The Standard - 2016 February 5 - Friday

VOL. XXIX NO. 358 3 Sections 32 Pages P18 FRIday : FEBRUaRy 5, 2016 www.thestandard.com.ph editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Roxas: Duterte is my top admirer

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CONGRESS CLOSES, PASSiNG ‘NOTHiNG’

By Maricel V. cruz and Macon Ramos-Araneta

LAWMAKERS adjourned Wednesday night without passing the Palace-backed Bangsamoro Basic Law and were heckled by angry senior citizens for doing nothing to reverse President Benigno Aquino III’s veto of a bill that would have raised Social Security System pensions by P2,000 a month.

At 7:40 p.m., presiding officer and Nueva Vizcaya rep. carlos padilla closed the session after a two-hour lull in the session hall, without lawmakers failing to tackle any measure listed on the day’s order of business—including the pension hike bill. the author of the bill, Bayan Muna party-list rep. Neri colmenares stood to speak, but his voice was cut off as the techni-

cian turned off his microphone.

Before he was cut off, he managed to say: “this congress should listen to the historic override of the veto. the people need congress to convene; there is quorum, we counted 213 congressmen on the floor.”

Senior citizens in the gallery shouted at the lawmakers for failing to act on the veto.

“Why can’t you give us the p2,000? We need this! You don’t

care because all of you are rich!” one elderly man said. colmenares expected that the House would tackle his resolution overriding the president’s veto after gathering 50 signatories.

But House Majority Leader and Mandaluyong rep. Neptali Gonzales II said the House moved to abruptly adjourn the session to preempt a “circus” as a result of colmenares’ resolution. Next page

Protest. Students trooped to the United States Embassy in Manila to commemorate the 117th anniversary of the Filipino-American War and to slam the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement between Manila and Washington. Ey AcAsio

Unprecedented NPA influx seen in ComVal

By Florante s. solmerin AN uNprecedeNted influx of fighters from the communist New people’s Army is making the compostela Valley look like a large “red zone,” the military said thursday.

A military intelligence said the increase in communist fighters in the

region could be traced to the booming mining and agro-industrial activities there. “the NpA benefits from mining through extortion, which they call revolutionary taxes,” the source said.

“NpA activities would not survive without these taxes.” the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the displacement

of indigenous people in large parts of eastern Mindanao as a result of mining and palm oil operations, and militarization gave the communist rebels a pool of new recruits. the communist party of the philippines and National democratic Front have placed the number of NpA fighters at 10,000, which is in Next page

Palace gripes about poll rules

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Abu bomb hurts 7 Marines in Sulu Congress...

monte Jr. had earlier given up hope on passing the BBL under the 16th Congress.

From A1 Congress will adjourn on May 23 after the May 10 elections Gonzales said there is no way to sit as the National Board of that Congress could override the Canvassers for the canvassing of veto because the Colmenares votes of the candidates for presiresolution lacked support from dent and vice president. It will congressmen. then proclaim the winners.

To override a presidential veto, Other measure that failed to a two-third vote is needed from pass during the 16th Congress senators and congressmen. In the were the freedom of information House, that means 194 of the 287 bill, anti-political dynasty bills, members. and a bill to enable Congress to In the Senate, Senator Ferdi- change economic provisions of nand Marcos Jr. condemned the the Constitution. administratin for ignoring the The FOI bill, which aims to pleas of senior citizens after the achieve greater transparency in House squelched efforts to over- government, was a campaign ride the President’s veto. promise of President Aquino, but Representatives of senior citi- the measure did not get his supzens groups trooped Wednesday port after he took office. to the administration-dominated Bills to ban political dynasties House to press lawmakers for ran up against opposition from the override but the chamber lawmakers themselves, whose adjourned abruptly without giv- relatives would be barred from ing proponents of the override a holding office. chance to speak.

The anti-political dynasty “That added insult to injury. measures seek to limit to two I respect the prerogative of the the family members that can be House leadership but I think it elected to positions at the nawould have been a lot better if the tional and local levels at the same proponents of the override were time. at least given a chance to speak Belmonte’s resolution to out,” said Marcos. amend the Constitution by legis“It’s clear that the fate of the lation also did not gain support.

SSS pension hike bill was decided Senate Minority Leader Juan in accordance with the adminis- Ponce Enrile, meanwhile, said tration’s position on this issue,” his colleagues passed mostly lohe added. cal bills with no national impact, Malacañang had warned that if and were done “in aid of election the P2,000 pension hike is imple- politics.” mented the SSS would be bank“We have not heard any subrupt by year 2027 and insisted stantial legislation that protects that the veto of the proposal is the nation...the people,” Enrile necessary to prevent the collapse said at the Kapihan sa Senado of the agency. forum.

Marcos backed moves in the He also criticized his colSenate to override the veto on leagues for being late. When the the SSS pension hike bill. How- chamber adjourned Wednesday ever, the move to override must night, there were only seven sencome from the House of Repre- ators, he said. sentatives where the bill origi“We’re supposed to hold sesnated. sions at 3:00 o’clock. Why do we The House also failed to start get there at 3:30? And then after the period of amendments to the the roll call, no more senators,” BBL, which was supposed to be Enrile said. approved on second reading durAside from Enrile, only six othing the last session day. er senators stayed in the Session House Speaker Feliciano Bel- Hall until adjournment: Senate

President Franklin Drilon, Senators Pia Cayetano, Paolo Benigno Aquino IV, Aquilino Pimentel III, JV Ejercito, and Nancy Binay.

“The rest were gone. Why?” Enrile said.

Earlier in the day, Drilon spelled out the accomplishments of the Senate under his watch, saying they passed on third reading 284 bills, 116 of which became laws, and 59 of which are pending the President’s approval.

Drilon also said four bicameral reports are pending in the House of Representatives for ratification and seven more in the bicameral are being discussed.

“We can really show that we did our share in opening up the economy to provide a better environment for investments and to create jobs. Many of the laws that we passed languished in the legislative mill for years,” said Drilon.

Among these are the Philippine Competition Act, which had been pending in Congress for many years, as well as the amendment to the Cabotage law, and a law which allowed full entry of foreign banks.

Drilon did not mention the P2,000 pension hike that was vetoed by the President.

Instead, he talked of three opposition senators—including Enrile—who were jailed on plunder charges.

“Never in the history of the Senate [have] three of its members [been] hailed before the court and jailed on charges of corruption: two are still in jail and one is on bail,” he said.

“The history of the Senate will show that it is the first time it happened. The history of the Senate showed how the chamber became the battleground of many political battles. The vice president was subjected to intense investigation. The pork barrel issue occupied our time.

The Mamasapano hearing was very emotionally charged investigation,” he said.

He said the biggest reform the Senate supported was the aboliton of pork barrel even be-

fore the Supreme Court declared it as unconstitutional.

“That is on record. I think this is the first Congress where the Senate president was invited to appear before the Blue Ribbon committee.

“Also, we note that this Senate has, probably for the first time, six of its members are running for president and vice president.”

Amid all the controversies, he said the Senate was able to recover and regain the people’s trust and confidence. “We did not break or implode as some of our critics predicted,” he said.

“We heeded the people’s clamor to have the pork barrel abolished.”

A member of the leftist Makabayan bloc in the House blamed Senator Antonio Trillanes IV for the failure of Congress to pass a law granting a new round of salary increases for state workers before it goes on a fourmonth recess.

ACT Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio blasted Trillanes for leaving the country in the midst of a deadlock between the chambers of Congress on the final version of the pay hike bill and as the legislature was counting down the days before going on an extended break due to the upcoming national and local elections.

Trillanes reportedly left for the United States “on an official mission” last week.

Tinio said Trillanes, as the chairman of the Senate civil service committee, should have attended to the bill first before leaving the country.

“What sort of elected official goes on a trip abroad in the middle of contentious bicameral talks, making it virtually impossible for Congress to pass the bill before the recess?” Tinio asked.

“This is gross dereliction of duty on his part. His twisted priorities and self-indulgence means that 1.5 million government employees will not receive the salary hikes and bonuses that they desperately need,” Tinio said.

The military has also been accused of organizing, training and arming para-military groups such as the Magahat-Bagani and Alamara, which have been blamed for the deaths of several tribal leaders and activists in Surigao and Agusan provinces, Bukidnon, and Davao.

On Wednesday, a young officer and two other soldiers were killed while two others were wounded in at least two separate encounters between government troops and rebels in two different locations in Pantukan town.

“These incidents confirmed the assessment of the 10ID [10 th Infantry Division] that large formations of NPAs are in Pantukan,” Capt. Rhyan Batchar, the division public affairs chief, said.

Another private was killed in an encounter in Sitio Biasong, Barangay Napnapan when around 10 rebels encountered

his platoon. After the encounter, the rebels burned two makeshift houses before vanishing from the encounter site.

Batchar said the large formations of NPA rebels in the province were operating under the Pulang Bagani Command 3 of the Southern Mindanao Regional Committee.

Batchar lambasted the local chapter of the human rights group Karapatan in the region for accusing the military of human rights violations against the people during the course of their operations against the rebels.

“These deceptive propagandas were intended to distract [the battalion] and divert its focus away from its efforts to help bring peace and development in the said municipality,” he said.

Southern Luzon Command chief Lt. Gen. Ricardo Visaya

said Thursday that at least two communist guerillas were killed and four high-powered firearms were seized after a fierce encounter Wednesday in Bato Camarines Sur. He said the encounter occurred at 12:50 p.m. at the temporary encampment of the NPA in Barangay San Isidro.

“The firefight lasted for 20 minutes with two slain rebels and no casualty on our side,” Visaya said.

“Our troops in the area had been monitoring the movement of the rebels for several days and when it was time to strike they did it with precision. Our troopers had first allowed the rebels to settle down in a place where they constructed their temporary encampment and then the surprise strike,” Visaya said.

He commended the officers and men of the battalion led by Colonel Perfecto Peñaredondo.

Unprecedented...

From A1 contrast to claim by the Armed Forces of the Philippines that it has already reduced them to 3,000 to 4,000.

The number of NPA fighters peaked at 24,000 in the 1980s.

The growth in the number of rebel fighters has also been evident in eastern Mindanao, as more indigenous people are displaced by large-scale mining, agro-industrial operations and logging.

The military says two of every three rebel recruits in the region come from displaced tribal communities.

Thousands of lumad are still staying in evacuation centers such as the one in Tandag City as the military and NPA have turned their communities into war zones.

By Francisco Tuyay

A ROADSIDE bomb reportedly planted by Abu Sayyaf terrorists went off Thursday, wounding seven Marines, two days after more troops were sent to Sulu to deal with a possible backlash against the non-passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law in Congress.

The wounded soldiers were taken to hospital in Talipao town.

Marine Brig Gen. Alan Arrojado, commander of the Joint Task Group Sulu, said a Marine convoy from the Marine Battalion Landing Team (MBLT10) was traversing an area under the Abu Sayyaf influence in Barangay Kuhao, Talipao, Sulu, when their vehicle hit the improvised bomb.

Seven Marines suffered minor wounds, Arrojado said.

On Tues,day, military officials deployed another Marine battalion from the MBLT-1 to Sulu, not only trained against the ASG, but was part of the government’s preparation for increased attacks after the collapse of the BBL. The explosion in Sulu came a day after suspected Moro Islamic Liberation Front rebels, frustrated over the BBL’s collapsed, detonated a bomb in Tacurong City, wounding three civilians.

The MILF elements were reportedly under the command of Abdullah Macapaar, alias Commander Bravo, who was responsible for a series of attacks in Central Mindanao after the Supreme Court rejected the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain signed between the government and the MILF in 2008.

Military units in Sulu and Central Mindanao are on high alert for potential attacks from infuriated rank and file of the MILF who were monitored massing up after the non-passage of the BBL. An official from the rival Moro National Liberation Front expressed optimism, however, that the government had the upper hand against disgruntled MILF fighters.

“Undoubtedly, government forces can quell the MILF forces in case hostilities break out,” said MNLF spokesman Absalom Cerveza on Tuesday.

Cerveza said that it’s very hard to anticipate what will happen in the next few days, but said the MILF could see some defections going to the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, a splinter group.

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A3 Binay says more Filipinos are living in poverty

Visit. Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista tries a PCOS machine during a tour of a newly rented warehouse in Santa Rosa, Laguna, on Thursday. DAnny PAtA

Roxas: Duterte seems to be my top admirer THE word war between presidential candidates Manuel Roxas II and Rodrigo Duterte continued on Thursday when Roxas said Duterte seemed to be his number one fan, and after Duterte called his critics— including Roxas—bayot or gay for not believing his promise to end criminality.

Bayot is the Cebuano term for gay.

“It seems that Digong [Duterte] is my number one fan. I’m sorry but your’e not my type,” Roxas told reporters in Midsayap, North Cotabato, on Thursday afternoon.

He made his statement even as Duterte and Senator Allan Peter Cayetano said

Thursday they will kick off their campaign for president and vice president in Tondo, Manila, on Feb. 9 on Morga and Zamora.

“This is where we will dramatize the issue of the urban poor in Tondo,” Duterte’s camp said.

“This is where the people, mostly Visayan, are living in Manila. These people come to Manila because of the opportunities denied in their region. The Duterte government will focus on the empowerment of the poor people.”

At a presidential forum on Wednesday, Duterte lashed back at the critics of the reforms he instituted in Davao City, where he is mayor, and called them bayot.

“My enemies say it’s impossible because they are gay,” Duterte said in a presidential forum at the University of the Philippines in Diliman on Wednesday.

“They can’t do it. They’re scared to go to prison. They are scared to make mis-

takes, to kill, to die,” he said.

“Why? Because they are rich, too scared to die because they are hooked on money.”

Duterte and Roxas, who were once friends, resumed their word war after Duterte mocked Roxas’ latest political advertisement and called him “crazy” for claiming that he was “all work and no drama.”

Roxas promised to pass the Bangsamoro Basic Law once he was elected president.

“Make no mistake about it. Attaining peace is very important for the progress of Mindanao. No development and progress will happen if there’s no peace,” he said.

“We cannot allow the bombings to continue, the gun fights and wars between fellow Filipinos. More than 100,000 have already died because of these wars. We will find ways to have peace in Mindanao.”

John Paolo Bencito and Rio n. Araja

THE number of Filipinos living in poverty increased by two percent during the six years of the Aquino administration, proof that the ruling Liberal Party has failed to uplift the lives of the poor, the camp of Vice President Jejomar Binay said Thursday.

President Benigno Aquino III has cited the economic gains as among the major accomplishments of his administration, but poverty is still rampant in the country, Binay’s spokesman Joey Salgado said.

The London-based Economist Intelligence Unit says the Philippines continues to be among the poorest countries in Southeast Asia despite its economy’s growth in the past few years.

The EIU, the research division of the Economist Group, says the gap between the rich and poor in the Philippines has continued to widen.

“There are more Filipinos now who describe themselves as poor compared to the beginning of the Aquino administration,” Salgado said as he compared the latest survey of the Social Weather Stations on self-rated poverty to the survey in the third quarter of the year 2010.

He said based on SWS data, the number of Filipinos who described themselves as poor in 2010, within the first three months of the Aquino administration, was at 48 percent, but the figure was now at 50 percent.

“They cannot dispute the fact that more Filipinos consider themselves poor today than in 2010,” Salgado said.

The Fourth Quarter 2015 SWS survey was conducted on Dec. 5 to 8, 2015, and it found that 50 percent or an estimated 11.2 million of the families polled considered themselves poor.

Meanwhile, the Third Quarter 2010 SWS survey, which was conducted on Sept. 24 to 27, found that 48 percent or an estimated nine-million families considered themselves poor.

“Where are we at right now?” Salgado said.

“Despite the economic growth that the administration keeps crowing about, 10 million Filipinos are still unemployed. More and more Filipinos are forced to leave the country to find work overseas because there are no job opportunities here.

“The cost of health care has also risen and it is getting harder for people to get treatment in hospitals. Economic growth has favored only a few and millions are still poor, hungry and unemployed.”

“Do we want more of the same? Of course not.

The Vice President will not allow the poverty spawned by six years of incompetence, insensitivity and indecisiveness to continue.” Vito Barcelo

‘Amend Anti-Wiretapping Law’ SENATOR Grace Poe says lawmen should be exempted from the Anti-Wiretapping Law to help them stop the trade in illegal drugs that has now victimized 1.7 million drug users.

Poe, head of the Senate committee on public order and illegal drugs, cited the latest report from the Dangerous Drugs Board saying about 1.7-million Filipinos are now users of illegal drugs—or 200,000 more compared with two years ago.

She cited the need to amend the AntiWiretapping Law to help lawmen do their jobs more effectively, and to that end proposed a bill that would do it.

“I have the honor today to sponsor Senate Bill 2139 under Committee Report 463,” Poe said in her sponsorship speech Wednesday night.

She said the bill seeks to amend Section 3 of Republic Act 4200, or the Anti-Wiretapping Law, to exempt law enforcement agencies conducting operations against drug pushers.

“This bill, once enacted into law, will be

beneficial in providing assistance to our law enforcement agencies and strengthening the government’s ability to prosecute drug cases,” Poe said.

She said the drug syndicates had become more cunning and getting away with their crime. She said wiretapping was also being used to solve other big crimes like terrorism.

“Wiretapping has helped established the flow of drugs and the structure of syndicates and how they are managed from the source to the market,” Poe said.

She said it wasn’t easy to pin down the heads of drug syndicates and drug financiers, but their recorded conversations could establish their guilt.

“I appeal for the Philippine Senate’s favorable consideration in passing this measure,” Poe said.

Senator Ferdinand ‘‘Bongbong’’ Marcos backed Poe’s bill.

“Crooks are getting hi-tech and we must provide our law enforcement agencies the means to deal with this situation,” Marcos said. Macon Ramos-Araneta

Goodbye. Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile bids goodbye to reporters on Thursday, saying it might be his last appearance at the Senate’s breakfast forum. Ey AcAsio

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Team malasakit. Philippine Chamber of Mines president Philip Romualdez joins supporters of his brother Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez in a group selfie after they expressed support for the congressman’s senatorial bid. Philip took the photo during the 51st birthday celebration of Cagayan Rep. Randy Ting in Tuguegarao City. VER NOVENO

Palace official gripes vs Comelec

By Sandy Araneta

PH still 2 deadliest country for journalists nd

AT leAsT 2,297 journalists and media workers have been killed in the last 25 years, with Iraq ranking as the most deadly country followed by the Philippines, the International Federation of Journalists said Wednesday.

Journalists lost their lives in targeted killings, bomb attacks, in the cross-fire and kidnappings in wars and armed conflicts across the globe while others were killed by organized crime barons and corrupt officials, the IFJ said.

Some 112 journalists and media professionals were killed last year alone, although the peak year was 155 killings in 2006, it said.

“At least 2,297 journalists and media staff have been killed since 1990,” the report said.

With just one out of 10 killings investigated, the IFJ said failure to end the impunity for killings and other attacks on media professionals only fuels the violence against them.

“This milestone publication charts the trajectory of safety crisis in journalism and bears witness to the IFJ’s long running

campaign to end impunity for violence against media professionals,” IFJ president Jim Boumelha said in a statement.

“These annual reports were more than just about recording the killings of colleagues,” Boumelha said.

“They also represented our tribute for their courage and the ultimate sacrifice paid by journalists in the thousands who lost their lives fulfilling the role to inform and empower the public,” he added.

The following countries accounted for the highest numbers of killings: Iraq (309), the Philippines (146), Mexico (120), Pakistan (115), Russian Federation (109), Algeria (106),

India (95), Somalia (75), Syria (67) and Brazil (62).

In 2015, 10 journalists and staff died in France when jihadists attacked the satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo in Paris, meaning France shared the top spot with Iraq and Yemen last year for media killings.

Since 1990, the Asia Pacific region registered the highest death toll at 571, followed by the Middle East with 473 killings, the Americas at 472, Africa at 424, and Europe with 357 dead.

The IFJ called on government officials, security and military officers and others who deal with them to respect their independence. AFP

A PALACE officials griped about Commission on Elections rules on electioneering in her Facebook account Thursday and claimed the poll body’s prohibition against politicking government officials is a violation of their freedom of speech.

“Just read the new Comelec implementing rules. Section 4 (e) is particularly alarming: The act of government officials of (Executive, Legislative, Judiciary, [Constitutional] Commissions, members of the Civil Service, in short ALL) expressing their personal opinion, view and preference for candidates on social media is now considered electioneering. Ergo election offense,” said Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte’s post on her Facebook account.

“Beginning February 9, if I tweet or post ‘Candidate Y is a douche bag’ then I may be prosecuted for an election offense,” said Valte, who is linked to the “Balay” faction in the Palace associated with Liberal Party presidential candidate Mar Roxas.

Valte, a lawyer, argued that Section 55 of the Administrative Code, which, in the hierarchy of laws, trumps the Comelec’s implementing rules.

“Nothing herein provided shall be understood to prevent any officer or employee from expressing his views on current political problems or issues, or from mentioning the names of his candidates for public office whom he supports,” Valte quoted the provision.

“As a result, [the rules constitute] censorship on all public servants.

Effective prior restraint. Freedom of speech, anyone? When was Martial Law reinstituted? Isn’t it 2016 already?” Valte said.

For censorship to be allowed under the Constitution, there must be a clear and present danger of a substantive evil to public safety, public morals, public health or any other legitimate public interest, Valte said.

Politics in cat slays scored

By Joel E. Zurbano THE series of cat killings in upscale Dasmariñas Village in Makati City could be part of a campaign to destroy the reputations of village leaders.

“In my two years here in the barangay, no single cat has been killed. We are the most peaceful and orderly barangay. Now the alleged cat killer, that was six year ago,” said Dasmariñas Village barangay chairman Martin John Pio Arenas “To be honest, people here are animal lovers, and we didn’t receive reports regarding the killing of

cats or any other animal,” Arenas said.

Arenas said the issue has no basis because the case in 2008 regarding the killing of several cats committed allegedly by a group of young people using air guns has not been proven.

Reports showed that at least 12 community cats from the village went missing, and some were found dead, apparently from unnatural causes. It added that the circular released by village management reports that one cat died slowly and painfully from chemical burns after paint thinner was poured over the said animal.

But Arenas said he has seen to no proof that of slain cats, except for the one that was poisoned two weeks ago and even that has not been established to be part of any wrongdoing.

“Maybe they included the case of the 12 cats to those in 2008,” said Arenas, adding that the issue could be a smear drive to destroy his leadership.

“I’m not sure, maybe they’re trying to discredit me. For me, as I am saying our barangay is safe. In 2014, we were the most peaceful and orderly barangay and the most child-friendly in 2015,” he said.

Veterans’ sweetheart. Philippine Veterans Bank chairman Roberto de Ocampo and actress Heart Evangelista sign a contract engaging the actress as the bank’s brand ambassador. JANSEN ROMERO

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Ballot printing on sked—Palace

By Sandy Araneta Charges filed against several officials of the National Printing Office will not in any way hamper its operations including the printing of the official ballots for use in the May elections, according to Malacañang.

Ready for CNY. Performers try out their lion and dragon costumes ahead of the Feb. 8 Chinese New Year celebrations at the China town district in Manila on Feb. 4, 2016. AFP

MMDA out to dismantle illegal posters “common poster areas shall be allowed by the Election Officer only in selected pubCHAIrMAN Emerson Carlos of the Met- lic places such as plazas, markets, baranro Manila Development Authority said his gay centers and the like where posters may agency will start its “Oplan Baklas” opera- be readily seen or read, with the heaviest tion on Feb. 9 removing all illegal cam- pedestrian and/or vehicular traffic in the paign materials or those placed beyond City or Municipality.”

Garbage or waste to be generated by the designated areas.

“We cannot just allow candidates to illegal campaign materials will be kept by post their campaign materials on electric the MMDA and will be recycled to proposts, trees and other public structures,” duce tents.

Carlos earlier asked the Comelec to prosaid Carlos.

He said the Commission on Elections vide at least a representative during the deputized the MMDA to remove and re- operation to make their task easier.

Ecowaste Coalition recently urged the port illegal billboards and other campaign materials posted outside the common poll body to take steps not only to safeguard the ballot, but also to protect the poster areas in Metro Manila.

“The Comelec will be in-charge with environment from being destroyed furthe punishments and liabilities to be faced ther because of irresponsible campaign by the person who posted the materials or activities for this year’s elections.

They suggested that the Comelec by the candidate involved,” Carlos said.

Based on the Comelec resolution, the impose resolution No. 9615, that “en-

By Joel E. Zurbano

courages parties and candidates to use recyclable and environment-friendly materials and avoid those that contain hazardous chemicals and substances in the production of their campaign and election propaganda.”

The group also urged the poll body to enforce the Memorandum Circular on “Basura-Free Elections” it released along with the Department of Environment and Natural resources and the Department of Interior and Local Government in 2013 to, among other things, “reduce the amount of generated waste during the campaign, election, and post-election periods.”

Ecowaste came up with the appeal after they observed in the 2007, 2010 and 2013 elections how the country’s electoral as well as health and environmental laws were ignored by certain candidates and their supporters in their efforts to campaign and win.

“The officials involved have filed their respective motions for reconsideration before the Office of the Ombudsman and are awaiting resolution,” said Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. NPO, an attached agency of the Presidential Communications Office, is fully prepared to accept the final job order of the Commission on Elections for the printing of the official ballots, in time for the May polls, Coloma said.

Comelec will give NPO the job order by Feb. 8, 2016, said Coloma. The Comelec earlier moved the scheduled ballot printing from Feb. 1 to Feb. 8.

“If we may recall, in the May 2013 national elections, the NPO was able to print and deliver 52 million official ballots in just fifty seven [57] days, or three [3] weeks earlier than the target completion date set by Comelec,” Coloma said.

Due to operational efficiency, NPO completed the task at a printing cost that was P230 million lower than the estimated budget, he said.

Savings of up to P35 million were attained in terms of cost of paper and there was no need for Comelec to spend for the paper used in the printing of ballots for the barangay elections in October 2013, said Coloma.

The Comelec earlier moved the ballot printing schedule from Feb. 1 to Feb. 8.

Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista said the the full commission agreed on it after a meeting yesterday.

Bautista claimed the poll body does not want to jeopardize preparations for the May 9 elections but had to move the schedule to a week later.

He appealed to the Supreme Court to close the oral arguments on the disqualification cases filed against Senator Grace Poe as the Comelec needs to finalize the list of candidates by Feb. 3.

A final list, he stressed, still needs to be loaded into the Election Management System along with the Project of Precincts, which contains information on polling precincts, including names of voters and candidates, at about the same time the printing starts at the National Printing Office in Quezon City using only three machines.

Napoles renews bail plea in holding that the non-government groups [allegedly used as conduit in JANET Lim Napoles on Thursday the PDAF scam of Senator Estrada] maintained her innocence in the were owned and control(led) by AcP10-billion Priority Development cused Napoles… It bears to emphaAssistance Fund scam, pointing to size that Accused Napoles was not a Benhur Luy and the other whistle- party to any Memorandum of Agreeblowers as behind the anomaly. ment entered into by the NGOs inIn a 29-page motion for recon- volved in this case. Neither was she sideration filed with the Sandi- an incorporator, member or officers ganbayan’s Fifth Division, Napoles of the same.” urged the anti-graft court to overThe camp of Napoles said Luy turn its previous decision denying and her companions as well as their her bail plea. relatives were the presidents and She insisted that Luy and the other incorporators of the fake foundawitnesses, such as Gertrudes Luy, tions involved in the pork barrel Merlina Suñas and Marina Sula, per- fund scam. petrated plunder and graft.

