the standard - 2015 july 04 - saturday

VOL. XXIX NO. 134 2 Sections 24 Pages P18 SATURDAY : JULY 4, 2015 www.thestandard.com.ph [email protected]

MAGUINDANAO,N. COTABATOLASHED BYHEAVY RAIN

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Aquinodemandsprobe offake rice

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Vitangcol,Ebdanecharged

Ormoc capsizing death toll hits 45By Vito Barcelo

THE death toll from the capsizing of the MB Kim Nirvana rose to 45 people, including an eight-month-old baby and his 13-year-old brother, the Coast Guard said Friday as search and rescue operations continued in the waters off Ormoc City for 11 missing passengers.

At least 124 people have been rescued,

among them three American tourists--Rhome and Chip Nuttall and Larry Drake, the Coast Guard said.

Coast Guard spokesman Armand Balilo said the MB Nirvana had just departed Ormoc City in Leyte province bound for the town of Pilar on Camotes Island, east of Cebu Island, at around 12:10 p.m. Th ursday when it encountered big waves causing it to fl ip over.

In Mindanao, heavy down-pours since June 24 brought heavy fl ooding in Maguindanao province, aff ecting 95,000 resi-dents in 13 towns and shutting

down 32 schools.Th e Offi ce of Civil Defense in

the Autonomous Region in Mus-lim Mindanao placed the number of people aff ected at 19,032 fami-

By Francisco Tuyay

TROPICAL Storm Egay made a sharp southwest turn Friday, putting it on course to pass over Northern Lu-zon, with landfall expected in Batanes by Sunday night or Monday morning, the weather bureau said Friday.

lies or 95,160 individuals in the fl oods that struck 81 barangays of the towns of Ampatuan, Datu Salibo, Sultan Sa Barongis, Rajah Buayan, Datu Abdullah Sangki, Shariff Saydona Mustapha, Bu-luan, Mangudadatu, Pandag, Ma-masapano, Paglat, Northern Ka-buntalan and Datu Paglas.

Th e school shutdowns have aff ect-ed 8,111 students while P6.6 million worth of crops in 859 hectares have been destroyed. Next page

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Rainy in the south. A resident of Mandaue City sets off to catch eel amid the heavy rain in the area and in the Visayas in general that caused the capsizing of ferry that killed 45 people. Inset, rescuers prepare their diving equipment to search for any survivors of the sinking in Ormoc. MICHELLE ALVAREZ ANED / AFP

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Maguindanao Step up safety measures,Chiz advises Coast Guard

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Protest. On the eve of Filipino-American Friendship Day, a women’s group holds a protest near the US Embassy in Manila to denounce what they called a lopsided friendship between the two nations. DANNY PATA

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

SENATOR Francis Escdero remind-ed the Coast Guard Friday that it was granted a P5.6 billion budget this year on condition that it would step up safety inspections of sea vessels and reduce the number of mishaps among the country’s 9,574-strong merchant fleet.

“The targets, to begin with, are al-ready very low, so there’s no excuse for why they can’t be met,” said Escu-dero, who chairs the Senate commit-tee on finance.

Escudero’s remarks came after a motorized outrigger capsized off the Port of Ormoc Thursday, killing at least 45 people.

During the budget process, the Coast Guard vowed to cut maritime accidents by 5 percent from 264 in

2013 to 251 this year.The agency, which is attached to the

Department of Transportation and Communication, also committed to slash marine pollution accidents.

Escudero said given the volume of maritime traffic, it might have been better if the Coast Guard had set higher safety targets.

There were close to 50 million pas-sengers on ships last year. In addition to the merchant fleet, there are 9,437 fishing boats and 202 million tons of cargo passed through Philippine ports in 2013, Escudero said.

“All of the above point to the need to keep our nautical highway safe. And the Coast Guard has a great role to play in seeing to it that indeed it is,” he said.

The senator conceded, however, that given the large area that needs to

be patroled, the Coast Guard needs to beef up both its personnel and its equipment.

For 2015, the Coast Guard said it will patrol 59,088 kilometers of coast in addition to doing traffic cop du-ties on 11,285 kilometers of shipping lanes.

“If it needs more personnel, then it should fill up the 1,037 vacant posi-tions,” Escudero said.

The Coast Guard has an autho-rized troop ceiling of 7,730, but only 6,693 of these positions are filled.

Escudero said a Coast Guard modernization program should be drafted, legislated and funded.

Part of the program, he said, is the acquisition of aircraft that are needed in search-and-rescue op-erations.

In the House, Pasig City Rep.

Roman Romulo demanded to know why the passengers of the motorized outrigger that cap-sized in the waters of Ormoc were not provided individual life vests upon boarding.

“The authorities need to get their act together. This tragedy clearly betrays the messy enforcement of, and haphazard compliance with simple maritime safety standards, in a country that relies heavily on sound inter-island sea travel to move people and conduct trade,” Romulo said.

The capsized banca MBCA Kim-Nirvana-B was carrying 178 people plus sacks of rice and cement. The light vessel was headed to Pilar town in Camotes Islands, Cebu, when it en-countered big waves and capsized soon after it left Ormoc. With Maricel V. Cruz

[email protected]

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news

CHINA TOLD TO RESTRAIN SELF

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Bishop

Tug-of-war

Trooping the honor line. Philippine National Police officer-in-charge Leonardo Espina salutes the colors as he troops the line during a testimonial parade in his honor at the Philippine Military Academy where he graduated 34 years ago.

“The Philippines reiterates its se-rious concern on China’s massive reclamation activities and planned construction of facilities in those features. These activities cause ir-reparable damage to the marine en-vironment and marine biodiversity of the region,” the Department of Foreign Affairs said.

The DFA said China’s reclamation and construction activities “grossly violate” the 2002 Asean-China Dec-laration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and may serve to escalate the disputes and undermine efforts to promote peace, security, and stability.

“The Philippines calls on China anew to heed calls from the region and the international community to exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities pursuant to Paragraph 5 of the DOC,” the department added.

Harry Roque, director of the UP Law Center’s Institute of Inter-national Legal Studies, described as “worrisome” China’s construc-tion of artificial islands in Johnson South Reef, its expansion of its arti-ficial island in Fiery Cross reef, and its deployment of naval forces to ward off any opposition.

The Philippines has already lodged an arbitration case against China be-fore the United Nations International Tribunal on the Law of the Seas, which Beijing refused to acknowledge.

“These constructions are happen-ing in the face of China’s snub of the arbitral proceedings that precisely impugn China’s legal rights to do so,” Roque said. “Clearly, China’s conduct is not only illegal but is also contemptuous of the proceedings.”

The United States has described China’s efforts to build military facilities on reclaimed disputed is-lands as “troubling” and plans to raise the issue during annual talks in Washington this month.

Daniel Russel, assistant US sec-retary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, was responding to a Chinese statement saying the coun-try would complete island-building efforts “in the upcoming days.”

Construction of military and civil-ian facilities on the new and expand-ed islands would continue, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

“The recent announcement out of Beijing that the Chinese gov-ernment intends to continue and expand the construction of facili-ties on the reclaimed outposts that it’s been constructing in the South China Sea is troubling,” Russel said.

“Frankly, we’re concerned, and others are concerned,” he added.

Washington will levy its protest during the Sino-US talks, which are slated to start Monday and include Secretary of State John Kerry and Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang.

China’s island-building program, which has reclaimed 2,000 acres of land, three-quarters of that amount since December, has upset smaller neighbors with competing territo-rial claims such as the Philippines.

By Vito Barcelo and Bloomberg

The Philippines has raised the alarm anew over China’s massive reclamation activities in disputed territories in the South China Sea, calling on Beijing to “ex-ercise self-restraint.”

“Kaya mayroon po tayong sense of urgency hinggil diyan at yan lang naman ang dahilan kung bakit desedido si Pangulong Aquino na maisulong yung prosesong pan-gkapayapaan sa loob ng kanyang panunungkulan (That’s why there is a sense of urgency regarding that matter and that’s the reason why President Aquino is firmly decided to push for the peace process within his term),” Coloma added.

Critics had questioned the consti-tutionality of the BBL, which seeks to create a Bangsamoro political en-tity that would replace the Autono-mous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

Bagaforo on Friday urged Aquino to let the next President pass the BBL into law.

The prelate said he believes that there is a need for the national gov-ernment to hold more consultations as the BBL has allegedly several con-stitutional infirmities.

“Sana ang Pangulong Aquino ay huwag magmadali at hayaan niya ang susunod na administrasyon sa pagsasabatas ng panukala (I hope President Aquino will not rush to pass the BBL but instead let the next administration to make this into law),” Bagaforo said in a Church-owned Radio Veritas interview.

Bagoforo appealed to the govern-ment to hold more consultations with government lawyers, Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) legal entities, Congressmen, Sena-tors, former chief justices, Deans of

law School and Philippine Constitu-tional Assembly (Philconsa).

“The problem was that when they were crafting it they kept it under wraps,” the prelate said, adding that while the measure was being draft-ed, it was clear that there were no participation from lawmakers.

He also said that this is why this is not the right time for lawmakers to follow Aquino’s order to submit the BBL this year, because the pro-posed law was haunted by “doubts, complains and rejections” by several critics and individuals.

“Klarong-klaro na maraming con-stitutional infirmities na implikasyon sa pagbago ng Constitution. Pangal-awa, parang kapag ginawa ang BBL magiging federalism na, parang cart before the horse, horse muna ayusin muna natin yung klase ng gobyerno natin (It is clear that there are several constitutional infirmities in amend-ing and changing the constitution. Second, once the BBL is passed, our r government will become a federal one. This is like putting the cart be-fore the horse. We should take care of the horse first and we should fix the kind of government that we have,” Bagaforo said.

Coloma, however, rejected Baga-foro’s claims, saying that ever since the BBL was crafted, the national government has long been explain-ing the details and provisions of the measure and even held several con-sultations among involved parties and stakeholders.

The Palace official maintained that the BBL does not violate the 1987 Constitution, as it even as-sembled a high-profile study group to analyze the BBL.

“Lahat po ng anggulo, lahat ng aspeto na patungkol sa pagtalima sa Konstitusyon ay masusing pinag-aralan at patuloy pa rin po itong pinag-aaralan,” he said.

He added that the President has formed a National Peace Council to look into the constitutionality of BBL and found that, through the leadership of former Chief Justice Hilario Davide, the BBL is in line with the 1986 Constituion.

“Pareho lang po ang kanilang opinyon na sa kanilang pagsusuri tumatalima naman ang Bangsam-oro Basic Law na isinubmit na po natin sa Kongreso. Ganunpaman, kinikilala po natin na ang ating mga mambabatas ay mayroong tungku-lin na tiyakin din yung constitution-ality ng lahat ng batas na kanilang ipinapasa, kaya iginagalang po na-man natin lahat ng kanilang pagsisi-kap sa aspetong ito,” Coloma added.

The BBL has not been passed before Congress adjourned its session last June 11. Congress will open July 27, the same day that Aquino will deliver his final State of the Nation Address.

Coloma said that the Aquino ad-ministration is willing to coordinate with the lawmakers and come up with a consensus.

“Open naman po tayong makip-agtalakayan sa kanila, pakipag-un-awaan. Kasi po importante rito mag-karoon tayo ng pagkakaunawaan at pagkakaroon ng consensus, ika nga, dahil ang nakataya rito ay napaka-halagang aspeto ng ating pamban-sang kagalingan o national interest (We are open to any talks and un-derstanding. Because it is important here for us to have an understanding and consensus since our national in-

terest is at stake),” Coloma said.Last Friday, the Philippine Con-

stitution Association and three Catholic leaders on Friday asked the Supreme Court to declare as un-constitutional the two agreements signed by the government with the MILF that envision the establish-ment of a Bangsamoro government to replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

Philconsa, through its president and Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, also asked the high court to reject the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro or FAB dated Oct. 12, 2012, and the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro or CAB dated March 27, 2014, which grant “unconsciona-ble” financial, social, economic and political benefits to the MILF.

Aside from Romualdez, the other petitioners were former Senator Fran-cisco Tatad, Archbishops Ramon Arguelles, Fernando Capalla and Ro-mulo de la Cruz, and former National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales.

The FAB was negotiated and signed by former government peace panel chief and now Supreme Court Associate Jus-tice Marvic Leonen, while the CAB was negotiated and signed by incumbent government chief peace negotiator Mir-iam Coronel Ferrer with MILF peace panel head Mohagher Iqbal.

Pending the judgment on the un-constitutionality of the FAB and the CAB, the petitioners sought a tem-porary restraining order enjoining Budget Secretary Florencio Abad and any other official from further releas-ing funds for any and all activities to pursue or implement the FAB and the CAB and any all acts and issuances.

But Magdalo party-list Rep. Gary Alejano backed Nograles’ suggestion.

“I agree with [Congressman Kar-lo Nograles] in this: just to erase the doubt that the House will just cover up the issue or harass the witnesses,” Alejano, a former mutineer, said.

Alejano said the Senate may also

conduct its probe into the matter to address and determine what he said as “two important issues: whether the extortion really happened or not; and whether the purpose of extortion is to buy out support for BBL or not.”

Earlier, several lawmakers said that the House panel conducting the probe, headed by Pampanga Rep. Oscar Rodriguez, should not stop in its quest for truth involving the al-leged payoff.

Rodriguez, meanwhile, said his

panel will submit to the Supreme Court a copy of the panel’s report so that the high court could look into ethical questions against a law-yer who represented both Wang Bo and the man who filed a complaint against the Chinese businessman.

“We will send a copy to the Su-preme Court so that the high tribu-nal could look into what appears to be improper conduct on the part of Bryan Bantilan, one of Wang Bo’s lawyers,” Rodriguez said.

The congressman said Bantilan seemed to have violated his oath and the code of ethics for lawyers by rep-resenting Wang and a complainant in a separate estafa case.

The good government commit-tee has invited Bantilan, Jose Chua, the complainant against Wang in a P3-million estafa case, and Prosecu-tor Antonio Rivera, who conducted a preliminary investigation on Wang’s deportation case on Feb. 11, to its next hearing on July 7.

In North Cotabato province, flooding has affected six baran-gays in Pikit town, municipal disaster risk reduction and man-agement officer Tahera Kalan-tungan said.

The weather bureau said the rains brought about by an inter-tropical convergent zone would continue due a tropical depression that is expected to enter the Philip-pines.

Known internationally as “Lin-fa,” Egay was 445 kilometers east of Baler, Aurora at 4 p.m. Friday with maximum sustained winds of 75 kph near the center and gusti-ness of up to 90 kph.

Egay is forecast to move west north-west at 10 kph and is expected to be 210 km east of Casiguran, Aurora on Saturday and 130 km east northeast of Tuguegarao City on Sunday.

On Monday, the storm should be in the vicinity of Calayan and the Ba-buyan group of islands and 190 km Northwest of Basco, Batanes on Tues-day.

The weather bureau raised pub-lic storm warning signal no. 1 over Isabela and Cagayan, including the Babuyan group of islands, with 30 to 60 kph winds expected in 36 hours.

Estimated rainfall will be mod-erate to heavy within the 400-ki-lometer diameter of the tropical storm, the weather bureau said.

Fishermen and small sea craft are advised not to venture out over the eastern seaboard of Central Luzon, seaboards of Southern Lu-zon and Visayas and the northern and eastern seaboards of Mind-anao. Waves are expected to reach a height of 1.25 to 4.0 meters in open sea.

Residents in low-lying and mountainous areas of the Bi-col region and Samar provinces are alerted against possible flash floods and landslides.

OrmocFrom A1...

He said the motorized banca, owned by Jorge Bung Zarco, was maneuvering but was caught by a big wave.

Some of the survivors were brought to a hospital in Ormoc, while rescue operations weere ongoing.

Survivors said that many passengers, includ-ing children were trapped under the boat when it flipped over.

The banca measures 17 meters and has a gross tonnage of 33.58.

Balilo said the Coast Guard is leading the search, with divers from the Red Cross and the Navy.

Rescue workers continue to scour the area de-spite big waves, Balilo said.

The Coast Guard said that the low pressure area added to the likelihood of poor weather.

A formal investigation into the cause of the sink-ing will start this week, Balilo said.

A preliminary investigation revealed that hu-man error could have caused the wooden hulled ferry to flip over when it made a sharp right turn soon after it left port in Leyte province.

Some passengers moved toward the right side of the ferry, causing it to tilt slowly before capsizing, Balilo said.

“The ferry was carrying cement and rice but it didn’t appear to be overloaded,” Balilo said.

One of the passengers, Allan Lucero, said he was disappointed at first when his daughter refused to go back with him to Camotes Island, but when the motorized banca capsized, he was grateful she had not joined him.

Lucero said he went to Leyte to fetch his daugh-ter, Geraldine, who works as a babysitter in Sogod, Southern Leyte.

But Geraldine refused to go back with her father and promised instead to go home on her birthday later this year.

In the aftermath of the capsizing, Lucero was grateful.

“She doesn’t know how to swim. Had she agreed

to go home with me, maybe she’d be one of the ca-sualty now. I’m glad that she was firm in her deci-sion,” Lucero said.

Lucero, however, lost his aunt Celsa, and a cous-in is still missing.

Like other survivors, Lucero blamed the over-loading of cargo for the capsizing of the MB Kim Nirvana. The vessel was loaded with more than 200 sacks of cement and rice.

“What happened was sudden. It overturned swiftly,” recalled Lucero. “Some passengers were grabbing me, so I had to swim away from them,” he added.

Lucero added they were not given any life vests, a statement the boat captain, Warren Oliverio, de-nied.

“They were given life vests, but some of them had taken it off,” he said.

The passenger banca has more than 200 life vests, the captian said, but he was unable to say how many of the passengers were wearing them at the time of the accident. With Sandy Araneta, PNA

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Ombudsman rapsVitangcol, Ebdane

The Ombudsman also indicted Zambales Gov. Hermogenes Eb-dane Jr. for the theft of minerals inside a mine site in Zambales that is being operated by Coto Mines.

Ombudsman Conchita Car-pio Morales approved a resolu-tion indicting Ebdane; Romelino

Gojo, a member of the Provin-cial Mining Regulatory Board, private individuals Weng Chen and Camilo Esico, and three oth-er people connected with Geok-ing Asia Mining Corp. for theft.

The cases stemmed from a complaint filed by CMI, the min-eral rights holder of the area cov-

ered by the Coto chromite project under a mineral production shar-ing agreement, and which has been operating the Coto Mines for over 50 years

Morales found probable cause that Vitangcol, Wilson de Vera, Marlo de la Cruz, Manolo Maralit, Federico Remo and Vi-tangcol’s uncle-in-law, Arturo Soriano, the provincial accoun-tant of Pangasinan, conspired to illegally award the MRT3 con-tract to the PH Trams-CB&T joint venture.

The Ombudsman said Vitang-col used his power and author-ity as general manager and chief

end-user, head of the negotiating team, member of the bids and awards committee, all in one, “to dictate the proponents invited for the preliminary negotiations” of the maintenance services and “intentionally hid his [affini-tive] relationship with Soriano, which would have automatically disqualified PH Trams.”

The Ombudsman also ruled that PH Trams, incorpora-tors were equally liable for ex-ecuting a false affidavit of dis-closure on Aug. 12, 2012, saying none of the incorporators was related by affinity to any mem-ber of the procurement teams.

6.1 quake rattlesVisayas, MindanaoA MAGNITUDE-6.1 earthquake struck Surigao del Norte on Friday afternoon and also jolted the Visayas and Mindanao, the government said.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said the earthquake was tectonic in origin, and that its epicenter was 41 kilometers northeast of Burgos in Su-rigao del Norte.

The quake took place at 2:43 pm and was felt at Intensity 5 in Surigao City, Siargao Is-land, Talacogon, Agusan del Sur, Carrascal and Surigao del Sur.

It was felt at Intensity 4 in Dinagat Island, Intensity 3 in San Juan in Southern Leyte, Tacloban City, Palo in Leyte and Lapulapu City, and Intensity 2 in Bislig in Surigao del Sur, Hinatuan in Surigao del Sur and in Davao City. PNA

Visitor from Davao. Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte delivers a speech during the 17th anniversary of the group Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption in Camp Aguinaldo. LiNo SANtoS

Comelecstill can’t decide onlease bid

Fake rice. Presidential assistant Francis Pangilinan holds up fake rice that was made from a substance used in making flexible plastic in Taguig City. DANNy PAtA

By Rio N. Araja

THE Ombudsman on Friday ordered the filing of crimi-nal charges against Al Vitangcol III, a former general manager of Metro Rail Transit 3, and five incorpora-tors of Philippine Trans Rail Management and Services Corp. or PH Trams for graft arising from an illegal con-tract for the train system’s maintenance.

By Sara D. Fabunan

THE Comelec’s deci-sion to award the con-tract to lease 23,000 Op-tical Mark Reader units to Smartmatic-Total In-formation Management Corp. is still uncertain as it is still consider-ing using former poll commissioner Gus Lag-man’s hybrid system.

In a recent press briefing, Commission on Elections Commis-sioner Christian Robert Lim said the commis-sion en banc had yet to decide whether or not they would use the hy-brid system and that the deal with Smartmatic might be scrapped once they chose Lagman’s manual-automated sys-tem for next year’s Pres-idential elections.

“As of now, the com-mission en banc is also looking at the hybrid system. If we agree to use the hybrid, we will not issue the notice to proceed,” Lim said.

He said their recent decision to favor Smart-matic only entitled the company to be awarded the contract, but as long as they had yet to issue a notice to proceed, their decision could change anytime.

“Even granting the protest, basically it just entitles you to award, but the end date of that is the issuance of the notice to proceed by the agency, and that’s the most critical portion,” Lim said.

“At the same time, we don’t want to waste any time. While we are evaluating the hybrid system, we are proceed-ing the decision on the protest.”

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[email protected]

IMF notes PH budget flexibility

SC focuses on poll cases

THE Philippines will send a high-level delegation to The Hague next week to argue Manila’s position in the arbitration case it filed against China, officials said on Friday.

During a press briefing in Malacanang, Deputy Presidential Spokesman Abigail Valte said the delegation will include Solicitor General Florin Hilbay, Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr, Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio and Supreme Court Associate Justice Francis Jardeleza.

Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr, who will also be part of the delegation, has already left to go to Amsterdam to meet with Philippine lawyers, Valte

said. The case will be heard from July 7 to 13.

Others are Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, as well as Undersecretary Emmanuel Bautista, who is the executive director of the Cabinet Cluster on Security, Justice, and Peace, said Valte.

