The Standard - 2015 May 08 - Friday

VOL. XXIX NO. 80 3 Sections 32 Pages P18 FRIDAY, MAY 8, 2015 www.manilastandardtoday.com [email protected]

Press presentation. Candidates of Miss Philippines Earth 2015 pose for photographers during a press presentation at the Diamond Hotel in Manila on Thursday. LINO SANTOS

MYSTERYCOMELECOFFICIALAPPEARSAPPEARS

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A3Aquino hitscritics anewin Chicago A4

Red leadersarraigned for1985 slays

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Scene from the MET

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Overland’sultimateoff-roader

House bodyto approveamendedBBL soon

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By Maricel V. Cruz and Sandy Araneta

THE 75-man ad hoc panel formed to scrutinize the Bangsamoro Ba-sic Law (BBL) is expected to pass an amended version next week.

“We are going to have the voting on May 11 and 12. All the mem-bers of the ad-hoc committee will be there. I believe that the dream to have lasting peace in Mindanao will be achieved through the BBL,” said Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodri-guez, chairman of the ad hoc panel.

Rodriguez said the BBL minus the contentious provisions would face smooth sailing during plenary voting in the third week of May.

“We are going to remove at least eight provisions that are unconstitu-tional and we’re going to make sure that we will be able to bring this to the plenary on May 18,” he said.

The approved bill would be sent to Senate by the first week of June so that both chambers of Congress could vote on the version approved by the bicameral conference com-mittee on or before June 30, Rodri-guez said.

Rodriguez said he was optimis-tic that an overwhelming number of House members would vote to pass the BBL without the eight problematic provisions.

He added that voting down the BBL was not the way to punish the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), whose fighters joined in the Mamasapano massacre of 44 police commandos.

“If we are going to punish MILF, we will punish them, but if we don’t approve the BBL we will pun-ish the entire Muslim community in our country,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez said the MILF had a mixed record of complying with confidence-building measures that Congress had sought.

Question hour. Former Senator Leticia Ramos-Shahani is shown questioning Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and Armed Forces Chief Gregorio Pio Catapang on the Philippines’ response to China’s aggressive reclamation on Philippine territory during a Senate hearing on Thursday. Beside her is Senator Teofisto Guingona III. Lino SAntoS

Comelec chief: Abashas reported to meBy Sara Susanne D. Fabunan and Maricel V. Cruz

COMMISSION on Elections Chairman Andres Bau-tista said Thursday he has met with the newly ap-pointed Commissioner Sheriff Abas, whose relative

obscurity has sparked speculation that he was named to the post as a political accommodation to the Moro Islamic Lib-eration Front (MILF).

In an interview with radio dwIZ, Bautista said Abas asked for time to wind up his work at the Civil Ser-vice Commission’s Cotabao office.

“His appointment was as sudden as my appointment. So he still has to transition as he has responsibili-ties as CSC regional director,” Bau-tista said.

Bautista also addressed questions on his lack of experience in man-agement and election law raised by former Comelec chairman Chris-tian Monsod.

“My track record speaks for it-self. I have worked for the Kuok Group for four years. I have served as dean of the Far Eastern Univer-sity School of Law, and head of the Presidential Commission on Good Government. So I think I have a little management background,” Bautista said.

“I have also been teaching po-litical law since 1991, although my expertise is constitutional law,” he added.

Bautista also parried accusa-tions that he failed his psycho-logical exam.

“You know my reaction to that is two words: that’s crazy,” he said.

More than a week after Presi-dent Benigno Aquino III signed the appointment papers of the new commissioners, the Comelec has yet to receive Abas’ curricu-lum vitae, the spokesman of the poll agency said.

“Trying to get one from him too.

As soon as I get a copy, I’ll pass it on,” said Comelec spokesman James Jimenez in a text message to journalists.

Jimenez said, however, that Abas finally showed up at the Comelec late Wedensday and stayed for only 30 minutes before leaving.

He said Abas met with some Comelec directors for a short briefing.

Abas also went to the Comelec office at 9:32 a.m. on Thursday, but left exactly 20 minutes later, Comelec staff said.

On Tuesday, the Muslim Bar Association of the Philippines (MBAP) claimed that Abas was a close relative of Moro Islamic Liberation Front chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal.

Sultan Firdausi Abbas, MBAP president, said several competent Muslims have been named to the Comelec in the past without be-ing questioned because most of them were known to the public as effective public servants.

Of Abas, he said, “It appears he is unknown.”

Abbas added that “the little in-formation” they had was that he was closely related to Iqbal.

MBAP’s Abbas said Abas’ appointment to the Comelec seemed like a strategy to secure victory for the MILF in the parlia-mentary race in the Bangsamoro.

In the House, lawmakers said Abas’ qualifications and back-ground would soon be ascer-tained when he appears before the Commission on Appointments.

“We will determine if Abas is qualified,” said Isabela Rep. Rodolfo Albano III, head of the minority bloc’s contingent in the Commission on Appointments.ABAS

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‘Blue alert’up as newtyphoonapproaches

Aquino slams critics anew in US visit

‘Ask local govts about China’

Arrival. President Benigno Aquino III is welcomed by representatives of the Filipino community at the J.W. Marriott Hotel in Chicago at the start of his US visit. Malacañang Photo Bureau

Motorcade. Drivers of vehicles serving schools held a motorcade from Elliptical Road to East Avenue in Quezon City on Thursday to ask transport officials to suspend the implementation of a law phasing out vehicles that are 15 years old or more. MAnny PAlMero

With the entry of typhoon “Dodong” in the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Man-agement Council (NDRRMC) said on thursday it has placed on “blue alert” status all of its units in the provinces lying on the path of the weather disturbance.

According to Mina Marasigan, spokesperson of NDRRMC, “blue alert” status requires half of the agency’s personnel to be ready for contingencies.

”there will be members of the National Council who will be ren-dering duty here at the Operation Center just to ensure the monitor-ing of the movement of typhoon ‘Dodong’ will be in place,” Mara-sigan said.

She added that as soon as they received word that tropical depres-sion “Noul” would enter PAR, the NDRRMC already advised the re-gional councils to begin monitor-ing its movement.

”today, we called for a pre-di-saster assessment core group meet-ing... And the PAGASA team has already briefed our vice chairs for preparedness, response, and reha-bilitation and recovery that we have to now look into based on the pro-jection of PAGASA,” she said.

Marasigan said that based on PAGASA’s projection on typhoon “Dodong,” the Samar provinces will ex-perience rains by Friday and the Bicol region by Saturday. the typhoon is ex-pected to make a landfall in Cagayan-isabela area on Sunday. PnA

By Sandy Araneta

PRESiDENt Benigno Aquino iii told Filipinos in Chicago that the season for political mudsling-ing has begun and joked that even the loss of Filipino boxing champ Manny Pacquiao was be-ing blamed on him.

“Now that the 2016 elections is nearing, my critics have been very noisy. Somebody told me that there are members of political camps whose only work is to criticize me, and find faults in our every move,” Aquino said in a speech to the Fili-pino community at the J. W. Mar-riott hotel in Chicago.

“if there is a strong typhoon, it’s my fault. if there’s traffic gridlock on EDSA, it’s my fault. Even Manny Pacquiao’s loss in his recent fight, it’s also my fault,” Aquino said.

Despite the tirades against him, Filipinos cannot be de-ceived, he said.

“We will not surrender all the

reforms that we are enjoying and allow to return to the old system. Like any seedling, we need to water these reforms. We have to watch and take care of them to ensure its [sic] growth,” he said.

he said like they did in 1986 and 2010, the Filipino people would be there in 2016—an elec-tion year—to ensure that reforms would continue.

“Our goal is not to return to the rotten system, but continue the country’s transformation. there is no other means to realize this but through the collective efforts of the Filipinos in any part of the world,” he said.

“What you are seeing now is just a preview of the reforms.... Our term is for six years. We are not saying that we can solve all the problems of the Philippines. But just look at them, we can feel now the results... of our initia-tives,” he said.

“this is really the reason of our

visit here in America and in the coming days, in Canada. this is the reason why we are continu-ously pushing for good gover-nance,” he added.

President Aquino again bragged about sending his po-litical opponents—whom he de-scribed as “untouchables”--to jail.

While he did not mention the politicians by name, he was clearly referring to former President Glo-ria Arroyo, and opposition Sena-tors Juan Ponce Enrile, Ramon Re-villa Jr. and Jinggoy Estrada.

Aquino said he was also clean-ing up the government bureau-cracy, and that agencies that were once notorious for corruption were now “models for good gov-ernance.”

he cited the once graft-ridden Department of Public Works and highways, which under the ad-ministration’s good governance, has accumulated savings of P39 billion as of March 2015.

Speaking during the joint Sen-ate, national defense and foreign relations hearing on the aggres-sive Chinese reclamation activi-ties in the disputed waters, Sha-hani said she believed the matter was now a domestic affair.

the matter should be brought to the attention of the people who should speak on the matter.

Because of this, she said this is-sue must be brought back to the people who should speak.

“Let the local government be involved in resolving the issue and defending our coastal towns and enforce an independent for-eign policy,” Shahani-Ramos said.

“Let us bring this issue back to the people and let them prove that we Filipinos can do it. Let’s not wait for the military, for foreign help.”

Shahani-Ramos made her state-ment even as National Security Di-rector-General Cesar Garcia said the territorial disputes in the West Phil-ippine seas had overtaken all security issues in the Philippines’ hierarchy of national security concerns.

he cited the recent develop-ments in the country’s maritime disputes with China, particularly the reports of its massive recla-mation projects in the Philip-pines’ exclusive economic zone.

he said the maritime disputes had trumped all other internal concerns, including the Muslim and communist insurgencies.

“it is clear that this internal se-curity challenge has ceased to be an existential threat to the coun-try’s socio-political stability and to our democracy,” Garcia said.

Shahani-Ramos said there had been no appeals from the coastal provinces facing the West Philip-pine Sea, and that it seemed no one was bothering to talk about the problem.

“We should assert ourselves as a major power, as an archipelago, as a maritime country,” Shahani-Ramos said.

She said she would like to appeal to the officers here and to the en-tire bureaucracy that the Philippine government respond to the issue in the West Philippine Sea.

“i would like to make this point: they are imprisoning ourselves, the bureaucracy of the Philippine government, the officers of the DFA and DND, which are directly responsible. We should be able to speak out,” Shahani-Ramos said.

She asked Defense officials what the Philippines’ response was after the Chinese fired water cannons on Filipino fishermen.

She recalled that when she was in the Senate, she used to ask Defense officials why they failed to protest each time the Chinese violated Philippine space, and the official answer was always “Ma’am, we can’t do anything.”

She said it was time to change the reply.

By Macon ramos-Araneta

LOCAL governments should be involved in resolving the maritime disputes in the West Philippine Sea—par-ticularly those involving China—former Senator Leticia Shahani-Ramos said Thursday.

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By Sara Susanne D. FabunanPOPE Francis has appointed a new bishop to the Apostolic Vicarate of Bontoc-Lagawe in the person of Fr. Valentin Dimoc, the Vatican an-nounced on Wednesday.

Bishop-elect Dimoc will be the fifth bishop of the vicariate, which covers the two civil provinc-es of Ifugao and the Mountain Province.

The vicariate has been without a bishop since January 2013 after Bishop Rodolfo Beltran, who served the area for seven years, was and installed as bishop of La Union.

For two years, it has been under the care of Fr. Joseph Requino who was named administrator by the Vatican.

The bishop-elect is currently the vicariate’s so-cial action and development center director and rector of the Mission Station of Ayangan.

With his appointment as new prelate, Dimoc will be the 133rd member of the Catholic Bish-ops’ Conference of the Philippines, of which 94 are active and 39 retired.

Meanwhile, Filipino Catholics have lauded the timeliness of Pope Francis’ prayer inten-tions for May, expressing optimism that these will rally all Christians worldwide, with the help of Mary, to be one with the less fortunate in a world becoming numbed to the pains of others.

“The Holy Father’s [universal] prayer inten-tion is just what the world needs now, especial-ly here in the Philippines where many suffer because of corruption and the culture of indif-ference,” said Fr. Joel Saballa of the Immacu-late Conception Parish in Novaliches, Quezon City.

Professor Nestor Limqueco of the Company of St. Dominic said overcoming an indifferent society challenges all to respond to the needs of others, particularly those at the margins.

The culture of indifference, he explained, is very much rampant, and its mere presence is a wake-up call for the faithful to examine them-selves and find ways to share the fruits of con-templation.

Bontoc-Lagawe has new bishop

Surrender. Den Mark Presto, the driver of a Montero SUV who pistol-whipped and kicked two traffic enforcers in Quezon City on April 29, surrendered to Quezon City Police District director Chief Supt. Joel Pagdilao at Camp Karingal Quezon City. MANNY PALMERO

Red leaders arraignedfor deaths in ’85 purgeBy Florante S. Solmerin

COMMUNIST leaders Satur Ocampo, Benito and Wilma Tiamzon and several others refused to enter a plea over a massacre case against them that led the court to enter a “not guilty” plea for them during ar-raignment Thursday in Quezon City.

Judge Thelma Bunyi-Medina of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court, Branch 32 had no choice but to enter the plea for the accused.

The case was originally filed in Hilongos, Leyte but was transferred to Manila on re-quest of the accused.

The families of the victims are now looking forward to the

issuance of warrants of arrest for the accused, who are facing 15 counts of murder filed by the families of victims from Inopa-can, Leyte who were killed in 1985.

The victims were suppos-edly killed en masse to rid the communist insurgency of deep-penetration agents from the military and those accused of

espionage were tried in “kan-garoo courts,” leading in the summary execution of most suspects.

Accounts from the families and witnesses revealed that the mas-sacre resulted in the death of up to 70 people in Barangay Sapang Daku alone. Exhumation of some of the victims’ remains were done in the early 2007.

The complainants and wit-nesses of the prosecution in-clude those who were ordered to execute the victims themselves as they were then members of the NPA operating in Leyte.

Aside from Ocampo and the Tiamzons, other communist rebel arraigned were Vicente Ladlad, Randal Echaniz, Rafael Baylosis and several others.

Ocampo was former Bayan Muna partylist representative while the Tiamzons were ar-rested last year in Cebu along with five other suspected rebel personalities. They are currently detained at the Custodial Center of the Philippine National Polcie (PNP) at Camp Crame in Que-zon City.

Allegedly, the massacre was implemented by the New Peo-ple’s Army with knowledge of the accused to rid their ranks of suspected military informants.

The incident is a reminiscent of the NPA’s “Kampanyang Ahos” that the Central Com-mittee of the Communist Party of the Philippines allegedly or-dered. The NDF is the negotiat-ing arm of the CPP-NPA.

Back on air. Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez (center) with dyDR station manager Danny Requiez (left) cut the ceremonial ribbon during the opening of the new PRTV12, dyDR FM Kaugop Radio in Barangay Calanipawan in Tacloban City. VER NOVENO

Prosecutorsto file rapsvs Veloso’s2 recruitersBy Rey E. Requejo

THE Department of Justice recommended on Thursday the indictment of the alleged recruiters of Mary Jane Veloso, the overseas Filipino worker facing execution in Indone-sia for drug smuggling.

Prosecutor General Claro Arellano stressed that cases of illegal recruitment will be filed today against Ma. Kristina Ser-gio and her live-in partner Julius Lacanilao before the Nueva Ecija regional trial court.

The DOJ prosecutors approved the fil-ing of criminal charges against Sergio and Lacanilao after finding probable cause in the complaint of three alleged victims apart from Veloso – Lorna Valino, Ana Maries Gonzales and Jenalyn Paraiso - during in-quest proceedings last Tuesday night.

Prosecutors recommended no bail since there were at least three complainants, mak-ing the alleged crime large-scale.

“In the instant case, the sworn affidavits of (Valino, Gonzales and Paraiso) are unit-ed in saying that both respondents recruited and promised them work abroad. The com-mon threat of the aforementioned affidavits is that respondents enticed them to work either as domestic helpers, factory workers, salesladies, house helpers and/or manicur-ists in Malaysia, Indonesia or Japan,” the 18-page resolution stated.

The investigating fiscals noted that veri-fication with Philippine Overseas Employ-ment Administration showed that neither Sergio or Lacanilao were licensed to recruit workers for overseas employment.

“It is beyond dispute that the illegal re-cruitment undertaken by both respondents are committed in large scale,” the DOJ pros-ecutors ruled.

However, the Justice Department has set for further preliminary investigation the other charges of human trafficking and estafa by swindling against Sergio and Lacanilao, citing insufficient evidence gathered so far.

This means the preliminary investigation hearing on the charges filed by Veloso, her family and other victims would proceed at 2 p.m. today.

More 10 more alleged victims of Ser-gio and Lacanilao have surfaced and filed charges of human trafficking and illegal re-cruitment against them before the DOJ.

After being placed under protective cus-tody of PNP, the respondent were put un-der arrest last Tuesday and brought to the DOJ for inquest proceedings since their al-leged offenses are considered as “continuing crimes.”

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Senator teofisto “tG” Guing-ona III today said the question of whether or not to call for a Consti-tutional Convention to tackle pro-posed changes to the 1987 Consti-tution “is a decision best left in the hands of the people.”

He jointly filed a resolution in the Senate with Senator aq-uilino Pimentel III urging the members of Congress “to sub-mit to the electorate the ques-tion of calling for a Constitu-tional Convention”.

In Senate resolution 1308, Senators Guingona and Pimentel also proposed that the election of delegates to a possible Consti-tutional Convention be done si-multaneously with the May 2016 elections “to avoid incurring the added cost of a separate election.”

“that depends, of course, if the electorate will clearly express a clamor and preference for the calling of a Constitutional Con-vention,” Guingona stressed.

the resolution noted that “vari-ous business organizations and research groups have identified provisions in the 1987 Philippine Constitution that need to be re-vised to address expanding global demands, as well as, economic and political realities.”

It also pointed out that “the calling of a Constitutional Con-vention to propose amendments to or revisions of the Constitu-tion is the least divisive and the most transparent, exhaustive, and democratic way of achiev-ing much-needed constitutional reforms.”

By Maricel V. Cruz

The House of Representa-tives has approved on sec-ond reading a proposed national identification system even as militant lawmakers tagged the proposal as a ‘threat’ to the privacy and the secu-rity to personal informa-tion of an individual.

the House on Wednesday night approved House Bill 5060 as em-bodied in House Committee re-port no. 442 despite stiff opposi-tion from militant lawmakers.

House Bill 5060, a substitute bill for four separate measures was in-troduced by albay rep. al Francis Bichara, and former president and detained Pampanga rep. Gloria Macapagal-arroyo.

Bichara and other proponents of the measure expressed belief that setting up a national ID system would be a “practical and doable way to facilitate and streamline government transactions.”

Bichara played down fears by rights groups that a national ID system would “be used by the State to violate the rights of individuals.”

Bichara, chair of the House com-mittee on foreign affairs, said in-formation on individuals will be kept away from 3rd parties except “under certain exceptional circum-stances.”

Gabriela party-list rep. Luz Ila-gan, member of the Makabayan Bloc, said the proposed measure is a ‘repressive mechanism” towards “intrusion into private lives’ of every Filipino citizen. this, apart from the fact that the system would entail ‘violation into freedom of movement and extensive surveil-lance’, Ilagan added.

the bill proposes a single na-tional ID system and a national, biometric information card for all Filipinos.

the bill identifies the Philippine Statistics authority, together with the Department of Foreign affairs as the implementing agencies of the program, tasked to create and main-tain a Filipino Citizen registry.

the bill provides that when the Filipino ID card is presented to any government agency or for identification purposes, no other additional identification card shall be required; except in instances al-lowed under the provisions of re-public act 92225 or “the Citizen-ship retention and reacquisition act of 2003.”

Under the proposed system, identification cards would be valid for 10 years and subject to renewal after. Cards will also store biomet-ric data of individuals.

the bill provides penal sanctions, ranging from P50,000 to P500,000 or imprisonment of from six (6) months to two (2) years or both, for knowingly using false information in applying for the issuance of Fili-pino ID, for willful and unjustifi-able refusal to accept, acknowledge and recognize the Filipino ID, and the act of connivance by a public official or employee in committing the aforementioned acts.

Nat’l ID plan revived; militants protest

Charge sheet. Customs Deputy Commissioner Edith Tan and Commissioner Albert Lina pore over documents on the filing of smuggling charges against the New Dawn Enterprises for the alleged illegal importation of 260,000 kilograms of sugar valued at P13 million. DANNY PATA

Senators want people to decide Cha-cha fate

CA sets contempt hearings vs De Lima, Morales

Warm reception. Leaders of the Filipino community prepare to meet President Benigno Aquino III at the Grand Ballroom of the Marriott Hotel during his working visit to the United States. Malacañang Photo Bureau

By Rey E. RequejotHe Court of appeals has set for next week a hearing on the contempt petition filed by Makati Mayor Jejomar erwin “Junjun” Binay Jr. against Jus-tice Secretary Leila de Lima and Vice Mayor romulo Peña for their alleged defiance of the temporary restraining order on his six-month preventive sus-pension.

the Ca’s Sixth Division has decided to hold a hearing on the petition after it received the comments of de Lima and Peña. “Let hearings of the petition for contempt insofar as Secretary of Justice De Lima and Vice Mayor Peña are concerned be set on May 11 and 12, 2015 at 2 p.m. at the en banc session hall,” the resolution penned by associate

Justice Jose reyes Jr. stated.the appellate court also noted

Peña’s manifestation asking for more time to file comment on the amended and supplemental contempt plea.

the Ca already conducted hearing on the same contempt case against ombudsman Con-chita Carpio-Morales and Inte-rior and Local Government Sec-retary Mar roxas.

In his contempt petition filed last March, Mayor Binay al-leged that De Lima and roxas, Morales and Peña “acted in uni-son in defying the Court of ap-peals’ restraining order” and also “showed their ill motives and bi-ases against the Binays.”

the Makati City mayor has impleaded Morales and de Lima in the contempt petition after they issued identical opinions

that the tro was moot and aca-demic since it was issued three hours after the suspension was already served and Vice Mayor Peña already took his oath as act-ing mayor.

the two officials – both ap-pointees of President aquino - said the tro was already “moot and academic” since the act it in-tended to restrain was the imple-mentation of the six-month sus-pension order against the mayor, which was carried out by the De-partment of Interior and Local Government (DILG) three hours before the Ca issued the order.

roxas and Peña used their le-gal opinion as basis for insisting on the effectivity of the suspen-sion order against Binay.

Last month, Binay filed a sepa-rate contempt petition against Senator antonio trillanes IV

over his public insinuation that two magistrates were paid P25 million each to issue injunction order stopping his preventive suspension by the ombudsman.

trillianes accused Ca asso-ciate Justices Jose reyes Jr. and Francisco acosta of receiving P25 million each in exchange for the issuance of a restraining or-der against the implementation of the six months suspension order on Binay. He also claimed that lawyer Pancho Villaraza fa-cilitated the alleged bribery.

the Ca justices have already denied the allegation and plead-ed to be spared from politi-cal controversies that they said would jeopardize their judicial independence.

the Ca is already conducting an internal investigation on the allegation.

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news

School bus service disruption feared

Police’s FEO head clueless on ouster

Customs Commissioner Al-berto Lina will carry out a top-to- bottom revamp as part of the bureau’s scheme to boost revenue collections.

the bureau has failed to meet collections target since January this year and one of the alternatives is to replace district collectors, examin-ers, division heads and appraisers who were originally assigned at the Department of Finance.

Lina said the revamp within the bureau will proceed anytime next week.

the customs chief said that he has a free hand in implementing the revamp.

“We are now preparing the re-vamp and all they have to do is just wait,” Lina told reporters in Filipino.

Lina assumed his post two weeks ago , following the resignation of John sevilla.

He had hinted at a revamp, saying those who will be affected must not take it negatively.

He said the bureau-wide revamp will affect top key officials down to the more than 3,000 rank-and-file for better facilitation of trade and strengthening of existing policies.

“Everything here would be fair. It would not be abrupt or at the whims and caprices of the ap-pointing authority,” he added.

Except for presidential appoin-tees, the commissioner of Cus-toms has the authority to reassign port collectors and other officials upon approval by the Finance de-partment. Vito Barcelo

Workers’ health. Health workers from different hospital unions march to Mendiola in Manila to ask for salary increase during the commemoration of the National Health Workers’ Day. DANNY PATA

Unwanted materials. Members of the Ecowaste Coalition hold a rally in front of the Canadian Embassy in Makati City on Thursday, demanding that Prime Minister Stephen Harper brings back to a Canadian company several shipments of waste materials now stored at Manila and Subic ports. DANNY PATA

tHE newly assigned chief of the Philippine National Police’s Firearms and Ex-plosive office was sacked a few weeks after formulating policy reform that include hastening the stringent pro-cessing of gun registration.

senior supt Dennis siervo, who assumed the FEo last march, was relieved effective Wednesday may 6 for still unknown reasons.

siervo when asked on the circumstances of his relief said “there was no reason cited. I have no idea.”

siervo was publicly ridi-culed after the latter insti-tuted drastic reforms in the sensitive post that include prohibiting employees from responding to unofficial queries from gun applicants.

siervo’s sacking came two weeks after PNP officer-in-charge deputy director gen-eral Leonardo Espina issued policy guidelines on relaxing the stringent process in se-curing gun licenses and the issuance of Permit to carry Firearms outside of Resi-dence (PtCFoR).

siervo wanted to imple-ment a one-stop shop in se-curing payment order, waiver of court clearance in the re-quirements and firearms on line registration.

Francisco Tuyay

the bidding process for the new Caloocan City sports Complex has commenced, according to Caloocan City mayor oscar malapitan.

malapitan said that through the 2014 supple-mental Budget 14 approved under the sangguniang Panlungsod ordinance 0541, the sum of P300 mil-lion was the approved bud-get for the contract.

the mayor added that the new sports complex will be constructed in Bagumbong, Barangay 171.

malapitan expects this mega-project to be comple-tee within 540 calendar days from the date the win-ning bidder gets hold of the Notice to Proceed. the new sports complex will have a covered arena than can ac-commodate 3,000 people; a semi olympic-sized swim-ming pool, tennis courts, a jogging/running path, ga-zebos, leisure park, badmin-ton court and wide vehicle parking spaces.

“this 1.7-hectare facility will soon host a number of exciting games from different basketball associations, box-ing events, volleyball tour-naments, national athletic meets, and concerts,” malapi-tan said. Jun David

this cropped up as sev-eral groups on thursday de-nounced Lto chief Alfonso tan Jr. and LtFRB Chair-man Winston Gines and sought their ouster.

the groups also took the Lto to task for the corrup-tion involving motor vehicle emission testing.

they also assailed Gines for his apparent anti-transport group and anti-poor stance.

A multi-sector press con-ference organized by the Coalition of Clean Air Ad-vocates of the Philippines in Quezon City, transporta-tion leaders demanded im-mediate action on the trans-

port induustry’s problems.CCAAP chairman Dr. Leo

olarte said “we cannot clean the air that we all breathe be-cause of graft and corruption at the Lto specifically in the rampant “no show or non ap-pearance motor vehicle emis-sion testing process.”

