaude Guadana with 23 points, made things difficult for the Red Cubs until the third period. They put the Red Cubs into an unfamiliar situation by taking the lead, 58-52, in the last 7:01, off barreling attempts from Guadana and Vincent Cunanan. The Red Cubs then rallied back with their outside shots using a 18-2 blast. Robi Nayve’s drive, along with two treys from Obenza helped the Red Cubs turn the tables on the Junior Pirates, 70-60, in the last 3:17. “Lamang sila. Matibay sila. Ang lalaki nila. But they ran into foul trouble. So, we were able to adjust,” said Red Cubs’ coach JB Sison.

Federer ends Willis’ dream TURN TO A13

Games today 12 noon- Arellano U vs San Sebastian (srs) 2 p.m.- St. Benilde vs Letran (srs) 4 p.m.- Jose Rizal vs Perpetual (srs)

Meanwhile, the Arellano University Chiefs and the San Sebastian College Stags shoot for a second straight win when they clash against each other at 12 noon today at the Arena in San Juan. Led by Jio Jalalon, who scored 25 points and had seven rebounds the last time around, the Chiefs vow to recover from their opening-day jitters when they take on the Stags, who have learned from their mistake in the opener, according to new coach Egay Macaraya. Coach Jerry Codinera is counting on new guy Lervin Flores to help control the shaded lanes and provide support for the prolific Jalalon.

FRIDAY: JULY 1, 2016

RAY S. EÑANO EDITOR

RODERICK T. DELA CRUZ ASSISTANT EDITOR

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

BUSINESS

Traders bullish on Duterte rule By Othel V. Campos

THE country’s largest business group on Thursday expressed optimism the assumption of Rodrigo Duterte as the country’s 16th president will boost the economy and spread development outside Metro Manila. PCCI president George Barcelon said the broad-based socioeconomic agenda of the Duterte administration was expected to lift the agriculture and fishery sectors and micro, small and medium enterprises in the countryside. “If we want a sustainable and truly inclusive growth, we should

increase the capacity of cities and municipalities outside of Metro Manila, to absorb investments and grow their MSMEs,” said Barcelon “We welcome the crafting of the 10-point economic agenda, and we appreciate that the business sector has been called upon to further crystallize the agenda into

actionable recommendations,” said Barcelon. PCCI also lauded the choice of Cabinet heads and their response to the sentiments and proposals of the business sector. DBS Bank of Singapore said Duterte’s push to develop regional areas would accelerate fiscal expenditures that would be good for the economy. “Regional development features prominently in Duterte’s economic agenda. Allowing regional governments to have a greater say in fiscal spending may accelerate budget disbursement,” DBS said in a report. DBS, however, said the new administration should be watchful of the bureaucracy and transpar-

ency risks in the government if it wanted to improve its standing globally. Duterte was sworn in Thursday as the 16th president of the Philippines, succeeding Benigno Aquino III. DBS said Duterte had “big shoes to fill, given the arguably stellar economic record seen during President Aquino’s term.” GDP growth averaged 6 percent under Aquino’s six-year term. DBS said it would take a year at the most to see if Duterte’s economic policies were effective or not. “In any case, until we get more clarity about how effective the Duterte’s administration in policy implementation, it is difficult to make any sound judgment

on economic impact of his policies. The first six months to one year will provide important cues,” DBS said. Meanwhile, the Ortigas-based Asian Development Bank expressed support to the new president and said it aimed to release $1 billion worth of sovereign loans. ADB president Takehiko Nakao extended his congratulations to Duterte and offered to support his 10-point economic agenda. “The Philippines, a founding member of ADB, has hosted ADB headquarters since its establishment in 1966. We are grateful for its warm hospitality and close partnership,” Nakao said.

Respect contracts’ sanctity —Duterte

Best-governed GOCC. Governance Commission for GOCCs commissioner and officer-in-charge Ma. Angela E. Ignacio (second from left) presents to Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. president Cristina Que Orbeta (center) the award for excellence (inset) for achieving the highest score, among 90 GOCCs on the Corporate Governance Scorecard for GOCCs jointly implemented by GCG and Institute of Corporate Directors.

‘Brexit’ seen affecting PAL’s London operations By Darwin G. Amojelar PHILIPPINE Airlines said Thursday the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union may reduce revenues from London operations by $4 million this year mainly because of the devaluation of British pound. “It’s too early to make any conclusion on the ‘Brexit’ although one of the immediate effects of ‘Brexit’ is the devaluation of the pound sterling and if there is a devaluation, the purchasing power of the citizen of that country is diminished,” PAL president and chief executive Jaime Bautista told reporters after the annual stockholders’ meeting. “So one possibility is that, the

people from the UK, the British will, maybe think twice before they pursue their trip overseas because it becomes more expensive for them to travel,” he said. Government data showed tourist arrivals from the UK accounted for 2.7 percent in 2010 to 2015, growing by 9.3 percent annually. The annual deployment of Filipino workers to the UK accounted for 0.26 percent of the total in 2010 to 2014. New hires to the UK consisted mostly of nurses, at 88 percent in 2014. Bautista said an 8-percent devaluation of the British pound sterling would mean an 8-percent or $4 million reduction in the airline’s revenue from London operations.

“We are expecting to generate around $50 million of income from our UK operations and with an 8 percent, it’s more or less $4 million reduction for our London operations,” he said. Bautista, however, said there was a “positive side” about the Brexit as “Filipinos can now go to UK and we can spend more.” PAL expanded its operations between Manila to London to daily flights on June 28, from four-times-weekly previously. “We are not making money in London yet. But the reason for adding flights is for us to be able to compete with the other carriers [and] we have to improve our product. The four times a week is not really a good product. By the

way, we compete with all the European carriers, with the Middle East carriers,” Bautista said. PAL has a 30 percent market share in Manila to London route. Bautista also said tPAL was still pursuing its plan to expand its operation in Europe by 2018. “The plans for Europe is for 2018 so maybe it’s too early to react to that. Because I think this will normalize also. And the exit will take like two years,” he said. PAL had plans to fly to Paris, Rome and Amsterdam. PAL earlier reported a comprehensive income of $134.42 million in 2015, up 560 percent from $20.38 million in 2014. Revenues rose to $2.38 billion last year from $2.28 billion in 2014.

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte ordered all agencies to maintain government contracts during his inaugural speech Thursday. “I order all department secretaries and heads of agencies to refrain from changing and bending the rules government contracts, transactions and projects already approved and awaiting implementation. Changing the rules when the game is ongoing is wrong,” Duterte said in his speech. The Bureau of Customs and the Philippine Ports Authority were recently at odds over directives issued by former Customs Commissioner Alberto Lina, giving certain ports in the country the status of authorized customs facilities that effectively elevated their business from domestic port operators to one providing international services in violation of contracts signed with the government through the PPA. Duterte said he was against secrecy and advocated “transparency in all government contracts, projects and business transactions from submission of proposals to negotiation to perfection and finally, to consummation.” “Do them and we will work together. Do not do them, we will part sooner than later,” he said. The BoC has been underperforming and perenially missing revenue targets set by the government. It missed the revenue collection target in the past five months amounting to P43.25 billion, which translates into nearly P300 million in foregone income that Duterte said in an earlier speech was being lost due to rampant smuggling and corruption. BOC tax collection performance records show that the agency recorded a deficit of P8.85 billion or P295 million in losses a day in May 2016. Lina blamed the missed revenue targets of the BoC on the sliding price of crude oil in the world market and not on smuggling and corruption as Duterte mentioned.

FRIDAY: JULY 1, 2016

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

The STandard BuSineSS daily STockS review Thursday, June 30, 2016

52 Weeks

High Low 7.88 75.3 124.4 107 56.5 2.49 4.2 4 17 30.45 2.6 1.01 100 1.46 30.5 75 91.5 137 80 361.2 57 180 1700 124 3.26

2.5 66 88.05 88.1 45.45 1.97 1.68 8.7 12.02 19.6 1.02 0.225 78 0.9 17.8 58 62 88.35 52 276 41 118.2 1200 59 2.65

47 5 1.46 2.36 15.3 148 20.6 125 85 36 65.8 2.97 4.14 21.5 21.6 11.96 9.13 11.8 31.8 109 15.3 9.4 0.98 241 79 3.95 4 74 33.9 90 13.26 293 0.62 5 5.25 12.98 6.75 15 7.03 3.4 4.5 6.3 7.34 1450 3.28 0.315 2.18 2.65 234 1.3 2.17

35.9 1.11 1.01 1.86 7.92 32 15.32 62.5 20.2 10.08 29.15 1.5 1.5 10.72 9.55 9.04 6.02 8.86 20.2 71.5 13.24 5.34 0.395 173 34.1 2.3 1.63 33 23.35 17.3 5.88 250.2 0.335 3.37 3.87 8.45 3 10.04 3.03 1.95 1 4.02 5.9 801 1.55 0.138 1.02 2.09 152 0.640 1.2

0.59 59.2 30.05 2.16 7.39 3.4 3.35 823.5 10.2 84 3.35 3.68 4.92 0.66 1455 76 5.29 6.66 9.25 0.85 17.3 5.53 9.66 0.0670 1.61 2.99 84.9 974 1.66 1.39 156 0.710 0.435 0.510

0.44 48.1 20.85 1.6 6.62 0.23 0.23 634.5 7.390 12.8 2.6 1.15 2.26 0.152 837 49.55 3 3.52 4.84 0.59 12 4.2 3 0.030 0.550 2.26 59.3 751 1.13 0.93 80 0.211 0.179 0.310

10.5 26.95 1.99 1.75 0.375 41.4 5.6 5.59 1.44 1.48 0.201 0.69

6.74 12 0.65 1.2 0.192 30.05 3.36 4.96 0.79 0.97 0.083 0.415

STOCKS

High

Low

FINANCIAL 3.68 3.55 47.35 46.5 116.60 110.80 99.90 97.30 38.05 37.8 4.15 4.00 1.42 1.36 10.16 8.8 14.4 14 18.36 18.04 2 1.85 0.570 0.540 91 85.8 0.91 0.91 15.04 14.94 22.80 22.00 58.60 57.50 105 103 680 600 264 259.4 31.95 31.6 187.1 191.9 1360.00 1345.00 65.10 64.20 1.52 1.52 INDUSTRIAL Aboitiz Power Corp. 46.4 47.65 45.8 Agrinurture Inc. 3.75 3.77 3.62 Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. 0.83 0.84 0.81 Alsons Cons. 2.06 2.07 1.99 Asiabest Group 12.26 12.2 11.06 C. Azuc De Tarlac 216.00 220.00 220.00 Century Food 21.7 22.15 21.6 Chemphil 188 180 160 Conc. Aggr. ‘A’ 183 183 170 Cirtek Holdings (Chips) 16.3 16.38 15.96 Concepcion 47.2 48.2 47 Crown Asia 2.02 2.1 2.01 Da Vinci Capital 6.2 6.48 5.7 Del Monte 12.16 12.5 12.2 DNL Industries Inc. 9.600 9.990 9.420 Emperador 7.10 7.27 6.98 Energy Devt. Corp. (EDC) 5.69 5.80 5.52 EEI 7.69 7.85 7.66 First Gen Corp. 25 25.5 24 First Holdings ‘A’ 67.75 68.2 67.7 Holcim Philippines Inc. 15.00 15.10 15.00 5.65 5.55 Integ. Micro-Electronics 5.54 Ionics Inc 2.360 2.360 2.320 Jollibee Foods Corp. 235.80 249.40 235.80 Liberty Flour 32.20 32.20 32.20 LMG Chemicals 1.97 2.14 1.84 Mabuhay Vinyl 3.23 3.2 3.15 Macay Holdings 38.00 37.50 37.45 Manila Water Co. Inc. 27.05 27.5 26.8 Maxs Group 29.1 30.2 29 Megawide 6.45 6.6 6.5 Mla. Elect. Co À’ 318.80 321.00 310.00 MG Holdings 0.270 0.275 0.270 Panasonic Mfg Phil. Corp. 4.35 4.22 4.21 Pepsi-Cola Products Phil. 3.4 3.41 3.3 Petron Corporation 10.94 11.36 10.84 Phil H2O 3.19 3.19 3.19 Phinma Corporation 11.14 11.14 11.14 Phoenix Petroleum Phils. 6.15 6.20 6.12 Phoenix Semiconductor 1.65 1.69 1.63 Pryce Corp. À’ 2.89 2.88 2.8 RFM Corporation 4.20 4.20 4.18 Roxas Holdings 4.11 4.11 4 San Miguel ‘Pure Foods À’ 209 210 209 Splash Corporation 2.55 2.55 2.53 Swift Foods, Inc. 0.149 0.147 0.147 TKC Steel Corp. 1.87 1.96 1.81 Trans-Asia Oil 2.49 2.49 2.43 Universal Robina 208.6 210 206 Vitarich Corp. 0.87 0.88 0.86 Vulcan Ind’l. 1.29 1.28 1.22 HOLDING FIRMS Abacus Cons. À’ 0.360 0.385 0.360 Aboitiz Equity 77.95 80.90 77.95 Alliance Global Inc. 15.20 15.50 14.80 Anglo Holdings A 1.16 1.13 1.10 Anscor À’ 6.10 6.01 6.00 ATN Holdings A 0.375 0.375 0.370 ATN Holdings B 0.370 0.370 0.360 Ayala Corp À’ 850 865 847 Cosco Capital 7.7 7.81 7.7 DMCI Holdings 12.80 13.00 12.44 F&J Prince ‘A’ 5.28 5.4 5.27 F&J Prince ‘B’ 6.4 6.4 5.6 Filinvest Dev. Corp. 6.37 6.60 6.37 Forum Pacific 0.202 0.235 0.210 GT Capital 1470 1499 1425 JG Summit Holdings 84.35 86.10 84.35 Keppel Holdings À’ 5.41 5.6 5.41 Keppel Holdings `B’ 6.45 6.59 6.1 Lopez Holdings Corp. 7.7 7.8 7.58 Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp. 0.69 0.69 0.68 LT Group 15.9 15.96 15.5 6.9 Metro Pacific Inv. Corp. 6.86 7.05 MJCI Investments Inc. 3.3 3.3 3.21 Pacifica À’ 0.0320 0.0340 0.0320 Prime Orion 1.800 1.810 1.810 Republic Glass ‘A’ 2.60 2.60 2.60 San Miguel Corp À’ 78.15 79.00 77.95 SM Investments Inc. 995.00 1016.00 960.00 Solid Group Inc. 1.17 1.17 1.16 South China Res. Inc. 0.93 0.93 0.89 Top Frontier 194.000 195.000 190.500 Unioil Res. & Hldgs 0.3000 0.3150 0.3000 Wellex Industries 0.2000 0.2050 0.1980 Zeus Holdings 0.300 0.305 0.295 PROPERTY 8990 HLDG 7.700 7.690 7.650 Anchor Land Holdings Inc. 7.20 6.80 6.80 A. Brown Co., Inc. 1.26 1.26 1.23 Araneta Prop À’ 2.180 2.180 2.150 Arthaland Corp. 0.290 0.295 0.290 Ayala Land `B’ 38.700 40.600 38.800 Belle Corp. À’ 3.31 3.38 3.31 Cebu Holdings 5.17 5.1 5.02 Century Property 0.510 0.51 0.500 Cityland Dev. À’ 1.110 1.100 1.050 Crown Equities Inc. 0.133 0.133 0.132 Cyber Bay Corp. 0.670 0.710 0.640 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 I-Remit Inc. MEDCO Holdings Metrobank Natl. Reinsurance Corp. PB Bank Phil Bank of Comm Phil. National Bank Phil. Savings Bank Philippine trust Co. PSE Inc. RCBC À’ Security Bank Sun Life Financial Union Bank Vantage Equities