“On the other hand, the docu“Benhur [Luy] and the other ments of the prosecution will show whistleblowers are the ones in ca- the active involvement and particihoots with each other. And to save pation of whistleblowers… It is apthem from their wrongdoings, they parent and obvious that Benhur and conveniently seek to blame accused the other whistleblowers were the Janet Lim Napoles for their unlawful ones directly and personally responactivity,” Napoles’ motion read. sible for the said alleged anomalous “Honorable Court seriously erred transactions.”

By Rio N. Araja

Big rally. Workers from different government agencies on Thursday announced a big rally on Feb. 16 to denounce the unjust Salary Standardization Law. JANSEN RomERo

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Gore visit a wake-up call for Manila, says Romualdez THE upcoming March visit of former US Vice President and Climate Reality Project founder Al Gore should spur the government into squarely addressing numerous environmental issues facing the country, according to Rep. Martin Romualdez of Leyte.

“Mr. Gore has publicly declared many times before that Typhoon “Yolanda” taught the world about the dire climate crisis we are facing. Just last December, he met with the Filipino delegation at the UN Convention Framework on Climate Change in Paris. That’s how con-

cerned he is with the Philippines and the environmental situation here,” said Romualdez, a member of the House special committee on climate.

Gore is visiting the country from March 14 to 16 to train a new batch of “climate reality leaders” who will be expected to

educate their communities on the adverse effects of climate change and dependence on fossil fuels such as oil and coal.

Romualdez, who is running for a Senate seat in the May 2016 national elections, stressed that “rhetoric and lip service will no longer suffice” in light of studies that show that sea levels in the Philippines rise at five times the world rate and warn that storm surges could become intensify as a result of global warming.

“Al Gore is an inspiration to governments all

over the world. He talks the talk, he walks the walk in his global advocacy to save the planet.”

The solon and UP-trained lawyer expressed that the environmental advocate’s visit should be a wake-up call for our own leaders, that “we need to finish the rehab work we started in Yolanda in 2013. Among many other environmental priorities, the government must draw a strategic long-term plan for the transition to clean energy.”

Romualdez’s home province of Leyte suffered the brunt of Typhoon Yolan-

da, which was among the strongest ever recorded storms in history. It left a trail of death and destruction, with 6,300 dead and half a million homeless. Rehabilitation work continues to this day.

“We don’t need another Yolanda to remind us of the urgent need to act.

Al Gore has been posing the challenge to nations worldwide to do their share in saving the planet, both individually and collectively. Let’s heed the call and do what needs to be done, even if just in our own backyard.”

INC outreach. The Lingap Pamamahayag outreach and livelihood program of the Iglesia ni Cristo reached faraway Tampakan in South Cotabato after a similar activity in Gen. Santos City’s Polomolok Gymnasium and saw one of the biggest Lingap activities to date. INC distributed 8,000 five-kilo livelihood packs, 15,000 pieces of clothing, 10,000 toys for children and 20 sewing machines, in addition to one backhoe unit, one payloader, two Sarao jeepneys, five motorcycles, two tractors, 20 carabaos and 10 horses. The event also included a medical and dental mission.

US scouting for bases in PH

By Francisco Tuyay THE United States will soon deploy its sophisticated assets and equipment in strategic areas in the country under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement it has firmed up with the Philippine government.

This was disclosed by Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin at the formal turnover ceremonies for the 114 units of amphibious armored personnel carriers from the US military.

Gazmin said the US was looking at Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija, Lumbia Airfield in Cagayan de Oro

City, Basa Air Base in Pampanga and other military bases in Cebu, as stations for its military forces and modern aircraft.

Gazmin expressed optimism that the areas would serve as temporary bases of visiting US forces.

The most strategic location for the US appeared to be Palawan which is fronting the West Philippine Sea. Last month, the Supreme Court declared the Edca as constitutional at a time China is aggressively asserting its territorial rights in WPS. Recently, China made a maiden landing of three civilian planes in the Fiery Cross

Reef, an island lying within the territorial jurisdiction of the Philippines, provoking reactions from the United States and Australia.

Edca is mandated to host a sizable number of US military forces along with their state-of-the-art assets and equipment on a bigger scale and increased frequency of visits in selected bases in strategic locations in the country.

Meanwhile, Brig. Gen. Edgar Gonzales, commander of the Army’s Mechanized Infantry Division, said part of the 114 APCs will be reconfigured for use in territorial defense.

Voltaire Gazmin

Smartmatic loses bid for P194-m tax refund

By Rio N. Araja THE Court of Tax Appeals on Thursday dismissed the petition of Smartmatic-TIM Corp. to have the Bureau of Internal Revenue issue a refund or a tax credit certificate of P193,488,562.15 in creditable input valueadded tax Smartmatic paid in 2010.

In a 24-page decision, the appellate court’s First Division through Associate Justice Erlinda Uy said the petition filed by Smartmatic-TIM lacked merit.

In 2012, the election provider filed claims for tax refund for the VAT it paid 2010.

Smartmatic-TIM, for its part, said it was entitled to VAT refund because it rendered services to the Commission on Elections that were effectively zero-rated and that it was a VAT-registered firm.

Its claim for refund was filed within the two-year prescriptive period.

The bureau compelled Smartmatic-TIM to present documents to substantiate its claim, prompting the firm to submit dossiers.

In 2013, SmartmaticTIM filed a petition for review, but BIR sought the dismissal of the petition.

“It is incumbent upon the latter [SmartmaticTIM] to show that it has complied with the provisions under…the Tax Code. Otherwise, its failure to prove the same is fatal to its claim for refund,” the bureau said.

The appellate court said while there was a law stating that SmartmaticTIM’s services rendered to the Comelec were subject to zero-percent VAT, entitlement is just “one thing.”

“Case law dictates that in a claim for tax refund or tax credit, the applicant must prove not only entitlement to the claim but also compliance with all the documentary and evidentiary requirements therefor,” it said.

The court dismissed the P57.8-million refund of Smartmatic-TIM, while of the P135.7-million remainder of the fourth quarter of 2010, only P1.4 million could be substantiated.

Meanwhile, Comelec chairman Andres Bautista said Smartmatic has delivered 71,456 vote counting machines of which 64,382 units have gone through a hardware assessment test.

The final batch of VCMs is in transit from Taiwan, Bautista said.

f r i D AY : f e b r u A r Y 5 , 2 0 1 6

A7

NEWS

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

‘96,800 hectares of Region 3 lands free from El Niño’

By Ferdie G. Domingo

Digging deeper. Farmers in Kalasuyan, Kidapawan City deepen the water well in their farm from 6 feet to 20 feet to counter the effects of El Niño.

GeonARRi SolmeRAno

Traders group questions high oil prices in Baguio

By Dexter A. See BAGUIO CITY—The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry-North Luzon Area has challenged the Department of Energy to conduct an investigation into the “excessive” retail prices of oil in Baguio and Benguet, as compared to prices in the lowlands.

The group said diesel prices in Baguio and Benguet range from P23 to P24 per liter; gasoline is priced between P43 and P44.

In the lowlands, retail prices

are P18 to P19 and P38 to P39, excessively.

The chamber added that the P5-per-liter difference in the retail prices of diesel and gasoline

in Baguio and Benguet and the lowlands is misleading because it does not take that much to ferry the oil products from the depots up to the gas stations.

According to the group, all oil companies have their own delivery trucks bringing their products up to the different stations in Baguio and Benguet. Thus, transport costs cannot be that high.

The group said concerned agencies must do something

about the excessive prices because the people do not enjoy the subsequent decline in the oil prices in the world market.

“It would be unfair for local consumers to be deprived the benefits of much lower oil prices,” the group added.

The group called on concerned government agencies and consumer groups get their act together to exert pressure on oil companies to bring down the prices of oil.

CABANATUAN CITY —The National Irrigation Administration’s Upper Pampanga River Integrated Irrigation Systems, operator of the Pantabangan Dam, has declared as “El Niñofree” some 96,800 hectares of agricultural lands in Central Luzon.

Florentino David, newly installed UPRIIS manager, said the areas will not be affected by the dry spell brought about by El Niño.

He added that this was made possible by the high water elevation at the Pantabangan Dam which as of Wednesday was placed at 207.16 meters above sea level, way above the critical level of 172 meters.

David said the 96,800 hectares programmed for irrigation this dry season include an additional 1,500 hectares in the tail-end portion of Pantabangan Dam’s service areas in Arayat and Candaba in Pampanga, San Miguel and San Ildefonso in Bulacan and the Nueva Ecija towns of Cabiao, Licab and Guimba.

UPRIIS has a total service area of 119,000 hectares covering Nueva Ecija and portions of Bulacan and Pampanga.

“There is enough water to irrigate farmlands up to April 22, the end of the dry cropping season,” he said.

Lawmaker: Non-passage of BBL could trigger war

By A. Perez Rimando JOLO, Sulu—The failure of Congress to approve the Bangsamoro Basic Law, designed to bring peace and order in Mindanao through the initiative of the Maguindanao-based Moro Islamic Liberation Front, could trigger a bigger war in the country’s second largest island region, a Tausug lawmaker who was a former Moro National Liberation Front leader said.

Sulu Rep. Habib Tupay Loong expressed fears that “this expected gun battle will only bring death and destruction to the nation and will only divide the people of Mindanao.”

Loong, however, stressed that ‘”I cannot stop the Bangsamoro people if they opt to traverse the dangerous and destructive path of war to preserve their religion, protect themselves and recover

their ancestral homeland. I hope and pray that the Bangsamoro inhabitants will not return to the battlefield and start a firefight to pursue their aspirations.”

The Sulu legislator pointed out that Tausugs, Maguindanaons, Iranons, Yakans and Samals—who are described to love more their firearms than their wives—“are ready to die for the cause of their people and their homeland because to them such death is a blessed death according to Islamic tradition.”

Loong attributed the congressional failure to pass the Bangsamoro Basic Law to “differences in belief among members of House of Representatives and the Senate even as he decried that most lawmakers “failed to properly execute their role as legislators to provide necessary support to culminate the Bangsamoro secession problem and bring peace and unity in Mindanao.”

Hello, sun. Farmers prepare and dry out leaves of the Alnos tree, a rich source for organic farm fertilizer in Tuba, Benguet. DAViD CHAn

F R I D AY, F E B R U A R Y 5 , 2 0 1 6

A8

OPINION

ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

OPINION

BACK CHANNEL ALEJANDRO DEL ROSARIO

TRANSFORMING THE ‘MASA’ VOTE

[ EDI TORI A L ]

ANOTHER RAIL PROJECT THE government is auctioning another multi-billion peso, publicprivate partnership project that aims to speed up the movement of goods and services in the Philippines. The P171-billion south rail project, like other PPP undertakings, is envisioned to be a driver of inclusive socio-economic growth.

And like most of the PPP projects that the government has tried to offer to the private sector, south rail could be mired in another controversy and auction delays—the hallmark of this administration.

The Transportation Department announced the other day that five major local and foreign companies purchased bid documents for the auction of the rail upgrade project. The project seeks to revive the oldest rail system in Southeast Asia, beginning with the Manila-Legazpi section and additional branch lines spanning 653 kilometers.

The Philippines needs a rural rail system to meet the demands of a growing economy. The south rail project specifically will serve daily commuters on the Tutuban, Manila to Calamba, Laguna route, with the 478-kilometer long-haul service providing option for travelers on the Tutuban to Legazpi, Albay route.

Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya calls it the agency’s biggest project yet. “This project will impact directly on a grassroots level. Those who have less in life, especially farmers and fisherfolk, will be given efficient means to expand their livelihood. This is our biggest project yet, and this is for those who need it most,” says Abaya.

There is no argument that the rail project will provide economic opportunities to farmers and small- and medium-scale enterprises in the southern Luzon. Metro Manila through the rail system will just be a few hours away from the Southern Tagalog and Bicol provinces Given the record of the Transportation Department, however, the awarding and the actual construction of the south rail project could take forever. It is also possible that the job to privatize the south rail project may fall on the hands of the next administration. Then, it may have a better chance to take off.

COWARDS ALL LOWDOWN JOJO A. ROBLES THE 16th Congress of the Philippines closed last Wednesday night with a whimper, its members chased away by about a hundred senior citizens who were simply asking them to make good on their word. These are the supposed representatives of the people, who cannot even tell a bunch of old people to their faces that they could not dare reverse a presidential veto on pension increases that they

themselves passed.

What a farce. What a collection of cowardly traitors to the people they are supposed to serve.

What’s ironic is that the Lower House actually mustered a quorum of 231 members last Wednesday, more than enough to do whatever the chamber liked. This included overriding President Noynoy Aquino’s veto of the P2,000 monthly increase in the pensions of members of the Social Security System, which passed in both the House and the Senate before it was summarily executed in Malacañang.

It’s enough to make a grown man cry. And that’s exactly what Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares, the original author of the pension increase bill, did— although he claims that something just got in his eye.

It was Colmenares who wanted to force a vote on the House floor on the override. If the House really didn’t want to offend Aquino by reversing his veto, Colmenares reasoned, at least they should say so in a vote.

But even after the chamber determined the presence of a quorum by 5 p.m., allowing them to vote on anything they wanted, nothing happened on

A9

What unforgivably callous, lily-livered behavior from those bloviating blowhards we call congressmen.

the floor. And when Colmenares stood his ground that the chamber should first vote on the proposed override, despite pleas for him for the body to first pass another of Malacañang’s pet legislative measures, that ensured that nothing was going to happen at all.

See, the quorum was apparently mustered in a bid to approve the Aquino-backed draft Public-Private Partnership law, which Congress had already passed on third and final reading Monday night. But on Tuesday, after Colmenares pointed out that Monday’s passage of the proposed PPP law had been constitutionally flawed, the House leadership had no choice but to withdraw the passed

measure and attempt to pass it again, this time with a bigger quorum.

The usual henchmen of Speaker Feliciano Belmonte pleaded with Colmenares to allow a vote on the PPP law first before tacking the override, but the lawmaker—and obviously the assembled senior citizens in the gallery —would not allow it. So the House decided to sacrifice the passage of the PPP measure so that they would not have to face the stony silence of the gathered old people.

What happened, according to those

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

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

in the know, was that the House leadership was afraid that if it called for a vote on the SSS pension override, the reversal would win. Through their usual method of communication of text messaging—also inordinately favored by their real boss, Aquino— House leaders were told by the congressmen present that they could not vote against the override because their constituents—old people, mainly, like those who had descended on the Batasan that day—had been importuning them to just vote like they did when

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

MST ONLINE

can be accessed at: www.manilastandardtoday.com

MEMBER

PPI

Philippine Press Institute The National Association of Philippine Newspapers

they passed the pension increase in the first place.

And our craven legislators could not allow that. So no roll call was even called; so the House went into recess, to resume sessions again after the elections beginning May 23, when another President will already have been chosen.

What wusses. What unforgivably callous, lily-livered behavior from those bloviating blowhards we call congressmen.

Continued on A11

MST Management, Inc. Philip G. Romualdez Arnold C. Liong Former Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno Jocelyn F. Domingo Ron Ryan S. Buguis Anita F. Grefal Treasury Manager

Chairman President & Chief Executive Officer Board Member & Chief Legal Adviser Director of Operations Finance Officer Edgar M. Valmorida Circulation Manager

MANILA Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle criticized corrupt politicians in his keynote address at the 51st International Eucharistic Congress held in Cebu, adding that tax money should go to social services instead of their personal use. How materialism had skewed the moral values of the people was the Cardinal’s underlying theme. In less than 90 days, on May 9, some 50 million voters will again cast their ballots to elect a president and other national officials.

It will take, however, more than a denunciation of corrupt politicians and a call to shun them at the polls. What we need is a conversion of voters’ mindset from monetary to moral value. Unless voters are transformed into an informed citizenry, we will continue to see a revolving door of elected politicians who will continue to raid the public coffers.

Consider this: Despite President Aquino’s avowed “straight path” claim, the Philippines dropped 10 notches in the 2015 Transparency International’s Corruption Index.

The reality of our election process is the tyranny of the “masa” majority. It is actually the “masa” who determine the outcome of elections in this country of 100 million people. It’s a shame and a waste the masa itself doesn’t know how to use its own potent force as a factor to reckon with and improve its lot. It’s the politicians who recognize this force and manipulate it to their benefit. That’s why those political TV ads pander to the masses. The message is never on a higher plane but deliberately crafted to relate to the low- end target audience. Promoting “nog nog,” “pandak,” foul street language, and “kampeon ng masa” is the spiel that has resonance with a wide segment of the poor. How low can it get? One TV ad even had a candidate in a “Star Wars” costume that makes you wonder what it has to do with public service.

The poor cannot be totally blamed if many sell their votes for instant, albeit short-term relief. This is the “instant noodle” mentality that serves as palliative in a country where less than 10 percent control about 90 percent of the wealth.

With big business contributing huge sums to the campaign funds of major candidates, the chance for change is next to nil. The contractualization of our workers has been going on for years. Except for former ambassador Roy Seneres, no one among the four other presidential candidates has made it a campaign platform to end the illegal and exploitative practice by big companies. This is why our workers flee to foreign lands to seek a better future for their families.

Then the pols hail them as “modern-day heroes.” Our overseas foreign workers prop up the economy with billions in Continued on A11 Rolando G. Estabillo Jojo A. Robles Ramonchito L. Tomeldan Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano Francis Lagniton Joyce Pangco Pañares Adelle Chua Romel J. Mendez Roberto Cabrera

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

Emil P. Jurado Chairman Emeritus, Editiorial Board

F R I D AY, F E B R U A R Y 5 , 2 0 1 6

A8

OPINION

ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

OPINION

BACK CHANNEL ALEJANDRO DEL ROSARIO

TRANSFORMING THE ‘MASA’ VOTE

[ EDI TORI A L ]

ANOTHER RAIL PROJECT THE government is auctioning another multi-billion peso, publicprivate partnership project that aims to speed up the movement of goods and services in the Philippines. The P171-billion south rail project, like other PPP undertakings, is envisioned to be a driver of inclusive socio-economic growth.

And like most of the PPP projects that the government has tried to offer to the private sector, south rail could be mired in another controversy and auction delays—the hallmark of this administration.

The Transportation Department announced the other day that five major local and foreign companies purchased bid documents for the auction of the rail upgrade project. The project seeks to revive the oldest rail system in Southeast Asia, beginning with the Manila-Legazpi section and additional branch lines spanning 653 kilometers.

The Philippines needs a rural rail system to meet the demands of a growing economy. The south rail project specifically will serve daily commuters on the Tutuban, Manila to Calamba, Laguna route, with the 478-kilometer long-haul service providing option for travelers on the Tutuban to Legazpi, Albay route.

Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya calls it the agency’s biggest project yet. “This project will impact directly on a grassroots level. Those who have less in life, especially farmers and fisherfolk, will be given efficient means to expand their livelihood. This is our biggest project yet, and this is for those who need it most,” says Abaya.

There is no argument that the rail project will provide economic opportunities to farmers and small- and medium-scale enterprises in the southern Luzon. Metro Manila through the rail system will just be a few hours away from the Southern Tagalog and Bicol provinces Given the record of the Transportation Department, however, the awarding and the actual construction of the south rail project could take forever. It is also possible that the job to privatize the south rail project may fall on the hands of the next administration. Then, it may have a better chance to take off.

COWARDS ALL LOWDOWN JOJO A. ROBLES THE 16th Congress of the Philippines closed last Wednesday night with a whimper, its members chased away by about a hundred senior citizens who were simply asking them to make good on their word. These are the supposed representatives of the people, who cannot even tell a bunch of old people to their faces that they could not dare reverse a presidential veto on pension increases that they

themselves passed.

What a farce. What a collection of cowardly traitors to the people they are supposed to serve.

What’s ironic is that the Lower House actually mustered a quorum of 231 members last Wednesday, more than enough to do whatever the chamber liked. This included overriding President Noynoy Aquino’s veto of the P2,000 monthly increase in the pensions of members of the Social Security System, which passed in both the House and the Senate before it was summarily executed in Malacañang.

It’s enough to make a grown man cry. And that’s exactly what Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares, the original author of the pension increase bill, did— although he claims that something just got in his eye.

It was Colmenares who wanted to force a vote on the House floor on the override. If the House really didn’t want to offend Aquino by reversing his veto, Colmenares reasoned, at least they should say so in a vote.

But even after the chamber determined the presence of a quorum by 5 p.m., allowing them to vote on anything they wanted, nothing happened on

A9

What unforgivably callous, lily-livered behavior from those bloviating blowhards we call congressmen.

the floor. And when Colmenares stood his ground that the chamber should first vote on the proposed override, despite pleas for him for the body to first pass another of Malacañang’s pet legislative measures, that ensured that nothing was going to happen at all.

See, the quorum was apparently mustered in a bid to approve the Aquino-backed draft Public-Private Partnership law, which Congress had already passed on third and final reading Monday night. But on Tuesday, after Colmenares pointed out that Monday’s passage of the proposed PPP law had been constitutionally flawed, the House leadership had no choice but to withdraw the passed

measure and attempt to pass it again, this time with a bigger quorum.

The usual henchmen of Speaker Feliciano Belmonte pleaded with Colmenares to allow a vote on the PPP law first before tacking the override, but the lawmaker—and obviously the assembled senior citizens in the gallery —would not allow it. So the House decided to sacrifice the passage of the PPP measure so that they would not have to face the stony silence of the gathered old people.

What happened, according to those

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

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

in the know, was that the House leadership was afraid that if it called for a vote on the SSS pension override, the reversal would win. Through their usual method of communication of text messaging—also inordinately favored by their real boss, Aquino— House leaders were told by the congressmen present that they could not vote against the override because their constituents—old people, mainly, like those who had descended on the Batasan that day—had been importuning them to just vote like they did when

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

MST ONLINE

can be accessed at: www.manilastandardtoday.com

MEMBER

PPI

Philippine Press Institute The National Association of Philippine Newspapers

they passed the pension increase in the first place.

And our craven legislators could not allow that. So no roll call was even called; so the House went into recess, to resume sessions again after the elections beginning May 23, when another President will already have been chosen.

What wusses. What unforgivably callous, lily-livered behavior from those bloviating blowhards we call congressmen.

Continued on A11

MST Management, Inc. Philip G. Romualdez Arnold C. Liong Former Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno Jocelyn F. Domingo Ron Ryan S. Buguis Anita F. Grefal Treasury Manager

Chairman President & Chief Executive Officer Board Member & Chief Legal Adviser Director of Operations Finance Officer Edgar M. Valmorida Circulation Manager

MANILA Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle criticized corrupt politicians in his keynote address at the 51st International Eucharistic Congress held in Cebu, adding that tax money should go to social services instead of their personal use. How materialism had skewed the moral values of the people was the Cardinal’s underlying theme. In less than 90 days, on May 9, some 50 million voters will again cast their ballots to elect a president and other national officials.

It will take, however, more than a denunciation of corrupt politicians and a call to shun them at the polls. What we need is a conversion of voters’ mindset from monetary to moral value. Unless voters are transformed into an informed citizenry, we will continue to see a revolving door of elected politicians who will continue to raid the public coffers.

Consider this: Despite President Aquino’s avowed “straight path” claim, the Philippines dropped 10 notches in the 2015 Transparency International’s Corruption Index.

The reality of our election process is the tyranny of the “masa” majority. It is actually the “masa” who determine the outcome of elections in this country of 100 million people. It’s a shame and a waste the masa itself doesn’t know how to use its own potent force as a factor to reckon with and improve its lot. It’s the politicians who recognize this force and manipulate it to their benefit. That’s why those political TV ads pander to the masses. The message is never on a higher plane but deliberately crafted to relate to the low- end target audience. Promoting “nog nog,” “pandak,” foul street language, and “kampeon ng masa” is the spiel that has resonance with a wide segment of the poor. How low can it get? One TV ad even had a candidate in a “Star Wars” costume that makes you wonder what it has to do with public service.

The poor cannot be totally blamed if many sell their votes for instant, albeit short-term relief. This is the “instant noodle” mentality that serves as palliative in a country where less than 10 percent control about 90 percent of the wealth.

With big business contributing huge sums to the campaign funds of major candidates, the chance for change is next to nil. The contractualization of our workers has been going on for years. Except for former ambassador Roy Seneres, no one among the four other presidential candidates has made it a campaign platform to end the illegal and exploitative practice by big companies. This is why our workers flee to foreign lands to seek a better future for their families.

Then the pols hail them as “modern-day heroes.” Our overseas foreign workers prop up the economy with billions in Continued on A11 Rolando G. Estabillo Jojo A. Robles Ramonchito L. Tomeldan Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano Francis Lagniton Joyce Pangco Pañares Adelle Chua Romel J. Mendez Roberto Cabrera

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

Emil P. Jurado Chairman Emeritus, Editiorial Board

A10 WHY THE JUDICIARY SHOULD NOT LEGISLATE the concept may be troublesome) guides interpretation, FR. RANHILIO and that where the law is CALLANGAN clear, there is no room for either liberal or strict construAQUINO al. Where the law does not THE Judiciary should not distinguish, neither should legislate because the Con- the courts. This is also the stitution does not give it the reason for the doctrine that power to do so. This is the in the face of positive law, immediate reason that the equity cannot be allowed to Judiciary should keep its derogate from what is textuhands off the legislative slate. ally provided. There too is Legislators are mandated by the procedural consequence the popular exercise of suf- that when remedies profrage to enact their visions vided for by statute or code of social order and their ide- are adequate and expedient, als of a just society. By the no recourse in equity must same exercise of the people’s prosper. In constitutional right to vote, members of theory, all this can be exCongress are held account- plained first, by a dislike for able. Precisely because they “government by judges”; and receive a popular mandate second, by the long and bitto legislate and must answer ter struggles that parliament to their constituencies who had to fight for its supremacy exercise the residual right as the assembly of the peoto booth them out of office, ple’s representatives against they have the power to say the obdurate claims of absohow society should be struc- lutist monarchs! Dworkin is tured, through the laws they right: That model that has pass. Members of the Judi- decision-making proceed in ciary are not popularly elect- linear fashion from facts to ed. Their place in the order law to judgment is simplisof things in the Philippine tic and, for that reason, misleading. Principles are relevant to the enunciation of judicial decisions and these principles are principally those of equity or, as English The Constitution jurists call them, “natural cannot be any justice”. Equity does go into the interpretation of law, but clearer. equity never substitutes for the law nor amends the law!