“We are calling out patri-otic citizens to join us in this action against corruption. Let us all stand up for our right to breathe clean air,” he said.

olarte said that his group would be organizing a national “Welga ng Bayan Laban sa Corruption” later this month.

“the Coalition of Clean Air Advocates of the Philip-

pines will initiate the holding of a national Welga ng Bayan Laban sa Corruption by the end of this month. this will be participated by various multi sector organizations in-cluding all our member trans-port groups,” he declared.

school bus operators joined the protest and de-nounced LtFRB’s plan to phase out old school buses.

At least 200 buses paraded along Quezon City memo-rial Circle to the LtFRB on East Avenue. operators raised fear of a shortage of school buses in June when classes begin.

they asked LtFRB Chair-

man Winston Ginez to give them a reprieve to be able to purchase brand-new units.

Ginez, in a memorandum, directed the bus operators to buy brand-new units or use three to five-year-old service vehicles.

He said a service unit must have complete mark-ings, medical kits, stop and go signs and early warning devices. A violator will be fined P200,000 for operat-ing out-of-line.

there are about 30,000 school buses transporting 600,000 students to be phased out once the LtFRB imple-ments its order in June.

By Macon R. Araneta and Rio Araja

Amid fears of a school bus shortage, regula-tory officials came under fire for their alleged failure to stop corruption at the Land Transpor-tation Office and Land Transportation Fran-chising and Regulatory Board.

Shake-up at Customs: Lina to boost collection

Caloocan’ssports hubbidding on

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F R I D AY : M AY 8 , 2 0 1 5

NEWS A7

Breakup looms for Baguio chapter of Liberal Party

Revenue bureau to close 52 businesses in Reg XI

‘PNoy neglected typhoon victims’

No rain. Residents of Saguing, Makilala, North Cotabato harvest fish from their fishponds before the high temperature results in a fish kill. GEONARRI SOLMERANO

No raining on this parade. A stilts walker, juggler and unicyclist join a parade during the Dinengdeng Festival in Agoo, La Union. CHRISTINE JUNIO

Vice Mayor Edison Bilog said the consensus among most of the chapter members was reached after their bet for city councillor, Mark Go, was not appointed by President Benigno Aquino III to occupy a council seat left vacant by the death of Daniel Fariñas last year.

“I was designated chairman of

our group within the party and we would be conducting a series of con-sultations among our ranks, as well as make representations with the LP national leadership to make the city a free zone. If the LP leadership re-fuses our proposal to make the city a free zone, we will definitely leave the party,” Bilog stressed.

DAVAO CITY—The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) in Region XI will close 52 more business establishments as government strengthens Oplan Kandado this week.

BIR Regional Director Glen Geraldino is scheduled to go to Digos City in Davao del Sur; Mati, Davao Oriental; Tagum, Davao del Norte; and Davao City to close the establishments for under-declaration and non-pay-ment of taxes.

Last Thursday, Geraldino al-ready led the closure of 14 food shops of Jaltan Enterprises which sells native delicacies in Davao City. While Jaltan has paid P4 million of its P20-million obliga-tion, it failed to fully comply with the BIR requirements specified in the five-day VAT compliance no-tice dated April 17.

Geraldino emphasized that busi-ness owners must be hands-on in complying with government tax requirements and not rely on their bookkeepers.

BIR’s Oplan Kandado aims to intensify its enforcement opera-tion through strict imposition of prescribed administrative sanctions for non-compliance with the basic tax requirements. Under the program, business operations of non-compliant taxpayers will be suspended and their establishments will be temporarily closed if they vio-late certain tax laws.

Under the law, the suspension and temporary closure of busi-ness shall not preclude the BIR from filing the appropriate charg-es under the Run After Tax Evad-ers (RATE) program of the BIR, if evidence so warrants.

Business operations will be suspended or temporarily closed for failure to issue receipts or invoices by a VAT-registered or registrable taxpayer; failure to file a VAT return; understatement of taxable sales or receipts by 30 percent or more of the correct amount. PNA

By Maricel V. Cruz

A LAWMAKER on Thursday accused President Aquino III of criminal neglect as the gov-ernment has yet to provide much-needed assistance to the victims of typhoons Yolanda, Ruby and Seniang that hit the country last year.

“It is a serious crime of Aqui-no against the people who were already victims but remain de-prived of aid simply because they llive on danger zones, and no build, no dwell zones,” Anak-pawis party-list Rep. Fernando Hicap, member of the Makabay-an bloc, said in a statement.

Hicap added that leaders of the People’s Surge alliance and Samahan han Gudti nga Parag-uma ha Sinirangan Bisayas (SA-

GUPA-SB, Alliance of Peasants in Eastern Visayas) reported during their visit in Congress last February that people in Eastern Visayas who are yet to recover from the disastrous impact of ty-phoon Yolanda on November of 2013, were again overwhelmed by subsequent typhoons Ruby and Seniang last December.

People’s organizations in Iloilo and Aklan have also reported that the victims are yet to receive assistance from the govern-ment who are implementing the Memorandum Circular No. 24 of the DSWD or the guidelines for the Emergency Shelter Assis-tance (ESA), Hicap said.

“It is worse that the govern-ment estimates are lower than what is concrete, this is exacer-bated when the victims receive

no assistance from the govern-ment,” Hicap added.

Hicap said that Anakpawis group’s databank shows that foreign donations for Yolanda victims reached P73.3 billion last November while the Na-tional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council on its Situation Report No. 108 dated April 3, 2014 tagged the cost of damages to P39.8 bil-lion—P19.5 billion in infra-structure damages and P20.2 billion in agriculture.

“If we are to simply deduct the cost of damages from the foreign donations, a hefty P33.5 billion would still be available, so how come that the victims are still downtrodden, who were again hammered by typhoons Ruby and Seniang,” Hicap said.

Bilog’s group had recommended that Go take over the vacant coun-cil seat. Rep. Nicasio M. Aliping, the LP Baguio chapter chairman, however recommended former councillor Lilia G. Yaranon, wife of former City Mayor Braulio D. Yaranon, as his personal choice.

Yaranon was eventually consid-ered by the President.

Joining Bilog in the breakaway group are councillors Faustino Olowan and Isabelo Cosalan, Jr. as well as Go, losing mayoralty candidate Jose Molintas and other LP members who ran under the administration party over the past several elections.

“We have been receiving many offers from other political parties

but we are still weighing our op-tions,” Bilog added.

Bilog said the long-standing controversy within the party al-ready cast doubts on the sincerity of the members and strained their relationships.

The vice mayor asserted the need for the conduct of continu-ing consultations with local and national LP officials so that they could decide whether to establish a stronger line-up for next year’s elections or bolt the party and re-group with another.

Vice Mayor Bilog claimed they simply stood on their conviction in nominating Go to the vacant post on the strength of the latter’s qualifications.

By Dexter A. See

THE ruling Liberal Party chapter in the city is on the verge of breaking up as its stalwarts during the 2010 and 2013 elections are contemplating leaving, following disagree-ments on who among its members would be appointed to occupy the vacated 12th slot in the city council.

on his own volition, knowing full well that criticism comes with the territory of his ex-alted office, then his com-plaints are void.

Aquino’s own experience as one of the leaders of the opposition during the term of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, whom he bashed at will, should have taught him that being the top banana isn’t all visits to car manufacturing companies and choice seats at Sergio Mendes concerts. The expe-rience of his own parents, when they, too, were fighting Ferdinand Marcos, should have made him realize that criticism is something any

opinionA8

[ EDI TORI A L ]

DilapiDateD railway system

A9ADELLE chuAe D i t O r

F R I D AY, M AY 8 , 2 0 1 5

opinion

The Blamer-in-Chief took his complaining on the road once again, blasting his critics for his troubles. he should have just gone on one of his famous disappearing acts and saved the taxpayer the cost of his latest junket.

President Noynoy Aqui-no had to go all the way to Chicago to find an audience for his tired, old complaint

about being blamed for ev-erything that goes wrong. But if that was all he was going to do on his latest for-eign trip, perhaps he should have just stayed at home and worked to dispel the impres-sion that he’s not really do-ing anything – a belief that is much more widespread (and pernicious, in my opin-ion) than the one he belly-aches about.

Meeting with Filipinos in the Second City, Aqui-no indulged in his usual self-pitying hyperbole. “If there’s a strong typhoon, it’s

my fault. If there’s gridlock on edsa, it’s my fault. even Manny Pacquiao’s loss, it’s also my fault,” the President unashamedly griped.

Why Aquino continues to complain about his critics, five years after he took of-fice, is still a mystery to me. After all, if he really is fed up with being blamed, no one is forcing him to stay a minute longer in his post.

I’ve long argued that no one pointed a gun at Aqui-no’s head and demanded that he become President. If he sought the presidency

Pathetic

ONe business inside the export zones of the Philippine economic Zone Author-ity (PeZA) utilizes to the hilt the main attractions of the Philippines to foreign investors, among which are: one, easy availability of english-speaking easily trainable and cheap labor; and two, the talent and creativity of the Filipino work-er, especially our engineers. These and other attractions explain why the Philip-pines is today on the verge of becoming the world’s major manufacturing hub.

Unknown to many, the Philippines is a global manufacturing hub for wiring harness – the kilometer-long wires in the innards of all automobiles.

The three biggest wiring harness manufacturers of Japan – and the world – operate in the Philippines – Yazaki, Sumi, and Furukawa. Their large and growing presence here is a testament to the country’s unrivalled attrac-tions—strategic location (which enables just-in-time shipments and calibrated inventory); english-speaking skilled, productive and easy to train labor pool; attractive tax incentives; and tender lov-ing care by PeZA professionals under Director General Lilia de Lima.

Vietnam offers only half of the tax discount given by the Philippines, esti-mates Takeshi Morikawa, president of Sumi Wiring Systems Corp, subsidiary of Japan’s Sumitomo wiring harness company. “China no longer offers tax incentives,” he adds. Sumi has three factories each in China and Vietnam. “There is no comparison for what PeZA offers,” says Morikawa.

Once havens for manufacturers, Chi-na and Vietnam have seen the steepest rise in labor costs in recent years. Chi-nese workers also have the habit of tak-ing a vacation and never coming back, resulting in turnovers of 30 percent to 40 percent per year, meaning in just three years all the workers you have trained are gone.

Manila gives PeZA locators exemp-tion from the 32 percent corporate in-come tax for the first year of operations, extendable by another two years. For each new project. So as long as a loca-tor has a new project, the tax exemption keeps on being extended.

Sumi has invested $70 million for a wiring harness factory in hermosa, in the heartland of Bataan, the province in which Allied troops surrendered to the conquering Japanese army during World War II.

Wiring the World’s

cars

President must live with.Of course, what remains of the

once-formidable Aquino fan base will argue that criticizing the cur-rent President is not the same as criticizing Marcos or Arroyo. But that is exceptionalism at its worst, because it not only assumes that the latter two were bad Presidents, it also posits that Aquino, as his more intellectually-challenged of fans say, is “the best President this country ever had.”

By no conceivable performance metric is this premise supportable. And even if one accepts that Mar-cos and Arroyo were corrupt, this doesn’t mean that Aquino is better simply because he did nothing – he did not even have the energy to enrich himself in office, much less to do needful things like building roads and suchlike.

* * *It’s shameful, really, when Aqui-

no opens his mouth to blame other

people, because all the complaints against him are mostly the result of what he’s done – or what he’s failed to do. And so, while he can’t really be blamed for a strong typhoon, he must accept that his government’s response to calamities has been universally described as inade-quate and politically skewed.

If there is gridlock on edsa, he should remember that it is his job to build more and better roads

Continued on A11

APAThY and neglect may soon reduce the railway track operated by the Philippine National Railways to a national rubble.

The PNR has just suspended its Metro Manila train operations to give way to a thorough inspection of the tracks, after a coach traveling to Muntinlupa City derailed between the stations of Magallanes in Makati City and Nichols in Taguig City this week, resulting in the injury to at least 30 passengers.

The PNR operates the vital 28-kilometer-long (Tutuban-Alabang-Laguna) line system that ferries 60,000 to 70,000 passengers daily. The rail line, part of the original 1,100-km stretch that extended to La Union in the north and the Bicol region to the south, is an important alternative mode of transportation for students and low-wage earners.

The poor maintenance of the rail tracks, lack of state support and pilferage have slowly killed the transportation mode, one of the oldest railway systems in Asia. The PNR has already reduced the number of daily trips for the remaining line to 44 from 52, after pulling out one of the trains from the operating fleet because of the derailment.

Critics said gross negligence on the part of the PNR and the Transportation Department had caused the train to derail. Train Riders Network spokesman James Relativo noted that the rail system received minimal investment and subsidies from the national government and that most of the funds could barely cover the operation of the line, leaving nothing for expansion, modernization and rehabilitation.

Adding to the woes of the railway system is the increasing number of informal settlers living dangerously beside the rail tracks.

The government of President Aquino, which has boasted of the public-private partnership program to speed up the construction of key infrastructure projects, must make the rehabilitation of the PNR national rail line its priority. More importantly, the government should take immediate steps to restore the original route of the national railway from La Union to the Bicol region to make the PPP program more relevant and economic growth more inclusive.

while he remains in office,

aquino must understand that he will just have to grin his loopy

grin and bear the criticism.

lOwDOwn

jOjO a. rObles

Cyan maGenta yellOw blaCK

VirtUalreality

tOnylOpeZ

Continued on A11

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OPINIONF R I D AY, M AY 8 , 2 0 1 5

A10

Politics is the en-tire dynamic and craft of power-distribution through government institutions in society. there are different foci of power – universities and educational institutions and corporations provide ready examples – but they differ in influence and vary in suasion through time. the church is an institution that at one time had wielded considerable power, but has since declined in social influence, not necessarily because its leadership and its priests have been lackadaisical but be-cause our times are post-traditional, post-conventional.

As such, politics cannot be blamed for poverty in the country. it is in fact this a priori demonization of politics that explains why, in many cases, otherwise capable catho-lics do not offer their service to the state as public officials. Election results are often regrettably pathetic, if not hilari-ous, not because voters are dumb – which they can be – but because they have no choice. the same faces in fact are emerging once more as front-liners in the 2016 race. Where are the alternatives? Has not catholic catechism taught that it is a moral obligation of a catholic who is possessed of the qualifications and the competence to offer her services for public office when there is a crying need for such services? But why would anyone has not totally gone bonkers even venture into the minefield of politics when politicians and their business are pariah to the church?

it is not criticism of politics and of politicians that is in-jurious to the community and to the church. Rather it is the indifference if not spite we have for politics that makes dialogue between the church and politicians seldom help-ful and constructive. Giving up on politics and politicians is not pastorally sound. it creates a di-vide that places politics and poli-ticians beyond our pastoral con-cern and reinforces the mistaken notion of “separation of church and state” that would silence the church whenever it speaks on politically sensitive issues.

Politics in the Philippines has been variously described as ram-bunctious, disorderly, corrupt and unfair. But to the credit of the Filipino, it is free and unfettered. By contrast, politics in control states – single-party states, autocracies or theocracies – are orderly, sedate and subdued, but these are generally not looked up to as desirable.

We, as church, also have a stake in politics because the use, deployment and distribution of governmental power can, on the one hand, be tolerant, hospitable, indifferent or, at the other extreme, hostile and averse to the church. Politics is much too important and crucial a matter for us to shrug off and to leave to politicians. A preponderance of secularists in government positions, due of course to the political dominance of secularist groups or parties, would create a very different milieu for the church in the Philip-pines.

in the Philippines, politics has a bad name because we associate it with rigged elections, bribed voters, duplicity of politicians, political dynasties and the misappropriation of public funds and monies, through various guises for per-sonal and familial interests. But while blatant and intense forms of such misuse of power will be found in the Phil-ippines, these ills of politics are not exclusive to us. the United states abounds in issues of trust, honesty and cred-ibility of politicians – and so it will be wherever the exercise of power is involved.

What i propose is coNstRUctiVE ENGAGEMENt. “Give to caesar the things that are caesar’s and to God, the things that are God’s”. i am surprised that this has tradi-tionally been read to create two kingdoms: one of caesar, the other of God. But the lord’s is the earth and its fullness and all that dwells therein. so while politicians run politics,

CHURCH, POLITICS, POVERTY!

NOT waITINg fOR PENSION adjUSTmENTiN an unprecedented move days before last week’s labor Day, the social security sys-tem issued an advisory that began with the most provoca-tive question to us, its pen-sioners:

“Are you waiting for an adjustment in your monthly pension?”

continuing, it assured us not to worry. My fellow sss pensioners and i thought

that these were the introduction to that long-awaited announcement by sss of a pension increase.

But the advisory’s next statements indi-cated that sss was only addressing its thou-sands of pensioners among us who have demanded that their pensions be adjusted to reflect in the computation their missing contributions.

Without bothering to explain the obvi-ous, sss announced that it was performing a “manual verification” of missing contribu-tion records for the years 1985-1989, which it estimated to have reached 89 million.

At last, after years of denying that some-thing went wrong with its contribution re-cords, sss has publicly admitted that some-thing wrong did happen.

But sss would not yet admit that it lost millions of these records in a classic com-puter fiasco while transferring its contribu-tion records from an old database into an upgraded one.

What, there were no back-up files?sss is now addressing this fiasco by re-

encoding the missing contributions.Hopefully, the original contribution re-

cords –in paper and tape media – are still available, intact, and readable for re-encod-ing despite being stored for decades in pro-vincial bodegas.

otherwise, sss would have to rely on the microfilmed copies of these records. the sss microfilming system - in which sss has in-vested before hundreds of millions of pesos - would then be put to its first real test.

When the 89 million records were lost, the pensions that were paid after 1985 were computed without these missing contribu-tions. they were thus undervalued. After re-posting the missing records, sss must then re-compute them.

The pensioners whose pensions had been adjusted brag about these adjustments to their fellow pensioners and cannot avoid egging others to also demand for a re-computation.

consequently, these demands for re-com-putation now swamp sss offices and consti-

tute a heavy work backlog. sss could no longer cope

with these demands on a daily basis. After all, they involve tedious work such as record retrieval, re-encoding, re-

posting in the computer database, and re-computation of pensions.

in its advisory, sss announced further that its special team is re-posting missing records whether or not requests have been submitted.

Yes, sss treats these re-posting as requests - not demands – but announced nonetheless that it would complete them by yearend.

sss has announced likewise that it has stopped re-computing pensions but would automatically resume them once it has com-pleted its re-posting work. Meantime, pen-sioners have to wait.

in effect, sss has asked them to stop bothering it concerning their contribution re-posting and pension re-computation; it would process new pension applications only.

i hope this latest sss advisory would not result again in protests and discontent among its deprived pensioners, as what happened when sss recently attempted to refund the contributions of members who have not qualified to a pension upon reach-ing their mandatory retirement age.

they paid their contributions a quarter of a century ago. isn’t sss the one that lost them? Why didn’t it hire enough personnel to re-post their contributions and address their pending demands for re-computation?

What if sss could not restore all lost con-tribution records?

sss could fill up the months in 1985-1989 with missing contributions the way it did in the past.

After failing also to account for contribu-tions that were paid before January 1975, sss simple wrote into its charter that the credit-ed years of service for these members would be “nineteen hundred seventy five minus the calendar year of coverage plus the number of calendar years in which six or more contri-butions have been paid from January 1975 up to the calendar year.”

this option is more pragmatic. instead of spending its energies in recovering the contribution records it lost, sss could focus more on improving its pension program.

Based on the sss pension formula, an undervalued pension could be adjusted by as much as 10 percent of salary credit or

Continued on A11

PENSEES

FR. RANHILIO CALLANGAN

AQUINO

FILIPINOPENSIONER

HORACEtEmPLO

Politics is not the cause of

poverty.

the political sphere should be embraced by our pastoral concern. We can learn from the prophetic tradition: speaking at times as one with the king, at other times, condemning the king – and of course, earning his ire in the process. it will not do for us to hold ourselves out as the nemesis of politicians, because all that will do is polarize politicians in their corner, and us, in ours – and whether we like it or not, rant against it or not, they have pow-er! Neither will it help the church for us pas-tors to be lackeys of the powerful, for church history has taught us the invaluable lesson that it turns out bad for the church when her ministers are at the beck and call of princes.

if we had no politics, we would not be eliminating poverty. We would be eliminat-ing organized, social existence and govern-

ment. Politics is not the cause of poverty. there is a brand of politics than can be caus-ally related to politics, but it should not be very difficult to appreciate how ambivalent these factors are that we identity as “causative factors” of poverty.

in many dioceses, the social action commis-sions and desks have accomplished tremendous feats. We have gone into cooperatives, commu-nity-based health programs, micro-finance and farmer-fisherfolk mobilization. But one thing should be exceedingly clear.

As church, we cannot provide an alterna-tive to financing, crediting, banking, lending systems. We should not even compete with the established institutions for such services. And when we do, it is important to realize

Continued on A11

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A11adelle chuaE D I T O R

F R I d aY, M aY 8 , 2 0 1 5

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chong ardivilla#failocracy

Wiring..From A9

The facility currently employs 3,500. This will increase to 5,000 as it expands production to 480 million circuits a year by 2017, as Sumi diversifies markets from Japan to include US, Thailand, china, russia, Taiwan and australia to feed the needs of Toyota’s new camry model by that year.

Morikawa finds filipino “operators” (workers) “very good”. They are young, warm, courteous, hardworking and easy to train and communicate with because of their English.

The complaints of PEZa locators are similar—high elec-tricity cost, unreliable infrastructure, port congestion, and lgUs which often impose so many “requirements”. Thank-fully, there is PEZa to smoothen things out.

Sumi’s bigger rival here, furukawa, also of Japan, echoes its delight about locating a factory in the Philippines, as well as the perils of doing business here.

in 2012, Keiji Kita was looking for a new plant site in Southeast asia. he studied three places – Surabaya, indone-sia; cambodia, and the Philippines.

The president of furukawa automotive Systems de-sign, inc. settled on the Philippines for three reasons: 1) short transportation lead time between Manila and Japan (five days, compared to 10 days from vietnam and 14 days from indonesia; 2) stable cost, and 3) easy availability of manpower.

furukawa bought a 12-hectare industrial land in lima in Batangas. The brand-new factory occupies 4.3 hectares, leaving enough space for future expansion. “There is no more land to buy in lima,” says Kita, as if complaining.

a short transport lead time can mean substantial savings in carrying cost of inventory, explains Kita.

“But we were able to do it, thanks to the quality of local manpower. it would have taken three to four years in either vietnam or china. he says the nearby Batangas State Uni-versity graduates very good engineers.”

at the same time, it is difficult to recruit manpower in china. cost is high and turnover is high, more than 30 per-cent per year. in the Philippines, recruiting good English- speaking, highly educated, and productive workers was quite easy. Turnover is low, 1 percent to 2 percent per month, for those who are not yet regular. in vietnam, manpower turn-over is 10 percent per month.

about the only local complaint of Kita is the high cost of electricity in the Philippines. Wiring harness is a labor-intensive and power-intensive business, says Kita.

“The quality of filipino manpower is very good,” gloats Kita. Usually, he notes, “it is difficult to ramp up production in just two years.

on the other hand, indonesians and vietnamese have difficulty expressing themselves in English. labor costs in china and vietnam have risen dramatically in recent years.

furukawa exports wiring harness to six major Japanese car companies – Toyota, nissan, honda, Mazda, Suzuki, and daihatsu.

furukawa’s Batangas plant employs 6,000 people today, producing 580 million circuits a year, up from zero barely two years ago. Exports have risen dramatically from $621,000 in 2012 to $98.93 million in 2014.

furakawa already has two factories in vietnam (its big-gest production hub in Southeast asia), but decided to open a $500-million facility at the lima Technology center, the special economic zone in lipa, Batangas now owned by the aboitiz family.

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Pathetic..From A9

and mass transit systems and that he should not insult the millions for whom commut-ing is such a daily ordeal by telling them that traffic is a sign of a booming economy. (nobody among his critics – and believe me, i know most of them – has ever blamed him for Pacquiao’s loss; that’s just aquino being aquino, begging for sympathy based on an imaginary slight.)

i have no doubt whatsoever that to the very end of his term a year from now, aqui-no will keep blaming other people for the things that he really should have done. it’s simply too late to expect aquino to take re-sponsibility for the bad stuff that happens, like he does the good things that occasion-ally do – even if he only had the most mar-ginal of contributions, like the growth of the stock market or the stay of execution grant-ed to Mary Jane veloso.

The man is incapable of admitting that he’s wrong about anything that goes wrong

that he did, in the same way that he’s so quick to claim credit for things that he didn’t do. as for his critics, aquino seems unable to accept that he cannot demand that everyone sing his praises, unless he is prepared to jail everyone for exercising their freedom to ex-press themselves.

and while he remains in office, aquino must understand that he will just have to grin his loopy grin and bear the criticism that is part of the job. in a year, assum-ing that he isn’t thrown in jail like his last two predecessors, i predict that nobody will even talk about aquino anymore, and he can return full-time to his serial dating, video-game playing and firing-range haunt-ing – but not until then.

Whenever he whines about how hard his critics have made his life, he just comes across as the imaginary teenager about whom freddie aguilar wrote the song “Estudyante Blues” – the slacker an-them that is his all-time favorite ditty, by the way. and that, in a word, is pathetic.

Church..From A10

the competence of the laity, and their specif-ic apostolate. years of studying philosophy and theology did not teach us how to form corporations and cooperatives and how to manage them. our annual retreats and the daily recitation of the divine office do not pass on to us the rules of banking and the requirements of credit transactions. our prayer life, our studies and our charisms as priests will provide us with the perspec-tive, the reason, the motive – as well as the perseverance – for our engagement in these endeavors. But we must ask the laypersons to serve where they excel, and allow them to help us de-clericalize the church!

very important as well are our advocacies as church. What propositions do we sup-port? Which do we reject? What govern-ment initiatives do we commend? Which do we caution against? But clearly enough

we cannot advocate without information and study – and regrettably, studying seems to be a skill we lose upon ordination! it is important, for example, that we insist that any peace settlement in Mindanao be all-in-clusive. despite the government’s relentless campaign for the speedy passage of the BBl – a campaign for which there was no let-up even while we were mourning the victims of Mamasapano – it is morally obligatory for us to ask whether all who should be heard were in fact heard. So, what do we advocate in this respect? and in respect to ofWs and the awful situations they many times get into, what do we stand for? Study, enlight-ened discussion and prayer -- in fidelity to the gospel -- should help us articulate our advocacy.

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Not..From A10

20 percent of pension amount. This is the typical adjustment for a pensioner who con-tributed for 30 years but whose pension was computed based on 25 years only.

in this example, the adjustment to a P5,000 monthly pension would be P1,000 per month. The adjustment would have ac-cumulated to P120,000 if this undervalued pension was paid 10 years ago.

all of these potential pension adjustments that have been withheld for years from SSS pensioners could reach billions of pesos.

as once asked by davao city Mayor di-gong duterte –

“When will the disabled and elderly pen-sioners be paid their pension adjustments? long after they have died?”

certainly, pensioners deserve to be paid immediately.

as to that provocative question of SSS in its labor day advisory, our candid reply would have been –

“no, we are not waiting for any pension adjustment from SSS - not until next year when this administration starts to woo us pensioner-voters or only after it has gone.”

