Manila Standard Today - May 19, 2012 Issue

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26 govt hospitals
to be privatized;
subsidy cuts seen
METRO WORKERS GET P30 DAILY PAY HIKE
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
Critics expect higher fees, service cuts for poor patients
To Coronas defense. From left, lawyers Karen Jimeno, Tranquil
Salvador and Rio Quicho tell reporters that most of the 82 dollar
accounts allegedly owned by Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato
Corona are non-existent. DANNY PATA
Stop Lady Gaga. The smiling Lady Gaga will hold Monster Ball
concert in Pasay City. Youths stage rallies chanting Stop concerts.
Go, Jessica! The 16-year-old Filipino-American-Mexican Jessica
Sanchez will try to win the grand prize in next weeks nals.
By Vito Barcelo
METRO Manilas wage board
has approved a 30-peso increase
in the daily minimum pay of the
workers in the metropolis, Labor
Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said
Friday.
But the increase, payable in
two tranches as a cost-of-living
allowance, angered the left-lean-
ing Kilusang Mayo Uno or May
First Movement and disappointed
an employers group.
This is loose change, and its
being given on an installment
basis, group secretary-general
Roger Soluta said. He said the in-
crease was an insult to the work-
ers and their families.
The KMU, which supports
a 125-peso legislated wage in-
crease, said workers had no rea-
son to be happy with the wage
boards announcement.
Its another reason to inten-
sify the struggle for a legislated
wage hike,Soluta said.
The Employers Confederation
of the Philippines questioned the
wage increase.
Will the wage increase cre-
ate jobs? The resounding answer
By Joyce P. Paares
and Rey E. Requejo
THE Palace on Friday sought
to assure senators that Presi-
dent Benigno Aquino III is not
a vengeful leader who will use
government resources to perse-
cute his political enemies.
The assurance came after the
senator-judges in the impeach-
ment trial of Chief Justice Re-
nato Corona said the govern-
ments concerted action against
the chief magistrate proved that
it had become a state-sanctioned
policy to gang up on the Presi-
dents perceived enemies, and
that they were all vulnerable to
such attacks.
The position of the Presi-
dent on the impeachment is not
borne out of offense. It is borne
out of a genuine need to have ju-
dicial reform, deputy presiden-
tial spokeswoman Abigail Valte
said.
There is no reason to fear
because the President has al-
ways been of the opinion that
the resources of the government
will be put to good use.
Valte said impeachment was
a mechanism for accountability
that is enshrined in the Constitu-
tion.
On Thursday, Senator Ferdi-
nand Marcos Jr. said there was
no mystery as to the grand
conspiracy among government
agencies to produce evidence
against the chief magistrate.
There were not even false
pretenses. The grand conspiracy
has become public policy, Mar-
cos said.
The entire administration is
not bothering to hide it anymore
that nothing is more important to
them than the impeachment trial
and the conviction of Chief Jus-
tice Corona. Everything takes a
backseat.
Marcos said the laws guar-
anteeing human rights were no
protection if government of-
cials were willing to break them.
Senate President Pro Tempore
Jinggoy Estrada said the admin-
istration had proved that the vice
president, the senators and all
politicians down to the lowly
government employee
could be vulnerable to
attack once they
offended the
President.
By Joyce P. Paares
PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III
on Friday dissuaded a group led
by former mutineer Nicanor Fa-
eldon from shing in the Panatag
or Scarborough Shoal because it
could be interpreted as provoca-
tive, an ofcial said.
The groups planned visit to
the shoal to protest Beijings ac-
tions over it might just escalate
tensions the tensions between
Manila and Beijing, deputy pres-
idential spokeswoman Abigail
Valte said.
She said Mr. Aquino called up
Faeldon Friday morning to ask him
to reconsider, and Faelson agreed.
Primarily, [Mr. Aquino felt] it
might be construed in a negative
way, Valte said.
Mr. Aquino earlier said Manila
and Beijing were nearing a resolu-
tion to the standoff on the shoal.
Faeldon has served time in
prison and was discharged from
the Marines for a coup attempt
in 2003, but he was amnestied
last year.
He said he wanted to gather
support for the Philippines over its
territorial dispute with China, but
he reconsidered his plan to sail to
the Scarborough Shoal after he re-
ceived a call from Mr. Aquino.
China and the Philippines
SCORES of Christian youths in the Philippines chanted Stop the
Lady Gaga concerts at a rally Friday calling for the pop divas
shows here to be canceled despite assurances from authorities
that they wont allow nudity and lewd acts.
Sold-out crowds and angry protests followed Lady Gagas
Born This Way Asian tour. Fans younger than 18 were banned
from the Seoul concerts over complaints her lyrics and costumes
FILIPINOS congratulated Filipino-American-Mexican Jessica
Sanchez on Friday for becoming one of the top two contestants
in The American Idol nals.