Lately “dura lex sed lex” has suffered a beating at the hands of those who are quite body politic is articulated willing to impose on the without equivocation by the nation a transient oblivion of Constitution. They are ac- law to allow for the election countable for their actions of a favored candidate. But under the limited provisions that principle has served of impeachment, for mem- society well, from the time it bers of the high court, and was conceived. The laws in the laws on public service Leviticus and Deuteronomy for judges of lower courts, in the Old Testament are but they are not accountable harsh and, by our standards, to the electorate. They may barbaric, but they allowed not be dismissed from office, the people of Israel and no matter that there may be Judah protection against so a chorus of a million voices much that would have been demanding their ouster, ex- harmful to them: cultural cept for causes the law deems and religious assimilation, mayhem following the acceptable grounds. collapse of established This is the reason for some well-established and, until order, even sickness and this day, rather settled rules disease (and so the laws in Philippine law. There is on the washing of hands, the basic precept of legal cups, dishes, the ablution hermeneutics that legisla- of walls and the cleanness tive intent (no matter that and uncleanness of women

PENSEES

F R I D AY, F E B R U A R Y 5 , 2 0 1 6

OPINION lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

THOSE JAPANESE TRIPS ONCE very critical of foreign travels, President Benigno Aquino III would have flown at least 45 times to 24 countries by the time he gives up the presidency on June 30.

And of these, six are trips to Japan. His first was to Yokohama to attend the 18th AsiaPacific Economic Cooperation Economic Leaders’ Meeting in 2010 where he was almost invisible in the company of world leaders.

His second, however, was a well-publicized trip to Tokyo on Aug. 4, 2011 to meet oneon-one Chairman Al Haj Murad Ibrahim of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

Very controversial and unprecedented, this trip—we thought then—could lead us into attaining lasting peace in Mindanao. Of course, this wouldn’t happen anymore during his term of office after his pet bill on the Basic Bangsamoro Law had been presumed killed in the current Congress.

By now, the BBL has been added to the list of casualties of the Mamasapano massacre together with the Special Action Force’s Fallen 44 commandos.

PNoy visited Japan again, and should have seen how two of its most devastated cities were able to quickly rise back to their feet by virtue of national determination, unity, and discipline.

The first—Ishinomaki in Myagi—was ravaged by a Magnitude 9 earthquake and the savage tsunami that it triggered on March 11, 2011 killing 3,097 and leaving approximately 2,770 persons unaccounted for and 29,000 homes lost.

What PNoy saw on Sept. 27 that same year was a city that had fully recovered less than a year after.

It is obvious, however, that he didn’t learn any lesson from that trip on how to deal with a similar typhoon and storm surge that hit Tacloban City on Nov. 8, 2013. That disaster killed 6,340 and left behind 1,061 missing persons.

Unlike Ishinomaki, Tacloban has remained hopelessly forsaken by its government more than two years after and despite Pope

and their menstrual cycles).

The gigantic maps in Rome showing the beginnings of the empire from a minuscule spot in the Italian peninsula to a considerable part of the globe gives historical proof of the efficiency of Roman law— military might alone does not explain the cohesion of an empire. The point is that you do not trifle with the law without serious consequences to social order. And it surely is trifling with the law when a court legislates!

How many otherwise profitable contracts have been set

FILIPINO PENSIONER HORACE TEMPLO Francis’ celebration of holy mass in the city.

The second—Hiroshima— was razed to the ground by the world’s first atomic bomb that the United States dropped on it on Aug. 6, 1945 which directly killed approximately 80,000 people. The number eventually reached 166,000 because of injury and radiation.

Seventy years after, Hiroshima has become an internationally acclaimed City of Peace in accordance with its parliament’s vision which proclaimed the city as such in 1949.

PNoy visited Hiroshima on June 24, 2014 to address the “Consolidation for Peace for Mindanao” conference that was organized by the Japan International Cooperation Agency and the Research and Education for Peace Council of the Universiti Sains Malaysia.

Even much earlier, PNoy’s mother and grandfather had already shown a deep affinity with Japan, its emperor, and its people.

President Cory herself visited Japan three times, the first in November 1986 during the first year of her presidency to strengthen the ties between our two countries. She visited again in February 1989 to attend the necrological services for Emperor Hirohito and returned in December to attend Emperor Akihito’s enthronement ceremonies.

Most of us baby boomers and other younger generations do not know that PNoy’s grandfather—the first Benigno Simeon Aquino—was also an imminent politician who served as secretary of Agriculture and Commerce under President Manuel Quezon.

During World War II, he chose, however, to collaborate with the Japanese and even became the director-general of the pro-Japanese political sole party of state then—KALIBAPI—and was elected as speaker of the

aside for running afoul of the provisions of the law? And have not several elected officials lost their seats—on the eve of the next national election—because of a judicial finding that their election to office was in violation of law?

Many times, law enforcers risk life and limb going after criminal elements, spending sleepless nights in surveillance and covert operations until they believe they are ready to make an arrest and hale the long-pursued quarry off to court. But has been the sad experience of PDEA,

National Assembly from 1943 to 1944.

By December 1944, he and other Filipino officials had to fly to Japan and must have nearly suffered the horrors caused by the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. When the Japanese surrendered, they were all arrested and imprisoned by the Americans at the Sugamo Prison in Tokyo and returned to Manila in 1947 to face charges of treason.

All of these trips must have contributed to the generosity of the Japanese in providing us soft loans, grants, and technical assistance.

It cannot be denied, however, that Japan had also used its official development assistance to promote its exports.

For instance, when the Japanese first assisted us in the construction of Pan-Philippine Highway from Laoag to Zamboanga City, many accused them of developing the market for their cars in the country.

Thus, we still refer sometimes to our national highway as the “Philippines-Japan Friendship Highway.”

To show the goodwill of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko when they visited recently our country, JICA republicized its P98.5-billion financing of the North-South Commuter Railway project in Luzon.

When completed, the NSCR would have 900 kilometers of railway linking La Union to Albay, a 58-km line from Calamba to Batangas City, and a 117-km line from Legazpi to Matnog.

We really don’t mind that the initial Japanese soft loan could only finance the construction of the Manila-Bulacan line, which would only start in 2017 and be completed in 2020.

Neither do we mind that we won’t be getting Japan’s bullet train “shinkansen” it first built way, way back in 1963.

All we want is to experience once more those pleasant—and maybe, slow—train rides that we used to enjoy in traveling to and from Bicol in our youth.

Unfortunately, this won’t happen soon yet.

PNP, NBI and other law-enforcers that their vigilance, diligence and persistence notwithstanding, the cases they file in court come to naught because one or the other rule of evidence or right of the accused has been transgressed.

Dura lex sed lex, and no one will, in these circumstances, dismiss that maxim as obsolete and stupid. It is much the same thing when the fundamental law lays down the requirements for the eligibility of candidates to the highest offices of the land. Who Continued on A11

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OPINION lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

VIRTUAL REALITY TONY LOPEZ “YOU have had a remarkable career,” gushed the New Zealand Ambassador to the Philippines David Strachan paying a courtesy call to Mayor Joseph Ejercito Estrada on Wednesday, Feb. 3. Before they sat down for a hearty one-on-one, Manila’s hizzoner gave the ambassador arrival honors fit for a visiting high-level dignitary, including the police equivalent of military honors, a trooping of the line and the symbolic key to Manila.

Estrada ushered his visitor upstairs into his second floor City Hall office where they sat down for a warm 25-minute chat over coffee. “Do you have plans for a national office?” envoy Stratchan asked the mayor.

“Being mayor is my last hurrah,” Estrada demurred. He talked about his initiatives and the enormous problems he faces as CEO of the Philippines’ national capital and most important city, being the center of trade, commerce, finance, and governance.

He winced that after World War II, “we were the secondrichest in Asia. We were richer than Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Korea, and much, much richer than Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore. Now, we are second to the last.”

“In the south, we have had a secessionist movement for more than 40 years,” he added.

“You are very popular,” said Strachan, adding “I have read a lot about you.” To which the veteran of more than 100 movies in 30 years of movie-making, replied,

MAYOR ERAP’S SUCCESS STORY “as a movie actor I played the roles of the marginalized. These people made me their hero.”

“You are a kingmaker,” the ambassador pointed out. He asked Estrada whom he will support for president. “They [the presidential candidates] are all my friends,” the mayor laughed.

Strachan then inquired, “what’s the secret of your success in Philippine politics?” “Well,” Estrada replied, “you simply have to work for the greater good of the greatest number.”

In Manila, the greatest number of people are the poor. “Surveys show Manila has the greatest number of squatters in the Philippines,” Estrada said later in an interview. Half of Metropolitan Manila’s squatters live in Manila. These informal settlers test to the limits the city’s amenities. Non-residents keep trooping to the national capital —for education, for work, for livelihood, for housing. “In Manila’s hospitals,” estimates Joey Cabresa, “some 300,000 babies are born every year. Easily twothirds are from mothers who do not live in the city.” The city has a population of more than 2 million, half of whom are below 25 years old.

When Estrada was elected mayor of Manila in mid-2013, he was surprised to discover how enormous and daunting the city’s problems were. Having served as mayor of nearby San Juan City for nearly 17 years and president of the Philippines for 30 months, Estrada thought he would have an easy sailing. He was wrong.

In 2013, Mayor Estrada found

Transforming... From A9 hard currency remittances. If they would only use this as a weapon to effect change and not be satisfied with government concession of tax free unopened “balikbayan” boxes!

To the extent of being a pessimist, we will probably see another six years of government misrule. There are probably other skeptics like me who don’t see any of the presidential candidates worth voting for despite their promise of change and our deliverance from poverty, unemployment and runaway crime. Somehow, the economy will continue to grow as it did six percent in the last quarter.

But will economic growth filter down to include the poor?

How does society change the quality of voters so they can wisely choose the country’s leaders? A good start is when

Cowards... From A9 *** Is there still hope that Congress will override Aquino’s heartless veto of the SSS pension increase, without waiting for the next Congress to do the job?

Colmenares, no longer teary-eyed, thinks there is.

He intends to once again file his resolution calling for a vote on the override when Congress reopens for its last

Manila saddled with more than P4.44 billion in debts. Cash was a low P230 million, not even enough to run the city for a year nor cover payroll for one month.

The city had rung up an electricity tab of almost P1 billion, of which P613 million was long overdue, on top of unpaid P58 million in water bills.

The city was dirty. City Hall itself was a veritable pigsty with rodents and cockroaches having a run of its innards and corridors. Crime was rampant. Drugs penetrated nine of every 10 of the city’s 896 barangays. The police and City Hall employees were bereft of morale and energy. Police allowances had been withheld for three years. City employees lacked incentive pay.

The city was ill-prepared for any disaster.

Quickly, Estrada instituted reforms to boost the city’s coffers. Real property taxes had been frozen for 20 years, complained the mayor. Property values were gingerly negotiated to enable landowners to save on taxes, after shelling out “extraneous” fees.

“Without higher revenues, I cannot render even the most basic services,” Estrada said.

The updating of property taxes reflected a near doubling of property values, frozen since 1996. The revaluation more than doubled real estate tax revenues from P3.04 billion in 2012, P6.7 billion in 2015 and to an expected P7 billion in 2016.

By the time of his second State of the City address, Estrada exulted “Manila is debt-free!”

On a related front, collec-

tions from business permit fees also increased, by 53 percent in 2014 to P314.55 million in 2015 from 2014.

The Department of Finance has cited Manila as one of only two cities in the Philippines to have properly updated their property and business taxes.

By mid-2015, the city government had built P5-billion General Fund, money that is funneled to security, infrastructure, education, health services, among other basic services. “I assure Manilans every centavo of taxes collected goes to city coffers,” Estrada declared, implying serious leakages in previous administrations.

On the health front, Manila has rehabilitated its hospitals (there are six), using P500 million in rehab funds, and unheard of for any Philippine city, put up a Dialysis Center with no less than 40 dialysis machines. “Dialysis in Manila is free,” says Estrada. In other places, he notes wryly, “liver patients just have to wait until they die, without having dialysis.”

The mayor takes singular pride that city hospitals offer specialization in different branches of medicine. This is not surprising. Manila’s cityowned school of medicine is among the best, if not the best, in the country, its graduates habitually topping board exams.

Estrada was aghast to discover that his critics, including some insiders in city-owned hospitals, have tried to sabotage his socialistic health care program. Patients were being charged horrendous fees.

students enter high school, a curriculum should inculcate in them the importance of knowing the qualification of candidates. Media, particularly the broadcast and electronic sector which has immense influence on viewers, should be harnessed in voter reeducation. Sadly, broadcast media is more focused on showbiz as the networks battle for high Nielsen ratings.

This is the reality because TV air time is big business driven by profits.

Consider the millions of pesos spent on TV ads by politicians and its effect and influence on voters particularly the C and D audience. Since the government uses People’s TV4 for its propaganda purposes, it cannot be relied on to promote an informed voter education. Private sector media has a civic duty to educate voters.

Perhaps a dedicated time slot can be allotted for voter education to promote an intelligent vote. It need not be on televi-

sion’s profitable prime time. But if given a public service time slot, the tapes of these programs can be downloaded and replayed for high school students and soon-to-be voters reaching the age of 18.

In the United Kingdom, the publicly funded British Broadcasting Corp. is used for educational purposes. The BBC broadcast fare is focused on the arts, culture, history, quality fictional films and public discourse of major election issues. BBC can even criticize government policy affecting the citizenry.

The government announced that the Intercontinental Broadcasting Company’s Channel 13 has been placed on the auction block. The government-owned and-controlled corporation which is the steward of IBC-13 can channel the P1.3 billion proceeds from the sale to finance a real public service People’s TV4. It is the people’s tax money, after all.

sessions beginning on May 23. “Maybe then, when Congress is no longer afraid of the President and no longer needs anything anymore from him, they can do the right thing,” Colmenares told me.

Of course, Neri’s action could once again suffer the cruel fate that it met this week. But that is nothing to be ashamed of, as far as he’s concerned.

His colleagues, on the other hand, have everything to be ashamed about.

And they will go down in history as

probably the most pusillanimous bunch of legislators ever to tread the halls of Congress—halls that have seen all manner of lily-livered, money-grubbing people’s representatives who are almost always on the lookout for a quick buck from Malacañang, in aid of staying in office or of installing their equally greedy relatives there.

If you have tears like Neri, you can shed them now. And seek revenge through the ballot in May.

He tells Manilans, “any hospital director, official or employee found collecting fees will not only be dismissed. They will be made criminally liable.” One hospital director has been fired for such an offense.

On the crime front, indexed crimes have fallen, by 29.7 percent, in 2015, from 2013, or from 11,468 to 8,842.

Crime solution efficiency has improved, from 24.55 percent in 2013 to 38.05 percent in 2015. Last year, the city arrested its No. 1 criminal suspect, Jonathan Bassey. In 2015 alone, 317 drug pushers and 985 drug users were arrested while 8,689 grams of shabu were seized.

Mayor Estrada gave the police force P136 million in back allowances. The Manila Police District got 41 new mobile patrol cars and 110 electric personal transporters.

Meanwhile, Estrada released the fourth tranche of salary increases for city employees salary. In 2015, on top of the mandatory 13th month pay, the mayor declared a 14th month, what he calls an incentive pay for deserving employees.

In 2015, Manila was declared the Most Competitive City in the entire Philippines. It was also declared the No. 1 city in infrastructure, availability of utilities, connection to ICT, number of ATMs, transparency, economic governance, and compliance with national directives.

It is No. 2 in health services and presence of financial institutions.

biznewsasia@gmail.com

Why the... From A10 should enjoy the privilege to be elected president is a matter of policy and, until our policy-makers decide otherwise through a proper amendment of the Constitution, or the passage of law governing status of persons, a judge would culpably violate the constitution by arrogating unto himself the power to write his own preferences, biases and concepts of order into the constitutional or legislative text.

The Constitution cannot be any clearer: Only a natural-born Filipino citizen can rightfully aspire for the presidency.

Under the Constitution of 1935, this required having a Filipino father, whether one was legitimately born or not, as long as paternity could be established by competent evidence. When one admits that she is a foundling, one admits that her parentage cannot be established, and therefore that one cannot prove eligibility under the terms of the Constitution.

Of course a different scheme of things, one more benevolent towards foundlings in this respect, is conceivable—but that is no longer a judicial matter. It is an issue of policy, one our policy-makers have not made, although they clearly had the chance to! rannie_aquino@sanbeda.edu.ph rannie_aquino@csu.edu.ph rannie_aquino@yahoo.com

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Super Bowl worries Homeland Security SAN FRANCISCO—US authorities have consulted officials in France to help plan against a Paris-style terror attack on the Super Bowl, Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said Wednesday, stressing there was no evidence of a credible threat against the event.

Fore! Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland plays his third shot during the first round of the 2016 Dubai Desert Classic at the Emirates Golf Club on Feb. 4 in Dubai. AFP

The biggest occasion in the American sporting calendar takes place just outside San Francisco on Sunday, with an estimated one million visitors due to visit the region for the game and festivities linked to the extravaganza.

“At this time we know of no specific credible threat directed at Super Bowl 50 or related events,” Johnson told a press conference.

Johnson said he had been in “constant” contact with French officials following the bloody November 13 attacks in Paris, which left 130 people dead and were claimed by the Islamic State group.

The Paris attacks included a suicide bombing at the Stade de France stadium where France played Germany in a friendly soccer match.

Asked if security planning for Super Bowl 50 differed from arrangements for previous years in light of events in Paris, and the recent California mass shooting in San Bernardino, Johnson replied: “I would say every year is different.

The world situation, the threat picture, is different every February.”

“We are focused on layered security, seen and unseen. We learn from events of the past but we have to protect against events of

South Korean albatross ace grabs LPGA lead MIAMI—South Korea’s Jang HaNa, fresh off making the first albatross in LPGA history, fired a seven-under par 65 Wednesday to grab a three-stroke lead after the first round of the Coates Championship.

Jang’s bogey-free round over the 6,541-yard layout at Florida’s Golden Ocala Golf and Equestrian Club bolstered her bid for her first LPGA victory.

Six rivals shared second on 68

including England’s Jodi Ewart Shadoff, South Koreans Chun InGee and Kim Sei-Young, American Kim Kaufman, Taiwan’s Candie Kung and Malaysia’s Kelly Tan. Jang hit a hole-in-one last week on the par-4 eighth hole at the Bahamas LPGA Classic for a milestone albatross on her way to a share of 11th in the tour’s season opener.

“It felt like the albatross was

very amazing,” Jang said. “It’s just skill, the albatross. I think 80 percent lucky, 20 percent my skill.”

Jang bought herself a new dog to celebrate her feat, naming the Pomeranian pooch Albatross.

“I have three dogs: Birdie, Eagle and Albatross,” she said. “I need one more dog, Hole-in-one.”

On Wednesday, Jang birdied the par-5 fifth and closed the front nine with back-to-back birdies, then birdied the par-3

11th, sank two more birdies in a row at 14 and the par-3 15th and closed with another at the par-5 18th.

“I felt very comfortable today because last year I had a secondplace finish, so I really have more confidence on this golf course,” Jang said. “I like that it’s an old golf course, and was just thinking like on the fairway and the greens, there’s no problem because the weather is perfect.” AFP

Slam winner Kerber unfazed by media hype BERLIN—Germany’s Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber brought the hype of her victory all the way from Melbourne to Leipzig on Wednesday ahead of her country’s Fed Cup tie against Switzerland.

The 28-year-old has been bombarded by reporters’ questions since beating Serena Williams in Saturday’s final to win her first Grand Slam title.

Her Germany teammates got a taste of the buzz surrounding Kerber in their press conference for this weekend’s World Group first-round matches against the Swiss.

‘How German are you?’, ‘what do you think of the Zika virus?’, ‘what are you doing with your prize money?’ were just a few of the questions Kerber, now ranked number two in the world, faced from around 80 reporters in Leipzig.

Kerber was even left momentarily speechlesss when asked when she thinks tennis star Ana Ivanovic will marry her boyfriend Bastian Schweinsteiger, the captain of the German football team.

Kerber’s team-mate Andrea Petkovic joked how Germany’s Fed Cup team should enjoy the hype of a full press conference room: “or we’d just have been standing here in front of two people and we might as well have held it (the press conference) in the loo.” AFP

Forehand smash. French player Gael Monfils returns the ball to opponent Edouard Roger-Vasselin during a tennis match at the Open Sud de France ATP World Tour in Montpellier, southern France, on Feb. 3. AFP

the future,” he added.

“We try to anticipate things that could happen from multiple different directions. We’re always informed by recent events and what we see and the world situation.”

Asked if US authorities were in contact with French officials, Johnson added: “Yes, constantly, including myself, with my French counterpart the Minister of Interior. Our intelligence and analysis directorate, me, the deputy secretary and numerous others have consulted the French, and we continue to do so.”

Johnson meanwhile called for public vigilance to help thwart against so-called “lone wolf ” attackers. “’If you see something, say something’ is really more than a slogan,” he said.

“The public has a vital role in our law enforcement and homeland security efforts, particularly when you’re dealing with the prospect of lone actors.

“It is almost always the case that when someone self-radicalizes or turns to violence on their own, there is somebody close to them who saw the signs. The public has a role in public safety.” AFP

Obama pays tribute to Muslim US Olympian BALTIMORE—US President Barack Obama paid tribute Wednesday to fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad, who in Rio will become the first US Olympian to compete wearing a hijab, the headscarf of Muslim women.

Obama’s visit to the Islamic Society of Baltimore mosque, his first to a US mosque after seven years in the White House, was to hit back at anti-Islamic sentiment even as Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has demanded a ban on Muslim immigrants and frontrunner Ted Cruz has advocated Christianonly admissions.

Into this atmosphere comes Muhammad, an AfricanAmerican women’s sabre fencer who has clinched a berth in August’s Rio de Janeiro Olympics after a third-place finish in Athens last weekend at a World Cup event.

“Nothing should hinder anyone from reaching their goals —not race, religion or gender,î Muhammad told USA Fencing in a posting on its website.

“I want to set an example that anything is possible with perseverance.”

Muhammad was among those watching Obama speak when he called for her to stand and be recognized during his speech. AFP

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Japan tries to build local fanbase for Rugby TOKYO—Japan’s stunning success at last year’s Rugby World Cup could prove a double-edged sword as they look to kick on from their hat-trick of pool victories in England.

A jaw-dropping upset over South Africa put the perennial flops firmly on the map, but the challenge now will be to build a solid fan base at home -- where the sport has struggled to compete with baseball and football -- as Japan gears up to host the 2019 tournament.

After narrowly missing out on a place in the World Cup quarter-finals under Australian Eddie Jones, the chairman of the Japan Rugby Football Union, Noriyuki Sakamoto, said this week: “We finally opened the door to the world, and the target for 2019 must be to reach the last eight or even the semifinals.”

To even contemplate such lofty ambitions, however, Japan must approach the sport like a business and the national side must continue their upward curve to maintain public enthusiasm, which spiked after the World Cup, according to Munehiko Harada, professor of sports management at Waseda University.

“Another peak in rugby’s popularity will come in 2019,” Harada said. “The question is can it continue after that?”

“The Japanese rugby community must use marketing strategies to deepen the relationship between the sport and its fans,” he added.

“Give value and a sense of satisfaction to those who come to stadiums. Use the knowledge of sports business. Use experts in selling tickets.”

Japan’s sensational 34-32 World Cup victory over two-time champions South Africa in England sent shockwaves through world rugby and was by far the biggest upset in the tournament’s history, winning legions of new fans watching bleary-eyed on television back home.

Sweet as it tasted, Japan’s success was a long time coming -- it was only their second ever victory after beating minnows Zimbabwe in 1991.

Jones, who has since taken up the England job and been replaced as ‘Brave Blossoms’ coach by New Zealander Jamie Joseph, insisted that Japan must look to the future, saying after the World Cup: “Like any success story, the next chapter is so important.”

Japan has no professional rugby league in the true sense, but its Top League comprises 16 corporate-sponsored teams, a mix of professionals and amateurs employed by the sponsoring businesses. AFP

Great catch. Paris Saint-Germain’s German goalkeeper Kevin Trapp (center) stops the ball during the French L1 football match between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) vs Lorient on Feb. 3 at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris. Paris won 3-1. AFP

Olympics give Rio slum children hope for survival RIO DE JANEIRO—For kids in one of Rio’s toughest slums, the childhood dream of Olympic glory comes with extra motivation: a better chance to stay alive.

Brazilian Olympic boxer Roberto Custodio grew up facing daily violence, including the murder of his father, in the Mare slum, or favela.

And if it hadn’t been for his transformation into a top athlete, he might have gone the same way.

“I saw that sport could give you a role,” he told AFP at his training base in Sao Paulo. “I wanted to be recognized as a boxer, not a criminal. And now I can win the Olympics in my own town.”

Custodio, 29, got his break at Fight for Peace, a gym started by Briton Luke Dowdney in the Mare to offer poor youths lessons in boxing, martial arts—and life.

The gym’s neat, blue walls

and tidy courtyard stand out in the warren of often poorly built, half-finished houses that make up the favela, home to an estimated 100,000 people, most of them working-class families.

Rio’s international airport and the famed Maracana stadium where politicians, VIPs and tourists will watch the Olympics open on August 5 are nearby. But the Mare is a world apart, with areas more like a “Mad Max” film than the shiny new Rio officials want to project.

On a recent visit, a Fight for Peace vehicle carrying AFP journalists had to pass through a roadblock manned by drug traffickers at the favela’s edge.

Men sat at a nearby side-

walk table on which lay a handgun and what appeared to be an array of drugs, all openly on display.

A little farther down the street a man in flipflops held a black assault rifle. Several others roamed on motorcycles carrying walkie-talkies and pistols in their belts.

“Don’t look at them,” the Fight for Peace driver warned, “and under no circumstances take photographs.”

Inside the gym, a dozen high-spirited girls and boys of between six and 12 years old punched pads and hopped through hoops. Soon after, a class for teenagers started, some of them already highly skilled.

“Sport has done a lot for me. I wouldnít have been here today otherwise. I could have been running with a gun in the street,” 16-year-old boxer Daniel Suarez said.

“Most of my friends say, ‘Iíve chosen another life, I chose crime.’ But I have chosen differ-

ently: I chose to fight, to compete, to do sport.”

Custodio trains in Sao Paulo, Brazil’s biggest city, but often returns to the Mare, where he’s a local hero.

“He’s our idol. He inspires us with his humility and just who he is. He makes young people here feel like someone because he comes, he trains and talks with them,” said Raissa Lima, 20, one of the female boxers.

Boxing trainer Antonio Cruz de Jesus, known to everyone as Gibi, said the almost $10 billion spent by Rio on the Olympics doesn’t seem to trickle down to the Mare. Thanks to Custodio, however, “the young here are looking forward it.”

Teaching a violent sport might initially seem a strange way to make model citizens.

But Gibi explained that in a chaotic community where the police are feared even more than the narco gunmen, the main lessons of boxing go far beyond merely learning to hit opponents. AFP

Argentina to end player brawls BUENOS AIRES—Mass onpitch brawls between players in supposedly “friendly” matches between top Argentine football teams have driven the government to vow to end soccer violence.

Long used to match-day violence involving hooligan gangs, Argentine fans saw ugly rucks erupt on the pitch itself at two recent high-profile friendlies.

Argentina’s new President Mauricio Macri, himself a fan and former chairman of top team Boca Juniors, responded by vowing to crack down on soccer violence.

Last week’s Buenos Aires summer derby between the country’s

two most popular teams, Boca and their fierce rivals River Plate, descended into a full-on punchup.

A match already marred by cynical fouls and insults degenerated after a clash between former Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez of Boca and a River defender.

Five players were sent off and River Plate’s goalkeeper was hit by a projectile from the stands, but the match carried on to end in a 1-0 win for River.