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

SHARES 32,684,049 112,788,219 190,242,478 299,346,823 506,597,799 575,060,695 1,722,874,465

3.57 47.2 110.60 97.75 37.9 4.17 1.36 10 14.18 17.8 1.94 0.530 90 0.91 15.04 22.20 57.65 104.9 550 259 31.7 190 1370.00 64.80 1.57

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

3.63 47.35 112.00 97.30 38 4.01 1.40 10 14.4 18.2 1.99 0.550 90.35 0.91 15.00 22.00 57.50 105 680 264 31.95 191.9 1350.00 64.80 1.52

1.68 0.32 1.27 -0.46 0.26 -3.84 2.94 0.00 1.55 2.25 2.58 3.77 0.39 0.00 -0.27 -0.90 -0.26 0.10 23.64 1.93 0.79 1.00 -1.46 0.00 -3.18

110,000 46,300 6,425,280 2,170,220 208,200 28,000 13,000 4,900 1,204,800 1,205,300 291,000 1,161,000 5,269,780 10,000 329,800 79,800 219,630 5,430 90 4,470 70,500 13,491,450 100 5,580 27,000

46.05 3.74 0.83 2 11.5 220.00 21.85 170 183 16.3 47 2.02 5.71 12.3 9.990 7.25 5.52 7.69 24.9 67.85 15.10 5.63 2.320 242.00 32.20 2.14 3.15 37.50 27.1 29.1 6.56 310.00 0.270 4.21 3.3 11.14 3.19 11.14 6.20 1.67 2.85 4.18 4 210 2.55 0.147 1.83 2.43 208 0.86 1.28

-0.75 -0.27 0.00 -2.91 -6.20 1.85 0.69 -9.57 0.00 0.00 -0.42 0.00 -7.90 1.15 4.06 2.11 -2.99 0.00 -0.40 0.15 0.67 1.62 -1.69 2.63 0.00 8.63 -2.48 -1.32 0.18 0.00 1.71 -2.76 0.00 -3.22 -2.94 1.83 0.00 0.00 0.81 1.21 -1.38 -0.48 -2.68 0.48 0.00 -1.34 -2.14 -2.41 -0.29 -1.15 -0.78

4,697,000 447,000 401,000 3,749,000 13,500 10 1,358,600 480 470 2,534,700 106,000 4,723,000 5,881,600 177,300 10,486,700 8,900,000 29,158,200 456,800 5,242,900 172,990 14,900 429,900 717,000 2,444,310 200 80,000 31,000 1,200 1,729,100 1,764,500 3,816,400 376,900 600,000 7,000 522,000 6,476,700 6,000 373,300 1,451,800 941,000 322,000 1,040,000 28,000 5,720 36,000 110,000 2,038,000 1,918,000 2,919,600 2,734,000 790,000

0.380 77.95 14.80 1.13 6.00 0.370 0.370 849 7.78 12.60 5.3 6.2 6.60 0.230 1440 86.00 5.5 6.55 7.75 0.68 15.92 6.97 3.3 0.0330 1.810 2.60 78.35 967.00 1.17 0.90 195.000 0.3150 0.2030 0.300

5.56 0.00 -2.63 -2.59 -1.64 -1.33 0.00 -0.12 1.04 -1.56 0.38 -3.13 3.61 13.86 -2.04 1.96 1.66 1.55 0.65 -1.45 0.13 1.60 0.00 3.13 0.56 0.00 0.26 -2.81 0.00 -3.23 0.52 5.00 1.50 0.00

950,000 3,777,230 6,630,600 2,000 32,600 3,440,000 50,000 390,130 1,894,800 8,470,200 104,900 16,100 4,287,100 860,000 195,810 5,536,990 1,900 24,000 2,865,000 9,000 6,574,300 83,823,900 6,000 47,900,000 426,000 140,000 340,770 558,600 24,000 333,000 26,490 3,890,000 430,000 770,000

7.690 6.80 1.24 2.170 0.290 38.800 3.38 5.1 0.510 1.070 0.132 0.640

-0.13 -5.56 -1.59 -0.46 0.00 0.26 2.11 -1.35 0.00 -3.60 -0.75 -4.48

92,400 500 1,287,000 342,000 400,000 22,861,600 560,000 27,100 8,567,000 92,000 5,430,000 66,429,000

1,852,870.00 280,848,591 63,832,841.50 -714,520.00 8,360.00 2,173,100.00 -34,360.00 237,779,476.00 220,000.00 -2,735,078.50 798,804.00 1,128,255 -164,150,827.00 97,922.50 37,637,450.00 205,000.00 1,116.00 1,158,690.00 -3,260.00 1,448,635 2,038,300.00 -425,937.00 -298,760.00 13,592,934.00 -26,055,484.00 17,880,165.00 1,986,975.00 53,263,120.00 1,261,551.00 -35,100.00 232,837,876.00 -28,800.00 -1,592,140.00 -214,430.00 -259,897.00 -3,854,934.00 945,300.00 15,445,100.00 295,052.00 -1,677,140.00 -523,050.00 208,220.00 290,262,190.00

-18,750.00 188,151,945.50 -47,259,398.00

56,267,230.00 1,011,796.00 45,071,512.00 -32,600.00 -82,696,005.00 276,620,405.00 2,177,571.00 -26,025,506.00 125,766,474.00

-364,000.00 6,428,287.00 50,537,805.00

52 Weeks

High Low

STOCKS

-1,491,000.00 1,050.00 -63,840.00 -655,420.00

High

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

Double Dragon 59.95 Empire East Land 0.790 Ever Gotesco 0.157 Global-Estate 0.98 Filinvest Land,Inc. 1.96 Keppel Properties 5.00 Megaworld 4.56 MRC Allied Ind. 0.100 Phil. Estates Corp. 0.2750 Phil. Realty `A’ 0.440 Phil. Tob. Flue Cur & Redry 39.50 Primex Corp. 10.42 Robinson’s Land `B’ 30.50 Rockwell 1.83 Shang Properties Inc. 3.3 SM Prime Holdings 27.00 Sta. Lucia Land Inc. 0.89 Starmalls 7 Suntrust Home Dev. Inc. 1.030 Vista Land & Lifescapes 5.200

1.42 2.53 0.00 0.00 1.53 0.00 1.97 -1.00 -1.82 0.00 -3.04 3.65 -3.28 -1.64 1.52 1.11 1.12 0.00 -0.97 2.69

1,753,360 957,000 140,000 4,095,000 12,826,000 500 97,735,000 4,110,000 10,000 350,000 48,800 238,200 4,720,400 2,437,000 8,000 39,496,000 3,396,000 11,500 105,000 20,788,300

10.5 66 1.44 1.09 28.5 15.82 0.1430 5.06 99.1 12.3 2.6 7.67 1700 2720 8.41

1.97 35.2 1 0.63 18.2 8.6 0.0770 2.95 56.1 10.14 1.6 4.8 830 1600 5.95

70.5 1.97 119.5 7 5.8 12.5 0.017

17.02 1.23 102.6 3.01 4 8.72 0.011

0.8200 2.2800 5.93

0.041 1.200 2.34

12.28 3.32 3.2 95.5 1 2.46 15.2

6.5 1.91 1.95 3.1 0.650 1.8 6

1.040 22.8 6.41 18 185 22.9 3486 0.760 2.28 46.05 90.1

0.37 14.54 3 8.8 79 4.39 2748 0.435 1.2 31.45 60.55

11.6 0.85 10 0.490 1.9

7.59 0.63 5 0.315 1.14

2GO Group’ ABS-CBN Acesite Hotel APC Group, Inc. Berjaya Phils. Inc. Bloomberry Boulevard Holdings Calata Corp. Cebu Air Inc. (5J) Centro Esc. Univ. Discovery World DFNN Inc. FEUI Globe Telecom GMA Network Inc. Golden Haven 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 Macroasia Corp. Manila Broadcasting Manila Bulletin Manila Jockey Melco Crown Metro Retail NOW Corp. Pacific Online Sys. Corp. PAL Holdings Inc. Phil. Racing Club Phil. Seven Corp. Philweb.Com Inc. PLDT Common PremiereHorizon Premium Leisure Puregold Robinsons RTL SBS Phil. Corp. SSI Group STI Holdings Travellers Waterfront Phils. Yehey

-0.41 1.85 -0.78 -1.69 2.82 3.75 -1.69 -1.72 -2.05 -6.40 -0.49 1.12 2.56 -1.98 0.47 28.97 0.00 0.88 0.00 -7.49 -5.94 0.00 1.01 0.11 -1.49 0.00 -1.82 24.79 -0.26 0.94 0.00 0.50 -1.75 0.00 3.57 1.76 -1.36 0.96 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.41 1.90 -1.18 -2.50 0.36 3.80 0.31 -1.82 3.51 1.19 0.00 0.00

29,400 150,600 11,000 1,354,000 103,400 1,630.00 24,349,300 42,711,567.00 42,080,000 74,100.00 1,363,000 170,300.00 845,890 -1,446,936.50 5,100 4,000 60,100 50 116,360 72,198,230.00 86,400 27,314,000 3,204,535.00 51,500 90,000 -3,570.00 2,823,960 -5,668,248.50 172,200 70 13,000 221,000,000 300,900 36,740,000 -74,800.00 1,283,000 15,000 72,600 80,900 147,991 631,000 12,000 3,000 69,000 70,000 44,359,000 29,906,830.00 20,820,000 53,718,100.00 8,804,000 -8,650.00 8,400 2,000 35,000 2,670 329,745.00 85,800 -19,335.00 324,890 247,610,000.00 737,000 4,250.00 27,854,000 -6,180,750.00 1,931,000 62,238,285.00 1,729,950 100,586,008.00 937,800 8,277,000 1,883,720.00 592,000 2,591,000 -1,922,770.00 80,000 14,900

0.0098 5.45 17.24 0.330 12.8 1.62 9.5 4.2 0.48 0.420 0.440 0.022 0.023 8.2 49.2 4.27 1.030 3.06 0.020 7.67 12.88 10.42 0.040 420 9 0.016

0.0043 1.72 6.47 0.236 5.11 0.77 5.99 1.17 0.305 0.2130 0.2160 0.013 0.014 3.240 18.96 2.11 0.365 1.54 0.012 5.4 7.26 2.27 0.015 115.9 3.67 0.0100

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

0.00 -1.69 -1.57 0.00 -6.58 -2.02 0.00 0.00 -1.72 -0.41 0.00 0.00 -7.14 -1.16 -1.96 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 -1.00 0.60 4.85 -7.69 1.30 0.00 0.00

385,000,000 3,797,000 155,250.00 62,000 13,180.00 180,000 2,300 570,000 49,100.00 11,000 34,972,000 17,929,160.00 150,000 20,530,000 1,550,000 7,500.00 36,100,000 1,900,000 284,000 5,037,100 3,265,847.00 52,000 60,000 172,000 30,000.00 2,900,000 23,000 3,581,900 1,257,582.00 5,573,000 512,470.00 7,300,000 840,260 68,929,815.00 555,000 11,490.00 63,700,000

70 553 525 120 515 8.21 111

33 490 500 101.5 480 5.88 101

78.95 84.8

74.5 75

ABS-CBN Holdings Corp. Ayala Corp. Pref `B1’ Ayala Corp. Pref ‘B2’ First Gen G GLOBE PREF P GMA Holdings Inc. MWIDE PREF PCOR-Preferred B SMC Preferred B SMC Preferred C SMC Preferred D SMC Preferred E SMC Preferred F SMC Preferred G SMC Preferred I

4.52 -3.70 0.09 -5.60 0.00 -0.31 0.00 0.00 2.84 0.00 -0.52 -0.65 -1.15 0.00 0.13

1,133,800 13,300 50 34,370 10,000 541,000 500 395 11,240 12,650 110,100 26,300 2,000 29,000 32,730

6.98

0.8900 LR Warrant

1.01

311,000

3.5

0.54 2.80 -2.35 5.03

1,405,000 3,000 865,000 3,809,300

1.51

11,250

Alterra Capital Makati Fin. Corp. Italpinas Xurpas

12.88

5.95

130.7

105.6 First Metro ETF

STOCKS

FINANCIAL 1,753.42 (UP) 8.45 INDUSTRIAL 11,952.92 (DOWN) 2.45 HOLDING FIRMS 7,610.43 (DOWN) 46.92 PROPERTY 3,424.60 (UP) 20.15 SERVICES 1,664.04 (UP) 16.21 MINING & OIL 11,202.27 (UP) 22.82 PSEI 7,796.25 (DOWN) 2.28 All Shares Index 4,720.65 (UP) 53.84 Gainers: 97; Losers: 99; Unchanged: 46; Total: 242