“This is not yet a hearing on the merits. This is hearing that will deal with the issue whether the tribunal has jurisdiction over the complaint,” said Valte.

Even if the country will have a problem enforcing any ruling from the arbitral court, Valte said “what is important is the decision, that we have something more to move on.”

“It’s not just we have filed (a case) only to say we did something, and then just left it there. That’s one of the things I think that is being disproven by this. And really a lot of the members of the delegation have something to contribute to the discussions,” she said.

Valte said these people have been part of the discussions on the dispute involving the West Philippine Sea, and they would also like to see the progress of the complaint, of the memorial before the tribunal.

“Really, to us, if China has chosen not to attend then that is their decision but for the government, we will fully support and see through these proceedings,” she said.

Hague hearing set July 7

Seeking respect. Members of fishermen’s group Pamalakaya picket the Chinese consular office in Makati City on Friday to demand that Beijing respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Philippines. DANNY PATA

By Rey Requejo

THE Supreme Court is gearing up to resolve all pending electoral protest related to the 2013 elections “within a reasonable time” as it expects a deluge of new electoral protests arising from the 2016 polls, Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno said, expecting a deluge of new cases beginning in October.

“I think in a very reasonable time, we will be able to [resolve the cases related to the 2013 polls] because we, ourselves, have to be prepared. The filing starts in October so we are making preparations,” Sereno told reporters.

Election protests concerning the presidential, vice presidential, senatorial, and congressional races are respectively handled by the Presidential Electoral Tribunal, Senate Electoral Tribunal and the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal.

The PET is composed of 15 justices of the Supreme Court, while the SET and HRET are respectively composed of three senators and three SC justices, and three congressmen and three SC justices.

The present members of the SET from the SC are Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, Associate Justice Teresita Leonardo-De Castro, and Associate Justice Arturo Brion. Representing the SC in the HRET, meanwhile, are Associate Justices Presbitero Velasco, Diosdado Peralta, and Lucas Bersamin.

“We have decided that we will really prioritize them and we are working on them. We are trying to make sure that if we can dispose everything that has to do with the past elections we will do that,” the Chief Justice said.

According to her, resolving pending electoral cases is one of their “two-pronged approach” to prepare for the May 2016 elections.

The other part involves the setting up of training programs for the judges who are going to man election courts.

“These judges are just designated and we have rules for that. I am starting to identify already the candidates for the program,” she disclosed.

Tiring trip. Two young Yemeni children are knocked out at an immigration counter in the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 as their parents go through arrival formalities upon thier arrival from Aden which is in the throes of a civil war. RUDY SANTOS

By Sandy AranetaTHE International Monetary Fund said the government should improve its “unusually large amount of complexity and flexibility” in its budget process even as it gave the Philippines a favorable score on fiscal transparency.

In its June 2015 report, the IMF cited the Philippines’ public financial management reform strategy as having helped initiate reforms, but there is much room for improvement on various areas of the budget system.

“While this has not affected macroeconomic and fiscal policy outcomes over the last few years... this could rapidly change should the political or external environment become less favorable,” it said.

Also, the report noted that appropriations sometimes exceed

the programmed budget because of unforeseen circumstances.

Setting up an Unprogrammed Fund is a good way to address unexpected circumstances but IMF Country Representative to the Philippines Shanaka Jay Peiris said there should be a limit on these discretionary funds just like what was being implemented in global best practices.

“To institutionalize [fiscal reforms in recent years], you need a [public finance management] law... which would provide guidance for the next generation,” he added.

Nonetheless, Deputy Presidential Spokesman Abigail Valte said the favorable score on fiscal transparency the country received from the lender validates the Aquino administration’s transparency agenda.

“These findings serve to validate the

Aquino administration’s transparency agenda. Initiatives such as the DBM’s Budget ng Bayan website and the government’s open data portal which currently hosts 1,237 data files help to advance openness in the country,” Valte said.

“As always, we remain committed to further improving our efforts by engaging in productive dialogue with other groups and advocates,” Valte also said.

As part of this year’s series of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meetings, the Department of Finance (DOF) held the APEC Workshop on Fiscal Management through Transparency and Reforms last June 9-10 in Bagac, Bataan.

The event brought together delegates, transparency advocates, and representatives from finance ministries in a series of discussions on fiscal innovation.

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By Rio N. Araja

WHISTLEBLOWER Benhury Luy admitted on Friday that pursued some transactions involving congressional pork barrel funds without the knowledge and consent of his counsin-employer Janet Lim Napoles, who is accused of being the scam mastermind.

Luy told Napoles’ lawyer, Dennis Buenaventura, that he was able to earn P150,000 from a transaction with Senator Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada through his ex-deputy chief of staff, Pauline Labayen.

He said the transaction involved a P35-million project in 2012 when Luy was promised a two-percent commission of P700,000.

“To be honest, I just wanted to earn from Pauline. I also wanted to know how Pauline would earn. She offered me a percentage, which was two percent,” he added. Only a portion of the P700,000 or the two percent commission, or P150,000, was given to him, he said.

He also admitted to being the conduit between Labayen and Merlina Suñas, another whistleblower, to enable Labayen

to use the Napoles-linked People’s Organization for Progress and Development Foundation to open a bank account for a project. Suñas was the president of POPDFI.

According to Luy, Labayen opened the bank account with a P35 million fund from the pork barrel fund of at least three lawmakers who are now under investigation.

“So may balance pa siya na P600,000?” Third Division member Associate Justice Samuel Martires asked.

“Yes, your honor,” Luy answered.Luy had already admitted he received P4

million to P5 million in kickbacks as Napoles’ finance officer from 2004 to 2012.

He said Napoles promised 0.5 percent kickbacks for foundation presidents and another 0.5 percent for the incorporators. Luy is president of the Napoles foundation Social Development Program for Farmers Foundation Inc.

Luy later had a falling out Napoles who detained him for three months on suspicions of starting his own scam. Napoles is now serving a life sentence after being convicted for the serious illegal detention of Luy.

Luy shared in pork, too

NP hasno fundsfor bets– VillarBy Macon Ramos-AranetaIF you’re a politician looking to join the Nacionalista Party to get some financial muscle in the 2016 elections, Senator Cynthia A. Villar says you better start looking elsewhere.

“NP has no money, Villar said during the weekly “Kapihan sa Senado.”

“But remember we have 10 governors, 27 congressmen, 150 mayors, 10 vice governors, so we have a network and we’re very close,” said the wife of former Senate President Manny Villar, who is the president of NP.

“Usually, when you run, you raise your own funds. You don’t ask that from your party,” Villar said, adding that NP’s strength is in its number across the country.

Three NP senators – Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano and Senators Bongbong Marcos and Senator Antonio Trillanes IV – are all prospective candidates in 2016.

Cayetano and Trillanes, whose terms in the Senate expire on 2019, have declared their plan to run for president and vice president, respectively.

Marcos has remained mum about his plan to seek higher office and merely assured he will run in next year’s elections.

Villar said it is difficult for a party which is not in a position to retain that kind of membership but we’re very close and we’re like a family.

“I think that’s their advantage. They hey can rely on this network to support them if they go for a national position,” Villar stated.

However, Villar said NP is yet to decide the role it will play in the coming polls. She said they are still waiting for the decisions of their three partymates.

“They have to agree among themselves what they want to do in the 2016 elections. After they have agreed, then we will decide what to do because it is not nice to look at that your partymates have plans and you do not consider them. So we are not planning until they have finalized their decisions,” she said.

PNoy orders DOJ to probe fake rice

De Lima revealed that she received a directive from the President to inquire into it to determine how the reportedly poisonous rice penetrated the local market and if there are people who could be held liable.

“I will constitute a task force to investigate that and coordinate with Sec. Kiko Pangilinan in his capacity as presidential assistant on food security and agricultural modernization,” De Lima said,

in an inteview.Reports indicated that fake

rice, which experts said is poisonous as it is made of sweet potatoes, synthetic resin used for making plastic, and plastic shaped into grains, was recently discovered in Davao del Sur.

Earlier this week, a family in Davao City complained of stomach aches after eating what they believed was synthetic rice.

Resident Carmencita

By Rey Requejo, Sandy Aranetaand Anna Leah E. Gonzales

PRESIDENT Aquino has ordered the Department of Justice to investigate the entry and sale of alleged fake rice from China, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said Friday.

Grinio brought a sample of the fake rice to the National Food Authority, after the cooked rice reportedly had the appearance of styropor, a synthetic packaging material.

The alleged fake rice sample found in Davao City showed the presence of a contaminant which the NFA identified as the plasticizer dibutyl phtalate (DBP), according to NFA Administrator Renan Dalisay.

“The findings show that both samples are starch-based although it still has to be determined if the starch found in the Davao sample is indeed rice, corn or potatoes,” Dalisay said.

Dalisay said some of the samples will have to be sent overseas as the country currently does not have the necessary

equipment for the succeeding tests.

Presidential Assistant for Food Security and Agricultural Modernization Francis Pangilinan said however that the findings are not yet conclusive whether the rice is fake or not.

“There are still further tests needed to determine if there are resins so test results are stil inconclusive. We will have to conduct further testing,” Pangilinan said.

“The samples when tested contained amounts of dibutyl phthalate, a chemical compound. DBP is a plasticizer used for cosmetics,” Pangilinan added.

Pangilinan said that there is no cause for alarm as DBP when taken in small amounts is not harmful.

Plastic free. Students of the Universidad de Manila flash their main messages during a forum to mark the 6th International Plastic Bag-Free Day in Manila. DANNY PATA

What pollution? Four boys appear to be unmindful of the pollution of the Pasig River as they horse around under the Jones Bridge in Binondo, Manila on Friday. PNA/ AVITO DALAN

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newsA6s at u r d ay : j u ly 4 , 2 0 1 5

‘Disqualify bets who don’t leave appointive positions’

Immigration vows no repeat of Thursday’s airport queue

Sailor play. Children from Bgy. Cabahug in Mandaue City find ways to amuse themselves during high tide. MICHELLE ALVAREZ

The first federalist? George Asenerio, grandson of one of Jose Rizal’s students, says Rizal preferred federalism as a form of government. DANNY PATA

The bureau will maxi-mize its work force during peak hours by adjusting the duty shifts to seven instead of the existing four shifts, with overlaps between shifts, Immigration offi-cials said

BI spokesperson Elaine Tan admitted that the bu-

reau failed to anticipate the unusual spike in tourist de-partures on Thursday. The lines started getting longer at around five in the morning, when only eight immigra-tion officers were on duty to process 1,767 passengers of 11 flights.

Bureau chief Siegfred

By Maricel V. Cruz ThE house Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Re-forms has approved a pro-posal to disqualify election candidates who fail to vacate their appointive position on the day of filing the Certificate of Candidacy.

The committee, chaired by Capiz Rep. Fredenil Castro, approved the proposal em-bodied in house Bill 1976 authored by Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez.

Rodriguez said Batas Pam-bansa 881, otherwise known as the Omnibus Election Code, provides that persons holding an appointive office or position are automatically deemed resigned on the date of the COC filing. Subsequent election laws, Republic Act 8436 (Automated Elections Act) and RA 9006 (Fair Elec-tions Act), however, are both silent on this election rule.

This makes BP 881 still the applicable law insofar as the deemed resigned provisions for appointive office is concerned, according to Rodriguez.

Even RA 9369 which amended RA 8436 retains the deemed resigned provision for appointive officials.

however, Rodriguez said since RA 9369 adjusted the deadline for the COC filing to an earlier date, confusion has arisen on the interpretation of the exact time of the deemed resignation—whether at the time of the COC filing or during the start of the campaign period.

“There is a need to clarify the law on appointive pub-lic officials as they file their COC,” Rodrtiguez added.

Rodriguez stressed there is a marked distinction between appointive public officials and elective public officials. he said unlike their elected counterparts, who have fixed terms as willed by the elec-torate, appointive officials are either co-terminus with their appointive authority or career officials who are prohibited from electioneering and par-tisan activity.

By Rey E. Requejo

ThE Department of Justice has created a five-member task force to handle cases involving anti-competition practices, such as price fixing and cartels.

Justice Assistant Secretary Geronimo Sy, head of the DOJ Office for Competition, explained that the focus of the Task Force on Anti-Compet-itive Agreements and Cartels would be on cases involving price fixing, output restric-tion, market allocation, bid-rigging and similar anti- com-petitive agreements.

Justice Secretary Leila de

Lima designated five members from the National Prosecution Service, Office of the Chief State Counsel and Office for Compe-tition to compose the task force.

“Effective anti-cartel enforce-ment requires a dedicated unit equipped with the necessary tools and capacity to handle the complex nature of competition cases,” De Lima said.

De Lima admitted that the DOJ has already recommend-ed to the Supreme Court the designation of specialized courts to hear and decide on competition cases.

“The use of investigative strategies and techniques grounded on international

best practices is key to en-forcement,” Sy said.

Prosecutor General Claro Arellano said the creation of the task force was “an indica-tion of the department’s seri-ous stance in the fight against the most harmful forms of business conduct.”

The formation of the task force came after Congress ratified last June 10, 2015 the Philippine Competition Act that penalizes bad market be-havior and abuse of dominant position. The DOJ said this would further strengthen the competition reforms, which the DOJ-OFC has consistently supported and advocated.

Mison called on the termi-nal head and the duty su-pervisor for their explana-tion for failing to manage the queue.

“We are still getting all the facts from terminal head Chem Siguan and the duty supervisor. We apologize for this temporary inconve-nience and firmly commit to the public that such events, if inexcusable, will not happen again considering that we are maximizing the number of immigration inspectors during peak hours,” Mison adds.

“More and more tour-ists are coming in and out of our country. For us at

the Bureau of Immigration, this adds to the challenge. In spite of our numbers, we will ensure a more efficient deployment of our people so that we are responsive to the increasing demands at the counters.” Tan added in her apology.

“Due to the limited num-ber of immigration officers, those assigned at the arrival counters are directed to aug-ment the workforce at the departure area whenever possible. “however, due to the heavy passenger den-sity at the arrival area, the scheme was not possible,” added Tan.

Despite the limited re-

sources, BI promised the public that the same in-cident would not happen again.

BI likewise reminded the traveling public to be at the airport at least three hours before their estimated departure time, and must be cleared at the immigration inspection at least 45 minutes before boarding time.

“Our immigration of-ficers call out passengers whose flights are about to depart, so it is best to ap-proach the immigration duty supervisor if we know that we are about to be late,” advised Tan.

By Vito Barcelo

The Bureau of Immigration said it would implement a new deployment plan at airport counters to avoid a repeat of the long queues experienced this week at Terminal 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

Justice Department forms anti-competition task force

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s at u r d ay : j u ly 4 , 2 0 1 5

news A7

Lumads stop road project, say they were not consulted

Spanish govt to help conserve heritageBy Ferdie G.Domingo

CABANATUAN CITY—Amid the controversy over the Torre de Manila condo-minium project, the Spanish government has vowed to support the Philippines’ her-itage conservation efforts.

Spanish Ambassador Luis Antonio Calvo said culture has always been a factor in the friendship and twinning between the Philippines and Spain.

“I am pleased, as the new ambassador to Manila, to reaffirm that culture con-tinued to be so for the past few months,” he said, adding the joint effort to continue exploring the sources of the two nations’ common past will be significantly boost-ed with the signing of new agreements on architectural archives.

He said experts from the Philippines and Spain can re-sume the catalogue work of the National Archives of the Philippines and be able to transfer its contents to a medi-um or format that will guaran-tee their continued existence, conservation and availability to an ever-increasing number of researchers interested in the history of the two nations.

A second agreement, he said, will institutionalize the collaboration between the Na-tional Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) and the Archivo General de Indias in Seville and other Spanish historical archives, depositories of numerous and unknown documents of the Philippines.

Calvo noted that with re-gard to cultural cooperation, conservation of Philippine architectural heritage is be-ing undertaken through the projects of the Escuella Tall-er Foundation, a 100-per-cent Philippine entity on whose Board of Trustees are the Embassy of Spain and the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation.

“We do not even know who the private contractor is, when the construction started, how it is funded, and other information that the public must know,” said Datu Malingat, tribal chieftain.

Under RA 8371 or the Indig-enous People’s Rights Act, no project, improvements and de-

velopment to be undertaken by government and private firms, in-dividuals within ancestral domain areas of the indigenous people must proceed without consultation with the tribal people or without obtaining their FPIC.

The law also says that the National Commission on Indigenous People

must first issue a certification that such consultations in fact took place.

“We are not against development, we only wanted these people to re-spect the laws, particularly IPRA,” Datu Malingat said.

The Mayapay Tribal Council, a group of lumads of Manobo lin-eage living on Mt. Mayapay in Butuan City, was recognized by the NCIP and the Butuan City government through Resolution No. 564-2014.

Datu Malingat, with Christian name Aurelio Talibong, Jr., is the son of the legendary Datu Mayapay whose forefathers first settled on the mountain here.

Last month, the council wrote to

the Department of Public Works and Highways expressing its opposition to the project but received no reply.

The council also wrote the office of Butuan City Mayor Ferdinand Amante, Jr., barangay Bonbon of-ficials, the Philippine National Police, the military, Department of the Interior and Local Govern-ment Lilibeth Famacion of DILG-Caraga and NCIP regional direc-tor Pinky Grace Pareja requesting more information on the project being constructed within their an-cestral domain.

“But again we received no replies from them . This is why we barricad-ed our area to stop the road project,” Datu Malingat added.

By Alvin T. Guanzon

BUTUAN CITY—Tribesmen belonging to Mayapay Tribal Council barricaded a P120-million road project in Mount Mayapay-Nongnong in this city, claiming that their free prior and informed consent was not obtained according to law.

Fake seasoning products seized in Bulacan, N. Ecija

Jump for joy. Local residents from Jovellar in Albay enjoy splashing at the Quitinday underground river. DANNY PATA

Water everywhere. Children near Carbon market in Cebu enjoy the heavy rain, oblivious to the flooding it is causing elsewhere. MICHELLE ALVAREZ

By Florante S. Solmerin

SoME P9.1 million worth of fake sea-soning products was seized by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in separate operations in Bula-can and Nueva Ecija.

CIDG spokesperson Chief Inspector Elizabeth Jasmin said the operation was conducted by the Anti-Fraud Commer-cial Crimes Unit led by Superintendent Milo Pagtalunan.

In his report to CIDG Director Ben-jamin Magalong, Pagtalunan said they simultaneously implemented two search warrants at the warehouses located at RIS Industrial Complex in Barangay Tabe, Guiginto, Bulacan and in Purok 5, Baran-gay Calipahan, Talavera, Nueva Ecija

The team led by Supt. Cesar Paday-

os seized 313 sacks of granules in pro-duction of fake seasoning and vol-umes of counterfeit brand-name boxes with an estimated amount of P5.6 million in Bulacan.

The team of Chief Insp. Roger Sebas-tian seized two units of manufacturing machines, two units air compressor, seal-er, 90 sacks fake granules, 41 rolls brand laminated sachets, several boxes with name of fake products with an estimated value of P3.5 million and assorted docu-ments in Nueva Ecija.

“The owners and operators of searched warehouses were not around during the operations, however, cases for violation of Section 168 in rela-tion to Section 170 of RA 8293 (Unfair Competition Law) will be filed against them,” Magalong said.

tle of “great defender of the Con-stitution,” the senator remarked he found it ironic that today, a Marcos was defending the 1987 Constitution drawn up during President Cory Aquino’s revolu-tionary government.

”With all the money and num-bers the present Aquino gov-ernment is prepared to commit to a Muslim Mindanao region, we can design a mini-Marshall Plan with internal investments complemented by international funding institutions,” said Mar-cos who is submitting a substitute bill to the flawed and controver-sial Bangsamoro Basic Law when Congress resumes on July 27.

But a modernization plan can only be achieved with the full-scale pacification of all insurgent forces and all-out law enforce-

opinion

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

A8

[ EDI TORI A L ]

Another dAy, Another mishAp

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ADELLE chuAe d i t o r

S AT u R D AY : J u LY 4 , 2 0 1 5

opinion

CyAn mAGentA yeLLoW BLACK

CyAn mAGentA yeLLoW BLACK

It takes a visionary and someone who understands the complex-ity of the Mindanao problem to come up with an encompassing solution.

Stepping up to the challenge, Senator Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. has proposed a mini- Marshall Plan to solve the decades-long conflict

in Mindanao. The inspiration of Marcos’ plan was George Catlett Marshall, the architect for Eu-rope’s rapid recovery after World War II. Marshall, then the Secre-tary of State, was commissioned by US President Harry truman to fast-track postwar Europe’s eco-nomic recovery. Since then, Mar-shall’s name became synonymous with economic recovery planning through the infusion of massive funding assistance from interna-tional sources.

In a speech at the Philippine Constitution Association last

tuesday at the historic Manila Hotel, Senator Marcos said full modernization of Mindanao is the only way forward for the re-gion whose potential has been stalled by disparate rebel groups and neglect by the central gov-ernment in Manila. Philconsa, led by its president, Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, has filed a petition before the Supreme Court questioning the constitutionality of the govern-ment-proposed Bangsamoro Ba-sic Law.

Conferred by Philconsa the ti-

Marshalling resources for Mindanao

tHE Reproductive Health Law is again under attack and opponents seek to ban ALL family planning supplies, particularly contraceptives from the market.

The Alliance for the Family Foundation Philippines, Inc. (ALFI), headed by lawyer Maria Concepcion Noche filed a Petition for Certiorari, Prohibition and Manda-mus with the Supreme Court against the Department of Health (DOH), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Center for Drug Regulation and Research (CDRR).

The more than 100-page petition “ques-tions the manner of implementation of the RH Law... as being contrary to the RH Law and the Judgment of the Supreme Court and carried out without observance of due process and with grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack or excess of jurisdiction”.

It will be remembered that ALFI also pe-titioned the SC to declare the RH Law un-constitutional because according to them, all hormonal contraceptives are abortifa-cient and result in killing the unborn. This remains as their basic premise in the pres-ent petition (beyond the technical aspects of contraceptive registration and law’s implementation).

According to III. The Parties, “... the in-stant Petition is being filed on behalf of all generations of Filipinos yet unborn who are in danger of being deprived of the right to life ...” (emphasis and underscoring sup-plied). This is how extreme their position is prompting RH advocate Alfredo Melgar to quip, “Now, life begins from imagination and no longer from conception”. Beyond the unborn that has actually been con-ceived, Noche and party are also protecting those they imagine will be conceived.