On Sunday in the city of Mar del Plata, a match between rivals Estudiantes and Gimnasia was abandoned after a mass brawl broke out on the pitch with

kicks, spitting and shoving.

“We all regret it. It got out of hand,” said Gimnasia’s Uruguayan midfielder Roberto Brum.

He had left the pitch before the ruck broke out but jumped off the bench and ran back on to join in the fight.

Overall 18 players were booked by the referee. It is not yet known what their sanctions will be.

A day after the second brawl, Security Minister Patricia Bullrich called a meeting of officials from the Argentine Football Association.

“She demanded the utmost severity,” said the head of the association, Luis Segura. AFP

Beauty at the game.

Brazilian model Izabel Goulart attends the French L1 football match between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) vs Lorient on Feb. 3 at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris. AFP

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

PH boxers...

Baby Tams reach jr cage semis

From A16

By Peter Atencio THE Far Eastern University-Diliman Baby Tamaraws are in the semifinals of the 78th University Athletic Association of the Philippines junior basketball tournament.

They subdued the University of the Philippines Integrated School Junior Maroons, 81-71, Wednesday at the Arena in San Juan.

Eric Jabel struck with 22 points for the Baby Tams, who posted their eighth win in 13 matches, with a game left in the eliminations.

The fourth-ranked Baby Tams, who could go into a stepladder semis playoff with no. 3 and defending champion Ateneo Blue Eaglets, forced the Junior Maroons to seven turnovers in the first period.

Jabel scored nine points in the first 10 minutes of play, allowing the Baby Tams to gran an early 18-9 advantage.

The Junior Maroons gave up the ball six times in the second canto, allowing FEU to take an 18-point edge, 3921, at halftime.

Meanwhile, the Blue Eaglets came away with an 80-57 swamping of the University of Santo Tomas Tiger Cubs, to improve to 9-4.

Jolo Mendoza led Ateneo with 14 points, while teammates Gian Mamuyac and Sam Belangel hit 10 each.

The National University Bullpups drew 16 points from Justine Baltazar and stayed unbeaten after 13 games.

This put them a win away from earningan outright finals berth, which they will get if they sweep their 14game assignment.

Most precious jewel. World Boxing Council president Mauricio Sulaiman (right) has presented what

the WBC described as “its most precious jewel,” the Green and Gold Championship Belt to His Holiness Pope Francis just a few days before the Pope visited Mexico. The WBC website said Pope Francis received the belt for the “champion of kindness, virtue and hope.” RONNIE NATHANIELSZ

Commonwealth Games medalists, led

by Shelley Watts (60kgs) and Joe Goddal (91 kgs).

Boxing officials said that their presence is mutually beneficial to both sides, because Filipino boxers will also have a chance to improve their skills.

The Philippine nationals squad, looking to qualify at least one boxer to the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, is set to go to the United States for a three-week intensive training set in the third week of this January.

Roger Ladon, a fighter in the 46-49 kg weight class in the men’s division, is among those who are expected to have a big chance.

Ladon is fourth in the Olympic rankings with 1050 points in his weight category, according to a list released by the International Boxing Association on its official website.

He will be joined by Mark Anthony Barriga, who has 350 points, and is ranked no. 24 behind Ladon.

Baseball great Codiñera to get Lifetime Achievement Award A LEGENDARY figure in both the field of softball and baseball will be the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Philippine Sportswriters Association a week from now.

Filomeno ‘Boy’ Codinera is going to be bestowed with the prestigious honor by the country’s sportswriting fraternity when it holds its Annual Awards Night presented by MILO and San Miguel Corp. on Feb. 13 at the One Esplanade in Pasay City.

A can’t-miss individual owing to his towering presence and strong personality, Codinera was a long-time member of the fabled Blu Boys, whose exploits of hitting seven consecutive doubles in the 1968 World Championships in Oklahoma, USA landed him in the Guinness Book of World Records.

“It’s about time the great Boy Codinera or ‘Mang Boy’ to all us, be

accorded with an award that speaks volumes of his stature as a distinguished softball and baseball player who did us proud not only in Asia but around the world. The man truly deserves it,” said PSA president Riera Mallari of The Standard.

Past recipients of the award bestowed by the country’s oldest media organization, which turns 67 this year, include icons such as champion coach Virgilio ‘Baby’ Dalupan, boxing referee Carlos Padilla, former International Olympic Committee representative to the country Frank Elizalde, one-time FIBA-Asia secretary-general Mauricio ‘Moying’ Martelino and the late basketball great Carlos Loyzaga.

Codinera, who will celebrate his 77th birthday this March, is just one of a handful of awardees to be honored on this night when world boxing champions Donnie Nietes, Nonito Donaire Jr., and rising golf star Miguel Tabuena will be presented with the Athletes of the Year trophy.

The gala night also presented by the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Basketball Association, MVP Sports Foundation, Smart, Maynilad, Accel, Globalport, Rain or Shine, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp., Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, Senator Chiz Escudero, and SM Prime Holdings, will be hosted by Quinito Henson and Patricia Bermudez-Hizon.

Codinera was also a member of the Philippine team that won a bronze medal in the 1966 World Amateur Baseball Championship held in Hawaii.

The father of basketball star Jerry, and ex-PBA players Harmon and Pat, Codinera also played for the Blu Boys that won the Asian Men’s Softball Championship in 1967, 1973, and 1977.

He also steered University of Santo Tomas to four baseball championships and six softball titles in the UAAP. A retired member of the socalled ‘Manila’s Finest,’ Codinera was likewise a member of the celebrated Canlubang Sugar Barons who dominated the Manila Bay Baseball League and the local softball tournaments in the 1950’s all the way to the 70s.

Other than the Athlete of the Year and Lifetime Achievement Award, also to be handed out by the PSA are the President’s Award (Gilas Pilipinas), Ms. Volleyball (Alyssa Valdez), and Mr. Basketball (Calvin Abueva and Terrence Romeo).

Southern aces seek tennis honors

10-Miler. Hiroshi H. Suzuki (center), Executive Vice President of Yakult Phils. Inc. and Michael Ong (right) Director Sales and Planning Division seal a deal with race organizer Rudy Biscocho for the 27th staging of Yakult 10-Miler on March 6, powered by Mizuno and co-sponsored by GoodAH!!! and Hisamitsu at the CCP complex grounds in Pasay City. The 3K, 5K, and 16K runs are expected to draw 2,000 runners. Registration starts at the Trinoma Mall, SM MegaMall, Bonifacio High Street and SM Mall of Asia Mizuno outlets.

THE best in the south take center stage beginning today (Friday, Feb. 5) as they vie for top honors and ranking points in the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala regional tennis circuit presented by Slazenger at the Consolacion Tennis Club in Laray, Cebu.

The top and rising players from Cagayan de Oro, Zamboanga, La Carlota, Negros Occidental and Cebu, among others, all gear up for a battle royale in various divisions in the girls and boys’ sides of the Group 2 tournament serving as the fifth leg of the circuit sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop.

Tracy Llamas of La Car-

lota, Gennifer Pagente of Cagayan de Oro and Sydney Ezra Enriquez of Zamboanga hope to live up to their top billing as they lead the title chase in the girls’ 18-, 16and 14-and-under categories while National Capital Region’s Macie Carlos seeks to steal the spotlight from the provincial bets in the 12-U side of the PPS-PEPP circuit backed by Asiatraders Corp., exclusively distributor of Slazenger, the official ball of the circuit.

“While we expect the favorites to shine, we also see a number of young and new players to emerge given the depth of the competing field and the interest shown by the young players in every

leg of the circuit,” said Palawan Pawnshop president and CEO Bobby Castro.

Llamas and Pagente are tipped to clash for the 16and 18-U titles with the challenge to come from Shyne Villareal and Kristin Salimbangon in the premier section and Kiana de Asis and Salimbangon in the 16-U category along with Sydney Enriquez, Bless Coderos and Carlos.

Enriquez, meanwhile, gains the top seeding in the 14-U division with Carlos as No. 2 followed by De Asis and Shedel Gica while Carlos, Tiffany Nocos of Cebu, Thalia Suson and Jean Sarap expected to slug it out for the 12-U crown.

F R I DAY : F E B U A R Y 5 , 2 0 16

A15

SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Thailand team defends Superliga title THE Philippine Superliga tries to raise the level of competition with a club team from Thailand coming over to contend for the crown when the 2016 PSL Invitational Cup fires off on Feb. 18 at The Arena in San Juan.

PSL president Ramon “Tats” Suzara yesterday confirmed the arrival of the Thai squad after securing the commitment of the Thailand Volleyball Association.

Suzara, who is also a ranking executive of the International Volleyball

Federation and Asian Volleyball Confederation, has yet to formally identify the Thai team, but said that the club will be coming over for the semifinals to clash with the three qualifiers of this conference which serves as a prelude to the All-Filipino Cup and Grand Prix.

Thailand is a powerhouse in women’s volleyball in the region. In fact, its women’s national team has won the gold medal in the Southeast Asian Games for 12 consecutive times, including the 28th Southeast Asian Games in Singapore, where the Philippines finished fifth.

Among the elite teams in the Volleyball Thailand League are 3BB Nakhonnont, Nakhon Ratchasima, Supreme Chonburi E-Tech and Bangkok Glass—the reigning champion which is

bannered by national team members Pleumjit Thinkaow, Pornpun Guedpard and former PSL reinforcement Wanida Kotruang.

“Our goal is not only to provide excitement, but also to give PSL teams a chance to compete against the best club team in the region and, probably, in Asia,” said Suzara, anticipating another mammoth from start until the very end of this prestigious tourney that will be aired live over TV 5.

“It’s going to be an excit-

ing tournament and it will be interesting to see how our local club teams will fare against our Thais visitors.”

Expected to give the fancied Thai side a run for its money are powerhouses Petron and Foton, who figured in an intense title clash in the Grand Prix last year.

Three-time champion Philippine Army will also be making a grand comeback, while overhauled Cignal and rookie teams F2 Logitics and San Jose Builders are also tipped to come up with

a serious fight.

F2 will be bannered by former La Salle stars Cha Cruz and Stephanie Mercado while San Jose Builders will be built around the stars of the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

“What we have is a very solid cast of teams. The league is very balanced. All teams are strong and capable of advancing to the semis.

But it’s now up to them how they will strategize to keep the crown away from the Thais,” Suzara said

WBC: Canelo’s fight with Khan will be a classic

By Ronnie Nathanielsz

Veteran cage referee Joey Lepiten watches intently as the fighters maneuver for submission in this action in the Balikatan MMA.

Sharma uses Guillotine Choke to crush Filipino foe

By Randy Caluag VISHAL Sharma proved to be an emerging Indian force in mixed martial arts as he easily disposed of his Filipino foe in awesome fashion in the main event of the Balikatan MMA 14 held recently at the Marikina Sports Center.

Fighting out of Budo Kai Do MMA gym based in Punjab, India, Sharma scored a wellorchestrated Guillotine Choke against Bobby Besuna right in the first round of their middleweight fight.

Sharma’s win broke the Indian losing spell and earned him the Main Event and Best Event trophies.

Earlier, his teammates Maanpreet Singh Insan and Gagandeep Sharma dropped their respective matches.

Maic’s Gym fighter Jued Castillo knocked out Insan with a thunderous leg kick, with just 12 seconds gone in the first round to bag the Knock-Out of the Night Award.

Team Iran Greco-Roman fighter Ehsan Mousaei easily won over Sharma via Tapped also in

the first round.

Power-punching Teddie Marie Cruz of Spartacus MMA dominated her opponent from Oman, Sahara Hamayon, with power punches on the way to a unanimous decision win in their female bantamweight fight.

Balikatan organizer Sir Henry Kobayashi was very happy of the turnout of the event, emphasizing the need to put up more amateur events like this to enhance the talents of up-and-coming fighters wishing to go professional.

“Dapat i-welcome ang mga bagong promoter na tulad ko

na sa amateur MMA para mas marami pa kaming matulungang start-up fighters. Ang balikatan ay para sa mga fighters na gumanda ang laro at skills.

Sa kanila rin naman iyun mapupunta pagdating ng araw,” said Kobayashi.

He thanked UGB MMA president Ferdie Munsayac for lending him the UGB cage used in his biggest yet Balikatan event.

In other matches, Spartacus MMA Gym fighter Dick Lopez and Yaw-Yan Batangas Fighter SandipTalwar fought to a split draw.

Elite runners take centerstage in Skyway Marathon THE country’s elite long-distance runners and celebrities take centerstage when the Condura Skyway Marathon 2016 Run For a Hero flags off at 12 a.m. on Feb. 7 in Filinvest City, Alabang.

Leading the A-list of Pinoy marathoners, who will try to unseat the formidable Kenyan runners, are Richard Salano, Alley Quisay, Mary Joy Tabal, Mary Grace Delos Santos and last year’s top Filipino finishers in the 42K race Rafael Poliquit Jr. and Miscelle Gilbuena.

The top male and female finishers in

the 42K Open and Filipino categories will receive P25,000 each. The runners-up will pocket P15,000 and the third placers will get P10,000 apiece.

Cash prizes will also be given away to the Top 3 Open and Filipino finishers in the 21K, while the top 3 10K and 6K Finishers will take home plaques and other goodies from the sponsors.

Also taking part in the annual benefit race are television and movie stars Anne Curtis, Kuya Kim Atienza, Dingdong Dantes, Bubbles Paraiso, Tim Yap, Bianca King, Paolo

Paraiso, Anthony Pangilinan and Maricel Laxa-Pangilinan.

This multi-distance charity race, copresented by ASICS and held in partnership with Summit Natural Drinking Water, Gatorade, Filinvest City Alabang, Inc., LTime Studio, Blue Ant, Salonpas, GoPro, Urban Ashram, The Bellevue Manila, Contel, Takbo.ph, FrontRunner, PinoyFitness, Endurance Magazine, The Philippine Star, The Philippine Daily Inquirer and DZRJ AM has championed various causes since its inception in 2008.

THE World Boxing Council believes the title fight between middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (461-1, 32 KOs), who will be defending his belt for the first time against the twotime former world champion Amir Khan (31-3, 19 KOs) on May 7, as part of the Mexican celebrations for May 5 will be a classic.

The mouth-watering clash will be produced and distributed by HBO Pay-Per-View.

The WBC website reported: “The fight promises to be loaded with power and intensity because the two can punch, fight and they can also box.”

“As champion, I want to face the best fighters, and I am anxious to make the first defense of my title during the May 5th week. Amir has accumulated a lot of experience. He has been a world champion and he’s here at the best moment of his career. The fans will see a wonderful fight this may 7th,” the extremely popular Alvarez promised.

For his part Khan, pledged: “I just couldn’t let the fantastic opportunity to face Canelo pass me by. My goal is to fight against the bigger names and the greatest fighters and that’s why I’m so excited for this fight. I also want to thank my team and Golden Boy Promotions for the opportunity. I know I possess the speed and skills to defeat him. I will give my fans what they deserve “ The clash is expected to push the battle between eight-division champion Manny Pacquiao and Timothy “Desert Storm” Bradley at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on April 9 into the background as the internet sites are abuzz with Canelo-Khan stories.

Meantime, Pacquiao is working hard to get into top physical condition for the Bradley trilogy with trainer Freddie Roach expected to join his training camp on Feb. 13.

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

F R I DAY : F E B R U A R Y 5 , 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

Members, coaches, supporters and management of the SMBeermen celebrate the team’s miraculous title conquest in the PBA Philippine Cup, its second straight.

Well-oiled Beermen want more PBA titles

By Jeric Lopez

SAN Miguel Beer on Wednesday completed the Philippine Basketball Association’s greatest comeback by rising from a 0-3 hole in the best-of-seven Philippine Cup title series with four straight wins to capture its third crown in four conferences and 22nd title overall.

The Beermen are certainly the league’s winningest ballclub, but if you think they are satisfied with what they have achieved so far in the league, then you’re wrong.

“We’ll go at it again next conference. Hopefully, we can win another championship,” said SMB coach Leo Astria, who couldn’t hide his joy following a hard-fought championship series.

After all, history was made by his Beermen, who made the improbable probable.

Kerber unfazed by media hype TURN TO A12

When San Miguel Beer completed its remarkable comeback from a three-loss deficit to win the best-of-seven titular showdown with Alaska, 4-3, in the Philippine Cup, it became just the first team to accomplish that feat in the league’s history and perhaps in all of basketball.

Aside from the glory of winning the Philippines Cup for the second straight time, Austria and his wards certainly appreciated the manner they were able to win

it all this time.

The history they made was something they will cherish and embrace.

“I said that a miracle was just around the corner and it happened,” said Austria moments after the final horn of the finals sounded. “We prayed hard and we’re able to make history. We’re able to show our talent. Zero-3 kami pero nabuhayan pa rin kami. The players just refused to lose. They really wanted to win this championship especially nu’ng nalaman pa na this will be historic.”

Leading the pack for the Beermen in Game 7 was Chris Ross, who notched a conference-high 21 points on a 4-of-6 three-point shooting, five rebounds and five assists in a performance that validated his being named as eventual Finals Most Valuable Player.

“Even when we were down 0-3, we

Obama pays tribute to Muslim Olympian TURN TO A12

just kept fighting and fighting. That’s what we did,” said Ross, whose contributions came in the form of 8.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 1.7 steals averages in the series. His impact, however, went beyond the statistics with his intangibles.

“I will go to battle anywhere with these guys. I couldn’t have done it with a better group of guys.

Everyone believed when we were down 0-3, and it’s just amazing to do it with this group,” Ross said, praising his teammates. “They had faith in me, in my skills, in my abilities. From the coaches’ to the players’ and the bosses’ trust in me, it’s a better atmosphere when everyone has trust in each other.”

With a team like that clicking on all cylinders, the rest of the PBA better watch out, because it’s going to be a long San Miguel Beer dynasty.

PH boxers training with Aussies

By Peter Atencio MEMBERS of the national team were supposed to go to Cuba to train and prepare for Olympic qualifiers for the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

But they are staying for the meantime, training instead with Australian boxers, some of whom have already made the cut to the Olympics.

The Aussies have joined Filipino boxers in their ongoing training sessions at the Philippine Sports Commission Teacher’s Camp Gym in Baguio City, according the Association of Boxing of Alliances of the Philippines executive director Ed Picson.

The Filipinos’ training sessions with the Australian national boxing team are now going on for the last two weeks, revealed Picson, who added in a radio interview that the 11man Australian team is made up nine male and three female boxers.

Picson said the Australians, coached by Kevin Smith, are also preparing for the Olympic qualifiers, which is the AsiaOceania Olympic Qualifiers from March 23 to April 3 in Qia’nan, China.

The Australian team includes Turn to A14

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK FRIDAY: FEBRUARY 5, 2016

RAY S. EÑANO EDITOR

RODERICK T. DELA CRUZ ASSISTANT EDITOR

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

BUSINESS

B1

MRT-7 may face delay again

By Darwin G. Amojelar

THE construction of the P62.7-billion Metro Rail Transit Line 7 may be delayed again, if San Miguel Corp. fails to meet the Feb. 19 deadline to submit financial closure on the project.

Financial closure refers to the process of completing all finan-

cial transactions related to the project.

Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya told reporters San Miguel’s Universal LRT Corp. had yet to submit financial closure after

receiving the performance undertaking for the MRT 7 project from the government in October 2014.

San Miguel, through unit San Miguel Holdings Corp., is a majority-owner of ULC, the proponent of the MRT 7 project.

The issuance of the perfor-

mance undertaking triggered the obligation of ULC to achieve financial closing within 18 months from the receipt of the PU. A performance undertaking represents a recognition of the obligation of the Philippine government through the Transportation Department under the concession agreement, particularly the remittance of semiannual amortization payment in favor of ULC. “The clear deadline is Feb. 19, if they don’t, the Neda board approval will expire and they are required to go back to Neda. So, we are hoping that they can get

the financial close before Feb. 19,” Abaya said.

San Miguel president Ramon Ang earlier said the company aimed to start the construction of MRT 7 project in the first quarter of 2016.

Construction of MRT 7 has been delayed for about seven years, because of the proponent’s failure to secure a performance undertaking from the Finance Department.

MRT 7 involves the construction of a 22.8-kilometer rail system from North Ave. at the corner of Edsa in Quezon City, passing through Commonwealth Ave., Regalado Ave.

and Quirino Highway up to the proposed intermodal transportation terminal in San Jose del Monte City, Bulacan. The project will cover 14 stations.

It also includes the construction of a 22-kilometer road that will connect to North Luzon Expressway near the Bocaue exit.

The railway is expected to serve some 2 million commuters in the northern parts of Quezon and Caloocan cities and the towns of Bulacan province.

ULC also plans to develop 900,000 square meters of commercial space in San Jose del Monte throughout the concession period.

PSe comPoSite index Closing February 4, 2016

8000

Best stock exchange.

8340 7880

The Philippine Stock Exchange Inc. receives the award for Best Stock Exchange in Southeast Asia during the Marquee Awards of the 9th Alpha Southeast Asia Deal & Solution Awards in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Shown receiving the award is PSE chief operating officer Roel Refran from Siddiq Bazarwala, publisher and chief executive of institutional investment magazine Alpha Southeast Asia.

7420 6960 6500

6,652.83 131.35

PeSo-dollar rate

Closing February 4, 2016 48.00 46.00 45.00

P47.775

44.00

CLOSE

43.00

HIGH P47.700 LOW P47.790 AVERAGE P47.753 VOLUME 697.700M

P417.00-P627.00 LPG/11-kg tank P33.30-P40.75 Unleaded Gasoline

oPriceS il P today

P20.40-P23.80 Diesel P34.55-P39.15 Kerosene

Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi quits UCPB purchase bid

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Thursday, February 4, 2016

F oreign e xchange r ate Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

47.8820

Japan

Yen

0.008485

0.4063

UK

Pound

1.459900

69.9029

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128245

6.1406

Switzerland

Franc

0.995025

47.6438

Canada

Dollar

0.726164

34.7702

Singapore

Dollar

0.707814

33.8915

Australia

Dollar

0.713012

34.1404

Bahrain

Dinar

2.661344

127.4305

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266667

12.7685

Brunei

Dollar

0.705318

33.7720

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000073

0.0035

Thailand

Baht

0.027921

1.3369

UAE

Dirham

0.272301

13.0383

Euro

Euro

1.110200

53.1586

Korea

Won

0.000825

0.0395

China

Yuan

0.152059

7.2809

India

Rupee

0.014720

0.7048

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.237023

11.3491

New Zealand

Dollar

0.665602

31.8704

Taiwan

Dollar

0.029871

1.4303 Source: PDS Bridge

By Julito G. Rada BANK of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd., Japan’s largest lender, withdrew its bid for the government’s stake in United Coconut Planters Bank, because of the temporary restraining order issued by the court last year.

The high tribunal issued a TRO, putting on hold the sale of government’s stake in UCPB, which stopped negotiations with interested investors.

UCPB senior vice president and corporate secretary Ildefonso Jimenez said in a news briefing in Makati Thursday BTMU was one of the major entities that showed interest in the government’s stake

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

in UCPB. The Japanese bank instead acquired a 20-percent stake in Security Bank Corp. for P37 billion ($782 million), making it the largest investment by a foreign financial institution in the Philippines.

“It just showed how Bank of Tokyo was serious in entering the Philippine market,” Jimenez said.

“That 20-percent acquisition in Security Bank could have been about 90 percent for UCPB,” he said.

Jimenez said UCPB would continue to look for available options under the next administration on how to strengthen the bank’s financial standing.

“It looks like a status quo this year because once there is a new administration, it could take another year to keep us moving because the recapitalization of the bank might not be a priority of the new leadership… Maybe in 2017,” Jimenez said. “[But] if there are other options within the year, we have to do it.

We are not giving up. If there is something that is possible within the year, we will go for it,” Jimenez said.

One option, he said, could be the filing of a bill for the recapitalization of the bank under the next Congress.

Jimenez said opportunities in 2017 might be a little different,

in terms of the number of banks, both private and foreign, that showed interest to join the UCPB bidding.

Aside from Bank of TokyoMitsubishi, other banks that expressed interest to join the bidding for UCPB stake were EastWest Banking Corp. of the Gotianun group, Security Bank, the Henry Sy-led BDO Unibank Inc., Union Bank of the Philippines of the Aboitiz Group and the Philippine National Bank of tycoon Lucio Tan. Jimenez said UCPB would need P15 billion to P37 billion to recapitalize it and meet the capital requirements imposed by Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

FRIDAY: FEBRUARY 5, 2016

B2

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

The STandard BuSineSS daily STockS review Thursday, February 4, 2016

52 Weeks

Previous

High Low 7.88 75.3 124.4 107 56.5 2.49 4.2 17 30.45 10.4 2.6 890 1.01 100 1.46 91.5 361.2 57 180 124 3.26 47 5 1.46 2.36 15.3 20.6 36 65.8 2.97 4.14 21.5 21.6 11.96 9.13 11.8 31.8 109 20.75 15.3 9.4 0.98 241 3.95 4 74 33.9 90 13.26 293 5.25 12.98 6.75 7.03 3.4 4.5 6.3 7.86 238 3.28 0.315 2.18 2.65 234 5.28 1.3 2.17 0.59 59.2 30.05 2.16 7.39 823.5 10.2 84 3.35 4.92 1455 7.5 76 9.25 0.85 17.3 5.53 0.0670 2.31 1.61 84.9 974 1.66 1.39 156 0.710 0.435 0.510 10.5 1.99 41.4 5.6 5.59 1.44 1.48 0.201

STOCKS

Close

High

Low

FINANCIAL 3.11 2.83 44.7 44.5 99.90 97.65 90.50 88.50 35.3 35 2.50 2.50 1.62 1.40 14.32 13.9 16.48 16.12 6.40 6.15 1.74 1.74 570.00 570.00 0.440 0.435 72.5 71.55 0.9 0.9 51.40 51.30 277.6 277 33.2 32.75 144 141.5 56.35 56.30 1.44 1.43 INDUSTRIAL 35.9 Aboitiz Power Corp.

41.15 42 41.2 1.11 Agrinurture Inc. 4.6 4.66 4.53 1.01 Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. 0.64 0.64 0.62 1.86 Alsons Cons.

1.27 1.3 1.26 7.92 Asiabest Group 10.1 10.2 9.8 15.32 Century Food 16.02 16.02 15.9 10.08 Cirtek Holdings (Chips) 19.4 19.42 19.38 29.15 Concepcion 37 37.25 37 1.5 Crown Asia 2.02 2.09 2.02 1.5 Da Vinci Capital 2.1 2.18 1.89 10.72 Del Monte 11.7 11.84 11.6 9.55 DNL Industries Inc. 7.910 8.090 7.840 9.04 Emperador 7.15 7.30 7.15 6.02 Energy Devt. Corp. (EDC) 5.15 5.33 5.16 8.86 EEI 5.33 5.34 5.28 20.2 First Gen Corp.

18.3 19.2 18.36 71.5 First Holdings ‘A’ 56.5 56.85 56.5 13.86 Ginebra San Miguel Inc. 11.04 11.04 11.04 13.24 Holcim Philippines Inc. 13.54 13.60 13.52 5.34 Integ. Micro-Electronics 5.04 5.04 5 0.395 Ionics Inc 2.570 2.650 2.400 207.80 205.00 173 Jollibee Foods Corp.