[email protected]

FR I DAY: MAY 8 , 2 0 1 5

SPORTS

India’s Ghosh Anusri (4) scores against Japan’s Nanaka Sakamoto (16) and Hitomi Kodama (18) in the 1st Rebisco Asian U23 Women’s Volleyball Championship powered by PLDT Home and Smart Live More at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City. ROMAN PROSPERO

Kyrgios sends Federer crashingMADRID—Australia young gun Nick Kyrgios knocked top seed Roger Federer out of the Madrid Open on Wednesday with a stunning 6-7 (2/7), 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (14/12) victory.

Kyrgios, who beat Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon last year, sent down 22 aces to Federer’s 15 and next faces John Isner of the United States.

“I’ve been playing well re-cently on the clay, so I knew I had a good chance to go out there and do well. I stuck to my game and served well and I got the win,” said Kyrgios who was runner-up on clay at Estoril last weekend.

“I guess that’s why you play the game, to play on these big courts against these big players. He’s the greatest of all-time, no doubt.”

Top seed Federer saved � ve match points in the deciding tiebreaker while having two of his own annulled by the big-hitting Australian youngster, ranked 35th.

“I couldn’t return his � rst serve, I had a horrible perform-

ance on return of serve,” said Federer. “� at made life di� -cult for me.

“I’m disappointed with how I played on returns, and that cost me the match.”

Meanwhile, second seeded Andy Murray went through, beating Germany’s Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-4, 3-6, 6-0 in a second round tie which finished at just after 3 a.m. Thursday.

Murray, who had defeated Kohlschreiber in the rain-de-layed Munich final on Mon-day in another three-setter to claim his first claycourt ti-tle, next faces Spain’s Marcel Granollers. AFP

PH bows to Chinain Asian Under 23HOST Philippines almost pulled the rug from under powerhouse China before eventually yielding a hard-fought 25-23, 14-25, 18-25, 17-25 game as the Chinese ad-vanced to the semifinals of the 2015 Asian Under-23 Women’s Volleyball Championship.

The Philippine volley belles – led by Jaja Santiago, Alyssa Valdez, Myla Pablo and Riza Sato – shocked the Chinese with their strong start as they dealt the top seeds only their third set loss in the tourna-ment to the delight of a de-liriously shouting crowd at the Philsports Arena.

The Chinese regained their poise in the second set. World championship veteran Liu Yanhan led the mighty come-back of China which imposed its will in the final three sets to

relegate the Philippines to the classification round for fifth to eight places.

The Chinese advanced to the semifinals and will face Korea, the only team other than the Philippines to win a set against them this tourna-ment. The Philippines take on Chinese Taipei in the classifi-cation round in a rematch of their second-round battle.

China sat out Liu in the first set and paid for their over con-fidence as the Philippines took the set.

In the other match of the day Korea tripped Chinese Taipei, 16-25, 25-17, 23-25, 25-14, 15-10, to qualify to the semifinals against powerhouse China.

Soyoung Lee led her team with 29 points, 26 on spikes. Hyejin Ha chipped in 19 and Hyeri An added 16 for Korea.

Still partners.Healthway Medical, the most trusted and preferred mall-based clinics, has renewed its partnership with the Philippine Superliga as the league’s offi cial medical and healthcare provider. The partnership is part of the clinic’s thrust to promote its SEED Program (Sleep, Eat Right, Exercise, and De-stress) and help clients, especially athletes, achieve a well-balanced and healthy lifestyle, according to Carmie de Leon, vice president for sales and marketing. In photo is Nicole Tiamzon of the Foton Tornadoes, one of the league’s top players embracing Healthway’s latest program.

More Bestcage clinics

THE award-winning Best Center (Basketball E� ciency and Scienti� c Training Center) sponsored by Milo has added four more provincial venues to its basketball summer clinics from May 11 to 16.

Ormoc, Leyte will have the opportunity of hosting the Best Center once again at the West-ern Leyte College gym for stu-dents in Levels 1, 2 and 3, with Marlon Matiga as contact per-son (0917 342 9495).

Divine Word Academy in Dagupan, Pangasinan, mean-while, will o� er preparatory Levels 1, 2 and 3 on the same dates with Sonny de Jesus as contact person (0915 906 3915 and 0925 802 1274).

Cebu City will have its own clinics at the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu for stu-dents in preparatory Levels 1 to 4. Rico Navarro will handle the event (0908 818 7748, 0923 342 8193 and 0999 420 8794(TS-MAY 8, 2015)

INVITATION TO BIDNO. INFRA-025-2015

Republic of the PhilippinesProvince of Bataan

City of BalangaBIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE OFFICE

The Provincial Government of Bataan, through the General Fund25 intends to apply the below listed project w/ corresponding Approved Budget of the Contract (ABC). Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

Name of Project Approved Budget of the Contract (ABC)

1. Replacement of Rosa Bridge at Sitio Little =P= 13,999,956.94 Baguio Barangay Palihan, Hermosa, Bataan

2. Construction of Catmon Bridge (Phase I) at =P= 5,999,997.37 Sitio Kabukiran Barangay Calaylayan, Abucay, Bataan

The Provincial Government of Bataan now invites bids for the above listed Projects. Completion of works is required on or before the maturity date stipulated on contract. Bidders should have completed, within Ten (10) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instructions to Bidders.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using non-discretionary pass/fail criterion as specified in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 9184 (RA 9184), otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”.

Bidding is open to all interested bidders, whether local or foreign, subject to the conditions for eligibility provided in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from Office of Bataan Bids & Awards Committee and inspect the Bidding Documents from 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. at the same office.Bid documents will be available only to eligible bidders upon payment of a non-refundable amount of using standard rates approved by GPPB as stated on their Resolution No. 04-2012 listed below.

Approved Budget for the Contract Maximum Cost of Bidding Documents

(in Philippine Peso)500,000 and below 500.00More than 500.000 up to 1 Million 1,000.00More than 1 Million up to 5 Million 5.000.00More than 5 Million up to 10 Million 10.000.00More than 10 Million up to 50 Million 25.000.00More than 50 Million up to 500 Million 50,000.00More than 500 Million 75.000.00

The Provincial Government of Bataan will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on May 5, 2015 at 10:00 A.M. at Provincial BAC Office, PEO Capitol Compound, Balanga City, Bataan, which shall be open only to all interested parties who have purchased the Bidding Documents.

Bids must be delivered on or before May 18, 2015 at 2:00 p.m. At Provincial BAC Office, PEO Capitol Compound, Balanga City, Bataan. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated on IRR of RA 9184 and Bid Securing Declaration in standard form.

Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend opening of Bids at Bataan BAC Office. Late bids shall not be accepted.

In case of the above dates is declared a special Non-Working Holidays, it will automatically reset on the next working days.

Other necessary information deemed relevant by the Provincial Government of Bataan

Activities Schedule1. Advertisement/Posting of Invitation to Bid May 6 - 12, 20152. Eligibility Check Refer to date of Opening of Bids3. Issuance and availability of Bidding Documents May 6 - 26, 20154. Request for Clarification May 15, 20155. Opening of Bids May 26, 2015

The Provincial Government of Bataan reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul the bidding process, and to reject all bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

For further information, please refer to:

Engr. Josephine R. Valenzuela Provincial BAC / PEO Bataan Provincial BAC / PEO Office, Capitol Compound Balanga City, Bataan 047-237-9316 [email protected]

(Sgd). ENRICO T. YUZONBAC Chairman

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINESSPECIAL COMMITTEE ON NATURALIZATION

IN THE MATTER OF THE PETITION OFPRIYANKA DEVKISHAN CHAINANI to be naturalized as Filipino citizen pursuant to Republic Act No. 9139. SCN CASE NO. 000574

x - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x

PETITIONPursuant to the provisions of Republic Act No. 9139,

petitioner hereby submits a petition for naturalization to become a citizen of the Republic of the Philippines and respectfully declares:

1. My full name is PRIYANKA DEVKISHAN CHAINANI , but I have also been known since childhood as N/A or I have been judicially authorized to use the alias name(s) N/A .

2. My present place of residence is 2176 Fatima Street, San Miguel Village, City/Municipality of Makati Province of Metro Manila and all my former places of residence are (please indicate periods of residence)

1989-1990 at No. 8977 Araga Street, San Antonio Village, Makati City 1990-2002 at 9559-C Taguig Street, J.P. Rizal, Makati City 2003-2010 at 24 Saturn Street, Bel-Air 2 Subdivision, Makati City2010 to present at 2176 Fatima Street, San Miguel Village, Makati City

3. I was born on Jan. 11, 1989, in Makati City Philippines. I have been a resident of the Philippines since birth. At present, I am a citizen or subject of India.

4. My father's name is Devkishan Chainani and he was born on March 11, 1958, in Jaipur, India. He is a citizen or subject of India. My mother's name is Harsha Devkishan Chainani and she was born on Jan. 26, 1963 in Kolkata, India. She is a citizen or subject of India.

5. My trade, business, profession or lawful occupation is N/A and from which I derive an average annual income of P N/A , inclusive of bonuses, commissions and allowances. My wife's/husband's trade, business, profession or lawful occupation is N/A and from which she derives an average annual income of P N/A .

(Where the above does not apply): I am exempt from the requirement of lucrative trade or occupation and from submitting income tax returns for the past three (3) years because I am a college degree holder [please state (1) degree obtained:N/A, (2) name of school: N/A and (3) years graduated: N/A] who cannot practice my profession (the practice of which requires a government licensure examination) by reason of my citizenship.

6. My civil status is Single , I was married on N/A in N/A. My wife's/husband's name is N/A and she/he was born on in N/A . She/he is a citizen or subject of N/A and presently resides N/A.

7. I am legally separated from my spouse; my marriage was annulled, per decree of legal separation/annulment dated N/A granted by N/A. (please indicate the particular court which granted the same). I am a widower/widow and my spouse died on N/A in N/A.

8. I have N.A. child/children, whose names, dates and places of birth and residences are as follows:

Name Date of Birth

Place of Birth Residence

N/A N/A N/A N/A

9. I received my primary and secondary education from the following public schools or private educational institutions duly recognized by the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS), where Philippine history, government and civics are taught and prescribed as part of the school curriculum and where enrollment is not limited to any race or nationality:

Name of School Place of School

Dates of Study Highest Grade

CompletedThink and Try Makati City 06/91-03/92 Nursery

Colegio de San Agustin Makati City 06/92-03/04 Grade 9Reedley Int’l. School Pasig City 06/04-03/07 High SchoolUniv. of Prince Edward Island Canada 01/09-12/09 One (1) Year

College

Raf f les Des igns Inst . Makat i C i t y 07/12 to present2 n d Y e a r A d v a n c e d D i p l o m a Course

10. I am able to read, write and speak Filipino and/or any of the following dialects of the Philippines: Tagalog

11. I have enrolled my minor children of school age in the following public schools or private educational institutions duly recognized by the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS), where Philipine History, government and civics are taught and prescribed as part of the school curriculum and where enrollment is not limited to any race or nationality: Name of Child Name and Place of

SchoolDate of

Enrollment

N/A N/A N/A

12. I shall never be a public charge. I am of good moral character. I believe in the principles underlying the Philippine Constitution. I have conducted myself in a proper and irreproachable manner during the entire period of my residence in the Philippines in my relations with the constituted government as well as with the community in which I am living. I mingled socially with Filipinos and have evinced a sincere desire to learn and embrace the customs, traditions and ideals of the Filipino people. I have all the qualifications and none of the disqualifications under Republic Act No. 9139.

I am not opposed to organized government or affiliated with any association or group of persons who uphold and teach doctrines opposing all organized governments. I am not defending or teaching the necessity or propriety of

violence, personal assault or assassination for the success and predominance of one's ideas. I am not a polygamist nor a believer in the practice of polygamy. I have not been convicted of any crime involving moral turpitude. I am not suffering from mental alienation or from any incurable contagious disease. The country of which I am a citizen or subject is not at war with the Philippines and grants to Filipinos the right to be naturalized citizens or subjects thereof.

13. It is my true and honest intention to become a citizen of the Philippines and to renounce absolutely and forever all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty, and, particularly, to India of which at this time I am a citizen or subject. I will reside continuously in the Philippines from the date of the filing of this petition up to the time of my admission to Philippine citizenship.

14. My character witnesses are Jocelyn Pangan Romero and Anita De Jesus Enriquez both Filipino citizens, of legal age, and residing at Room 308 ITC Building, 337 Gil Puyat, Makati and 1704 Baler Street, Santiago Village, Makati respectively, who have executed sworn statements attached hereto in support of my instant petition, together with: (a) brief biographical data about themselves; (b) detailed statements on the dates they first came to know me, the circumstances of our initial acquaintance and the reasons and extent of our continuing familiarity; and (c) the number of times they have acted as character witnesses in other petitions for naturalization.

15. Attached hereto as annexes and made part of this petition are the duplicate originals or certified photocopies of the following documents (please check the appropriate box):

[ / ] a. Petitioner's birth certificate[ / ] b. Petitioner's alien certificate of registration (ACR)[ / ] c. Petitioner's native-born certificate of residence

(NBCR)[ ] d. Petitioner's marriage certificate, if married[ ] e. Death certificate of his/her spouse, if widowed[ ] f. Court decree annulling his/her marriage or granting

legal separation, if such was the fact[ ] g. Birth certificates of petitioner's minor children[ ] h. ACRs of petitioner's minor children[ ] i. NBCRs of petitioner's minor children[ ] j. Affidavits of financial capacity by the petitioner, duly

supported by bank certifications, passbooks, stock certificates, or proof of ownership of other properties

[ / ] k. Affidavits of at least two (2) credible witnesses who must be Filipino citizens of good reputation in petitioner's place of residence

[ / ] l. Medical certificate from a government hospital stating that petitioner is not suffering from mental alienation or a user of prohibited drugs or otherwise a drug dependent and that he/she is not afflicted with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), or any incurable contagious disease.

[ ] m. School diploma and transcript of records of the petitioner from the school/s he or she attended in the Philippines

[ ] n. Certifications stating that petitioner's minor children are enrolled in public schools or private educational institutions duly recognized by the DECS, where Philippine history, government and civics are taught and prescribed as part of the school curriculum and where enrollment is not limited to any race or nationality

[ ] o. Petitioner's income tax returns for the past three years[ ] p. Petitioner's receipts of payment of income tax for the

past three years

16. Other documents submitted by the petitioner in support of his/her petition:

Affidavit of Financial Support from Devkishan Chainani (Father)Affidavit of Financial Capacity from Devkishan Chainani (Father)Last 3 years Income Tax Returns of Devkishan Chainani (Father)Last 3 years Income Tax Return of Family Owned business, with

complete SEC documents

PRAYER

WHEREFORE, it is respectfully prayed that petitioner be conferred Philippine citizenship pursuant to the provisions of Republic Act No, 9139.

Dated at San Juan, Metro Manila, this 28th day of January, 2015.

PRIYANKA DEVKISHAN CHAINANI Name and Signature of Petitioner

Address: 2176 Fatima Street San Miguel Village, Makati City

Telephone Number: 403-7085

Right Thumbmarkof Petitioner

Petitioner's signature and right thumbmark

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES)CITY/MUNICIPALITY OF MAKATI) S.S.

I, PRIYANKA DEVKISHAN CHAINANI of legal age and a resident of 2176 Fatima Street, San Miguel Village, Makati City after being duly sworn, depose and say that I am the petitioner herein, that I have read the foregoing petition and know the foregoing petition and known the contents thereof, and that the same is true of my own knowledge.

PRIYANKA DEVKISHAN CHAINANI Name and Signature of Petitioner

SUBCRIBED AND SWORN to before me at Makati City, this JAN. 23, 2015.

SCN FORM NO. 1(R.A. NO. 9139)

001263

(MST-May 8, 15 & 22, 2015)

Dated at San Juan, Metro Manila, this 28th day of

PRIYANKA DEVKISHAN CHAINANIName and Signature of Petitioner

Petitioner's signature and right thumbmark

Right Thumbmark

petitioner herein, that I have read the foregoing petition and know the foregoing petition and known the contents thereof, and that the same is true of my own knowledge.

PRIYANKA DEVKISHAN CHAINANIName and Signature of Petitioner

AFTER dodging the bullet in a heart-stopping 20-17 come-from-behind win over Singapore Wednesday, the Philippine Volcanoes seek to put up a more explosive per-formance in tomorrow’s finals of the Asian Rugby Cham-pionship Division 1 tournament against Sri Lanka.

[email protected]

FR I DAY: MAY 8 , 2 0 1 5

SPORTS

Volcanoes eye explosive show

ROBINSONS Starmills Pampanga will host the fourth leg of the RACE Motorsports National Slalom Grand Prix Series.

Registration starts at 8 a.m., while the open practice runs are set from 8 to 10 a.m.

O� cial practice runs begin at 11 a.m., with each given only one of-� cial run regardless of how many classes or cars the driver is entered. In between practice is a free slalom clinic from 9 to 10 a.m.

Contenders for the overall and class champions must use the speci-� ed Federal Tyres for at least nine or 75% of the series and must possess the AAP Clubman license in or-der to accumulate points. All driv-ers will be charged an additional one-time fee of P300 per leg for the Clubman License.

� e event is a� liated with the Automobile Association of the Phil-ippines and FIA, and is the longest-running motorsports discipline in the country.

Expected to participate are the

series champions, headed by Dr. Peewee Mendiola of Big Chill; Milo, Noel and Estefano Rivera of Tough Gear; Cabanatuan Auto Club; MSM Motorsports; AF Racing Team; Team Makaluma and Orthodox Racing.

� e series is sponsored by Shell Helix Motor Oils with Pureplus Technology, Federal Tyres, Outlast Battery, Starbright Body Kits, Auto Transporter, media partners Stop-light TV, Inside Motoring, DZRJ-Am, Pinoy Speed sa mga Pahaya-gan and Spin.Ph (Sports Interactive Network), C! Magazine, Autocar Magazine and Robinsons Malls and Robinsons Starmills Pampanga.

� e next legs will be on May 24 at the INC Arena in Bocaue for the 1st Philippine Motoring Festival, and on May 31 for the 2nd Slalom Invitation-al at Robinsons Calasiao, Pangasinan.

For details, contact Bing Bang Dulce at nos. 928-6951, 0922-8165344 or 0917-8119337; e-mail [email protected] or like our FB page.

Slalom goes to Pampanga

� e slow-starting Volcanoes trailed by as many as 10 points against the upset-conscious Singa-poreans but leaned hard on their � ghting spirit to salvage the victory to the delight of supporters who nev-er gave up on them in the match that went to extra time.

“I’m very proud of the way our squad � nished the game. It wasn’t the most clinical performance but we showed Philippine spirit and never gave up,” said skipper Oliver Saunders.

Alex Aronson came o� the bench to lead the Filipinos’ rally, scoring a penalty kick in the second half of extra time to deliver the “golden points” that sent the hosts to Satur-day’s gold medal match. Aronson was also responsible for forcing the extension with his try and successful conversion in the last play of regula-tion.

“It was really a good e� ort. We didn’t really help ourselves out a lot of times and so we had to � ght back,” said Aronson.

� e “16th man” at their home turf – the Philippine Sports Stadium in Bulacan – also provided the energy that kept the embattled Volcanoes going.

“Amazing support. � ey came all the way out here to support us. � ey’re the best fans, they pushed us on when it’s tough to keep � ght-ing on. I’m proud to represent them, proud to represent the Philippines,” said Aronson.

� e top-ranked Volcanoes will gun for the ARC Division 1 crown on Saturday night against No. 2 Sri Lanka, which looked good in a 35-14 demolition of Kazakhstan in the semis.

“Looking forward to the next game,” said Aronson.

Milo Rivera, the top contender in overall points after winning three straight legs, has his windshield wiped clean before his turn in the National Slalom Grand Prix Series.

A14F R I D AY : M AY 8 , 2 0 1 5

[email protected]

By Peter Atencio

TAGUM, Davao del Norte—Twelve-year-old Seth Isaak Martin joined Sacho Maurice Ilustre in leaving a big mark in the swimming competition of the 2015 Palarong Pambansa here.

2 swimmersbreak records

Martin, who plans to study at La Salle-Zobel in high school, took three more golds, set a second course record along the way and brought his total haul to five in the elementary boys’ action.

He anchored the 4x100 meter med-ley relay team to a 4:41.55 perform-ance, which erased the old mark of 2:06.50 set by the National Capital Region in 2006. His other two golds for the day came in the 200-meter individual medley (2:28.35) and the 100-meter freestyle(1:00.12).

“We just did our best and prayed to God. We also encouraged each other,” said the lanky Martin of his teammates Charles Arceo, Ian Go and Sean Cruz.

Martin’s big showing came with only two days left in the competition, with the Big City already amassing 38 gold medals to go with 33 silver and 23 bronze medals, putting itself on the verge of taking the overall title in this Davao del Norte edition backed by Tagum Agricultural Development Company Inc., Damosa Land, Davao Packaging Corporation, Davao Inter-national Container Terminal, Inc. and Pearl Farm Beach Resort.

On Tuesday, Martin took the gold in the 100-meter backstroke, break-ing the record in the preliminaries in 1:06.38, while anchoring the NCR squad to a record-setting 2:05.04 fin-ish in the 4x50-meter medley relays.

Martin’s teammate Ilustre, whose record-setting 2:07.28 in the 200-meter butterfly is considered a Philippine nation-al junior record after he made a 2:08.04 last year, has two golds after leading the 4x100 meter to a 4:07 feat.

A swimmer from Cebu and a runner from Misamis Occidental also set new marks. Cebuana lass Raven Faith Al-coseba broke Regina Castrillo’s 200-me-ter individual medley mark (2:37.16) twice, first with at 2:34.76 in the prelims, and then with 2:33.71 in the finals.

Misamis runner Jie Ann Calis, on the other hand, beat current record holder Angelica de Josef of Region VI in 2:12 in the 800-meter secondary girls’ action in athletics. De Josef, who holds it at 2:17.2 last year, was third in 2:14.49.

Southern Tagalog (Region IV-A) is the only region that has a chance of possibly catching up with NCR with its 27-19-24 haul.

Strengthening the Palaro

TAGUM City—Who cares about John Andrei Dedal, Mark Lorenz Bal-cita and Karen Janario?

I do, not only because these three are turning out to be elite athletes of the ongoing 2015 Palarong Pambansa here.

It is not only worth chronicling the exploits of these three young athletes, who are barely in their teens. What is equally in-teresting about them is how they worked their way up from being nondescript participants to becoming gold medal winners in this annual sporting event.

The 15-year-old Leyte native Janario is now in her third Palarong Pambansa stint and has been raking in medals after medals the last two years while represent-ing Eastern Visayas.

A Filipina-American, Janario was one of the lucky survivors of ty-phoon Yolanda when she

and a few others were res-cued, while trapped inside the Leyte Sports Academy.

Before Yolanda, Janario has struggled winning medals in previous com-petitions and in her first year as Palarong Pamban-sa competitor.

“Susuko na sana ako noon pero sinabi ng coach na hindi dapat ako sumu-ko kasi may potensyal ako. Hindi din nanghina ang loob ko kasi may tiwala ako sa Diyos,” said Janario.

Instead of losing hope after witnessing the on-slaught of Yolanda that devastated their house and belongings, Janario doubled her effort by im-proving on her perform-ance that eventually made her one of the most suc-cessful student athletes of the annual games.

Balcita, on the other hand, never gave up in be-ing part of their taekwondo team in the ARMM, despite coming from a poor family.

After noticing a group of young jins sparring in their school, Balcita instantly fell

in love with the sport and decided to try his luck with the regional team.

After the current coach learned that Balcita could not afford paying the reg-ular training fee, the taek-wondo hopeful was of-fered a job in exchange for free taekwondo workouts.

“Sabi nila pagkatapos ng training, ako ang mag-linis ng gym. Tinanggap ko agad kasi gusto ko talaga maka-libre para masubukan ko ang taekwondo,” said Bal-cita. “Hindi naman ma-sama loob ko na naglilinis ako ng gym kasi ito naman talaga ang naging daan para matupad pangarap ko na maglaro ng taekwondo.”

Dedal improved on his silver medal finish last year when he finally copped the gold in this year’s Poomsae Individual Boy’s category.

As of presstime, Dedal was aiming for a shot at the Kyuroge or com-bat event of Taekwondo which is being held at the Gaisano Mall.

Incoming high school

student Dedal had to en-dure so much pressure in his first-ever Palaro out-ing, where he ended up dead last in his first event, the 100-meter dash.

“Kinabahan ako kaya last place. Nakita ko kasi sa time trial ang bibilis ng kalaban ko,” said Dedal.

For his second event the following day, Dedal immediately conquered his fear when he won the gold in the 400-meter race in seemingly easy fashion.

“Kabado pa din ako pero nung nakatakbo na ako, nawala na yung kaba. Pasalamat talaga ako sa coach ko kasi siya yung nagsasabi na kaya kong manalo,” said Dedal.

These are just three of countless inspiring stories that we get to hear while covering this annual com-petition.

Stories that will prove the Palarong Pambansa is not just a venue to dis-cover talented athletes but also an avenue where kids serve as inspiration to grownups.

DENNIS PRINCIPE

TAGUM City—Who SPORTS CHAT

Ang, Cabrera extend kart streaksPUERTO PRINCESA CITY— The unique challenge of the new Shell-Palawan International Cir-cuit drew the best out of young aces Gabe Tayao Cabrera and Jacob Ang of Eagle Cement, who romped to their third straight tri-umphs recently in third leg of the 2015 Petron Blaze 100 ROK Kart-ing Super Series in Barangay Sta. Monica here.

Cabrera held strong against veteran VJ Suba in the premier ROK Shifter class to stay on course for the coveted Karter of the Year plum, while Ang con-tinued his winning ways to for-tify his hold on solo leadership in the KF Junior Blaze 100 of this event sanctioned by the Auto-mobile Association Philippines and sponsored by Petron, Petron Blaze 100 Euro 4, Petron XCS, Petron Ultron, Petron Xtra, Pet-ron Sprint, Magnolia Pure Water

and Yokohama the official tires.Racing on the new track gave

Cabrera, last year’s Junior Karter of the Year and Asian Junior cham-pion, equal chances against Suba as he pulled ahead over his veteran rival to complete his sweep of all three races. He also set the fastest laptime 1:01.371 on the new track, which he posted in the seventh lap of the qualifying heat.

Ang, on the other hand, strug-gled at the start, winding up only fourth in the qualifying time trials. But he quickly adjusted to the track conditions as he showed his true fangs by sweeping the Qualifying heat, the Pre-Final, and the Final Races. He wrapped up the 16-lap Final race in 16 minutes and 9.463 seconds, 6.799 seconds ahead of runner-up Mikey Jordan.

Sean Draeco McLelland checked in a close third, while John Dizon and Tai Zulberti wound up fourth

and fifth, respectively.With their feats, Ang and Cabrera

went down in history as among the pioneer champions of the Shell-Pala-wan International Circuit, along with Jerry Choi and Rainer Te.

Choi was the track’s first dou-ble title winner for clinching the crowns in the ROK Shifter Veter-ans Max Diesel and the ROK Ex-pert Blaze 100 over Julius Milla.