Because of this positioning, the rights and lives of women, both rich and poor are put in peril. In their Prayer, they want the Highest Court to:

Issue a temporary Restraining Order and/or Writ of Preliminary Prohibitory and Mandatory Injunction to order re-spondents and their agents to:

1. Stop registration or re-certifi-cation, procurement, sale, distribu-tion, or administration of all RH sup-plies including contraceptives; and, cancel or withdraw all registrations or re-certifications already done on all RH products and supplies including contra-ceptives; withdraw these from the market; and prohibit further purchase, sale, distri-bution, and use of these RH supplies.

2. Annul all orders, resolutions and all actions done or issued by respondents and their representatives for registration, purchase, and distribution of RH supplies including contraceptives.

3. Order the FDA to draw up rules for evaluation and testing of contraceptives; and for DOH to formulate rules in the pro-curement, distribution, and dispensation of RH supplies particularly contraceptives.

4. Approve all rules and guidelines pre-viously mentioned and for the tRO to be effective until this is done.

NegatiNg the Rh Law

ment in the region, Marcos said. He cau-tioned against entrusting the maintenance of peace solely to the Moro Islamic Lib-eration Front in the aftermath of the Ma-masapano, Maguindanao massacre of 44 PNP-Special Action Force commandos.

The fatal flaw of the MILF-government panel was its failure to include the interest of the other stakeholders in the proposed autonomous region. Lumping the Chris-tian communities, indigenous people like the Lumads, the Moro National Libera-tion Front and the Sultanate of Sulu under the hegemony of the MILF is both unac-

ceptable and unworkable, said the senator who took his Senate committee on local government to Mindanao provinces to be placed under the ambit of the BBL .

After a series of consultations that gave him a sense of how the locals feel about being governed by the MILF, the sena-tor said he is determined to do the right thing. He is also considering, as an al-ternative to the mini-Marshall plan, the revision and upgrade of the constitution-ally compliant Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao. The MILF seconded by the government peace negotiators

portrayed the ARMM as a failed experi-ment when all it needed was more sup-port to succeed, said Senator Marcos.

He raised his concern that the govern-ment peace panel gave away to the MILF all the powers and features of an inde-pendent state such as a parliamentary form of government, its own police force and a commission on audit.

For sure, there are many Filipinos who share the senator’s apprehension that we might be creating a state within a state that can easily secede from the Republic.

Continued on A11

OFF the coast of Ormoc, Leyte at noon on Thursday, a boat carrying 191 people capsized. While most of the passenger survived, 45 are confirmed dead; at least 10 remain missing.

This tragedy is the latest disaster to talk about these days, with the Philippine Coast Guard, assisted by the Philippine Navy and the Philippine Air Force, leading the investigations into the cause of the ship’s mishap.

Among the leads being explored are human error and overloading, with bad weather causing rough waves. There are reports that the boat made a sharp right turn after being hit by waves; the passengers panicked and caused the boat to tilt.

The vessel was found to be carrying 150 sacks of cement as well as construction materials. There are also accounts that life jackets were not made available to the passengers.

Expect the usual calls for swift investigation and for justice for the missing and the dead.

Unfortunately, such calls are only heard every time there is a mishap. In between such incidents, regulators and executives responsible for ensuring the safety of the public are left to their own devices.

The calls will be loud because it is practically election season and everybody is looking for somebody else to blame.

They also wish to be portrayed as having empathy for the victims and their families. They will echo the angry words and demands that those responsible for the tragedy must be made accountable.

Recall what happened two months ago when a fire hit a slipper factory in Valenzuela, causing the death of dozens of workers. The investigation revealed that the factory did not use adequate safety measures and the workers themselves employed not by the factory but by a third-party company that hires workers on contractual basis.

In that incident, there was much recrimination and blame-tossing. In the end, the victims allowed the settlement of their case and nothing more was heard about how other factories in other places all over the country are run and evaluated.

These mishaps will continue happening as long as the people in office take their responsibilities for granted, seeing their roles as routine and becoming used to the idea that people’s lives depend on their action – or inaction.

This is the issue to be highlighted, not the usual game of politicians where they feel compelled to make populist shoutouts without adequate follow through.

BACK ChAnneL

ALeJAndro deL rosArio

poWer point

eLiZABethAnGsioCo

A modernization plan can only be

achieved with the full-scale

pacification of all insurgent forces

and all-out law enforcement in the region.

Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher Jojo A. Robles Editor-in-Chief Ramonchito L. Tomeldan Managing Editor Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano Associate Editors Francis Lagniton News Editor Joyce Pangco Pañares City Editor Adelle Chua Senior Deskman Romel J. Mendez Art Director Roberto Cabrera Chief Photographer

MEMBERPhilippine Press InstituteThe National Association of Philippine NewspapersPPI

can be accessed at:www.manilastandardtoday.comONLINE

MSTPublished 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-

5550. P.O. Box 2933, Manila Central Post Office, Manila. Website: www.manilastandardtoday.com E-mail: [email protected]

MST Management, Inc. Philip G. Romualdez Chairman Arnold C. Liong President & Chief Executive Officer Former Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno Board Member & Chief Legal Adviser Jocelyn F. Domingo Director of Operations Ron Ryan S. Buguis Finance Officer

Ma. Isabel “Gina” P. Verzosa Head, Advertising Solutions Anita F. Grefal Treasury Manager Edgar M. Valmorida Circulation Manager

Continued on A11

innovation is that the au-thor opens himself to dis-agreement and criticism, no matter how bankrupt and morally depraved one would argue his point of view. The rule of self-restraint is observed if one wished to avoid be-ing spammed or receive violent repercussions arising from uncalled-for and libelous commentary. Of course, the user can be sued for libel, but the majority just do not care anymore. Why bother to listen to an anarchist, a fundamentalist, a zealot, a religious charlatan, a self-righteous politician, or to a loony fringe when there are many intelligent peo-ple out there from whom we could learn more about life? The set of standards considered morally ac-ceptable has been reverted to the individual, for him to judge what is morally upright and rationally correct.

The traditional mass

media is considered a dying industry to-day. Nonetheless, from a positive point of view, the mass media gave a glimpse of what it takes to know what is taking place around us. But along the way, the general public has failed to detect that the freedom of the press they used to understand and often believed as ab-solute, has departed form its original meaning such that it is now considered more of a right reserved to the owners of the mass media.

Maybe the interest of the individual is tolerable as he can only speak and write for himself, but not of the interest of the mass media because it portrays its interest as the inter-est of the general public. The mass media now acts as the purveyor of what is good for our society. The publishers, the owners of radio and television, have their peculiar interest

on what they want to be printed, or say in public, but remain silent on issues related to their business interest which reason why they call themselves the “mainstream media” be-cause they claim to repre-sent the dominant choice of the people for informa-tion and news analysis. They dare not indulge in a hard-hitting news analy-sis for fear of losing their highly prized advertis-ers that often have close ties with the corrupted institutions we have. It is their advertisers that they want to please by putting in things they want to hear and read. They cannot rock the boat that earned for them mil-lions by their parody of our freedom of the press. This explains why most newspapers now and, to some extent, the radio are financially hemorrhaging.

One must bear in mind that the writer could only find expression in what

he writes if he is hired or given permission by the owner of the media. The right of the mass media to invoke their freedom of the press is far superior to the right of the individual who conceived and cre-ated what is to be written. If the discredited commu-nist regimes were accused of monopolizing the mass media and screening all things that should be dis-seminated to the people, the same is true today of our corporate-owned mass media. Writers are no longer called writers, but newspapermen be-cause they are employees especially tasked to gather and write news, but not to think! The same is true of our radio announcers and television anchormen. They are not free to open their mouth as they wish or even entertain the no-tion they have the right to freedom of the press.

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OPINIONS AT U R D AY : J U LY 4 , 2 0 1 5

A10

Part 1MaNy of our people be-lieve that freedom of the press is the most impor-tant mechanism that gives life to our democracy. It is through that freedom that we come to know about the venalities being com-mitted by our government officials; that without it, our institution would die. Nonetheless, behind the facade of what we consid-er our sanctified freedom, seldom do we know that there is a wide difference between the press as we understand of it, from the media, although both as-sume to possess the privi-lege of freedom to carry out their undertakings.

Hardly could one dis-tinguish the freedom of the press from that of the so-called freedom to con-trol the media. To make ourselves clear, freedom of the press has reference to what an individual or group of individuals wants to convey without prior restraint. From that point of view, it is treated as an absolute right. But in the course of time, our concept of freedom of the press has evolved such that practically, it would not mean anything if the writer cannot channel his thoughts through an in-stitution called “mass me-dia” (plural of medium), because the purpose is to disseminate as much in-formation to the widest possible audience.

Thus, the freedom of the press that we came to understand refers to freedom of the people en-gaged in pamphleteering or writing in tabloids for which the author directly conveys his ideas to his readers. Because of prog-ress and the desire to reach the widest possible audi-ence, the so-called “mass media” was conceived and that began with the founding of newspapers operating on a daily and regular basis. The con-cept of newspapers in the early days operated in the true spirit of freedom of the press. But as it grew, requiring more capital to keep its operations going, it evolved to become a big corporation, owned and operated by business mo-guls, for which the paper is now used to defend the interest of the stockhold-ers. Effectively, the noble motive of disseminating the truth gave way to the

interest of business. Because of advances in

telecommunications and technology, mass media gave birth to a special-ized form of information dissemination called the audio system or listen-ing through the radio. Later, the video and audio system came into being with the advent of televi-sion. Today, a novel and revolutionary mass me-dia – the Internet – where both the users and the au-dience invoke their right to freedom of the press. Through the Internet, one can convey one’s thoughts around the world at the flick of one’s fingers, and send them at the speed of light. The internet cre-ated a distinctly form of mass media communica-tion called “social media” to distinguish itself from the mainstream media which was based on the

corporate-run tri-mass media of radio, television and newspapers.

The users or practitio-ners of the social media, like Facebook, blogs and social news, etc., revived the true meaning of free-dom of the press. People actively interact to discuss issues they like to tackle, and are free to oppose and criticize each other, unhindered by restraints that are rooted in pro-tecting one’s interest. It is a wonder of science that put truism to Marx’s prediction that instead of class struggle, a new form of mass communication would rise to devour the traditional mass media. Today, some newspapers are barely surviving the onslaught of competition posed by the social me-dia and the internet. It is considered the freest of all mass media because there is in that system the active involvement of both par-ties in a system called “in-teractive communication”.

The beauty about this

Freedom oF the press and

mass media

a balanced view oF biotechnology

IN my last column, I highlighted Pope Francis’ apprecia-tion of the role of science and technology in society. I emphasized that Laudato Si’ is not anti-science or anti-technology. Indeed, in paragraph 103 of the encyclical, Pope Francis clearly sees a positive role for what he calls “technoscience” which “when well directed, can produce important means of improving the quality of human life, from useful domestic appliances to great transporta-tion systems, bridges, buildings and public spaces”. Pope Francis recognizes that technoscience, citing “the beauty of an aircraft or a skyscraper” can create art and “en-able men and women immersed in the material world to “leap” into the world of beauty”. He points out that many works of art and music are produced from new technolo-gies: “So, in the beauty intended by the one who uses new technical instruments and in the contemplation of such beauty, a quantum leap occurs, resulting in a fulfill-ment which is uniquely human.

In the next paragraph Pope Francis then acknowl-edges the enormous power that technoscience - nuclear energy, biotechnology, information technology, knowl-edge of our DNa, etc. – gives to humans. according to Laudato Si: “More precisely, they have given those with the knowledge, and especially the economic resources to use them, an impressive dominance over the whole of humanity and the entire world. Never has humanity had such power over itself, yet nothing ensures that it will be used wisely, particularly when we consider how it is cur-rently being used.”

In a later section in the encyclical, consistent with this view of science and technology, Pope Francis weighs in on the issue of modern biotechnology, sharing a bal-anced perspective that acknowledges the risks and ben-efits of genetic modification. He describes the challenge we are dealing with in the use of this technology: “This is a complex environmental issue; it calls for a compre-hensive approach which would require, at the very least, greater efforts to finance various lines of independent, interdisciplinary research capable of shedding new light on the problem.”

among others, Pope Francis emphasizes the ethical and socio-economic aspects of modern biotechnology. among others, Thus Laudato Si’ attacks the expansion of genetically modified crops that destroy the complex network of ecosystems, diminishing the diversity of production and affecting regional economies, now and in the future. He also condemns the expansion of oli-gopolies and the use of terminator seeds. Finally, he la-ments the tendency to justify transgressing all boundar-ies when experimentation is carried out on living human embryos.

Overall though, Pope Francis points out that: “It is difficult to make a general judgment about genetic mod-

ification (GM), whether vegetable or animal, medical or agricultural, since these vary greatly among themselves and call for specific considerations. The risks involved are not always due to the techniques used, but rather to their improper or excessive application. Genetic muta-tions, in fact, have often been, and continue to be, caused by nature itself. Nor are mutations caused by human in-tervention a modern phenomenon. The domestication of animals, the crossbreeding of species and other older and universally accepted practices can be mentioned as examples.” (LS 133)

Pope Francis also acknowledges that there is no con-clusive proof to show that GM cereals may be harmful to human beings; in fact, he observes that their use has been economically beneficial in some regions. But, he cautions that there are still important difficulties that should not be underestimated. He describes these con-cerns in paragraph 134 of Laudato Si: “In many places, following the introduction of these crops, productive land is concentrated in the hands of a few owners due to ‘the progressive disappearance of small producers, who, as a consequence of the loss of the exploited lands, are obliged to withdraw from direct production’. The most vulnerable of these become temporary laborers, and many rural workers end up moving to poverty-stricken urban areas. The expansion of these crops has the ef-fect of destroying the complex network of ecosystems, diminishing the diversity of production and affecting regional economies, now and in the future. In various countries, we see an expansion of oligopolies for the pro-duction of cereals and other products needed for their cultivation. This dependency would be aggravated were the production of infertile seeds to be considered; the effect would be to force farmers to purchase them from larger producers.”

In this regard, Pope Francis encouraged “a broad, re-sponsible scientific and social debate needs to take place, one capable of considering all the available information and of calling things by their name”. The truth is that sometimes complete information is not available, result-ing in policy decisions made on the basis of particular interests, which can be politico-economic or ideological. The result of this is that it makes it challenging to arrive at a good - balanced and prudent – assessment. Pope Francis encourages discussions where “all those directly or indirectly affected (farmers, consumers, civil authori-ties, scientists, seed producers, people living near fumi-gated fields, and others) can make known their problems and concerns, and have access to adequate and reliable information in order to make decisions for the common good, present and future.”

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BACKBENCHER

ROD P.KAPUNAN

EAGLE EYES

DEAN TONYLA VIÑA

[email protected]

This freedom, which we used to believe was absolute, has

departed from its original meaning.

FINALLY, A POSSIBLE ENDTO THE BBL NIGHTMARE

An event that may trigger the liberation of the Filipino people from the potentially disastrous effects of the unconstitutional Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) pending in the Senate took place last June 19, 2015. That day, the Philippine Constitution As-sociation (Philconsa) headed by Leyte Representative Ferdinand Martin Romual-dez, and former negros Oriental congress-man Jacinto Paras, filed separate petitions in the Supreme Court challenging the con-stitutionality not of the BBL itself, but of the source of this underhanded attempt of the administration of President Benigno Aquino III to allow a state-sponsored dis-memberment of the Republic in favor of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. The petitions assail the Comprehensive Agree-ment on the Bangsamoro – the blueprint for the controversial BBL.

To appreciate the arguments raised by the petitioners, a brief historical overview is in order.

In the 1970s, then-President Ferdi-nand Marcos sought a peaceful solution to the Muslim insurgency in Mindanao. Multi-party negotiations ultimately led to the signing of the 1976 Tripoli Agree-ment, which called for autonomy, not in-dependence, in Muslim Mindanao. That autonomy was eventually embodied in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) created pursuant to Sections 15 to 21, Article X of the 1987 Constitution. In 1989, Congress enacted Republic Act no. 6734, the Organic Act of the ARMM.

During his term, President Fidel Ra-mos created the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (PAPP). In turn, President Gloria Arroyo ordered that peace with the Muslim rebels in Mindanao shall be undertaken by the PAPP “in ac-

cordance with constitutional processes.” Thereafter, a government peace panel ne-gotiated with the MILF. This led to the infamous Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD) which called for the creation of a virtual sub-state in Mindanao – the Bangsamoro Juridical Entity (BJE).

The MOA-AD had controversial fea-tures, including a provision which speaks of the “associative relationship” between the Republic of the Philippines and the BJE. It also contained provisions which guaranteed amendments to the 1987 Con-stitution. Because of these legal infirmi-ties, the MOA-AD was challenged in the Supreme Court even before it was signed by the government peace panel.

On October 14, 2008, the Supreme Court declared the MOA-AD unconstitu-tional. The Supreme Court ruled, among others, that the government peace panel cannot guarantee amendments to the 1987 Constitution to accommodate the stipula-tions in the MOA-AD; that the MOA-AD violates the Constitution; and that the “as-sociative relationship” between the Repub-lic of the Philippines and the BJE as stipu-lated in the MOA-AD is unconstitutional because it implies that the BJE is an entity headed towards independence. The deci-sion was written by then Justice Conchita Carpio-Morales, who is the current Om-budsman.

In December 2012, President Aquino called the ARMM “a failed experiment” and ordered his devoted PAPP, Teresita Deles, to create a new government peace panel to sit down with representatives of the MILF.

Eventually, the government peace panel was convened, with law professor Marvic

Leonen representing the government, and a certain Mohagher Iqbal (a pseudonym) representing the MILF. On October 15, 2012, this government peace panel signed the so-called Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB). Further negotia-tions led to the signing of four (4) annexes and their inclusion in the FAB.

Pursuant to the FAB, President Aquino created the Transition Commission, which will prepare the draft BBL for the approval of Congress, and which will recommend amendments to the 1987 Constitution to accommodate the BBL. In December 2012, Miriam Coronel Ferrer succeeded Leonen after Aquino appointed the latter to the Supreme Court.

Later, the FAB and its annexes were integrated and called the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB). Like the FAB and its annexes, the CAB contains provisions which violate the 1987 Constitution, and guarantees that the Constitution will be amended to ac-commodate the provisions of the CAB. It also states that the relationship between the Republic of the Philippines and the Bangsamoro Government created under the CAB shall be “asymmetric” in charac-ter. noted experts in Constitutional Law see no difference between the terms “asso-ciative” relationship used in the MOA-AD and “asymmetric” relationship used in the CAB.

On March 27, 2014, the CAB was signed for the government by Ferrer, Senen Bacani, Yasmin Busran-Lao, and Mehol Sadain. Thereafter, the Transition Com-mission submitted a draft of the BBL to President Aquino for his approval. After some amendments to the draft were made in Malacañang, President Aquino submit-

ted the draft BBL to both houses of Con-gress for appropriate action. The draft BBL submitted to Congress contains pro-visions lifted directly from the CAB.

Undoubtedly, both the MOA-AD and the CAB guarantee amendments to the 1987 Constitution. Likewise, the “associa-tive” relationship stated in the MOA-AD is no different from the “asymmetric” re-lationship mentioned in the CAB. Thus, pursuant to the 2008 decision of the Su-preme Court regarding the MOA-AD, the CAB is also unconstitutional.

The recent petitions against the CAB are anchored on this judicial precedent. It logically follows, of course, that if the CAB is unconstitutional, then the draft BBL, which traces its legal origin from the CAB and its related agreements, is a legal nullity.

Supporters of the BBL say that the aforesaid petitions are premature because the BBL is still pending in the Senate. That argument is specious. To repeat, the peti-tions are directed against the CAB and not the BBL. Moreover, in the 2008 judicial precedent, the Supreme Court declared the MOA-AD unconstitutional even before the government peace panel was able to sign it.

Other supporters of the BBL ask why the petitions were filed years after the CAB was signed. That is beside the point. Un-constitutional acts of government officials do not ripen to validity by the mere pas-sage of time.

Although the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) is expected to represent the Aquino administration in opposing the petitions, the OSG may not represent Mohagher Iqbal and the MILF. Govern-ment resources, already limited as they are, should not be used to defend an inexistent person and his revolutionary organization.

A11adelle chuaE D I T O R

S aT u R d aY : J u lY 4 , 2 0 1 5

OPINION

HAIL TO THE CHAIR

VICTOR AVECILLA

[email protected]

Negating..From A9

I am confident about no. 3 because these rules are in place. Besides, the law is quite clear in terms of the process of registering or certifying contraceptives. Also, the law’s Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) outlines in detail processes of DOH and FDA.

In 4, noche asks the SC to approve the rules that she demands from DOH and FDA. I do not know how the Jus-tices will consider this as it seems to set precedents. Does this mean that on controversial issues, the SC can be asked to scrutinize and approve all re-lated rules and procedures? This is un-necessarily burdening the SC. Worse, is the Highest Court now being asked to perform functions of lower administra-tive agencies? Is SC being demoted?

Granting ALFI no. 2 will set govern-ment back in implementing the RH Law. DOH will need to start again. It took government many months to pre-pare so it can fully implement the law. Structures from the local to national levels had to be organized, all sorts of guidelines were drawn up, education activities were implemented so imple-mentors are on the same page. now that all these are done and things are set, noche demands everything to be rescinded.

The same is true with the FDA. Based on records, the FDA spent many months in scrutinizing, testing, and evaluating contraceptives that applied for registration or re-certification. It

employed the services of and consulted with experts before approval was re-leased. now, ALFI wants these revoked.

ALFI succeeded in partially getting no. 1. The SC’s second division issued a TRO ordering the FDA from further registering or re-certifying contracep-tives with pending applications. It also orders the DOH and its representatives to stop purchase, distribution and use of two brands of subdermal implant contraceptives, Implanon and Impla-non nXT.

The FDA has already approved 50 contraceptive brands. Only three ap-plications remain pending and thus, af-fected by the TRO. Government and its representatives now cannot distribute and use the two implants BUT can con-tinue doing family planning services using all other approved contraceptives.

This is not what the anti-RH want. They are asking the SC to BAn ALL HORMOnAL COnTRACEPTIVES FROM THE MARKET. In noche’s letter to Sec. Janette Garin dated 19 March 2015 (Annex L of the petition), she said that ALFI was opposing the applications for re-certification of all contraceptives because they are all abortifacient.