206.40 LBC Express 8.7 9 8.98 2.3 LMG Chemicals 1.8 1.81 1.8 1.63 Mabuhay Vinyl 2.9 2.9 2.9 33 Macay Holdings 39.65 39.00 33.05 23.35 Manila Water Co. Inc. 24.55 25 24.65 17.3 Maxs Group 14.3 14.68 14.38 5.88 Megawide 5.6 5.55 5.5 250.2 Mla. Elect. Co `A’ 305.40 308.00 305.40 3.87 Pepsi-Cola Products Phil. 2.91 3.05 2.95 8.45 Petron Corporation 6.27 6.60 6.31 3 Phil H2O 2.38 2.99 2.99 3.03 Phoenix Petroleum Phils. 3.60 3.64 3.40 1.95 Phoenix Semiconductor 1.35 1.38 1.32 1 Pryce Corp. `A’ 2.3 2.32 2.25 4.02 RFM Corporation 3.72 3.80 3.75 1.65 Roxas and Co. 2.7 2.7 2.7 161 San Miguel’Pure Foods `B’ 138.7 141 136 1.55 Splash Corporation 2.45 2.46 2.41 0.138 Swift Foods, Inc. 0.143 0.143 0.142 1.02 TKC Steel Corp.

1.08 1.14 0.98 2.09 Trans-Asia Oil 2.10 2.13 2.09 194.6 192.1 Universal Robina 193 152 4.28 Victorias Milling 4.56 4.6 4.55 0.640 Vitarich Corp.

0.6 0.6 0.59 1.2 Vulcan Ind’l.

1.05 1.03 0.98 HOLDING FIRMS 0.44 Abacus Cons. `A’ 0.295 0.315 0.310 48.1 Aboitiz Equity 56.2000 57.2500 56.2000 20.85 Alliance Global Inc. 14.50 14.56 14.36 1.6 Anglo Holdings A 1.06 1.07 0.91 6.62 Anscor `A’ 6.00 6.20 6.00 634.5 Ayala Corp `A’ 655 678 653.5 7.390 Cosco Capital 7.3 7.43 7.3 12.8 DMCI Holdings 11.14 11.80 11.18 2.6 F&J Prince ‘A’ 5 4.98 4.7 2.26 Filinvest Dev. Corp.

4.72 4.82 4.65 837 GT Capital 1243 1271 1250 5.3 House of Inv. 5.30 5.70 5.70 IPM Holdings 9.69 9.70 9.70 49.55 JG Summit Holdings 63.30 65.00 63.25 4.84 Lopez Holdings Corp.

5.23 5.33 5.2 0.59 Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp. 0.54 0.59 0.55 12 LT Group 15.2 15.98 15.2 4.2 Metro Pacific Inv. Corp. 5.33 5.5 5.33 0.030 Pacifica `A’ 0.0290 0.0290 0.0280 1.23 Prime Media Hldg 0.950 1.130 1.100 0.550 Prime Orion 2.020 2.040 2.010 59.3 San Miguel Corp `A’ 71.90 73.50 70.30 751 SM Investments Inc. 810.00 843.00 818.00 1.13 Solid Group Inc. 1.05 1.09 1.06 0.93 South China Res. Inc. 0.76 0.80 0.77 80 Top Frontier 114.000 120.000 113.000 0.211 Unioil Res. & Hldgs 0.2650 0.2950 0.2650 0.179 Wellex Industries 0.2020 0.2050 0.1870 0.310 Zeus Holdings 0.255 0.295 0.260 PROPERTY 6.74 8990 HLDG 7.100 7.220 7.050 0.65 A. Brown Co., Inc. 0.74 0.77 0.72 30.05 Ayala Land `B’ 31.250 32.150 31.350 3.36 Belle Corp. `A’ 2.4 2.45 2.4 4.96 Cebu Holdings 4.43 4.43 4.43 0.79 Century Property 0.495 0.52 0.495 0.97 Cityland Dev. `A’ 1.020 0.960 0.960 0.083 Crown Equities Inc. 0.119 0.118 0.114 2.5 66 88.05 88.1 45.45 1.97 1.68 12.02 19.6 6.12 1.02 625 0.225 78 0.9 62 276 41 118.2 59 2.65

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

MEDCO Holdings Metrobank Natl. Reinsurance Corp.

Phil. National Bank PSE Inc. RCBC `A’ Security Bank Union Bank Vantage Equities

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

SHARES 15,846,733 98,882,060 87,716,532 133,859,701 132,331,243 3,554,324,085 4,023,722,294

2.86 44.65 97.50 89.50 34.9 2.50 1.35 14.1 16.1 6.45 1.67 570.00 0.450 71.1 0.88 50.35 263 32.75 144 56.30 1.42

Close

%

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

3 44.7 99.00 90.00 35.1 2.50 1.48 14 16.12 6.30 1.74 570.00 0.435 72 0.9 51.35 277 33 142.4 56.30 1.44

4.90 0.11 1.54 0.56 0.57 0.00 9.63 -0.71 0.12 -2.33 4.19 0.00 -3.33 1.27 2.27 1.99 5.32 0.76 -1.11 0.00 1.41

345,000 52,800 3,690,430 2,528,600 28,000 8,000 1,052,000 42,600 49,400 20,300 4,000 30 120,000 4,619,990 10,000 46,160 20 359,600 1,089,680 2,360 231,000

41.85 4.65 0.63 1.3 10.2 16 19.4 37.15 2.09 1.9 11.6 7.860 7.28 5.26 5.32 18.92 56.8 11.04 13.58 5 2.500 207.00 8.99 1.81 2.9 39.00 24.8 14.54 5.5 306.80 3.05 6.53 2.99 3.60 1.32 2.25 3.80 2.7 136.8 2.45 0.143 1.09 2.09 194.6 4.6 0.59 1.02

1.70 1.09 -1.56 2.36 0.99 -0.12 0.00 0.41 3.47 -9.52 -0.85 -0.63 1.82 2.14 -0.19 3.39 0.53 0.00 0.30 -0.79 -2.72 0.29 3.33 0.56 0.00 -1.64 1.02 1.68 -1.79 0.46 4.81 4.15 25.63 0.00 -2.22 -2.17 2.15 0.00 -1.37 0.00 0.00 0.93 -0.48 0.83 0.88 -1.67 -2.86

1,582,000 909,000 283,000 440,000 600 149,700 91,200 416,200 301,000 13,012,000 59,800 4,427,900 359,000 24,713,000 245,100 16,395,600 58,250 300 19,600 13,400 18,716,000 977,580 22,300 160,000 1,000 2,900 929,000 765,500 27,200 53,860 176,000 6,391,600 9,000 616,000 408,000 557,000 200,000 2,000 17,340 356,000 300,000 167,000 2,876,000 1,472,010 22,000 37,000 126,000

0.315 57.2500 14.46 1.07 6.20 678 7.41 11.80 4.72 4.80 1250 5.70 9.70 65.00 5.25 0.55 15.7 5.38 0.0290 1.130 2.020 73.40 840.00 1.09 0.80 120.000 0.2700 0.2050 0.285

6.78 1.87 -0.28 0.94 3.33 3.51 1.51 5.92 -5.60 1.69 0.56 7.55 0.10 2.69 0.38 1.85 3.29 0.94 0.00 18.95 0.00 2.09 3.70 3.81 5.26 5.26 1.89 1.49 11.76

930,000 742,610 6,150,100 153,000 6,100 340,650 545,700 4,397,100 106,300 171,000 28,730 100 2,400,000 1,294,620 3,337,300 287,000 16,028,100 17,178,200 15,400,000 43,000 1,915,000 1,085,950 428,840 52,000 22,000 174,230 9,050,000 110,000 1,850,000

7.100 0.76 32.000 2.43 4.43 0.510 0.960 0.117

0.00 2.70 2.40 1.25 0.00 3.03 -5.88 -1.68

2,452,000 641,000 20,308,800 391,000 60,000 2,560,000 3,000 300,000

52 Weeks

Previous

High Low

STOCKS

Close

0.69 10.96 0.97 2.22 2.1 1.8 5.94 0.180 0.470 0.72 31.8 2.29 4.9 21.35 1.06 1.62 8.59

0.415 2.4 0.83 1.15 1.42 1.27 4.13 0.090 0.290 0.39 22.15 1.6 3.1 15.08 0.69 0.83 5.73

Cyber Bay Corp.

Double Dragon Empire East Land Global-Estate Filinvest Land,Inc. Interport `A’ Megaworld MRC Allied Ind. Phil. Estates Corp.

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

10.5 66 1.09 14.88 28.5 15.82 0.1430 5.06 99.1 12.3 2.6 7.67 1700 2720 8.41 70.5 1.97 119.5 12.5 0.017 0.8200 2.2800 12.28 3.32 95.5 1 15.2

1.97 35.2 0.63 10.5 18.2 8.6 0.0770 2.95 56.1 10.14 1.6 4.8 830 1600 5.95 17.02 1.23 102.6 8.72 0.011 0.041 1.200 6.5 1.91 3.1 0.650 6

0.62 1.040 6.41 4 185 22.9 3486 0.760 2.28 46.05 90.1

0.335 0.37 3 2.28 79 4.39 2748 0.435 1.2 31.45 60.55

11.6 0.85 10 0.490 1.9

7.59 0.63 5 0.315 1.14

2GO Group’ ABS-CBN APC Group, Inc. Asian Terminals Inc. 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. Grand Plaza Hotel Harbor Star I.C.T.S.I. IPeople Inc. `A’ IP E-Game Ventures Inc. Island Info ISM Communications Leisure & Resorts Liberty Telecom Manila Broadcasting Manila Bulletin Melco Crown Metro Retail MG Holdings NOW Corp.

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

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

SSI Group STI Holdings Travellers Waterfront Phils.

Yehey

0.0098 5.45 17.24 25 0.330 1.19 1.62 9.5 4.2 0.48 0.420 0.440 0.022 0.023 8.2 49.2 4.27 1.030 3.06 7.67 12.88 10.42 0.040 420 9

0.0043 1.72 6.47 9.43 0.236 0.85 0.77 5.99 1.17 0.305 0.2130 0.2160 0.013 0.014 3.240 18.96 2.11 0.365 1.54 5.4 7.26 2.27 0.015 115.9 3.67

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

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

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

TA Petroleum

64,640.00 -10,228,357.50 80,130,040.00

70 553 8.21 1060 1047

33 490 5.88 997 1011

-2,130,579.00 58,000.00

84.8

75

ABS-CBN Holdings Corp.

Ayala Corp. Pref `B1’ GMA Holdings Inc. PCOR-Preferred A PF Pref 2 PNX PREF 3B SMC Preferred C SMC Preferred D SMC Preferred E SMC Preferred F

2,273,090.00 36,580,507 -47,966,150.00 -17,580.00 -7,250.00 4,854.00

43,500.00 -6,845,382.50 -757,387.00 8,940,750 -43,794,450.00

5,405,740.00 215,530.00

779,076.00 -207,566.00 -1,302,515 -3,233,840.00 -546,426.00 -2,057,932.00 -1,746,347.00 -14,600,031.00 -33,224,324.00 245,453.00

-12,415,350.00 56,267,876.00

21,125,085.00 80.00 -6,470,050.00 220,500.00 -19,922,449.00 -1,800,000.00 -397,890.00 -253,910.00 33,720.00 -1,139,730.00

-46,859,994.00 81,900.00

4,870,482.50 -11,452,766.00 36,780.00 117,792,435.00 790,695.00 4,206,456.00 568,210.00 -9,812,055.00 -15,813,499.50 43,505.00 -147,573,824.00 39,847,147.00

-5,500.00 14,319,990.00 52,710.00 8,468,110.00 95,150.00 -106,320.00 290,800.00

6.98

0.8900 LR Warrant Alterra Capital Italpinas Xurpas

12.88

5.95

130.7

105.6 First Metro ETF

High

VALUE 1,237,941,512.166 1,257,671,608.20 1,457,238,679.62 1,463,077,130.43 839,836,251.60 430,661,052.2353 6,708,772,001.256

FINANCIAL 1,512.74 (up) 12.50 INDUSTRIAL 10,545.62 (up) 107.53 HOLDING FIRMS 6,278.42 (up) 159.67 PROPERTY 2,698.53 (up) 62.02 SERVICES 1,482.31 (up) 23.25 MINING & OIL 9,771.67 (up) 542.15 PSEI 6,652.83 (up) 131.35 All Shares Index 3,813.75 (up) 69.78 Gainers: 134; Losers: 42; Unchanged: 31; Total: 207

Close

0.410 20 0.840 0.90 1.47 1.26 3.27 0.074 0.2650 0.310 24.50 1.48 2.99 20.85 0.76 0.890 4.040

%

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

0.415 0.405 0.405 20.55 20 20.2 0.850 0.840 0.840 0.93 0.90 0.92 1.51 1.47 1.50 1.27 1.25 1.25 3.48 3.35 3.47 0.075 0.074 0.075 0.2600 0.2220 0.2600 0.365 0.340 0.365 26.00 23.80 26.00 1.49 1.47 1.49 3.04 3.04 3.04 21.25 20.60 21.00 0.78 0.76 0.78 0.920 0.880 0.910 4.260 4.060 4.240 SERVICES 6.4 6.4 6.2 6.3 54.5 56.2 54.5 54.8 0.410 0.450 0.410 0.440 10.06 10.1 10.08 10.1 20.05 28.5 28.45 28.45 4.25 4.42 4.22 4.22 0.0410 0.0410 0.0410 0.0410 3.22 3.22 3.08 3.2 75.5 77.5 75.5 77.15 9.96 9.99 9.96 9.99 1.61 1.61 1.61 1.61 5.99 6.00 5.85 5.85 980 955 955 955 1810 1858 1826 1855 6.50 6.60 6.44 6.60 17.58 17.58 17.58 17.58 1.16 1.18 1.18 1.18 56 57 56.1 56.3 11.96 11.26 11 11.24 0.0080 0.0086 0.0081 0.0086 0.143 0.165 0.140 0.154 1.1600 1.2000 1.1500 1.1800 7.29 7.38 7.20 7.30 4.10 4.15 4.03 4.15 18.00 18.00 18.00 18.00 0.500 0.550 0.510 0.550 2.18 2.27 2.08 2.14 3.33 3.50 3.38 3.40 0.250 0.250 0.250 0.250 0.710 0.730 0.710 0.720 4.50 4.50 4.50 4.50 2.4 2.4 2.39 2.4 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 20.30 20.65 20.30 20.65 2088.00 2154.00 2102.00 2136.00 0.385 0.390 0.390 0.390 0.700 0.730 0.700 0.710 33.50 33.95 33.50 33.65 60.20 60.55 59.90 60.25 4.92 5.09 4.90 5.00 3.14 3.36 3.18 3.18 0.410 0.430 0.405 0.420 3.74 3.77 3.7 3.76 0.320 0.340 0.340 0.320 3.970 4.000 3.960 3.960 MINING & OIL 0.0041 0.0044 0.0041 0.0041 1.65 1.90 1.70 1.90 4.00 4.49 4.01 4.30 11.50 12.50 10.50 12.50 0.203 0.206 0.201 0.206 0.49 0.49 0.49 0.49 0.380 0.385 0.380 0.385 6.36 7.29 6.38 6.80 0.610 0.780 0.640 0.730 0.255 0.265 0.260 0.265 0.169 0.189 0.169 0.178 0.195 0.200 0.195 0.199 0.0099 0.0110 0.0100 0.0110 0.012 0.012 0.012 0.012 1.63 1.94 1.63 1.82 4.59 5.2 4.79 5.09 2.5 2.81 2.54 2.6 0.4450 0.4850 0.4450 0.4850 1.1100 1.2000 1.1100 1.1600 3.40 3.44 3.40 3.44 4.12 4.82 4.25 4.68 1.44 1.60 1.45 1.51 0.0100 0.0100 0.0100 0.0100 121.20 125.60 120.00 124.50 1.88 1.96 1.9 1.9 PREFERRED 54.4 55.35 54.4 54.5 530 528 528 500 6.05 6.02 6.02 6.02 1025 1025 1025 1025 1027 1034 1025 1025 108 108 107.9 108 82.3 83 82.3 82.3 78.5 78.2 78.2 78.2 78 78.05 76.5 77 79.4 79.5 79.4 79.5 WARRANTS & BONDS 2.530 2.770 2.530 2.530 SME 3.28 3.49 3.17 3.49 2.5 2.52 2.45 2.46 12.7 12.92 12.7 12.8 EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 106.5 107.9 107.1 107.9

T op g ainerS STOCKS

Low

-1.22 1.00 0.00 2.22 2.04 -0.79 6.12 1.35 -1.89 17.74 6.12 0.68 1.67 0.72 2.63 2.25 4.95

820,000 327,700 62,000 1,625,000 3,282,000 560,000 64,382,000 180,000 240,000 150,000 7,730,000 99,000 1,000 14,969,200 2,129,000 1,088,000 9,473,000

20,650.00 639,410.00

-1.56 0.55 7.32 0.40 41.90 -0.71 0.00 -0.62 2.19 0.30 0.00 -2.34 -2.55 2.49 1.54 0.00 1.72 0.54 -6.02 7.50 7.69 1.72 0.14 1.22 0.00 10.00 -1.83 2.10 0.00 1.41 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.72 2.30 1.30 1.43 0.45 0.08 1.63 1.27 2.44 0.53 -5.88 -0.25

35,000 263,540 260,000 45,200 1,800 9,899,000 8,400,000 121,000 665,840 1,700 3,000 22,700 20 81,675 62,700 200 1,000 1,054,100 6,380,000 6,000,000 36,510,000 1,322,000 6,900 95,000 100 44,000 25,388,000 1,556,000 60,000 3,754,000 6,000 21,000 10 96,500 110,385 180,000 14,858,000 414,400 831,280 843,000 8,600,000 2,440,000 292,000 490,000 91,000

0.00 15.15 7.50 8.70 1.48 0.00 1.32 6.92 19.67 3.92 5.33 2.05 11.11 0.00 11.66 10.89 4.00 8.99 4.50 1.18 13.59 4.86 0.00 2.72 1.06

3,191,000,000150,000.00 536,000 4,859,000 -5,947,890.00 9,600 400,000 10,000 220,000 30,700 172,287,000 -2,400,540.00 200,000 30,330,000 3,620,000 61,270.00 73,000,000 23,000,000 12,000.00 1,902,000 -136,650.00 23,749,000 19,714,020.00 1,311,000 110,000 160,000 20,000 6,725,000 -4,607,240.00 4,572,000 -1,310,390.00 14,500,000 -32,000.00 793,110 6,586,715.00 98,000 -5,880.00

0.18 -5.66 -0.50 0.00 -0.19 0.00 0.00 -0.38 -1.28 0.13

494,350 264,000 100 320 13,090 1,010 31,100 4,400 213,310 95,740

0.00

480,000

6.40 -1.60 0.79

126,000 99,000 380,600

1.31

156,340

2,301,850.00 -11,732,780.00

-33,990,700.00 -7,450.00 -68,812,985.00 -10,267,520.00

-12,295,630.00 -5,078,811.50

33,239,400.00

-22,908,622.00 -35,709,000.00

7,360.00

702,840.00 995,200.00 -144,000.00 -1,000.00 485,880.00 122,854,440.00 -70,200.00 9,230.00 10,225,080.00 -2,790,261.50 14,820.00 -1,291,250.00 -998,760.00

-12,246,500.50

-484,720.00 265,200.00 -2,202,150.00

3,773,000.00

T op L oSerS Close (P)

Change (%)

STOCKS

Close (P)

Change (%)

Berjaya Phils. Inc.

28.45

41.90

Da Vinci Capital

1.9

-9.52

Phil H2O

2.99

25.63

IPeople Inc. `A'

11.24

-6.02

Ferronickel

0.730

19.67

Waterfront Phils.

0.320

-5.88

Prime Media Hldg

1.130

18.95

Cityland Dev. `A'

0.960

-5.88

Phil. Realty `A'

0.365

17.74

Ayala Corp. Pref `B1'

500

-5.66

Apex `A'

1.90

15.15

F&J Prince 'A'

4.72

-5.60

Philex `A'

4.68

13.59

MEDCO Holdings

0.435

-3.33

Zeus Holdings

0.285

11.76

Vulcan Ind'l.

1.02

-2.86

Marcventures Hldgs., Inc.

1.82

11.66

Ionics Inc

2.500

-2.72

Manila Mining `A'

0.0110

11.11

FEUI

955

-2.55

FRIDAY: FEBRUARY 5, 2016

B3

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

Stocks bounce back; Ayala up THE stock market bounced back Thursday as oil prices boosted commodity producers and disappointing US data spurred speculation the Federal Reserve will delay raising interest rates.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index climbed 131.35 points, or 2 percent, to 6,652.83 on a value turnover of P6.7 billion. Gainers swamped losers, 134 to 42, with 31 issues unchanged.

Conglomerate Ayala Corp. rose 3.5 percent to P678, while unit Ayala Land Inc., the second-big-

gest builder, advanced 2.4 percent to P32.

SM Investments Corp. of retail tycoon Henry Sy gained 3.7 percent to P840, while banking unit BDO Unibank Inc. added 1.5 percent to P99.

First Gen Corp. of the Lopez Group gained 3.4 percent to

P18.92, while Nickel Asia Corp., the biggest nickel producer, surged 10.9 percent to P5.09.

The rest of Asian stocks, meanwhile, surged Thursday while the dollar held most of its losses as the turmoil on global markets lowers expectations the US will hike interest rates again this year.

Hong Kong was up 1.4 percent in the afternoon and Shanghai ended 1.5 percent higher. Sydney closed up 2.1 percent and Seoul was 1.4 percent up, while Jakarta saw sharp runs.

However, Tokyo finished 0.9

percent in the red as exporters were hurt by the yen’s rise against the dollar.

Energy firms, for so long beaten down by the collapse in commodities, led gains as fresh hopes for talks between Russia and Opec on cutting output lit a fire under crude prices.

The gains are the latest in a volatile cycle that has characterized the start of 2016 as traders fret over the state of the global economy, the slowdown in China’s growth and the oil rout.

And those worries are feeding through to the US economy,

which has so far been the standalone healthy performer in recent months. Data Wednesday showed growth in the country’s key services sector—which accounts for 80 percent of economic activity—slowed for a third month in January, with weakness across the board.

Earlier this week Federal Reserve Vice Chair Stanley Fischer said the global turmoil had the potential to trip up the US economy and the central bank was closely watching events as it considered monetary policy.

With AFP, Bloomberg

Manila

Crush I’M on the road this week. Taking time out with family and friends who live far away. Work intervenes but, for the most part, it is time for relaxing and recharging.

Since I am on vacation, I thought it would be a great time to finally write about the topic I have always told friends I would write someday. Now, before you move forward, I warn you it will sound funny and seem trivial. But give it a chance.

After all, so many of us spend so much time with this game, we might as well get a little something out of it.

So here we go. Life lessons from all the different varieties of Candy Crush.

Focus Focus on the goal. Each stage of candy crush has a particular goal within a particular constraint. The goal could be finding hidden objects, or clearing space, or achieving a particular objective such as popping a set amount of bottles. Methods that work for one goal do not necessarily work on other goals. Not keeping the end in mind means losing a valuable life point. While life points, like energy, replenish, they are always in short supply and take time to replenish.

One of the most common mistakes in the game is to focus too much on eliminating challenges leaving no more resources available for the actual goal. This happens in real life as well.

We often focus on side issues and fritter away our most valuable resources: time, attention, energy.

Keep track of your resources. Each stage of the game is played with a stated constraint, and, often, a secondary objective. The method that works for a time-constrained stage is very different from the method necessary for a stage that is limited by number of moves. One requires speed and allows for errors. The other requires analysis and careful planning. This is true in life as well. Most of our goals must be accomplished within certain constraints and under certain conditions. We have very few projects that have unlimited budgets or time.

Don’t let yourself get distracted away from the goal. In the game, much like in life, there are two kinds of distractions. There are the sparkly, tempting distractions of being able to make special items. Unfortunately, these cool items don’t necessarily contribute to achieving the goal, much like the latest cool gadget or cutting edge software isn’t necessarily part of the most effective solution. The other distraction is the negative elements, those elements that attack and grow over time and threaten to overcome game play. In life, we often have to choose between battling criticism, loss of faith, or other negative elements. Ignoring negative elements could, of course, lead to our losing the entire project. However, any resource utilized towards containing a negative element is a resource that

cannot be used to further the goal. It is important to be able to isolate the negative elements that are trivial and don’t affect the outcome of a project, from those that are critical to project success.

Method Sometimes the solution is far away from the problem. In candy crush, one of the most common stages is essentially about clearing a particular spot on the board. A common mistake is to look only at that spot of the board. While it is extremely important to not be seduced by moves that create rewards that do not further the goal, occasionally, a special tool in an area of the game away from the key area can create a truly powerful set of tools, powerful enough to change the entire field of play. In business, it is very important to focus on the business and not get distracted by matters that don’t help the business. However, occasionally, there are developments that change the entire industry. Just think of the Internet and its effects on computing and communication. Imaging what would have happened to Microsoft had it insisted on its initial opinion that the Internet was simply a fringe phenomenon, and nothing to get too excited about.

Keep track of opportunities. In candy crush, much like other games, there are special items.

Each special item will do different things. Of course, the most special items are most difficult to gain. Being able to detect when a special item might be feasible is important because there are many stages that can only be conquered with the use of special items. Being too quick to move, not first examining other alternative moves is an easy way to lose an opportunity to create a special item. This happens in real life as well.

Know your tools. While there are some special items that seem all powerful, combinations can be more powerful. Depending on the goal, certain items and combinations are preferred. For example, a fish is often a good way to target a particularly difficult square in the game. However, in many stages, including when the goal is to find something hidden, the fish will not always go directly to the hidden object. It is important to establish early on how the fish will behave. In life, there are many occasions when we have occasion to work with conditions or individuals whose reactions are different depending on the circumstances. Homework is essential.

Some things are just bad for you. My sister says she stopped playing candy crush when it started using chocolate as the negative thing that spreads and makes game play difficult. The thing is, in real life, there are many things that are seductive and enjoyable but are actually truly bad for us. Identifying them and learning to conquer them is an important skill.

So there you go. Seven life lessons from candy crush. From my spare time to yours. Put a little sweet in your life.

••• Readers can email Maya at integrations_ manila@yahoo.com. Or visit her site at http:// integrations.tumblr.com.