Many were captivated by Sanchezs phenomenal rise to the
nals, the highest ever by a Filipino-American, and they hoped
she would win the championship next week.
As word spread that Sanchez remained in contention after
By Maricel V. Cruz
THE administrations Liberal
Party and the United Nationalist
Alliance of Vice President Jejo-
mar Binay and former President
Joseph Estrada may eld com-
mon senatorial candidates in the
May 2013 elections, an ofcial
said Friday.
Cagayan Rep. Juan Ponce
Enrile Jr., a member of the Na-
tionalist Peoples Coalition, said
he and some other senatorial can-
didates included in the UNAs
shortlist could also be adopted by
President Benigno Aquino IIIs
Liberal Party.
Enrile Jr., the son of Senate
President Juan Ponce Enrile,
said his fathers fair and ob-
jective handling of the trial of
impeached Chief Justice Renato
Corona could help him make it to
the Senate in 2013.
But whether that will trans-
late to votes is a question that we
will have to answer during elec-
tion day, Enrile Jr. said.
He said he was third in the list
of winning senators based on a
recent survey, and that the UNA
was considering to include him
in its shortlist.
The NPC of businessman Edu-
ardo Cojuangco Jr. is negotiating a
possible coalition with the Liberal
Party and Senator Manuel Villars
Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casio and Agham
Rep. Angelo Palmones said the conversion
would result in higher hospital fees and reduced
services to poor patients.
Aside from higher fees, we would see these
hospitals renting out space for coffee shops and
restaurants just to earn revenues, instead of fo-
cusing on the welfare and well-being of the pa-
tients, Casio told the Manila Standard.
He accused the House leadership of rail-
roading the passage of the bill, which was led
in March and was approved Wednesday after
only one hearing without consulting the hospi-
tals and other stakeholders.
House Bill 6099, principally authored by
Bacolod City Rep. Anthony Golez and Negros
Occidental Rep. Alfredo Maranon III, allows
the 26 hospitals to contract for loans and
grants and seal joint ventures to expand or
build private rooms for paying patients.
Vol. XXVI No. 79 12 Pages, 2 Sections
P18.00 SATURDAY, May 19, 2012
www.manilastandardtoday.com mst@mstandardtoday.com
TODAY
Standard
Manila
Palace to senators:
Nothing to worry,
Aquino not vengeful
PNoy tells
group not
to sail to
Panatag
LP, UNA
may eld
common
candidates
Christian group rages
vs Lady Gaga shows
Pinoys ecstatic to see
Jessica in Idol nals
Davao Medical Center
Jose Reyes Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center
San Lazaro Hospital
By Christine F. Herrera
TWO lawmakers on
Friday denounced the
planned withdrawal of
some P4.7 billion in
subsidies from 26 of the
biggest public hospitals
after a House panel ap-
proved their conversion
into corporations to
raise their own revenue
from paying patients.
Next page
Next page Next page
Next page Next page
Next page Next page
Essentially, this bill aims to convert the
26 government-run hospitals into indepen-
dent money-making corporations. It will jus-
tify more cuts in government subsidies and
the reduction of services to indigent patients,
Casio said.
Palmones added: The government cannot
delegate its responsibility and constitutional
mandate to provide
basic health ser-
vices to the
poor. Let us
abolish the Department of Health since we
have no use for it anymore.
But Health Secretary Enrique Ona endorsed
the passage of the bill, and House Deputy Ma-
jority Leader Janette Garin said the conversion
of the 26 hospitals would provide services to
more indigent patients.
When these hospitals become government-
owned and -controlled corporations, they can
raise their own revenues, contract loans and
grants to expand and remedy the congestion in
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News
ManilaStandardToday mst.daydesk@gmail.com MAY 19, 2012 SATURDAY
A2
Its a sub this time. Protesters from the League of Filipino Students march to the US Embassy in Manila
to denounce the visit of a US submarine to the Philippines. SONNY ESPIRITU
PNoy...
imposed separate shing bans
around the disputed area on
Wednesday, a move that some
observers said was a way for both
claimants to back away from the
standoff without losing face.
The President on Wednes-
day said Manila was willing
to exploit the resources in the
disputed areas within the West
Philippine Sea or South China
Sea with Beijing and the other
claimant-countries.
He said the Philippines was
continuously looking for a win-
win solution with China to end
the standoff over the shoal, but
the Philippines would not give
up any of its territory.
I am not empowered to give
up any of our territory I am
still bound by an oath that I took
to defend and uphold the Con-
stitution and enforce all of our
laws, Mr. Aquino said.
We keep on reemphasizing
that we are not for conict. We
do not want to present a threat
to them in any shape, manner or
form, or whatsoever in terms of
military action.
The China Daily on Friday
said Manila will dispatch two
special envoys to Beijing. It said
Beijing noted Manilas change
of attitude, and that it reected
Manilas desire to ease the crisis.