This was her same position during the Oral Arguments on the RH Law. On July 9, 2013, she was questioned by Chief Justice Sereno whether a poor, unhealthy woman with already too many children using contracep-tives is violating the constitution. noche said YES.

She also said that an infertile woman who wants to get pregnant and man-aged to fertilize eight (8) eggs through artificial means should carry all those eggs to full term unless she proves that she will die in doing so.

This is how small noche regards living women compared with the un-born. The CJ in response said that with noche’s statements, it has become the duty of the women to put themselves at risk because of the Constitution.

Imagine if the SC via the TRO grant-ed all of ALFI’s demands? Then ALL Filipino women will no longer have access to contraceptives! RH advo-cates fought many years for the rights of economically disadvantaged women to have the same access to family plan-ning supplies with those who can afford to buy, noche’s group wants to remove this access even from women who buy their contraceptives.

While the TRO did not grant all of ALFI’s demands, the danger remains. The SC still needs to decide on the peti-tion with finality.

It is time for all women (and allies), rich and poor, who want their repro-ductive health and rights respected to unite against these sinister moves to undermine what we fought for.

In the name of the LIVInG Filipino women, we are not going to allow the RH law to be rendered inutile.

[email protected] @bethangsioco on TwitterElizabeth Angsioco on FaceBook

Marshalling..From A9

CAAP workers decry loss of P1-B benefits Here’s how the government rewards its

hard-working employees. It takes back pay in-creases and benefits they have been receiving since 2012.

The decision of the Commission on Audit and the Governance Commission on Govern-ment -Owned and -Controlled Corporations to stop the P1-billion in benefits already given to Civil Aeronautics Administration of the Philippines employees who helped the country get back to international aviation standards is most unfair and insensitive when seen in light of the high costs of living.

The country’s international carrier, Philip-pine Airlines, is now able to fly to European destinations after CAAP employees pushed themselves to meet rigid requirements of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) for airport safety standards. Earlier, the US Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) also lifted sanctions on Manila’s airport for its sub-standard airport facilities and operations. now that the Philippines is back to Category 1 status, PAL continues to fly to Los Angeles, San Francisco and even added new York to its US routes.

Recently, PAL also made a breakthrough in returning to its former London, UK destination.

All these can be attributed to the profes-sional performance of the CAAP workers. But with the government’s shabby treatment of our skilled workers, the country will continue to suffer from the exodus of Filipino profes-sionals.

We have seen this happen with the lowly-paid weather forecasters of Pagasa.

PH racing club’s suspension liftedA12

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SAT UR DAY: J ULY 4 , 2 0 1 5

SPORTS

THE Philippine Racing Commis-sion lifted the suspension they imposed on Philip-pine Racing Club, Inc. after the rac-ing club’s successful testing of their new totalizator equip-ment last Thursday.

After delays in all of PRCI’s June racemeets due to faulty equipment that the agency said led to a decline in sales for the period, Philracom invoked its powers un-der Presidential Decree No. 420 and imposed a suspension on the rac-ing club last week until it could satisfy the Com-mission that it could operate without further problems.

“The suspension was necessary,” said Philra-com Chairman Andrew A. Sanchez, “to protect the interests of the betting public, as well as those of the industry and the gov-ernment.”

According to PRCI Ex-ecutive Vice President and Chief Finance Officer Allan V. Abesamis, their service provider Global Versatech, Inc. has in-stalled two new servers to replace the two faulty ones that will be rehabili-tated and used as back-up systems.

GVI President Gary Lauriano assured the Commission that “the new systems will perform well and not pose any disrup-tion to PRCI’s races in the future.”

Given the assurances of PRCI and GVI, Philracom “approved for resumption” the conduct of races at PR-CI’s Santa Ana Park race-track starting on its next regularly-scheduled race-meet this weekend (July 4 and 5).

Boxingwants morewomen’s tiffsat Olympics

LAUSANNE—The Inter-national Boxing Associa-tion (AIBA) wants to see more women fighting at the Olympic Games, its president Wu Ching-Kuo said.

“The introduction of women’s boxing at the London Games in 2012 was a success,” Wu told AFP in an interview.

Women’s boxing will be in Rio again next year and the “aim is to get it increased for 2020 in To-kyo,” Wu said.

There were gold medals in three weight divisions in London, but the AIBA wants the International Olympic Committee to agree five categories be-tween 48 kilos and 75 ki-los.

“The boxing at the Eu-ropean Games in Baku were held in this format and we think this is what should be done for the To-kyo Games,” Wu said.

“This would be part of the Olympic Agenda 20-20 which calls for equality between men and women. It would benefit boxing and overall the Olympic Games,” the AIBA presi-dent added.

Wu, who stood against Thomas Bach for the IOC presidency in 2013, said a proposal has been made to the Olympic leadership and a decision made just after the Rio Games.

The London Olympics brought women boxers such as Katie Taylor of Ire-land into the international spotlight.

The next women’s world championships, the Rio qualifying tournament, are in Astana, Kazakhstan in February. AFP

‘Sponsors will quit a FIFA without reform’LAUSANNE—A former top FIFA official who left after criticising its president Sepp Blatter has warned that big sponsors will start leaving world football’s governing body unless major reforms are under-taken.

Michel Zen-Ruffinen, who suc-ceeded Blatter as FIFA secretary general from 1998 until 2002

when the latter was elected presi-dent, said he would be interested in returning to the body if “or-der” is restored to the scandal-tainted body.

Zen-Ruffinen, a critic of Blatter’s leadership style left FIFA in 2002 after producing a report which ac-cused the president of mismanag-ing FIFA’s finances.

Blatter said last month he would stand down as FIFA was left reeling by two separate corruption investi-gations.

“I do not exclude returning, but I would have to know who would be running the organisation and if he has the will to put things in order,” Zen-Ruffinen told AFP in an inter-view. AFP

Talent, beauty at PSL volley meetVOLLEYBALL darlings Gretchen Ho and Cha Cruz spearhead a stellar cast of participants when the PLDT Home Ultera-Philippine Superliga Beach Volleyball Challenge Cup 2015 powered by Smart Live More fires off July 18 at the sand court of SM by the Bay.

Two of the most beautiful faces in the sport today, Ho and Cruz are tipped to treat fans to a sparkling display of charm and volleyball prowess in this tournament that will be aired live over TV5, with Accel as the of-ficial outfitter.

Ho—a commercial mod-el and the league’s former ambassadress—will be teaming up with Frances

Molina for Petron XCS.Cruz, meanwhile, will

connive with veteran Mi-chelle Laborte for Cignal A.

A pair of beauties in Filipino-American Alexa Micek and Fille Cainglet-Cayetano will also be see-ing action for Petron Sprint 4T, while Wensh Tiu and April Rose Hingpit will be campaigning for Cig-nal B, making the race to the crown between two of league’s powerhouse squads doubly exciting.

“This tournament is our contribution in elevat-ing the game of volleyball in the country,” said PSL president Ramon “Tats” Su-zara, who will preside the general technical meeting and drawing of lots on July

9. “Knowing that beach vol-leyball is way different than indoor volleyball, we made sure that we will have a very balanced and competitive field. All competing teams must work hard for the prestige of becoming the inaugural PSL beach vol-leyball champion.”

Aside from Petron and Cignal, also vying for glory in the women’s division are Foton, Philips Gold, Sonac, Gilligan’s, and Quantum Plus, among others.

Foton will be fielding two teams with Pau Soriano and Bea Tan bannering the Hurricane and Patty Oren-dain and Fiola Ceballos—the reigning Queen of the Sands—teaming up for the Tornadoes.

Getting ready for the Universiade. Dancers perform during opening ceremony rehearsals for the World University Games in Gwangju. The World University Games was set to open last night in Gwangju with defiant organizers predict-ing a record participation despite the backdrop of a deadly respiratory disease sweeping host nation South Korea. Some 13,000 athletes and officials from 145 countries are expected to participate from July 3-14 in Gwangju, a southwestern city 280 kilometers (168 miles) from the capital Seoul. AFP

Top chess finishers. The top finishers in the seniors’ division of the 23rd Shell National Youth Active Chess Championship (Shell Active Chess) National Capital Region leg are shown with Janot Barretto, Shell Downstream Social Performance manager, GM Eugene Torre and Shell Business Operation Data Analyst Melanie Magno during awards’ rites at SM Megamall Event Center. They are (second from left) McDominique Lagula of San Beda Col-lege, top female player Crissa Canada of Adamson University, champion Marc Kevin Labog of Adamson University, and Carlo Caranyagan of Arellano University.

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SAT URDAY: J ULY 4 , 2 0 1 5

SPORTS

Langley leads; Tiger finds his groove at Greenbrier

Bata weavesmagic in NJ tilt

Sasaki saysJapan will dobetter vs US

EDMONTON—Japan coach No-rio Sasaki admitted his side strug-gled to control England before a dramatic own-goal sealed a 2-1 win at the Women’s World Cup and set up a title rematch with the United States.

Defender Laura Bassett turned the ball into her own net deep into injury time to send a heart-broken England home from their first semi-final and holders Japan through to their second straight final in Vancouver next Sunday.

The opening two goals came from penalties from Japan captain Aya Miyama (33) and Fara Wil-liams (40) as a gritty English side matched the reigning champions.

Japan’s ‘Nadeshiko’ had been unable to dictate play the way they had in their five previous games, which were also won by one-goal margins.

“Today we had a tough game. I thought we could play the way we wanted to and we could stick to our plan, but they were playing in a very simple manner and they were also powerful,” said Sasaki. AFP

By Ronnie Nathanielsz

EFREN “Bata” Reyes wove his magic once again to win the Accu-Stats ‘Make It Happen” One Pocket In-vitational last weekend at Sandcastle Billliards in New Jersey.

Three One Pocket legends, led by Reyes and three future stars of the game, did battle in an intriguing contest with four of the players chosen based on known ability over their careers, according to Accu Stats,

The 61-year-old Reyes, who is a One Pocket legend, was joined Scott Frost, American Shane Van Boeing, and fan favorite Alex Pagulayan, who played for the Philippines for some years, but then reverted to repre-senting Canada, where he was reportedly taken cared off by the pool organization.

The two remaining spots were filled by up-and-coming Justin Hall, who has had several high fin-ishes in One Pocket tournaments in recent years and newcomer to the big stage, Danny Smith, who had a significant challenge match win against Darren Ap-pleton.

The format was a simple race-to-three round robin, with the players and the two best records advancing to the finals.

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS—Tiger Woods found his groove at the Greenbrier Classic on Thursday, bouncing back from his disastrous US Open with a four-under-par 66 that left him four shots behind first-round leader Scott Langley.

Langley had eight birdies with no bogeys in his career-best eight-under-par 62.

He hit 12 of 14 fairways and 17 of 18 greens in regulation as he matched the Greenbrier’s best opening round as well as the lowest first-round score on the PGA Tour this season.

But it was Woods’ solid first-round effort that grabbed the headlines, as the 14-time ma-jor champion improved on his best first-18 effort of his 2015 campaign by a whopping seven

strokes.Woods posted his first round

in the 60s since the Masters, where rounds of 69 and 68 in the second and third rounds helped him finish tied for 17th.

That performance at Augusta National in April has been the brightest spot of Woods’s season to date and he arrived at the Old White TPC off a missed cut at the US Open at Chambers Bay, where his rounds of 80 and 76 added up to the worst 36-hole performance of his career.

“Even though my scores don’t indicate it, my swings don’t in-dicate it ... my feels were telling me that I wasn’t that far off,” said Woods, the former world number one who has slumped to 220th in the world.

“It was just a matter of just get-ting into a little bit of the rhythm and flow of it, and I found that.”

Woods, playing his only tuneup for the British Open at St. An-drews in a fortnight, teed off on 10 and got to three-under with bird-ies at 12, 15 and 16 before giving a stroke back at the par-five 17th.

After a birdie at the par-four second, Woods dropped two shots at the par-four sixth, where he was in the rough off the tee and in a greenside bunker with his ap-proach shot.

But he held on with three straight birdies to cap his round.

“Wasn’t good, making a double

there,” Woods said, adding that he told caddie Joey LaCava “We’re just playing too well to be at one-under par.”

He was hoping to get back to three-under for the round “And we happened to pull off a hat-trick coming home,” said Woods, who stuck his approach within four feet for birdie at the seventh then rolled in putts of 18 and 19 feet at the last two holes.

Langley, seeking his first PGA Tour title, had a one-shot lead over New Zealand’s Danny Lee and fellow American Jonathan Byrd.

Both Lee and Byrd had seven birdies without a bogey to reach seven-under 63.

It was a further stroke back to England’s Brian Davis and Ja-pan’s Ryo Ishikawa on 64, while half a dozen players shared sixth on 65. AFP

12 games kick off taekwondo tourneyTWELVE matches will kick off the 2015 SMART/MVP Sports Foundation Philippine Taekwondo League starting today at SM Fairview.

The competition, which will be staged in different SM Supermalls nationwide until November, is supported by PLDT, Meralco, Philippine Sports Commission and the Phil-ippine Olympic Committee.

The opening matches pit SSCR against Mapua, UP against San Beda, ADMU against SSR, LPU against San Beda, Mapua against ADMU and LPU against CSB in sen-ior men’s division and AU against UP, Le-tran against FEU, San Beda against AU, FEU against ADMU, UP against San Beda and ADMU against Letran in the senior women’s group.

According to Commissioner Monsour del Rosario and tournament director Stephen Fernandez, the tourney will feature elite teams from different schools, colleges and

universities affiliated with the Philippine Taekwondo Association.

The event will use the PSS (Protective Scoring System) and ESS (Electronic Scor-ing System), electronic armors and socks to-gether with the IVR (Instant Video Replay) system to eliminate human error and ensure accurate, fair scoring and spectator-friendly competition.

The tourney aims to highlight the progress of taekwondo here and gives the athletes the chance to show their techniques and styles in sparring (kyorugi) as well as enable more people to watch the popular, exciting sport.

PTL will feature a special round called “Tag round” where a team with a maximum of 10 players can have unlimited substitutions in one round of five minutes. The team that makes the highest score wins the match.

Martial arts enthusiasts and other fans, es-pecially children who are interested to learn the sport, are invited to witness the event.

Cage clinics. United States Ambassador to the Philippines Philip Goldberg and Pasay City Mayor Antonino Calixto are shown with persons with disabilities, the participants of the basketball clinic which the embassy conducted.

Janin Marcaida (left) connects with a roundhouse kick to her opponent Thea Ramos in the 2014 Philippine Taekwondo League.

A14S AT U R D AY : J U LY 4 , 2 0 1 5

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Nietes’ challenger arrives earlyBy Ronnie Nathanielsz

MANDATORY challenger Francisco “Chihuas” Rodriguez (17-2-1, 11 KOs) arrived in Manila in the early morning hours of Monday, checked in with his trainer at a hotel in Malate and began training on Tuesday afternoon at the Elorde Gym on Taft Avenue.

The Standard and boxing-mirror.com were alerted to the plan of Rodriguez and his team to travel to the Philippines last Sunday, two weeks ahead of his title fight against Donnie “Ahas” Nietes (35-1-4, 21 KOs) for the World Boxing Organi-zation flyweight championship on July 11 at the Waterfront Ho-tel Casino in Cebu City.

The Standard was able to track him down through con-tacts in the boxing business and watch him train for more than

two hours during which he did a total of 10 rounds, including shadow boxing, punching the heavy bag and five rounds on the punch-mitts.

Rodriguez showed hand-speed, good footwork and head movement in slipping punches and on occasions switched to a southpaw stance as he let loose with rapid-fire combinations on the punch-mitts with trainer Carlos Gonzales and ripped into the heavy bag with power punches. He also has a strength

Tabuenastorms toflawless8-under 64DAVAO—Miguel Tabue-na put on a dazzling show of shotmaking and impec-cable iron game and put-ting and stormed ahead by three with a bogey-free eight-under 64 as two-day leader Michael Bibat bombed out with a 75 in the third round of the IC-TSI Rancho Palos Verdes Classic here yesterday.

Staying within striking distance with back-to-back 66s, Tabuena finally took the lead with a torrid start capped by a stirring five-birdie string linking both nines before slowing down with pars in the last six holes for a 31-33 card.

With a whopping 20-under 196 aggregate, the 21-year-old Tabuena seized a three-shot lead over Elmer Salvador and moved 18 holes away from nailing his second win on this year’s ICTSI Philip-pine Golf Tour and getting past absentee Angelo Que in their spirited battle for the Order of Merit crown.

“I’ve gained some kind of momentum playing five weeks in row. So, I’ve been hitting it really well,” said Tabuena, who won the kickoff leg at ICTSI Splen-dido and finished runner-up or tied for second in three tournaments after seven legs of the circuit or-ganized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

Salvador, also in top form following his repeat win at ICTSI Riviera last week, nearly matched Tabuena’s hot round but bogeyed the final hole and settled for a 32-34 and 66. His 199 aggre-gate, however, kept him three shots behind the young but solid Tabuena, who had 19 birdies and an eagle against just one bogey after 54 holes of the P1.5 milion event sponsored by ICTSI.

He could’ve actually churned out a lower out-put but turned a bit impa-tient in the last six holes and missed at least two birdie opportunities.

Republic of the PhilippinesENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION

San Miguel Avenue, Pasig CityIN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL OF THE ANCILLARY SERVICES PROCUREMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE NATIONAL GRID CORPORATION OF THE PHILIPPINES AND SPC POWER CORPORATION, WITH PRAYER FOR THE ISSUANCE OF PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY

ERC CASE NO. 2015-113RCNATIONAL GRID CORPORATION OF THE PHILIPPINES AND SPC POWER CORPORATION,

Applicants.x-----------------------------------------------x

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES:

Notice is hereby given that on June 11, 2015, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) and SPC Power Corporation (SPC) filed an application for the approval of their Ancillary Services Procurement Agreement (ASPA), with prayer for the issuance of provisional authority.

In the said application, NGCP and SPC alleged, among others, the following:

NATURE OF THE CASE

1. The instant application is for the approval of the ASPA between the NGCP and SPC, pursuant to the Decision dated 3 October 2007 in ERC Case No. 2006-049RC entitled: “In the Matter of the Application for the Approval of Ancillary Services – Cost Recovery Mechanism (AS-CRM) of the Ancillary Services Procurement Plan, with Prayer for Provisional Authority”;

THE PARTIES

2. NGCP is a corporation created and existing under the laws of the Philippines, with office address at NGCP Building, Quezon Avenue corner BIR Road, Diliman, Quezon City. It is the concessionaire which assumed the power transmission functions of the National Transmission Corporation (TRANSCO) pursuant to R.A. 9136 otherwise known as the “Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001”1 (EPIRA);

3. NGCP holds a franchise under Republic Act No. 95112 to engage in the business of conveying or transmitting electricity through high-voltage back-bone systems of interconnected transmission lines, substations and related facilities, and for other purposes. The franchise also includes the conduct of activities necessary to support the safe and reliable operation of the transmission system;

4. SPC is a corporation organized and existing under and by virtue of the Philippine laws with principal office address at 7th Floor Cebu Holdings Center, Cebu Business Park, Cebu City.

5. SPC is the owner and operator of the Cebu Diesel Power Plant (CDPP) located in Naga City, Cebu Province, which was certified and accredited by NGCP to be capable of providing Dispatchable Reserve (DR) and Reactive Power Support Reserve (RPSR), herein collectively called as Ancillary Services (AS);

ANTECEDENT FACTS6. The EPIRA provides that it is the responsibility of NGCP, as TRANSCO’s Concessionaire, to adequately serve generation companies, distribution utilities and suppliers requiring transmission service and/or ancillary services through the transmission system3;

7. Similarly, the Philippine Grid Code (PGC) provides that NGCP is responsible for determining, acquiring, and dispatching the capacity needed to supply the required Grid Ancillary Services and for developing and proposing Wheeling Charges and Ancillary Service tariffs to the Commission4;

8. Ancillary services (AS) as defined in Section 4b of the EPIRA “refer to those services that are necessary to support the transmission of capacity and energy from resources to loads while maintaining reliable operation of the transmission system in accordance with good utility practice and the Grid Code to be adopted in accordance with this Act.” Such services are essential in ensuring reliability in the operation of the transmission system and consequently, in the reliability of the electricity supply in the Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao grids;

9. In order to implement and regulate the procurement of AS, the Commission approved the Ancillary Services Procurement Plan (ASPP) through its Order dated 9 March 2006 in ERC Case No. 2002-253 and the Ancillary Services-Cost Recovery Mechanism (AS-CRM) through its Decision dated 3 October 2007 in ERC Case No. 2006-049RC;

10. Pursuant to its mandate, NGCP invited and negotiated with all prospective generation companies capable of providing ancillary services, one of which is SPC. Upon conducting several tests on CDPP, NGCP determined that its units are capable of providing DR and RPSR. The copy of the Accreditation Certificate No. 2015-V0022 dated 16 January 2015 is attached as Annex “A”;

11. Consequently, they executed the subject ASPA for the supply of DR and RPSR for a period of five (5) years under a non-firm arrangement. A copy of subject ASPA dated 26 May 2015 is attached as Annex “B”;

NON-FIRM CONTRACTED CAPACITY RATE AND IMPACT SIMULATION

12. Schedule 4 of the ASPA provides that the applicable maximum hourly rates for the capacity covered by the ASPA are as follows:

a. DR: Maximum Hourly Rate of PhP1.25/kW; and b. RPSR: Maximum Hourly Rate of PhP4.00/kVAR.