2.4 0.83 0.188 1.15 1.42 3.1 4.13 0.090 0.290 0.39 23 2.69 22.15 1.6 3.1 15.08 0.69 3.38 0.83 5.73

62.9 59.05 60.8 0.810 0.780 0.810 0.158 0.157 0.157 0.99 0.97 0.98 2.00 1.96 1.99 5.00 5.00 5.00 4.78 4.6 4.65 0.101 0.098 0.099 0.2700 0.2700 0.2700 0.440 0.440 0.440 39.50 38.30 38.30 10.96 10.4 10.8 31.65 29.50 29.50 1.86 1.78 1.8 3.35 3.32 3.35 28.40 26.40 27.30 0.9 0.88 0.9 7 6.79 7 1.040 1.010 1.020 5.350 5.250 5.340 SERVICES 7.3 7.38 7.27 7.27 45.85 48 45.9 46.7 1.29 1.28 1.26 1.28 0.590 0.600 0.580 0.580 7.1 8.4 7.3 7.3 6.40 6.75 6.38 6.64 0.0590 0.0580 0.0570 0.0580 2.91 2.93 2.82 2.86 99.9 99.9 97.7 97.85 9.84 9.84 9.21 9.21 2.04 2.03 1.91 2.03 6.27 6.35 6.20 6.34 975 1000 1000 1000 2420 2450 2372 2372 6.37 6.41 6.37 6.40 15.74 23.10 17.50 20.30 21.25 21.25 21.25 21.25 1.14 1.20 1.15 1.15 61.5 63.15 61.5 61.5 14.16 14.02 13.02 13.10 160 150.5 150 150.5 11.7 11.7 11.4 11.7 0.0099 0.0100 0.0099 0.0100 9.38 9.39 9.35 9.39 0.335 0.340 0.325 0.330 1.6700 1.6900 1.6400 1.6700 2.2 2.2 2.16 2.16 12.02 15 12 15 7.70 7.70 7.59 7.68 3.20 3.29 3.21 3.23 2.78 2.78 2.55 2.78 19.90 20.00 19.02 20.00 0.570 0.570 0.560 0.560 2 2 1.99 2 3.64 3.85 3.66 3.77 3.97 4.09 3.98 4.04 2.940 3.000 2.900 2.900 12.5 12.76 12.62 12.62 4.80 4.80 4.71 4.80 10 10 9.4 10 123.50 123.50 123.50 123.50 24.30 24.40 24.00 24.40 2110.00 2150.00 2102.00 2150.00 0.425 0.425 0.420 0.420 1.200 1.220 1.170 1.170 42.00 42.60 42.00 42.15 82.80 86.60 83.00 85.95 6.35 6.45 6.30 6.37 3.30 3.33 3.20 3.24 0.570 0.590 0.570 0.590 3.35 3.45 3.37 3.39 0.335 0.350 0.335 0.335 6.300 6.500 5.900 6.300 MINING & OIL 0.0041 0.0041 0.0041 0.0041 3.55 3.67 3.45 3.49 4.47 4.45 4.36 4.40 0.229 0.229 0.228 0.229 7.6000 7.1000 7.1000 7.1000 0.495 0.495 0.485 0.485 8.88 9.00 8.70 8.88 0.860 0.880 0.860 0.860 0.290 0.295 0.285 0.285 0.245 0.246 0.242 0.244 0.250 0.255 0.250 0.250 0.0130 0.0130 0.0120 0.0130 0.0140 0.0130 0.0130 0.0130 1.73 1.76 1.71 1.71 5.1 5.25 4.99 5 2.69 2.71 2.62 2.69 0.5500 0.5600 0.5500 0.5500 1.2000 1.2100 1.2000 1.2000 0.0100 0.0110 0.0100 0.0100 4.00 4.00 3.96 3.96 8.40 8.50 8.19 8.45 3.92 4.33 3.92 4.11 0.0130 0.0130 0.0120 0.0120 123.50 125.40 123.50 125.10 3.88 4 3.8 3.88 0.0120 0.0120 0.0110 0.0120 PREFERRED 45.35 47.8 43.35 47.4 540.5 540.5 520 520.5 541.5 542 542 542 125 119.9 100 118 540.5 540.5 540.5 540.5 6.37 6.35 6.3 6.35 111.9 111.9 111.9 111.9 1160 1160 1115 1160 77.5 80 79.7 79.7 80 80.5 80 80 76.5 76.5 76 76.1 76.5 76.1 76 76 78.4 78.4 77.5 77.5 78 78 78 78 76.6 76.7 76.6 76.7 WARRANTS & BONDS 2.970 3.090 3.000 3.000 SME 3.7 3.9 3.7 3.72 3.21 3.3 3.3 3.3 4.68 4.69 4.5 4.57 15.9 16.7 15.9 16.7 EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 126.1 128 126.5 128

T op g ainerS VALUE 4,102,573,200.24 2,508,505,817.483 3,037,183,994.029 2,921,821,304.665 2,777,942,788.6146 240,015,143.833 15,668,334,035.193

Low

10.96 0.97 0.305 2.22 2.1 8.4 5.94 0.180 0.470 0.72 27 8.54 31.8 2.29 4.9 21.35 1.06 7.56 1.62 8.59

381,148.00

364,189,285.00 1,271,380.00

17,478,635.50 -272,800.00 -1,580.00 990.00 7,581,550.00 196,379,200.00

11,625.00 -17,772,645.00 -1,820.00 263,477,515.00 -89,000.00 19,845,000.00

2,783,435.00 2,891,200.00 774,080.00 -775,010.00

-5,548,000.00

-2,412,900.00

114,800.00 22,044,582.00

T op L oSerS Close (P)

Change (%)

STOCKS

Close (P)

Change (%)

Golden Haven

20.30

28.97

Chemphil

170

LBC Express

24.79

Da Vinci Capital

5.71

-9.57 -7.90

Philippine trust Co.

680

23.64

Philodrill Corp. `A'

0.0120

-7.69

Forum Pacific

0.230

13.86

Imperial Res. `A'

13.10

-7.49

LMG Chemicals

2.14

8.63

Manila Mining `B'

0.0130

-7.14

Abacus Cons. `A'

0.380

5.56

Benguet Corp `B'

7.1000

-6.58

Xurpas

16.7

5.03

Centro Esc. Univ.

9.21

-6.40

Unioil Res. & Hldgs

0.3150

5.00

Asiabest Group

11.5

-6.20

PhilexPetroleum

4.11

4.85

Imperial Res. `B'

150.5

-5.94

ABS-CBN Holdings Corp.

47.4

4.52

First Gen G

118

-5.60

FRIDAY: JULY 1, 2016

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

B3 ICT convention.

PLDT Enterprise, the corporate business group of Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. hosts this year’s 2016 Philippine ICT Leadership Convention. PLDT executives and partners lead the opening of the technology exhibit at the 2016 Philippine ICT Leadership Convention. Shown (from left) are ePLDT chief operating officer Nerisse Ramos, PLDT executive vice president and ePLDT CEO Eric Alberto, PLDT ALPHA first vice president and head Jovy Hernandez, IDC Asia Pacific managing director Christopher Holmes and Cisco Philippines country manager Louie Castañeda.

Cemex prices shares at P10.75 By Jenniffer B. Austria

CEMEX Holdings Philippines Inc., a unit of Mexican cement giant Cemex S.A.B. de C.V., will raise as much as P25.1 billion in proceeds from an initial public offering after pricing its shares at P10.75 apiece. Cemex priced the IPO 36.8 percent lower than the maximum indicative price of P17 earlier set by the company. “We are delighted by the strong participation that we have received from institutional investors for our IPO notwithstanding events in Europe. We take this as a sign of the investors’ confidence in the longterm prospects of CHP and, more importantly, the Philippines as a whole,” Cemex Philippines chairman and president Pedro Jose Palomino said. Despite the slash in the offering price,

Cemex Holdings’ maiden share offering will still be one of the biggest IPOs in the country this year. “We are truly proud to be a part of this IPO. The ability to price and launch the deal amidst volatility is a testament to the strong fundamentals and growth prospects of the company. Retail investors can take the cue from the strong institutional demand and should take a look at the offer,” Eduardo Francisco, president of BDO Capital & Investment Corp, which serves as the domestic lead underwriter, said. Francisco said the deal was oversubscribed even without orders from trading participants and local investors. Cemex Holdings, which is expected to benefit from the construction boom on sustained growth of the domestic economy, is selling 2.032 billion common shares with a stabilization option of 304.947 million common shares.

Mining policy backed; CoMP sees investments hitting $30b AGUSAN del Norte Gov. Angel Amante-Matba said Thursday she will personally assist President Rodrigo Duterte in weeding out irresponsible miners in the province. Amante-Matba issued the statement in reaction to Duterte’s recent pronouncement that mining companies must comply with international environmental standards or face the risk of sanctions. “For a province tagged as one of the country’s mining hotspots, our people and land will benefit from the strict measures to be implemented by the incoming president,” she said. Amante-Matba assured the government that mining operations in her province were operated and managed by responsible miners. She urged the new administration to assist her in setting up a more stringent regulatory mechanism to pursue best practices among mining companies operating in her province. The governor also called on compa-

nies, inlcuding or small mining operators, to heed Duterte’s warning to shape up or face severe sanctions or closure. She expressed her gratitude on the Duterte’s declaration that there would be no ban on mining as long as it followed international environmental protection standards. “Banning mining operations will certainly create a huge economic setback to a lot of people not only in Agusan province but the whole of Caraga region,” she said. The Chamber of Mines of the Philippines, meanwhile, said the mining industry would infuse about $20 billion to $30 billion into the economy over the next five to 10 years with he inclusion of several new projects. CoMP said investments this year were expected to reach $2.25 billion on new projects. Expected to be operational this year are those of Asiaticus Mining Corp. in Davao Oriental and Global Ferronickel Holdings Inc. in Palawan.With Anna Leah E. Gonzales

The offered shares represent 45 percent of the company’s capital stock. The company plans to use the proceeds from the IPO to pay debt owed to a subsidiary of CHP’s ultimate parent company. It will also pay the debt used to refinance a previous debt owed to the subsidiary of CHP’s ultimate parent company. The shares are expected to begin trading on the Philippine Stock Exchange on July 18, 2016 under the ticker symbol “CHP.” Citigroup Global Markets Ltd., The Hon-

gkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Ltd., Singapore Branch and J.P. Morgan Securities plc are acting as joint global coordinators and joint bookrunners, Cemex Holdings is one of the leading cement producers in the Philippines, based on installed annual capacity. It produces and markets cement and cement products, such as ready-mix concrete and clinker, in the Philippines through direct sales using its extensive marine and land distribution network.

FRIDAY: JULY 1, 2016

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

Globe-Estate to build 5 hotels IN BRIEF Money supply up 13.5%

DOMESTIC liquidity or money supply in the financial system grew 13.5 percent in May from a year ago to reach P8.7 trillion on sustained demand for credit, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said Thursday. This was faster than the revised 12.8-percent expansion in April this year. “The sustained expansion of M3 during the month indicates that money supply remains sufficient to support economic growth. Going forward, the BSP will continue to monitor liquidity and credit dynamics to ensure that monetary conditions remain consistent with maintaining price and financial stability,” Bangko Sentral said in a statement. Meanwhile, outstanding loans of commercial banks, net of reverse repurchase placements with Bangko Sentral, expanded 17.7 percent year-on-year in May, faster than 15.6 percent in April. Loans for production activities, comprising more than 80 percent of banks’ aggregate loan portfolio, increased 17.9 percent in April. The expansion in production loans was driven primarily by increased lending to real estate activities, 22.3 percent; electricity, gas, steam and air-conditioning supply, 29.3 percent; wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles, 18.3 percent; financial and insurance activities, 21.1 percent; and information and communication, 43 percent. Loans for household consumption grew 17.4 percent in May, also up from 16.8 percent in April due to the expansion in motor vehicle loans and sustained growth in credit card loans and salary-based general purpose loans. Julito G. Rada

By Jenniffer B. Austria

GLOBAL-ESTATE Resorts Inc., a subsidiary brand of property developer Megaworld Corp., will invest P10 billion to build five new hotels in Boracay and Batangas over the next three years, a top executive said. Global-Estate president Monica Salomon said the planned ﬁve hotels would boost the company’s hotel portfolio to 1,850 rooms from current 208 rooms. This would also signiﬁcantly increase the share of hotel revenues to the company’s sales, which currently stands at a singledigit level. Global-Estate’s four hotels in Boracay

include Fairways and Bluewater which has been completed and now fully-operational; Savoy Hotel Boracay which will be completed by the end of this year; Belmont Hotel Boracay which would be completed in 2018; and Chancellor Hotel Boracay which would be ﬁnished in 2019. The property ﬁrm is building the Twin Lakes Hotel in Tagaytay, offering unparalleled panoramic views of the Taal Lake and a real vineyard surrounding the development which is slated for completion by 2017. “One of GERI’s forefront roles in nation-building is to support the country’s tourism industry. We will strive to maintain our leadership in integrated tourism and leisure estates as Boracay Newcoast and Twin Lakes mature and become fully operational. With our new hotels, we hope to accommodate at least 700,000 tourists yearly in Boracay and Tagaytay,” Salomon said.

Boracay and Tagaytay are two of the top tourist destinations in the country. “In Boracay alone, we hope to capture around 20 to 30 percent of the tourism market when our hotels become fully operational. Our vast Boracay Newcoast township will set the bar of a world-class island destination that Filipinos will be proud of, as far as facilities and infrastructure are concerned,” Salomon said. Meanwhile, the property ﬁrm said it would spend P6.5 billion in capital expenditures this year to launch two residential projects. The company expects to maintain a 30-percent net income growth target this year. Global-Estate now has ﬁve integrated leisure and tourism township developments across the country covering around 2,146 hectares of land. Share price of Global-Estate closed unchanged at P0.98 Thursday.