Christian...
were too sexually provocative,
and she was denied a concert
permit in Indonesia by police
under pressure from Islamic
hard-liners.
About 70 members of a group
called Biblemode Youth Philip-
pines rallied in front of the Pasay
City Hall in Metro Manila. They
said they were offended by Lady
Gagas music and videos, in par-
ticular her song Judas, which they
say mocks Jesus Christ.
Lady Gaga has secured papers
for two concerts Monday and
Tuesday, but Pasay City Mayor
Antonino Calixto said he had
told organizers to ensure that
they follow the rules and regu-
lations stipulated in the concert
permit earlier provided by the
city government.
Although we respect artis-
tic and musical expressions,
I wont allow anyone or any
group to provide acts which may
be questionable in a way at any
venue under my jurisdiction,
Calixto said in a statement.
We reminded the produc-
ers of Lady Gagas concert
that the show and the event as
a whole shall not exhibit any
nudity or lewd conduct which
may be offensive to morals
and good customs.
Protest leader and former
Rep. Benny Abante says his
group plans to le a case
against Lady Gaga and concert
organizers if she sings Judas at
her Manila gigs.
Organizers from Ovation Pro-
ductions did not immediately
provide details about the com-
ing concerts, including whether
Lady Gaga will perform Judas.
Former Manila Mayor Jose
Atienza said the singer and or-
ganizers could be punished for
offending race or religion. The
Philippines penal code says
the penalty can range from six
months to six years in prison,
although no one has been con-
victed recently.
Atienza and a prominent lawyer,
Romulo Macalintal, met earlier Fri-
day with Calixto to press their con-
cern about the concerts, which will
be held at the newly constructed
seaside Mall of Asia arena with a
seating capacity of 20,000.
The Rev. Reyzel Cayanan
from Biblemode Youth Phil-
ippines said he will lead an-
other protest march and a
candlelight vigil Saturday
near the concert venue.
The Bible groups join the
growing number of protesters
against the American singers
worldwide Monster Ball Tour.
In South Korea, Christians
gathered in Seoul to pray and
protests against the concert. The
protests were led by the Alliance
for Sound Culture in Sexuality.
While the concert did push
through on April 27, ofcials of
the Korea Rating Media Board
banned children below 18 years
old from watching the concert.
Recently, the Indonesian gov-
ernment denied the singer the
permit to perform in Jakarta
on June 3, following opposi-
tion from the Islamic Defend-
ers Front and other conserva-
tives. Lady Gagas show at the
52,000-seat Gelora Bung Karno
stadium in Jakarta would have
been her Asian tours largest. AP
Metro...
is no, said Rene Soriano, the
groups acting president. He said
the increase would worsen the
conditions of vulnerable workers.
What has been happening is
that the formal sector is shrink-
ing and the informal sector is ex-
panding, Soriano said.
Antonio Abad Jr., an ECOP gov-
ernor and legal counsel of the Phil-
ippine Association of Colleges and
Universities, said it was time the
government considered solutions
other than a wage increase, such as
widening the scope of tax credits
and imposing a cap on food prices,
rent and transport fares.
Raising the minimum wage will
only contribute to ination because
of its ripple effects, Abad said.
The wage board said all work-
ers in Metro Manila will get a
30-peso increase through a cost-
of-living allowance: P20 when
the order becomes effective and
P10 more by Nov. 1.
The 22-peso cost-of-living
allowance granted by an earlier
wage order will be incorporated
into the basic pay of all mini-
mum wage earners in the private
sector, the board said.
The wage board issued its
order after consultations and a
public hearing on a petition led
by the Trade Union Congress of
the Philippines asking for a 90-
peso increase.
The wage board has decided
to provide workers with the pay
increase to enable them to cope
with the rising cost of living, tak-
ing into consideration, among
other factors, the viability of busi-
ness and industry and the average
ination rate of basic prime com-
modities for the period June 2011
to April 2012, Baldoz said.
The daily minimum rate for work-
ers in the non-agricultural sector
will be P446 after the new wage or-
der takes effect. The new rate for the
agricultural sector, private hospitals
with a bed capacity of 100 or less,
the retail and service establishments
employing 15 workers or less, and
the manufacturing establishments
regularly employing fewer than 10
workers, will be P409.
On Nov. 1, the second tranche
of the increase will make the daily
minimum rate for workers in the
non-agricultural sector P456.
Agricultural workers and those
employed by private hospitals
with a bed capacity of 100 or less,
retail and service establishments
employing 15 workers or less,
and manufacturing establishments
regularly employing fewer than
10 workers, will be P419.
With Jonathan Fernandez
Pinoys...
this weeks episode, Malacaang
called on the Filipinos in the
United States to rally behind her
as she prepared for next weeks
showdown with Philip Philips.