13. NGCP submits that the rate represents a reasonable recovery of its opportunity cost in making available generation capacity to provide the procured AS;

14. The rate under ASPA was subjected to a simulation by NGCP, as follows:

DRWithout Dispatch With Dispatch

PhP/kW PhP/kWh PhP/kW PhP/kWh17.1218 0.0418 8.9117 0.0217

RPS

Total Scheduled MVar Revenue for the Month

Payment on the Energy and Variables

PhP/kW PhP/kWh PhP/kW PhP/kWh1.3345 0.0033 5.9749 0.0146

A copy of the Rate Impact Simulation is attached as Annex “C”;

15. Consistent with the AS-CRM, all the related and incidental expenses which NGCP will incur as a result of the procurement and operation of the ancillary services shall be recovered from all the load customers in the Cebu-Negros-Panay (CNP) Sub-Grid;

ALLEGATIONS IN SUPPORT OF THE PRAYER FOR PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY

16. It is a declared policy of the State to ensure the quality, reliability, security and affordability of the supply of electric power (Section 2b, EPIRA). To this end, there is a need to comply with the system requirements for AS to ensure grid system reliability. As mentioned above, NGCP has the mandate to procure the required AS;

17. The current levels of available contracted AS in the CNP has not yet reached the desired levels necessary for the system reliability. Thus, Applicants executed this ASPA. A copy of the relevant actual data showing the required and available levels of DR in the CNP is attached as Annex “D”;

18. As the demand for power in the Visayas increases, the requirements of the system to ensure stability, reliability and security likewise increases. Ensuring the integrity of the system is essential to protect the interests of the public and particularly key to small and large-scale businesses. The absence of system reliability and stability will certainly discourage investments and growth;

19. Applicants respectfully submit that the immediate approval of the ASPA by this Honorable Commission will greatly improve the reliability and security of the Grid. In support of these allegations, NGCP submits a copy of the Judicial Affidavit dated 5 June 2015 executed by Engr. Philip DL. Dasalla, Head of the Net Access and Customer Account Division, Revenue and Regulatory Affairs Department of NGCP, which is attached as Annex “E”;

20. They pray that for the Commission to: a. Immediately issue a provisional authority to implement the subject ASPA; and b. After notice and hearing, approve the subject ASPA.

The Commission has set the instant application jurisdictional hearing, expository presentation, pre-trial conference and evidentiary hearing on July 15, 2015 (Wednesday) at nine o’ clock in the morning (9:00 A.M.) at the ERC Visayas Field Office, St. Mary’s Drive, Banilad, Cebu City.

All persons who have an interest in the subject matter of the proceeding may become a party by filing, at least five (5) days prior to the initial hearing and subject to the requirements in the ERC’s Rules of Practice and Procedure, a verified petition with the Commission giving the docket number and the title of the proceeding and stating: (1) the petitioner’s name and address; (2) the nature of petitioner’s interest in the subject matter of the proceeding, and the way and manner in which such interest is affected by the issues involved in the proceeding; and (3) a statement of the relief desired.

All other persons who may want their views known to the Commission with respect to the subject matter of the proceeding may file their opposition to the application or comment thereon at any stage of the proceeding before the applicants conclude the presentation of their evidence. No particular form of opposition or comment 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.

All such persons who may wish to have a copy of the application may request the applicants, prior to the date of the initial hearing that they be furnished with a copy of the application. The applicants are hereby directed to furnish all those making such request with copies of the application and its attachments, subject to reimbursement of reasonable photocopying costs. Likewise, any such person may examine the application and other pertinent records filed with the Commission during the usual office hours.

WITNESS,the Honorable Chairperson, ZENAIDA G. CRUZ-DUCUT, and the Honorable Commissioners, ALFREDO J. NON, JOSEFINA PATRICIA A. MAGPALE-ASIRIT, and GERONIMO D. STA. ANA, Energy Regulatory Commission,this 15th day of June, 2015 at Pasig City.

ATTY. FRANCIS SATURNINO C. JUAN Executive Director III1 Republic Act No. 9136 entitled, “An Act Ordaining Reforms in the Electric Power Industry, Amending for the Purpose Certain Laws and for other Purposes”;

2 An Act Granting the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines a Franchise To Engage in the Business of Conveying or Transmitting Electricity Through High Voltage Back-Bone System of Interconnected Transmission Lines, Substations and Related Facilities, and for other Purposes;

3 Section 9 (d);4 Section 6.3.1.2;

(TS-JUNE 27/JULY 4, 2015)

and conditioning coach and a cutman Jose Becerril and Raul Garcia Gonzales.

His trainer/manager Jose Antonio Hernandez said Rod-riguez has trained for two months and sparred with World Boxing Council/Inter-national Boxing Federation No. 10 Saul Juarez and Armando Torres and is in perfect condi-tion both physically and men-tally and has no problem with making the weight considering he had moved up from mini-mum weight to flyweight.

“Rodriguez had very good sparring and he’s in good condition,” Hernandez said. “He suffered a slight ankle injury, which necessitated a one week postponement of the fight but he’s fine and we have no problems. Nietes is a good champion, but Fran-cisco will win and realize his dream of becoming a three-

division world champion.”Trainer Carlos Gonzales said

“most Mexicans come here to fight. Francisco comes here to win and we are confident he will end the long-running re-cord of Nietes.”

The early arrival of Rodri-guez in order to get acclimatized provided fight fans a glimpse of how seriously he’s pursuing the quest to become the first fighter to beat the longest-reigning Fili-pino world champion.

Rodriguez, a former IBF/WBO minimum weight cham-pion, who won the minimum weight title beating Nietes’ good friend and stablemate Merlito Sabillo via a 10th round TKO and retained his title in a clas-sic “Fight of the Year” unifica-tion battle with Japan’s fearless World Boxing Council cham-pion Katsunari Takayama, has prompted Nietes to train harder than ever before.

Francisco Rodriguez takes a breather from his training. JUN LUPENA

A15S AT U R D AY : J U LY 4 , 2 0 1 5

[email protected]

SMB eyes 2-0 lead; Rain seeks equalizerBy Jeric Lopez

A COMMANDING 2-0 lead is up for grabs for San Miguel Beer as it goes for a second straight win against Rain or Shine at the resumption of their best-of-� ve sem-i� nal series in 2015 Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup playo� s.

Game 2 is slated at 5 p.m. today at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, with the Beermen having a golden opportunity to take a firmer grip on the series should they duplicate their win in the opener against the Elasto Painters.

San Miguel Beer coach Leo

Austria and starting point guard Alex Cabagnot, who led the Beermen’s charge in Game 1, expects a tough fightback from the veteran Painters, but are hoping they can weather the storm ahead.

‘’It’s good that we were able to get the 1-0 lead, but I expect

ACROSS 1 Laird’s accent 5 Turnpike 9 Extol 13 Brake pad 14 Like some fears 15 — salts 17 Necessary thing 18 Sonnet or ode 19 Slice thin 20 Shakespeare’s Globe 22 Helped out 24 McKellen and Holm 25 Bill tack-ons 26 Champagne glass sounds 29 “Oho!” and such 31 Belgian, perhaps 32 Damsel 33 Meditation practice 36 Clumsy vessel 37 Shut with great force 40 Dublin’s loc. 41 Bad-mouth 42 Shades 43 Part of REM

45 In-box contents 47 Chocolate treats 48 Makes baskets 51 Elvis swiveled them 52 Soft wools 54 Resulting 58 Wooden post 59 Spiky hair style 61 Environs 62 Townshend and Seeger 63 “Rosamond” composer 64 Uniform 65 Balance 66 Beowulf’s drink 67 Tackles’ neighborsDOWN 1 Cellar, briefly 2 No way! (hyph.) 3 Trellis coverer 4 Holds on to 5 Gets mellow 6 Nose stimuli 7 Stein filler 8 DJ’s disc 9 Gore or Nielsen

10 Plant parasites 11 Custom 12 White Cliffs town 16 Docs prescribe them 21 Profits, informally 23 Bouquet tosser 26 Actor — Everett 27 Petty or Loughlin 28 Vexes 29 Bactrian beast 30 Opposite of hubs 32 Haleakala’s isle 33 Scoots along 34 Cleveland’s waters 35 Kelly and Flanders 38 Lofty capital 39 Trickles down 44 Relieve 45 Calls to mind 46 Least 47 Got twisted 48 Yellow jacket 49 Put in a log 50 Rock tumbler stone 51 Auburn tint

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Rain or Shine to make adjust-ments and give us a tougher time. I’m count-ing on my play-ers to anticipate that and be ready in Game 2,’’ said Austria.

‘’Rain or Shine is a strong team and it is well-coached. It will bounce back strong. We just have to be prepared for that and continue doing our job for us to move closer to the finals,’’ added Cabagnot.

The Philippine Cup cham-pion showed a lot of resiliency as it battled back and wiped out an early 24-point deficit in Game 1 to eventually stun Rain or Shine, 101-95.

Cabagnot regained his clutch shooting as he came

through in the second half of Game 1, finish-ing with 15 key points to help San Miguel. The

Beermen also drew double-double performances from their remarkable frontline in June Mar Fajardo, AZ Reid and Arwind Santos and solid scor-ing from Marcio Lassiter.

These usual suspects will once again be banked on by Austria to counter Rain or Shine’s firepower, led by Wen-dell McKines and Paul Lee, who both had big Game 1 per-formances as well.

Protecting our boxers’ interests

WE have always maintained that rather than attend conventions of the various world boxing organizations abroad, along with his two commis-sioners Fritz Gaston and Atty. Aquil Tamano at considerable expense to the taxpayer, Chairman Ramon “Monju” Guanzon could afford to have one person attend and instead make sure to attend world title fights, or even interim title fights of Filipino boxers to make our presence felt, strengthen the confidence of our fighters and serve notice to promot-ers, especially in countries like Thai-land, South Africa and Mexico that we won’t stand any nonsense.

The International Boxing Fed-eration flyweight title fight between former light flyweight champion and mandatory challenger Johnreil Casimero against Thai champion Amnat Ruenroeng two Saturdays ago at the Hua Mark Indoor Stadium in Bangkok was an utter disgrace.

Ruenroeng, who was ironically trained by Filipino Aljoe Jaro and his brother, resorted to every con-ceivable dirty tactic in securing the victory, aided and abetted by a pa-thetically incompetent referee who, on the basis of his performance in that fight, should be banned for life by the IBF if it has any desire to protect its name and the integrity of the sport of boxing.

An unshaven, ragged-looking referee Larry Doggett appeared totally confused as the Thai cham-pion, from the opening bell, re-sorted to dirty tactics which, when unchecked, gave him the license to commit acts most foul.

Numerous take-downs associ-ated with Muay Thai and wrestling and a series of strangleholds around Casimero’s neck, plus a number of holding and grappling fouls, turned what could have been a good fight into a foul-infested contest, where le-gitimate fight fans and respected men in media both in the United States and the Philippines were left aghast at the ineptitude of referee Doggett and the ugly tactics of Ruenroeng.

Such supposed champions are a disgrace to the sport as well as their country. That two Filipinos in Ruenroeng’s corner did nothing to even remotely try and stop the Thai champion’s madness, some-how compounded what was clearly an unmitigated crime.

We understand that for the Jaro brothers, it was merely a job. But considering the fact that they were helping a Thai against one of their

own countrymen, that job should have been carried out with far more restraint and certainly with more concern and respect for a Filipino former world champion.

If, as we have often suggested, chairman Guanzon was at ringside, then surely his mere presence could have served as some form of deter-rent even to the Jaro brothers, who could have been made to answer for their connivance with the Thai champion if nothing else. Winning at all cost should never be an option!

The vast powers of the GAB chairman could have come into play. But his absence allowed them to get away with an act that bor-dered on the criminal.

We hope chairman Guanzon with whom we have had many dif-ferences will heed our sincere ad-vice and from now on be present at world title fights involving Filipi-nos. It doesn’t have to be a Manny Pacquiao, who is perfectly capable of taking care of himself and pro-tecting his interests. But it’s the other budding challengers that need Guanzon’s presence if not his help.

Chairman Guanzon is an honest man, that much we can say. That is why we want him to be the watchdog at fights and not someone like Box-ing Division chief Dr. Nasser Cruz.

We cannot forget how Dr. Cruz was in the corner of Hong Kong’s popular Rex Tso in a fight at the Cotai Arena in Macau wearing Tso’s uniform in a bout, where the Hong Kong fighter was trained by Aljoe Jaro.

Imagine, a Philippine government official working the corner of a Hong Kong fighter and enjoying the perks that went with the job. Disgusting to say the least and a reflection of the sense of decency if nothing else, of Dr. Cruz, who somehow gives the impression that he is running cir-cles around Guanzon and playing favorites with individuals like Brico Santig and Thai businessman Naris Singwancha whose name once again surfaced affixed to a Filipino boxer in the main event at the recent OPBF Convention fight card in Bacolod in partnership with Brico Santig.

In an administration where Presi-dent Aquino constantly reminds us of the straight path, one of the agen-cies under the Office of the President —the GAB—is sadly taking its own route, which is certainly nowhere near what the President envisions.

GAB chairman Guanzon, as we said before, is an honest man. What he needs to do is to ensure that his personal honesty manifests itself in the actions of the boxing division, while anyone who fails or falters should be fired or in boxing lingo —knocked out cold!

53 Tinned meat 55 Where Tabriz is 56 Oddball

57 Chitchats 60 Suffix for press

INSIDE SPORTS

RONNIE NATHANIELSZ

IN yet another player movement, Barako Bull is reportedly shipping one of its top players, veteran starter Joseph Yeo to GlobalPort in exchange for the Batang Pier’s 2016 first-round pick.

The trade was finalized yesterday and is now up for approval from the Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s office.

As a result, the already deep and talented backcourt of GlobalPort, which already boasts of guards Ter-rence Romeo, Stanley Pringle, Ronjay

Buenafe and Denok Miranda, will further be enhanced with the entry of Yeo, who is a capable scorer and play-maker himself.

This came just a day after Barako Bull swapped scorer Carlo Lastimosa to Blackwater in exchange for play-maker Brian Heruela. Yeo is coming off a big showing in the Energy Co-las’ campaign this Governors’ Cup in his first and only conference with the team, where he is one of the team’s leading scorers. Jeric Lopez

Barako sends Yeo to GlobalPort

Game Today (Game 2, Semifinals - Smart

Araneta Coliseum)5 p.m. - San Miguel vs.

Rain or Shine

Wendell McKines drives to the basket and is fouled by SMB’s Gabby Espinas in a PBA Governors’ Cup semifi nal game won by the Beermen, 101-95.

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A16RIERA U. MALL ARI

E D I T O R

[email protected]

REUEL VIDALA S S I S TA N T E D I T O R

LONDON—Dustin Brown insists he will re-main true to his rasta roots after the dread-locked German qualifier stole the Wimbledon spotlight with a stunning upset of Rafael Nadal.

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sitting here and saying, Why are you guys all different?” he said.

“I’ve been like this. I’m not trying to be a certain way. That is how I am, and always have been.

“Obviously playing this sport, you have to adapt a few things to be able to play the sport.

“But I try not to change myself too much while I’m doing that.

“Obviously it’s great that people appreciate it. But if I would worry too much about what people think then I wouldn’t have the hair and wouldn’t look the way I look.”

Sublime fashionBrown has been beaten in

the first round of nine tour-naments in 2015 and, before arriving at Wimbledon this year, he hadn’t won a Grand

Slam match since making the third round at the All England Club two years ago.

But Brown never gave up on the dream of having a moment like Thursday’s win and he says beating Nadal in such sublime fashion was the perfect reward for all his years of grinding in ano-nymity.

“Well, obviously all of that has made me to the person I am, tennis-wise and also as a person and as a character,” he said.

“When I watch my matches it’s like, Okay, that’s a good shot, maybe that was stupid. That is how I am.

“That’s what makes me dangerous, especially on these surfaces.

“And I guess all that led to this day today, which is probably the best day of my life so far.”

Brown, making his Centre Court debut, had never beat-en a seeded player at a major before, but he felt his aggres-sive tactics could unnerve the out-of-form Nadal.

“Obviously he’s one of the best players of the sport and all the kids that play tennis dream about being able to play on that Centre Court,” he said.

“Being able to put that performance together, it was definitely very difficult and I’m very happy that I held it together for the whole match.”

Brown, who was born in Germany to a Jamaican fa-ther and German mother, changed nationality from Jamaican to German in 2010 after becoming exas-perated by a lack of support from the Jamaican tennis federation. AFP

Brown produced an al-most flawless display of serve and volley tennis to beat two-time Wimbledon champion Nadal 7-5, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 and secure just the fourth Grand Slam win of his career.

The flamboyant 30-year-old’s striking appearance and eye-catching play made him the talk of the All Eng-land Club on Thursday.

But beating Nadal in front of a packed crowd on Centre Court was a rare headline-grabbing moment for Brown, a journeyman ranked 102 in the world who has spent much of his

career labouring in relative obscurity.

Brown spent three years travelling and living in a VW camper-van purchased by his parents as he drove to tournaments around Europe, often stopping at laundrettes to wash his own clothes and stringing rackets for other players to make extra cash.

Regardless of his sudden burst of fame, Brown, who still can’t afford a coach, has no intention of letting the adulation affect his beliefs and laid-back personality.

“It’s difficult when people ask me about myself because for me it’s normal. I could be

ARELLANO University squandered a big lead, but relied on their defense in the endgame to escape with a 80-78 win over the Lyceum Pirates in the 91st National Collegiate Athletics As-sociation men’s basketball tournament at the SanJuan Arena yesterday.

The win was the Chiefs’ first victory in two games.

Arellano was ahead by 16 at the half, but saw its lead whittled down at the stretch and was actually in trouble in the final 28.3 seconds after Joseph Gabayni con-nected inside the paint off Joe Lacastesantos’ pass to cut the lead to two.

But Dioncee Holts blocked a potential game-tying jumper and another defensive ploy from Allen Enriquez kept Gabayni and Mer Ayaay from scoring in the last 3.4 seconds.

In the other seniors’ game, Nigerian import Bright Akhuetie had a monster game of 44 points and 19 rebounds to lead the University of Perpetual Help Altas to a 77-69 win over the College of St. Benil-de Blazers the Altas’ second straight win. Peter Atencio

Chiefs nipPirates

Staying true to his roots

SPORTS

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Germany’s Dustin Brown celebrates after beating Spain’s Rafael Nadal (inset) during their men’s singles second-round match in the 2015 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Tennis Club in Wimbledon. Brown won, 7-5, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4. AFP

RODERICK T. DELA CRUZASSISTANT EDITOR B1

SATURDAY: JULY 4, 2015

[email protected]@gmail.com

RAY S. EÑANOEDITOR

Globe takeover BayanTel OKd

Govt to hold bidding for two Naia bus services

BUSINESS

Bangko Sentral ng PilipinasFriday, July 3, 2015

Foreign exchange rateCurrency Unit US Dollar PesoUnited States Dollar 1.000000 45.1630

Japan Yen 0.008125 0.3669

UK Pound 1.560900 70.4949

Hong Kong Dollar 0.129022 5.8270

Switzerland Franc 1.059659 47.8574

Canada Dollar 0.797321 36.0094

Singapore Dollar 0.741950 33.5087

Australia Dollar 0.763417 34.4782

Bahrain Dinar 2.659221 120.0984

Saudi Arabia Rial 0.266667 12.0435

Brunei Dollar 0.739208 33.3849

Indonesia Rupiah 0.000075 0.0034

Thailand Baht 0.029602 1.3369

UAE Dirham 0.272272 12.2966

Euro Euro 1.108600 50.0677

Korea Won 0.000894 0.0404

China Yuan 0.161163 7.2786

India Rupee 0.015783 0.7128

Malaysia Ringgit 0.264823 11.9602

New Zealand Dollar 0.672405 30.3678

Taiwan Dollar 0.032420 1.4642 Source: PDS Bridge

7,535.3043.01

Closing July 3, 2015PSe comPoSite index

42

43

44

45

46

HIGH P45.000 LOW P45.120 AVERAGE P45.076

Closing JULY 3, 2015PeSo-dollar rate

VOLUME 452.600M

Bangko Sentral ng PilipinasBangko Sentral ng PilipinasBangko Sentral ng PilipinasBangko Sentral ng PilipinasBangko Sentral ng PilipinasBangko Sentral ng PilipinasBangko Sentral ng PilipinasBangko Sentral ng PilipinasBangko Sentral ng PilipinasBangko Sentral ng Pilipinas

oilPriceS today

P480.00-P680.00LPG/11-kg tank

P41.20-P47.85Unleaded Gasoline

P28.85-P32.20Diesel

P34.55-P39.15Kerosene

P23.70-P24.40Auto LPG

todayP28.85-P32.20

P34.55-P39.15

P23.70-P24.40

PP41.20-P47.85

8500

8000

7500

7000

6500

6000

Closing JULY 3, 2015

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PSE advocacy. The Philippine Stock Exchange Inc., through the PSE Foundation, will pursue another school building project with Philam Foundation Inc. through the construction of a one-storey, two-classroom building for the Cassidy Elementary School in Carigara, Leyte. The school building is expected to be turned over to the school by August this year. Shown after the signing of an agreement are (from left) PFI President Maximillan Ventura; Philam Life chief executive J. Axel Bromley; PSE president and chief executive and PSE Foundation chairman Hans Sicat; and PSE Foundation president Harry Liu.

By Darwin G. Amojelar

THE National Telecommunications approved the takeover of Bayan Telecommunications Inc. by Globe Telecom Inc. amid opposition from rival companies.

� e NTC said “the acquisition by Globe of controlling interest in BayanTel pursuant to the court-approved amended rehabilitation plan and master restructuring agreement neither poses any prej-udice to the public interest and convenience nor will make the service fail to operate or function better,” the NTC said in a 19-page

decision.� e regulator said the joint ap-

plication of BayanTel and Globe would enhance competition in the cellular mobile and broad-band markets, rejecting the claim of rival Smart Communications Inc. that it would result in grossly disproportionate assignment of radio frequency.

Philippine Long Distance Tele-phone Co., Digitel Mobile Phil-ippines Inc., Next Mobile and Eastern Telecommunications Philippines Inc. also opposed the transaction.

Globe and BayanTel � led a joint application with the NTC to al-low the Ayala-owned company to convert its debt in BayanTel into equity.

� e regulator’s approval will give Globe a 54-percent owner-ship stake in the BayanTel owned by the Lopez Group, which owns the balance.

Globe acquired 98.26 percent of BayanTel’s loans and 100 percent of Radio Communications of the

Philippines Inc.’s liabilities. RCPI, a unit of BayanTel, is owned by the Lopez Group.

� e acquisition cost of $130 million was lower than the $400-million face value of Bayan-Tel.

Globe vice president for cor-porate communications Yolanda Crisanto said the company was “happy with this decision.”

Globe president Ernest Cu had said his company and BayanTel were looking into various forms of collaboration that would ben-e� t both companies, including DSL (digital subscriber line) and broadband.

Globe had secured NTC ap-

proval of the joint use of Bayan-Tel’s frequencies in the 1750-1760 megahertz/1845-1855 megahertz range.

� e joint use agreement will al-low Globe to address the increas-ing demand for voice, SMS and mobile data services, and Bayan-tel to o� er its mobile telecommu-nications services to customers.

Besides frequency, Bayan has an existing nationwide network, which is composed of satellite, terrestrial and land/submarine-based cable facilities.