Te emerged as the first new-comer to capture the title in the ROK Novice Blaze 100v, where he turned back Ben Stone.

The series takes a short break as the country’s best karters gear up for the kickoff of the 2015 Asian Karting Open Championships at the Karto-dromo de Coloane Circuit in Macau.

For more info, call the Car-mona Racetrack, c/o Rose Feria at 845-0745, 889-3389, 845-3287 and 845-4142 or visit the website www.asiankarting.net.

After some intense dicing for the lead in the early goings, Gabe Cabrera (yellow kart) found a way to pull ahead of veteran 2012 Karter of the Year VJ Suba for his third straight ROK Shifter triumph at the new Shell-Palawan International Circuit

Republic of the PhilippinesNational Capital Judicial Region

REGIONAL TRIAL COURTBranch 144, Makati City

ROXANNE DEL MUNDO ANCHETA, Petitioner, -VS- SP. PROC.-NO. M-7780

RAMON JESUSITO MIGUEL V. SILOS III,and/or Administrator and Civil Registrar General, National Statistics Office, and/or the Local Civil Registrar of Makati. Respondent,x--------------------------------------------------x

O R D E RBefore this Court is a verified Petition for Judicial Recognition of Foreign

Divorce and/or Enforcement of Foreign Judgment filed by petitioner, Roxanne Del Mundo Ancheta, against respondent, Ramon Jesusito Miguel V. Silos III A.K.A. Ramon Valenton Silos.

The Petition alleges the following: that petitioner is of legal age, American-Filipino, and residing at #1 Ber-Rita Compound, Bayan Luma 1, Imus, Cavite; that respondent is also of legal age, Filipino, and residing at 41 Florida St., Merville Park, Paranaque City; that petitioner and respondent were married in accordance with the laws of the State of California, United States of America on July 1, 2005; that petitioner and respondent were again married on January 31, 2008 at Sanctuario de San Antonio Parish, Forbes Park, Makati City; that the parties have two (2) minor children, namely, Noelle Anne Ancheta Silos born on December 16, 2008 and Bella Louise Ancheta Silos born on August 18, 2010; that due to their unhappy marriage and irreconcilable differences, petitioner filed for divorce before the Superior Court of California, Country of Alameda on May 7, 2013 which thereafter issued a Judgment of Dissolution dissolving the parties` marriage. Petitioner, then prays that the Judgement of Dissolution of Marital and Domestic Partnership Status and the resolution regarding support, custody and property be recognized in the Philippines.

Finding the Petition sufficient in form and in substance, set the hearing of this case on June 9, 2015 at 8:30 am before this Court located at the 10th Floor of Makati City Hall, Makati City.

Petitioner is directed to comply with the following; (1) send a copy of this Order and Summons to RAMON JESUSITO MIGUEL V. SILOS III at his last known address at 41 Florida St., Merville Park, Paranaque City, and submit proof of its compliance within ten (10) days from receipt of this Order, and (2) publish this Order together with the Summons once a week for two (2) consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation prior to the hearing, all at the petitioner`s expense.

Also, petitioner is given five (5) days from receipt hereof within which to submit proof of compliance that copies of the Petition and its annexes were sent to the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) and the Office of the City Prosecutor (OCP) of Makati City.

Court Social Worker Preciousa Macapuso is directed to conduct a case study of the parties` minor children and submit the corresponding report at least three (3) days before the pre-trial.

SO ORDERED.

City of Makati, March 31, 2015.

(Sgd.) LIZA MARIE R. PICARDAL-TECSONPresiding Judge

(TS-MAY 8 & 15, 2015)

P0.0 M+

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

6/42 00-00-00-00-00-00

6 DIGITS 00-00-00-00-00-00

3 DIGITS 00-00-00

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3 00-00-00

6 DIGITS 00-00-00-00-00-00

2 EZ2 00-00

LOTTO RESULTS

A15F R I D AY : M AY 8 , 2 0 1 5

[email protected]

Lawsuits pile up vs PacquiaoLOS ANGELES —Call it the fallout of the century.

More disgruntled � ght fans are going to court with their complaints, suing Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao and others for failing to disclose a shoulder injury prior to his “Fight of the Century” against Floyd Mayweather.

Pacman undergoes 90-minute surgeryBy Ronnie Nathanielsz

EIGHT-DIVISION world champion Manny Pacquiao underwent surgery at the Kerlan Jobe Clinic in Los Angeles to repair a tear in his right shoulder rotator cuff at 10 a.m. yesterday.

Pacquiao was accompanied by his wife Jinkee during the one-hour-30-minute proce-dure and after some time for recovery, was driven to his LA home, according to ABS-CBN reporter Dyan Castillejo.

Pacquiao’s longtime adviser Michael Koncz told the Stand-ard/boxingmirror.com that the operation was a success.

“They repaired the dam-age to the shoulder and he is recovering now and plans to leave (for Manila) on Sunday,” said Koncz, who didn’t wish to speculate on what the procedure was, indicating he didn’t wish to risk making a mistake.

In a brief statement, or-thopedic Dr. Neal ElAttrache

said he “could not be more pleased with the results of Pacquao’s surgical procedure on his right shoulder. The re-covery process will take four to six months.”

The injury was suffered during a sparring session in early April. It appeared to be getting better as the training camp proceeded with trainer Freddie Roach giving Pacquiao a week off from sparring, claiming that he didn’t want his ward to over-train, which later proved to be untrue.

Undefeated pound-for-pound king Floyd May-weather Jr. unexpectedly said he is willing to give the Filipino southpaw a rematch sometime in 2016, after Pac-quiao recovers from surgery for a tear in his right shoulder rotator cuff, aggravated in the fourth round of their show-down at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

The Saturday show-down was won handily by

Mayweather in a bout that appeared closer than the scorecards suggested.

Both Shane Mosley and Evander Holyfield, however, stated they believed Pacquiao won the fight primarily be-cause of his aggression.

In a text message to ESPN’s Stephen Smith, who is iden-tified with Mayweather, the undefeated boxer with a 48-0 record, was quoted as telling Smith he is willing to have a rematch with Pacquiao.

Pacquiao suffered the shoulder injury in training camp some three weeks be-fore the fight, but decided to push through with the fight against the unbeaten pound for pound king after his condition improved follow-ing the use of a pain-killing numbing agent that was ap-proved by the US Anti Dop-ing Agency who informed the Nevada State Athletic Commission about Pacqui-ao’s condition and the medi-cation he was undertaking.

A class-action suit filed in US District Court in Illinois not only names Pacquiao and promoters Top Rank but also telecasters HBO and Showtime, who combined to produce the pay-per-view fight program that was sold in the Unit-

ed States for about $100.The suit also names Mayweather,

Mayweather Promotions and cable television providers AT&T, COM-CAST and DirecTV, and accuses the defendants of deceptive practices in marketing and advertising the bout.

“Defendants, individually and collectively, deceptively and fraud-ulently promoted, produced and sold the fight as one between two healthy fighters... expressly mis-representing the health of Manny Pacquiao to the Nevada State Ath-letic Commission, all in an effort to maximize and collect pay-per-view revenue,” the lawsuit claims.

At least five such class-action suits have been filed across the United States, seeking millions of dollars in compensation on behalf of those who bought tickets, forked

out pay per view fees or bet on Sat-urday’s fight in Las Vegas, which Mayweather won easily on points.

Pacquiao revealed afterwards that he had been held back by the shoulder complaint.

It did not take long for the law-suits to come flooding in.

‘Dud of the century’Two men in Nevada sued on

Tuesday, saying the promotion violated the state’s Deceptive Trade Practices Act.

In a similar suit filed in California, plaintiff Howard B. Sirota cites former

heavyweight world Champion Mike Tyson as calling the long-anticipated bout the “Dud of the Century.”

Some of the lawsuits point to the pre-fight medical questionnaire signed by Pacquiao for Nevada boxing authorities in which he checked “no” to the question, “Have you had any injury to your shoul-ders, elbows or hands that needed evaluation or examination?”

Pacquiao adviser Michael Koncz, named as a defendant in some of the lawsuits, has said he inadvert-ently ticked the wrong box. AFP

Mayweatherwants to visitthe PhilippinesUNDEFEATED pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr., who cemented his status with a lopsided 12-round unani-mous decision over eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao last Sunday, said he wants to visit the Philippines, and along with Pacquiao, “help feed the less fortunate.”

“I still want to go over to the Philippines and help feed the people, who are less for-tunate,” said Mayweather in an interview with close friend Ben Thompson of Fight Hype.

He pointed out he has “Filipino peo-ple who work for me and they love me and support me the same way I support them.”

Mayweather cushioned the impact of the loss to Pacquiao by stating, “Manny Pacquiao still is a winner. We both made good money, it was a match that had to happen whether it was toe-to-toe, counter punching, smart boxing it was just a fight that had to happen. A lot of people are more up-set because it was a one-sided victory to be honest. I’m not saying that he didn’t put up a good fight because he did, at times.” Ronnie Nathanielsz

Floyd Mayweather Jr. exchanges punches with Manny Pacquiao during their welterweight unification championship bout at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Pacquiao underwent surgery to his right shoulder. AFP

NOTICE OF ANNUAL STOCKHOLDERS` MEETINGNotice is hereby given that the ANNUAL STOCKHOLDERS`MEETING OF PUREGOLD PRICE CLUB, INC. WILL BE HELD ON THE 12TH DAY OF MAY 2015, 2 PM, AT THE ACACIA HOTEL, ALABANG, MUNTINLUPA CITY, with the fo l lowing agenda:

1. Call to order2. Certificationofserviceofnoticeandexistenceofquorum3. ApprovaloftheMinutesofthe2014AnnualStockholders`

MeetingandratificationofallactsandresolutionsoftheBoardofDirectorsandManagementfromthedateofthepreviousStockholders`Meeting

4. Annual Report of the Chairman and President andApproval of the Audited Financial Statements as ofDecember31,2014

5. Election of seven (7) directors inclusive of two (2)independent directors

6. AppointmentofExternalAuditor7. Amendmentof3rd Article of Articles of Incorporation and

Section3ArticleIIoftheBy-LawsoftheCompany8. Other Matters9. Adjournment

Stockholders of record as of the c lose ofbusinessonMarch26,2015areent i t led tonot iceof , and to vote at such meet ing. The stock andtransfer book of the company wi l l be c losed fromApri l 28, 2015toMay12,2015.

IF YOU DO NOT EXPECT TO ATTEND THEMEETING, YOU MAY EXECUTE AND RETURNTHE PROXY FORM TO THE OFFICE OF THECORPORATE SECRETARY OF THE COMPANYAT NO. 900 ROMUALDEZ ST., PACO, MANILA,1007.THEDEADLINEFORTHESUBMISSIONOFPROXIESISMAY5,2015.

The company shal l provide without chargeto each stockholder a copy of the Def in i t iveInformat ion Statement (SEC 17-IS) upon wri t tenrequest of suchpersonaddressed to theof f iceoftheundersigned.

On the day of the meet ing, you or yourduly designated proxy are hereby required tobr ing th is Not ice and any form of ident i f icat ionsuch as dr iver`s l icense, passport , company I .D.voter`s I .D. or TIN Card to faci l i tate registrat ion.Registrat ionshal l start at 1:00p.m.andwi l l c loseat 1:45p.m.

Mani la, Phi l ippines.

BABY GERLIE SACROCorporate Secretary

2 nd FloorTabaca le raB ldg., 900D.RomualdezS t . , Paco,Man i la ,Ph i l ipp ines,1007

Te le fax : (632)523 -3055(TS-MAY 8, 2015)

N O T I C ENotice is hereby given that RMS COLLECT PHILS., INC. with

office address at SMCity,DasmarinasAnnex,Governor’sDrive,Pala-Pala,Dasmarinas,Cavite,isapplyingforregistrationwiththeBoard of Investments (BOI) as a New Export Services Providerunder the Export Activites – Services Exports (Contact Center/BusinessProcessingOperations)withacapacityof307seatsonaNon-Pioneer status,withproject site locatedat 3/FRobinson’sDasmarinas,E.AguinaldoHighway,Dasmarinas,Cavite.

Any person with valid objection/s on the above-mentionedprojectmayfilehis/herobjectioninwriting,underoath,withtheBOIwithinthree(3)daysfromthedateofthispublication.

(Sgd.)RAFAELITO H. TARUCDirector

InfrastructureandServicesIndustriesService(TS-MAY8,2015)

F R I D AY : M AY 8 , 2 0 1 5

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

TURN TO A12

CLEVELAND—Cleveland superstar LeBron James scored 33 points on Wednesday to lead the Cavaliers to a 106-91 victory over Chicago that knotted their NBA playo� series at one game apiece.

PH bows to Chinain Asian U-23 TURN TO A15

By Jeric Lopez

GLOBALPORT and Alaska shoot for league leadership when they play separate opponents in the 2015 Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup.

The Aces (1-0) play a much-anticipated encounter against new-look Barangay Ginebra (0-0) as the rivals tango at 7 p.m. in the main event of the evening at the Smart Araneta Coliseum today.

In the appetizer, the Batang Pier (1-0) look to build on their solid opening game when they play Blackwater (0-1) at 4:15 p.m. to open the show.

Both Alaska and GlobalPort had stellar showings in their initial assignments and are both looking to continue their hot start against their respective foes.

Back in full force without any injuries, the Aces annihilated the Blackwater Elite, 106-80, last Tuesday with everyone on the team contributing.

Alaska coach Alex Compton was pleased with his team’s start as well as the all-around play of import Romeo Travis, who was a teammate of NBA superstar LeBron James in high school at St. Vincent-St. Mary

“It’s a good start for us. We’re continuing to develop and we’re trying to continuously assert ourselves defensively. I hope we can keep doing that,” said Compton. “He (Travis) is solid. He is smart. He’s a good team player and he’s a guy who frequently makes the right decisions.”

Ginebra was the busiest team in the league the past month as it made numerous player moves since new head coach Frankie Lim took over in an attempt to turn the team’s fortunes around.

Lim will make his coaching debut for the Gin Kings and will have new recruits in combo guard Sol Mercado and big man Dave Marcelo, who both came from Barako Bull. Gone from the Ginebra camp are Billy Mamaril, Joseph Yeo, Dylan Ababou and James Forrester.

The Batang Pier, likewise, had a huge opening act with the return of their old coach Pido Jarencio. Guard Terrence Romeo starred for GlobalPort, which drew some solid play from their imports.

SPORTS

LeBron leads Cavs;Rockets rebound

Lawsuitsvs Pacman pile up

After connecting on just nine of 22 shots in Monday’s 99-92 game-one defeat, James came out hot against the Bulls.

He scored 22 points in the first half as the Cavs bounced back to even the best-of-seven Eastern Conference second-round series before it shifts to Chicago for the next two games.

“We needed it,” James said. “Our backs were against the wall. We can’t go down 2-0 on our home floor.”

In the Western Conference, the Houston Rockets also bounced back from a game-one defeat on their home floor, downing the Los Angeles Clippers 115-109 to level their series at one game apiece.

Alaska,GlobalPortseek lead

James Harden scored 32 points and Dwight Howard added 24 with 16 rebounds for the Rockets, whose 64 attempts from the free throw line were two shy of an NBA playoff record.

After knocking off Dallas in the first round in convincing style and having five days off, Houston had come out flat in the second-round series opener on Monday.

Game two was up for grabs until the waning moments.

A 10-2 run saw the Clippers pull within 111-107 with a minute remaining, and Corey Brewer air-balled a runner at the other

end to give the Clippers life. But Austin Rivers, starting his second straight game for injured Clippers star Chris Paul, lost the ball out of bounds and Howard sank two free throws at the other end to help Houston hold on.

Los Angeles star Blake Griffin followed up his game one triple-double with 34 points and 15 rebounds, but the free throw discrepancy was too much for the Clippers to overcome.

The Rockets finished 42-for-64 from the line, led by Harden’s perfect 15-for-15, battling back from a nine-point halftime deficit.

LeBron James (23) of the Cleveland Cavaliers goes up for a shot against Pau Gasol (16) and Jimmy Butler (21) of the Chicago Bulls in the fi rst half during Game 2 in the Eastern Conference Semifi nals of the 2015 NBA Playoffs 2015 at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavs won,106-91, to even their series at 1-1. AFP

Games Today (Smart Araneta Coliseum):

4:15 p.m. • GlobalPort vs. Blackwater7 p.m. • Alaska vs. Ginebra

RODERICK T. DELA CRUZASSISTANT EDITOR B1

FRIDAY: MAY 8, 2015

[email protected]@gmail.com

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

RAY S. EÑANOEDITOR

BUSINESS

MWSS cracking down on water concessionaires

Bangko Sentral ng PilipinasThursday, May 7, 2015

Foreign exchange rateCurrency Unit US Dollar PesoUnited States Dollar 1.000000 44.5260

Japan Yen 0.008375 0.3729

UK Pound 1.524900 67.8977

Hong Kong Dollar 0.129002 5.7439

Switzerland Franc 1.092180 48.6304

Canada Dollar 0.830772 36.9910

Singapore Dollar 0.755972 33.6604

Australia Dollar 0.801282 35.6779

Bahrain Dinar 2.652450 118.1030

Saudi Arabia Rial 0.266688 11.8745

Brunei Dollar 0.753125 33.5336

Indonesia Rupiah 0.000077 0.0034

Thailand Baht 0.030039 1.3375

UAE Dirham 0.272257 12.1225

Euro Euro 1.135000 50.5370

Korea Won 0.000928 0.0413

China Yuan 0.161272 7.1808

India Rupee 0.015736 0.7007

Malaysia Ringgit 0.280112 12.4723

New Zealand Dollar 0.752785 33.5185

Taiwan Dollar 0.032698 1.4559 Source: PDS Bridge

MWSS cracking down 7,816.2757.37

Closing May 7, 2015PSe comPoSite index

46

45

44

43

42

HIGH P44.550 LOW P44.730 AVERAGE P44.650

Closing MAY 7, 2015PeSo-dollar rate

VOLUME 781.100M

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 Pilipinas

oilPriceS today

P508.00-P728.00LPG/11-kg tank

P38.40-P52.05Unleaded Gasoline

P26.90-P43.80Diesel

P35.40-P39.15Kerosene

P23.70-P24.40Auto LPG

todayP26.90-P43.80

P35.40-P39.15

P23.70-P24.40

PP38.40-P52.05

8500

8000

7500

7000

6500

6000

Closing MAY 7, 2015

P44.710CLOSE

San Miguel keen on P17-b Davao port deal

Crafts display. Trade Undersecretary Nora Terrado (center) cuts the ribbon during the opening of the Crafts Market and Displays organized by the women entrepreneurs in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea on May 4, 2015. Joining Terrado are (from left) Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation women and economy chair Emmeline Verzosa, Women in Business president Janet Sape, Papua New Guinea trade deputy secretary Richard Yakam and APEC Women’s Economic Empowerment executive director Linda Paru. Papua New Guinea has about 80 percent of its 7.8 million population living in the provinces where the crafts on display are manufactured.

By Norman P. Aquino and Cecilia Yap

THE Philippines is setting tougher audit and reporting rules for Manila’s two water service providers, the latest development in the spat between the regulator and the companies, one of which is partly owned by Marubeni Corp.

By Darwin G AmojelarCONGLOMERATE San Miguel Corp. has expressed interest in bidding for the first public-private partnership seaport project under the Aquino administration.

PPP Center executive director Cosette Canilao said San Miguel had purchased bid documents for the P17-billion Davao Sasa port modernization project. The contract also involves a 30-year concession to operate the seaport.

San Miguel through subsidiary

Petron Corp. owns 35 percent of Manila North Harbor Port Inc., while Harbour Centre Port Holdings Inc. of the Romero family owns the remaining 65 percent.

MNHPI bagged the contract to modernize the North Harbor for P14.5 billion. The investment will be used mainly for the construction of a modern passenger and container terminal and other facilities, acquisition of heavy equipment, dredging operations and acquisition

of other equally important equipment such as modern computers to ensure the smooth flow of cargo and passengers.

Canilao said the Transportation Department was receiving a lot of interests for the project. The invitation documents for the project were made available on April 14, for a non-refundable fee of P300,000.

Transportation Department spokesman Michael Arthur Sagcal said bid submission for the project was expected in

December 2015.International Container

Terminal Services Inc. chairman Enrique Razon earlier said the port operator was unlikely to participate in the auction of the Davao Sasa port project, saying the largest investment required in the project might not be recovered.

“We are not quite sure if we are going to bid. What we are seeing is the investment requirement is so large. Numerous private ports are already in the area. So we may not bid for that,” Razon said.

Regulatory audits will now be annual instead of every five years, and Manila Water Co. and Maynilad Water Services Inc. will be barred from passing on expenses to customers that are not related to water operations, Joel Yu, chief regulator at Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System said in an interview on Wednesday. The rules will also clarify their rate of return, he said.

“The guidelines are meant to institutionalize the regulatory

functions,” Yu said. “We don’t want an office that

vacillates in the way regulatory functions are carried out,” he said, adding that all parties would sign the agreements soon.

The crackdown comes after MWSS barred the companies from recovering part of their corporate income tax from clients after conflicting rulings from the International Chamber of Commerce. Both Manila Water and Maynilad have demanded payment from the government

for financial losses, with the latter also threatening to review capital spending for next year and 2017.

“You can call it a crackdown and an effort to correct mistakes of the past,” Jomar Lacson, head of research at Campos Lanuza & Co. in Manila, said in a phone interview. “Blocking income tax recovery may be disruptive to the investment environment, but if it’s unfair to consumers, why keep it?”

On April 21, Maynilad, which serves half of the Philippine capital, criticized MWSS for failing to honor the International Chamber of Commerce’s tax ruling and asked the government to rein in a “runaway regulator.”

An appeals panel in December ruled Maynilad isn’t a utility and may charge part of its income tax to clients.

A separate panel in April classified Manila Water, a unit of Ayala Corp. that serves the other

half of the capital, as a utility that can’t charge the tax.

“We want to avoid chaos,” Yu said on the agency’s decision to block both water companies from recovering their tax costs.

“You may call us a regulatory office that does not honor the sanctity of contracts, but that kind of view is myopic. We only want to avoid the inconsistent application of regulatory functions,” he said.

Manila Water said net income in the first quarter of the year reached P1.434 billion, slightly higher than P1.431 billion recorded in the first quarter of 2014. Revenues grew 5 percent to P4.026 billion from P3.827 billion.

Total billed volume in all units grew 2 percent to 163.1 million cubic meters in the January-March period from 160.4 million mcm in the previous year. Bloomberg, Anna Leah E. Gonzales


BUSINESSFRIDAY: MAY 8, 2015

B2

M S T52 Weeks Previous % Net Foreign High Low STOCKS Close High Low Close Change Volume Trade/Buying

MST BuSineSS Daily STockS Review Thursday, May 7, 2015

FINANCIAL7.88 2.5 AG Finance 7.93 7.85 7.46 7.46 -5.93 188,200 75.3 66 Asia United Bank 70.5 70.9 70.2 70.8 0.43 58,610 2,390,401.00124.4 84.6 Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. 111.00 110.60 108.60 110.20 -0.72 10,780,950 -498,723,861.00104 84.5 Bank of PI 102.00 100.70 100.00 100.60 -1.37 11,566,960 -174,259,175.0063 45.8 China Bank 46 46.9 46.2 46.75 1.63 45,900 4,650.002.49 1.97 BDO Leasing & Fin. INc. 2.50 2.50 2.50 2.50 0.00 8,000 4.2 2.03 Bright Kindle Resources 2.10 2.08 2.02 2.07 -1.43 1,531,000 18.48 12.02 COL Financial 15.3 15.36 15.2 15.3 0.00 1,898,700 6,120,000.0031.6 23.55 Eastwest Bank 22.05 22 21.7 21.75 -1.36 293,100 -2,395,020.009.5 6.3 Filipino Fund Inc. 7.40 7.40 7.40 7.40 0.00 4,300 2.95 1.75 I-Remit Inc. 1.66 1.77 1.66 1.77 6.63 30,000 -17,000.001.01 0.225 MEDCO Holdings 0.455 0.460 0.450 0.450 -1.10 400,000 36,000.0099.4 78 Metrobank 94.4 94 93.1 93.55 -0.90 2,900,000 -76,243,385.501.46 0.9 Natl. Reinsurance Corp. 1.07 1.08 1.08 1.08 0.93 2,000 30.5 18.02 PB Bank 18.24 18.30 18.20 18.30 0.33 48,300 94.95 76.5 Phil. National Bank 76.40 76.40 75.10 75.25 -1.51 70,030 -4,669,614.00137 95 Phil. Savings Bank 93.5 94 94 94 0.53 10,100 361.2 276 PSE Inc. 318 318 315 318 0.00 45,720 6,573,258.0059 45 RCBC À’ 45.05 45.55 44.95 45 -0.11 115,100 324,345.00174.8 107.6 Security Bank 167 169.6 166 167.4 0.24 553,520 -34,247,597.001700 1200 Sun Life Financial 1410.00 1450.00 1440.00 1440.00 2.13 1,430 865,065.00127.9 66 Union Bank 66.90 66.95 66.50 66.50 -0.60 14,180 3.26 2.65 Vantage Equities 3.05 3.1 3.09 3.09 1.31 80,000