Standard TOYOTA FINANCIAL SERVICES PHILIPPINES CORPORATION TODAY 32nd Floor

G. T. Tower International, Ayala Avenue corner H. V. dela Costa Street,Salcedo Village, 1226 Makati City

STATEMENT OF CONDITION As of December 31, 2015 ASSETS Due from Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas P Deposit in Banks GS Purchased Under Reverse Repurchase Agreement with BSP GS Purchased Under RRA Sold Under Resale Agreement Loans and Receivables (Net) (Long-Term Portion of P31,030,877,523) Available-for-Sale Securities (Net) Real Estate for Sale/Lease (Net) Real Property, Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment (Net) Real and Other Properties Acquired (Net) Other Assets (Net) TOTAL ASSETS P

6,680,000,371 1,038,412,911 0 0 32,339,931,212 1,000,000 0 72,548,574 86,186,008 4,060,305,477 44,278,384,553

LIABILITIES Bills Payable Accrued Taxes and Other Expenses Other Liabilities TOTAL LIABILITIES

P

P

34,492,598,832 333,064,327 5,083,323,689 39,908,986,848

CAPITAL ACCOUNTS Capital Stock Retained Earnings Sub - Total Less: Treasury Stock TOTAL CAPITAL ACCOUNTS

P

P

1,700,000,000 2,669,397,705 4,369,397,705 0 4,369,397,705

TOTAL LIABILITIES AND CAPITAL ACCOUNTS

P

44,278,384,553

P

COMMITMENT AND OTHER CONTINGENT ACCOUNTS Other Contingent Accounts Note: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

P

0

Held for Trading Securities comprise of Government Securities of P0 and Equity Securities - Common Shares of P0 Non-performing loans and ratio to total loan portfolio: P P 592,028,784 ;1.51% Classified loans and other risk assets: P 1,509,999,234 General loan loss reserve: P 381,271,225 Specific loan loss reserve: P583,003,810 Return on equity (ROE): 12.50% DOSRI loans/advances and ratio to total loan portfolio: None Past due DOSRI loans/advances and ratio to total portfolio: None

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES) We, Ma. Fe S. Medrano, Assistant Vice-President and Atsushi Murakami, President of the above-mentioned NBQB, do solemnly swear that all matters set forth in the statement of condition are true and correct to the best of our knowledge and belief.

(Sgd.) MA. FE S. MEDRANO Assistant Vice-President

(Sgd.) ATSUSHI MURAKAMI President

SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN to before me this 26th day of January 2016, affiants exhibiting to me their Driver’s License No. N0410001084 issued at Manila and Passport No. TG8260436 issued at Japan.

Doc. No. 3 Page No. 2 Book No. 6 Series of 2016

(Sgd.) ATTY. JACQUELINE O. CORTEL Commission No. M-420 Notary Public of Makati City Until December 31, 2016 Suite 1015, 10F Cityland Condominium 10 Tower 1 Ayala Ave. cor. H.V. dela Costa Street, Makati City Roll No. 40522/04-11-96 IBP Lifetime member No.03177; 12-16-03; RSM Chapter PTR No. 4871732; 03-16-15; Makati City MCLE Compliance No. IV-0021366 Issued on July 22, 2013

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FRIDAY: FEBRUARY 5, 2016

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

Govt debt jumps P219b to P5.95t IN BRIEF

By Gabrielle H. Binaday

GOVERNMENT’S debt Laguna Water allots P1.4b jumped P219 billion, or 3.9 LAGUNA Water, the largest water and used water service provider in Laguna, said Thursday it will percent, to hit P5.954 trilspend P1.4 billion this year to expand its services in the province. lion as of end-2015, as the Laguna Water’s concession agreement was amended last year, allowing the company to extend weak peso pushed up the its water and used water services from the original concession areas covering the cities of Biñan, value of foreign obligations.

Cabuyao and Sta. Rosa to the entire Laguna province.

Laguna Water said bulk of the budget this year would be used for water source development, water network expansion and improvement and rehabilitation projects.

The company also started the construction of the Laguna Well Field project, a P1.6-billion water facility, which aims to provide as much as 100 million liters of water per day by the middle of 2015.

Laying and installation of 13 network expansion lines are also being implemented to support the distribution of water to the expected 24,000 new service connections by the end of 2016.

Anna Leah E. Gonzales

Maynilad to add customers

Data from the Treasury showed the national government’s debt increased from P5.735 trillion recorded as of end-2014.

It said that on a month-on-month basis, government debt also increased 0.03 percent, or P1.92 billion from November’s level.

The Treasury said despite the increase in the absolute value of government’s debt, the country’s capacity to settle the debt improved last year.

It said that as a percentage of the gross domestic product, government debt fell to

44.8 percent in 2015 from 45.4 percent of GDP in 2014. It also dropped 7.6 percentage points from 52.4 percent of GDP in 2010, which marked the start of the Aquino administration.

“The Philippines is fully committed to a proactive liability management strategy to keep our debt structure resilient. I am optimistic we can further trim down our debt-to-GDP ratio, which from 52.4 percent in 2010 has narrowed to 44.8 percent in 2015, a 7.6-percentage-point difference,” Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima said.

“The improvement in the debt-to-GDP ratio, a usual measure of sustainability, can be attributed to the sustained accelerated pace of economic growth in tandem with disciplined fiscal spending that moderated borrowing requirements for the year,” Purisima said.

Domestic debt increased P63.78 billion, or 1.7 percent to P3.884 trillion as of end2015 from P3.82 trillion in the same peri-

od in 2014. Relative to November 2015 figure, domestic debt decreased 0.3 percent, or P11.33 billion due to the net redemption of government securities amounting to P11.35 billion.

Foreign debt climbed 8.1 percent to P2.07 trillion as of end-2015 from P1.914 trillion a year earlier. Month-on-month, external obligations grew 0.6 percent, or P13.25 billion from November.

The Treasury said this was due to the combined effect of net availments worth P3.81 billion and peso depreciation as the dollar- and third currency-denominated debt gained P2.18 billion and P7.26 billion in local currency valuation, respectively.

“A challenging external environment calls for consistent discipline in making sure productive debt works in our favor.

We will continue to stretch average maturities reasonably [now at 10 years] and keep a healthy preference for domestic financing [now at 67 percent],” Purisima said.

WEST zone concessionaire Maynilad Water Services Inc. said it plans to increase its water service connections by an additional 38,000 this year.

Maynilad said this would translate to around 270,000 more customers who would enjoy reliable supply of potable water.

Maynilad added 30,472 new accounts last year, effectively servicing an additional 208,818 people in its service area.

This brings Maynilad’s total number of accounts to 1,265,625, with Valenzuela, Manila, Imus and Bacoor being the areas with the highest number of new connections as of December 2015.

About 9 million people in the west zone receive 24-hour water supply at an average pressure of 7 to 16 pounds per square inch. Anna Leah E. Gonzales

2 plants to open in Iloilo TWO large power projects are expected to be completed in Iloilo by the second half of the year, adding 285 megawatts to the Visayas grid.

Latest Energy Department data showed the first 135-MW unit of Palm Concepcion Power Corp.’s coal project in Barangay Nipa, Concepcion, Iloilo was scheduled for commercial operations in the second semester. The company also plans to put up a second 135-MW unit.

Palm Concepcion is a joint venture between Palm Thermal Consolidated Holdings Corp., a whollyowned subsidiary of A. Brown Company Inc. and Jin Navitas Resource Inc. “The target start of testing and commissioning is on the last quarter while the commercial operation is on track by second quarter of 2016,” A. Brown earlier said.

Panay Energy Development Corp., a unit of Global Business Power Corp. is also set to start commercial operations of the 150-megawatt coal plant expansion in Barangay Ingore, Lapa, Iloilo City in August. The company plans to start testing and commissioning in July. Alena Mae S. Flores

Luxury travel seen growing THE tourism sector aims to generate P7 billion in visitor arrival receipts over the next three years from the luxury segment, a local group of luxury destinations provider said Thursday.

S8 Exhibition Inc. is staging the second Asia Premium Travel Mart, a venue for buyers and sellers that promote premium inbound tourism in June 2016.

“When we say luxury, it is at the very least premium, since we also have what we call the ultra premium. We promote prime destinations in the Philippines to travelers who have the capacity to spend at least P70,000 per capita for an average stay of two weeks,” S8 and APTM president Fe Abling Yu said in a news briefing.

Most tourists spent an average of P53,000 per capita, per trip last year. ATPM is targeting visitors that can spend 200 percent more the average spending.

The travel mart expects to improve luxury traveler arrivals by 15 percent to over 100,000 in three years from 10,000 in 2015. Othel V. Campos

Red Ribbon bullish THE global emerging middle-class population is expected to grow from 565 million to 3.5 billion by 2030, 85 percent of which will be in Asia, according to Eden Strategy Institute.

In the Philippines, the number of middle-class households is set to grow 41.8 percent between 2015 and 2030, reaching 8.4 million by 2030. The market is expected to enjoy an enhanced capacity for discretionary spending as the average disposable income is set to reach $11,429 or about P600,000 in 2030. This represents a 70-percent increase compared with the median disposable income in 2014.

“All these suggest that the future looks bright for the country’s EMC market,” said Zinnia Rivera, general manager of Red Ribbon. “Spending power of consumers is now increasing.”

“With the booming number of potential consumers, Red Ribbon is more than ready to serve them and be part of their lives,” Rivera said.

Red Ribbon, one of the country’s leading bakeshop chains, has over 300 stores nationwide.

Teleperformance awardees. Teleperformance, the world’s leading provider of outsourced customer experience management services, recognizes 30 employees during the Blue Diamond Club Awarding Ceremony at Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati City. Teleperformance Philippines managing director Travis Coates (third row, seventh from left) and other officials are shown with the 30 awardees from the company’s 16 sites nationwide, who best exemplify the core values of integrity, respect, professionalism, innovation and commitment.

No work, no pay should apply to legislators IT WAS mortifying to witness such blatant rudeness displayed by these so-called solons who unceremoniously adjourned the session just as Bayan Muna Party List Representative Neri Colmenares was about to read his resolution seeking to override President BS Aquino’s veto of the proposed law that would have increased the Social Security Service pension by P2,000. Worse, the sound technician turned off the microphone – adding to the humiliating moment.

One of our stoolies swore Colmenares looked like he was about to cry and we couldn’t blame the Congressman—because we too, and the dozens of senior citizens who endured hunger and patiently waited for the session to begin, hoping to at least have their concerns aired over the vetoed proposal, feel like crying. And it’s not just the brazen display of bad manners that many take exception to – it’s also the absenteeism by these congressmen, which is why only a few bills were passed.

If we remember correctly, one Mindanao representative only logged in four days out of a total 70 sessions, perhaps thinking he has an excuse to be absent because he was busy flexing his muscles in preparation for a more physical activity (mental exercises may be challenging for him, a naughty buddy smirked) that has given the Philippines global attention. And now this guy wants a national position saying absenteeism will not be an issue since his AOR—area of responsibility—will be the entire Philippines.

But that’s just the thing—what right do they have to be in Congress if they cannot give the necessary attention to the task of legislating? Some of course give the alibi that they are busy interacting with their constituents—who say otherwise, claiming that they hardly ever see their congressmen.

Just as ordinary wage earners aren’t paid when they don’t show up for work, these congressmen should also be compensated following the “no work, no pay” policy imposed by employers. After all, we the taxpayers are the ones paying for the salaries and huge perks (cash and otherwise) these people are getting, and for what?

For looking like a couch potato at the House of Representatives?

Unfortunately, we cannot always have Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach visiting the House of Representatives to make sure that attendance is almost 100 percent.

Special seminar to reduce administrative costs Business administration expert Enrico Mina, who obtained his Doctor of Business Administration degree from the De La Salle University Graduate School of Business and served as senior lecturer and director of Executive Master of Business Administration Program at Papua New Guinea University of Technology, will be conducting a special seminar on Feb. 23 at the RCBC Plaza in Makati on “How to reduce Admin costs.”

Administrative expenses, also called office-related expenses, are often regarded as necessary evils. Businesses cannot do without them but cannot see how they can directly contribute to productivity, competitiveness and profitability. The seminar aims to educate participants on how to control and reduce administrative costs without disrupting operations, while at the same time improving office productivity and contributing to the organization’s mission.

At the end of the course, participants are expected to: • Explain that all administrative or office work, just like manufacturing and service operations, are performed through processes with six interrelated elements and that a failure in any causes mistakes, high costs and delays.

• Learn the concept of “muda” or waste and how it applies to an office environment.

• Learn specific techniques, adapted from manufacturing and service operations, for improving office productivity and efficiency.

For more details/inquiries and reservation, call 503-3001, 4701055 or call/text mobile numbers 0917-3057276, 0927-8263177.

You may also email: info@powermaxph.com or visit www.powermaxph.com.

••• 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 : F E B R U A R Y 5 , 2 0 1 5

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CESAR BARRIOQUINTO EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Tokyo’s pandas to try for a baby TOKYO—Two giant pandas at Tokyo’s Ueno Zoo have been given some private time in a bid to create a romantic environment in which the bashful creatures can mate.

Public viewing was halted on Thursday in the hope that male Ri Ri—who zookeepers confirmed has looked friskier in recent days— will take advantage of the fleeting window that the female Shin Shin is in heat.

“There’s really only a couple of days a year when a panda can get pregnant,” a spokesman from Ueno Zoo’s education department told AFP. “Pandas are solitary animals and the only time you will see them together is the mating season.

“Usually, they just sit apart from each other chewing their food, but Ri Ri has been looking more amorous of late.”

The cuddly creatures, both 10 years old, have a choice of two rooms in which to snuggle up to each other, although officials insist they will not interfere with the courting process.

“There is a spare recreational room for them out the back,” said the spokesman. “But we won’t be giving them any special food or dimming the lights for them.

“Nobody knows what kind of mood to create for animals to feel romantic,” he added. “They don’t just get into the mood with soft lighting like humans.”

Shin Shin, who was brought from China five years ago, just before the devastating tsunami in Japan’s northeast, gave birth to a baby in 2012 but the cub died from pneumonia six days later.

She had a phantom pregnancy in 2013 and the pandas have not bred since.

Giant pandas are notoriously clumsy at mating, with males said to be bad at determining when a female is in the right frame of mind and often befuddled at knowing what to do next.

In the event the animals do feel compatible, sex is frequently over too quickly to impregnate the female, who is only receptive to the proposition for two or three days a year between February and May. “It’s true the females are picky,” the zoo spokesman said. “In their natural habitat, they get to select the male.” AFP

WORLD Biggest ever trade deal set to challenge China AUCKLAND—The biggest trade deal in history was signed Thursday, yoking 12 Pacific rim countries in a US-led initiative aimed at wresting influence from booming China.

Donor conference. Pakistani activist for female education and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai arrives at the QEII center in central London on February 4, 2016, to attend a donor conference entitled ‘Supporting Syria & The Region’. World leaders gather in London on Thursday to try to raise $9 billion (8.3 billion euros) for the millions of Syrians hit by the country’s civil war and a refugee crisis spanning Europe and the Middle East. AFP

The ambitious Trans Pacific Partnership aims to slash tariffs and trade barriers for an enormous 40 percent of the global economy—but pointedly does not include Beijing “TPP allows America—and not countries like China—to write the rules of the road in the 21st century,” US President Barack Obama said after the pact was signed in New Zealand.

The deal—whose birth was fraught by domestic opposition in the US and in other key players, such as Japan—is a key plank of Obama’s so-called “pivot” to Asia as he seeks to counter the rising power of China.

Along with a re-balancing of the US military machine towards the western Pacific, the TPP is recognition of the growing might of China, which has come to dominate the region, threatening American influence.

Supporters of the deal say harnessing the power of free trade in such a dynamic part of the world is vital if the US is to fend off China’s challenge to its supremacy.

Trade ministers from 12 participating countries—Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States and Vietnam—signed the pact in Auckland early Thursday.

Beijing was muted in its reaction to the deal, saying its officials were studying the 6,000-page document.

A commerce ministry statement said China would “actively participate in and facilitate highly transparent, open and inclusive free trade arrangements in the region”.

Despite Obama’s comments, the US has also sought to play down any overt anti-China rhetoric.

US trade representative Michael Froman, in Auckland, said the

agreement was “never directed against” any specific country and “it’s important to have a constructive economic relationship” with China.

Although the signing marks the end of the negotiating process, member states still have two years to get the deal approved at home before it becomes legally binding.

“We will encourage all countries to complete their domestic ratification processes as quickly as possible,” New Zealand Prime Minister John Key said.

“TPP will provide much better access for goods and services to more than 800 million people across the TPP countries, which make up 36 percent of global GDP.” However, ratification may prove far from easy, notably in the United States, where poisonous electionyear politics are likely to stymie co-operation over a deal opponents have spun as a job killer.

“It’s highly unlikely [ratification] before the national elections in November,” Tom Switzer of the University of Sydney’s US Studies Center told AFP. “In an election year, free trade is not a popular cause, and there are a lot of constituencies in both the Democratic Party and the Republican Party who are very much opposed to free trade or any kind of trade deal.”

In Japan—the second biggest economy in the bloc, and one that was a relative latecomer to the process—mainstream politicians and economists have generally supported the TPP as positive for Tokyo’s export-driven growth even amid concerns over its impact on its prized agriculture industry. AFP

Probing the dark world of ‘Crime and Punishment’ SAINT PETERSBURG—Inside an old Saint Petersburg apartment that was once home to Fyodor Dostoyevsky, a new exhibition plunges visitors into the dark and complex world of “Crime and Punishment”, shedding new light on one of Russia’s greatest literary works 150 years after its publication.

Located in the heart of Russia’s former imperial capital, the exhibit explores the depths of a

novel which won critical acclaim when first published in 1866 and went on to become one of Dostoyevsky’s best-known works.

Entering the museum, the visitor is literally immersed in the novel whose full text is plastered over the walls, vying for space with an array of paintings, sketches, documents and antiques from 19th century Saint Petersburg where the story is set.

First published in serial form in a literary journal, “Crime and Punishment” tells the story of Rodion Raskolnikov, an impoverished young man who believes himself morally superior to everyone else and tries to test the limits of his freedom by murdering an elderly pawnbroker.

He is then tormented by his actions, with the novel exploring themes such as the legitimacy of vio-

lence, the limits of freedom and the price of human life—quintessential hallmarks of Dostoyevsky’s works and of Russian literature as a whole.

Translated into multiple languages and adapted for the silver screen in a string of countries, “Crime and Punishment” is a literary masterpiece that ranks alongside other classics of Russian literature such as Leo Tolstoy’s “War and Peace” (1869) or works

by Pushkin and Gogol.

“You really get the impression you are submerged in the novel,” said 33-year-old Roman Kovchenko as he visited the exhibition with his mother.

“This is my favorite Dostoyevsky novel, it’s the most ‘SaintPetersburg’,” enthuses another visitor, 45-year-old Galina Somova, who says it holds a particular fascination for residents of the city. AFP

R e p u b l i c o f t h e Ph i l i p p i n e s E N E RGY R EG U L ATO RY C O M M I S S I O N S a n M i g u e l Av e n u e , P a s i g C i t y

I N T H E M AT T E R O F T H E A P P L I C AT I O N F O R T H E A P P R O VA L O F T H E S A L E OF VA R I O U S S U B T R A N S M I S S I O N LINES/ A S S E T S O F T H E N AT I O N A L TR ANSMISSION C O R P O R AT I O N ( TR ANSCO) TO L ANAO DEL NORTE ELECTRIC C O O P E R AT I V E , INC. ( L A N E C O ) , A S C O V E R E D BY A L E A S E P U R C H A S E AG R E E M E N T D AT E D 19 D E C E M B E R 2 0 14 N AT I O N A L TR ANSMISSION C O R P O R AT I O N ( TR ANSCO) AND L ANAO DEL NORTE ELECTRIC C O O P E R AT I V E , I N C . ( L A N E C O ) , Applicants. x- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x

E R C C A S E N O . 2 0 15 - 12 8 R C

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HE ARING T O A L L I N T E R E S T E D PA R T I E S: N o t i c e i s h e r e b y ’ g i v e n t h a t o n 0 9 J u l y 2 015 , N a t i o n a l Tr a n s m i s s i o n C o r p o r a t i o n ( T R A N S C O) a n d L a n a o D e l N o r t e E l e c t r i c C o o p e r a t i v e , I n c . ( L A N E C O) f i l e d a n application for the approval of the sale of various sub transmission assets of TR ANSCO t o L A N E C O, a s c o v e r e d b y a l e a s e p u r c h a s e a g r e e m e n t d a t e d 19 D e c e m b e r 2 014 .

In the said applic ation, TR A NSCO and L A NECO alleged, among others, the following: 1.

TR ANSCO is a government- owned and controlled corporation created and e x i s t i n g b y v i r t u e o f R . A . N o . 913 6 , o t h e r w i s e k n o w n a s t h e E l e c t r i c P o w e r I n d u s t r y R e f o r m A c t o f 2 0 01 ( E P I R A) , w i t h p r i n c i p a l o f f i c e a d d r e s s a t t h e T R A N S C O M a i n B u i l d i n g , Q u e z o n Av e n u e c o r n e r B I R R o a d , D i l i m a n , Q u e z o n City;

2.

L A NECO is an electr ic distr ibution utilit y (DU) duly organized and existing under the laws of the Republic of the Philippines, with principal of fice address at 9209 Tu b o d , L a n a o d e l N o r t e , M i n d a n a o , P h i l i p p i n e s ;

3.

By vir tue of Section 8 of the EPIR A , TR ANSCO assumed the electrical transmission functions of the National Power Corporation, and the responsibility of the latter for the planning, construction and centralized operation and maintenance of high voltage transmission facilities, including grid interconnections and ancillar y ser vices;

4.

S e c t i o n 8 o f t h e E P I R A a n d R u l e 6 , S e c t i o n 8 (e) o f t h e E P I R A’s I m p l e m e n t i n g R u l e s a n d R e g u l a t i o n s ( I R R) a l s o m a n d a t e t h e s e g r e g a t i o n o f t h e t r a n s m i s s i o n and sub -transmission functions and assets for transparency and disposal, and a u t h o r i z e T R A N S C O t o n e g o t i a t e f o r, a n d t o t r a n s f e r s u c h s u b - t r a n s m i s s i o n a s s e t s (S TA s) a n d f a c i l i t i e s t o q u a l i f i e d d i s t r i b u t i o n u t i l i t i e s ( D U s) ;

5.

Pursuant thereto, this Honorable Commission promulgated the “Guidelines o n t h e S a l e a n d Tr a n s f e r o f t h e T R A N S C O ’s S u b - t r a n s m i s s i o n A s s e t s a n d t h e Fr a n c h i s i n g o f Q u a l i f i e d C o n s o r t i u m s ” ( E R C G u i d e l i n e s) d a t e d 17 O c t o b e r 2 0 0 3 , a s a m e n d e d b y R e s o l u t i o n N o . 3 , S e r i e s o f 2 0 0 5 d a t e d 17 M a r c h 2 0 0 5 w h i c h s e t f o r t h a m o n g o t h e r s , t h e s t a n d a r d s t o d i s t i n g u i s h T R A N S C O ’s t r a n s m i s s i o n assets from its sub -transmission assets and establish the approval process p r i o r t o t h e f i n a l s a l e a n d t r a n s f e r o f S TA s t o D U s ;

6.

Consistent with the ERC Guidelines, TR ANSCO adopted its own Guidelines on t h e S a l e o f S u b - t r a n s m i s s i o n A s s e t s ( “ T R A N S C O G u i d e l i n e s ” ) [ A n n e x “A” o f t h e A p p l i c a t i o n] a s a p p r o v e d b y T R A N S C O B o a r d R e s o l u t i o n N o . T C - 2 0 0 3 - 0 6 7 d a t e d 2 8 N o v e m b e r 2 0 0 3 [ A n n e x “A - I ” o f t h e A p p l i c a t i o n] , a s f u r t h e r a m e n d e d b y T R A N S C O B o a r d R e s o l u t i o n N o .T C - 2 0 0 4 - 0 0 9 d a t e d 16 M a r c h 2 0 0 4 [ A n n e x “A - 2 ” o f t h e A p p l i c a t i o n] ;

7.

O n 16 J u l y 2 011, t h e C o m m i s s i o n i s s u e d R e s o l u t i o n N o . 15 , S e r i e s o f 2 011 e n t i t l e d “A R e s o l u t i o n A d o p t i n g t h e A m e n d e d R u l e s f o r t h e A p p r o v a l o f t h e S a l e a n d Tr a n s f e r o f T R A N S C O ’s S u b - t r a n s m i s s i o n A s s e t s a n d t h e A c q u i s i t i o n b y Q u a l i f i e d C o n s o r t i u m s ”;

8.

In accordance with the aforesaid ERC Guidelines, and based on a thorough e v a l u a t i o n c o n d u c t e d b y T R A N S C O, i t w a s d e t e r m i n e d t h a t t h e A g u s 6 - Kauswagan 69 kV Line is a sub -transmission asset.

C o p i e s o f t h e R e p o r t r e g a r d i n g t h e n a t u r e o f t h e a s s e t s , L i s t o f S TA s f o r s a l e t o L A N E C O a n d t h e S i n g l e l i n e d i a g r a m a r e a t t a c h e d a s A n n e x e s “ 8 ”, “ c ” a n d “ D,” respectively;

9.

TR A NSCO has clearly established that L A NECO meets the f inancial c apabilit y criteria under Ar ticle IV of the ERC Guidelines in acquiring, operating, m a i n t a i n i n g , u p g r a d i n g a n d e x p a n d i n g t h e s a i d S TA s .

B6

F R I D AY : F E B R U A R Y 5 , 2 0 1 6

CESAR BARRIOQUINTO EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Aussie churches to help refugees

SYDNEY—Australian church leaders Thursday said they would offer sanctuary to asylum-seekers facing removal to a remote Pacific detention camp, vowing to defy the government’s harsh immigration rules.

The asylum-seekers, who were brought to Australia from Nauru mostly for medical reasons, number more than 260 and include 37 babies born in the country and 54 other children, advocates said.

The Anglican Dean of Brisbane, the Very Reverend Peter Catt, said the churches were reinventing the “ancient concept of sanctuary” by opening facilities such as St John’s Cathedral in Brisbane to the asylum-seekers.

Catt told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation the concept of sanctuary was not tested under law,

A t t a c h e d a r e c o p i e s o f t h e F i n a n c i a l Q u a l i f i c a t i o n Ev a l u a t i o n [ A n n e x “ E ” a n d A u d i t e d F i n a n c i a l S t a t e m e n t s o f L A N E C O a s o f 31 D e c e m b e r 2 012 a n d 31 D e c e m b e r 2 013 [ A n n e x “ F ” ] ; 10 .

T R A N S C O h a s l i ke w i s e e s t a b l i s h e d t h a t L A N E C O m e e t s t h e m i n i m u m t e c h n i c a l qualifications of a DU as set for the under the ERC and TR ANSCO Guidelines.

A t t a c h e d i s a c o p y o f t h e Te c h n i c a l Q u a l i f i c a t i o n Ev a l u a t i o n o f L A N E C O [ A n n e x “ G ” o f t h e A p p l i c a t i o n] ;

11.

L A NECO is the only qualif ied DU that is directly c onnected to the Agus 6 - Kauswagan 69 kV Line, as evidenc ed by the at tached List of Connected D i s t r i b u t i o n U t i l i t i e s [ A n n e x “ H ” o f t h e A p p l i c a t i o n] ;

12 .

O n 0 9 J u l y 2 014 , t h e L A N E C O B o a r d o f D i r e c t o r s i s s u e d R e s o l u t i o n N o . 118 , S e r i e s o f 2 014 [ A n n e x “ I ” o f t h e A p p l i c a t i o n] r e l a t i v e t o t h e d e s i r e d a c q u i s i t i o n;

13 .