Sought for comment, PLDT Group spokesman Ramon Isberto said “we have no comment on the matter.”

THE government is bidding out a contract to provide airport bus services at the Ninoy Aquino In-ternational Airport, similar to those in Hong Kong and Singa-pore.

� e Land Transportation Fran-chising and Regulatory Board issued a memorandum circular to invite interested applicants to participate in the auction in o� er-ing premium bus airport services at Naia.

� e LTFRB initially identi� ed two airport bus routes, includ-

ing the Naia–Roxas Boulevard area including Mall of Asia and Entertainment City and the Naia–Makati central business district route.

Each route will have two sub-routes, with one serving Naia Ter-minal 1 and 2 and the other serv-ing Naia Terminal 3.

Each route variant and sub-route will have no more than � ve stops, all within the ‘target zone’ to ensure e� cient travel times for passengers.

Under the guidelines, the air-

port bus units will have a 24-pas-senger seating capacity that will operate from 4 a.m. to 12 mid-night and can only pick up pas-sengers on designated o� -street stops.

It will be equipped with on-board CCTV, Wi-Fi, on-board automated bus arrival electronic display and announcement sys-tem.

Drivers of the premium airport bus will be on salary basis. For the convenience of passengers, there will be booking o� ce in o� -street

stops and airport terminals.Suggested fare for the 18-km

Makati-Naia route and 24-km Naia-Roxas Boulevard route air-port bus service is P300.

� e LTFRB said interested ap-plicants must submit their legal, technical and � nancial quali� ca-tion documents to the board on or before Aug. 3, 2015.

A pre-quali� cation conference is scheduled on July 10, while the opening of the quali� cation docu-ments is on Aug. 3.

Darwin G. Amojelar


BUSINESSSATURDAY: JULY 4, 2015

B2

52 Weeks Previous % Net Foreign High Low STOCKS Close High Low Close Change Volume Trade/Buying

The STandard BuSineSS daily STockS review Friday, July 3, 2015

FINANCIAL7.88 2.5 AG Finance 7.5 7.4 7.1 7.4 -1.33 7,600 75.3 66 Asia United Bank 73.35 73.3 72.7 73 -0.48 15,430 383,765.00124.4 88.05 Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. 108.30 109.70 108.00 108.00 -0.28 1,326,450 53,107,086.00107 88.1 Bank of PI 94.00 94.70 93.95 94.25 0.27 1,449,330 -10,332,706.0056.5 45.45 China Bank 45.25 45.5 45.3 45.4 0.33 49,700 2.49 1.97 BDO Leasing & Fin. INc. 2.50 2.50 2.50 2.50 0.00 92,000 -7,500.004.2 1.68 Bright Kindle Resources 1.74 1.74 1.71 1.74 0.00 40,000 -34,800.0017 12.02 COL Financial 15.94 15.94 15.8 15.94 0.00 6,600 58,700.0030.45 19.6 Eastwest Bank 19.4 19.5 19.4 19.4 0.00 1,656,400 102,416.0010.4 6.12 Filipino Fund Inc. 6.41 6.43 6.40 6.43 0.31 8,900 12,1600.92 0.74 First Abacus 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.00 64,000 9,8001.01 0.225 MEDCO Holdings 0.425 0.420 0.415 0.415 -2.35 100,000 100 78 Metrobank 93.05 94.4 93.1 93.5 0.48 2,595,560 31,740,085.001.46 0.9 Natl. Reinsurance Corp. 0.98 0.98 0.98 0.98 0.00 828,000 30.5 17.8 PB Bank 18.50 19.10 18.90 19.06 3.03 198,600 -216,696.0075 58 Phil Bank of Comm 27.10 28.40 27.30 28.40 4.80 11,600 91.5 62 Phil. National Bank 66.35 67.50 66.05 66.05 -0.45 73,920 -2,070,338.00137 88.35 Phil. Savings Bank 94 93.1 93 93 -1.06 2,550 93,100.00361.2 276 PSE Inc. 306.4 306.8 306.6 306.6 0.07 1,990 57 41 RCBC À’ 38.5 39.5 38.5 38.5 0.00 223,000 -2,489,900.00180 118.2 Security Bank 163 164.9 160.1 160.1 -1.78 983,570 -133,947,027.00124 59 Union Bank 60.00 61.15 60.00 60.00 0.00 7,880 -54,163.003.26 2.65 Vantage Equities 3.15 3.15 3.15 3.15 0.00 80,000 -252,000.00

INDUSTRIAL47 35.9 Aboitiz Power Corp. 44.75 44.8 43.9 44 -1.68 2,701,500 30,110,605.005 1.11 Agrinurture Inc. 1.46 1.37 1.36 1.37 -6.16 17,000 1.46 1.01 Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. 1.04 1.04 1.01 1.04 0.00 658,000 2.36 1.86 Alsons Cons. 1.96 1.97 1.93 1.96 0.00 123,000 -114,260.0015.3 7.92 Asiabest Group 10.38 10.42 10.3 10.32 -0.58 5,000 148 32 C. Azuc De Tarlac 91.50 93.00 91.50 93.00 1.64 1,030 20.6 15.32 Century Food 18.38 18.4 18.36 18.38 0.00 1,558,500 -8,504,470.0036 10.08 Cirtek Holdings (Chips) 27 26.95 26.85 26.95 -0.19 69,500 -72,765.0065.8 29.15 Concepcion 57.5 57.5 55.2 57.2 -0.52 380 2.97 1.5 Crown Asia 2.45 2.51 2.38 2.48 1.22 4,176,000 14,320.004.14 1.5 Da Vinci Capital 1.48 1.47 1.4 1.4 -5.41 485,000 21.5 10.72 Del Monte 12.66 12.8 12.48 12.5 -1.26 299,900 1,914,280.0021.6 9.55 DNL Industries Inc. 20.000 20.600 20 20.400 2.00 5,627,500 10,446,475.0011.96 9.04 Emperador 9.00 9.07 8.70 9.00 0.00 166,500 122,023.009.13 6.02 Energy Devt. Corp. (EDC) 7.57 7.68 7.45 7.45 -1.59 4,228,500 586,406.0011.8 8.86 EEI 10.06 10.36 10.02 10.22 1.59 218,900 406,074.002.89 1.06 Euro-Med Lab 1.7 1.7 1.7 1.7 0.00 12,000 -11,900.0017 8.61 Federal Res. Inv. Group 11.8 11.9 11.8 11.88 0.68 9,500 31.8 20.2 First Gen Corp. 26.6 26.8 26.15 26.15 -1.69 769,000 -1,916,505.00109 71.5 First Holdings ‘A’ 82.4 83.6 82.5 82.5 0.12 100,820 -181,323.5020.75 13.86 Ginebra San Miguel Inc. 13.30 13.98 13.98 13.98 5.11 200 15.3 13.24 Holcim Philippines Inc. 13.40 13.78 13.10 13.78 2.84 700 9.4 5.34 Integ. Micro-Electronics 5.85 5.95 5.84 5.87 0.34 685,700 2,754,537.000.98 0.395 Ionics Inc 0.530 0.510 0.510 0.510 -3.77 26,000 241 173 Jollibee Foods Corp. 196.00 197.00 195.40 195.70 -0.15 1,219,540 153,931,366.0012.5 8.65 Lafarge Rep 10.12 10.18 10.12 10.14 0.20 290,500 2,471,738.003.95 2.3 LMG Chemicals 2.02 2.03 2.03 2.03 0.50 6,000 74 33 Macay Holdings 59.50 59.00 57.00 59.00 -0.84 1,800 96,900.0033.9 23.35 Manila Water Co. Inc. 24.15 24.35 24 24 -0.62 257,100 -3,571,020.0090 17.3 Maxs Group 25.35 25.6 25 25.6 0.99 63,200 84,325.0013.26 5.88 Megawide 6.04 6.08 5.98 5.98 -0.99 1,426,200 293 250.2 Mla. Elect. Co À’ 298.00 298.00 293.80 296.00 -0.67 247,010 -8,405,836.005 3.37 Panasonic Mfg Phil. Corp. 3.95 3.98 3.98 3.98 0.76 13,000 5.25 3.87 Pepsi-Cola Products Phil. 4.8 4.87 4.8 4.8 0.00 193,000 110,390.0012.98 8.45 Petron Corporation 8.81 9.08 8.86 9.00 2.16 3,632,500 27,513,606.0015 10.04 Phinma Corporation 12.00 11.98 11.70 11.98 -0.17 800 -8,190.007.03 3.03 Phoenix Petroleum Phils. 3.37 3.44 3.33 3.33 -1.19 366,000 3.4 1.95 Phoenix Semiconductor 1.96 1.97 1.95 1.97 0.51 408,000 4.5 1 Pryce Corp. À’ 3.3 3.46 3.19 3.46 4.85 5,324,000 -530,500.006.3 4.02 RFM Corporation 4.16 4.16 4.15 4.15 -0.24 287,000 8,200.007.86 1.65 Roxas and Co. 1.98 1.97 1.89 1.97 -0.51 7,000 7.34 5.9 Roxas Holdings 6.2 6.4 6.4 6.4 3.23 600 238 161 San Miguel’Pure Foods `B’ 164 170.5 166 166 1.22 1,410 3.28 1.55 Splash Corporation 1.63 1.63 1.61 1.63 0.00 52,000 0.315 0.138 Swift Foods, Inc. 0.142 0.143 0.140 0.142 0.00 680,000 2.65 2.09 Trans-Asia Oil 2.18 2.18 2.17 2.17 -0.46 311,000 54,250.00234 152 Universal Robina 193.9 196.9 193.6 193.8 -0.05 1,953,390 184,708,975.001.3 0.640 Vitarich Corp. 0.76 0.76 0.74 0.74 -2.63 740,000 2.17 1.2 Vulcan Ind’l. 1.23 1.23 1.20 1.21 -1.63 83,000 36,000.00

HOLDING FIRMS0.59 0.44 Abacus Cons. À’ 0.475 0.470 0.470 0.470 -1.05 560,000 59.2 48.1 Aboitiz Equity 57.0000 57.2000 57.0000 57.0000 0.00 625,660 -2,397,913.5030.05 20.85 Alliance Global Inc. 22.30 22.65 22.05 22.15 -0.67 1,316,600 -4,005,130.002.16 1.6 Anglo Holdings A 1.29 1.17 1.17 1.17 -9.30 5,000 7.39 6.62 Anscor À’ 7.04 7.00 6.97 7.00 -0.57 15,600 -104,550.003.4 0.23 ATN Holdings A 0.245 0.245 0.230 0.245 0.00 12,000 3.35 0.23 ATN Holdings B 0.270 0.270 0.270 0.270 0.00 10,000 823.5 634.5 Ayala Corp À’ 779 781 772 772 -0.90 180,850 -17,749,465.0010.2 7.390 Cosco Capital 7.6 7.79 7.62 7.62 0.26 526,400 598,253.0084 12.8 DMCI Holdings 13.48 14.00 13.40 13.44 -0.30 5,318,000 -22,278,690.003.35 2.6 F&J Prince ‘A’ 3.1 3.43 3.4 3.43 10.65 7,000 4.92 2.26 Filinvest Dev. Corp. 4.29 4.40 4.40 4.40 2.56 3,000 0.66 0.152 Forum Pacific 0.207 0.214 0.205 0.214 3.38 320,000 1455 837 GT Capital 1359 1370 1345 1345 -1.03 134,995 9,309,965.0076 49.55 JG Summit Holdings 72.00 72.30 71.70 71.7™0 -0.42 1,122,010 16,438,650.005.29 3 Keppel Holdings À’ 5.4 4.58 4.53 4.57 -15.37 1,200 9.25 4.84 Lopez Holdings Corp. 7.27 7.3 7.16 7.3 0.41 584,000 -1,220,460.000.85 0.59 Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp. 0.66 0.66 0.65 0.66 0.00 37,000 17.3 12 LT Group 13.64 13.8 13.58 13.62 -0.15 724,400 -524,952.000.71 0.580 Mabuhay Holdings À’ 0.61 0.63 0.62 0.63 3.28 5,000 5.53 4.2 Metro Pacific Inv. Corp. 4.67 4.77 4.62 4.62 -1.07 8,532,000 -8,220,620.006.55 4.5 Minerales Industrias Corp. 6.48 6.54 6.33 6.5 0.31 677,400 -64,900.009.66 3 MJCI Investments Inc. 3.8 3.9 3.8 3.85 1.32 37,000 0.0670 0.030 Pacifica À’ 0.0330 0.0340 0.0320 0.0330 0.00 2,600,000 1.61 0.550 Prime Orion 2.010 2.010 1.930 2.010 0.00 8,531,000 -2,672,640.002.99 2.26 Republic Glass ‘A’ 2.7 2.69 2.56 2.69 -0.37 4,000 84.9 59.3 San Miguel Corp À’ 59.00 60.20 59.10 59.45 0.76 86,310 585,260.00974 751 SM Investments Inc. 897.00 890.00 882.50 886.00 -1.23 366,360 3,061,965.001.39 0.93 South China Res. Inc. 0.75 0.75 0.75 0.75 0.00 2,000 156 80 Top Frontier 81.950 81.400 81.300 81.300 -0.79 9,270 -591,177.000.710 0.211 Unioil Res. & Hldgs 0.3350 0.3350 0.3300 0.3350 0.00 1,340,000 0.435 0.179 Wellex Industries 0.1990 0.2080 0.1900 0.2080 4.52 220,000 0.510 0.310 Zeus Holdings 0.290 0.290 0.290 0.290 0.00 20,000

52 Weeks Previous % Net ForeignHigh Low STOCKS Close High Low Close Change Volume Trade/Buying

Trading SummarySHARES VALUE

FINANCIAL 9,823,581 737396218.88INDUSTRIAL 40,049,383 1,229,749,644.324HOLDING FIRMS 34,476,617 989,071,884.43PROPERTY 81,386,836 948,326,465.61SERVICES 161,283,358 112,471,568.798MINING & OIL 562,290,580 135,489,679.6578GRAND TOTAL 891,399,576 5,176,431,441.782

FINANCIAL 1,715.38 (down) 1.27INDUSTRIAL 11,551.28 (down) 38.98HOLDING FIRMS 6,741.66 (down) 48.07PROPERTY 3,042.94 (down) 21.53SERVICES 2,077.96 (down) 9.26MINING & OIL 13,566.16 (down) 103.42PSEI 7,535.30 (down) 43.01All Shares Index 4,320.43 (down) 14.56

Gainers: 65 Losers: 83; Unchanged: 57; Total: 205

STOCKS Close(P)

Change(%)

Keppel Holdings À' 4.57 -15.37

Cebu Prop. `B' 5.61 -13.69

Anglo Holdings A 1.17 -9.30

Agrinurture Inc. 1.37 -6.16

Da Vinci Capital 1.4 -5.41

Apex À' 2.65 -5.36

Asian Terminals Inc. 12.86 -5.16

ISM Communications 1.3000 -5.11

IRipple E-Business Intl 65.95 -4.14

Melco Crown 5.81 -3.97

Top LoSerSSTOCKS Close

(P)Change

(%)

F&J Prince 'A' 3.43 10.65

Macroasia Corp. 2.16 7.46

PAL Holdings Inc. 4.77 6.00

Ginebra San Miguel Inc. 13.98 5.11

Lepanto `B' 0.237 4.87

Cityland Dev. À' 1.08 4.85

Pryce Corp. À' 3.46 4.85

Phil Bank of Comm 28.40 4.80

Island Info 0.219 4.78

Waterfront Phils. 0.330 4.76

Top gainerS

P R O P E R T Y10.5 6.74 8990 HLDG 7.310 7.340 7.240 7.300 -0.14 38,400 -30,756.001.99 0.65 A. Brown Co., Inc. 0.71 0.71 0.69 0.71 0.00 226,000 -22,080.0041.4 30.05 Ayala Land `B’ 37.65 37.70 36.80 36.80 -2.26 12,070,200 -97,152,890.005.6 3.36 Belle Corp. À’ 3.36 3.36 3.33 3.33 -0.89 1,109,000 -2,411,610.005.59 4.96 Cebu Holdings 5.12 5.25 5.18 5.25 2.54 222,500 1,148,423.007.1 4.6 Cebu Prop. `B’ 6.5 5.71 5.61 5.61 -13.69 4,500 1.44 0.79 Century Property 0.84 0.84 0.83 0.84 0.00 1,534,000 950.001.97 1.1 City & Land Dev. 1.25 1.25 1.25 1.25 0.00 21,000 1.48 0.97 Cityland Dev. À’ 1.03 1.08 1.03 1.08 4.85 7,000 0.69 0.415 Cyber Bay Corp. 0.440 0.440 0.440 0.440 0.00 500,000 0.97 0.83 Empire East Land 0.880 0.870 0.870 0.870 -1.14 96,000 2.22 1.15 Global-Estate 1.21 1.22 1.21 1.21 0.00 807,000 2.1 1.42 Filinvest Land,Inc. 1.95 2.02 1.95 1.99 2.05 27,063,000 2,136,700.001.8 1.27 Interport À’ 1.31 1.30 1.29 1.29 -1.53 100,000 4.88 2.75 Megaworld Corp. 4.99 5.05 4.87 4.87 -2.40 14,773,000 -15,987,330.000.180 0.090 MRC Allied Ind. 0.114 0.110 0.110 0.110 -3.51 20,000 8.54 2.69 Primex Corp. 7.2 7.2 7.2 7.2 0.00 23,000 -151,200.0031.8 22.15 Robinson’s Land `B’ 29.90 29.85 29.95 29.00 -3.01 2,540,200 -154,480.002.29 1.6 Rockwell 1.72 1.73 1.72 1.72 0.00 863,000 -1,434,170.004.9 3.1 Shang Properties Inc. 3.34 3.37 3.34 3.34 0.00 3,000 21.35 15.08 SM Prime Holdings 19.94 20.35 19.94 20.35 2.06 9,617,200 46,277,446.001.06 0.69 Sta. Lucia Land Inc. 0.75 0.75 0.74 0.75 0.00 511,000 7.56 3.38 Starmalls 7 7.2 6.68 7.2 2.86 22,400 1.62 0.83 Suntrust Home Dev. Inc. 0.830 0.840 0.840 0.840 1.20 69,000 8.59 5.73 Vista Land & Lifescapes 6.580 6.780 6.520 6.780 3.04 2,628,500

S E R V I C E S10.5 1.97 2GO Group’ 6.03 6.2 6 6.09 1.00 21,900 66 35.2 ABS-CBN 62.35 62.4 62.3 62.4 0.08 9,880 1.44 1 Acesite Hotel 1.14 1.12 1.11 1.11 -2.63 5,000 1.09 0.63 APC Group, Inc. 0.640 0.650 0.640 0.640 0.00 92,000 -35,840.0014.88 10.5 Asian Terminals Inc. 13.56 13.54 12.86 12.86 -5.16 300 15.82 8.6 Bloomberry 9.15 9.23 9.07 9.14 -0.11 10,552,600 -218,374.000.1430 0.0770 Boulevard Holdings 0.0820 0.8500 0.0800 0.0800 -2.44 8,300,000 5.06 2.95 Calata Corp. 3.65 3.69 3.51 3.52 -3.56 493,000 -102,150.0099.1 56.1 Cebu Air Inc. (5J) 88.5 89.5 88.6 88.7 0.23 704,150 9,012,187.501700 830 FEUI 945 930 930 930 -1.59 20 2720 1600 Globe Telecom 2500 2540 2480 2482 -0.72 50,840 -14,722,870.008.41 5.95 GMA Network Inc. 6.45 6.50 6.42 6.48 0.47 24,000 119.5 102.6 I.C.T.S.I. 113 113 111.5 111.8 -1.06 681,120 5,424,833.000.017 0.011 IP E-Game Ventures Inc. 0.011 0.011 0.011 0.011 0.00 31,400,000 0.8200 0.041 Island Info 0.209 0.231 0.209 0.219 4.78 66,340,000 -314,830.002.2800 1.200 ISM Communications 1.3700 1.3700 1.3000 1.3000 -5.11 83,000 12.28 6.5 Leisure & Resorts 9.30 9.32 9.00 9.30 0.00 183,600 522,966.003.32 1.91 Liberty Telecom 2.69 2.75 2.57 2.66 -1.12 198,000 2,600.003.2 1.95 Macroasia Corp. 2.01 2.19 2.04 2.16 7.46 251,000 1 0.650 Manila Bulletin 0.650 0.690 0.660 0.680 4.62 144,000 2.46 1.8 Manila Jockey 2 2 1.96 2 0.00 112,000 15.2 6 Melco Crown 6.05 6.23 5.81 5.81 -3.97 5,467,100 -14,233,873.000.62 0.335 MG Holdings 0.345 0.340 0.335 0.340 -1.45 40,000 1.040 0.37 NOW Corp. 0.495 0.490 0.455 0.490 -1.01 20,000 4,900.006.41 3 PAL Holdings Inc. 4.50 4.79 4.77 4.77 6.00 3,000 4 2.28 Paxys Inc. 3 3 3 3 0.00 20,000 185 79 Phil. Seven Corp. 117.50 113.50 112.00 113.50 -3.40 1,080 22.9 4.39 Philweb.Com Inc. 18.78 18.80 18.00 18.78 0.00 169,600 -672,144.003486 2748 PLDT Common 2800.00 2826.00 2800.00 2800.00 0.00 175,880 129,266,980.000.760 0.435 PremiereHorizon 0.660 0.670 0.660 0.670 1.52 1,002,000 -132,000.002.28 1.2 Premium Leisure 1.300 1.320 1.270 1.270 -2.31 21,692,000 8,164,560.0046.05 31.45 Puregold 37.20 37.25 36.95 37.05 -0.40 67,300 -47,605.0090.1 60.55 Robinsons RTL 76.00 76.50 74.75 74.80 -1.58 51,360 1,046,746.5011.6 7.59 SSI Group 9.54 9.60 9.47 9.47 -0.73 3,275,000 10,285,656.0010 5 Travellers 5.35 5.45 5.35 5.35 0.00 1,116,400 3,029,316.000.490 0.315 Waterfront Phils. 0.315 0.330 0.325 0.330 4.76 200,000 1.9 1.14 Yehey 1.770 1.900 1.780 1.840 3.95 309,000