Sanchez and Philips won the
last two slots in the nals after
Joshua Ledet was eliminated
for getting the least number of
viewer votes in Thursdays con-
test. Ledet had been one of the
judges favorites, but he failed to
win enough votes.
The 16-year old Sanchez and
the 21-year-old Philips will face
off on Tuesday, and the 11th
season American Idol Champion
will be crowned on Wednesday.
About 90 million votes were cast
this week.
Deputy presidential spokes-
woman Abigail Valte said
Sanchez would be the next
American Idol because the
bayanihan spirit was in-
nate among Filipinos. They
wouldnt let her down.
This is the last stretch and I
know that when Filipinos gather
and put their minds to it, it will
happen, she said.
Vice-President Jejomar Binay
said he was condent of victory
because Jessicas star is just be-
ginning to shine and someone
as talented as her is destined for
greater things.
Mayor Jet Garcia of Balanga
City, the hometown of Jessicas
mother in Tarlac, said they were
happy for Jessica, and we pray
that the Filipinos in America will
support her and make her this
years American Idol champion.
Filipino musicians praised Jes-
sica and said it had been a long
time since A Filipino-Amerian had
been in the nals since Jasmine
Trias nished third and Camille
Velasco in ninth in 2004, Ramiele
Malubay ninth in 2007, and Thia
Megia 11
th
in 2011.
Wow! This is the highest the
Philippine ag has been raised in
American Idol. Way to go Jessi-
ca, singer Martin Nievera said.
Jim Paredes of the Apo Hiking
Society tweeted his support to
the 16-year-old singer: Jessica
... Jessica ... Jessica ... go go go
... so close now.
Migrant worker advocate Su-
san Ople said Philips had bet-
ter be ready for Sanchezs best.
Oh, Philip Philips. You with
the redundant name. Be pre-
pared for the best of Jessica and
the nimble ngers of Pinoys in
the US, she said.
China casts shadow on Mas 2
nd
term
TAIPEITaiwan President Ma Ying-
jeou has leveraged growing economic
ties with China to reduce tensions to
their lowest level since the two sides
split in 1949. Chinas incessant effort to
draw the democratic island closer politi-
cally has been on the back burner, and
as Mas second term begins Sunday the
question is whether he can keep it there.
China continues to insist that
Mas self-governing island of 23
million people is part of its terri-
tory, to be brought back into the
fold by persuasion if possible, by
force if necessary. But Taiwan,
backed by a United States that is
re-engaging in Asia after a decade-
long preoccupation in the Middle
East, has no desire to give up its de
facto independence.
Analysts say that Ma, who won
re-election over a more China-
wary opposition, probably wont
be pressed by Beijing anytime
soon, but might toward the end of
his second four-year term.
Since Ma took ofce in 2008,
trade volumes between Taiwan
and China have soared. Commer-
cial barriers have tumbled, and
tourism and other exchanges have
become commonplace.
That may not be enough for Bei-
jing, which says concrete progress
toward formal unication is the
most useful metric for measuring
Mas performance. On that point,
Taiwan and the authoritarian main-
land remain far apart.
In 1992, informal representa-
tives of the two sides acknowl-
edged that there is only one Chi-
na, but took no clear position on
whether it is the Peoples Republic
of China on the mainland or the
Republic of China on Taiwan.
Taiwans mass circulation
United Daily News said Wednes-
day that Beijing appears to hope
that Mas overtures will eventu-
ally go beyond the 1992 Con-
sensus, and reach the more con-
crete formula that both sides
belong to one China.
If Ma ever accepted that formu-
la, it could be seen as signaling his
acceptance that Taiwan must even-
tually be ruled by Beijing.
During his re-election cam-
paign, Ma raised the prospect of
a formal peace treaty between the
two sides, his rst clear political
move in Beijings direction. But
he quickly drew back after popular
opposition to the idea spiked, an il-
lustration of how he is constrained
by Taiwans boisterous electorate.
Despite supporting the presidents
efforts to engage China economi-
cally, that electorate strongly resists
political integration, amid a growing
tendency to dene itself as Taiwan-
ese and not Chinese at all.
People are open to dealing with
China economically and even go-
ing there to work, said political
scientist Ketty Chen of Taipeis
National Taiwan University. But
they still consider themselves Tai-
wanese and see China as just an-
other foreign country, even though
they speak the same language.
Public opinion polls have re-
peatedly shown that no more
than 10 percent of Taiwans
people want political integration
with the mainland, while 60 to 70
percent favor the status quo. The
remainder support formal inde-
pendence, a step that China says
would lead to war. AP
Palace...
What this government is doing is alarming and
worrisome, Estrada said.
If they can do that to the chief justice, then all of
us have a reason to worry. Even if you have noth-
ing to hide, they will throw everything at you.