O n 19 D e c e m b e r 2 014 , T R A N S C O a n d L A N E C O c o n c l u d e d a L e a s e P u r c h a s e A g r e e m e n t [ A n n e x “J ” ] c o v e r i n g t h e s u b j e c t s u b - t r a n s m i s s i o n a s s e t a m o u n t i n g to Thir t y Seven Million One Hundred Thir t y- Nine Thousand One Hundred Nine P e s o s ( P h P 3 7,13 9 ,10 9 . 0 0) , p l u s i n t e r e s t , p l u s t w e l v e p e r c e n t v a l u e - a d d e d t a x (12 % VAT ) w h i c h L A N E C O s h a l l p a y i n t w o h u n d r e d f o r t y (2 4 0) e q u a l m o n t h l y installments;

14 .

T h e s u b j e c t S TA i s v a l u e d i n r e f e r e n c e t o t h e S i n c l a i r K n i g h t M e r z (S K M ) v a l u a t i o n p u r s u a n t t o E R C R e s o l u t i o n N o . 01, S e r i e s o f 2 0 0 9 , a s a m e n d e d . A n exc er pt from the SK M repor t for the third regulator y per iod is at tached as A nnex " K ".,

15 .

F i n a l l y, t h e a p p l i c a n t s a l s o r e s p e c t f u l l y s u b m i t t h e f o l l o w i n g d o c u m e n t s i n c ompliance with the Commission's requirements: a . D r a f t o f t h e D e e d o f A b s o l u t e S a l e [ A n n e x " L" o f t h e A p p l i c a t i o n] ; a n d b . Fr a n c h i s e D e s c r i p t i o n [ A n n e x " M " o f t h e A p p l i c a t i o n] .

16 .

The proposed sale has satisf ied all of the requirements and criteria set by the EPIR A and its IRR , as well as the Commission's Guidelines and TR ANSCO's Guidelines on the Sale of Sub -transmission Assets;

17.

The approval by the Commission of the instant Joint A pplic ation shall pave the way for the at tainment of a refor med electricit y industr y under the EPIR A , which would ultimately best ser ve the interest of the consuming public; and P R AY E R

18 .

The par ties pray that the Commission approve the sale of the sub -transmission assets of the National Transmission Corporation ( TR ANSCO) in favor of the Lanao Del Nor te Electric Cooperative, Inc. (L ANECO), under the terms provided in the Lease Purchase Agreement dated 19 December 2014.

The Commission has set the said application for jurisdictional hearing, pre -trial c o n f e r e n c e , e x p o s i t o r y p r e s e n t a t i o n a n d e v i d e n t i a r y h e a r i n g o n 0 2 M a r c h 2 0 16 ( W e d n e s d a y ) a t n i n e o ’c l o c k i n t h e m o r n i n g ( 9 : 0 0 A . M .) a t t h e L A N E C O M a i n O f f i c e , Tu b o d , L a n a o D e l N o r t e , M i n d a n a o.

A ll persons who have an interest in the subject mat ter of the proc eeding may bec ome a p a r t y b y f i l i n g , a t l e a s t f i v e (5 ) d a y s p r i o r t o t h e i n i t i a l h e a r i n g a n d s u b j e c t t o t h e requirements in the ERC 's Rules of Practice and Procedure, a verif ied petition with t h e C o m m i s s i o n g i v i n g t h e d o c ke t n u m b e r a n d t i t l e o f t h e p r o c e e d i n g a n d s t a t i n g : (1) t h e p e t i t i o n e r ' s n a m e a n d a d d r e s s ; (2) t h e n a t u r e o f p e t i t i o n e r ' s i n t e r e s t i n t h e s u b j e c t mat ter of the proc eeding, and the way and manner in which such interest is af fected by t h e i s s u e s i n v o l v e d i n t h e p r o c e e d i n g ; a n d (3) a s t a t e m e n t o f t h e r e l i e f d e s i r e d .

A ll other persons who may want their views known to the Commission with respect to the subject mat ter of the proc eeding may f ile their opposition to the applic ation or c omment thereon at any stage of the proc eeding before the applic ant c oncludes the presentation of its evidence. No par ticular form of opposition or c omment is required, but the document, letter or writing should contain the name and address of such person and a concise statement of the opposition or comment and the grounds relied upon.

A ll such persons who wish to have a c opy of the applic ation may request the applic ant, prior to the date of the initial hearing, that they be fur nished with a c opy of the applic ation. The applic ant is hereby directed to fur nish all those making a request with copies of the application and its attachments, subject to reimbursement of reasonable p h o t o c o p y i n g c o s t s . A n y s u c h p e r s o n m a y l i ke w i s e e x a m i n e t h e a p p l i c a t i o n a n d o t h e r per tinent records filed with the Commission during the standard of fice hours.

WITNESS, the Honorable Chair man, JOSE VICENTE B. SA L A Z A R , and the Honorable C o m m i s s i o n e r s , A L F R E D O J . N O N , G L O R I A V I C T O R I A C . YA P -TA R U C , J O S E F I N A PAT R I C I A A . M AG PA L E - A S I R I T, a n d G E R O N I M O D . S TA . A N A , E n e r g y R e g u l a t o r y C o m m i s s i o n , t h i s 8 t h d a y o f J a n u a r y, 2 016 a t P a s i g C i t y.

WORLD

“but my hunch is that if the authorities chose to enter the church and take people away, it would probably be a legal action”.

He added: “So this is really a moral stand and it wouldn’t be a good look, I don’t think, for someone to enter a church and to drag people away.”

Asylum-seekers, including children, who try to reach Australia by boat are sent to offshore detention centres in Papua New Guinea and Nauru, where they can be held indefinitely while refugee applications are processed.

They are blocked

from being resettled in Australia even if found to be genuine refugees.

Many of the asylum-seekers brought to Australia from Nauru are being held at Wickham Point, a secure facility near Darwin in northern Australia.

The High Court ruled Wednesday the detention of asylumseekers on Nauru did not breach domestic law, meaning the potential refugees could be returned there in the coming days.

Across Australia, thousands of people protested Thursday against the possible off-shore transfer of the asylum-seekers, carrying signs reading “(Prime Minister) Malcolm Turnbull #LetThemStay”.

A u s t r a l i a n Churches Refugee Taskforce’s Misha Coleman admitted it

Republic of the Philippine

CITY OF NAGA BIDS & AWARDS COMMITTEE INVITATION TO BID FOR THE SUPPLY AND DELIVERY OF AGRICULTURAL MACHINERIES AND EQUIPMENT The City Government of Naga, through the Bottom-up Budgeting (BUB)-DA 2015, intends to apply the sum of Two Million Seven Hundred Forty Five Thousand (P 2,745,000.00) Pesos, being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for the Supply and Delivery of Agricultural Machineries and Equipment for use in the farm mechanization program for corn farmers in Naga City, Contract Reference Number: 2016-008.

Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

Item No.

1

2

3

Qty.

1

1

1

Unit

Items

Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC)

unit

4-rows Corn Planter/Harvester Specifications: pneumatic corn planter, 460-660/700 mm inter-row spacing, 4x13-liter capacity fertilizer hopper, 2x45-liter capacity fertilizer hopper, with metering device, shoe-type furrow fertilizer and seed openers, 30-100mm fertilizer and seed sowing depths, double steel soils press wheels, PTO drive shaft for 540 rpm tractor PTO shaft (min. 25hp PTO power tractor required); 1.26~1.68 ha/h field capacity

1,000,000.00

unit

Flatbed Dryer Specifications: Drying Bin-capacity: 6 tons; overall dimension: 24ft x 12ft x 1,500mm (LxWxH); grain layer thickness: 457mm.; grain holding bin with perforated screen gauge 18; perforation diameter: 2.38mm.; Furnace with Auto Feeder: can stand heat not less than 800C; Fuel: biomass; Computerized Agitator/Mixer with complete accessories, Engine: water-cooled diesel engine; shed canvass; blower: diameter of blower housing: 30 inches; Moisture Meter; Temperature Gauge

850,000.00

unit

4WD Farm Tractor Specifications: Engine, type: direction injection, vertical, water-cooled 4-cycle diesel engine; No. of cylinders: 3; Rated power: 22.9kW based on AMTEC test; fuel tank: 38L; weight: 1,115 kg., with AMTEC test result; Implements: Disc plow: 3x24’, Rotavator: 36 blades; Trailer: heavy-duty (1 ton capacity)

895,000.00

TOTAL

P 2,745,000.00

The City Government of Naga now invites bids for Supply and Delivery of Agricultural Machineries and Equipment for use in the farm mechanization program for corn farmers in Naga City. Delivery of the Goods is required within thirty (30) calendar days. Bidders should have completed, within ten (10) years, from 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 Bidders.

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 open to all interested bidders, whether local or foreign, subject to the conditions for eligibility provided in the IRR of RA 9184. Interested bidders may obtain further information from the City Government of Naga and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below starting from 8 AM until 5 PM. A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders starting on Wednesday, February 5 to 29, 2016, from the Office of the BAC Secretariat c/o City Planning & Development Office, 2nd Floor City Hall Building, City Hall Compound, Naga City, and upon payment of a nonrefundable fee for the Bidding Documents in the amount of Five Thousand (P 5,000.00) Pesos and an Annual Registration Fee of Three Thousand (P 3,000.00) Pesos, and upon presentation of Document Request List (DRL) from PhilGEPS showing your company name.

It may also be downloaded from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the website of the Procuring Entity (www.naga.gov.ph), provided that Bidders shall pay the nonrefundable fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids.

The City Government of Naga will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on Monday, February 15, 2016 at 3:00 PM at City Procurement Office, Ground Floor, City Hall Building, City Hall Compound, Naga City, which shall be open to all interested parties who have purchased the Bidding Documents. Bids must be delivered to the City Procurement Office, Ground Floor, City Hall Building, City Hall Compound, Naga City, on or before Monday, February 29, 2016 at 3:00 PM. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security, either in the form of cash or cashier’s/manager’s check issued by a universal or commercial bank (2% of ABC), or, Bid Securing Declaration (BSD).

Bids will be opened in the presence of the Bidders’ representatives who choose to attend on Monday, February 29, 2016, at 3:00 PM at the City Procurement Office, Ground Floor, City Hall Building, City Hall Compound, Naga City.

Late bids shall not be accepted.

The City Government of Naga reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul the bidding process, and to reject all bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

For further information, please refer to:

AT T Y. N AT H A N M A R A S I G A N Chief of Staf f O f f ice of the Chairman and CEO ( T S - F E B 5 & 12 , 2 016)

MR. FLORENCIO T. MONGOSO, JR. Acting City Administrator, City Hall Compound, J. Miranda Avenue, Naga City Telephone Number: 054-4732240, 054-4723235, Email address: bac@naga.gov.ph, Website: www.naga.gov.ph ( T S - F E B . 5 , 2 016)

(SGD) FLORENCIO T. MONGOSO, JR. BAC Chairperson

would be difficult to move the detained asylum-seekers to the sanctuaries but said if they were, the cases would be managed “in a very sort of confidential way”.

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton said the churches had the right to their opinion but were not above Australian law.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull defended the tough measures on deterring asylum-seekers, saying “one child in detention is one child too many”.

He added: “Our goal is to reduce that (number of children in detention) to zero but the key element in doing so is ensuring that people do not get on people smugglers’ boats and put their lives at risk,” Turnbull told parliament in Canberra Thursday.

The churches’ stance came as the nation’s human rights chief said children being held at Wickham Point suffered high levels of mental illness.

Human Rights Commission head Gillian Triggs said a medical team led by the government-funded body found that “34 percent of the hundreds of children we visited had severe to moderate mental illness compared with two percent for children in the Australian community”.

Of the children aged over eight previously held in Nauru, 95 percent were assessed as at risk of post-traumatic stress disorder, the report released Thursday said.

“These children, most of whom had spent months in Nauru, are among the most traumatized we have ever seen in our 50 years of combined professional experience,” Elizabeth Elliott, one of the paediatricians who accessed the children in October last year, added in a statement.

Those interviewed told doctors of thoughts of suicide and selfharm, while others had already self-harmed, the report said.

“Hell is a hot place and it was hot in Nauru.

In hell you have no quality of life. In hell you have people tormenting you,” a father of a two-year-old and two-month-old said of his fear of being sent back. AFP

F R I D AY : F E B R U A R Y 5 , 2 0 1 6

MOTORING

RAMON L. TOMELDAN EDITOR

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Funky new Nissan Text and photos by Olson Camacho

THERE’s a saying that goes like this: You are what you wear. Or , clothes make the man.

Some people express their uniqueness in the form of fancy clothes, or pricey wristwatches or a collection of rare pairs of shoes. These types of people come to my mind upon seeing the Nissan Juke in all its full glory.

Nissan Philippines Inc. (NPI) pulled out all the stops and shepherded motoring writers for a trip up the surfing capital of the North, -- San Juan, La Union -- for some downtime with the Nissan Juke. With 20 fresh off the boat Jukes, motoring scribes started the road trip to La Union from the Nissan North EDSA dealership.

Officially launched October last year, the Nissan Juke has received quite a good market response considering the flocks of unit

reservations NPI received prior to the actual sales.

This reception is probably because the Nissan Juke is something new to the Philippine automotive market, specially in the segment of compact crossover vehicles. The curvy body lines, the radically new front-end design particularly the distinctive roadheadlight layout, truly capture one’s eye and imprint an exceptional characteristic that would get into you.

Fun to drive

There’s nothing more ex-

act in describing the driving feel of the Nissan Juke than labelling it as a fun and enjoyable drive. Basically, the Nissan Juke has the body rigidity of its bigger Nissan brothers but it surely did not lack flexibility as it gives out a sporty driving feel as well. Driving the Nissan Juke will make one feel the eagerness to step on the accelerator to squeeze as more fun from it but feel secured as well.

Another reason for this is the high-sitting layout that the Nissan Juke has which is more SUV-like that gives a better road visibility.

The cockpit is something to be commended as well for the Nissan Juke. The

sporty bolstered seats which body-hugs passengers on drive as well as the motorbike-inspired instrumental panel give this extra touch of sportiness to the Nissan Juke. Aside from its active side, the Nissan Juke has a sense of practicality to offer as well, for a compact crossover vehicle, the Nissan Juke has spacious interior that could be used in various lifestyle activities.

Techs

As funky as it looks, the Nissan Juke has technological offerings for driving convenience. The new Integrated Control System (ICON) which allows driver to choose modes from which the Nissan Juke

could drive on. I-CON has 3 modes: Normal, Sports and Eco. The modes are quite explanatory but are definitely efficient to use.

In command of the pulling the Nissan Juke’s curvy body is the HR16DE 1.6L DOHC engine mated to a new generation Xtronic CVT transmission.

For the Philippine market, the Nissan Juke is available in 4x2 variant.

Overall, the Nissan Juke is a practical compact crossover machine that serves as a sporty weekend warrior and a late night party mobile suited for the younger set.

And this Nissan, pardon the pun, is no joke at all.

FAST FASTLANE Hit the trails with Overland AS a company which makes it their business to protect and make your SUV look good, Overland recommends that you enjoy your investment and enjoy the roads less traveled with your rig.

Behind every Overland product are specially engineered and designed offroad equipment and gear like grille guards and brush guards that add protection and rugged looks to your vehicle. Bull bars and light bars add an appeal without over-powering the front of your vehicle. Most are made from heavy gauge steel tubing grille guards provides the ultimate custom and aggressive appearance.

You won’t find a more thoroughly designed and manufactured vehicle pro-

tection system than Overland’s line of front, rear, side bumper protection and now the Atlas Series Roll Bar system. Designed to look good and to be functional, the Atlas Series is made of high quality iron, high strength and lightweight material and is available in black or glossy gray color. The Atlas Series also has limited edition version of which only 200 pieces will be made available worldwide.

Engineering a roll bar requires careful consideration of a number of factors to ensure it properly serves its purpose. Factors such as vehicle design, crush rate, accessory fitment, strength, weight and aesthetics are accessed in every Overland roll bar system before it enters production. Overland designs are engineered by people who are active 4-wheelers know first-hand the demands made on protection equipment.

Protect and enhance the capacity of your SUV with Overland. It is available in dealers nationwide.

Suzuki on a roll MAKING the most of the rosy economy and booming automobile industry in the country, Suzuki Philippines flourished in the past fiscal year ending December 2015, driven by numerous car launches and inauguration of new dealerships. The brand inaugurated a total of 10 new dealerships last year. Suzuki Auto Pasig, Suzuki Auto East Avenue, Suzuki Auto Sucat, Suzuki Auto Isabela, and Suzuki Auto Naga are the latest addition to its 3S dealerships. To increase visibility in key areas where the target customers are, SPH also opened five satellite showrooms, in Chinatown, Legazpi, SM San Mateo, SM Masinag, and SM Taytay. The Philippine auto subsidiary likewise broke ground for two service and sales facilities at Sta. Rosa and Biñan, Laguna.

Car launches further elevated SPH’s numbers. Last year saw the arrival of the much-awaited All-New Celerio, which hit it big in the market.

The brand also rolled out updated versions of the Suzuki Swift 1.2, Swift Dzire and the sporty Swift Si. To top it off, Celerio and Ertiga won accolades during the C! Magazine Awards,

while Suzuki Swift 1.2 got the Best Value for Money award at the Auto Focus Media’s Choice Awards. The Suzuki Celerio M/T was also awarded

by Car Awards Group, Inc (CAGI) as the Basic Subcompact Car of the Year and AirAsia Philippines Consumer Award for the Celerio A/T. Compact Category and Ertiga remain top sales drivers The seven-seater compact MPV Suzuki Ertiga has not been dislodged as the bestselling single model of the brand, pitching in 30% to the total 2015 sales figures of Suzuki Philippines. This powerful, costefficient car option for the whole family boasts of folding rear seats, which can easily accommodate large objects that cannot fit in a regular sedan.

Meanwhile, almost half (46%) of total 2015 sales was contributed by the Subcompact and Mini Subcompact Category comprised of Suzuki Swift 1.2, Suzuki Celerio, and the Suzuki Alto. These models embody the Suzuki automotive philosophy: sleek and stylish, with powerful engines at the core. Innovative design and fuelefficiency features also hike up the popularity of these mini cars.

B7

Gray area...

From B8 provoked an estimated 1,400 motorcycle riders from different organizations who converged at the Eton Centris t in protest.

On the Facebook page of Riders Anti-Crime and Emergency Response (RACER), the group cited the double standard style of apprehension and the abuse being practiced by apprehending officers.

LED lamps are allowed by law as long as they are in accordance with Republic Act 4136, Article IV, section 34 which is in force since 1964.

The ruling says that the LTO allows the use of lighting accessories. It has a provision on “Headlights. – Every motor vehicle of more than one meter of projected width, while in use on any public highway shall bear two headlights, one on each side, with white or yellowish light visible from the front, which, not later than one-half hour after sunset and until at least one-half four before sunrise and whenever weather conditions so require, shall both be lighted.”

Additional lamps and light may be carried, but no red lights shall be visible forward or ahead of the vehicle. Trucks, buses, trailers, and other similar vehicles must carry, while in use on any public highway during night-time, colored riding lights on each of the four corners not more than ten centimeters from the top.

All motor vehicles shall be equipped with devices for varying the intensity of light, and the driver must dim the headlights or tilt the beams downward whenever the vehicle is being operated on well-lighted streets within the limits of cities, municipalities, and thickly populated barrios or districts, or whenever such vehicle meets another vehicle on any public highway” For decades, sealed-beam and halogen lights worked reasonably well, but they were always hot, inefficient, and cast what we would consider today a weak and sickly yellowish beam into the intermediate distance. On the downside, the light they cast is slightly yellowish in color, so it doesn’t cast as far down the road given the bulb’s brightness and power consumption.

“It’s becoming ubiquitous,” said Ralph Gilles, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles North America senior vice president of product design. “Everybody is slowly but surely shifting to LEDs.”LED lights are smaller, the strips are bendable and they use less energy than traditional halogen bulbs and is cool to the touch. For example, two LEDs can be formed and fitted to project a smooth line for daytime running lights, complimentary LED fog lamps or in groups to illuminate large areas such as taillights.

Most cars use scores of LED lights on the dashboards and control indicators so the things are everywhere already, and they have massive potential for car lighting. For the same reasons they’re used in computer and TV screens and household lighting as well. LEDs are compact, extremely energy efficient, and can be turned on and off almost instantly.

F R I D AY : F E B R U A R Y 5 , 2 0 1 6

B8

RAMON L. TOMELDAN EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

motoring

GRAY AREA Text by Dino Ray V. Directo III

The vague Joint Administrative Order (JAO) No. 2014-01 issued by the Land Transportation Office regarding the apprehension of vehicles equipped with wangwang, LeD lights and other modifications brings into question issues on safety and nighttime visibility.

The LTO memo supposedly stemmed from the abuse of motorists who use powerful LED lamps to show off or to simply bully others on the road.

While some may agree to this memo, other sectors of the automotive industry counter that it is politically motivated and meant to fatten someone else's election campaign kitty. The contrarians further say that the memo simply disregarded the benefits and safety aspects of the Light Emitting Diode technology which is now a standard

in modern day cars.

A technology once limited to luxury cars, LEDs are fast becoming a must-have for better nighttime illumination. According to a report by the American Automobile Association (AAA), “Halogen headlights "found in over 80 percent of vehicles on the road today, may fail to safely illuminate unlit roadways at speeds as low as 40 mph.”

Most LED lamps and light bars are popular with off-road enthusiasts because they emit a much stronger beam which is crucial when driving off the beaten path. “It provides us with better visibility when trailing or during mercy missions in calamity stricken areas where there are no electricity.

Besides, our LEDs are not flashers or blinking lights,” says Alfonso Makabayan, an avid off-road enthusiast and a club president of an off-road group up North.

“That joint administrative order has been dormant for a long time because of poor implementation and very vague standards set for compliance. I am not against safety; but we don’t know what they mean by ‘modification’, is installing a car tint a violation… because that is a modification since car manufacturers do not supply car tints? Can

LTO memo on LED lamps ‘vague and confusing’

Visibility on the road is enhanced with the use of LED lamps, a feature crucial during mercy missions in calamity-stricken areas, says an off-road enthusiast.

traffic enforcers penalize me,” says Robby Consunji, off-road magazine editor. He goes on to say that to pin the blame on LED lamps is erroneous because LED lights are not unsafe. “It goes wrong when it is used or installed in the wrong way or it is a fake one,

then that is a nuisance,” adds Consunji.

Under that much-dreaded memo, vehicles apprehended will have their lighting systems confiscated and the owner/driver must pay a fine of P5,000. The memo has Turn to B7

F R I D AY : F E B R U A R Y 5 , 2 0 1 6

C1

TATUM ANCHETA EDITOR

BING PAREL

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

BERNADETTE LUNAS

life @ thestandard.com .ph

WRITER

@LIFEatStandard

ST Y L E & BE AU T Y

LIFE

Black glass, brown woodlike and red bangles

LUCKY CHARMS TO HARNESS GOOD LUCK IN THE YEAR OF THE MONKEY PHOTOS BY RAYMOND CELESTINO OF EDGE OF LIGHT STUDIOS

This feng shui coin pendant is said to symbolize prosperity

This Buddha pendant symbolizes abundance, prosperity and good fortune

The Wulu pendant symbolizes good health and long life

W

elcoming the Chinese New Year is always a festive event, with dragon dances, fireworks and rituals to bid the old year farewell and usher in a fresh start.

According to the Chinese Lunar Calendar, 2016 is the year of the Fire Monkey, and according to the theory of fashion feng shui, what you wear this year can help you feel in harmony with yourself and those around you.

Among the animals in the Chinese zodiac, the Monkey is said to be clever, witty and

In China, this jade-like pendant is valued for its beauty and is believed to have powers of healing and protection

playful. Translated into the fashion realm, this means people will be drawn to fun and glamorous styles and dress to attract attention.

The Chinese also believe that there are certain things that can attract good luck, for instance, jade. SM Accessories has stylish pieces associated with good fortune and luck such as jade pendants that carry a sweet, light, and nourishing energy that can feel very healing.

Valued for its metaphysical properties, jade is said to be the ultimate “dream stone,”

Yellow jade is cheerful and energetic, a stone of assimilation and discrimination

revered in ancient cultures and even today because the stone is believed to give one access to the spiritual world, and help you gain insight into ritualistic knowledge. Jade also encourages creativity.

SM Accessories also has bangles that are said to guard against danger and provide positive spiritual aura. There are also various bead bracelets to promote harmony and strength.

Check out these Chinese New Year-inspired accessories available at the Ladies’ Accessories Department of SM Stores.

With jade’s ability to attract good fortune for centuries, this necklace will definitely bring good tidings in the year ahead

F R I D AY : F E B R U A R Y 5 , 2 0 1 6

C2

LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

BAG THAT M NKEY

T

@LIFEatStandard

he Chinese New Year is a shopping spectacle that can actually rival the same Christmas season spirit when it comes to retail displays and promotions. Brands try to outdo each other as the season of buying materials for luck and anything that has to do with the Year of the Monkey enters the scene.

Michael Kors has one of the cutest Lunar New Year campaigns as it focuses its design on the Year of the Monkey for its holiday collection and even teamed up with Brooklyn-based designer and illustrator Jeff Rogers to present its campaign. The selection of Michael Kors products is inspired by travel, and at its center is the well-traveled primate that is the hero for this year. Eight illustrations by Rogers accompany the products in a fun and funky visual campaign with sketches of a cute little monkey traveling around cities like Seoul, Shanghai, Los Angeles, Sydney, New York, London, Paris and Vancouver.

If you’re into accessories, you may also avail of the special monkey charm that will be available in selected MK stores this CNY. Follow the hashtag #MonkeyAround for updates on the campaign.

Shanghai

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.

London

Year of the Monkey charm

New York

Los Angeles

Paris

CHARM YOUR WAY TO A LUCKY YEAR

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harms and amulets have long been used to attract good feng shui. These particular items are believed to help balance energies (yin and yang), attract good fortune and boost one’s luck. They are placed in the right position or worn by the user in the belief that they will bring about favorable results.

Likewise, people try these lucky charms believing they

have really nothing (except for the money used to purchase the items) to lose.

As we celebrate the Chinese New Year on February 8, Yin & Yang Shop Harmony resident feng shui expert Princess Lim Fernandez suggests these items that people can put in their home or office, or bring with them wherever they go to enhance their luck and attract good fortune.

Fortune Tin Luk

Bring into your home this feng shui ornament, which is considered in ancient China to be one of the luckiest along with Pei Yau and Pik Che. Tin means heaven, while Luk symbolizes grace and abundance. Thus, a pair of Tin Luk brings grace and wealth from heaven.

Dragon Emperor Throne

A symbol of power and majesty, this ornament depicts nine dragons that have captured the “pearl of wisdom.” Representing the power of the dragons opens up an abundance of opportunities, greatness, excellence and prominence.

Hippo Guards Lucky Pouch for the Fire Monkey Year

This pouch, which contains a special star stone, will help absorb the negative energy throughout the year.

Carrying this pouch is said to help boost one’s luck.

Cosmic Tortoise

This specially designed piece is a strong and effective feng shui item in minimizing the effects of the “Robbery Star,” one of the bad stars of the year. Aside from its lucky properties, this handcrafted piece, which is made of quality black quartz crystal, makes for a stunning home or office decor.