MINING & OIL0.0098 0.0043 Abra Mining 0.0051 0.0050 0.0050 0.0050 -1.96 482,000,000 5.45 1.72 Apex À’ 2.80 2.80 2.65 2.65 -5.36 65,000 17.24 6.47 Atlas Cons. À’ 6.49 6.50 6.39 6.39 -1.54 310,600 -273,909.000.330 0.236 Basic Energy Corp. 0.245 0.238 0.238 0.238 -2.86 110,000 12.7 6.5 Benguet Corp À’ 6.8000 6.8800 6.8800 6.8800 1.18 1,000 1.19 0.85 Century Peak Metals Hldgs 0.96 0.93 0.9 0.93 -3.13 3,558,000 27,400.001.62 0.77 Coal Asia 0.79 0.8 0.78 0.79 0.00 170,000 -12,640.009.5 5.99 Dizon 6.95 7.00 6.92 6.95 0.00 1,700 4.2 1.17 Ferronickel 1.64 1.67 1.62 1.65 0.61 1,385,000 83,990.000.48 0.305 Geograce Res. Phil. Inc. 0.310 0.320 0.310 0.310 0.00 260,000 0.420 0.2130 Lepanto À’ 0.222 0.225 0.221 0.224 0.90 1,010,000 0.440 0.2160 Lepanto `B’ 0.226 0.237 0.237 0.237 4.87 10,000 0.022 0.013 Manila Mining À’ 0.0130 0.0130 0.0130 0.0130 0.00 43,500,000 0.023 0.014 Manila Mining `B’ 0.0140 0.0140 0.0140 0.0140 0.00 2,000,000 8.2 3.240 Marcventures Hldgs., Inc. 3.25 3.3 3.21 3.28 0.92 194,000 -127,010.0049.2 18.96 Nickelasia 22.85 23.35 22.7 22.7 -0.66 3,312,900 -32,878,205.004.27 2.11 Nihao Mineral Resources 3.8 3.85 3.76 3.78 -0.53 681,000 -11,400.003.06 1.54 Oriental Peninsula Res. 2.0400 2.0400 2.0400 2.0400 0.00 2,000 0.020 0.012 Oriental Pet. À’ 0.0120 0.0120 0.0120 0.0120 0.00 100,000 7.67 5.4 Petroenergy Res. Corp. 4.28 4.29 4.28 4.29 0.23 19,000 -47,180.0012.88 7.26 Philex À’ 6.08 6.110 6.040 6.08 0.00 879,200 -1,118,112.0010.42 2.27 PhilexPetroleum 1.76 1.790 1.730 1.73 -1.70 2,389,000 -537,000.000.040 0.015 Philodrill Corp. À’ 0.015 0.015 0.014 0.015 0.00 19,400,000 420 115.9 Semirara Corp. 146.50 147.00 142.20 144.00 -1.71 193,500 -8,993,519.009 3.67 TA Petroleum 10.82 11.1 10.2 10.4 -3.88 669,900 52,300.00

PREFERRED70 33 ABS-CBN Holdings Corp. 61.75 62.95 61.75 62.9 1.86 160,670 -4,229,144.50120 101.5 First Gen G 118 118 118 118 0.00 700 515 480 GLOBE PREF P 523 533 523 523 0.00 360 111 101 MWIDE PREF 112 114 112 114 1.79 610 1047 1011 PF Pref 2 1054 1055 1054 1055 0.09 9,530 76.9 74.2 SMC Preferred A 75.25 75.3 75.2 75.3 0.07 166,400 78.95 74.5 SMC Preferred B 85 85 85 85 0.00 39,260 84.8 75 SMC Preferred C 89 89 88.9 89 0.00 224,610 15,761,900.00

WARRANTS & BONDS6.98 0.8900 LR Warrant 3.700 3.830 3.700 3.700 0.00 134,000

S M E10.96 2.4 Double Dragon 10.2 10.4 10.2 10.22 0.20 516,600 373,226.0088 13.5 IRipple E-Business Intl 68.8 68 60 65.95 -4.14 1,800 12.88 5.95 Xurpas 11.32 11.64 11.1 11.44 1.06 1,565,100 1,794,448.00

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS130.7 105.6 First Metro ETF 123.5 123.5 123 123 -0.40 5,720 6,150.00


BUSINESSSATURDAY: JULY 4, 2015

B3

Meralco, German win MRT deals Markettumblesahead of Greek poll

Trans-Asia plans 600-MW plant in Pangasinan

Megaworld exhibit. Megaworld Prime RFO, which pioneered the personal-ized after-sales services for ready-for-occupancy clients, is showcasing a special exhibit at the Newport Mall Atrium in Newport City featuring its various services and innovative home designs for RFO proper-ties. The special exhibit, dubbed “Flow into Prime Living”, will run until July 8 in Newport Mall Atrium and July 14 to 23 in Eastwood Mall Atrium. Shown during the opening of the ex-hibit are (from left) Megaworld fi rst vice-president and head of commercial division Kevin Tan, chief operating offi cer Lourdes Gutierrez-Alfonso and vice president for sales and market-ing Donna Vicedo-Racho.

By Alena Mae S. FloresTRANS Asia Oil and Energy Corp. plans to build a 600-mega-watt coal � red power plant in Pan-gasinan province, records from the Energy Department show.

� e department earlier allowed Trans-Asia to conduct the grid impact study for the two by 300-MW Baquioen circulating � uid-ized bed coal � red power plant in Sual, Pangasinan.

Company o� cials did not com-ment, although Trans-Asia said it had been increasing its power generation portfolio.

Trans-Asia earlier announced it aimed to double its power genera-tion capacity to 1,200 megawatt over the next � ve years.

Trans-Asia president Francisco Viray said the company had an existing portfolio of around 600 MW, which could be doubled by 2020.

“It can be done,” Viray said, adding that the additional capac-ity would come from the partici-pation in the remaining assets of the government up for privatiza-tion and green� eld power proj-ects such as new wind farms.

� e additional capacity will re-quire investments of about $1.2 billion in the next � ve years.

“We will prioritize remaining privatization of PSALM [Pow-er Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp.] of CBK and Casecnan hydro plants. We like CBK because it’s in Luzon,” Viray

said.� e government announced

plans to privatize CBK and Casenan hydro power plants by o� ering its contracted capacities to the independent power pro-ducer administrator. It has not yet set a de� nite bidding date.

� e CBK hydro projects con-sist of 22.6-megawatt Caliraya in Lumban, 20.8-MW Botocan in Majayjay and the 684.6-MW Ka-layaan I and II in Kalayaan, Lagu-na. J-Power and Sumitomo Corp. of Japan operate the CBK power plants.

� e 150-MW Casecnan proj-ect, meanwhile, was built follow-ing the signing of a build-oper-ate-transfer contract between the National Irrigation Administra-

tion and California Energy Casec-nan Water and Energy Company Inc. in 1994.

Viray said the company was also keen on developing the Sibu-nag and Ballesteros wind projects totaling 120 MW but it was still waiting for the additional wind allocation for availment of the feed-in tari� .

� e Renewable Energy Act provides for a feed-in-tari� rate of P8.53 per kilowatt-hour for an initial 200-MW allocation of new wind generation capacity.

Trans-Asia and Ayala Corp.’s wholly-owned subsidiary, AC Energy Holdings Inc. (formerly Michigan Power Inc) is putting up a 270-MW coal plant in Batan-gas.

By Darwin G. Amojelar

A SUBSIDIARY of power retailer Manila Electric Co. has won a six-month contract from the government to maintain the power systems of Metro Rail Transit Line 3.

STOCKS retreated Friday, a� er a two-day gain, ahead of week-end’s Greek referendum that could decide its eurozone future.

� e Philippine Stock Ex-change index, the 30-company benchmark, shed 43 points, or 0.6 percent, to close at 7,535.30 on Friday. Despite the loss, the index was still up 4.2 percent since the start of the year.

� e heavier index, repre-senting all shares, also fell 14 points, or 0.3 percent, to settle at 4,320.43, on a value turnover of P5.2 billion. Losers outnum-bered gainers, 83 to 65, while 57 issues were unchanged.

Only four of the 20 most ac-tive stocks ended in the green. SM Prime Holdings Inc., the real estate unit of the SM Group, rose 2.1 percent to P20.35 while chemical producer D&L Indus-tries Inc. gained 2 percent to P20.40.

Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co. added 0.5 percent to close at P93.50. Bank of the Philip-pines Islands rose 0.3 percent to P94.25.

Meanwhile, Wall Street ended in the red � ursday as a strong increase in US jobs was over-shadowed by the Greek crisis and stagnant wage growth.

Seoul dropped 0.14 percent, or 2.92 points, to end at 2,104.41 and Sydney fell 61.5 points, or 1.1 percent, to 5,538.3, while in late trade Hong Kong was 0.50 percent lower.

Shanghai tumbled 7.13 per-cent at one point in the morn-ing and Shenzhen slumped 6.96 percent, with mainland markets pummeled by pro� t-taking and margin traders calling in their bets.

Despite a mild recovery in early a� ernoon exchanges the two indexes closed sharply lower again. Shanghai slid 5.77 percent, or 225.85 points, to 3,686.92, giving up 12.07 per-cent since last Friday.

Shenzhen sank 5.30 percent, or 117.33 points, to 2,098.48 -- losing 16.16 percent over the week.

However, Tokyo reversed morning losses to end margin-ally higher, adding 17.29 points to 20,539.79

With Greeks heading to the polls Sunday, analysts said in-vestors were in a holding pat-tern until they had a better idea about the country’s future.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras broke o� debt reform talks Saturday and called the plebiscite on creditors’ propos-als -- leading it to default on a loan repayment Tuesday.

European leaders have warned that the poll is e� ectively an in-out vote on Greece’s future in the eurozone. With AFP

� e Transportation Depart-ment said the P43.23-million contract required MRail Inc. to maintain the railway line’s power supply and overhead catenary systems beginning July 5.

MRail will work together with � ve other companies in managing various components required to ful� ll MRT-3’s daily operations.

� e P23.9-million contract for rail tracks and permanent ways was awarded to Jorgman-Korail-Erin Marty joint venture, while the P23.35-million contract for maintenance of buildings and fa-cilities was given to Global Epcom

Services Inc. � e P7.28-million upgrade

and maintain communications systems was awarded to Trilink Technologies Inc.

� e P6.95 million automated fare collection system was award-ed to Future Logic Corp.

Global-Autre Porte Technology has been maintaining the MRT 3 based on a contract that the agen-cy rolls over every month.

� e biggest contract, the P131-million deal to maintain MRT 3’s rolling stock was awarded to the joint venture Schunk Bahn-und Industrietechnik GmbH of

Germany and Comm Builders & Technology Philippines Corp.

� e agency has yet to award the contract for the conveyance system.

� e sub-contractors were en-gaged directly under a multi-dis-ciplinary approach to increase the e� ciency of work per component until the long-term maintenance provider is procured.

� e Transportation Depart-ment said it anticipated that day-to-day repair works and the sup-ply of spare parts would improve under the new approach.

� e DOTC is currently seeking the approval of the Government Procurement Policy Board to proceed with an alternative mode of procurement for the three-year maintenance contract.

Among other major rehabilita-tion and improvement projects the department initiated were the addi-tion of 48 new train cars, the pro-totype of which is set to arrive in

mid-August this year. � e project is expected to address the long lines commuters currently endure.

Over 7,000 lineal meters’ worth of new rails have also been pro-cured to replace the worn-out segments of the line’s tracks to en-hance passenger safety.

A pipeline of further system improvements includes the sig-naling system replacement, gen-eral train overhauling, and the upgrading of ancillary systems such as pocket tracks and a power substation. � ese are in various stages of project preparation and procurement.

Meanwhile, other improvement projects are also now under way and are scheduled to available to the public later this year, includ-ing the new tap-and-go ticketing system which will cut queuing time for passengers, and the reha-bilitation of all toilets of the MRT-3 line.

B4

Taiwan lender buysformer Orion Bank

IN BRIEF

SATURDAY: JULY 4, 2015


Seatca: New illicit tobacco trade report insuffi cient

BUSINESS

Best Express Operator. FedExExpress, a unit of FedEx Corp. and the world’s largest express transportation company, has been named Best Express Operator at the 2015 Asian Freight, Logistics and Supply Chain Awards in Hong Kong. Anthony Leung (left), managing director of FedEx Express, Hong Kong and Macau, receives the award. Held annually, these industry awards honor the organizations that demonstrate leadership and consistency in service quality, innovation, customer relationship management and reliability in their fi elds.

THE Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance has stamped “failed” a recent tobacco indus-try research report funded by a giant cigarette firm on the so-called illicit trade in the Philip-pines and 13 other Asian coun-tries.

The giant tobacco firm alleg-edly funded the second research on illicit trade of tobacco prod-ucts in Asia, called “Asia-14 Illic-it Tobacco Indicator,” which was carried out jointly by a Washing-ton based group, International Tax and Investment Center and a UK group, Oxford Economics.

Like its predecessor (Asia-11 Illicit Tobacco Indicator 2012),

the recent pro-giant tobacco in-dustry report was without scien-tific basis, Seatca said.

The Asia-14 Report said the 341.2 percent excise tax increase (P2.72 to P12) in the Philippines on January 1, 2013 was the main driver of the alleged large volume increase in illicit consumption at 198 percent or 18.1 percent of to-tal consumption.

An alleged 89.8 percent of il-licit consumption and 16.3 per-cent of the total in 2013 was attributed to domestic illicit consumption, which was esti-mated to have grown to 11 bil-lion cigarettes based on the Asia-14 Report.

However, like its predecessor (Asia-11 Illicit Tobacco Indicator 2012), the research findings are biased to favor an international tobacco company, Seatca said.

Seatca said in its critique that the Asia-14 Report failed to highlight significantly higher tax revenues after the 2013 ex-cise tax increase. For tobacco excise alone, the Philippine gov-ernment collected P70.4 billion, higher by 113.7 percent in 2012.

Excise revenue gains were, thus, 454 percent higher than the Asia-14 Report’s estimated excise tax losses in 2013.

Seatca’s critique, in effect, disproved allegations that the

Bureau of Internal Revenue was losing revenues through illicit tobacco trade. BIR Commis-sioner Kim Henares earlier said the overwhelming growth in sin tax collection was an indication of the inconclusiveness of the Asia-14 report alleging the fast-rising illegal cigarette trade in the country.

“The Asia-14 report fails to provide scientifically sound and unbiased information to policy makers and other tobacco mar-ket stakeholders,” said Hana Ross, principal research officer of the Economics of Tobacco Control Project at the University of Cape Town.

By Julito G. Rada

YUANTA Commercial Bank Co. Ltd., one of the biggest financial institutions in Taiwan, is taking full control of Makati-based thrift bank Tongyang Savings Bank from its affili-ate Yuanta Securities Korea, a high-ranking Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas official said.

“It’s Yuanta Bank [Taiwan] that acquired Tongyang Savings Bank (Philippines),” Bangko Sentral Deputy Governor Nestor Espenilla Jr. said in a text mes-sage Thursday evening.

Tongyang Savings was former-ly known as Orion Savings Bank Inc. It changed its name to Tong-yang Savings Bank Inc. in May 2006. The company was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in Makati City. Its primary market

is South Korean expatriates in the Philippines.

Espenilla earlier said an Asian bank, which he did not iden-tify at first, was going to acquire “100 percent of an existing thrift bank.” He said Yuanta’s applica-tion was approved by the Mon-etary Board on June 25.

Yuanta’s application became the fifth approved this year by the Bangko Sentral since the domestic banking industry was

further liberalized in 2014 to lure more foreign direct investors.

Yuanta Commercial Bank, formerly known as Asia Pacific Commercial Bank, was estab-lished in February, 1992. The bank became a part of Fuhwa FHC in August 2002, and was renamed Fuhwa Commercial Bank. After the merger between Fuhwa FHC and Yuanta Core Pa-cific Securities in April 2007, fol-lowed by the renaming of Fuhwa FHC to Yuanta FHC in Septem-ber, 2007, the bank was renamed Yuanta Commercial Bank.

Tongyang Savings Bank Inc. provides banking services, includ-ing saving accounts, all-in-one ac-counts, special savings accounts/time deposits, salary loans, car loans, business loans and others.

Yuanta last year completed the ac-quisition of Tongyang Securities from Tongyang International and Leisure.

Earlier this year, the Bangko

Sentral approved the applica-tions of Industrial Bank of Korea, Shinhan Bank of Korea, Japan-based Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. and Taiwan-based Cathay United Bank.

Industrial Bank of Korea--es-tablished in 1961--is owned by the government of the Republic of Korea and headquartered in Jung-gu, Seoul.

Cathay United Bank is one of the largest commercial banks in Taiwan, with a capital value of TW$52 billion (approximately US$1.7 billion) and more than 160 branches in Taiwan.

Shinhan Bank is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. It was the first bank in Korea, established under the name Hanseong Bank in 1897. It was reestablished in 1982. It is part of the Shinhan Financial Group, along with Jeju Bank. Shin-han Bank merged with Chohung Bank on April 1, 2006.

DMCI Homes defendedTHE Philippine Chamber of

Commerce and Industry, the country’s largest business orga-nization, defended beleaguered property developers that have invested heavily on property projects, citing the case of DMCI Homes Inc.

The group said Friday con-struction of buildings and other projects that had complied with all the requirements of the Na-tional Building Code and ob-tained building permits from lo-cal government offi cials should be allowed by government to be completed.

The PCCI said in a statement stopping or restraining construc-tion of legitimate projects mid-way was a serious disincentive to investments.

“DMCI locked in investments for the long term in its Torre de Manila project confi dent that compliance with the law was a rock-solid as-surance that it would complete its project,” said PCCI.

It said the restraining order eroded the confi dence of exist-ing and future investors on the safety of their investments in the country. Othel V. Campos

Greek fallout dismissedFINANCE Secretary Cesar Puri-

sima said the Philippines can withstand the Greek fallout be-cause of a strong fi scal position and no signifi cant exposure to Greece.

Purisima also cited the coun-try’s healthy international re-serves of $80.4 billion at the end of May, which could cover about 10 to 11 months worth of im-ports and 4.5 times the country’s debts maturing within the short-term period.

“The adequate reserves that the Philippines holds serve as a buffer for external risks as well,” the Finance Department said.

Emerging markets face a risk of capital fl ow reversal after Greece missed its repayment to the In-ternational Monetary Fund on June 30.

“The Philippines has no signifi -cant exposure to Greece having minimal trade with a mere 0.01 percent of total exports and only 0.02 percent of total imports from Greece in 2014. Likewise, remittances from Greece account for only 1.38 percent of the to-tal,” Finance said.

Gabrielle H. Binaday

Pafmil: Flour prices fairTHE Philippine Association of

Flour Millers Inc. said Friday the price of locally milled fl our are reasonable and fair.

“These prices refl ect market conditions, on top of the prod-uct’s high quality and consisten-cy demanded by discriminating and quality conscious Filipino consumers,” Pafmil executive director Ric Pinca said in a state-ment.

Pafmil issue the statement amid an ongoing investigation of the Trade Department on pos-sible profi teering by some fl our millers and bakers,

Pinca noted that locally-milled fl our were mostly processed from high quality wheat from the United States. The Philippines imports about 95 percent of its wheat requirements from the US.

Pinca said the Philippines had the best bread fl our in Southeast Asia. He added Turkish fl our does not live to the quality and price of locally-milled fl our.

“It would be comparing ap-ples to oranges. They just do not match and the comparison is un-fair to Philippine fl our,” the group said. Othel V. Campos

S at u r D aY : J u LY 4 , 2 0 1 5

B5ceSar barrioquintoE D I T O R

[email protected]

Number of China’s Christiansgrowing

Japan frustrated over North Korea’s abduction probe

International meeting. People attend the international conference for Jehovah’s Witnesses at theFlanders Expo in Gent on July 3. AFP

worldSeoul to inject $20b to bolster economy

TIANJIN, China—Chinese priest Lin Xiuqiang is pleased with his new Catholic church, its tall tower topped with a cross and grateful to the Communist officials who paid $19 million to build it.

China’s Christians are divided between state-run churches that pledge allegiance to the officially atheist Communist party, and “underground” congregations who maintain their independence.

Dozens of church buildings have been demolished and cross-es removed in recent months, in what has been seen as a tougher approach by the ruling party to-wards China’s believers, estimated at around 70 million and growing.

But at the same time some lo-cal governments are allowing new spires to sprout and even showering funds on places of worship as they seek to woo the faithful to the official church.

Built in immaculate red brick, Lin’s new Hedong Catholic church in the port city of Tianjin was finished last month.

Inside, light from its stained glass windows falls onto glass chandeliers, illuminating a huge crucifix and rows of barely-touched wooden pews.

The 120-million yuan ($19 million) construction costs were paid by the local government, Lin told AFP.

“We are happy. The church gives us a new place to practice our faith,” he said, emerging from the church’s wooden con-fession box.

But the Hedong church is aligned with the state-run Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association, and local Vatican-approved bishop Melchior Shi Hongzhen is barred from the premises.

The 88-year-old lives at the small, metal-walled Zhongxin Bridge Church, and local Catholics told AFP authorities restrict his movements.

The unheated facility, in the shadow of a busy motorway, is surrounded by damp ditches filled with construction waste, and at its entrance a statue of Jesus and Mary and a metal cross are both stained with rust.

“You can see how bad our en-vironment is,” said one male member of the congregation, who asked not to be named. AFP

SEOUL—The South Korean gov-ernment on Friday agreed to inject $20 billion into the flagging econ-omy, which has been hit by the MERS virus outbreak and sluggish consumption.

The 22-trillion-won ($19.8-billion) stimulus package was passed at a cabinet meeting of gov-ernment ministers, the finance ministry said.

“The extra budget will help revitalize the economy and stabilize the livelihoods of ordi-nary people who have been affected the most by the fallout from MERS,” Vice Finance Minister Bang Moon-Kyu was quoted as saying by Yonhap news agency.

As of Friday morning, the virus had killed 33 people and a total of 184 cases had been con-firmed. Forty-two of those remain hospitalized with 12 in critical condition, according to the health ministry.

The 22-trillion-won package includes an al-ready-announced 15- trillion-won supplementary budget and seven trillion won of other expendi-tures such as expanded investments by state com-panies and additional credits for exporters.

The extra expenditure is expected to raise the economic growth rate by 0.3 percentage points this year and 0.4 percentage points in 2016.

South Korea forecasts its economy will grow 3.1 percent this year and 3.5 percent next year.

Moody’s said consumer sentiment had plum-meted as a result of MERS, halting the recovery in domestic demand, as the external sector con-tinues to drag on growth.