Solar developer protests

NEGROS Island Solar Power appealed with the Energy Department following its non-inclusion in the list of companies that were given certiﬁcate of endorsements for feed-in tariff eligibility. Islasol is a special purpose vehicle composed of the second and third solar power plants built by clean energy developers Bronzeoak Philippines Inc. and Pinai Fund. Islasol’s solar projects have a total capacity of 80 megawatts, with 32 MW in La Carlota and 48 MW in Manapla, Negros Occidental. Islasol was not included in the 17 power projects endorsed by the department although sources said the company was able to dispatch ahead of the other solar projects. “We want them to re evaluate the merit order in which the Islasol plants are perceived to be qualiﬁed ahead of the others… We have the data to prove it,” Bronzeoak director and treasurer Don Mario Dia told reporters. Alena Mae S. Flores

Mitsubishi, Nissan still compete

MITSUBSIHI Motors Corp. and Nissan Motor Company Ltd. will continue to compete as industry rivals, despite their newly-formed alliance. Mitsubishi chairman and chief executive Osamu Masuko said both Japanese car makers had their own niche in the automotive world, and both should strive to maintain if not grossly expand their markets. “We have 10 years production history with Nissan. Our alliance is based on equal partnership. It is a capital alliance. This next stage is about cooperation,” he said. He said the alliance aimed to generate synergy in various areas such as purchasing, joint use of the plant, development of advanced technology, creation of gross market, sales and ﬁnance. “In the Philippines, too, we have to compete with Nissan. We have agreed for a future research and development cooperation and maybe shared capacity in the plant, in the future,” said Masuko. Othel V. Campos

SSS releases P8-b salary loans

STATE-RUN Social Security System said Thursday it released about P8 billion in salary loans to members in the ﬁrst quarter of the year. SSS said the salary loan releases jumped 19 percent in January to March to P7.93 billion from P6.69 billion disbursed in the same period last year. The number of borrowers also climbed from 354,000 in ﬁrst quarter of last year to 385,000 this year. SSS assistant vice president for member loans department Boobie Angela Ocay said covered employees accounted for about 90 percent of salary loans both in terms of amount disbursed and number of borrowers. Gabrielle H. Binaday

Healthier lifestyle. Healthway Medical, a network of mall-based clinics in the Philippines, signs partnership agreement with

Absolute Pure Distilled Drinking Water to give free primary care consultations to consumers who will join the ‘Absolute Consult’ promo. Shown are (seated, from left) Absolute vice president for non-alco division and business development Joseph Cruel and Healthway general manager Racquel Cagurangan. With them are other executives of Healthway and Absolute.

No threat on Asian ratings

DEBT ratings of Asia-Pacific banks and sovereigns, including the Philippines, will not be directly affected by the exit of the United Kingdom from the 28-nation European Union last week, global debt watcher Fitch Ratings said Thursday. “The UK’s vote to leave the European Union - ‘Brexit’ - has no immediate direct ratings impact on Asia-Pacific sovereigns or banks,” Fitch said in a report. It said the spike in political uncertainty in the UK and resulting effects on investor risk appetite could pose the greatest challenges for Asia in the short term. It said protracted uncertainty had a sustained effect on investor and consumer confidence, the resulting tightened liquidity conditions and pressure on emerging markets capital markets could weigh on growth in the region. “But it remains far from clear that such a sustained market reaction will develop. Some of the negative ‘risk off’ market moves that occurred in the immediate aftermath of the Brexit vote have already been partly unwound this week,” Fitch said. Fitch said the direct impact from UK trade on Asian economies could also be limited. The UK is the world’s fifth-largest economy and Fitch said it expected a slowdown in short-term GDP growth as a result of the referendum. Julito G. Rada

Court backs share riding apps

THE Land Transportation and Regulatory Board said Thursday the Court of Appeals Cebu City dismissed the petition of Metro Cebu Taxi Operators Association Inc. to stop the operation of transport network companies and transport network vehicle services in Metro Cebu. LTFRB said the appellate court’s Cebu station issued a 12-page resolution stating there was no clear and apparent reason to question the directives of the LTFRB, in relations to TNCs and TNVS. “We are pleased with the decision of Court of Appeals of Cebu City in dismissing MCTOA’s petition since we believe there is no legal inﬁrmity for TNVS operating on provisional authority pending issuance of their franchise,” outgoing LTFRB chairman Winston Ginez said. The operations of TNVS were regulated by LTFRB through memorandum circular orders issued in May 2015, setting speciﬁc guidelines, policies, regulations that ensure all TNVS and TNCs must secure the required CPCs before they can offer their services. Darwin G. Amojelar

A new beginning FOR most Filipinos, today marks a new beginning, their hopes for real and meaningful change pinned on the leadership of Rodrigo Roa Duterte, the 16th president of the Republic of the Philippines. After 2,192 days under the administration of BS Aquino mostly marked by disappointment and a gradual realization that we have been taken for a ride by an underachiever whose greatest talent is to self-praise, expectations are high that “the punisher” will be able to whip this country into shape. Many of our buddies who watched the inauguration of Duterte – the man who made history as the first president from Mindanao – said they felt goose bumps – uncharacteristic really from jaded cynics – as they listened to Duterte repeat his oath of office and deliver his speech. For the man exuded sincerity and strength, his words devoid of motherhood phrases and empty rhetoric that have become part and parcel of his predecessor’s “floral” pronouncements. And contrary to the expectations (and predictions) of some smart alecks, the speech was not peppered with expletives or kill, kill, kill orders.

While he ran true to his campaign pitch that some of our most urgent problems are criminality, illegal drugs and corruption, he also rightly assessed that the biggest problem is the loss of faith and conﬁdence of the majority of Filipinos in their government and in their public servants. Listening to “PDiggy,” it became apparent that he is one smart and savvy hombre, telling everyone present that he knows the law – he is a lawyer after all – and the limits of the power and authority of the presidency. Whatever means his administration may use to go after criminals, all these would be in keeping with the law, he reiterated. “I know what is legal and what is not,” he said, which, when you read between the lines (something which the new president loves to say), actually means “I’m not stupid, you people.” “You mind your work and I will mind mine,” was his message to his detractors and critics, among them the Commission of Human rights – and this was just really a polite way of saying “mind your own business.” And yes, he took a swipe at the just-ended administration when he declared that he was “elected to the presidency to serve the entire country” and not just one group or one party or class in society. This is actually good to hear since we had to endure six years of partisan politics under Aquino, whose insistence on sporting the yellow ribbon pin on his lapel is an in-your-face message that he cares only about his yellow army of supporters.

Foreign investors also liked his directive to Cabinet secretaries to honor contracts and agreements, clapping enthusiastically when Duterte said he does not approve of changing the rules while the game is ongoing. This was one of the complaints of businessmen particularly with the Department of Transportation and Communications under Joseph Emilio Aguinaldo Abaya. Remember the common station project that had been won by the SM Group with Neda approval, but for some reason was overturned by DOTC and awarded instead to the Ayala Group? Hopefully, this practice will soon become a thing of the past. Personally, we like it that he quoted US President Franklin Roosevelt (although we seem to have heard him say “Teddy Roosevelt”) who said, “The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much, it is whether we provide enough for those who have little.” Hopefully, the “great” economic achievements that the previous administration loved to trumpet will soon be felt by those who have little in life, as we will see growth and progress that includes everyone, not just a privileged few. ••• For comments, reactions, photos, stories and related concerns, readers may email to happyhourtoday2012@yahoo. com. You may also visit and like our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/ happyhourmanilastandard. We’d be very happy to hear from you. Cheers!

F R I D AY : J U LY 1 , 2 0 1 6

CESAR BARRIOQUINTO EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

WORLD

Pose. French actress Adele Exarchopoulos (L) and South African-US actress Charlize Theron pose on May 20, 2016, during a photocall for the film ‘The Last Face’ at the 69th Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France. AFP

Stock markets climb again HONG KONG—Asian stock markets climbed again Thursday, tracking another surge in Europe and New York and extending a rebound from last week’s hammering fueled by Britain’s shock vote to leave the EU. The pound also held on to most of its gains versus the dollar as other higher-yielding, riskier, currencies benefited from hope that the fallout from Friday’s referendum will not be as bad as feared. Speculation that authorities will announce monetary easing measures to offset any negative impact have also provided strong support. Stephen Innes, a senior trader at Oanda Asia Pacific said in a note: “The global central bankers are in the background and the markets realize that the central bankers are going to stand in front of any capitulation.” Tokyo rose 0.1 percent, although it ended well off its earlier highs owing to profit taking having risen about four percent since Friday’s close.

Hong Kong added 1.8 percent and Seoul closed up 0.7 percent. Singapore and Taipei each put on more than one percent, while Manila surged two percent. But Shanghai closed 0.1 percent down. Sydney climbed 1.7 percent ahead of a neck-and-neck general election in Australia at the weekend. Asian traders followed strong leads from their counterparts in the US and Europe, where London’s FTSE 100 index wiped out all its post-Brexit losses. In early European trade London eased 0.4 percent, while Paris and Frankfurt each lost 0.7 percent. “The initial shock over the UK voting out of the EU is easing across the world,” Mitsushige Akino, a Tokyo-based executive officer at Ichiyoshi Asset Manage-

ment Co., told Bloomberg News. “We’ve survived the event-related risk, and investors are beginning to see that the impact on the actual economy is limited. There’s hope for policy measures globally, not just in Japan, so that’s supporting markets.” Trading floors are rife with talk of fresh stimulus measures from key central banks. After a $17-billion boost by South Korea, Japan is in focus after the country’s prime minister, finance minister and central bank boss held talks Wednesday. On currency markets the pound edged down slightly from its New York close but managed to hold around $1.3445, well up from the 31-year-low $1.3121 touched Monday. There were also gains for emerging market and other risk currencies against the US dollar, with South Korea’s won up 0.7 percent, India’s rupee 0.1 percent higher and the Malaysian ringgit gaining 0.3 percent. AFP

Base worker charged with rape and murder TOKYO—Japanese prosecutors on Thursday charged a US military base employee with the rape and murder of a local woman on the southern island of Okinawa, media reported. Kenneth Franklin Shinzato, 32, a former US Marine employed at the US Air Force’s sprawling Kadena Air Base, was first charged in early June for allegedly disposing of the body of the victim, identified by local media as Rina Shimabukuro. As is common practice in Japanese law, he was again charged by Okinawa prosecutors, this time for the separate crime of the rape and murder of the 20-yearold woman, Jiji Press and other news reports said. Prosecutors and court officials in Okinawa refused to confirm

the reports. The case has intensified the longstanding local opposition to the American military presence on the strategic island, which reluctantly hosts nearly 75 percent of the land alloted for US bases in Japan even though it accounts for just a fraction of the country’s total area. Crimes by US personnel have long sparked protests on crowded Okinawa, and have been a frequent irritant in the relations between close security allies Japan and the United States. Shinzato’s initial arrest in May sparked fresh anger among Okinawans as well as a harsh public rebuke by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to US President Barack Obama when he visited Japan for a Group of Seven summit. AFP

Puerto Rico rescue bill clears Congress

Phenomenon. This picture taken on June 29, 2016, shows a woman walking past an algae-covered beach in Qingdao, in east China’s Shandong province. The algal phenomenon, an annual occurrence in Qingdao, is usually caused by an abundance of nutrients in the water, especially phosphorus, although the triggers for the enormous blooms that began to appear in the Yellow Sea in 2007 remain uncertain. AFP

WASHINGTON—The US Senate passed a bipartisan measure Wednesday that would allow Puerto Rico to restructure its $70-billion debt just two days before the island was to careen into massive default. The bill, which easily passed by a vote of 68 to 30, has now cleared both chambers of Congress and will go to the White House for President Barack Obama’s signature. Lawmakers spent weeks debating how to craft a package that would help the US territory that has been locked in recession for more than a decade.

Increasingly unable to service its debt, Puerto Rico is blocked by US law from getting formal bankruptcy protection, which would allow a court to force creditors to write off large amounts of its debt. The island already missed several deadlines for payment and risked defaulting on a $2-billion payment due July 1. But lawmakers came together to shepherd through a compromise bill before closing up shop for the Fourth of July holiday week. House Speaker Paul Ryan had lobbied vigorously for the so-called Puerto Rico Oversight, Manage-

ment, and Economic Stability Act (PROMESA), which establishes a special committee to negotiate with the island’s creditors and does not involve financial assistance. Ryan hailed the bill’s passage in the Senate, saying it addresses Puerto Rico’s fiscal crisis while “protecting American taxpayers from a bailout of the territory.” While the legislation is seen as an impressive compromise between bickering congressional Republicans and Democrats during a heated presidential election year, many who voted for the legislation expressed reservations. AFP

F R I D AY : J U LY 1 , 2 0 1 6

WORLD

CESAR BARRIOQUINTO EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Starlet Olivia De Havilland of bygone era turns 100 PARIS—Screen legend Olivia de Havilland, who turns 100 on Friday, is the last surviving star from “Gone with the Wind” and one of the last great stars of Hollywood’s bygone golden era. The two-time Oscar winner and five-time Academy Award nominee came to embody the elegant glamor of the silver screen in the 1930s and 1940s. But she also made waves with a landmark legal battle against the Hollywood studios and a secret feud with her equally famous sister, Joan Fontaine. The 1939 box-office blockbuster “Gone with the Wind” brought de Havilland wide acclaim for her role as the noble, long-suffering Melanie, starring opposite Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable in the US Civil War epic. Her performance as love rival to the fiery Scarlett O’Hara, played by Leigh, led to de Havilland’s first Oscar nod for best supporting actress. But she lost out to co-star Hattie McDaniel, who played the character of Mammy and became the first African-American to win an Academy Award. The film sealed De Havilland’s reputation as one of Hollywood’s top leading ladies, but with her doe-eyed looks she soon felt frustrated at the roles she was offered, fearful of being typecast as a sweet, innocent young thing. “Playing a good girl was difficult in the 30s, when the fad was to play bad girls,” she once said in an interview. “Actually, I think playing bad girls

is a bore. I have always had more luck with good girl roles because they require more from an actress.” Her screen debut had come as Hermia in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” in 1935 after director Max Reinhardt spotted her in a local theater production of the play. She won accolades for her role opposite swashbuckling actor Errol Flynn in “Captain Blood” later the same year, and their on-screen chemistry persuaded studio bosses to cast her alongside Flynn in seven other movies. De Havilland incurred the wrath of the bosses at Warner Bros., who at that time effectively owned their stars, by rejecting script after script. In what was a shocking move for the era, she sued the studios to be released from her seven-year contract and won, in a far-reaching 1945 ruling that gave actors the right to choose their own roles and career paths. It is still known as the De Havilland law, and the actress once said of it: “I was very proud of that decision, for it corrected a serious abuse of the contract system... No one thought I would win, but I did.” During her court case, she was blacklisted for three years and unable to work, but her legal victory kickstarted her career. The following year in 1946 she won her first Oscar for her portrayal of Jody Norris in “To Each His Own”, in an edgier role as an unmarried mother and her heartbreaking struggle to stay near to the child she could never acknowledge. AFP