INDUSTRIAL47 35.6 Aboitiz Power Corp. 43.6 43.35 42.25 43.05 -1.26 2,475,300 43,269,965.005 1.6 Agrinurture Inc. 1.64 1.62 1.56 1.62 -1.22 37,000 1.66 1.04 Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. 1.08 1.09 1.07 1.09 0.93 653,000 -107,500.002.36 1.41 Alsons Cons. 2.09 2.09 2.07 2.07 -0.96 286,000 6,240.0015.3 7.92 Asiabest Group 11.3 11.58 11.32 11.32 0.18 200 113 40.3 Bogo Medelin 63.5 50.6 50 50 -21.26 1,710 148 32 C. Azuc De Tarlac 90.00 90.00 90.00 90.00 0.00 130 20.6 14.6 Century Food 19.62 19.6 19.1 19.14 -2.45 203,100 -2,515,300.00125 62.5 Chemphil 132 135 131 135 2.27 110 32 10.08 Cirtek Holdings (Chips) 26.95 30.45 26 30.45 12.99 981,200 -665,660.0065.8 29.15 Concepcion 63 62 60.05 62 -1.59 50,770 -605,000.50 Crown Asia 2.38 2.37 2.21 2.21 -7.14 10,896,000 21,460.004.57 1.04 Da Vinci Capital 1.77 1.78 1.77 1.77 0.00 101,000 23.35 10.72 Del Monte 12.9 13.18 12.95 12.96 0.47 13,900 21.6 8.44 DNL Industries Inc. 20.700 21.050 20.2 20.850 0.72 4,564,000 -4,422,485.0012.98 9.79 Emperador 11.48 11.46 11.32 11.46 -0.17 505,600 -3,590,054.009.13 5.43 Energy Devt. Corp. (EDC) 8.16 8.06 7.98 8.05 -1.35 48,263,800 -92,367,317.0012.34 9.54 EEI 10.50 10.50 10.20 10.36 -1.33 272,700 1,014,934.002.89 1.06 Euro-Med Lab 1.85 1.95 1.79 1.9 2.70 40,000 17 8.61 Federal Res. Inv. Group 15.14 15.48 15 15 -0.92 53,000 31.8 18.06 First Gen Corp. 28.55 28.5 27.9 28.5 -0.18 3,505,700 -20,832,690.00109 67.9 First Holdings ‘A’ 94 94.4 92 93.95 -0.05 130,830 2,552,228.5020.75 14 Ginebra San Miguel Inc. 14.30 14.50 14.30 14.50 1.40 14,200 0.820 0.0076 Greenergy 0.4200 0.4200 0.4150 0.4200 0.00 240,000 15.3 13.24 Holcim Philippines Inc. 14.20 14.04 14.04 14.04 -1.13 100 9.4 3.12 Integ. Micro-Electronics 6.19 6.18 6 6.18 -0.16 574,400 4,214.000.98 0.395 Ionics Inc 0.590 0.590 0.590 0.590 0.00 130,000 241 168 Jollibee Foods Corp. 209.00 210.00 205.40 209.00 0.00 1,484,140 21,254,742.0012.5 8.65 Lafarge Rep 10.2 10.22 10.12 10.2 0.00 1,175,800 -3,297,016.0033.9 24.4 Manila Water Co. Inc. 24.65 24.8 24.5 24.8 0.61 1,538,000 -12,805,145.0090 16.2 Maxs Group 28 28.85 27.3 28.5 1.79 1,509,500 -6,741,035.0013.98 7.62 Megawide 7.700 7.800 7.600 7.600 -1.30 131,700 -3,080.00292.4 250.2 Mla. Elect. Co À’ 263.00 264.00 262.00 262.60 -0.15 326,950 -52,739,530.005.25 3.87 Pepsi-Cola Products Phil. 4.27 4.25 4.1 4.25 -0.47 282,000 -1,003,820.0013.04 9 Petron Corporation 9.90 9.90 9.67 9.72 -1.82 1,444,600 -3,198,889.006.8 3.7 Phil H2O 4.71 4.11 3.72 3.72 -21.02 7,000 14.5 9.94 Phinma Corporation 11.60 11.60 11.38 11.40 -1.72 13,700 7.03 3.03 Phoenix Petroleum Phils. 4.00 4.04 3.93 4.00 0.00 194,000 339,940.003.4 2.22 Phoenix Semiconductor 2.24 2.31 2.23 2.30 2.68 728,000 -108,970.004.5 1 Pryce Corp. À’ 2.34 2.4 2.3 2.4 2.56 294,000 6.68 4.72 RFM Corporation 5.10 5.06 5.00 5.05 -0.98 558,200 557,272.007.86 1.65 Roxas and Co. 1.91 1.95 0.82 1.82 -4.71 28,000 253 201.6 San Miguel’Pure Foods `B’ 194.9 194.2 190 190 -2.51 73,830 -179,165.003.28 1.67 Splash Corporation 1.66 1.65 1.62 1.64 -1.20 269,000 8,200.000.315 0.122 Swift Foods, Inc. 0.162 0.163 0.161 0.162 0.00 890,000 2.68 2.01 Trans-Asia Oil 2.22 2.21 2.19 2.20 -0.90 1,740,000 44,200.00226.6 143.4 Universal Robina 218 214.6 212.6 213 -2.29 4,348,980 -512,176,958.005.5 4.28 Victorias Milling 4.5 4.47 4.47 4.47 -0.67 203,000 335,250.001.3 0.670 Vitarich Corp. 0.7 0.7 0.68 0.7 0.00 1,011,000 150,280.0026 9.01 Vivant Corp. 20.50 20.50 20.50 20.50 0.00 500 2.17 1.39 Vulcan Ind’l. 1.36 1.36 1.35 1.35 -0.74 132,000

HOLDING FIRMS0.7 0.45 Abacus Cons. À’ 0.470 0.700 0.460 0.470 0.00 280,000 59.2 48.1 Aboitiz Equity 57.50 58.00 55.60 56.80 -1.22 888,300 -19,664,840.0031.85 20.85 Alliance Global Inc. 25.10 25.00 24.45 24.50 -2.39 21,179,500 -261,283,685.002.16 1.6 Anglo Holdings A 1.30 1.30 1.30 1.30 0.00 15,000 7.39 6.62 Anscor À’ 7.10 7.05 6.96 7.04 -0.85 12,200 -35,955.002.27 1.210 Asia Amalgamated A 1.55 1.56 1.55 1.56 0.65 7,000 3.4 1.4 ATN Holdings A 0.310 0.340 0.310 0.335 8.06 72,420,000 3.35 1.6 ATN Holdings B 0.31 0.35 0.31 0.34 9.68 15,280,000 -132,500.00800 600 Ayala Corp À’ 812 809 790 808.5 -0.43 166,170 -24,426,690.0011.06 7.390 Cosco Capital 8.24 8.24 8.16 8.2 -0.49 1,486,200 -2,696,501.0084 14.18 DMCI Holdings 14.98 14.92 14.50 14.92 -0.40 3,223,900 -21,855,788.003.35 2.6 F&J Prince ‘A’ 3.5 3.5 3.48 3.48 -0.57 5,000 3.68 1.15 F&J Prince ‘B’ 3.79 3.51 3.5 3.5 -7.65 12,000 5.14 4.25 Filinvest Dev. Corp. 4.30 4.32 4.30 4.30 0.00 16,000 0.66 0.144 Forum Pacific 0.285 0.285 0.285 0.285 0.00 10,000 1380 818 GT Capital 1320 1320 1285 1295 -1.89 278,920 -113,179,765.006.68 5.3 House of Inv. 6.40 6.40 6.39 6.39 -0.16 17,000 96,000.0072.6 46.6 JG Summit Holdings 73.55 73.00 71.20 72.30 -1.70 1,051,680 -47,386,109.008.9 4.96 Jolliville Holdings 4.8 4.8 4.2 4.2 -12.50 9,000 5.29 3 Keppel Holdings À’ 6.5 6.4 6.39 6.39 -1.69 17,000 96,000.006.66 3.52 Keppel Holdings `B’ 7.2 9 5.8 6.78 -5.83 28,900 9.25 4.43 Lopez Holdings Corp. 8.89 8.91 8.8 8.91 0.22 3,165,400 11,143,742.000.9 0.59 Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp. 0.73 0.74 0.72 0.72 -1.37 404,000 18.9 12 LT Group 15.54 15.66 14.9 15.54 0.00 4,198,300 8,386,210.000.73 0.580 Mabuhay Holdings À’ 0.67 0.67 0.65 0.67 0.00 166,000 5.53 4.22 Metro Pacific Inv. Corp. 4.56 4.6 4.51 4.6 0.88 13,555,000 -4,166,560.006.55 4.5 Minerales Industrias Corp. 5.05 5.05 5 5 -0.99 114,000 2.31 1.23 Prime Media Hldg 1.440 1.400 1.400 1.400 -2.78 2,000 0.84 0.450 Prime Orion 1.160 1.190 1.150 1.160 0.00 972,000 -119,500.0087 66.7 San Miguel Corp À’ 67.25 67.70 67.20 67.20 -0.07 130,920 1,928,689.00934 709.5 SM Investments Inc. 910.50 914.00 901.00 910.00 -0.05 671,300 -222,137,875.002.2 1.13 Solid Group Inc. 1.21 1.18 1.18 1.18 -2.48 2,000 1.39 0.93 South China Res. Inc. 0.89 0.85 0.83 0.83 -6.74 400,000 390 170 Transgrid 252.40 250.20 250.00 250.00 -0.95 220 156 85.2 Top Frontier 98.00 98.50 98.00 98.00 0.00 3,530 0.710 0.200 Unioil Res. & Hldgs 0.3800 0.3800 0.3700 0.3750 -1.32 4,540,000 0.435 0.173 Wellex Industries 0.2440 0.2350 0.2200 0.2350 -3.69 590,000 0.510 0.310 Zeus Holdings 0.315 0.315 0.305 0.315 0.00 200,000

P R O P E R T Y10.5 6.01 8990 HLDG 8.880 8.860 8.770 8.850 -0.34 1,948,600 1,022,898.001.99 0.91 A. Brown Co., Inc. 0.72 0.75 0.71 0.72 0.00 794,000 36,660.002.07 1.29 Araneta Prop À’ 1.310 1.300 1.300 1.300 -0.76 11,000 40 29.1 Ayala Land `B’ 40.00 40.55 39.35 40.40 1.00 4,591,600 -21,020,235.006.15 4.1 Belle Corp. À’ 4.14 4.19 4.11 4.12 -0.48 940,000 873,030.00

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

Trading SummarySHARES VALUE

FINANCIAL 31,354,584 2,862,265,539.5INDUSTRIAL 337,900,820 5,618,949,943.33HOLDING FIRMS 145,635,735 20,171,355,11.82PROPERTY 105,652,999 873,276,533.29SERVICES 107,647,429 1,086,176,425.89MINING & OIL 1,333,630,921 550,649,831.237GRAND TOTAL 2,070,109,398 13,089,701,243.07

FINANCIAL 1,784.56 (DOWN) 11.94INDUSTRIAL 12,298.22 (DOWN) 129.9HOLDING FIRMS 6,983.43 (DOWN) 55PROPERTY 3,219.24 (UP) 17.04SERVICES 2,122.54 (DOWN) 29.85MINING & OIL 15,510.81 (UP) 27.65PSEI 7,816.27 (DOWN) 57.37All Shares Index 4,515.92 (DOWN) 26.06

Gainers: 58; Losers: 126; Unchanged: 47; Total: 231

STOCKS Close(P)

Change(%)

Bogo Medelin 50 -21.26

Phil H2O 3.72 -21.02

Grand Plaza Hotel 32.00 -17.95

Phil. Tob. Flue Cur & Redry 31.00 -17.33

Jolliville Holdings 4.2 -12.50

Macroasia Corp. 2.00 -8.26

F&J Prince 'B' 3.5 -7.65

Imperial Res. À' 6.50 -7.14

Crown Asia 2.21 -7.14

South China Res. Inc. 0.83 -6.74

Top LoSerSSTOCKS Close

(P)Change

(%)

Manila Broadcasting 68.25 50.00

Keppel Properties 5.50 36.82

Imperial Res. `B' 35 16.67

Cirtek Holdings (Chips) 30.45 12.99

ATN Holdings B 0.34 9.68

ATN Holdings A 0.335 8.06

Manila Mining À' 0.0150 7.14

I-Remit Inc. 1.77 6.63

Philodrill Corp. À' 0.017 6.25

PremiereHorizon 0.660 4.76

Top gainerS

5.4 4.96 Cebu Holdings 5.2 5.2 5.12 5.13 -1.35 15,700 7.1 4.6 Cebu Prop. `B’ 6 6 6 6 0.00 8,000 -48,000.001.54 0.89 Century Property 0.9 0.9 0.88 0.89 -1.11 6,030,000 -3,760,720.001.97 1.1 City & Land Dev. 1.24 1.27 1.25 1.26 1.61 32,000 -13,860.001.48 0.97 Cityland Dev. À’ 1.07 1.12 1.09 1.10 2.80 155,000 0.201 0.083 Crown Equities Inc. 0.158 0.158 0.154 0.158 0.00 9,640,000 -469,500.000.98 0.445 Cyber Bay Corp. 0.470 0.465 0.460 0.465 -1.06 330,000 14,050.001.09 0.85 Empire East Land 0.860 0.860 0.860 0.860 0.00 14,000 0.305 0.188 Ever Gotesco 0.182 0.190 0.180 0.190 4.40 1,010,000 2.25 1.4 Global-Estate 1.40 1.38 1.36 1.36 -2.86 3,102,000 -2,834,460.001.87 1.42 Filinvest Land,Inc. 1.91 1.90 1.86 1.88 -1.57 21,709,000 -9,601,290.001.8 1.19 Interport À’ 1.40 1.43 1.40 1.43 2.14 71,000 6.34 2.8 Keppel Properties 4.02 5.60 4.05 5.50 36.82 83,000 5.73 4.13 Megaworld 5.45 5.43 5.35 5.42 -0.55 22,547,600 -4,538,110.000.180 0.090 MRC Allied Ind. 0.125 0.126 0.123 0.123 -1.60 70,000 0.470 0.325 Phil. Estates Corp. 0.3300 0.3400 0.3250 0.3400 3.03 150,000 27 23 Phil. Tob. Flue Cur & Redry 37.50 40.00 25.05 31.00 -17.33 33,100 8.54 2.57 Primex Corp. 7.2 7.38 7.2 7.3 1.39 376,900 -292,470.0031.8 21.35 Robinson’s Land `B’ 29.40 29.40 28.80 29.00 -1.36 4,857,600 -32,646,565.002.29 1.64 Rockwell 1.76 1.77 1.75 1.75 -0.57 773,000 3.6 3.08 Shang Properties Inc. 3.30 3.30 3.30 3.30 0.00 72,000 20.6 15.08 SM Prime Holdings 19.60 19.96 19.20 19.90 1.53 13,295,000 5,897,930.001.02 0.69 Sta. Lucia Land Inc. 0.77 0.77 0.76 0.77 0.00 365,000 8.59 5.69 Vista Land & Lifescapes 7.540 7.560 7.350 7.400 -1.86 11,178,700 9,396,347.00

S E R V I C E S10.5 1.97 2GO Group’ 6.5 6.5 6.35 6.4 -1.54 51,500 66 32.5 ABS-CBN 62 62.35 61.5 62.2 0.32 10,290 1.44 1 Acesite Hotel 1.03 1.1 1.03 1.04 0.97 13,000 1.09 0.6 APC Group, Inc. 0.680 0.680 0.670 0.670 -1.47 786,000 -33,500.0012.46 10 Asian Terminals Inc. 13.98 14 13.6 13.66 -2.29 61,100 15.82 9.61 Bloomberry 11.68 11.68 11.42 11.60 -0.68 8,609,900 7,627,194.000.1460 0.0770 Boulevard Holdings 0.1010 0.1020 0.1000 0.1010 0.00 6,350,000 -9,090.004.61 2.95 Calata Corp. 4.77 4.75 4.5 4.63 -2.94 1,989,000 91,800.0099.1 46.55 Cebu Air Inc. (5J) 86.25 86.25 84 84 -2.61 338,150 -20,370,743.0012.3 10.14 Centro Esc. Univ. 10 10 10 10 0.00 8,600 9 5.88 DFNN Inc. 7.10 7.16 7.15 7.16 0.85 6,100 2090 1600 Globe Telecom 2230 2248 2176 2196 -1.52 54,335 -45,945,300.008.41 5.95 GMA Network Inc. 6.24 6.36 6.20 6.20 -0.64 152,900 33 30 Grand Plaza Hotel 39.00 44.00 28.00 32.00 -17.95 15,100 1.97 1.36 Harbor Star 1.42 1.44 1.40 1.44 1.41 67,000 119.5 105 I.C.T.S.I. 111 111 107.7 109.9 -0.99 1,067,380 -25,478,810.007 3.01 Imperial Res. À’ 7.00 6.55 6.50 6.50 -7.14 6,700 5.8 4 Imperial Res. `B’ 30 38 35 35 16.67 400 12.5 8.72 IPeople Inc. À’ 12.4 12.4 12.4 12.4 0.00 200 0.017 0.012 IP E-Game Ventures Inc. 0.014 0.014 0.013 0.014 0.00 5,200,000 0.8200 0.036 Island Info 0.229 0.229 0.224 0.224 -2.18 8,710,000 58,500.002.2800 1.200 ISM Communications 1.2800 1.2800 1.2500 1.2800 0.00 294,000 5.93 2.34 Jackstones 2.43 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.88 11,000 12.28 6.5 Leisure & Resorts 9.47 9.53 9.37 9.42 -0.53 748,300 6,607,717.002.2 1.1 Lorenzo Shipping 1.27 1.3 1.28 1.3 2.36 66,000 3.2 2 Macroasia Corp. 2.18 2.03 2.00 2.00 -8.26 144,000 5.9 1.05 Manila Broadcasting 45.50 68.25 68.00 68.25 50.00 16,600 1.97 0.490 Manila Bulletin 0.670 0.680 0.680 0.680 1.49 101,000 2.46 1.8 Manila Jockey 2.05 2.01 2 2 -2.44 81,000 15.2 8.7 Melco Crown 8.95 8.94 8.66 8.66 -3.24 5,276,200 -18,743,090.000.62 0.34 MG Holdings 0.355 0.365 0.350 0.365 2.82 376,000 182,300.001.040 0.37 NOW Corp. 0.435 0.430 0.430 0.430 -1.15 10,000 22.8 14.54 Pacific Online Sys. Corp. 18.42 18.42 18.42 18.42 0.00 12,000 6.41 3 PAL Holdings Inc. 4.94 4.90 4.81 4.90 -0.81 91,000 4 2.28 Paxys Inc. 3 3.05 3 3 0.00 18,000 110.2 79 Phil. Seven Corp. 140.00 165.00 138.00 139.00 -0.71 2,000 -178,179.0014 4.39 Philweb.Com Inc. 14.74 14.74 14.70 14.74 0.00 84,000 3486 2726 PLDT Common 2868.00 2838.00 2804.00 2822.00 -1.60 109,830 -57,683,870.000.710 0.380 PremiereHorizon 0.630 0.670 0.630 0.660 4.76 20,046,000 -139,500.002.28 0.32 Premium Leisure 1.610 1.610 1.600 1.600 -0.62 24,642,000 -13,549,740.0048.5 31.45 Puregold 40.90 40.55 39.50 39.50 -3.42 3,941,000 -42,571,435.0090.1 60.55 Robinsons RTL 85.90 85.45 84.55 84.95 -1.11 768,590 -19,232,587.0011.6 7.59 SSI Group 10.72 10.66 10.50 10.56 -1.49 3,510,900 3,214,954.000.87 0.63 STI Holdings 0.67 0.67 0.66 0.67 0.00 5,384,000 -2,166,870.002.95 1.71 Transpacific Broadcast 1.96 1.93 1.79 1.93 -1.53 2,000 10.2 6.45 Travellers 6.79 6.75 6.68 6.7 -1.33 1,163,000 -117,814.000.490 0.305 Waterfront Phils. 0.345 0.340 0.320 0.335 -2.90 3,520,000 -3,400.00

MINING & OIL0.0098 0.0043 Abra Mining 0.0053 0.0053 0.0052 0.0053 0.00 230,000,000 5.45 1.72 Apex À’ 3.10 3.20 2.87 3.00 -3.23 225,000 122,300.0017.24 8.65 Atlas Cons. À’ 8.05 8.20 8.00 8.03 -0.25 617,500 -216,558.0025 9.43 Atok-Big Wedge À’ 15.00 15.00 5.00 15.00 0.00 1,400 0.330 0.236 Basic Energy Corp. 0.260 0.255 0.255 0.255 -1.92 20,000 12.7 6.5 Benguet Corp À’ 6.7000 6.7000 6.7000 6.7000 0.00 300 12.8 6.98 Benguet Corp `B’ 6.8000 6.7000 6.6000 6.6000 -2.94 20,700 1.2 0.61 Century Peak Metals Hldgs 1.03 1.06 1.03 1.03 0.00 161,000 1.73 0.78 Coal Asia 0.9 0.89 0.87 0.89 -1.11 47,000 10.98 5.99 Dizon 7.70 7.95 7.68 7.90 2.60 13,100 4.2 1.08 Ferronickel 1.93 1.93 1.88 1.92 -0.52 18,676,000 14,015,850.000.48 0.330 Geograce Res. Phil. Inc. 0.350 0.380 0.365 0.365 4.29 5,190,000 0.455 0.2130 Lepanto À’ 0.232 0.233 0.231 0.231 -0.43 4,590,000 0.475 0.2160 Lepanto `B’ 0.238 0.236 0.236 0.236 -0.84 40,000 0.023 0.014 Manila Mining À’ 0.0140 0.0150 0.0140 0.0150 7.14 2,000,000 8.2 3.660 Marcventures Hldgs., Inc. 4.54 4.6 4.42 4.52 -0.44 482,000 -22,450.0049.2 20.2 Nickelasia 26.6 27.7 25.5 26.85 0.94 11,460,100 -9,838,655.004.27 2.11 Nihao Mineral Resources 3.97 4.08 3.97 3.98 0.25 7,509,000 -673,390.001.030 0.365 Omico 0.7200 0.7200 0.7100 0.7100 -1.39 67,000 3.06 1.54 Oriental Peninsula Res. 2.180 2.200 2.140 2.140 -1.83 3,369,000 0.020 0.012 Oriental Pet. À’ 0.0130 0.0130 0.0120 0.0130 0.00 2,600,000 7.67 5.4 Petroenergy Res. Corp. 4.48 4.49 4.46 4.49 0.22 46,000 12.88 7.26 Philex À’ 7.08 7.3 7.08 7.1 0.28 260,700 14,240.0010.42 2.27 PhilexPetroleum 1.6 1.63 1.5 1.5 -6.25 1,847,000 38,310.000.040 0.015 Philodrill Corp. À’ 0.016 0.017 0.015 0.017 6.25 851,500,000 -48,000.00420 115.9 Semirara Corp. 163.50 163.50 162.00 163.00 -0.31 858,940 14,010,004.009 3.67 TA Petroleum 5.8 5.9 5.41 5.52 -4.83 980,000 0.016 0.0100 United Paragon 0.0100 0.0100 0.0100 0.0100 0.00 193,800,000 -18,000.00

PREFERRED70 33 ABS-CBN Holdings Corp. 65 64.65 62.2 62.95 -3.15 183,070 -2,658,914.50120 101.5 First Gen G 120 120 119.1 119.1 -0.75 9,300 515 480 GLOBE PREF P 511 511 511 511 0.00 100 8.21 5.88 GMA Holdings Inc. 5.98 5.97 5.95 5.95 -0.50 11,500 1060 997 PCOR-Preferred A 1060 1060 1060 1060 0.00 5,035 PCOR-Preferred B 1095 1100 1100 1100 0.46 150 1047 1011 PF Pref 2 1045 1045 1045 1045 0.00 780 76.9 74.2 SMC Preferred A 76.2 76.1 76 76.1 -0.13 8,800 84.8 75 SMC Preferred C 85.9 86.95 86 86.95 1.22 38,550

WARRANTS & BONDS6.98 0.8900 LR Warrant 4.200 4.250 4.150 4.160 -0.95 146,000

S M E10.96 2.4 Double Dragon 9.5 9.8 9.35 9.69 2.00 7,426,900 -8,925,365.0015 3.5 Makati Fin. Corp. 8.42 8.3 7.5 8.3 -1.43 400 88 13.5 IRipple E-Business Intl 75 75.5 74 75.5 0.67 740 12.88 5.95 Xurpas 9.23 9.21 9.05 9.1 -1.41 842,200 2,502,700.00

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS130.7 105.6 First Metro ETF 127.9 127.9 126 127 -0.70 6,670 -13,886.00

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACKManila

StandardTODAY

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

PRINCIPAL OFFICERS

HENRY T. PELAEZSENIOR VICE PRESIDENT

COUNTRY MANAGER

JULIAN G. H DEL PILARVICE PRESIDENT

SENIOR TREASURY SALES OFFICER

TERESA BALITAVICE PRESIDENT

COUNTRY COMPLIANCE MANAGER

Balance SheetAs of MARCH 31,2015

ASSETS CURRENT QUARTER PREVIOUS QUARTER Cash and Cash Items 12,724,161.17 16,285,699.91Due from Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas 7,096,846,233.13 10,408,409,845.06Due from Other Banks 5,649,639,834.87 2,984,988,091.21Financial Assets at Fair Value through Profit or Loss 5,028,556.00 5,605,884.00 Available-for-Sale Financial Assets-Net - -Held-to-Maturity (HTM) Financial Assets-Net - - Unquoted Debt Securities Classified as Loans-Net - -Investments in Non-Marketable Equity Security-Net 4,712,600.00 4,712,600.00 Loans and Receivables-Net 1,415,768,634.44 1,753,985,034.42Loans to Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas - - Interbank Loans Receivable - -Loans and Receivables - Others 1,436,168,638.44 1,774,385,038.42 Loans and Receivables Arising from RA/CA/PR/SLB - - General Loan Loss Provision 20,400,004.00 20,400,004.00 Other Financial Assets 4,867,429.91 7,048,197.50 Equity Investment in Subsidiaries, Associates and Joint Ventures-Net - - Bank Premises, Furniture, Fixture and Equipment-Net 12,185,026.28 13,626,957.32Real and Other Properties Acquired - Net - - Non-Current Assets Held for Sale - - Other Assets-Net 40,957,982.97 24,093,556.16 Net Due from Head Office/Branches/Agencies Abroad 46,939,418.59 - TOTAL ASSETS 14,289,669,877.36 15,218,755,865.57 LIABILITIES Financial Liabilities at Fair Value through Profit or Loss 4,549,748.00 3,910,442.00Deposit Liabilities 11,791,627,575.50 11,631,655,199.11Due to Other Banks - -Bills Payable - - a) BSP - (Rediscounting and Other Advances) - - b) Interbank Loans Payable - - c) Other Deposit Substitute - - d) Others - - Bonds Payable - Net - - Unsecured Subordinated Debt - Net - - Redeemable Preferred Shares - - Special Time Deposit - - Due to BSP 2,522,574.77 2,199,872.65 Other Financial Liabilities 292,516,334.74 383,302,224.21 Other Liabilities 102,392,439.15 169,777,783.63 Net Due to Head Office/Branches/Agencies (Philippine branch of a foreign bank) - 931,849,138.77 TOTAL LIABILITIES 12,193,608,672.16 13,122,694,660.37 STOCKHOLDER’S EQUITY Capital Stock - - Other Capital Accounts - - Retained Earnings - - Assigned Capital 2,096,061,205.20 2,096,061,205.20 TOTAL STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY 2,096,061,205.20 2,096,061,205.20 TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STACKHOLDERS’ EQUITY 14,289,669,877.36 15,218,755,865.57 CONTINGENT ACCOUNTS Guarantees Issued - - Financial Standby Letters of Credit - - Performance Standby Letters of Credit @309,818,016.18 311,692,621.43 Commercial Letters of Credit - - Trade Related Guarantees 34,687,452.10 5,494,186.16 Commitments 448,131.17 776,325.93 Spot Foreign Exchange Contracts 331,380,000.05 4,025,678,705.52 Securities Held Under Custodianship by Bank Proper - - Trust Department Accounts - - a) Trust and Other Fiduciary Accounts - - b) Agency Accoutns - - c) Advisory/ Consultancy - - Derivatives 846,886,737.74 3,568,166,164.85Others 1,738,714,352.37 47,600,110.40 TOTAL CONTINGENT ACCOUNTS 3,261,934,689.62 7,959,408,114.28 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Gross total loan portfolio (TLP) 1,436,168,638.44 1,774,385,038.42 Specific allowance for credit losses on the TLP - - Non-Performing Loans (NPLs) - - a) Gross NPLs 4.00 4.00 b) Ratio of gross NPLs to gross TLP (%) 0.00 0.00 c) Net NPLs 4.00 4.00 d) Ratio of Net NPLs to gross TLP (%) 0.00 0.00 Classified Loans and Other Risk Assets, gross of allowance fro credit losses 5,614,000.00 5,614,000.00 DOSRI Loans and Receivables, gross of allowance fro credit losses 41,239,891.71 40,272,641.68 Ratio of DOSRI Loans and Receivables, gross of allowance for credit losses, to TLP (%) 2.87 2.27 Gross non-performing DOSRI loans and receivables - - Ratio of gross non-performing DOSRI loans and receivables to TLP (%) 0.00 0.00 Percent Compliance with Magna Carta (%) a. 8% for Micro and Small Enterprises 0.00 0.00 b. 2% for Medium Enterprises 0.00 0.00Return on Equity (ROE) (%) -0.10 -2.99 Capital Adequacy Ratio ( CAR for Solo Basis) as prescibed under existing regulations a. Total CAR (%) 37.91 45.04 b. Tier 1CAR (%) 37.54 44.59Deferred Charges Not yet Written Down - - Unbooked Allowance for Probable Losses on Financial Instruments Received - -

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) )S.S. I/We HENRY T. PELAEZ and MA. CHRISTINA J. DEL CARMEN of the above-mentioned bank do solemnly swear that all matters set forth in the above statement of condition are true and correct to the best of my/our knowledge and belief. _______________________________ ________________________________ (Sgd) HENRY T. PELAEZ (Sgd) MA. CHRISTINA J. DEL CARMEN SVP - Country Manager VP - Manager Finance-Philippines SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN to before me this 30th day of January 2015 at affiants exhibiting their Passport Numbers EC1793124 dated August 4, 2014 issued on DFA, NCR EAST and EB9067348 dated September 05, 2013 issued on DFA, NCR East, respectively. (Sgd) ATTY. EMMANUEL C. PARAS Notary Public for Makati City Appointment No. M-56 until Dec 31, 2016 Doc. No.373 Roll of Attorney No.27192Book No. 351 PTR No. 4756278MC; 01/07/15; Makati CityPage No. 76 IBP NO. 0979769; 01/05/15; Makati Chapter Series of 2015 MCLE Compliance No. IV-0007564; 9/5/12 Makati SyCip Law Center, 105 Paseo de Roxas Makati City, 1226 Metro Manila


BUSINESSFRIDAY: MAY 8, 2015

B3

Security Bank’s profit jumpsMAYA BALTAZARHERRERAMAYA BALTAZAR

IntegratIons

Bottom lineTHE long-awaited match between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather was finally held last Sunday, 2 May 2015. The general immediate verdict? Mayweather won the fight but Pacquiao won the audience.