This ornament is filled with symbolisms that bring about luck in several aspects of life. The tortoise cradling a Crystal Ball stands for strengthening one’s foundation for stability, vulnerability, success and victory over one’s rivals. The Lo Shu diagram on the back of the tortoise is based on Chinese mythology that

explains how the rivers were set in their right courses. The protective shell of the tortoise is symbolically linked with the shield and its defensive characteristics for protection and invulnerability to attacks.

It is said that revolving the Crystal Ball daily improves business acumen and intelligence, and creates an invigorating ch’i (positive energy).

Pow Pow

White Jade Gourd for Safety Ome Pole Keychain

For those who travel frequently or are scheduled to travel several times this year, this amulet promotes road safety throughout the “chaotic” year of the Fire Monkey.

Attract luck and charm your way to an auspicious Year of the Fire Monkey with these feng shui items. They will be available at the 2016 Fore Monkey Regale event happening on February 7 at the Grand Ballroom of the New World Hotel Makati.

Event tickets are available for P3,888 at the Yin and Yang Shop located in the hotel. For inquiries, call (02) 752 5882 or 811 6888 local 3066, or email yinandyangshopofharmony@yahoo.com.

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

DRY SKIN RELIEF FOR THE COOL WEATHER

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he first two months of the year in the Philippines have always been a favorite time of mine, especially because of the weather. It’s cooler in the evenings and there’s always a little bit of a breeze when you’re walking outdoors. People start bringing out some of their dressier POP-UP BEAUTY outfits and layer their clothes quite a bit even though it can still get warm during the day. All in the name of vanity and fashion.

BY JIGS MAYUGA But one thing that can be problematic during this cooler season is the onset of dry skin because of the weather. The cold temperature, though not a low as compared to places where they have winter, can wreak havoc on our skin that is not used to cooler, drier climates. There’s a bit of tightness around the mouth and cheek area after washing the face.

It can get uncomfortable and skin automatically looks dull and lifeless. Breathe life and moisture into your skin with these top picks when it comes to moisturizers and serums that offer intense hydration without the sticky feel.

EMBRYOLISSE Lait-Crème Concentré

www.dtcmakeup.com A global staple among makeup artists and a personal favorite of mine, this concentrated moisturizer immediately relieves dry and dehydrated skin. This creamy lotion is three-productsin-one: primer, moisturizer, and makeup remover. Its formula remains extremely simple and effective with nourishing ingredients that restore the skin’s natural glow and give a boost to tired dehydrated skin. Great for all skin types, a combination of shea butter and emollient oils reconstitutes, rejuvenates, and repairs the skin for a healthy-looking complexion.

KIEHL'S Ultra Facial Cream

SM Aura A 24-hour, light-textured daily moisturizer that leaves skin comfortable and visibly well-balanced.

With a unique combination of ingredients that helps reduce moisture loss while drawing and absorbing moisture from the air. With continuous moisture replenishment throughout the day, skin is left smooth and healthy looking. Formulated with squalane, a signature Kiehl’s ingredient, squalane is a botanical lipid that is similar in molecular structure to natural skin lipids. It has an exceptional affinity to skin, and because it’s easily absorbed, squalane helps restore skin’s natural moisture balance to keep it extra soft and supple.

ORIGINS Make A Difference Plus +

SM Makati This rejuvenating moisturizer fortified with nature’s miracle Rose of Jericho plus a breakthrough lychee and watermelon hydra-sustain complex quenches deeper than ever before to help repair the natural moisture deficiency in dry, dehydrated skin. It is clinically proven to instantly boost skin’s moisture reservoir to keep it hydrated and rejuvenated all day. Rose of Jericho awakens skins ability to capture and hold essential hydration while helping to repair past visible damage from sun and the environment while lychee extract triggers the production of Caspase-14 to dramatically improve moisture production.

BIODERMA HyrdaBio Serum

Watsons Instantly soothe and refresh your skin with this serum for everyday moisturizing care for very dehydrated skin. It offers intensive care with a “flash” hydration effect. Harnessing the innovative Aquagenium® patent which re-stimulates the skin’s ability to moisturize itself effectively, the skin appears brighter and is comforted. The non-comedogenic and hypoallgernic formula is further enriched with 15 percent glycerine and plumping hyaluronic acid, which holds essential water close to the skin.

MAC COSMETICS Studio Moisture Cream

Eastwood Mall Another makeup kit essential, this super-rich, creamy moisturizer boosted with skin-nourishing extracts that help to nurture and hydrate the skin.

Diminishes the appearance of fine lines. Perfect to apply prior to makeup base and foundation so that both products glide on smoothly onto the skin. Boosted with skin-nourishing extracts including passion fruit, spinach leaf, green tea, algae, wheat germ and coconut. Moistens, feeds, firms and protects the skin. Non-acnegenic, too!

Follow me on Instagram and Twitter @jigsmayuga.

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

Jacques Farel Ladies Red face in Stainless steel strap

Giorgio Fedon Ripple Red

@LIFEatStandard

Swarovski Chinese Zodiac – Monkey

Christian Louboutin Loubiposh

Carrera Y Carrera Monkey

Lalique Monkey Vase

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FASHIONABLE PIECES FOR THE CHINESE NEW YEAR

eng shui is an ancient art and science that started in China over 3,000 years ago and is very much practiced today. As the year of the Fire Monkey enters the calendar, feng shui plays an important part in warding off bad luck and attracting blessings and prosperity as well as harmony.

The Feng shui is very much used in home and commercial interiors, but it is also applied in

MONKEY BONE

Carrera Y Carrera created two artful white and yellow rings especially made for the Year of the Monkey and inspired by the amulet of Charles V’s wife, Isabella of Portugal, who believed in the monkey’s mythological power. Isabella used to hang her monkey amulet on the left side of her chest, and it is believed to have given her the strength to rule the Holy Roman Empire and Spain during the king’s absence. Carrera Y Carrera‘s monkey rings carries a matte finish, studded with precious stones, and has a heart at the back of the monkey’s neck. Anyone who wears these exquisite rings will sure exude power as well as attract attention.

IT’S ALL IN THE BAG

Red should be your favorite color this Chinese New Year and if you’re looking for a bold statement, Loewe Puzzle bag bags might be the best focal point for attention. Christian Louboutin’s satchels and wallets are definitely feisty head turners. Attract money with its red studded edgy wallet, and let this Loubiposh do the talking when you go ‘round town for CNY celebrations. Loewe’s red Puzzle bag gives off a young and vibrant energy to welcome the funky year of the monkey. Though the color Marsala is so 2015, it can still be used if you want to wear some red but a little bit on the wine tone; Longchamp Roseau Box Small Tote gives off that classic darker undertone.

TIME STAMP

Sure, everyone is talking about the Limited Edition Apple Watch launched for the Chinese New Year but if you didn’t get your hands on one of those, then look for classic or modern styles that will create time stamps on your wrists this year. Flash a modern minimal design in bold red statement with Giorgio Fedon Ripple Red watch.

If your style is more on the classic stainless finish, opt for designs from Jacques Farel. This red face stainless steel strap doesn’t disappoint.

SHINY MONKEY

Fashionable pieces are not limited to those that you can wear. Harness feng shui and flash shiny and elegant monkeys on your personal space and make it your fashion statement. But not just any monkey; look for classic pieces that exude style as well as opulence.

Lalique Wise Monkey with base black

All items are available at Rustan’s Department Store.

fashion. Lucky elements and pieces of jewelries are recommended to attract good luck. During the Chinese New Year, most people wear red because it symbolizes fortune and luck. This is the year of the Fire Monkey, and this zodiac animal is attributed with a great sense of humor and wit so people will mostly be drawn to wear glamourous clothes or accessories that are fun and often attract attention.

Christian Louboutin Panettone Wallet

We’ve gathered a few items available in Rustan’s to guide you on what to wear for Chinese New Year.

These collectibles are exclusively available at the luxury department store and are sure to attract some lucky energy for anyone who will wear them this year. And if they don’t, well, no one can blame you for looking fab and stylish for the Year of the Monkey.

C5 MasTER phOTOgRaphERs jOIn TEch ExpERTs f RIDAY : f EbRuA RY 5, 2016

SHOWBITZ

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

isahred @ gmail.com

Lady in ukulele, photographed by musician Rico Blanco

A photo by veteran lensman Jun de Leon

Another mobile photograph by JA Tadena

By fashion photographer Jake Vargas

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roving that Filipino brands can also produce world-class quality and innovation, Starmobile has won over a discerning customer base with the introduction of the Knight Series.

The latest in the line-up, the Knight Spectra, features Starmobile’s proprietary Star Cam technology and Dual Rear Camera, which enable users to take awesome photos by allowing them to refocus their images even after shooting, take pictures with the right exposure level even in lowlight conditions, and zoom in on faraway subjects without compromising photo texture and sharpness. The dual rear cameras work together to help users take breathtaking photos. A 2MP sensor

gathers data like light, exposure, and distance, acting as support to the 13MP main sensor that takes brilliant photos quickly and accurately.

Impressing some of the Philippines’ most distinguished photographers After experiencing the Knight Spectra firsthand, veteran lensmanJun De Leon, fashion photographer Jake Verzosa, musician Rico Blanco, and director and cinematographer JA Tadena have become passionate advocates, using the smartphone to capture stunning portraits and majestic scenery.

Continuing the Knight Series’ award-winning streak With features that have taken smartphone photography to new heights, the Knight Spectra was

named by leading tech blog Unbox.ph as 2015’s most innovative Filipino flagship phone and by GizGuide.ph as one of the top 10 smartphones of the year.

These accolades only continue the Knight Series’ award-winning streak that started as soon as it launched in the Philippines in 2013.

The first StarmobileKnight immediately made a mark in the local market, with its beautiful build, solid battery life, and 18MP rear and 8MP front-facing cameras. It went on to get recognition as the best Filipino flagship smartphone from Rappler.com, Unbox. ph, and TheTechnoclast.com.

Its successor, the StarmobileKnight X, was considered as the most powerful Filipino Android smartphone of 2014, receiving

praise as the best local flagship phone from Unbox.ph and as the most advanced Filipino smartphone from TechPinas.com.

Three other models introduced in 2015 strengthened the Knight Series’ game-changing reputation.

The launch of the Knight Vision made Starmobile the first Filipino brand to incorporate cutting-edge Digital TV in its devices, enabling its users to watch and record their favourite TV shows even on the go.

Meanwhile, the thin but mean machine that is the KnightLuxe got a perfect 9/9 score from TV show GMA Pop Talk and was named as one of the top 10 smartphones of the year by technology reviewer DrOntheGo.net.

Lastly, the Corning Gorilla Glass-encased Knight Elite was

recognized by TechPinas.com as the best designed smartphone under P10,000.00. Gorilla Glass is a special type of scratch-resistant glass usually found in more expensive smartphones.

Be a shooting star with the Knight Series Impress your loved ones with your photography skills while enjoying the speed, power, and craftsmanship of your StarmobileKnight smartphone. The Knight Elite and KNIGHT Spectra are both equipped with dual SIM slots, LTE connectivity, Qualcomm Snapdragon Octa Core CPU, and expandable memory.

For more information, visit www. starmobile.com.ph or go to Starmobile’s official Facebook page at facebook.com/starmobilephones.

Miss Universe visits wounded soldiers and hIV patients

MISS Universe 2015 Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach brought cheers to wounded soldiers at the Armed Forces of the Philippines Medical Center (AFPMC) and HIV patients at V. Luna General Hospital in Quezon City during a Charity Day visit on Jan.27.

Accompanied by Bb. Pilipinas Charities, Inc. (BPCI) chairman Stella Marquez Araneta, Wurtzbach shook hands and talked with some 40 soldiers recuperating at Heroes Ward 3A. She offered words of inspiration, asked about their condition and thanked them on their sacrifices to defend the country.

Some of the soldiers were so excited and even felt nervous to see in person the Filipina Miss Universe while Wurtzbach seemed to enjoy hearing about their stories.

Armed Forces deputy chief-of-staff Lt. Gen. Edgar Fallorina thanked Wurztbach for visiting the AFPMC, the first time that a Miss Universe who is a Filipina to take notice of the soldiers’ plight. “Her visit truly boosted the morale and uplifted the spirits of the soldiers as well as their families. We

are really grateful to her for this once in a lifetime experience,” Fallorina said.

Col. Joseph M. Acosta, commander, AFP Medical Center head, said that the Miss Universe visit would be beneficial to the well being of their patients. Wurtzbach was presented with gifts consisted of a patch, a nameplate and Philippine flag. Patients and medical personnel were so happy to have their pictures taken with Wurtzbach. BPCI Wurtzbach also talked and cheered children from Smile Train, an organization providing corrective surgery for children with cleft lips and palates. She also met with some persons who are HIV affected brought to the hospital in time of her visit as part of her activities as Miss Universe under the UNICEF HIV Program Committee.

Wurtzbach has said that she has chosen HIV awareness as one of her two personal advocacies, and she intend to take a HIV test in when she returns to New York to promote its importance and to help take out the stigma of HIV infections.

Miss Universe 2015 Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach comforts Kurt Sebatian Balinagasa, 6, who suffers from biliary atresia, a rare disease of the liver and bile, during her visit at the AFP

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SHOWBITZ

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

isahred @ gmail.com

pEOplE ¼

are talking about

¼

MR. AnD MRs. sOTTO The two started a new chapter of their relationship with their breathtaking wedding last week. While it’s rare to see inspiring love stories in showbiz these days, Vic Sotto and Pauline Luna just proved that two people can grow together (at least in Pauline’s perspective), inspire each other and eventually end up in marriage.

are not talking about

COgIE DOMIngO Well, look who’s back in local tinseltown (again). The Kapuso network drumbeats the return of Cogie after a very long hiatus. His absence in showbiz was too long that only a few people are still familiar with the name. Bueno, let’s see if Buena Familiacould create a buzz and make Cogie’s star shine once more. Don’t get us wrong, we fervently hope that his showbiz comeback would succeed this time.

AngEl AnD luIs This year has been a rough start for showbiz couples. People have witnessed a couple of breakups of late that they are just waiting for Angel Locsin and Luis Manzano to admit they finally called it quits. Although a reliable source said that the pair has already gone separate ways, both Angel and Luis are still saying they’re together. Probably, they’ll drop the bomb when the promo for Angel’s movie with Luis’s mom is finally over.

Newlyweds Vic Sotto and Pauline Luna

DEsTIny ROsE The Ken Chan starrer soap appears to be the only consistent Kapuso afternoon soap in terms of ratings performance. Both AGB Nielsen and Kantar Media surveys agree that Destiny Rose is undisputed in its timeslot consistently beating its direct rival And I Love You So. We guess viewers prefer watching a male in drag rather than seeing two teenage girls simply pitted to be rivals in school and in love.

Young actor Ken Chan as Destiny Rose

JAyDA AvAnzADO She is a big hit on social media hence it would be safe to call her the rising singing star people should look out for this year. With parents who are hitmakers, there is a lot of pressure on the shoulders of the 12-year-old Jayda but after opening the show for The Vamps, where she showcased her impressive vocals, we are positive that it’s going to be easy for her to make it big even without mentioning her parents’ names.

CROssWORD puzzlE

ANSWER FOR PREVIOUS PUZZLE

ACROSS 1 Wisecrack 5 Newscaster Brit — 9 Enthralled 13 Natural impulse 14 Port near Kyoto 16 Beehive state 17 Underway 18 Hurled 19 Lox purveyor 20 Kind of horse 21 T. —

22 Rights a wrong 24 Borodin prince 26 Sun — (horologe) 27 Sighed loudly 30 False charge (3 wds.)

34 Do some garage work 35 Write a program 36 Engage 37 Tyke 38 Packed straw 39 Scale meas.

Cogie Domingo is back in showbiz

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2016

silents 40 On any occasion 10 — — foot pole 42 Paleozoic et al 11 Turn white 43 “Ya dig?”

12 Nearest one (2 wds.)

15 Was in store for 45 Electrical device 23 Frat letter 47 Crows over 25 Ike’s rank 48 Fish alternative 26 Flashy dressers 49 Diary opener 27 “The candlestick 50 Disturb or vex 53 “Crooklyn” director — . . .”

28 Oil source 54 Trickle down 29 Candy stripers 58 Indigo plant 30 Of interest to 59 On both feet Amundsen 61 Russo of 31 Spurns a lover “Tin Cup” 32 Moon track 62 Catch a wave 33 Outdoes 63 Kind of blockade 35 Wassailers’ tune 64 Louts 38 In the middle 65 New singles 41 Thumbs through 66 — E. Coyote 43 — — step further 67 Map a course 44 Pendant jewelry DOWN 46 Earth’s star 1 Thigh muscle 47 Bug on the road 2 Bear up there 3 Disney CEO Bob — 49 Window sticker 50 In short supply 4 Maxing out 51 PC system 5 Dragster 52 Bona — (genuine) (2 wds.)

53 Name in blue jeans 6 Groom’s man 55 Actual 7 “Das Kapital” 56 The skinny author 57 Ant at a picnic 8 Barely manage 60 Like sushi 9 Valentino of the

JulIA ClARETE Love over career? That’s the sweetest thing any person could do to please his or her partner.

Julia did exactly that. She suddenly quit showbiz to settle in Malaysia where her boyfriend is based. Although people are both happy and surprised with her sudden decision, they still don’t buy her explanation that she’s choosing love that’s why she’s leaving her showbiz career for good.

On the rocks: Luis and Angel

f RIDAY : f EbRuA RY 5, 2016

SHOWBITZ

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

isahred @ gmail.com

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Q10 TakEs caRE Of whaT kEEps yOu gOIng Our heart’s main function is to pump blood to the rest of the body. It supplies oxygen and nutrients to the body. Without the heart, your body will stop functioning. That’s why it is of utmost importance to take care of your heart. This is something that is both hard and easy to do. Hard, because there are just far too many temptations around us. And easy, because of the different scientific developments and products that aim to protect your heart for you, like ATC Coenzyme Q10.

ATC Coenzyme Q10 is called “The heart energizer.”

With proper diet and exercise, it helps improve the heart’s ability to pump more blood. It also lowers the viscosity of the blood, making it even easier for the heart to function normally. It functions as antioxidant, which protects body from damage caused by harmful molecules. Still, ATC Coenzyme Q10 is not a medicinal drug and should not be used to treat the symptoms of any disease.ATC Coenzyme Q10 is recommended to be taken 2-3 capsules a day, preferably with warm water. It is available at Mercury Drug and other leading drugstores nationwide for only P18 per capsule.

Dan hIll falls In lOvE agaIn

auDITIOns In manIla fOR‘mIss saIgOn’ from c8 Rachelle Ann Go as Kim in the recent re-staging of Miss Saigon

Cameron Mackintosh announced there would be Open Call Auditions in Manila for various upcoming global productions of Miss Saigon, the record-breaking production that is taking London by storm and opens on Broadway in 2017.

Auditions will be represented and facilitated in Manila

by Bobby Garcia and Atlantis Theatrical Entertainment Group (ATEG).It will be at the Opera Haus (3657 Bautista St., Makati City), in March.

“Miss Saigon’s producing and creative team will be flying in from London to hold auditions for various upcoming global productions of the hit musical. I look forward to working with them in discovering a new generation of Filipino talent to shine on the international stage in Miss Saigon the way Lea Salonga, Joanna Ampil, JonJonBriones and Rachelle Ann Go, among many others, have in the past.” says Garcia who was also an associate director for Miss Saigon.

“We are searching for Kim, The Engineer, Thuy, Gigi

and all Asian roles in the musical. From leads to ensemble, from singers to acrobatic dancers, we encourage performers throughout the Asian region to come to Manila and audition for Miss Saigon.” Adds Garcia.

Trevor Jackson,head of casting for Cameron Mackintosh, said, “Since casting for Miss Saigon began in the mid 1980’s the Philippines has been integral to the show as a place to find exceptional Asian performers of world class ability. Our teams have been returning regularly ever since.

Filipino artists are the heart and soul of this show.”

Miss Saigon, a sung-through musical, features music by Les Misérables collaborators Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil, and lyrics by Boublil and “Closer Than Ever’s” Richard Maltby, Jr. with additional lyrics by Michael Mahler, based on Giacomo Puccini’s popular opera Madame Butterfly.

Audition requirements will be announced soon.

For more information contact (0995) 534-8371 or like the MISS SAIGON 2016 AUDITIONS page on Facebook.

Dan Hill is head over heels in love with Manila. With the many sold-out concerts he has held in the country in recent years there is no question that Filipinos love him back.

This season of hearts, the king of romance returns to Resorts World Manila (RWM) to once again profess his love to his Filipino music fans in a one-night only pre-Valentine concert this Feb. 10, 8 p.m. at the Newport Performing Arts Theater (NPAT).

Exactly a year ago, Dan also spent the month of hearts with his Filipino fans at RWM. This year, another promising performance from the master balladeer will highlight the music fan’s Valentine season.

Who could forget such enduring classics as “Sometimes When We Touch”, “Why Do We Always Hurt The Ones We Love”, and “In Your Eyes” among others? Through the years, Dan Hill has etched his mark as one of the most chart-blazing balladeers of his time and with his trademark deep and powerful voice, the music icon’s illustrious works shine up to this day.

Now, the multi-awarded Canadian singer-songwriter who has contributed to the success of such big name artists as Celine Dion, Rod Stewart, Donny Osmond, Michael Bolton, the Backstreet Boys, 98 Degrees, and many more takes the grand stage of the NPAT for another enchanting night of love songs.

Joining the king of romance for the Valentine show are his special guests, West End Miss Saigon alumna JenineDesiderio, The Mobb Band, The Angelos, with performances by J-Project.

Dan Hill: The King of Romance is presented by Resorts World Manila in cooperation with Redstone Productions.

Tickets are now available at TicketWorld, TicketNet, SM Ticket outlets and at the RWM Box Office.

For ticket reservations and inquiries call (02) 9087700, (02) 4702222, (02) 9115555, and (02) 8919999. Visit www.rwmanila.com for more thrilling entertainment offerings from Resorts World Manila.

DEsIgn haRmOny

Yin & Yang Shop of Harmony ‘s Princess Fernandez-Lim

Princess Lim Fernandez who runs the Yin & Yang Shop of Harmony in New World Hotel Makati, will give her predictions of what will happen during the Chinese Lunar Year of the Fire Monkeyat 1:30 p.m. on Feb. 11.

FengShui Expert Fernandez will talk about the law of FengShui and geomancy’s applications to locations, interior design and furniture. Architects, interior designers, homemakers and those interested in this topic are invited to attend.

Registration is at 1p.m. at The Art Pavilion, 2/F, LRI Design Plaza, 210 Nicanor Garcia St., Bel Air II, Makati City. Registration is free but seats are limited.

Call for pre-registration at contact nos.

0923 812.2184 or 895.1772 or 895.5470

Dan Hill is in Manila for a concert at the Resorts World

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ISAH V. RED EDITOR isahred @ gmail.com

SHOWBITZ

THE ACTRESS IS ALSO AN ARTIST

Heart Evangelista is also an accomplished painter and holds her own artshows in galleries

ISAH V. RED

I

n the art circle, Heart Evangelista is known simply as Love Marie Ongpauco, her birth name, now with Escudero appended being the wife of Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero.

The actress/artist continues to explore her passion for the visual arts. Friday last week, she opened at the ArtistSpace in Ayala Museum Oceans Apart, an exhibition of her new collection of oil paintings that runs up to Wednesday next week.

Her first exhibit at Artist Space two years ago was well received, which is an understatement for the 10-day exhibit simply because it was sold-out on the first hour of the opening day.

In the art circle a “sold-out” solo exhibit for a debut is rather “phenomenal.”Since then, she had two more sold out solo exhibitions – one at the GallerieJoaquin in San Juan and the last was in Singapore, where she received praises from international critics.

Love Marie, a.k.a. Heart Evangelista, has since divided her time between being an actress on screen and television, modeling, product endorsement, wife to a Senator and full time artist.

‘I have always loved painting,” explains Love Marie.

“It’s just that showbusiness came by chance...” And that’s when, as Heart Evangelista, she could not resist the exciting opportunities the business offered her as a teenager.

Looking back, she confidently admits that painting was her first love.While she started painting as a child, she later found it difficult to share herartistic side, a hesitance made even more pronounced by her early celebritystature. “I was afraid that people might come up with critical reactions. “When you’re a public figure, you’re so open to all the criticisms, judgments. It took a lot of courage for me to come out with a painting because I felt napeople might say ‘Ah so ngayon nagpe-paint na siya.’

Nauna yung pagiging conscious ko... I really just had to be confident, brave and fearless to come out with it,” she says.

Still, the artist prevailed.

And the success of her solo exhibit afforded her enough confidence to pursue her passion and seek the sense of fulfillment it would bring.

The experience of being an artist for Love Marie gives her a kind of “high” something she can’t understand.

“The feeling is priceless. I just paint everyday,” she says.

In her previous exhibits, Love Marie creatively explored varying emotions ofwomen, surrounding them with ambiguous shapes and forms and colors that lend her canvas with throbbing vibrancy.

This time, Love Marie delves into her childhood memories of having gonefishing with her father, Rey Ongpauco. “It was kind of our thing. He hadwanted a boy, which is why he brought me along hiking or fishing.

She draws her inspiration from what she remembers from those days. “I love painting fish. It’s just a never-ending flowing idea, a fantasy place with so many colors,” reveals Love Marie, whose aesthetic style carried a hint of Gustav Klimt and influences that

include Paul Klee, Frieda Kahlo, and Juvenal Sanso.

By focusing on fish for this Oceans Apart collection, Love Marie ventures into a favorite subject of art for decades now, from primitive culture toancient civilizations, through the modern times.

There are the decorativerenderings of the Greeks and Romans that had mythological significance.The Realists later depicted marine life that became popular, until theabstractions of modern artists like Matisse, Picasso, Klee, and many more.

The contemporary nature artists tend to paint live fish in idealized settings, astyle with roots in 17th century still life and oriental brush paintings.

Thefish have been an important theme in art and their use has been highly symbolic, as in Japan and China.

The symbolic meaning of fish includes fertility, creativity, femininity, good luck, happiness, and knowledge. In Christianity, the fish serves as a symbol of abundance and faith as observed in the Biblical story of fishes and loavesof bread. There are Biblical references to Christ and his dis-

ciples being”fishers of men,” where man is represented as the transformational fish andthe ocean as the symbol of the abyss of sin in which man finds himself.

In addition, pagan traditions recognize the fish as a feminine symbol offertility.

Water is a natural emblem of the flow of the Divine Mother principal,and as such, all creatures of the water (including fish) are aspects of thefertility and power of the female deity.

There’s so much that Love Marie has to offer, be it instinctively or not,suffice it to say that her dedication for the craft will initially indicate whereshe will bring her audience in this aesthetic journey.

Oceans Apart featuring new works by Love Marie Ongpauco-Escudero will be on display at ArtistSpace of Ayala Museum until Feb.10. ArtistSpace is at the Ground Level, Ayala Museum Annex, Makati Avenuecorner De La Rosa Street, Greenbelt Park, Makati City.

For more informationplease contact Lorraine Datuin, gallery coordinator at(02) 759-8288 or email artistspace@ayalafoundation.org) Continued on C7