A Sure Bet for Progress in Gaming, Entertainment and Nation Building

Invitation to Bid for Procurement of Two (2) Lots Annual Medical Examination Services and Neuropsychological Evaluation for CF Cebu for a Period of Three (3) Years under ITB No. Pb16-026CEB The Philippine Amusement And Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) Is inviting all interested bidder in its forthcoming public bidding for theProcurement of Two (2) Lots Annual Medical Examination Services and NeuropsychologicalEvaluation for CF Cebu for a Period of Three (3) Years under ITB No. Pb16-026CEB Brief Description

P r o c u r e m e n t o f Tw o (2) L o t s A n n u a l M e d i c a l E x a m i n a t i o n S e r v i c e s a n d N e u r o p s y c h o l o g i c a l Ev a l u a t i o n f o r C F C e b u f o r a P e r i o d o f T h r e e (3) Ye a r s u n d e r I T B N o . P b16 - 0 2 6 C E B L o t 1: P r o c u r e m e n t o f a 3 -Ye a r A n n u a l M e d i c a l E x a m i n a t i o n f o r r a n k and f ile employees L o t 2 : P r o c u r e m e n t o f N e u r o - P s y c h o l o g i c a l Te s t i n g f o r a p p r o x i m a t e l y t w e n t y s i x (2 6) d r i v e r s

Deliver y Schedule

W i t h i n T h i r t y (3 0) c a l e n d a r d a y s f r o m t h e e f f e c t i v i t y d a t e s p e c i f i e d i n the Notice to Proceed.

Approved Budget for t h e C o n t r a c t ( A B C) :

The A BC for the project is in the amount of Five Million Four Hundred T h i r t e e n T h o u s a n d S i x H u n d r e d F i f t y P e s o s ( P h p 5 , 413 , 6 5 0 . 0 0) , VAT E x c l u s i v e , Z e r o - R a t e d Tr a n s a c t i o n .

S o u r c e o f Fu n d s :

I n t e r n a l l y Fu n d e d

Bidder should have completed, within the last three (3) years before the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instructions to Bidder. Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”. Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least sixty percent (60%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines, and to citizens or organizations of a country the laws or regulations of which grant similar rights or privileges to Filipino citizens, pursuant to RA 5183 and subject to Commonwealth Act 138. All particulars relative to Pre-Bid Conference, Detailed Evaluation of Bids, Post-Qualification and Award of Contract shall be governed by the pertinent provisions of R.A. 9184 and its IRR. The schedule of activities is listed, as follows: Activities 1. I s s u a n c e o f t h e B i d d i n g D o c u m e n t s

Schedule J u l y 1, 2 016 t o J u l y 2 5 , 2 016

2. Pre- Bid Conference

J u l y 11, 2 016 , 2 : 0 0 p m

3. Deadline for the Submission and Receipt of Bids

J u l y 2 5 , 2 016 , 2 : 0 0 p m

4. Opening and Preliminar y Examination of Bids

J u l y 2 5 , 2 016 , 2 : 0 0 p m

Complete details of the project are indicated in the bidding documents which will be available to prospective bidder at the Procurement Section (PS) of Casino Filipino Cebu, acting as the BBAC Secretariat, upon payment of the nonrefundable cost for the sale of bidding documents in the amount of Five Thousand Pesos (Php5,000.00) Prospective bidder may also download the Bidding Documents free of charge from the following websites: www.pagcor.ph and www.philgeps.gov.ph and may be allowed to submit bids provided that bidder shall pay the non-refundable bidding fee not later than the date of the submission of bids. The Pre-bid Conference is open to all prospective bidder. Prospective bidder should present to PAGCOR’s Cashier located at the Sixth(6th) Floor, PAGCOR Corporate Office, New World Manila Bay Hotel, 1588 M.H. del PilarStreet corner Pedro Gil Street, Malate, Manila or at the Procurement Section, Casino Filipino Cebu (PS, CF-Cebu) either the Bidding Fee Slip which may be secured from PD/PS of CF-Cebu or a copy of this ITB in effecting payment for the Bidding Documents. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18. PAGCOR assumes no responsibility whatsoever to compensate or indemnify bidders for any expenses incurred in the preparation of their bids. In accordance with Government Procurement Policy Board (GPPB) Circular 06-2005 - Tie-Breaking Method, the Branch Bids and Awards Committee, Casino Filipino Cebu (BBAC, CF-Cebu)shall use a non-discretionary and non-discriminatory measure based on sheer luck or chance, which is “DRAW LOTS,” in the event that two or more bidders have been post-qualified and determined as the bidder having the Lowest Calculated Responsive Bid (LCRB) to determine the final bidder having the LCRB, based on the following procedures: 1. 2.

In alphabetical order, the bidders shall pick one rolled paper. The lucky bidder who would pick the paper with a “CONGRATULATIONS” remark shall be declared as the final bidder having the LCRB and recommended for award of the contract.

PAGCOR reserves the right to accept or reject any Bid, and to annul the bidding process and reject all Bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders. Please address all communications to the Branch Bids and Awards Committee, thru PS, 3rd Level, VIP 5, Casino Filipino Cebu, Waterfront Cebu City Hotel, Salinas Drive, Lahug Cebu City. Tel No.: 032-268-4989 or 2326272 local 5265. (SGD) ATTY. JANICE A. GODORNES Branch Bids and Awards Committee (BBAC), CF-CEBU

(TS JULY 1, 2016)

Initiative. Spain’s Queen Letizia is greeted by US ﬁrst lady Michelle Obama during the prensentation of the ‘Let Girls Learn’ initiative on June 29, 2016, in Madrid. Obama began a two-day visit to Spain by delivering a speech on the education initiative launched in March 2015 to help adolescent girls across the world gain access to quality education. AFP

Catalog of errors crashed TransAsia TAIPEI—A catalog of errors led the pilot of a passenger plane that crashed in Taiwan to shut down the only working engine, exclaiming: “Wow, pulled back wrong throttle,” a damning report said Thursday. TransAsia Airways Flight GE235 clipped a bridge and plunged into a river shortly after take-off from Taipei’s Songshan airport last February, killing 43 on board. Only 15 people survived the crash. The final report by Taiwan’s Aviation Safety Council confirmed that after one engine had failed, the pilot had mistakenly shut down the other and the plane had stalled. It also revealed how that pilot had shown “continued difficulties” in handling emergency situations during training, but was still allowed to fly. The report described him as posing an “evident and imminent flight safety risk” and urged TransAsia to review its training pro-

grams and safety culture. Earlier findings by the council last year told how the pilot had exclaimed: “Wow, pulled back wrong throttle,” just seconds before the crash. The final, more detailed, investigation report Thursday said there were “many contributing factors” behind the tragedy, which was captured in dramatic car dashcam footage as the plane lurched to one side, clipped an elevated road and crashed into the Keelung River. One of the engines malfunctioned shortly after the plane took off, according to the report, but the crew failed to carry out the right procedures to deal with the problem.

“The flight crew did not perform the documented abnormal and emergency procedures to identify the failure and implement the required corrective actions,” it said. This led to the two pilots’ confusion over which engine was malfunctioning and shutting down the wrong one. By the time the crew realized both engines were down, it was too late to restart the plane. Cockpit recordings revealed the pilots could not decide which engine had failed, Thomas Wang, managing director of the council, told reporters. “They kept communicating with each other, but to no avail,” he said. The head of the council, Huang Huanghui, told reporters that “human factors” were the overriding cause of the accident. TransAsia has seen several accidents in recent years that have raised concern about

the airline’s safety standards. The aviation council said the airline should look at why its flight safety performance was failing. It also urged TransAsia to conduct a “thorough review” of its flight crew training programs as well as improve its oversight and auditing procedures so recurring safety and training problems are spotted and rectified. Taiwan’s Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) must also ensure safety improvements are implemented after investigations, the report added. “The purpose of the report is to avoid the recurrence of similar incidents,” said Wang. The airline had already been asked to review its safety procedures after a TransAsia crash in the Penghu islands in 2014 that killed 49. Two air traffic control officers were charged in April over that crash. AFP

F R I D AY: J U LY 1 , 2 0 1 6

MOTORING

RAMON L. TOMELDAN EDITOR

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

IPC AND ISUZU ILOILO DEALER PRINCIPALS HAM IT UP FOR A SUCCESSFUL EVENT

ISUZU STAGES EXTREME OFF-ROADING Text and photo by Dino Ray V. Directo III

OFF-ROAD enthusiasts and residents of Iloilo City were treated to a display of power and driving skills as Isuzu Philippines Corporation (IPC) staged an extreme off-road event recently to highlight the capabilities of the Isuzu D-Max. With a track laid out by known off-road expert Beeboy Bargas, Isuzu’s 4x4 Action Playground event was set up along Donato Piston Avenue, San Rafael, Mandurriao Iloilo City. Throngs of people jam packed the activity area. According to Hajime Koso, IPC President, the 4x4 event aims to promote the D-Max and the MU-X SUV as the perfect allaround vehicle. Isuzu fielded two units each of the MU-X 4x4 LS-A and Isuzu D-MAX 4x4 LS. Both Isuzu models were offered up for test drives so that 4x4 enthusiasts and other consumers in and around Iloilo City may be able to experience the excellent off-road performance of the two models. “Iloilo City and its people have always drawn our attention in Isuzu Philippines because of the support they have consistently shown Isuzu vehicles. The significant role that Iloilo plays in the trade and business in the Visayas region is also something Isuzu is quite honored to be a part of. By bringing the Isuzu 4x4 Action Playground to Iloilo City, we hope to further foster our relationship with the province and its people in a manner that is both meaningful and fun,” stat-

ed Koso said during the event’s opening ceremony held on June 24. “The discount promo is IPC’s way of showing our tremendous appreciation to the people of Iloilo, including the many families of Overseas Filipino Workers who have always considered Isuzu vehicles as the best choice on which to invest their hard-earned remittances,” added Koso, in explaining Isuzu’s special promo package for the MU-X and DMax. To demonstrate the off-road capabilities of the MU-X and D-Max 4x4’s, the Action Playground featured various extreme obstacles that included the slipper slope, articulation ramp, 40-degree transverse-angle ramp, and the centerpiece – the 20-foot Thrill Hill. An additional attraction during the weekend event was IPC’s offering of an onthe-spot discount promo of 30% on Isuzu parts and accessories. The smooth transfer of power of Isuzu’s 4JJ1-TC (HI) 3.0-liter diesel engine was evident when driving up the 20-foot thrill hill. People who drove it up the metal monster of a hill were impressed with the engine’s power and torque.

Also helping the mu-X and DMAX to achieve incomparable off-road capability is Isuzu’s 4WD Terrain Command Select Dial, which allows drivers to switch from two-wheel drive to fourwheel drive Low mode by simply turning a knob. Drivers may also switch from two-wheel drive to four-wheel drive High mode even while the vehicles are traveling at speeds of up to 100kph. The mu-X and D-MAX also have ideal approach and departure angles, boosting their performance in all types of terrain. The 2016 mu-X 4x43.0L LS-A AT and mu-X 4x23.0L LS-A AT are equipped with Hill Start Assist, which prevents the vehicles from rolling back when starting from a stop on an incline; cruise control; a new rear spoiler with integrated third brake lamp; interior chrome garnishes; multi-information display and instrument meters; and an entertainment system that features a high-resolution 8-inch capacitive touch screen display and control panel for the various improved functions, including for WiFi, Bluetooth and BT Music. The system’s navigation feature also has a pinch function, as well as split screen capacity when in radio, disc, USB and iPod modes. Isuzu plans to take the 4x4 Action Playground event in key areas of the country for the remainder of the year. For more information on the Isuzu 4x4 Action Playground, please log on to www.isuzuphil. com.

FASTLANE

New, improved Techron Chevron Philippines Country Chairman Peter Morris flanked by Chevron Philippines brand manager Arnel Reniedo (left) and Chevron Asia-Pacific Product Engineering Manager Greg Engler, answers questions from newsmen during the launching of Caltex newest Techron with the clean and glide technology which improves fuel economy over time by delivering enhanced engine protection and maximized power. EY ACASIO

Safety and stylish storage box MAXLINER, one of the World’s biggest outfitters of SUV’s and pick-ups makes your life more convenient by way of its bedliner storage series such as the Maxtray, Maxbox, Side Box and Maxliner bedliners which are made of High Density PolyEthylene (HDPE) material for high impact strength and makes your truck’s bed water and corrosion resistant. As a known outfitter of outdoor vehicles geared towards protection and convenience, Maxliner line of storage boxes have undergone stringent testing in harsh environments to meet the demands of a global market to conform

with global ISO standards. Maxliner storage boxes maximize space inside the cabin by transferring your stuff onto the bed. It is designed and engineered to secure your stuff from bad elements and weather. Built tough and robust to last a lifetime, these storage boxes are also theft proof as it is bolted into the bed liner and can an be fitted into any pickup model available in the market such as the Isuzu D-Max, Toyota Hi-Lux, Mazda BT-50, Mitsubishi Strada and the Ford Ranger. Based in Thailand, Maxliner is an OEM certified supplier of global brands such as Toyota, Isuzu, Honda, Ford, Nissan General Motors, and Tata. Shown in photo is a Toyota Hi-Lux fitted with a Maxliner Side Box designed to be stylish and to contain your personal belongings safely. Like the bedliner, the Maxbox is tough and designed for all-weather reliability and theft proof for additional safety.