The senator-judges have criticized the apparent
conspiracy between Ombudsman Conchita Car-
pio Morales and government agencies such as the
Commission on Audit and the Anti-Money Laun-
dering Council for releasing condential docu-
ments on Coronas alleged bank accounts.
Estrada and Senators Miriam Defensor-Santi-
ago, Alan Peter Cayetano and Francis Escudero
questioned the legality of Morales act when she
sought the councils help while on a shing expe-
dition for Coronas alleged unexplained wealth.
On Friday, Supreme Court spokesman and ad-
ministrator Jose Midas Marquez assured the public
that the courts would function as usual on Tuesday,
when the chief justice takes the witness stand in
his own defense at his impeachment trial.
There will be no court holiday. Those who want to
join activities are free to do so, but they should le a leave
of absence, said Marquez, who has supervision over the
2,000 judges and 27,000 court personnel in the country.
We in the judiciary are hoping that this im-
peachment nally comes to an end and that the
Chief Justice hurdles this challenge so we can all
focus on our work in the courts.
Jojo Guerrero, president of the 3,000-strong
Supreme Court Employees Association, said their
members were planning to accompany Corona on
the way to the Senate during their lunch break, so
no work would be disrupted.
He said the court employees remained sup-
portive of the chief justice, and that the supposed
evidence against Corona that the prosecutors had
presented did not convince them.
The judges organizations led by the Philippine
Judges Association and Metropolitan and City
Judges Association the Philippines have also ex-
pressed their support for Corona.
Some judges said they planned to le a leave to
attend the impeachment hearing on Tuesday.
With Macon Ramos-Araneta
LP, UNA...

Nacionalista Party for the
2013 elections, according to
Enrile Jr.
I am already being consid-
ered by UNA, but I am with
the NPC and I have heard that
NPC is in talks with the LP and
NP, although I dont know for
sure, Enrile Jr. said.
But I welcome the possibil-
ity that I may be adopted as their
[Liberal Partys] candidate also.
It appears that Senator Loren
Legarda, the losing vice presi-
dential candidate in the 2010
presidential elections, is also
being eyed by the UNA to be
one of its senatorial candidates.
Recently, President Aquino
named Aurora Rep. Sonny An-
gara, Technical Education and
Skills Development Authority
Director-General Joel Villan-
ueva, and Customs Commis-
sioner Ruffy Biazon as some
of the administrations possible
senatorial candidates in next
years elections.
Enrile aside, the others includ-
ed in the UNAs senatorial list
are Senators Gregorio Honasan
and Aquilino Pimentel III, San
Juan Rep. Joseph Victor Ejercito
and Joey de Venecia III.
Villar is pushing his wife,
former Las Pias City Rep.
Cynthia Villar, Senator Alan
Peter Cayetano, and former
Surigao Rep. Robert Ace Bar-
bers as the Nacionalista Partys
senatorial candidates.
26...
hospitals, Garin told the Ma-
nila Standard.
Private rooms will be added
so we can accommodate more
patients and not just leave them
groping in the hospital lobbies
because there arent enough
rooms.
Garin said most Philhealth
card-bearing government em-
ployees such as teachers, soldiers
and policemen usually availed
themselves of private rooms in
private hospitals, which meant
that Philhealths funds were going
to private hospitals instead of to
the government.
The annual subsidies can be
used to provide indigent patients
with Philhealth cards and the pay-
ment that will be made would go
to these hospitals for more im-
proved services, Garin said.
She said the bill would weed
out ghost deliveries and ghost
employees from government
hospitals.
When these hospitals run as
corporations, they cannot be com-
placent anymore because the of-
cers and employees tenure would
be strictly monitored and their
performance audited, Garin said.
But Casio said the hasty ap-
proval of the bill in the House
committee on health on Wednes-
day violated the rules of the
House of Representatives.
He said stakeholders and the
affected sectors were not given
enough time to air their concerns.
The panel led by Maranon, he
said, did not even include the
measure as an agenda in the no-
tice of meeting.
Casio said he will demand
that the bill be sent back to the
committee next week for further
deliberations.
The government hospitals tar-
geted for conversion into corpo-
rations are the Jose Reyes Medi-
cal Center; San Lazaro Hospital;
Cagayan Valley Medical Center;
Veterans Regional Hospital;
Baguio General Hospital and
Medical Center; Ilocos Train-
ing and Regional Medical Cen-
ter; Regional Medical Center;
Dr. Paulino J. Garcia Memorial
Research and Medical Center;
Jose B. Lingad Memorial Medi-
cal Center; Bicol Medical Cen-
ter (Naga City); Bicol Research
Training and Teaching Hospital
(Legaspi City); Quirino Memo-
rial Medical Center; Rizal Med-
ical Center; Amang Rodriguez
Medical Center; Vicente Sotto
Memorial Medical Center; East-
ern Visayas Regional Medical
Center; Corazon Locsin Mon-
telibano Memorial Regional
Hospital; Western Visayas Med-
ical Center; Northern Mindanao
Medical Center; Southern Phil-
ippines Medical Center; Zam-
boanga City Medical Center;
Cotobato Regional and Medi-
cal Center; CARAGA Regional
Hospital; Davao Regional Hos-
pital; and the Mayor Hilarion A.