“Our tracking model suggests GDP growth slowed to 2.6% year over year in the second quarter, which is lower than our 2.9% estimate from May”, Emily Dabbs at Moody’s Analytics Ltd. said in an article this week.

Confusion and secrecy over the MERS outbreak has fanned public uncertainty, and parallels have been drawn with the govern-ment’s poor response to the 2014 Sewol Ferry disaster, which subdued domestic demand for many months, Dabbs said.

Dabbs was referring to a ferry accident that claimed more than 300 lives, mostly teenagers.

The government of President Park Geun-Hye has also been criticized for inadequately respond-ing to the MERS outbreak.

“Should the government fail to regain the public’s trust, the outbreak could take a larger economic toll. The outbreak has caused us to lower our GDP fore-cast to 2.6% for 2015”, Dabbs said. aFP

TOKYO—Tokyo voiced its frustration on Friday a year af-ter North Korea said it had started re-investigating the fate of the Japanese kidnapped by Pyongyang’s spies decades ago, with no new leads in sight.

“It is extremely regrettable that no abduction victims returned home although it’s been a year since the investigation started,” Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said

during a parliamentary session.“[Pyongyang] have told us that

they have been conducting a com-prehensive probe into all [disap-pearances of] Japanese nationals sincerely but that it would take a bit more time” to conclude, he said.

North Korea admitted in 2002 that it had kidnapped 13 Japanese in the 1970s and 1980s to train its spies in Japanese language and customs.

Five of the abductees were al-lowed to return to Japan, but Pyongyang has insisted, without producing solid evidence, that the eight others are dead.

The issue is a highly-charged one in Japan, where there are sus-picions that perhaps dozens of other people were taken.

Pyongyang and Tokyo struck a deal in May last year in which the secretive state said it would

investigate all instances in which Japanese citizens were snatched.

As North Korea set up an in-vestigation committee on July 4 last year, Japan eased some of its unilateral sanctions targeting the Stalinist state.

Tokyo has protested that it is keeping its side of the bilateral bargain.

Abe said Friday that his govern-ment would work more strenu-

ously to draw concrete results from North Korea.

Tokyo will continue to main-tain its policy of “dialogue and pressure” towards Pyongyang, he said.

The accord last year had been viewed as a sign of a possible thaw between two nations that do not have formal diplomatic relations and frequently exchange barbs. AFP

B6 cesar barrioquintoE D I T O R

[email protected]

s at u r D aY : J u LY 4 , 2 0 1 5

WORLD

Odd-shaped melons herald summer

Japan frustrated over North Korea’s abduction probe

For the No vote. Police face anti-EU protesters in front of the European commision offices in Athens on July 2, during a demonstration supporting the no vote for the upcoming referendum. Greece’s government and international creditors raised the stakes on July 2 over a weekend referendum seen as decisive for the nearly insolvent EU country’s political and financial future. AFP

International festival. Fireworks light up the sky of Jounieh bay, north of the Lebanese capital Beirut, during the opening ceremony of the International Festival of Jounieh on July 2. AFP

Berlin slams dooron Greece rescue

( TS - JULY 4, 2015)

Republic of the PhilippinesPROVINCE OF QUIRINO

Cabarroguis-o0o-

BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE

INVITATION TO BID

The Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) of the Provincial Government of Quirino invites all interested contractors to apply for eligibility and to tender bids for the following project/s:

1. Contract IDName of Project

::

2015-079Furnishing & Installation of One (1) Unit Digital Radiographic Machine (Full Direct digital radiographic system with single detector, high frequency generator, integrated table and wall stand)

Location : QPMC, Cabarroguis, QuirinoScope of Work : Furnishing & Installation of One (1) Unit Digital

Radiographic Machine (Full Direct digital radiographic system with single detector, high frequency generator, integrated table and wall stand)

Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC)Source of FundDuration

:

::

P 12,200,000.00

MOA-DOH90 CD

The BAC will conduct the procurement process in accordance with the Revised IRR of R.A 9184. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at the opening of bid.

To bid for this contract, a contractor must submit a letter of Intent (LOI), purchase bid documents and must meet the following major criteria: (a) prior registration/accreditation with Provincial Government, (b) Filipino citizen of 75% Filipino-owned partnership, corporation, cooperative, or joint venture, (c) with PCAB license applicable to the type and cost of this contract, (d) completion of similar contract costing at least 50% of ABC within a period of 10 years, and (e) Net Financial Contracting Capacity at least equal to ABC, or credit line commitment for at least 10% of the ABC. The BAC will use non-discretionary pass/fail criteria in the eligibility check and preliminary examination of bids.

The significant times and deadlines of procurement activities are shown below:

1. Receipt of LOIs from prospective bidders

July 4, 2015 – July 19, 2015

2. Issuance of Bid Documents July 4, 2015 – July 19, 20153. Pre-Bid Conference July 8, 2015, 3:00PM, Special Projects Unit,

Conference Hall, 2nd Floor, Commercial Bldg., Capitol Compound, Capitol Hills, Cabarroguis, Quirino

4. Receipt of Bids July 20, 2015, 2:30PM, Special Projects Unit, Conference Hall, 2nd Floor, Commercial Bldg., Capitol Compound, Capitol Hills, Cabarroguis, Quirino

5. Opening of Bids July 20, 2015, 3:00PM, Special Projects Unit, Conference Hall, 2nd Floor, Commercial Bldg., Capitol Compound, Capitol Hills, Cabarroguis, Quirino

The BAC will issue hard copies of Bidding Documents at the BAC Secretariat, Capitol Hills, Cabarroguis, Quirino, upon payment of the applicable non-refundable fee. The Pre-Bid Conference shall open only to interested parties who have purchased the BD’s. Bids must be accompanied by a bid security, in the amount and acceptable form, as stated in Section 27.2 of the Revised IRR.

Prospective bidders shall submit their duly accomplished forms as specified in the BD’s in two (2) separate sealed bid envelopes to the BAC Chairman. The first envelope shall contain the technical component of the bid. The second envelope shall contain the financial component of the bid. Contract will be awarded to the Lowest Calculated Responsive Bid as determined in the bid evaluation and the post-qualification.

The Provincial Government of Quirino reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul the bidding process at anytime prior Contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder/s.

(SGD) DENCIO A. PAGBILAOProv’l. Planning & Development Coordinator BAC Chairman

( TS - JULY 4, 2015)

AFFIDAVIT OF LOSS

I, Pelagio Marquez Alvarez, 88 years old and residing at 29 Tindalo St., Pilar Village, Las Piñas City. That I lost my Loyola lot certif icate in Sucat Parañaque, under contract no. 808696-9 with Certif icate of ownership no. 79-02929. Particularly described as APOSTLES GARDEN TERRACE, Section C, Block 62, lot 4.

NOTICE OF NO CHILDRENI , Pe l a g i o M a r q u e z A l va r e z , 8 8 ye a r s o l d a n d r e s i d i n g a t 2 9 T i n d a l o S t . , P i l a r V i l l a g e , L a s P i ñ a s C i t y, M e t r o M a n i l a . A f t e r h av i n g b e e n d u l y s w o r n i n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h l aw, d e p o s e a n d s ay :

1) T h a t I wa s m a r r i e d t o C a r m e n G . A l va r e z o f l e g a l a g e a n d we we`r e f o r m e r l y r e s i d i n g a t # 2 5 7 D. K a n l a o n S t . , Q u e z o n C i t y.

2 ) T h a t we n eve r h a d a c h i l d r e n w i t h my w i f e C a r m e n G . A l va r e z w h o i s a l r e a d y d e c e a s e d .

3 ) I exe c u t e d t o t h e f o r e g o i n g t o a t t e s t t o t h e t r u t h h e r e o f a n d f o r a l l l e g a l p u r p o s e t h i s a f f i d av i t m ay s e r ve .

D o c . N o . 3 2 9Pa g e N o . 67B o o k N o . 2 8 6S e r i e s o f 2 015

NOTICE TO THE PUBLICThis is to inform the public

that Marilou Noveno is no longer connected with Cirrus Global, Inc. effective June 30, 2015.

Any transaction entered into by this person from this date thereafter shall not be honored by the company.

( TS - JULY 4,11,18 ,2015)

( TS - JULY 4, 2015)

ERRORS & OMISSIONS

In Classi f ied A d s sec t ion m u s t b e brought to our attention the very day the advertisement is published. We will not be responsible for any incorrect a d s n o t reported to us immediately.

After weeks in which German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande appeared united in their efforts to end a stalemate with Athens, the discord could hardly have been clearer.

While the European Commission, backed by France, was still maneuvering to try clinch a last-minute accord be-tween debt-laden Greece and its creditors Wednesday, Berlin slammed on the brakes.

Addressing the German par-liament, a seemingly sanguine Merkel said Europe could “calm-ly” await the outcome of Greece’s referendum on bailout conditions because the bloc was “strong”.

Besides, “a good European is not one who looks for an agree-

ment at any price”, she insisted.She also reiterated the position

of her finance minister, Wolfgang Schaeuble, that a new aid deal between Greece and its creditors could not be negotiated before the referendum.

But in a nearly simultaneous declaration, Hollande said that an agreement was needed “im-mediately”.

“It’s been a while that we’ve been talking about this agree-ment it must happen now,” he said.

On Thursday, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls denied any “distance” between Berlin and Paris.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras took his inter-national partners by surprise

BERLIN—Germany has broken ranks with Paris and Brussels in slamming the door on talks with the Greek government on a new bailout deal before Sunday’s crucial referendum, analysts say.

last Saturday by announcing he would put the decision on their bailout terms in the hands of the Greek people, leading to a breakdown in talks and fueling fears of a ‘Grexit’.

Germans may at times appear unmoved at the prospect of Greece crashing out of the euro, but it “in fact worries many” in Berlin, as well as in Paris or Brussels, said Claire Demesmay, political sci-entist at the German Council on Foreign Relations.

She said the scenario would also be a “personal setback” for Merkel, seen as the ideological heir to ex-chancellor Helmut Kohl, who oversaw the creation of the single currency.

But Demesmay said that the differences between Merkel and Hollande on the Greek crisis boiled down to differences in “method”, rather than substance, and could be explained by differences in pub-lic opinion in the eurozone’s two biggest economies. AFP

TOKYO—Japanese consumers are used to paying through the nose for fruit, and now that sum-mer’s here there’s another way for them to empty their wallets: cube and heart-shaped watermelons.

But this pricey produce is not intended to tempt your taste buds it’s more ornament than the per-fect picnic food.

Over at the Shibuya Nishimura luxury fruit shop in downtown Tokyo, a cube-shaped watermel-on, about the size of a baby’s head, sells for 12,960 yen ($105).

Not to your liking? Well, how about a heart- or pyramid-shaped

melon to sit on that chic coffee table in your living room?

“This fruit is meant to be a feast for your eyes, but they don’t taste very good,” admitted the shop’s senior managing director Mototaka Nishimura.

“They should be displayed as ornaments, maybe mixed with flowers.”

Farmers plant young water-melons inside acrylic containers to get the desired shape.

While the price may sound high, it’s actually something of a bargain in Japan where people traditionally exchange gifts, in-

cluding expensive fruit, with clients and relatives a couple of times a year.

A deep-pocketed Japanese de-partment store in April shelled out an eye-watering 300,000 yen for a pair of mangoes, a record price for the second year in a row.

This year’s must-have luxury fruit is a particular brand of strawberry, with a single berry currently selling for around $415.

However, all pale in com-parison with the tear-inducing $25,000 price tag for a pair of cantaloupe melons auctioned in 2008. AFP

B7JOEL D. L ACSAMANAE D I T O RPROPERTY

j d l a c s a m a n a @ g m a i l . c o m

S AT U R D AY : J U LY 4 : 2 0 1 5

Sprucing up iloilo port. Megaworld recently partnered with the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) – Iloilo to promote a green environment at the Port of Iloilo. The company donated potted plants and trash bins to the port which serves an average of 2,000 passengers daily going to and from Bacolod, Cebu, Zamboanga, Cagayan de Oro and Manila. Last year, Megaworld also kicked off a similar program in the coastal area of Barangay Sooc, Villa de Arevalo in Iloilo City, planting hundreds of nursed mangrove seedlings in the area that surround the historic Iloilo River. At the turnover ceremony were (L-R) Engr. Rodel G. Lagmay, Jordan division manager, PMO; Edgar B. Sonza, admin officer, PPA-Iloilo and Jennifer Palmares-Fong, head of marketing, Iloilo Business Park. Megaworld is the developer of Iloilo Business Park.

rockwell lifeStyle. Young professionals and families need not look far for condo developments that offer “affordable indulgence.” 53 Benitez, Rockwell Primaries’ first project, brings together all the qualities of an ideal home, all within reach. A two-bedroom unit, which already includes a parking slot and a drying cage, is offered at roughly Php 6.8M, and given at a discounted rate of Php 6.5M for cash transactions. Options are given to buyers for a more flexible payment scheme that works within their budget. “Finding the perfect home for your family is a challenge nowadays, most especially when it comes to the terms of payment. This is why we at Rockwell Primaries offer an easier way for homeowners to gain access to the home they deserve,” said Malou Pineda, senior vice resident, Rockwell Primaries. Located within minutes of New Manila, 53 Benitez is a stone’s throw from the city’s top schools, hospitals, and commercial districts.

A ‘HArdie’ buncH. James Hardie Philippines partnered recently with the National Housing Authority (NHA) to do a series of livelihood workshops on basic carpentry targeted at craftsmen living in NHA housing projects. The workshops give carpenters insights on the basic installation of HardieFlex® sheets on steel and wooden frames following correct spacings, as well as the proper way to cut and joint the sheets. Attendees used accessories such as HardieDrive® screws and HardieFlex™ putty. Cavite and Rizal provinces were the first areas that played host to the workshops. More are being eyed in 2015 at select NHA housing project sites. Said Livelihood chief Evangeline Javier of Southville 3 housing project (Muntinlupa): “These workshops are helpful to the carpenters, because we are planning to form a guild of carpenters from the participants. We will have a database of carpenters whom we can commission for our ongoing and future housing projects.”

Ayala Land Premier (ALP) recent-ly launched its seventh residential project in NUVALI, an 85-hectare community that offers generous

lot cuts averaging 530 sqm. with some lots reaching around 800 sqm.

working witH nAture“We decided that we would work with the undulating terrain, natural greenery and waterways,” said Arch. Manny E. Illana, studio head of ALP’s design group. “Only trees and plants that are endemic to the area will be planted and the natural lay of the land will be maintained,”

Riomonte has an interconnected system of parks, pocket gardens and open spaces which embrace residents in lush greenery. A 700-meter long Main Park rests at the heart of the development and connects to a sprawl-ing 4.5-hectare Ridge Park that bounds the western side of the property. The Ridge Park is then adjacent to a 20-hectare setback from Cauang-Cauang River, providing additional verdant spaces outside the development.

Rain gardens and pocket parks, ranging in size from 120 to 1,900 sqm., are locat-ed throughout the community. The en-tire property is enveloped by landscaped perimeter parks that are 8 to 10 sqm in width. These wide open spaces provide residents additional areas for recreation, while at the same time, serve as buffer

zones that distance residences from the property’s boundary.

Amenities in the development are di-vided between a Social Zone, featuring the social hall, resident’s lounge and children’s play area; and an Activity Zone which comprises a multi-purpose court, an in-door fitness area and a swimming pool.

This low-density development will have an average of 165 homes per neighborhood, a generous 10 lots per hectare. Lot prices range from P18,250 to P26,650 per sqm.

briSk SAleSSales in Riomonte have been exceptionally brisk, averaging P100M per day, totalling P2.7B as of today.

“ALP properties have always been con-sistent in providing the distinctive living experience that our clients are accustomed to,” said Jose Juan Z. Jugo, managing direc-tor of ALP. “Property values have risen sig-nificantly since the launch of Abrio in 2007, where some lots were sold at P10,000 com-pared to P30,000 today. People have also seen the transformation of NUVALI into a flourishing eco-community in less than eight years and how ALI has delivered, and continues to deliver, its commitments to its various stakeholders.”

ALP developed the successful commu-nities of Abrio, Montecito, Santierra, Elaro, Luscara and Soliento, all in NUVALI.

SoutHern living getS better witH riomonte in nuvAli

living within tropical parkland. About 50 percent of Riomonte’s total land area is dedicated to green spaces, road ways and amenities.

A pocket for your thoughts. Riomonte, with five pocket neighborhoods, is in NUVALI South, approximately 9-km. away from main commercial points such as Ayala Malls Solenad and Lakeside Evozone.

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B8 JOEL D. L ACSAMANAE D I T O R

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DMCI says Torre De ManIla Is no “phoTo boMber”

DMCI Homes, the proper-ty unit of listed conglom-erate DMCI Holdings Inc., came out with guns

blazing this week, when it held a press conference where it argued that that the company violated no heritage laws when it built the 49-story Torre de Manila, dubbed as “the national photo bomber.”

“Since the housing project is around 800 meters behind the Rizal monument, finding good and unobstructed angles when taking photos of, or with, the monument could be easily done,” said Engineer Florence Loreto, DMCI spokesperson, and proj-ect development manager of the company. “View is subjective. It is a matter of perspective,” she told the media.

DMCI also denied that it was only allowed to build a seven-sto-ry condominium. The firm said that only one building permit was issued for the condominium and

it specifically approved the con-struction of a 49-story building.

Making a case for co-existenceLoreto’s company insisted that there is no reason to demolish the con-troversial condominium building, as it can “co-exist” with the monu-ment of national hero Jose Rizal in the park named after him.

The spokesperson likewise made a case that DMCI followed all the rules and complied with all relevant laws needed for the de-velopment of the project.

“Cultural heritage and prog-ress can co-exist,” Loreto said. To prove her point, she cited the con-struction of high-rise structures around national monuments “normally” happens in major cit-ies all over the world – such as in Jakarta, Amsterdam, Mexico City and Shanghai, among others.

She added that some industri-al establishments in the coun-

try were also built in the midst of national monuments – such as the Bantayog ni Bonifacio in Caloocan City, the EDSA Shrine in Quezon City, the First Rizal Monument in the World in Ca-marines Norte, the Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila and the Rizal monument in Zamboanga City, among others.

Questionable jurisDictionImmediately after the press con-ference, DMCI upped its commu-nications offensive a notch: in a full-page advertisement published late in the week, it said that no less than the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) had commented that the Nation- al Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) does not have jurisdiction over the company’s construction of the Torre de Manila condominium.

DMCI said the condominium is located in Barangay 660-A, Zone

71, Ermita, Manila behind the old jai alai property, and the area is not designated by the National Historical Institute as a heritage zone, cultural property, historical landmark or national treasure.

“The cease and desist order issued by the NCCA was not supported by the OSG,” the company said.

“In a court comment, the OSG said the NCCA has no jurisdic-tion since it is confined only to national cultural properties de-clared as World Heritage Sites and works of National Artists, which the Rizal Monument and Rizal Park are not. The OSG also pointed out that the Torre de Ma-nila did not threaten the physical integrity of the Rizal Monument and was beyond the five-meter buffer zone in the law,” it added.

no laws violateDIn the press conference, Loreto ar-gued that the fact that commercial establishments in the country were

also built around of national mon-uments “prove that the past and present can go together, that her-itage does not hamper progress.”

Loreto also stressed there is “no basis” to demolish the 46-story building since they “have not vi-olated any laws” and the project was cleared by the National His-torical Commission of the Philip-pines (NHCP).

“The clearance from the NHCP allows us to erect Torre de Manila in that lot. It says that we are not in obstruction (of the view of the Rizal monument). We are outside the boundaries of the national shrine and the lot is a commercial property, with no cultural or his-torical significance,” she said.

She added that under the law, only those who “destroy, demol-ish, mutilate or damage any cul-tural property and modify, alter or destroy the original features or undertake construction in any national shrine” are punishable.

PROPERTY

Dusit International recent-ly launched Dusit Thani Residence in Davao City. Featuring 168 full-service

apartment units, the development offers upscale, “magic-from-the-ori-ent” options for business travellers.

“Dusit Thani Residence will offer a reprieve from the hustle and bus-tle of urban Davao,” said Ms. Eve-lyn Singson, president of Philippine Hoteliers Incorporated, the owning company of Dusit Thani Manila, at the formal opening of the project’s showroom. “We planned this urban residence and hotel to exude a re-sort-like experience that combines Filipino warmth and joyfulness, and Dusit’s trademark Thai hospitality.”

Dusit International partnered with Filipino real estate developer, Torre

Lorenzo in the conceptualization and construction of Dusit Thani Resi-dence, and the adjoining dusitD2 Ho-tel. This is the first Dusit Thani Resi-dence in Asia, as the company’s similar projects are in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The property, located in the heart of the jewel city of Southern Philippines. will be turned over in 2018.

The main highlight of the project is the “amenity theater” that fosters com-munity and shared activities. Bound by the hotel and the residential tower blocks, the amenity theater contains the swimming pools, water features and decks amidst a tropical landscaped setting. Complementing this central feature are the dining outlets, function rooms, children’s play area, and well-ness facilities. An infinity edge pool will be located at the second level.

“The architecture is contemporary and mindful of the comfort of our guests. The design incorporates trop-ical elements that allow for shading and ventilation while maximizing the use of natural lighting,” said Torre Lo-renzo president Tomas Lorenzo.

Dusit International and Torre Lo-renzo tapped Rchitects, Inc., to lead the project development. The firm has built resort and hotel projects in Bora-cay, Bohol, Ortigas, Cagayan de Oro and Palawan. Rchitects, Inc. is work-ing with Manny Samson + Associates (MSA), a leading interior design com-pany focused on decorating for hospi-tality projects across Southeast Asia.

The property can be found within Torre Lorenzo’s Siam 8000 property complex along Maryknoll Road, La-nang, Davao City.

Make Mine Dusit in Davao

going thai, filipino. Distinctively Thai detail complement Filipino design elements and warmth in Dusit Thani Residence Davao.

Drawing a bead on business, luxury travellers. At the opening of the Dusit Thani Residence showroom were (from left) : Blue Development Inc. CEO Andrew Sparrow, Philippine Hoteliers Inc. vice chairman and president Evelyn Singson, and Torre Lorenzo president Tomas P. Lorenzo.

by joel lacsaMana

keeping Pepe company. Did Torre de Manila fire the first shot across the bow of local conservationists? Or have commercial developers been around historical landmarks; we just didn’t notice?