F R I D AY : J U LY 1 , 2 0 1 6

RAMON L. TOMELDAN EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

MOTORING

VVP’S TOYOTA HI-LUX RUNS ON TANK THREAD WHEELS.

BANGKOK OPENS

ITS DOORS FOR AUTO SALON Text and photos by Dino Ray V. Directo III

IT WAS a red- letter date for automotive tuners and enthusiasts as Thailand rolled out the red carpet for the fourth staging of the Bangkok Auto Salon. Held at the massive Challenger Hall, Impact from June 22 to 26, the show featured modified cars plus a serving of custom motorcycles.

Honda highlights the Civic in Modulo trim.

The Bangkok International Auto Salon 2016 is the biggest aftermarket parts for cars and motorcycles exhibition in the ASEAN region and is organized under license from the Tokyo Auto Salon. A unique feature of Bangkok’s Auto Salon is the display of custom cars from the Tokyo Auto Salon, complimented by the presence of local and international parts and accessories manufacturers; Thai car/racing clubs and tuning shops. Crowd drawers were the radically modified cars such as the Toyota 86 of Jun Auto Mechanic Machine Shop and Autoworks; the Honda S2000 of Top Fuel driven by Nob Taniguchi; the Honda Civic EF of Spoon; and the Mazda Miata MX-5 by Lib-

Nissan’s legendary Calsonic GTR

erty Walk of Japan. Not to be outdone by the aftermarket companies, car manufacturers also displayed their custom cars such as Toyota’s TRD-Motul which had an off-road Hi-Lux and Yaris decked out with TRD equipment and performance parts. Powerhouse Honda displayed their latest generation Civic in Modulo form and Nissan’s NISMO had their legendary JGTC R32 Calsonic-Skyline in its racing livery and the NISMO GTR front and center. Isuzu featured their racing DMax and a custom MU-X. The most dominant display of the show was that of VVP 4x4 of Veerasak Nitipisanon. Based in Suan Lang, Thailand, VVP 4x4 is Thai-

land’s biggest 4x4 shop and is considered as the Mecca for anything off-road also in the region. For the Auto Salon, VVP had a huge display of around 20 custom off-road rigs such as a Toyota Hi-Lux with tank thread wheels and a host of SUVs and pick-ups equipped with Rhino Rack roof racks and tent awnings.

SUV sales show no signs of slowing OVER the first three months of 2016 a remarkable 20.44 million new cars hit the roads around the world and as is increasingly the case, whether consumers are in China, Europe or the US, they're most likely snapping up a crossover or SUV. Despite fears that the market may be cooling, 558,700 more light commercial vehicles (i.e., vans) and passenger cars have been sold than during the same period in 2015 according to the latest consolidated data from Jato Dynamics, published Monday. And the countries where cars are most in demand? China, the US, Japan, the UK and Germany, which account for 13.3 million vehicle sales alone. As for the brands we're most hankering for, Toyota is the best selling marque with VW in second and Ford overtaking Nissan to claim third place thanks to a 7% jump in sales. However, the biggest climber is Mercedes-Benz, a 14% surge in demand saw the premium marque move into 10th place just behind Kia. Overall, the demand for premium automobiles show no sign of slowing. Luxury marques accounted for 10.8% of global car sales in the first quarter of 2015 and a year later represent 11.4% of the market. According to Jato's figures, of the 2.15 million premium cars sold over 2016 Q1, 833,300 -- that's almost 40% -- fall into the SUV/ crossover class. But regardless of the brand, we're most likely to be buying a crossover or SUV. In the first quarter of the year, SUVs accounted for 36% of vehicle sales in China and accounted for 1.1 million new vehicles on the road in Europe. Felipe Munoz, Global Automotive Analyst at JATO, said: "Q1 2016 saw dramatic changes as the SUV category increased its market dominance. The whole world wants a SUV, and this shift is evident in the brand ranking, as those that focused on this segment, were the brands that posted the largest gains." More than a quarter (27%) of new cars sold in the first quarter of 2016 are SUVs and this demand has pushed five high-sided vehicles into the global top 10, the Nissan X-Trail, the Honda HR-V, the Toyota RAV4, the Honda CR-V and the Ford Escape. AFP

F R I D AY : J U LY 1 , 2 0 1 6

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

BING PAREL

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

BERNADETTE LUNAS

isahred @ gmail.com

WRITER

DEST IN AT IONS

LIFE

LAS CASAS FILIPINAS DE ACUZAR

RESTORING THE LOST GLORY

OF OLD FILIPINO HOUSES

The Standard toured Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar and its quaint vintage houses with their secrets – some dark and tragic – told to us by our guide, courtesy of New San Jose Builders, Inc.

BY EDGARDO S. TUGADE PHOTOS BY SONNY ESPIRITU

“P

icture yourself on boat on a river,” as a psychedelic Beatles song begins, but this time, passing by the most beautiful old Filipino houses on both banks, each with an intriguing history narrated by your guide… This voluptuous ride on a balsa, a native raft used during the Spanish times in the waterways of Manila, is the latest attraction of Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar in Bataan— “a heritage resort” by the West Philippine Sea, built by New San Jose Builders Inc. (NSJBI). Your raft slowly glides on the Umagol River and passes under the Tulay ni Lola Basyang, a replica of the landmark Jones Bridge. Then it turns back towards a narrow strip of water flanked by restored houses from all over the country, with the most intricate wooden architecture and carvings made famous by rural artisans. Las Casas (“casa” is the Spanish word for “house”) was built by Jose Rizalino “Jerry” Acuzar, a self-made tycoon who, during his visits to heritage sites abroad, conceived of a seaside resort that would showcase his passion for collecting and restoring vintage Filipino houses that have been callously neglected or left to be inhabited by squatters. The Standard was invited by NSJBI to experience Filipino classic architecture by the sea, prior to the public launch of the Balsa River Tour in July. We were toured and taken inside select houses whose secrets, some dark and tragic, were related by our guide. The first stop of our tour was the majestic Hotel de Oriente convention center, whose exterior design was inspired by photographs of the original Hotel de Oriente in Binondo—the first premier hotel in the country and the second building in the Philippines to have a telephone. (Malacañang was the first.) The replica in Las Casas was built in 2013 and was finished in time for the Bataan leg of

The extraordinary interior of Hotel de Oriente lobby (left). Pictured right is the hotel's broad staircase, which is a reminiscent of the country's first premier luxury hotel located in Binondo, Manila.

Inside the Casa Biñan, a two-story house originally built in Laguna in the 16th Century

the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit last year. It has two large halls that can accommodate 1,000 persons and four function rooms named after locales of Old Manila—Azcarraga (now Claro M. Recto), Avenida Rizal, Blumentritt and Sta. Cruz. The skilled workers and laborers who built

A replica of the iconic Sunctuario de San Jose

it were local natives; the wood mosaics and ceiling murals based on famous paintings, such as the Spoliarium of Juan Luna and the works of Carlos “Botong” Francisco, were made by unemployed women from Bagac and nearby towns; and the precisely detailed wood carvings in the walls,

pillars, ceilings and even the exteriors were chiseled by anonymous artists from Paete, Laguna and Betis, Pampanga. It is home to Café Marivent (“mar” is Catalan for sea and "vent” is wind) that serves Filipino and Spanish cuisine. Continued on C2

F R I D AY : J U LY 1 , 2 0 1 6

LIFE isahred @ gmail.com

Tulay ni Lola Basyang, a replica of Manila's Jones bridge

RESTORING THE LOST GLORY¼ From C1

Old homesteads

The first house we visited was Casa Hagonoy, transplanted from Bulacan. Unad, our guide, said a vain wife who prided herself in jewelry and a beautiful house owned it. Her proud excesses drove her descendants to become priests and nuns. Casa Biñan’s history throws shade on the mother of Jose Rizal, Teodoro Alonzo, whose mother was the second wife of the third-generation scion, Don Lorenzo Alberto Alonzo, of the family who owned the house. Don Lorenzo Alberto’s son Jose Alberto became a Philippine ambassador to Spain, and his long absences drove his wife Teodora Formoso to have an affair with the captain of the Guardia Civil. When her husband found this out, he came home and locked her in their bedroom, and Rizal’s mother was tasked to bring her food everyday. Formoso wrote in a letter, which she threw out of the window, that Rizal’s mother was slowly poisoning her. The letter reached the captain and some say this was the true reason Teodora Alonzo was imprisoned. Many generations and vicissitudes later, the unhappy house served as a movie house that got burned, a supermarket, a bank, a private office and a store of goto (rice porridge). Las Casas is turning it into a Rizal museum and it houses an Italian restaurant called La Bella Teodora. The original Casa Baliuag, also from Bulacan, was built in 1898 in front of the Baliuag Church. It features the highly floral motif in fashion at that time. The owner also married for the second time after his first wife died. All in all he had 21 children, but otherwise their life was uneventful. The lower part of the house became known as “luwasan” because it was where people waited for their ride to Manila. Casa Lubao, the youngest of the houses in the resort, was built in 1920 by Valentin Arrastria and Francisca Salgado, who came down in history as the couple who put the late President Diosdado Macapagal, whose parents could not afford a uniform and shoes, through school. In return, Macapagal’s mother became the couple’s wet nurse and laundrywoman. Before the Philippines fell to the Japanese, a colonel who was a spy from Japan served as their family driver and was treated as one of the family. Because of their kindness, the house was spared from burning after it was used as a garrison during the Occupation. The house includes carved “calados” between the walls and ceilings. A reproduction of Luna’s España y Filipinas hangs on a wall and quaint knee-high chairs for the short legs of Filipinos are in the living room. It also features ventanillas or openings under windows to let the air in. Next on our itinerary was Paseo de Escolta, a copy of a hotel in Manila in the

1900s. It serves as the hotel in Las Casas. It replicates the statues of men and women in the old hotel that served as posts to hold up that building. Each male statue is called an “ätlantis” and each female figure was a “caryatid” if her hands are raised and “canephora” when her hands are down. It houses a bakery, a store of organic beauty products, a photo shop where you can pose in Filipino costumes, an antique shop and a souvenir store.

Rural residences

Casa Unisan was the first concrete house built in Quezon Province. It has a secret passage that the family used to escape attacking bandits, who found and killed them anyway. Casa Mexico from Pampanga was dismantled and de Azucar found its parts in a junk shop. He pieced together the present building based on the only surviving photograph of the original. Casa Cagayan is unique in being a house of ordinary Filipinos. It is elevated since it was built near a river. The floor has spaces between the slats through which the owners threw leftover food to be eaten by their domestic animals. The present structure has rooms for rent. Casa Luna is named in honor of the Luna brothers Juan and Antonio. The US troops used it as a hideout where they planned the ambush of Japanese Gen. Tomoyuki Yamashita. In 1970, a convention was held there with then President Ferdinand Marcos as guest of honor. It has a “volada,” a separate passage for “aliping sagigilid” who were lower in rank than the “aliping namamahay” or house servants. Now it houses the Las Casas antique collection. Casa San Miguel from Bulacan when it was relocated to Las Casas, the rear part of the house was moved to the front to show the beauty of the stairway. At present it has six rooms for the resort’s guests, who can play mahjong, billiards and chess. The penultimate house we visited was Casa Byzantina, the first three-story building in Binondo. The first story is made of adobe stones and bricks and the two upper stories are of sturdy wood. The roof is galvanized iron because in those times, many people died during earthquakes when heavy roofs crashed on their heads. For five years it was the Instituto de Manila, an elementary and high school that later transferred and became the University of Manila. The house was badly neglected and was inhabited by informal settlers. Las Casas discovered real gold leaf in the architecture of the third story but badly damaged. The house is now a first class hotel that can accommodate 16 people.

City life

Our last stop was Casa Quiapo, the biggest and most elegant house on Hidalgo

Carved woods done by local craftsmen adorn the lamp posts in Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar

Guests enjoy the heritage tour around the beautiful houses along Estero de Binondo

Street in 1867. From 1908-1926, it served as the University of the Philippines School of Fine Arts, whose first director was the owner of the house, Don Rafael Enriquez. It was where Fernando Amorsolo and Botong Francisco honed their painting skills. When the school moved to Padre Faura, the house fell into disrepute—first serving as a bowling alley, then as a coed dormitory, a venue for live sex shows and an abortion clinic. It has two gates, a large one for carriages and a smaller one for visitors. The floor is made from stones from China. Now it is the Las Casas museum, named La Escuela de Bellas Artes Contemporary Art and Space. There are many more Filipino residences—including the Casa Maranaw, a datu’s house—that we did not visit, as a day tour cannot cover them all. That is why, many of Las Casas guests stay for two to three days or longer to roam at their own

leisurely pace, enjoy the beach, the tranvia ride, the balsa tour and the varied cuisine in the restaurants. Las Casas opens its doors to weddings, debuts, baptisms, children’s parties, group tours and has special packages such as the Water Adventure (with jetski, waterboarding, banana boat and a flying fish ride) and the Sunset Cocktail River Cruise. The front office is now in La Puesta del Sol along Estero de Binondo facing the beach because it’s bigger and can accommodate more guests coming in. The main entrance was moved to Gate 5 in line with NSJBI’s expansion plan this year. Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar provides Shuttle service to and from Metro Manila. The shuttles pick up guests at the New World Hotel in Makati and the Astoria Plaza in The Ortigas Center. Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar. Pride in the past and hope for the future.

F R I D AY : J U LY 1 , 2 0 1 6

LIFE

isahred @ gmail.com

MICHAEL KORS’ NEW LIFESTYLE PARTNERSHIP WITH MCLAREN-HONDA

ichael Kors, a global luxury lifestyle brand, is delighted to announce a new partnership with McLaren-Honda, becoming the official lifestyle partner of the world championship Formula 1 team. Both McLaren-Honda and Michael Kors celebrate design and speed, with the partnership strengthening and amplifying both brands’ embodiment of a fast, jet set lifestyle. “Michael Kors and McLarenHonda are pioneers in their respective spaces, and we firmly believe that McLaren-Honda is the right partner for our entry into the Formula 1 racing world,” says John D. Idol, chairman and CEO of Michael Kors. “This is an exciting moment for us, especially as we continue to grow as a men’s lifestyle brand.” The Formula 1 audience is a new one for Michael Kors, providing a prime opportunity to familiarize the European consumer with all facets of the Michael Kors world.