Ramiro, Sr. Regional Center and
Training Hospital.
Casio said the experience
in four existing government-
owned and controlled hos-
pitalsthe Philippine Heart
Center, Kidney Center, Lung
Center and Childrens Medical
Centershowed that the need
to earn revenues was displacing
indigent patients in favor of the
paying patients.
The directors of the four
existing GOCC hospitals are
all complaining that they have
to allot more beds and facili-
ties to rich patients because the
government is not giving them
enough subsidies for the poor.
The same thing will happen to
the 26 public hospitals to be cor-
poratized by this bill, he said.
What we need is to add to their
funds, not to reduce services to
the poor. The people who will be
hurt by this bill are the poor who
go to public hospitals.
MAY 19, 2012 SATURDAY
A3
News
ManilaStandardToday
Lawmakers remain
defiant on RH bill
House pushes new voters list-up in Mindanao
Representatives Janette Garin of Iloilo and
Luzviminda Luz Ilagan of Gabriela party list, co-
authors of the proposed Responsible Parenthood,
Reproductive Health and Population and Development
Act of 2011, played down the call made by CBCP
president and Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma appealing
to its ock not to support politicians who endors the
RH measure.
The bill under HB 4244 is designed to educate the
Filipino people on responsible parenthood and provides
By Maricel V. Cruz
TWO major proponents of
the reproductive health bill on
Friday urged their colleagues
in Congress not to succumb to
pressures being exerted by the
inuential Catholic Bishops
Conference of the Philippines.
freedom of informed choice in the use of contraceptives.
The measure is on second reading, prolonged by debates
on its pros and cons.
Ilagan, chairman of the Committee on Women
and Children, argued that the will of the people
should prevail over threats from the Church,
saying that a good policy must be pushed for the
greater good.
Experience and studies showed that in past elections,
pro-RH authors won. The antis lost. Let the people
decide. So candidates should not be afraid. These
threats are routinely declared. A sincere and dedicated
politician can rely on the good judgment of people.
After all, surveys show majority of Filipinos want the
RH bill passed, Ilagan said.
Marikina City Rep. Marcelino Teodoro stressed
that the votes of his colleagues on RH bill reect the
overwhelming sentiments of the people.
Agham party-list Rep. Angelo Palmones predicted
that the RH measure would not pass muster at all in
the 15thCongress due to lack of quorum. The attention
of legislators was focused on the impeachment trial of
Chief Justice Renato Corona, he said.
HOUSE leaders on Friday called for
a new general registration of voters
in the Autonomous Region in Mus-
lim Mindanao to ensure an honest
and credible election in the area.
In House Resolution 29, Speaker
Feliciano Belmonte Jr. and Majority
Leader Neptali Gonzales II asked for
the annulment of the Book of Voters
to clear the way for the holding of a
new voters list.
Belmonte demanded the purge of
the Book of Voters.
The election results in the region
have been tainted with irregulari-
ties, principally because of the pad-
ded list, he said.
The practice of padding the Book
of Voters has been resorted to by
unscrupulous leaders to perpetuate
themselves in power and give them
a sense of invincibility to commit
abuses, Belmonte said.
Gonzales, for his part,said the anom-
aly in the ARMM has national ramica-
tion because these ghosts, ctitious and
multiple registrants constitute the com-
mand votes or controlled votes wielded
by political warlords that could decide
the winners in local polls.
The Executive department publicly
expressed support for the need to re-
register voters in the ARMM, Gonza-
les said.
Gonzales said that as a com-
panion measure, the registration
of voters in the Visayas and non-
ARMM areas in Mindanao should
be suspended immediately until
August 31. The personnel and
equipment from these areas should
be deployed in the ARMM.
Congress recently enacted Re-
public Act 10153 which called for
simultaneous holding of elections in
the ARMM and at the national level
as a major step toward electoral re-
forms in the ARMM.
Gonzales said the ARMM popu-
lation in 2007 was placed at 4.1
million contrary to the National
Statistics Ofce report that gave
the gure at 3.3 million in 2010.
Maricel Cruz
By Joyce Pangco Paares
MALACAANG on Friday said there was nothing
irregular in the ight of a Panamanian diplomat ac-
cused of raping a 19-year old Filipina, and claried
that the government only complied with the 1961
Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations grant-
ing immunity from criminal cases.
Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte
said the Department of Foreign Affairs, in issuing a
certication of diplomatic immunity to Erick Shcks,
was being mindful that the country is a signatory to
the international convention.
They (DFA) have have processes that they have to
undergo. We are a signatory to the convention, Valte
said yesterday.
We did the best that was possible under the cir-
cumstances, the Palace ofcial added.
Shcks was able to ee the country on May 11 after
he was not included in the government watch list.
The Vienna Convention only limits diplomatic
immunity in administrative and civil cases, and the
Philippines has never questioned the provision for
criminal cases.
Justice Secretary Leila de Lima earlier admitted
that the Philippines lacks clear rules and guidelines
in the accreditation and certication of immunity of
members of diplomatic staff.
De Lima said there has also been a growing clamor
to revisit or review the Vienna Convention.
She also proposed a review of the accreditation
process and the implementation of more stringent re-
quirements to prevent a similar incident.
DFA undersecretary Rafael Seguis said the Philip-
pines has already requested the Panamanian govern-
ment to investigate and prosecute Shcks.
Palace clears Panamanian envoy in Filipinos rape case
SENATOR Edgardo J. Angara on Friday called on
the businesses to partner with state universities and
colleges on research and development to make them-
selves more competitive.
He cited the importance of university-industry link-
age in fostering the diffusion of knowledge and im-
proving the countrys capability to innovate.
He said industry leaders can provide inputs in
streamlining and focusing the R&D agenda of the
academe.
Such collaborations will ensure that there will be
a useful and even protable application of the new
knowledge generated, said Angara, chairman of the
Senate committee on science and technology.
TheCongressional Commission on Science & Tech-
nology and Engineering, which he chairs, lobbied for
the establishment of innovation clusters - public-private
partnerships in S&T - during budget hearings in 2011.
Around P322 million has been allocated in the
2011 budget for the roll-out of innovation clusters
as tripartite consortia among government, the aca-
deme and industry for the development S&T solu-
tions to nations key challenges through technology
transfer and R&D. Macon Araneta
Angaras emphasis on research, development
Making them go gaga. Young students ash the thumbs-down sign as a
sign of protest against the holding of a concert by Lady Gaga, who has provoked
controversies with her supposedly un-Christian songs.
Republic of the Philippines
COMMISSION ON ELECTIONS
M a n i l a
IN THE MATTER OF AUTHORIZING BRILLANTES, Sixto, Jr. S., Chairman
COMMISSIONER ARMANDO C. VELASCO, SARMIENTO, Rene V., Commissioner
COMMISSIONER - IN - CHARGE TO TAGLE, Lucenito N., Commissioner
APPROVE CERTAIN REQUESTS IN VELASCO, Armando C., Commissioner
CONNECTION WITH THE JUNE 02, 2012 YUSOPH, Elias R., Commissioner
SPECIAL ELECTION FOR MEMBER, LIM, Christian Robert S., Commissioner
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, FIFTH
LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT, NEGROS
OCCIDENTAL. PROMULGATED May 17, 2012
x - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x
RESOLUTION NO. 9417
WHEREAS, the Commission on Elections en banc,
designated Commissioner Armando C. Velasco as
Commissioner-in-Charge for the June 02, 2012 special
election for Member, House of Representatives, Fifth
Legislative District, Negros Occidental.
WHEREAS, in the exigency of service and in order to
immediately respond to certain situations that may arise
three (3) days before and one (1) day after the scheduled
date of special election, inclusive, or from May 30 to June
03, 2012, there is a need to authorize Commissioner
Armando C. Velasco to approve certain requests in
connection with the June 02, 2012 special election in the
Fifth Legislative Distr.ct, Negros Occidental;
NOW, THEREFORE, the Commission on Elections,
by virtue of the powers vested In it by the Constitution,
the Omnibus Election Code and other election laws,
RESOLVED, as it hereby RESOLVES to authorize
Commissioner Armando C, Velasco, Commissioner-
in-Charge for the June 02, 2012 special election for
Member, House of Representatives, Fifth Legislative
District, Negros Occidental to approve the following
requests, to wit:

1. Approve requests and/or order the transfer of
polling places and/or canvassing venues for
special election;
2. Order to open ballot boxes to place therein or to
take out therefrom any document or article, or
to retrieve copies of the election returns which
will be needed in any canvass, as provided in
Section 51 of Resolution No. 9402, dated 17
April 2012, entitled, General Instructions for
the.Board of Election Inspectors (BEI) on the
Casting and Counting of Votes In Connection
with the June 02, 2012 Special Elections for
Member, House of Representatives, In the Fifth
Congressional District of the Province of Negros
Occidental.
The Education and Information Department shall
cause the publication of this resolution.
The Deputy Executive Director for Operations shall
furnish copies of this Resolution to the Regional Election
Director of Region VI, Provincial Election Supervisor of
Negros Occidental and the Election Offcers of the Fifth
Legislative District of Negros Occidental.