In other news this week is research from the Asian Institute of Management Rizalino S. Navarro Policy Center for Competitiveness which points to the persistence of poverty in the country. This follows release of the 2015 World Happiness Report which indicates that the general level of life satisfaction (the WHR measure of happiness) in the country continues to trail significantly below neighboring countries. In the most recent human development report, the Philippines ranked below the average of East Asia and the Pacific, and near neighbors, Thailand and Indonesia, using the human development index. In particular, Philippine life expectancy at birth is 68.7 versus 74.0 for East Asia and the Pacific (74.4 for Thailand and 70.8 for Indonesia). Going by these indicators, the country trails its neighbors in the pursuit of health, wealth, and happiness.

What’s happening here? What’s the real bottom line? And what needs to be done?

MultiplicityIn the hours after the Pacquiao-Mayweather match,

pundits commented on the abundance of running and hugging and the relative dearth of boxing. Following a five-year build-up, the actual fight was less than engaging.

As a professional boxer, the goals seem to be simple: win matches, make money. By these measures, Mayweather has been extremely successful. Clearly, however, there are other expectations.

Business is the same. It would be tough to find anyone who will disagree that businesses must make money. However, simply making money is not enough. In fact, many businesses are criticized for focusing too much on profits. The reason for this is that businesses are also expected to behave responsibly. The term often used is corporate citizenship, that expectation that business has a responsibility to society over and beyond paying the correct taxes and abiding by the law of the land.

The popular term triple bottom line refers to the three categories of outcomes businesses are expected to measure themselves by: profit (financial results), people (impact on stakeholders and society in general), and planet (impact on the environment). The expectation is that businesses should not create a negative impact, and, to the extent possible, create a positive impact.

For nations, a growing consensus among policy makers and thought leaders is that nations need to be measured not only against economic progress but also on such matters as social outcomes and the general happiness of citizens. More importantly, policy makers are increasingly being challenged to look beyond the national averages and look to the levels of equity or inequity. Nations now look not only to increasing average well-being but also to preventing misery, chasing not only economic growth but growth that is inclusive.

InequalityIn a piece for Rappler, Ronald Mendoza, executive

director of APC, and Katherine Peralta pointed out that, in the 45 years since then Senator Benigno Aquino pointed out the disparity between the top 1 percent of the population and those who lived in poverty, not much has changed.

In 1969, Aquino, then 36, pointed out that 80 percent of households lived in poverty. At that time, 1 percent of families were considered affluent (P25,000 per year) and an even smaller fraction were super affluent, earning more than P100,000 a year (over 6 million in current pesos, with inflation).

Mendoza and Peralta point out that government statisticians calculate that over 14 million families, accounting for 74 percent of families live below threshold income level (P57,000 per annum). About 8 percent of families are classified as food poor.

Mendoza and Peralta point out that inequality, in and of itself, is not necessarily bad. Inequality can be the result of the application of increased effort or creativity. Inequality can inspire individuals to build businesses that benefit many others. The problem arises when there is inequality in the most basic of resources, when there is inequality in opportunity.

To support the claim of inequality in opportunity,

Turn to B4

SECURITY Bank Corp. said Thursday net profit in the first quarter of 2015 jumped 135 percent year-on-year to P3.36 billion on an extraordinary trading gain and higher income from other operations.

The bank said in a statement the first-quarter profit resulted in a 28 percent return on shareholders’ equity.

Security Bank posted healthy growth in core business, with loan growth of 20

percent year-on-year to P199 billion and deposit expansion of 17 percent to P247 billion. The loan-to-deposit ratio was at 81 percent.

Total assets as of March 31, 2015 stood at P409 billion, up 8 percent from year-ago, while return on assets was 3.3 percent.

“Our core businesses--financial markets, wholesale and retail banking--continued to produce healthy results after a robust 2014 performance. As we focus to deliver the best value to our customers and grow the retail bank as a third pillar to our business, we are greatly pleased to have Mr. Alfonso Salcedo Jr.--with his depth and breadth of experience and vision in consumer banking--as our

new president and CEO,” Security Bank chairman Alberto Villarosa said.

Interest income increased 15 percent year-on-year and 8 percent quarter-on-quarter. Interest expense rose 47 percent year-on-year and 11 percent quarter-on-quarter, reflecting the expected effect of the P10-billion Basel III compliant Tier 2 capital issued in July 2014 and the $300-million senior unsecured notes issued in January 2015.

As a result, the bank said net interest income grew by 4 percent year-on-year and 7 percent quarter-on-quarter to P2.9 billion. Net interest margin was 3.3 percent for the period, same level as in the fourth quarter of 2014 and from 3.4 percent average in 2014.

B4

In BrIef

FRIDAY: MAY 8, 2015


Bottom line

BUSINESS

Bloomberry getsfull gaming license

MWSS and bad hair daysBUSINESS people are frowning in exasperation over the arbitrary and whimsical decisions of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage Sys-tem. First it slashed the proposed rate adjustments of its two private conces-sionaires Manila Water and Maynilad in violation of the 1997 concession agreement, prompting the two to file separate arbitration cases before the International Chamber of Commerce’s International Court of Arbitration in Singapore. And now that the ICC has come out with a decision approv-ing the proposed rate adjustment of Maynilad, MWSS decides it’s okay to ignore the ICC ruling for Maynilad and instead apply the decision handed down for the separate case filed by Manila Water.

What? Run that by us again? To explain—ICC ruled in favor of Mayni-lad’s rate adjustment last December (but MWSS withheld implementation saying it is waiting for the ruling on Manila Water’s separate case.) Last April 21, the ICC handed out a decision favoring MWSS over Manila Water in the latter’s rate adjustment case. Two separate cases with two separate decisions. Which should tell us that the ICC ruled based on the individual merits of the respective cases.

However, MWSS thinks it can flout the ICC decision by immediately and fully implementing the ruling handed down for Manila Water, but on the other hand chooses to disregard ruling on Maynilad, proceeding to slash down the approved rate adjustment for the latter. So now the regula-tor finds itself in more legal mess with Maynilad filing a second arbitration case before the ICC, seeking compensation amounting to P3.44 billion in losses plus another P208 million more for every month since Dec. 28, the date when the ICC Appeals panel handed down the ruling favoring the water concessionaire.

Our stoolies tell us Maynilad has strong support from the business com-munity on this second arbitration case protesting MWSS’ whimsical ac-tions, saying the delayed and selective enforcement of the ICC ruling case is the latest evidence of the government’s penchant for changing business rules at random that have for long unsettled foreign and local investors.

Moreover, the surprise move by MWSS to get the Supreme Court in-volved by seeking the latter’s interpretation of the separate ICC rulings on the Maynilad and Manila Water cases will lead to the kind of judicial en-croachment or intervention similarly frowned upon by the business com-munity, our stoolie further noted.

In the first place, arbitration proceedings are meant precisely for warring parties to settle their disputes outside the courts. So why bring the SC into the picture?

“There is no reward for MWSS’ stance, which is an all-downside prop-osition, with the whole country paying the price. When government of-ficials seek new foreign investments, they will have to explain why a valid contract and a final and binding arbitral award were not respected by a government agency,” Maynilad chief finance officer Randolph Estrella-do said, adding that respect for the law and contracts should be observed.

All of these sort of make businessmen think that the selective and whim-sical decisions of MWSS and its officials depend on whether these people are having a bad hair day or woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Of course, the populist posturing can also be a ploy to deflect attention from graft accusations, with the Office of the Ombudsman recommending the filing of graft charges against a former executive.

While no one readily welcomes any rate increase in most any thing, the glaring truth is that the increase will go towards enhancement of services and more importantly, to reach areas that are not currently being served. Ordinary consumers actually stand to be the biggest losers with the refusal of MWSS to heed the ICC decision because the continuing losses will un-dermine long-term plans to expand services—precisely since Maynilad spends P10 billion every year on capital expenditures for service enhance-ment, our stoolie pointed out.

This capriciousness and arbitrary tendencies will negatively impact poor and low-income consumers in areas that are not yet served by the conces-sionaire and therefore are forced to buy water for suppliers that charge them almost an arm and a leg. As mentioned in a study conducted by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies, consumers who used to buy water from kariton water peddlers had to pay as much as 13 times more for their water requirements before being serviced by the concessionaires.

Considering this (typical) wishy-washy arbitrary tendency of the gov-ernment agencies like the MWSS, can anybody blame people like PCCI Securities Brokers Corp. research head James Lago for saying, “It’s not fun to do business in the Philippines”?

###For comments, reactions, photos, stories and related concerns, readers

may email to [email protected]. You may also visit and like our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/happyhourmanilastandard. We’d be very happy to hear from you. Cheers!

Fund buys into CenturySINGAPORE sovereign wealth fund GIC Private Ltd. is acquiring an 11-percent interest in canned tuna maker Century Pacific Food Inc. through the conversion of loan into equity.

Century Pacific said in a disclosure to the stock exchange unit Arran Investment Private Limited will own 11-percent inter-est in the company, after it confirmed it would exercise the exchange option for a loan agreement granted to Century Pacific Group Inc. worth P3.37 billion.

Under the loan agreement signed in April 2014, the P3.37-billion loan might be repaid through a conversion of both prin-cipal and interest into 245.5 million issued and outstanding shares of Century Pacific.

“The exchange option notice from Arran confirms their exercise of the ex-change option and cements their entry into Century Pacific Food Inc.,” Century Pacific said. Jenniffer B. Austria

Mighty to help farmersMIGHTY Corp. has assured Rep. Eric Sing-son, president of the Northern Alliance in the House of Representatives, of its full and unwavering support to uplift the lives of farming families in the tobacco-producing provinces in Northern Luzon.

Geoffrey Gadiana, a Mighty official, re-layed the firm’s commitment to Singson.

“Mighty Corp. stands firm on its com-mitment to help the tobacco farmers in the Philippines with its pronouncements this year to purchase more tobacco leaves and to continue its outreach projects for tobacco farmers,” Gadiana said to Singson.

“This is not only a big help to the 120,000 tobacco farmers but will also boost the economy of the tobacco-pro-ducing provinces,” Singson said.

Singson also lauded Mighty’s unswerv-ing commitment to directly help tobacco farmers produce better quality tobacco that included the donation of farm implements such as tractors and irrigation pumps to the farmers of the National Tobacco Association of Tobacco Farmers Association and Coop-eratives in La Union early last year.

Regus expands centersGLOBAL workspace provider Regus said Thursday it plans to expand operations outside Metro Manila in the next three to five years.

Regus Philippines country manager Lars Wittig said in an interview the company was looking at Zamboanga, General San-tos, Davao, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Iloilo, Bacolod, Naga City, Clark, Subic, Baguio, La Union, Laguna, Cavite, Batangas and Dumaguete as the potential locations for its expansion in the next three to five years.

“The demand in the Philippines is ex-tremely big that is why we are expand-ing. I cannot see us slowing down,” Wit-tig said, adding the demand for flexible space was driven by both local and inter-national companies.

He said the company was getting 700 inquiries a month, which showed a sig-nificant demand for flexible workspace in the country. Darwin G. Amojelar

By Jenniffer B. Austria

BLOOMBERRY Resorts Corp. said Thursday a wholly-owned unit has obtained a regular casino gaming license from state-run Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. to operate $1.2-billion Solaire Resorts & Casino in Paranaque City.

Bloomberry said in a disclosure to the stock exchange unit Bloomberry Resorts and Hotels Inc. received a notice from Pagcor that the regulator approved the issuance of the regular casino gaming license for the operation of Solaire Resort. BRHI is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Bloomberry.

Solaire Resort & Casino began operations on March16, 2013 and applied for the issuance of a regular casino gaming license with Pagcor on April 22, 2015.

Bloomberry is the second casino operator to receive a regular casino gaming license from Pagcor. The company was earlier granted a provisional gaming license, but this was turned into a regular gaming license when total investments reached the minimum $1 billion and the whole development was completed.

Melco Crown (Philippines) Resorts Corp. through unit MCE Leisure (Philippines) Corp. earlier

this week obtained a regular casino license from Pagcor.

Melco Crown operates City of Dreams Manila which opened on Dec. 14, 2014.

It applied with the issuance of regular gaming casino license with Pagcor on Jan. 30, 2015.

Solaire Resorts & Casino and City of Dreams Manila are the first two of the four integrated resorts to operate at Pagcor-sponsored Entertainment City in Paranaque City.

Two more are currently under construction, including the Bayshore City Resorts World of Travellers International Group, a joint venture between tycoon Andrew Tan’s Alliance Global Group Inc. and the Genting group of Malaysia, and Japanese billionaire Kazuo Okada’s Manila Bay Resorts project.

Entertainment City is envisioned to be Asia’s Las Vegas-like gaming and entertainment complex on the reclamation area of Manila Bay.

From B3Mendoza and Peralta point to health and education disparities between the different regions of the Philippines. They also point to potential for economic inequality stemming from political inequality. They point out that their ongoing monitoring indicates that 8 out of 10 governors in the country belong to dynastic clans. This, of course, is not in and of itself proof of political inequality but is indicative of the ability of certain families to wield long-term influence.

Opportunity and capitalOne way to address the concern of

addressing those at the bottom of the

socio-economic pyramid is to examine the factors that prevent them from fully engaging in economic activity. In a working paper prepared for the AIM RVR Center for Corporate Social Responsibility, we identified the building blocks for inclusive growth: (a) a legal and regulatory environment that provides a legal basis for rights, responsibilities and entitlements; (b) guaranteed basic services; (c) institutionalized safety nets; and (d) access to capacity-building.

The thinking behind these building blocks is that economic participation can occur either from individuals becoming employees or engaging in a profession or from individuals founding businesses. The legal foundation covers both individuals

and businesses and includes an affirmation of basic rights, laws against discrimination and appropriate incentives. This, for example, includes a judicious taxation regime.

The next block focuses on individuals. Guaranteed basic services include such things as access to health care, education, safe water and sanitation, housing, and energy. Institutionalized safety nets include social security mechanisms but could also, for example, cover institutionalized safety nets for business bankruptcy.

The last and final building block includes education and training but also covers the wellsprings of enterprise. This includes such things as availability of financing, access

to basic resources such as roads and transportation, access to the information highway.

Interestingly, the 2015 WHR points to another critical ingredient: social capital. Social capital, the report points out, is correlated both with happiness as well as with economic development. Stronger social support leads to both wealth and happiness.

A consensus is slowly growing. Not only are the social dimensions important as an outcome, they are also important as a condition. It’s time to pay attention to social capital.

Readers can email Maya at [email protected]. Or visit her site at http://integrations.tumblr.com.

Labor partnership. The Labor Department’s National Reintegration Center for OFWs has teamed up with the Association of Filipino Franchisers Inc. to encourage overseas Filipino workers to go into business and stay in the country. Shown sealing the partnership at BSA Twin Towers in Mandaluyong City are (from left) AFFI past president and VCargo Worldwide president Paulo Tibig, NRCO policy and program officer Mark Espina, NRCO policy and program officer-in-charge Dennis Cabato, NRCO director Chona Mantilla, AFFI president and Ink All You Can president Jerry Ilao and AFFI executive director Raffy Canare.

F R I D AY : M AY 8 , 2 0 1 5

WORLDKoreansto chaseChinesefishermen

Printed with blood of HIV patientsVIENNA—An Austrian men’s magazine has printed its latest edition using blood from people who are HIV-positive in order to counter the “stigma” often attached to the virus that causes AIDS, its chief editor said Tuesday.

“We wanted to make a statement against the stig-ma and the irrational fears [about]... HIV and HIV-pos-itive people,” Julian Wiehl, founder and editor-in-chief of Vangardist magazine, told AFP.

“If you hold this magazine

in your hands it is like hold-ing somebody who is HIV positive. Nothing can hap-pen, nothing can harm you holding the magazine, and nothing can harm you hold-ing an HIV-positive person,” he said.

Vangardist is usually published only digitally, but the “#HIVHeroes” edition is in hard copy, printed us-ing blood donated by three people who are HIV-positive and mixed with normal ink.

Three thousand copies of the bilingual German-English special edition can

be ordered online for 50 euros ($55.65) each, with all proceeds going to charity. A further 15,000 normal cop-ies are also available.

One of the three donors is Wiltrut Stefanek, 45, di-agnosed as HIV-positive 20 years ago and who runs PULSHIV, a Viennese group for people with HIV/AIDS and their families.

“I want to make people understand that in day-to-day dealings with it, HIV poses no risk to anyone,” the magazine quotes her as saying. AFP

WORLDB5CESAR BARRIOQUINTO

E D I T O R

[email protected]

Chicago to pay $5.5m to torture victims WASHINGTON—The Chicago city council on Wednesday approved a $5.5 million reparations package for dozens of men—most of them African-American—who were tortured by police between 1972 and 1991, the Chicago Tribune reported.

Up to 100 men were allegedly tortured under former police commander Jon Burge in attempt to extract confessions, the paper said.

“This is another step, but an essential step, in righting a wrong—removing a stain,” Mayor Rahm Emanuel said, ac-cording to comments in the Tribune.

“Chicago finally will confront its past and come to terms with it and recognize when something wrong was done and be able to be strong enough to say that some-thing was wrong.”

Many of the tortured men came from impoverished parts of Chicago’s South Side and the city had fought their torture claims for decades.

As part of the reparations package, the city also issued a formal apology and said it might offer other benefits to torture vic-tims including counseling and free tuition at local colleges.

“Chicago has taken a historic step to show the country, and the world, that there should be no expiration date on reparations for crimes as heinous as tor-ture,” Amnesty International USA’s ex-ecutive director Steven Hawkins said in a statement.

According to Amnesty, suspects were detained and then “subjected to hor-rific abuse including electric shocks to the

genitals and other body parts, suffocation, mock executions and beatings—all of which often accompanied by racial slurs, hurled by all-white detectives.”

The extraordinary payment and apology comes at a time of heightened awareness in the United States around the ways police interact with minority communities.

Several major US cities have seen huge street demonstrations, some of them violent, following the recent deaths of unarmed black men at the hands of officers.

In Baltimore, riots erupted last week after the funeral of 25-year-old Freddie Gray, who died from spinal injuries sus-tained when he was arrested in a public housing area. AFP

DAECHEONG, South Korea—South Ko-rean fishermen who work the flashpoint maritime border with North Korea tend to be a resilient bunch, but these days a larger, more powerful neighbor is making them lose sleep.

High and dry. Homes in Palm Springs, California, on May 6. For the first time in the state’s history, California water regu-lators have adopted sweeping, mandatory restrictions on how people, governments and businesses can use water in the face of the state’s multi-year drought. AFP

“North Korea is nothing compared to the Chinese fishing ships,” said Choi Won-Jin, who has fished the crab-rich waters around his home island of Daecheong for decades.

Daecheong is one of five “frontline” islands whose proximity to the disputed bor-der with North Korea means they are manned by thou-sands of South Korean sol-diers and bristling with artil-lery units and bomb shelters.

But all that weaponry has failed to guard against what Choi sees as the big-gest threat to the livelihood of the islands’ fishing com-munities—the “invasion” of Chinese trawlers.

According to official es-timates, more than 1,000 Chinese fishing ships il-legally accessed exclu-sive South Korean waters around Daecheong last year, with only four coast-guard ships on hand to pose a deterrent.

The numbers have been growing every year as Chi-na’s increasing affluence and appetite for seafood pushes more fishermen to venture beyond its over-

fished waters.Smaller, wooden Chinese

ships sneaking into South Korean waters were once tol-erated in an area where the top priority has always been guarding against potential in-cursions from North Koreaz=

But in recent years, the small boats have given way to larger steel trawl-ers who engage in bottom trawling—dragging a large, weighted net across the sea floor—and sweep up “everything in their path,” Choi told AFP.

“By the time they are gone, we have nothing left. It’s all gone, including our fishing pots,” he said.

Around 2,200 Chinese ves-sels have been stopped and fined by South Korea for il-legal fishing in the past four years, and the number of arrested fishermen jumped from two in 2010 to 66 in 2013.

There were only five ar-rests in 2014, but coastguard officials said that was large-ly due to all resources be-ing diverted to the lengthy rescue and recovery opera-tion that followed the Sewol ferry disaster in April that year. AFP

General election. A member of the public leaves a polling station set up in Mattingley church hall in southern England on May 7 as Britain holds a general election. AFP

[email protected]

F R I D AY : M AY 8 , 2 0 1 5

WORLD

Gearing up for Cannes

Vietnam devalues dong

$14-bchip plantto rise

Monkey likelyto be renamed

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Republic of the PhilippinesREGIONAL TRIAL COURT

National Capital Judicial RegionBRANCH 215, QUEZON CITY

PETITION FOR CANCELLATION OF THE SIMULATED CERTIFICATEOF LIVE BIRTH OF MINORAZZA PAWAKI MAJUKHerein represented by her Biological mother, ZENAIDA PAWAKI MAJUK, Petitioner, -versus- Case No. R-QZN 15-03580-SP THE LOCAL CIVIL REGISTRAR,CIVIL REGISTRY OF QUEZON CITYand NATIONAL STATISTICIAN,PHILIPPINE STATISTICS AUTHORITY, Respondents,x---------------------------------------------------x

ORDERFiled before this court is a verified Petition for cancellation of the Certificate

of Live Birth of minor Azza Pawaki Majuk on File with the Quezon City Civil Registry filed with her mother, Zenaida Pawaki Majuk.

Finding the Petition to be sufficient in form and substance, the same is given due course.

WHEREFORE, the Petition is set for hearing on June 25, 2015 at 8:30 in the morning before this Court located at the Annex Building of the Hall of Justice, Quezon City, at which date, time and place, all interested persons may appear and show cause, if any, why the Petition should not be granted.

Let copies of this Order be published in a newspaper of general circulation in Quezon City, once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks before the scheduled hearing, while a separate copy of this Order be posted on the Bulletin Boards at the main entrance of the Hall of Justice, Quezon City; the Civil Registry Office, Quezon City; and this Branch of Court at least twenty (20) days prior to the date of hearing, and further served, together with the Petition and its annexes, upon the petitioner, the Office of the Solicitor General, the City Prosecutor’s Office of Quezon City, the National Statistics Office, the Civil Registry of Quezon City, and the City Attorney’s Office, all at the expense of the petitioner.

Further, the petitioner is directed to coordinate with the Civil Case in-Charge for compliance with the aforesaid requirements before the hearing date.

SO ORDERED.Quezon City, Philippines, April 20, 2015.

(Sgd.) RAFAEL G. HIPOLITOPresiding Judge

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(TS-May 8, 15 & 22, 2015)

Republic of the PhilippinesREGIONAL TRIAL COURT

National Capital Judicial RegionBRANCH 215, QUEZON CITY

PETITION FOR CANCELLATION OF THE SIMULATED CERTIFICATEOF LIVE BIRTH OF MINORAZZA PAWAKI MAJUKHerein represented by her Biological mother, ZENAIDA PAWAKI MAJUK, Petitioner, -versus- Case No. R-QZN 15-03580-SP THE LOCAL CIVIL REGISTRAR,CIVIL REGISTRY OF QUEZON CITYand NATIONAL STATISTICIAN,PHILIPPINE STATISTICS AUTHORITY, Respondents,x---------------------------------------------------x

ORDERFiled before this court is a verified Petition for cancellation of the Certificate

of Live Birth of minor Azza Pawaki Majuk on File with the Quezon City Civil Registry filed with her mother, Zenaida Pawaki Majuk.

Finding the Petition to be sufficient in form and substance, the same is given due course.

WHEREFORE, the Petition is set for hearing on June 25, 2015 at 8:30 in the morning before this Court located at the Annex Building of the Hall of Justice, Quezon City, at which date, time and place, all interested persons may appear and show cause, if any, why the Petition should not be granted.

Let copies of this Order be published in a newspaper of general circulation in Quezon City, once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks before the scheduled hearing, while a separate copy of this Order be posted on the Bulletin Boards at the main entrance of the Hall of Justice, Quezon City; the Civil Registry Office, Quezon City; and this Branch of Court at least twenty (20) days prior to the date of hearing, and further served, together with the Petition and its annexes, upon the petitioner, the Office of the Solicitor General, the City Prosecutor’s Office of Quezon City, the National Statistics Office, the Civil Registry of Quezon City, and the City Attorney’s Office, all at the expense of the petitioner.

Further, the petitioner is directed to coordinate with the Civil Case in-Charge for compliance with the aforesaid requirements before the hearing date.

SO ORDERED.Quezon City, Philippines, April 20, 2015.

(Sgd.) RAFAEL G. HIPOLITOPresiding Judge

PARIS—The Cannes Film Festival will next week lift the curtain on 12 days of glamor, mov-ies, deals and parties drawing the elite of the cinema world, from Hol-lywood honchos to art house auteurs.