Michael Kors and McLaren-Honda collaborate for the F1 World Championship

Additionally, the legendary McLaren-Honda brand and its renowned Formula 1 drivers are an exceptional representation of the Michael Kors man— sophisticated, international and successful, with an appreciation for living life in the fast lane. “We’re delighted to announce a brand-new partnership between

McLaren- Honda and Michael Kors, the world-famous awardwinning designer of luxury accessories and ready-to-wear apparel,” says Ron Dennis, executive chairman and CEO McLaren Group. He continues, “Like McLaren, which has raced in Formula 1 all over the world for the past 50

Unicef National Ambassador Gary Valenciano (second from left) and Celebrity Advocate for Children Anne Curtis with Cebu Pacific cabin crew

Cebu Pacific, Unicef partner for the good BY MICHELLE BUENCAMINO Low-cost carrier Cebu Pacific and United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (Unicef) join forces for the Change for Good 1,000 Days program in the Philippines. Change for Good aims to provide optimal health and nutrition during the first 1,000 days of a Filipino child—the period begins from the mother’s pregnancy until the child reaches two years old. The first 1,000 days of a child set the foundation of the child’s ability to grow, learn and earn later in life and are crucial to mental and physical growth. “We realized that there are many children in the Philippines that need much more than just education. And this is where the 1,000 Days program comes in… Ultimately, this foundational program will contribute to a more educated and more productive Filipino,” says Cebu Pacific President and CEO Lance Gokongwei.

Beginning today, Cebu Pacific cabin crew will go around the airplane during midflight carrying large envelopes to encourage passengers to participate and donate their loose change or whatever amount to help fund the 1,000 Days program. “Through the first 1,000 Days program, a child can arrive at a first grade classroom healthier, stronger and more mentally prepared to absorb the lessons for the day,” enthuses Gokongwei. Cebu Pacific is the first airline in Southeast Asia to join the Change for Good program, which is an innovative global partnership between Unicef and airline companies around the world. Since its inception in 1987, the program is currently supported by 12 other airlines. Unicef Philippines country representative Lotta Sylwander shares that chronic malnutrition or stunting hinders a child’s

growth, which could lead to the child not being able to reach his full intellectual potential. When right nutrition is not given at the formative stage, it could be a springboard for poor health, low intellectual capacity, and less productivity in the future. “Children with the right health and nutrition in the first 1,000 days are 10 times more likely to overcome the most lifethreatening childhood diseases,” informs Sylwander. Beneficiaries of the program are those living in areas where clinics or hospitals are far from where they live or areas where vaccinations and medical help are difficult to obtain. “We also hope that this 1,000 Days program will break the intergenerational cycle poverty. We want to break that cycle with this program,” says Sylwander. For more information on Change for Good, visit www.cebupacificair. com and 1000days.unicef.ph.

years, Michael Kors is also a truly international company, operating stylish and successful stores in some of the most prestigious cities in the world, including New York, Beverly Hills, Chicago, London, Milan, Paris, Munich, Istanbul, Dubai, Seoul, Tokyo and Hong Kong. “Moreover, I firmly believe that the corporate cultures of both McLaren and Michael Kors encompass a common dynamism and adventurism, as well as a shared commitment to a similarly relentless pursuit of perfection, and as such the two brands are extremely well suited to a longterm partnership. That brand fit is very important to both of us: both companies have built their reputations on being the very best at what they do, and, as we now march forward together, we’ll both become stronger still.” As the team’s official lifestyle partner, Michael Kors branding will feature prominently on both the driver overalls and the McLaren-Honda MP4-31 car.

To celebrate the launch of the partnership, Michael Kors has created a limited-edition men’s leather jacket. The 50 specially produced black leather jackets will be sold exclusively on the men’s floor of the new Michael Kors London flagship store, while supplies last. The jackets feature both the Michael Kors and McLaren logos, as well as a limited-edition plaque with each piece’s unique production number. “This partnership is about the convergence of style and speed, which is inherent to both the Michael Kors and McLaren- Honda DNA,” says Michael Kors. “There is an energy, sophistication and confidence to both of our brands, and we wanted to create a limitededition piece that spoke to that.” In the Philippines, Michael Kors is located at Central Square in Bonifacio High Street Central, Greenbelt 5, Newport Mall, Power Plant Mall, Rustan’s Makati and Shangri-La Plaza Mall. Follow @ssilifeph on Instagram for more information.

Cebu Pacific President and CEO Lance Gokongwei and Unicef Philippines country representative Lotta Sylwander join forces to help Filipino children reach their full potential

SNAPSHOTS

Boracay’s new Skyjet office Aida Tieng, wife of Solar Entertainment chairman, Skyjet Airlines President Dino Reyes Chua (center) and Skyjet Airline Chief Operating Officer Joaquin Po (right) lead the ribbon cutting ceremony of the new Skyjet Airlines Ticketing Office at the

ground floor of Naya Building, Main road, Barangay Balabag, Boracay island Malay, Aklan Province. The airline company established a ticketing office in Boracay to ease up the booking and ticketing of all tourists and travelers in the area.

F R I D AY : J U LY 1 , 2 0 1 6

LIFE

isahred @ gmail.com

WHERE

AMERICA’S DAY BEGINS

The white sands of Tumon Beach sum it all up for Guam visitors

MERCURY RISING BY BOB ZOZOBRADO

uam, a territory of the United States, is the largest island in Micronesia and is located in the northwestern section of the Pacific Ocean. It is west of the International Date Line and, since the sun shines eastward over the Pacific, it is the first American territory touched by the sun’s early morning rays, thus the island’s tagline and the title of this column. Everywhere you go, the islanders greet you with a warm “Hafa Adai,” pronounced “half-a-day,” the “Mabuhay” of the Chamorros, Guam’s native residents. The island is blessed with so many beautiful beaches, diving spots, paragliding sites, and snorkeling areas that there is a joke going around—everywhere you go, islanders always greet you “Hafa Adai” to remind you that, because there are many leisure activities available to them, they work only half-a-day! I have been to Guam many times. In fact, I lived there for several months more than two decades ago, when I was tasked to set up the local operations of the international airline I used to work for. That was when I really enjoyed the island because I got to experience those “nice little events” and hard-to-find destinations only the locals knew about. The island is very small, ¾ the size of Singapore and it takes only around 45 minutes to an hour, to drive around it, which is why I easily became familiar with everything it has to offer. The first time visitors land on Guam, they immediately notice the clean air and the beautiful tropical setting, as I did. The climate is just like ours here, but not as humid. This recent visit certainly rekindled the pleasure I had decades ago when I made more frequent trips to the island. Thanks to my friend,

Pilar Laguana, Marketing Manager of Guam Visitors Bureau

Pilar Laguana, Marketing Manager of Guam Visitors Bureau, this visit unveiled many new things the island has to offer. So, what would interest first-timers to this beautiful island? In downtown Agana, visitors see a good mix of modern architecture and structures reminiscent of the island’s Spanish heritage. The best part is that, wherever in the island you go, you’re never far from the pristine blue ocean, which lures those who go for snorkeling, kayaking or scuba diving. In the city, there is also a walking trail that weaves through 17 historic sites set up for tourists. Those who have all the shopping money to burn, the endless line of luxury namebrand boutiques and duty-free shops along Tumon is a delight to see. There are many choices for leather goods, clothing, jewelry, accessories, cosmetics, and perfumes, which are less expensive than those in their countries of origin. There are also large American-style shopping malls and open-air shops, like the Chamorro Village in downtown Agana and in nearby villages, which offer mid-range merchandise for the savings-conscious shopper. Golfers will be happy to know that, no matter what their level of play is, they will find a golf course in Guam that will fit their skills. There are seven golf courses

The Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral Basilica cuts an imposing façade

that the island is proud of, as they have been designed by golf legends like Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Sam Snead, and these come complete with a breathtaking view of the blue Pacific. The hopelessly romantic should make that requisite trip to Two Lovers Point which is at the peak of a 378-foot-high cliff, offering a breathtaking view of the island and the Pacific Ocean. Folklore has it that two lovers, who had been forbidden by their parents to marry, nevertheless made a vow to be with each other for eternity, so they tied their hair together and leapt to their deaths. How’s that for true love? For the religious, a visit to the Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral Basilica is a must. Many believe this magnificent church is built on the same site as Guam’s first Catholic church. The original structure was built in 1670 but was bombed during World War II. The present church, which was put up in 1959, houses the original statue of Guam’s patron saint, Our Lady of Camarin. There are many other things one

can do and see in Guam. There are many more white sand beaches to soak in, fiestas that showcase the colorful Chamorro culture and its distinctive cuisine, and adventure sports that thrill even the most jaded enthusiast. All these, plus the island’s soothing marine environment, the tantalizing sweet flowery scent from plumeria trees, and the warm, hospitable Chamorros with their endless “Hafa Adai” greetings serve as a fitting testimonial to how America’s day should begin! For feedback, I’m at bobzozobrado@gmail.com

YOUR FRIDAY CHUCKLE BARACK OBAMA: A good wife always forgivers her husband when SHE is wrong.

F RIDAY : J ULY 1, 2016

SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

YOUTUBE SENSATION INDO-CANADIAN’S VOICE IN ‘ICE AGE: COLLISION COURSE

illy Singh, one of today’s top YouTube talents and digital influencers with more than a billion views across the globe, conquers another digital platform as she lends her voice to two characters in the upcoming Ice Age: Collision Course starring alongside returning voice cast Ray Romano, Queen Latifah, Jennifer Lopez, Dennis Leary, John Leguizamo, Keke Palmer, and Wanda Sykes. Singh is also known by her alias, Superwoman on YouTube. She has catapulted to rock star status in such a short time since debuting on YouTube and is highly regarded by today’s youth worldwide because of her fun, relatable and inspiring videos. Scrat rewrites the Big Bang Theory in Ice Age: Collision Course when his elusive acorn lands on a spaceship that created the ultimate Scrat-aclysm, sending the mother of all asteroids hurtling toward Earth. In the ever-changing Ice Age universe, especially one that’s un-

YouTube sensation Lily Singh lends her voice to two characters in the latest installment of “Ice Age” movie series

dergoing the enormous changes in Ice Age: Collision Course, any-

thing is possible—even Sid (John Leguizamo) finding his one-and-

only. Sid is once again getting dumped, to whom he’s proposed on their first date. Believing he’ll never have a wedding of his own, Sid takes on the role of wedding planner for Peaches and Julian. But later on their adventure, a trip to a fantastical world will create a wildly unexpected connection for Sid, which no one, especially Sid, could have foreseen. The crash site of Scrat’s misadventures turns out to be a stadiumsize Geotopia, a fantastical world that’s lush and verdant, with beautiful crystals everywhere. Its crystal meteorite wall has magical properties that have shielded a thriving animal village from the elements and is a place where time stands still. Its residents include a fetching young sloth named Brooke, who makes an instant love connection with Sid. Yes, the lovelorn sloth who could never find love has fallen head over heels—and vice versa— with the ultimate female. With Brooke (Jessie J), Sid is definitely dating up because, notes co-director Galen Chu, (whose Filipino

heritage is rooted in Cebu), “She is everything a sloth could hope for: beautiful, bright and bubbly. You’d never think she would go for Sid, but she does.” In Geotopia, Brooke, the sloth tour guide, had a squad of minicorns. They are twins called Bubbles and Misty, both voiced by Singh. Whenever she called them they would come. When Sid reached Geotopia, Brooke is instantly smitten and called on her minicorn squad to bring them together. “It feels pretty cool to be with all the people who are part of the franchise because they are all awesome names to be alongside with. And usually as digital influencer, it’s kind of always been divided between digital and traditional, but I love punches like this wherein two worlds work together,” says Singh. Follow Lilly’s new adventure when Ice Age: Collision Course opens July 6 in cinemas (2d and 3D) nationwide from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.

‘Heroes Series One” marks theater groups new season Wings Alpha Entertainment announced its 2016-2017 Theater Season Line Up. Dubbed Heroes Series One, the plays focus on the inspiring lives of saints, artists, leaders and patriots.

Mother Teresa: The Nun Who Changed The World celebrates the popular nun’s forthcoming canonization in Rome. The play traces her life and faith as she championed the cause of the poor in an age of materialism. She comforted the poor of Calcutta and inspired depressed and deprived communities abroad to find the love of God in their simple, ordinary lives.

Totus Tuus: The Saint John Paul The Great Story is about Pope

John Paul II. In the play, he became a son, artist, fighter, friend, mentor and eventually, father to a world that needed both the love and guidance. The piece also tackles his concern for the environment way ahead of its time.

Helen Keller: The Soul Of The Educator is the beautiful story of the girl who fought the darkness of her youth and found the light in her heart. The once incorrigible student of Anne Sullivan became a great educator herself. Helen Keller’s story is a true proof of the triumph of the human spirit.

In Juan Luna: Artist And Patriot, the life of the great Filipino painter and patriot who fought to liberate the mind, heart and soul of the once oppressed “indios” from bondage to Spanish colonial rule is illustrated. He brought the Filipino genius to world attention

and set the Filipino spirit free. A musical on the life and martyrdom of Saint Lorenzo Ruiz, Lorenzo Ruiz De Manila is the story of the gallant warrior of Jesus Christ who fought to uphold the Christian faith by facing death for the love of God.

Anne Frank: The Girl In The Attic is the story of the teenage girl who fascinated the world with her writings and reflections in her famous “Diary of a Young Girl” that revealed the dreams, hope and aspiration of adolescence. She lived in confinement at a building attic before her terrifying arrest by the Gestapo and death in a Nazi concentration camp.

Francisco Balagtas: Buhay At Pag-Ibig Ng Makata is the inter-

esting story of poet Francisco Baltazar’s imprisonment and how he wrote Ibong Adarna and Florante at Laura.

Ramon Magsaysay: Man Of The Masses tells of ne of the few, great leaders the Philippines ever had, President Ramon Magsaysay. His story is both a monumental political saga and great human drama. A curious look at his life, love of parents, sibling, wife and children, friendship with Edward Lansdale and personal quest for social justice is the heart of this epic story.