Under the Riviera sun—and high security—some of the industry’s biggest stars, directors and produc-ers will be turning out to tread the red carpet during the May 13-24

event.Cate Blanchett, Matthew Mc-

Conaughey, Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard, Colin Farrell, Michael Caine, Jane Fonda, Salma Hayek, Gerard Depardieu, Cath-erine Deneuve, Rachel Weisz, Jesse Eisenberg, Naomi Watts and Roon-ey Mara all feature in this year’s movie line-up and can be expected to appear to promote their films.

The Coen brothers, Joel and Ethan, will definitely be there, as co-presidents of the jury that decides the festival’s prestigious Palme d’Or prize. Other jury members include actors Jake Gyl-lenhaal, Sienna Miller and Sophie Marceau.

The movies in competition range from Hollywood-style fare, in the form of “Sicario,” about a CIA op-eration to bring down a Mexican drug lord, to Asian martial arts in “The Assassin,” to a Hungarian take on the Holocaust in “Son of Saul.”

Some out-of-competition projec-tions, though, are more widely an-ticipated.

Among them is “Mad Max: Fury Road,” a sci-fi dystopian desert-carnage reboot of the franchise that made Mel Gibson famous, but which now stars British actor Tom Hardy.

Woody Allen’s latest, “Irrational Man,” is also awaited, as are the big budget animations “The Lit-

tle Prince” and “Inside Out,” and Israeli-US actress Natalie Portman’s directorial debut, “A Tale of Love and Darkness.”

Gaspar Noe, an Argentine di-rector who relishes shock cin-ema, will be showing his movie “Love”—suggested to be heavily pornographic, based on a movie poster he released online—in a midnight screening.

“Amy,” a documentary about British singer Amy Winehouse who died of alcohol poisoning in 2011 aged 27, will also be getting an out-of-competition midnight projec-tion. Her family have condemned the film as “misleading” and disas-sociated themselves from it. AFP

TOKYO—A Japanese zoo said Thursday it is rethinking the name of a baby monkey af-ter a public poll de-cided on “Charlotte,” following complaints it was disrespectful to Britain’s newborn princess.

Mt. Takasaki Wild Monkey Park an-nounced the name Wednesday after it came top in a vote, a tradition at the zoo for the first macaque mon-key born each year.

“The name was publicly solicited and Charlotte suddenly be-came the most popular choice—with 59 votes out of the total 853—after the British baby princess’s name was announced,” a zoo of-ficial told AFP.

Princess Char-lotte Elizabeth Diana was born in London to Prince William and his wife Kate last week, a younger sister to Prince George, and now fourth in line to the British throne.

“There was no vote for ‘Charlotte’ before the Monday night an-nouncement,” the of-ficial said, as a photo-graph showed the tiny pink-faced monkey clinging to its mother at the park.

“Since we announced the name we’ve been receiving calls and emails from people mostly complaining that it is rude to British people” to give a mon-key the same name as a member of their royal family, he said. AFP

H A N O I —V i e t n a m’s central bank said Thurs-day it would devalue the dong currency for the second time this year in a bid to boost exports and drive the economy forward.

The State Bank of Vi-etnam will devalue the

reference rate by one percent to 21,673 Viet-namese dong per dollar to “cope with adverse impacts of international markets”, it said in a statement.

The dong was last de-valued by one percent in January.

The second devalua-tion of the dong in five months follows the “evo-lution of national and international financial markets”, the SBV state-ment said.

The new measure came into force Thurs-day.

In December SBV governor Nguyen Van Binh said that the regu-lator will not weaken the dong by more than two percent in 2015.

The dong devalu-ation will help keep Vietnam’s thriving e x p o r t s — i n c l u d i n g smartphones and other electronics manufac-tured by Korean gi-ant Samsung in its Vietnamese factories—competitive with re-gional rivals.

Rising exports helped Vietnam to achieve its highest GDP growth in three years in 2014 with the economy growing an estimated 5.98 per-cent, while inf lation slowed to 4.09 percent, official figures showed.

AFP

S E OU L — S a m s u n g on Thursday kicked off the construction of a new chip plant to help fuel growth as smartphone sales slow, saying it would invest 15.6 trillion won ($14.3 billion) until production be-gins in 2017.

The South Ko-rean electronics gi-ant, which has seen a surge in demand for chips, broke ground on the new plant in the city of Pyeong-taek, 70 kilometers south of Seoul.

Production at the 2.89-million square-meter plant will be-gin in the latter half of 2017, Samsung said in a statement.

The investment of $14.3 billion is the largest amount the firm has ever com-mitted to a single plant, it added.

“The Pyeong-taek semiconductor plant will play a key role in strengthen-ing our leadership in mobile and server (chip) market where demand has soared recently, and secure a leading position (in) the next-generation Internet of Things market,” it said.

It was referring to a platform that con-nects a wide array of Internet-enabled de-vices from refrigera-tors to cars. AFP

Clearing work. Nepalese army, police and locals work together to clear rubble along a street on Durbar Square, a Unesco world heritage site in Kathmandu, following an earthquake in Kathmandu, on May 7. The 7.8-magnitude earthquake, which struck the Himalayan nation on April 25, has had a devastating impact on the economy of Nepal where tourism attracted almost 800,000 foreign visitors in 2013,many of them climbers heading straight to Mount Everest but also less adventurous tourists seeking the rich cultural history of Kathmandu. AFP

[email protected]

RAMON L. TOMELDANE D I T O R

F R I D AY : M AY 8 , 2 0 1 5

MOTORING

FASTLANEFASTLANEFAST

Honda...from B8Engineers gave considerable

effort to its second and third row seats to create a wider and longer space for the legroom and knee clearance; plus a generous space for the headroom. The second row seat is flexible for a 60/40 split that reclines, folds, and tumble with a 90mm slide func-tion for middle-seat passenger

comfort and ensuring easy ac-cess to the third row. The third row seat, on the other hand, is a 50/50 split, recline, fold, and tumble type which gives more flexibility to accommodate dif-ferent hauling needs. Further-more, the third row seat can be quickly and conveniently tum-bled forward for maximum the cargo space.

For years, the Mobilio is a vari-ant intended for the JDM only. Now, Honda aims to eat up a profitable slice of the consumer pie as it competes with the Nis-san Grand Livina, Chevrolet Spin, and the Toyota Avanza. Prices start at P807,000m for the entry level M/T variant and up to the high end Mobilio RS Modulo at P987,000 A/T.

Overland builds theultimate off-roader

The Hi-Lux has been around since 1968, and cof-fee shops are abuzz about the ninth generation be-ing introduced locally sometime next year after its debut at this year’s Tokyo Motor Show. So it comes as no surprise why Toyota’s best selling pick-up is a popular base-model for most tuners and custom-body specialists.

What you see before you is a 2014 model Hi-Lux custom built by Rod Chiong of Overland 4x4 Phil-ippines. A popular off-road equipment and gear from Thailand, Overland is in the business of aes-thetically protecting your SUV or pick-up from the harsh natural environment of off-road driving.

The pick-up is the company’s show vehicle for the local market, and it comes equipped with basically all the accessories and equipment of Overland 4x4. Built to withstand and survive the harsh punish-ment of the off-road trails, the first order of busi-ness for Chiong was to replace the stock suspension with a heavy duty XTR set-up for both the front and rear suspension. “We had the truck raised by at least two inches since I use it as a daily driver. When I go off-road, I can adjust the ride height up to four inches more for a better ground clearance,” explains Chiong. He also replaced the stock wheels with a set of Overland 1.1 17’ inch rims wrapped in mud friendly Pro Comp tires for better control and grip when driving through unforgiving terrain.

This writer drove the pick-up truck up in the jungles of Tanay and the vehicle was capable and took on the trail without any hassles. The XTR suspension added comfort to the Hi-Lux and con-fidence to tackle loose gravel, dirt and mud along the way. The Pro Comp tires provided the much needed grip when the surface was slippery due to the recent rainfall in the last couple of days. The engine hummed with authority as I pushed the truck up a muddy trail, and the tires gave the grip to conquer the dreaded Tanay trail.

The Overland K2 front, ANDEZ rear bumper and side rails did its job when we traversed through thick greenery with sharp branches brushing the vehicle. Its good that we had an extended steel bumper because we slipped at one point and front hit a tree. If the bumpers were not there, the result would have required some insurance claims. Ac-cording to Chiong, the K2 front bumper steel and steel guard railings were developed by Overland in the jungles of Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. The goal was to provide much needed exterior pro-tection for vehicles to minimize the occurrence of dents and scratches.

After spending almost a day at the trails, we headed back to the base camp of off-road guru Bee-boy Bargas for some final vehicle check up before checking out of Tanay and going back to civiliza-tion. “This Overland truck is tough and can really take a beating, says Bargas, in summing up the ca-pabilities of the Overland Hi-Lux.

Text and photos by Dino Ray V. Directo IIILike the Castle of Carcassonne, is there a way to

beat the domination of the Toyota Hi-Lux? Despite the entry of newer, more comfortable and more technologically advanced pick-up trucks in the domestic market, the Hi-Lux has always been the standard when talk comes to who’s raking in the most customers.

Overland’s Toyota Hi-Lux is custom-built for the tough off-road trail.

Hi-Lux Suspension: The Overland suspension enahances the truck’s stability and control.

H-Lux Pro Comp wheels: The OVL wheels and Pro Comp tires provided the grip and traction over muddy terrain

World Transport taps BYD as fleet supplier

SOLAR Transport Automotive Resources Corp., (STAR Corp.), the exclusive distributor of BYD vehicles in the Philippines, recently an-nounced a partnership with World Transport for their Taxi Fleet. “These are exciting times for STAR Corp. as we roll out our first taxi f leet in the Philippines. The BYD F3 is designed for the Filipino commuting public, who deserve more space and comfort. It is fuel efficient and represents real value for money,” said Tieng.

The BYD F3 Taxi is a four-door compact sedan specially devel-oped for f leet operations as it comes with provisions for Taxi Meter, Top Mount Light, and a “For Hire” Lamp. It is bigger, wider, longer and roomier than all other current taxi models resulting in a pleas-ant ride. Five occupants, including the driver, can fit inside the F3 comfortably with ample legroom and elbowroom. The F3 features a Euro 4 compliant 1.5L 473QE engine, which is an ultra-efficient aluminum power train that uses less fuel. It combines VVL (Vari-able Valve Lift) and EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) technology to maximize power while minimizing its environmental impact and fuel consumption.

The F3 is safer than other taxi cabs on the road as it is equipped with Bosch two channel Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) with non-stop moni-toring Delphi EBD (Electronic Brake Force Distribution), which togeth-er give the driver greater control during emergency braking. It also has full-size front and rear fog lamps, rear defogger, LED brake lights, as well as a third LED high-mounted brake light to arm any driver with all the means to assure passengers greater safety and confidence in his driving.

STAR Corp. managing director Mark Andrew Tieng ( left) and general manager Jose Paolo “Popo” Soriano send off the fi rst of a fl eet of BYD F3 taxis to ply Metro Manila streets with partner World Taxi.

Overland is distributed in the domestic mar-ket by MK2 Trading, and has a string dealerships around the country. “Aside from the Philippines, Overland is popular in Malaysia, Indonesia, Bru-nei and in some parts of Europe,” says Chiong.

F R I D AY : M a y 8 , 2 0 1 5

B8 RAMON L. TOMELDANE D I T O R

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MOTORING

Turn to B7

Text and photos by Dino Ray V. Directo III

Personal people carriers are fast becoming the practical choice for Filipino families as the pre-ferred mode of transportation. With their com-

pact size, roomy and f lexible interiors plus a fuel effi-cient engine, these Multi-Purpose Vehicles are gaining a profitable niche in the domestic automotive market.

Honda’s stylishpeople mover

In recognizing the potential of this seg-ment, the local auto industry’s “comeback kid” has thrown an ace into the deck with the recent launching of the much awaited seven-seater Honda Mobilio. A variant once enjoyed exclusively by the Japanese market, the Mobilio is an extended ver-sion of the Brio and Amaze subcompact car. “With a clear grasp of the local cul-ture, Honda believes that the All New Mobilio fits the need and expectations of the Filipino family in a vehicle and we are thrilled to be able to finally introduce it locally and see more smiles on the road with the all new Mobilio”, says Honda Cars Philippines Incorporated president and general manager, Toshio Kuwahara, during the formal launch ceremony of Honda’s latest offering at the Metrotent, Metrowalk in Ortigas, Pasig City.

The concept behind the Mobilio MPV was based on the “Progressive Private Jet-liner” concept which offers modern and upbeat styling, innovative technology, generous cabin space, flexible seats and a comfortable sedan-like ride that feels like you are onboard a private jet.

The front bumper, fog lights, grille and doors are designed to emphasize energy and have a strong stance. The line that a

connects the headlights and front grille represents strength and stable motion. The rear showcases distinctive design of the floating rear pillar and the rear fend-ers character line runs from the rear to the side body to convey a tough and strong stance. Adding to the dynamic appear-ance of the Mobilio is the rear spoiler is attached to the body. On the side, the All-New Mobilio displays a glassy cabin

Outgoing Isuzu Philippines president Nobuo Izumina (left) presents a token to his successor, Hajime Koso.

HCPI president-general manager Toshio Kuwahara strikes a confi dent pose with the Mobilio.

Text and photos by Dino Ray V. Directo III

The country’s diesel authority, Isuzu Philippines Corpora-tion (IPC), introduced early this week to dealer principals and the media its new company president last April 27 at the Solaire Resorts and Casino in Pasay City. Hajime Koso officially took over the reigns of the company over Nobuo Izumina who will be reassigned to Japan as the Director of Isuzu Body Corpora-tion, an affiliate of Isuzu Motors Limited (IML). A big fan of boat sailing, the 57-year old Koso is an old hand in the industry and a career official which has been working for IML for the past 35 years handling mostly sales and overseas operations.

“The Philippine automotive industry is slowly setting up its pace. In the past two years, the country’s record for automotive sales has seen a significant growth which is probably due to the overall growth of the economy,” said Koso. “My previous as-signment in Indonesia made me aware of the ASEAN market, the Philippines will be a challenging task but I think it will be worthwhile,” he remarked.

Koso is confident that he will be able to replicate the accom-plishments of Izumina, which include a record high of 14,134 units sold in 2014, maintaining the number one position of the Isuzu N-Series trucks in the light-duty category, the introduc-tion of the much awaited Isuzu D-MAX and Isuzu mu-X and the 100,000 production units and sales of its best-selling Isuzu Crosswind. “In this competitive market, we need to constantly keep up or get left behind. Isuzu has always been ready for what’s to come - and for us to reap the benefits of this healthy economy, we vow to continue providing new and exciting prod-ucts that will surely satisfy the consumer’s need,” said Koso.

A native of Okayama, Japan, Koso was most recently the presi-dent of Isuzu Motors Kyusyu Limited. He joined IML’s Domestic Sales Department in 1980 after receiving a degree in Social Sci-ences and Applied Economic in Hosei University in Tokyo.

Boat-sailing enthusiast

takes Isuzu helm

and with the application of the lightning bolt belt line to provide optimal visibility from the second and third row seats. With its glassy cabin design, body integrated spoiler, and dynamic stance, the All-New Mobilio clearly sets itself apart from other MUVs in the market by avoiding a boxy look typical in the segment.

Man maximum, machine minimum A day after the launch, select members

of the motoring media were provided with an opportunity to take the Mobilio through it paces by way of a long drive to the scenic island of Mindoro, at an exclu-sive resort in Puerto Galera.

Honda prepared six units for the drive with the Mobilio RS as the star of the convoy. The top-of-the line Mobilio RS flaunts of seven exclusively-designed exterior parts namely front grille, front bumper, 15” alloy wheels, side sill gar-nish, tailgate spoiler, rear bumper with exhaust pipe finisher, and the RS em-blem. With the RS design, a sportier and sophisticated character is presented in Honda’s first Multi-purpose Utility Ve-hicle. Under the hood is a potent 1500cc i-VTEC engine that delivers maximum power output of 120 ps at 6600 rpm and 145 NM of torque at 4600 rpm. The 1.5 liter i-VTEC engine is mated to either 5-speed Manual Transmission or the new Continuously Variable Transmis-sion (CVT) developed under the Earth Dreams Technology to keep the balance between power and fuel efficiency.

The interior of the Mobilio embraces a “prime comfort” theme consistent with its class leading and comfortable cabin, in sync with Honda’s design philosophy of “Man Maximum, Machine Minimum”.

MOTORING

The Honda convoy disembarks from the RORO for a drive around Mindoro.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF H&M

SCENES FROM THE METThe Annual Costume Institute Gala at the Metropolitan Museum is Fashion’s Biggest Event

High society, fashion royalty and A-list ce-lebrities - starting with Vogue editrix Anna Wintour, who chairs the event overall - all made their way up the Met’s spectacular staircase to attend this year’s glittering gala. The theme was China: Through the Look-ing Glass, an examination of the influence of China on fashion, which was illustrated with a beautifully organized and dramati-cally staged exhibition curated by the Cos-tume Institute’s Andrew Bolton. Co-chairing the event this year with Wintour - who wore Chanel - were Jen-nifer Lawrence, Gong Li, Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer, Wendi Murdoch and Hong Kong billionaire Silas Chou. The Met Gala is the ultimate in snob-bery: even if you can afford the $25,000-per place ticket, it doesn’t guarantee you a seat. You have to be invited by Anna Wintour first.

While many guests rocked up in Valen-tino, Alexander McQueen, Prabal Gurung, Dior and Chanel, to name a few, there were a handful sporting H&M, such as Sarah Jes-sica Parker, Vanessa Hudgens, Janelle Mo-nae, Banks and athlete Odell Beckham, Jr. Inspired by this year’s exhibition theme, H&M’s design team created one-of-a-kind looks in collaboration with each of its guests. The designs honor each individual’s unique personal style and feature intricate detailing such as hand-done beading and embroider-ies, and design elements such as pleating in-spired by the folds of a fan. “It has been an honor and a pleasure for H&M to take part in fashion’s most prestig-ious event of the year. Each of our specially designed outfits both captures the mood of the exhibition and shows the fun of fashion that is so important to H&M,” says Pernilla Wohlfahrt, H&M’s Head of Design.

LIFE

F A S H I O N

Banks Janelle MonaeVanessa Hudgens

Sarah Jessica Parker

More Met Gala coverage C2

g l w e e ke n d @ g m a i l . c o m

C1BAMBINA OLIVARES WISEE D I T O R

F R I D AY : M AY 0 8 : 2 0 1 5

MET GALA STANDOUTSBY ED BIADO

A MAKEOVER FOR BEAUTY BARBeauty Bar’s all grown up. Its new flagship store in Central Square, Bonifacio High Street features a sophisticated yet inviting and refreshing design, executed in collaboration with Ger-man designers Blocher and Blocher. The color scheme has been updated: white and dark grey with accents of gold and red. A hand-painted mural of leaves, birds and hearts on a pristine wall adds a personal touch.

Beauty Bar remains stocked with famed cult brands like Smashbox, The Balm, Artdeco, Young-blood, Prestige, Earth Therapeutics, Philosophy and Burt’s Bees which are among the staples.

There are new and exciting discoveries to be made, too, such as Deserving Thyme (Canada), Fior di Bach and Phytorelax (Italy), Natura Siberica (Rus-sia), Bomb Cosmetics (UK), Kracie (Japan), Sophie la Giraffe (France), Heloise de V. (France), Tan Organic (Ireland), EVA NYC (USA) and Epiology (Australia).

THAT FRESH FEELINGLaunched in time to beat the heat of the sweltering summer, Heaven Scent Splash Cologne by Avon is a delicate and light fragrance that comes in three it-erations, pure, fruity or floral, and several variants. Whichever one you choose - Colonia Fresca, Sunshine Yellow, Fresh Squeeze, Twinkle Pink, Lilac, Soft Whis-pers, Chubby Cheeks or Soothing Lullaby - is sure to make your skin feel pampered and clean all day.

Banish sweat and stay fresh and dry all day long with Avon’s Feelin’ Fresh Whitening Quelch De-odorant, and Feelin’ Fresh Whitening Roll-on De-odorant, both with Glutathione to keep your under-arms white and soft, and perspiration-free.www.avon.com.ph

BEAUTY EXPRESS

Rihanna

Katie Holmes

Amal and George Clooney

Lady GagaKerry

WashingtonSolange Knowles

Anne Hathaway

Lily Collins

Madonna and Katy

PerryKris

JennerReese

Witherspoon

The annual Costume Institute Gala is the fashion gala where attendees are free—and in the case of celebrities and style icons, expected—to take fashion risks. Unlike most other red-carpet events, dressing up for the Met Gala means kicking it up a few notches. Safe is boring. Less is by no means more. Go big or go home (and see yourself on the worst-dressed list).

Here, for better of for worse, are the standouts from this year’s installment with the theme China: Through The Looking Glass:

RIHANNA - Wearing Chinese couture designer Guo Pei, our girl Riri killed it in the Oriental-influenced gold-yellow number with an extravagant train reminiscent of the golden age of Shanghai. Hands down, the most memorable look of the evening.

AMAL CLOONEY - Still looking respectable but truly fashionable, Amal turned up the heat in a tiered Maison Margiela in scorching red. And it’s so sweet that George chose a matching pocket square.

KATIE HOLMES - Though not as adventurous as the other stars, Katie really stepped up this time in that ethereal Zac Posen with the cloudy night sky details. It fits her amazingly and it does have a very

modern feel to it. Also loving the severe bob.

ANNE HATHAWAY - Little Gold Riding Hood? Jedi master? Pez dispenser? The jokes keep on coming. Seriously though, Anne really rocked it in this hooded Ralph Lauren Collection. And we ain’t even mad at the matchy-matchy gold purse.

LILY COLLINS - The actress is an absolute sweetheart in this straight-from-the-runway look. It may not wow so much and it can be faulted as a tad too casual for something like the Met Gala, but we appreciate the highly stylized combination of Chanel Couture separates and birdcage veil.

KRIS JENNER - A lot of people don’t agree but we’re digging this momager’s Met Gala look. It’s on-theme, thanks to the red and gold combo. And it’s over the top (hello, distracting chandelier earrings!), which is how Kris should always be.

LADY GAGA - We haven’t been excited about Gaga’s recent outfit choices, but this sh— is hot! It’s bizarre, exaggerated and it’s Balenciaga.

KERRY WASHINGTON - This Prada is confusing. It’s truly gorgeous from the back but looks

like a muffin from the front (which is to say, it’s not good). On its own, the color is terrible. But paired with those green shoes, it makes sense. So yeah, this is a head-scratcher.

MADONNA AND KATY PERRY- Together, their matching graffiti Moschino frocks are cool. Inspired, even. But individually, they’re a snooze-fest considering that these two ladies are known for their eccentric fashion choices. We’re just not feeling that fun, fresh, fierce vibe from either pop star.

SOLANGE KNOWLES - Why is Beyonce’s sister being eaten up by the space-time warp?

REESE WITHERSPOON - Yes, she stands out. Because she’s wearing the most underwhelming dress ever.

SARAH JESSICA PARKER- Of course, no Met Gala story is complete without mentioning SJP. Say what you want about that empress-style headdress by Philip Treacy (because who else can make something like that?); we don’t care because we love it. It’s an incredible statement, which, really is what this event is all about. By the way, that equally royal gown is custom H&M that she co-designed. Girl totally slayed.

1 Shower wash - mango and vanilla 2 Pepperland Shower Body Polish 3 Rich

Siberian White Body Butter 4 Intensive

Two Phase Bio Complex

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Beauty Bar New Concept store in Central Square

C2 BAMBINA OLIVARES WISEEDITOR

FRIDAY : MAY 08 : 2015

glweekend@gmai l .com

LIFE

Style meets performance: In honor of the 2015 edition of the Mille Miglia – the “Thou-sand Miles” are also known as the most beau-tiful race in the world – BOSS has created a limited edition jacket, of which only 722 will be made. Sporty yet sophisticated, vintage yet innovative: that is the BOSS definition of the Mille Miglia.

The jacket is made of brown lamb leather and combines classic design with the modern utility of an aviator jacket for those who are ready to take on the open road, either in a rare vintage convertible or a modern racing car. The fur trim on the collar is detachable which reveals a knitted insert (the inside of the col-lar is lined with knit), the zippers on the arms are hidden, and the ultra-precise pattern con-struction on the back of the jacket allows for optimal freedom of movement despite the jacket’s slim cut – ideal for navigating hairpin turns. The jacket also has ventilation slots un-der the arms and a two-way zipper that pro-vides additional comfort.

The Limited Edition leather jacket includes a variety of modern features, such as a pre-cisely located inner credit card pocket so that the wearer can go through toll booths in a flash. The number “722” is printed on the back of the jacket’s Climate Control inner lin-ing using special 3D quilting. Not only that: the jacket is also outfitted with wind catchers

at the end of the sleeves, a special cell phone pocket, and a headphones loop.

Why 722? The number stands for one of the greatest triumphs in the history of motor sports. In 1955, Stirling Moss and Denis Jen-kinson drove a Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR in the Mille Miglia. The pair set off at 7:22 a.m., which meant that they were assigned the start-ing number “722”. Moss completed the 1,000 mile-route in about 10 hours, with an average speed of 97.9 miles per hour (157.65 kilome-ters per hour). The two smashed every record at the time, and their achievement still has not been bested to this day. The Limited Edition jacket also evokes the cooperation between Mercedes-Benz and HUGO BOSS.

The jacket will be available from May on-wards in selected BOSS stores in Great Brit-ain, Germany, France and Italy as well as on-line at hugoboss.com.

The first edition of the Mille Miglia took place in 1927. What once was the most im-portant road race in Italy has now become the most important classic car race in the world. The route is a circuit that runs from Brescia to Rome and back again. Today the race is no longer a question of the fastest time, but rather one of style, authenticity, and enjoyment.

The 2015 Mille Miglia race will take place from May 14 to 17.

BOSS PRESENTSTHE LIMITED EDITION LEATHER JACKETIN HONOR OF THE LEGENDARY MILLE MIGLIA

T he wanderlusting journey of a gypsetter can only go as far as her shoes will take her. A Gypsetter is not the tour-bus-Segway kind of

traveler, but one who is curious and strays from the main road, allowing herself to be captivated by a pretty, tree-lined alley or a charming café or to follow a mischievous fat cat down the street to see where it will lead her. A destination is not simply a place to be visited but explored with spontaneity, an open heart and almost always by foot.

It was then inevitable for TheGypsetters.Net to collaborate with SAPATO, a Filipino shoe brand, known for its artisanal crafts-manship and quality leather. The TGNx-SAPATO collection features leather shoes that will take you to places in comfort and style: the perfect traveling sole for the traveling soul.

The collaboration of TheGypsetters.Net X SAPATO began in Sri Lanka, when TGN co-founder Stephanie Zubiri-Crespi bought a pair of fabric flats from the SAPATO bou-

tique to bring on her Ceylonese cross-country honeymoon. The more she used the pair, the softer they became. Handcrafted from leather and all-natural materials, the tasseled loafer was the perfect walking shoe. The cotton ina-bel fabric was a comfortable alternative to an all-leather shoe; perfect for hot and humid cli-mates yet offering more protection from dust than a sandal. The cushioned leather insole made it also far more adapted to longer peri-ods of walking than a usual ballet flat. It was in essence the perfect travel shoe for most of Southern Asia. This particular pair has gal-livanted around the region from Colombo to Malé to Hanoi to Siem Reap to Bangkok and with each trip, becoming more and more comfortable. The neutral passe-partout color and the cute tassel made the loafer the perfect boho chic accessory.

As it turns out, Stephanie and Tess San-tos, co-founder of SAPATO, practice in the same yoga shala. Stephanie gushed about her favorite shoes to Tess and briefly men-tioned the idea of a collaboration. One

formal meeting between the rest of the SA-PATO founders and TGN later, things were quickly put into motion. “The collaboration was so relaxed and the ideas flowed so free-ly,” explains TGN co-founder Vicki Abary. “Though we have never designed shoes be-fore we knew exactly what we wanted and were in sync with each other’s ideas.”

“It has to be functional, versatile and stylish,” explains Stephanie. “We believe in practicality but not in ugly rubber shoes!”

The idea was to create multipurpose shoes that could take you from exploring ruins to enjoying sunset cocktails. They had to be light and complementary to urban colors and earth tones. The basic design had to be sleek and flattering but as always, with the gypset aesthetic of a touch of boheme and whimsy. Thus was born the idea of inter-changeable tassels. It was Vicki’s long slim legs and her fondness for gladiators that gave rise to the idea of the removable long strap for the two open-toe styles.

The collaboration line features three styles in neutral colors. The Colombo flat comes in soft cotton inabel or natural snakeskin with cognac leather piping and bright inter-changeable tassels. The Tulum sandal comes in silver or gold leather with an extra-long strap to turn it from a basic sandal to a sexy,

strappy gladiator, also with interchangeable tassels. The Riviera wedge comes in nude leather with nude snake wedge or black leather with black snake wedge, also with an extra-long strap and interchangeable tassels.

“What I love most about these shoes aside from the comfort factor and style is their flex-ibility,” explains Vicki. “I can see myself wear-ing them with both casual and more dressy outfits, in both a boho or glam setting, which is not usually the case with other shoes.”

All materials are natural and with contin-uous wear, will mold to your feet. The cot-ton inabel weave on the Colombo flat was specially ordered and hand-woven for this line. “I don’t believe in synthetic shoes for long use – simply because they chafe. Natu-ral materials like leather, snake and cotton allow your feet to breathe and make the fit feel more customized,” explains Stephanie. “We also both love the fact that SAPATO is a homegrown brand that makes a world-class product. Everything is not only made exquisitely, but with love.”

“The Traveling Sole” Collection of TGN X SAPATO is available at the SAPATO boutique, 2nd floor Power Plant Mall, Rockwell, Makati City until supplies last. Hard-to-find sizes such as 5 and 10 up may be made to order or on request.

SOUL TO SOLEThe Gypsetters Create the Traveling Sole for Sapato

C3BAMBINA OLIVARES WISEEDITORLIFE

FRIDAY : MAY 08 : 2015

glweekend@gmai l .com

Efren Ocampo goes back to his Kapampangan roots as he takes inspiration from the artisans of Betis, Pampanga in his latest collection for SM.

It is said that the wood carving tradition in Betis is as old as the town itself. Even before the arrival of the Spanish colonizers, people in the town were well known as blacksmiths, carvers, ship builders, and carpenters.

The Spaniards brought with them the Catholic faith, and with it, magnificent heritage churches like the Betis Church in Guagua, Pampanga. Established in 1607, the Baroque Church was declared a National Cultural Treasure by the National Museum and the NCCA in 2001.

The main door to the Church features intricate carvings portraying the “Gates of Paradise”. Inside the Baroque-inspired church, one can find religious frescoes in the ceiling, and wall murals very much like those of the Renaissance masters in the Sistine Chapel.

Just as Betis artisans created their wonderful works from wood and metal, Ocampo’s medium is “tulle lace appliquéd on fabric”. His clothes are definitely Baroque inspired with exquisite details, as well as a black, white, mustard, beige, and gold palette.

Silhouettes are feminine – fitted bodices with A-line skirts, as well as off-the-shoulder, strapless, and sleeveless dresses. Ocampo says that it is his A-line skirt that makes it different from his other collections.

“We had been doing a lot of pencil skirts,” he says, “and we decided to do A-line skirts for a change.” He also finds the silhouette very flattering for curvy women.

Photographed beside the intricately carved wooden doors at the Betis Church, the Efren Ocampo collection is available at The SM Store in Makati, SM North EDSA, SM Megamall, SM Mall of Asia and SM Southmall. Styles may vary per store.

OCAMPO GOES OPULENT AT SM

PHOTOGRAPHY: RAYMOND CELESTINO OF EDGE OF LIGHT STUDIOSHAIR AND MAKE-UP: JET BABASLOCATION: BETIS CHURCH IN GUAGUA, PAMPANGA

F A S H I O N

White peau de soie sleeveless dress with black lace details

White dress with black tulle lace appliqués

Opulent gold A-line dress with lace accents

Black boat neck dress with white lace details

Black halter neck top and mustard peau de soie A-line skirt with black tulle lace appliqués

Baroque inspired black tube dress with gold lace accents

C4 BAMBINA OLIVARES WISEE D I T O R

g l w e e ke n d @ g m a i l . c o m

LIFEF R I D AY : M AY 0 8 : 2 0 1 5

SHOWBITZi s a h r e d @ g m a i l . c o m

C5ISAH V. REDE D I T O R

The Songbird, Regine Velasquez, may have titles in the field of music, movies and television

appended to her name, but talking to her, it is being Mommy to three-year-old Nate that gives her life the utmost inspiration.

It is along this line that PLDT HOME Telsets find a most opportune time to give tribute not only to the artistry of. Regine Velasquez but also to the real values in life she holds dear. For the voice that never fails to bring us back HOME belongs to a devoted and loving mother to her only son Nate.

The Mothers’ Day campaign introduces the new landline Telsets featuring the Regine Series paired with PLDT’s best calling rates ever. Subscribers with landline get a wonderful treat with the following offers: Add as low as P75/mo: New telsets with corresponding price points and features depending on the unit; Add P75/mo: FREE NDD Calls (PLDT to PLDT Nationwide) + P10 per call to SMART/TNT; and Add P50/mo: Free 15 minute call to US, Canada, China, HongKong, Singapore, Guam and Hawaii, with lowest IDD rate of P2/succeeding minute.

Regine is happy with her connection with the PLDT HOME team. “They have been very supportive of everything I do. They allow me to stay connected to my own home and for a working mother like me, you know that keeping in close contact with our family is everything. Especially that I have a growing little boy who never fails to surprise me with his discoveries every single day,” she enthuses.

“When I became pregnant, my

sisters and my friends told me my life was going to be different. I realized I had no idea what they were talking about. Not until I had Nate,” she says with a satisfied smile on her face. “Everything about my life changed completely. I have a totally different perspective now, a different outlook in life,” she declares with contagious enthusiasm.

Mrs. Ogie Alcasid considers every single day blessed. Her marriage was immediately gifted by this bundle of joy she and her husband christened Nathaniel James. “He will turn four in November. How time flies! So far, so good. We are very, very happy with how things are with Nate. A lot of people tell us how behaved and good a kid Nate is. Hindi siya yung katulad ng ibang bata na sobrang malikot kahit nasa labas. He behaves well. He is not a spoiled brat because we are very conscious of that being an only son so far. He listens to us when we caution him. He remembers what we teach him. We couldn’t be prouder,” she shares.

Regine says the one thing that she and her husband Ogie are conscious about when it comes to instilling discipline in their son is that they should always be on the same side. “We don’t employ the good cop-bad cop scheme in our parenting style. The only rule is that the “aggrieved” parent should be the one to discipline the boy. So kung ako ang nagalit sa kanya over something he did, I will be the one to discipline him.”

Regine confesses that she didn’t think at first that it was in her to be the one to give Nate some spanking. “But I did it. I think I have spanked him three times already for throwing away things, like my Ipad. We have learned a lot

from our Pastor in church how to discipline a child. From ages 0-12, our Pastor told us that we can instill discipline in them and break their developing pride by spanking. Past that age, it will be very hard already. If you spank them when they are older, you won’t be breaking their pride anymore, but their spirit,” Regine said. “I think our parenting style is working because Nate is a well-behaved boy and is truly a joy to be with even when we travel long distance,” she added.

When asked what she considers the highlights of being a mother so far are, Regine was quick to say, “Everyday is a highlight!” And we believe her.

“Every day there is something new with him. Either he says a new word or discovers something new that he shows us. That is why I am very conscious to be present in his life. I never want to miss out on anything. When I am working, we are in constant communication with his yaya. She sends me pictures of him when I am not with him.”

For this particular interview (behind the scenes of her pictorial for PLDT HOME Telset campaign), Regine said Nate was with his Yaya nearby waiting for him to finish. “He is very patient because we explain to him that we need to work. Sometimes we think our children don’t understand this kind of things. But in my experience, I know that children are smart and they have the capability to understand and comprehend, more than what we want to give them credit for. It shouldn’t stop us adults, from involving them,” she said.The doting mother says they are

training him to speak in fluent Tagalog right now saying that Nate is learning English easily from school and the television shows that he watches everyday. Unlike most Filipino parents who give more weight on teaching their children to speak in English, the Alcasids differ in perspective. “Mas weird kasi kung hirap siya sa Tagalog bilang nandito naman tayo sa Pilipinas,” Regine said with so much logic. “The beauty of this stage in my son’s life is that he really converses with us now. Before kasi, nagsasalita siya pero wala pang sense. Now, it’s so nice to talk to him. Nagkukwento na, nakakatuwa!

Regine is very grateful for the kind of workload that she is allowed to have at this point in her life. “I had a major shift in my priorities and I am so thankful that the people I work for understand this. I still get to work to help my husband but the load is just perfect for me to still

be very much present in my son’s life. I am truly blessed,” she says.

So what is her dream for her Nate? Regine answers from the heart. “I have none. I feel that it is his job to dream for himself, whatever and whoever he wants to be. I feel that I have to allow him the same liberty that my parents gave me when I was growing up. Binigyan ako ng kalayaan ng mga magulang ko na mangarap, kaya ako nandito ngayon. Yun din ang gusto kong ibigay kay Nate,” she says.

Regine believes that the role of the parent is to make sure that their children grow up instilled with discipline and values. “We are here to provide support and the necessary ammunition for them to work on and realize their dreams someday. If anything, I just want my Nate to grow up to be a follower of Jesus Christ. When he fears God, I know that his future is set,” the example of a mother who knows best, ends.

F RIDAY : M AY 0 8 : 2015

REGINE VELASQUEZ AND PLDT BRING YOU HOME ON MOTHERS’ DAY

PLDT VP and Head of Home Voice Solutions Patrick Tang and PLDT VP and Head of Home Marketing Gary Dujali are joined by Regine Velasquez in introducing the Regine Series Telsets with the best NDD and IDD call rates to bring you back HOME this Mothers' Day

SHOWBITZC6 ISAH V. REDE D I T O R

i s a h r e d @ g m a i l . c o m

F RIDAY : M AY 0 8 : 2015

ACROSS 1 The “elephant boy” 5 Planets or moons 9 Multitude 13 Simba, for one 14 Sank, as a putt 16 “Omnia vincit —” 17 Fragrance 18 Ham it up 19 Surf maker 20 Willing to try 21 Kan. neighbor 22 Greek letters

A N S W E R F O R P R E V I O U S P U Z Z L E

CROSSWORD PUZZLE FRIDAY,

MAY 08, 2015

24 Dated hairdo 26 Winter festival 27 Sharply 30 Reneges (2 wds.) 34 Panasonic rival 35 Hockey’s Gordie — 36 In — (as found) 37 Mil. rank 38 Mends socks 39 Freedom, in slogans 40 Region 42 Seine moorages

43 Inscribed pillar 45 Fierce terriers 47 Nullified 48 Fictional pirate 49 Written part 50 Groupie welcome 53 Make the — fly 54 Kind of radio 58 Cel character 59 Unstable leptons 61 Floodplain maker 62 Heavy-metal band 63 Come to terms 64 Bearded flower 65 Plane tip 66 “— Rock Cafe” 67 Vet patients

DOWN 1 Plod heavily 2 Verdi heroine 3 Derrick arm 4 Ethelred the — 5 Popular candy bar (2 wds.) 6 Bard’s teen 7 Splotch 8 Movie-lot locale 9 Bareheaded 10 Not mention 11 Pop-top beverage 12 Uno y dos 15 Concludes 23 Taiga denizen

25 Andy Capp’s wife 26 Gapes open 27 Entertainment acronym 28 Blue Grotto isle 29 Small harbor 30 Tiresome talkers 31 Helped the Tin Man 32 Serviceable 33 Floated down the river 35 Actress — Berry 38 Quandary 41 Lack 43 Bobby — 44 Mammoth 46 Thurman of “Gattaca” 47 Skilled in 49 Piano fixer 50 Bandleader — Kenton 51 Chanel’s nickname 52 Fishing poles 53 Roman marketplaces 55 Red giant in Cetus 56 Dart about 57 Like Augean stables 60 Snort of disgust

PEO

PLE

PANGAKO SA ‘YOWe’d say it’s been an interesting month for the Kapamilya primetime block. People are obviously anticipating the premiere of the Pangako Sa ‘Yo remake with Daniel Padil-la and Kathryn Bernardo playing the star-crossed lovers Angelo Buenavista and Yna Macaspac. Just a few days after the release of the soap’s trailer, the video has become a hot topic among fans including those who don’t even support the love team. Obviously, the network is generating publicity without ex-erting too much effort.

ANGEL LOCSINThe actress is not known for making contro-versial comments posted on social media. But she drew flak from netizens over her tweet regarding Manny Pacquiao’s defeat to Floyd Mayweather on Sunday. Yet, Angel remained defiant asserting that there was nothing wrong with her tweet. Truth is, be-cause of our extreme emotion, many of us posted much worse comments against May-weather. So let’s play a little game, let the person who did not post any racist comment cast the first stone.

NADINE LUSTREIs she the newest fashion darling? Three of the bestselling fashion magazines in town think so. Nadine has been tapped to appear on the cover of three glossies, which May issues focus on music, career and of course latest fashion trends. And as if these covers were not enough to excite her fans, Nadine just announced how big her upcoming TV, movie and music proj-ects are going to be. She’s indeed on a roll.

ENRIQUE GILThe Forevermore star looks unrecognizable in the anniversary cover of a fashion maga-zine. The glossy went overboard by applying excessive Photoshop work on Enrique’s face and body as if telling the world that the young actor is not perfect enough. How can someone admire and celebrate human form, which is the magazine’s theme for its anniversary issues, if they already altered the main cover making their message appear deceptive and untrue?

VIN ABRENICAAs you probably know, Aljur’s younger brother looks hotter these days and he’s developing a solid fan base amid being a part of a less pop-ular TV network. People initially thought that he’s being groomed to be the station’s next big star after a few of its talents decided to leave and look for greener pastures. So we can only imagine how difficult it was for Vin when his mother network decided to give the big break to someone else. That’s a big ouch for a talent who thought he’s the top bet.

GERALD SANTOSCall him fearless for staging a show that co-incides with Daniel Padilla’s concert at the MoA Arena next month. Gerald insists that he knows his market well that’s why he’s not afraid of any competition. Gerald’s show will be held at the PICC Plenary Hall backed by an orchestra to fully enhance the audienc-es’ experience while he showcases his vocal prowess. But people don’t watch shows based on the performer’s talent alone. Most of the time, it’s the person’s exceptional mass appeal that encourages people to buy concert tickets.

...ARE TALKING ABOUT

...ARE NOT

TALKING ABOUT

Joey de Leon

Indie Kalibre starts Saturday, May 9, with the Philippine TV premiere of Jun Lana’s Barber’s Tales (Mga Kuwen-

tong Barbero). Set in a remote province at

the onset of Martial law, Barber’s Tales revolves around newly wid-owed Marilou - played by Eugene Domingo - who inherits their town’s only barbershop from her husband - a business that has

been passed from generation to the next in her husband’s family. This is followed by celebrated films by directors such as Bril-lante Mendoza, Jeffrey Jeturian, and Alvin Yapan – featuring some of the country’s most gift-ed actors and actresses.

Also showing this May are Ploning (directed by Dante Nico Garcia and starring Judy Ann San-tos) on May 16; Banal (directed

by Cesar Apolinario and starring Christopher de Leon) on May 23; and Thy Womb (directed by Men-doza and starring Nora Aunor and Bembol Roco) on May 30.

June features Condo (directed by Martin Cabrera and starring Coco Martin) on June 6;Sayaw ng Dalawang Kaliwang Paa (directed by Alvin Yapan and starring Rocco Nacino and Paolo Avelino) on June 13; Kub-

rador (directed by Jeffrey Jeturi-an and starring Gina Pareno) on June 20; and Mayohan(directed by Dan Villegas and starring Lovi Poe) on June 27.

Finally, on July 4, comes Bwakaw (directed by Jun Lana and starring Eddie Garcia).

Indie Calibre airs every Sat-urday night at 10:15 p.m. from May 9 to July 4 only on GMA News TV.

Vin Abrenica

Enrique Gil

Gerald Santos

Angel Locsin

Nadine Lustre

INDIE KALIBRE ON GMA NEWS

SHOWBITZ C7ISAH V. REDE D I T O R

i s a h r e d @ g m a i l . c o m

Healing Hearts is a tradi-tional family drama that will touch the hearts of the viewers as the pro-

gram serves as a testimony that every mother deserves the for-giveness of her child. The series features talented teen actors Joyce Ching and Kristoffer Martin. It also stars Angelika dela Cruz, Mickey Ferriols, Tina Paner, Maureen Larrazabal, with the special participation of Neil Ryan Sese and Ronaldo Valdez. Under the direction of Roderick Lin-dayag, Healing Hearts will show-case how a mother’s love can re-deem a past and how a daughter’s forgiveness can define a future.

GMA Network presents another emotionally engaging series Family Secrets that will dramatically reveal how self-centeredness and ambi-tion can destroy the most sacred relationships. Directed by Neal Del Rosario, Family Secrets will show-case the first team up of Kapuso actress Gwen Zamora and Asia’s Romantic Balladeer Christian Bautista. Joining them is the love team of GMA Artist Center talents Kim Rodriguez and Kiko Estradaplus portrayals from respected ac-tresses Lotlot De Leon, Shamaine Buencamino, and Meryll Soriano.

GMA makes summer an excit-ing time for all with the launch of the newest comedy program Sa-bado-Badoo. The show with Ka-puso laughteam and the network’s homegrown artists, Sef Cadayo-na and Betong Sumaya offers a different level of comedy and en-tertainment every Saturday night as it features videos and scenes and presents them in a fresh and comedic manner. They may be presented based on their catego-ries, as a countdown, a mash-up

of different scenes, and many more. Viewers can definitely re-late because the program not only brings them down memory lane but also show send-in and present videos. It premiered on March 14.

Sundays with the whole family will be more exciting and enjoy-able as the network offers another family-friendly drama series which showcases to the viewers that par-enthood can even become three times better with InstaDad. Top-billed by award-winning Kapuso actor Gabby Eigenmann, it re-volves around the life of Kenneth, a famous chef and one of the most eligible bachelors in the metro. One day, fate turns Ken’s life upside down as he learns that he is a father of not just one, but three daugh-ters: Marikit (Gabbi Garcia), Ma-yumi (Ash Ortega), Maaya (Jazz Ocampo). Aside from not being knowledgeable of being a father, Ken struggles even more in deal-ing with the different personalities of his triplets. It also stars Matet de Leon, Juancho Triviño, RJ Padillaand introduces new Kapuso teen Prince Villanueva. InstaDad pre-miered on April 5 at 4:30pm.

Without a doubt, the Kapu-so Station continues to take the lead and chart new grounds this summer.

HHHHH

All Fridays of May prove to be both exciting and challenging as professional traveller Drew Arel-lano encourages all biyaheros to “Be-A-Hero” this summer as he visits four amazing local desti-nations where communities have shown a solid commitment to sustainable tourism.

Beginning today, the Biyahe ni Drew (BND) team heads just a few hours away from Metro Ma-

nila to Mabini, Batangas, a pop-ular destination for swimming, snorkeling and diving enthusiasts. To ensure that future generations enjoy the underwater marvels in Mabini, divers routinely engage in “scuba-surero” clean-up drives where they pick up litter that have been washed up near their shores.

Drew climbs the famous Ti-nandog Wall in Atimonan, Que-zon on May 15. This famous rock-climbing spot has been chal-lenging extreme sportsmen and women since the late 90’s. Drew also sees first-hand the results of the local efforts to rehabilitate its marine life population through the installation of artificial reefs.

On May 22, Drew and the BND crew head north for an 11-hour drive from Manila to Cagayan. It’s definitely a road trip worth taking where one can marvel at the cathe-dral-like spires in the Callao caves. Here, Drew also reunites with his fellow-Tourism Star Awardee, An-doy, a young tour guide who is ed-ucating hikers on how to preserve the natural beauty of the caves.

Finally, on May 29, Drew vis-its a UNESCO Heritage site–the Banaue Terraces. The lush green rice paddies carved on the side of the mountains remain pic-ture-perfect examples of Ifugao culture. As the area becomes more and more modernized how-ever, locals are working to pre-serve their traditions like their native homes. Drew goes “local” and lends a hand in rebuilding some of these houses for future generations to enjoy.

Heed the call and “Be-A-Hero.” Catch Biyahe ni Drew’s month-long sustainable tourism spe-cial all Fridays of May, 8 p.m. on GMA News TV.

ABS-CBN President and CEO Charo Santos-Con-cio was chosen by Adobo magazine as one of “the

most influential female industry personalities” in the Philippines and across the region.

In its 9th anniversary issue, Adobo magazine published its first-ever “Women of Influence.” Santos-Concio was listed among the 20 “fine, fresh, fierce” women executives and personalities.

“I am extremely thankful to have the chance to lead a com-pany whose core is to provide service. In the words of Kapitan (former ABS-CBN chairman emeritus Eugenio Lopez, Jr.), It is an opportunity to render pub-lic service without being in public

office,” she told Adobo magazine. “ABS-CBN is in business to

serve our public. Impeccable service is our corporate phi-losophy. It may be altered, di-mensionalized and expressed in varying consumer-oriented communications executions, but it must remain oriented towards the very public that supports and sustains us,” she added.

As the first female president of the largest media conglomer-ate in the country, she considers “sustaining the corporate growth and leadership momentum that ABS-CBN chairman Eugenio Lopez III has started, and con-tinuing to create world-class content that can be applied in various platforms” her mission.

When Adobo asked San-tos-Concio what experience has helped shape her into the woman she is today, she cited civil rights activist Harriet Tubman, who said: “Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.”

Onscreen, she hosts ABS-CBN’s longest-running drama anthology “Maalaala Mo Kaya.” She began her career in ABS-CBN as a televi-sion production consultant in 1987 after working as a line producer for BanCom, Audiovision, Vanguard Films, Regal Films, and Vision Ex-ponents. She also worked as a film production manager for the Exper-imental Cinema of the Philippines

F RIDAY : M AY 0 8 : 2015

CHARO SANTOS-CONCIO AMONG MOST INFLUENTIAL FEMALE INDUSTRY PERSONALITIES

ABS-CBN President and CEO Charo Santos-Concio is one of the industry's most influential female leaders

GMA 7’S SUMMER LAUNCHES

Krystal Reyes, Kristoffer Martinm and Joyce Ching are the lead stars of the new series on Kapuso’ Afternoon Prime

Gwen Zamora joins Christian Bautista in Family Secrets

Sef Cadayona and Betong Sumaya hosts the amusing Sabado Badoo

Angelika de la Cruz is in the cast of Healing Hearts

Drew Arellano visits the country’s interesting tourist destinations in Biyahe ni Drew

From C8

C8 ISAH V. REDE D I T O R

F RIDAY : M AY 0 8 : 2015

GMA NETWORK CHARTS NEW GROUNDS

As GMA-7 celebrates its 65th anniversary in making a differ-ence in the lives and hearts of the Filipinos, the Kapuso Sta-tion unveils a line-up of new programs this summer. The newest Kapuso Net-work Artist, Ai-Ai de las Alas with the Kapuso Network’s fast-rising love team Ruru Madrid and Gabbi Garcia top bill the romantic drama Let the Love Begin. The program is all set to make audiences laugh, cry and fall in love as it presents the beautiful story of Jeni (Delas Alas) and Tony (Gardo Ver-soza) and their children, Erick (Madrid ) and Pia (Garcia) that will withstand the test of time. Jeni and Tony are the best of friends who are part of a radio program that gives advices on love and life. Jeni has a live-in boyfriend, Enrico (Joko Diaz), and has two kids by him, Erick and Elsa (Ar Angel Angeles). On the other hand, Tony is a widower, with one daughter named Pia (Garcia). A major problem will destroy Jeni and Tony’s strong bond of friend-ship. After so many years, Jeni and Tony will cross paths once again because Pia and Erick become close friends and later on fall for each other. Can their love help their par-ents heal their wounds? Will Jeni and Tony let the love begin for Pia and Erick? Completing the cast are Donita Rose as Celeste, wife of Tony; Mark Anthony Fernandez as Jom, the station manager; Gladys Reyes as Katy, the Diva DJ,

Neil Ryan Sese as Jessie, the co-DJ of Jeni and Gina Pareño as Lola Tacing, mother to Jeni and lola to Erick. Soon to soar viewership rat-ings is the much-awaited pre-miere of the compelling drama series The Rich Man’s Daughter. Versatile Kapuso actress Rhian Ramos takes on the challeng-ing role of Jade Tanchingco, an heiress of a very wealthy family. In the story, Jade’s father is looking for a suitor for her and is willing to pay millions to any man who can make her fall in love with him. Glaiza de Cas-tro, Katrina Halili, and Luis Alandy also play pivotal roles. The series also stars Pauleen Luna, Paolo Contis, Chynna Ortaleza, Mike Tan, Sheena Halili, Charee Pineda, and TJ Trinidad together with Al Tantay, Glydel Mercado, and Tony Mabesa. Queen of Phil-ippine Movies Gloria Romero plays the rich loving grand-mother of Jade.

ISAH V. RED

The Kapuso network prepared for the ratings war

waged heavily in the second quarter

of the year with new shows on the

air. With new shows premiering nearly every week, GMA

Network is serious about its claim as

the network to watch

➜ Continued on C8

1. Bizarre love triangle: Luis Alandy, Rhian Ramos, and Glaiza de Castro in The Rich Man's Daughter; Rhian Ramos plays a woman whose heart aches for another of her kind 2. Gardo Versoza and Aiai de las Alas the love team unlikely in Let The Love Begin; Aiai de las Alas is happy to be back where she feels she is at home with 3. Gabbi Garcia and Ruru Madrid are the likely love team 4. Offscreen sweethearts Kim Rodriguez and Kiko Estrada reunite in a new soap called Family Secrets; 5. Christian Bautista returns to the acting block in Family Secrets

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SHOWBITZi s a h r e d @ g m a i l . c o m

The Standard - 2015 May 08 - Friday

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