Dear Pope Francis: Letters From The East is about a writer who tries to make sense of the events that confront his country by starting a correspondence with Pope Francis. The life of the leader of the Christian world unfolds before him in his quest for answers. The Wings group previously

staged Confessions of a Soul: The Saint Augustine Story, Pedro Calungsod, Batang Martir, The Jose P. Laurel Story, The Story of Mother Ignacia del Espiritu Santo, Dominic Savio, Beloved Beata: The Mother Francisca del Espiritu Santo Story, Saint Scholastica, Saint John Bosco, Hamlet, Doctor Faustus, Oedipus the King, BayanBayanan, Sa Ngalan ng Ama, Tatlong Kuwento ng Bagong Bayani and Journey to Rotary: The Paul Harris Story. The production group, headed by Artistic Director Francis O. Villacorta, also made the film Pedro Calungsod, Batang Martir (Official entry to the 39th Metro Manila Film Festival). They are currently working on the film The Spratly Project about the issues and geopolitics surrounding the power struggle at the West Philippine Sea-South China Sea. Heroes Series One may be performed on campuses, commercial theaters, corporate institutions, local parishes and communities. For bookings and performances, interested parties may contact 0917-4682045, 0977-3875099, 0916-3985354; 524-84-54 or email: fabulousfrancois@yahoo. com.

F RIDAY : J ULY 1, 2016

SHOWBITZ

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

isahred @ gmail.com

PEOPLE ¼

are talking about

are not talking about

JaDine

Jolo Revilla

Of all the local pop artists who are being called worldclass and phenomenal talents, only James Reid and Nadine Lustre, along with Gary V and his son Gab were invited by MTV to perform in MTV Music Evolution last week. The couple did not disappoint the crowd, performing mostly songs from their own catalogue, JaDine proved that they are not limited to local taste - they can be appealing to an international audience, too.

He felt so unhappy and disappointed that his jailed father could not make it to his oath taking as the re-elected vice governor of their province. Well, it’s natural for the son to miss his father who would have presided this momentous event in his life. After all, their being in Cavite’s political scene already seems to be a family affair. They should be complete.

Geisler vs. Matos Rachelle Ann Go We seldom hear any news about local talents making good on the global stage these days. Hence, Rachelle Ann’s latest honor has made people feel they’ve been represented. She just won the Best Performance of a Song award from the 2016 West End Frame—the leading independent theater website in the United Kingdom—for her performance of “I Dreamed a Dream” from Les Miserables. Go, Rachelle Ann!

Baron Geisler and Kiko Matos’ URCC bout was not televised. The two has-beens took it to the URCC octagon ring to settle their differences via a two-round mixed martial arts exhibition fight. The decision was dead even but someone definitely received more pounding than the other. We are just wondering though, how far can Baron and Kiko go just to get the attention of TV and movie producers?

Ryan Bang

Manny Pacquiao

When foreigners say something bad about the Philippines, people easily turn ballistic. But they fail to see that there are also some foreigners who genuinely like the country. Take Ryan, who already considers the Philippines his home. In fact, he’s been making small efforts to promote the Philippines to his countrymen. And he does it without anyone telling him to do so. With his admirable gesture, he should replace Jessy Mendiola as the honorary tourism ambassador of Korea already.

There’s a very big difference between a politician and a statesman. The first is a person who gives much time to political affairs – someone who is very experienced. The latter is defined as a person who is skilled in the management of public or national affairs. Manny, who was absent from the Senate’s orientation is neither both – he’s a boxer, a terrible singer and sometimes a corny comedian.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

ANSWER PREVIOUS PUZZLE

ACROSS 1 Demeaned 7 Helium or neon 10 Pedro’s house 14 Change into 15 Mich. neighbor 16 Football shape 17 Lure into danger 18 Grade-school org. 19 Married woman 20 Sucked it up (3 wds.)

23 26 27 28

Thin porridge Da or ja Pageant prize Extravagant declamation 29 TV hookup 30 XXI times C 31 PC key 32 Durocher or Tolstoy 33 Crockpots 37 Smog monitor

38 Yoko — 39 Hirt and Gore 40 — ton soup 41 Violent storm 43 “Mona Lisa” singer 44 “Evil Woman” rockers 45 Suffix for hero 46 Prickle 47 A Barrymore 48 Archaeology find 51 Electric bridge 52 Smart-mouthed 53 Like an asteroid hit (hyph.) 56 Paquin of films 57 Muscle for pushups 58 Harped on 62 Livy’s route 63 Charlotte of “Bananas” 64 Wrinkle 65 Meddlesome 66 Dry goods meas. 67 Rabbit ears DOWN 1 Vigoda et al. 2 Movie rat 3 Statute 4 Fruit ice 5 Memo 6 Part of LAPD 7 Pocket — 8 Wagers

FRIDAY, JULY 1, 2016

9 10 11 12 13 21 22 23 24 25 29 30 32 33 34 35 36 42 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 54 55 59 60 61

Wild guess Unruly curl Teresa’s town Less risky Queen of the Misty Isles Forbes 400 sort Nth Wave hello Hoarse Pop a top Snake’s poison Food grinder Let free Vancouver puckster Pitchers Cameos, often Wintery Norgay’s partner Dental device Macbeth prop Beau Kemo Sabe’s friend Ocean birds In the future Pitfall, maybe Agile Quechua speaker Moo goo — pan NASA counterpart Tierra — Fuego

F RIDAY : J ULY 1, 2016

SHOWBITZ

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

isahred @ gmail.com

GEOFF EIGENMANN BACK AS KAPAMILYA, JOINS ‘BE MY LADY’ CAST

e was once a Kapamilya until he moved to rival Kapuso station. In the last six years, the good-looking Geoff Eigenmann became one of the prized actors at the EDSA broadcasting facility. He, however, fell from grace for some reasons. His assignments had become far and between. Most of the time he’d find himself doing nothing.

Well, not this time, as the actor decided to be a Kapamilya again. Recently, he formally joined the cast of ABS-CBN’s most watched daytime teleserye Be My Lady. Geoff plays Dr. Joselito Mariano, an ER doctor to whom Pinang is directly reporting. Dr. Mariano is known to be strict and unapproachable. And his true personality remains a mystery to the staff of the hos-

pital. What will his role be in the life of Pinang? How will this affect the budding romance of Pinang and Phil? Be My Lady airs weekdays at 11:30 a.m before It’s Showtime in ABS-CBN’s PrimeTanghali. For updates, follow @bemyladyabscbn on Twitter and Instagram or like www.facebook.com/bemyladyabscbn on Facebook.

Geoff Eigenmann cuts ties with Kapuso and returns to Kapamilya lot

James Reid is Grab’s new celebrity ambassador

Food expert and “Bizarre Foods” host Andrew Zimmern

‘Bizarre Foods’ on Travel Channel

Most travelers yearn to experience local favorites, whether it’s classic cheesesteaks in Philadelphia, authentic satay in Singapore or traditional falafel in Tel Aviv. But how many really know the origins of these iconic foods, how they are made and the right way to eat them? Bizarre Foods: Delicious Destinations, an extension of the longrunning and popular Bizarre Foods franchise, is back for a third season. Hosted by renowned chef and culinary explorer Andrew Zimmern, this series features the not-to-bemissed foods that define a location. This season, Andrew explores the cuisines of countries such as Portugal, Puerto Rico at the island of Sicily.

Catch the episode where Andrew explores Manila. The food of the Philippines is one of Andrew’s favorites – with its colorful tapestry of indigenous ingredients mixed with cooking techniques and tastes left behind from the colonial occupations of China, Spain, Japan and America. Watch as Andrew reveals Manila’s iconic and comfort foods - Lechon, crispy pata, pancit bihon, adobo and chicken inasal with the warm and hospitable company of the Filipinos he meets. Tune into Travel Channel on SkyCable TV Channel 201 HD/82 SD for all-new episodes of Bizarre Foods: Delicious Destinations Season 3 premiering on 17th June, 9.30pm!

After a series of teasers on social media about a new addition to the Grab family, leading transport app, Grab Philippines, has officially announced Filipino Australian singer, actor, and model James Reid as its latest celebrity ambassador. “We are excited to confirm that James is now part of the Grab family. We’ve been working with him and Viva Entertainment on this for some time and we are happy to finally welcome him on board,” says Khriz Lim, Country Marketing head, Grab Philippines. “With his fun and creative personality, James is a perfect fit for the brand.”

Fans can now “Grab” James Reid

To celebrate its new celebrity partnership, Grab Philippines has also launched a new contest to give its loyal passengers the chance to meet their teen idol in person. To

join, passengers just have to use the promo code JAMES when booking a GrabTaxi, GrabCar or GrabExpress. Lim shares that the promo is just the first of Grab’s many projects with James, as the company aims to make customer experiences from the different Grab services as engaging as possible so that loyal passengers have something to look forward to. For more information and to catch up with Grab Philippines’ promotions, check out their Facebook page, www.facebook. com/GrabPH or their website, www.grab.com.

Alden in concert in Laguna Alden Richards will fill the night of July 9 in Colegio de San Juan de Letran in Calamba, Laguna with “kilig” moments as the Kapuso star stages a one-night concert entitled Simply Alden. Surprise guests will join the Kapuso star. Although the organizers are yet to confirm Maine Mendoza’s attendance, fans are already expecting to see Alden’s partner in Kalyeserye in the concert. July is said to be a monumental month for Alden as well. Apart from celebrating AlDub’s first an-

niversary, he will also release a book that offers fans a glimpse of what he is really like behind the cameras. “You’ll see my personal side. It’s a recap of sorts of my life thus far—my childhood, family, previous projects.” Alden said. “If people want to know more about me, read the book.” His second movie with Maine, the romantic comedy Imagine You and Me — parts of which were shot in Italy — is set to premiere likewise in July. “I’m excited and looking for-

ward to it. It’s going to be one of AlDub’s highlights,” Alden said. “It’s our gift to the fans, to everyone who has been supporting us.” The concert is presented by JAV Virtual International, Inc. and co-presented by the City government of Calamba, Mc Donalds, Hersheys, Kahamis, La Vista Pansol, Crown Regency Hotel with media partners The Standard, Remate Express and Metro Star News. Tickets are available through SM Ticketnet.

Sofia surprises parents

Up-and-coming teen star Sofia Romualdez at the Sangyawan Music Festival stage

Sofia Romualdez, the 16-year-old daughter of one of the most beautiful faces in show business in the 1980s, Cristina “Kring-Kring” Gonzales, and outgoing Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez, surprised her parents and thousand others with her performance at the annual Sangyawan Music Festival on June 28. Dubbed the “Next Phenomenal Teen Star,” Sofia said her performance was her gift for her mother, the firstever female mayor of the city. The Sangyawan Musical Festival is a nightly barbecue with live band shows at the Balyuan Grounds along Magsaysay Blvd. for Tacloban City’s 127th Sangyaw Festival in honor of its patron Sr. Sto. Nino de Tacloban. “I was pleasantly surprised, even shocked. She prepared hard for this. I am thankful for her gift,” said Mayor Cristina Gonzales-Romualdez who took her oath along with other city government officials on June 30. “It’s in her genes. I am proud of her. We support whatever our children want,” added Alfred.

F RIDAY : J ULY 1, 2016

ISAH V. RED EDITOR NICKIE WANG WRITER

isahred @ gmail.com

SHOWBITZ HEART EVANGELISTAESCUDERO ENJOYS WORK-LIFE BALANCE

What makes her happy nowadays? Heart Evangelista-Escudero-- says it’s her life outside showbiz

ISAH V. RED

hilippine TV’s Sweetheart Heart Evangelista-Escudero continues to receive positive feedback from her fans as she plays the role of Happy, a wife to Juan (Dennis Trillo), a chickmagnet businessman, in GMA Network’s primetime show Juan Happy Love Story. Heart shares that since day one, apart from the show’s light story, its supporters are continuously showing their warm acceptance to the show through the inspiring comments they are posting on their social media accounts that keeps her and her costars motivated on set. “I am so happy and thankful for the good feedback that I’ve been receiving. Na-

kakataba ng puso na minamahal rin nila ang bagong character na ginagampanan ko sa TV. I hope they will continue to watch the show and join us in our journey.” However, there’s one thing that makes her happy nowadays – her life outside showbiz. Identified as one of Philippines’ fashion icons, Heart admits that aside from her sophisticated love for whites, she is a lover of designer bags, particularly that of Hermes Birkins and Kellys. A week ago, the Instagram followers of the Juan Happy Love Story star were stunned with her newest handbag acquisition. It was a 25-centimeter Himalayan Birkin, which according to Vogue.com, is the ‘rarest and most desirable handbag in the world.’ According to reports, her new arm candy features subtle coloration, made from the hide of a Niloticus croc and goes through the same painstaking dyeing process to achieve that delicate blanc Heart, Erika, Dominic, Dennis with production team of “Juan Happy Love Story”

hue. Minus the bling, the Himalayan Birkin is reportedly being sold online for more or less $150,000 to Hermes’ most trusted VIPs, the likes of model and socialite Kim Kardashian, Hollywood star Victoria Beckham and well-known fashion designer Rachel Zoe.

Camille Prats’ stalker is a ghost

Camille Pratts stars in this Saturday’s episode of “Wagas”

Kapuso actress Camille Prats finds herself the subject of a mysterious stalker in this Saturday’s episode of Wagas. Camille plays the character of Weng, a girl who can see entities not normally seen by other people. Weng was in high school when she first saw a shadowlike figure of a man. It has not left Weng’s life since then.

Weng’s alcoholic father used to scold her for coming home every night with a man in tow. This perplexed her since she never had a boyfriend before. She was never with someone when she would come home, too. Later on, Weng would meet Richard. While their relationship is a very happy one, it seems Weng’s “ghost stalker” is against their relationship. Things get worse when the couple marries and settles down. It came to a point where the ghost stalker even attempted to rape Weng. It even revealed itself to Richard. Camille will be joined by actor Alex Medina in this hair-raising love story. Watch Wagas this Saturday, 7 p.m. on GMA News TV.