SO ORDERED.
SIXTO S. BRILLANTES, JR.
Chairman
RENE V. SARMIENTO LUCENITO N. TAGLE
Commissioner Commissioner
ARMANDO C. VELASCO ELIAS R. YUSOPH
CHRISTIAN ROBERT S. LIM
Commissioner
__________________________
COMMISSION ON ELECTIONS
M a n i l a
RULES AND REGULATIONS BRILLANTES, Sixto Jr. S., Chairman
FOR THE REGISTRATION SARMIENTO, Rene V. Commissioner
OF MEMBERS OF TAGLE, Lucenito N. Commissioner
INDIGENOUS CULTURAL YUSOPH, Elias R. Commissioner
COMMUNITIES (ICCs)/Indigenous LIM, Christian Robert S. Commissioner
Peoples (IPs) LAGMAN, Augusto C. Commissioner
Promulgated: May 17, 2012
x - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x
RESOLUTION NO. 9427
WHEREAS, Article V, Section 1 of the 1987
Constitution provides that Suffrage may be exercised by
all citizens of the Philippines not otherwise disqualifed
by law, who are at least eighteen years of age, and who
shall have resided in the Philippines for at least one year
and in the place wherein they propose to vote for at
least six months immediately preceding ithe election. No
literacy, property or other substantive requirement shall
be imposed on the exercise of suffrage;
WHEREAS, Article II, Section 22 of the 1987
Constitution provides that the State recognizes and
promotes the rights of indigenous cultural communities
within the framework of national unity and development;
WHEREAS, consistent with its commitment in the
1987 Constitution, the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act
(IPRA) of 1997, the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights , the United Nations Decimation on the Rights of
Indigenous Peoples and other international human rights
instruments to which it is a Party, the State, with due
recognition of their distinct characteristics and identity,
accord to the members of the Indigenous Peoples (IPs)/
Indigenous Cultural Communities (ICCs) the rights,
protections and privileges enjpyed by the rest of the
citizens;
WHEREAS, the Stale recognizes and respects
the indigenous political structures and commits itself to
enforce and guarantee the realization of the fundamental
rights and freedoms of the IPs/ICCs, including the right
of suffrage, taking into consideration their customs,
traditions, values, beliefs, interests and institutions;
WHEREAS, the Commission on Human Rights of
the Philippines (CHRP) has identifed the IPs/ICCs as one
of the sectors most vulnerable to disenfranchisement;
WHEREAS, upon the request of civil society
organizations (CSOs), the Commission on Elections
(COMELEC) convened the Inter-Agency, NGO and
PO Network on Empowering the Indigenous Peoples
(IPs) in the Electoral Processes on 11 January 2012 to
help the Commission formulate policies to afford IPs
greater access to the electoral processes, including the
registration process;
WHEREAS, the National Commission on Indigenous
Peoples (NCIP), as the primary government agency
responsible for the formulation and implementation of
policies, plans and programs to recognize, protect and
promote the rights of ICCs/IPs, committed to support
COMELEC's initiative to increase the accessibility of the
electoral processes, as a means of empowering the IPs;
WHEREAS, Resolution No. 9149
1
as amended by
Resolution No. 9168,
2
provides the basic procedures
for the system of continuing registration for Non-ARMM
areas and fxes the date of application for registration
from 3 May 2011 to 31 October 2012;
NOW, THEREFORE, by.virtue of the powers vested
in it by the Constitution, the Omnibus Election Code,
Republic Act No 8189 and other related election laws, the
Commission on Elections has RESOLVED, as it hereby
RESOLVES, to promulgate the following guidelines in
Ihe registration of qualifed registrants who are members
of the Indigenous Cultural Communities (ICCs) or
Indigenous Peoples (IPs).
Section 1. Coverage. These Guidelines shall
govern the applications for registration, transfer, transfer
with reactivation, reactivation, correction/change of
entries and validation of registration records of all
qualifed voters, who are members of Indigenous Cultural
Communities (ICCs) or Indigenous Peoples (IPs) as
defned in Section 2 hereof.
Section 2. Defnition of Indigenous Cultural
Communities (ICCs) or Indigenous Peoples (IPs).
Indigenous Cultural Communities (ICCs) or Indigenous
Peoples (IPs)
3
shall refer to a group of people or
homogenous societies identifed by self-ascription and
ascription by others, who have continuously lived
as organized community on communally bounded
and defned territory, and who have, under claims of
ownership since time immemorial, occupied, possessed
and utilized such territories, sharing common bonds
of language, customs, traditions and other distinctive
cultural traits, or who have, through, resistance to
political, social and cultural inroads of colonization, non-
indigenous religions and cultures, became historically
differentiated from the majority of Filipinos;
lCCs/lPs shall likewise include peoples who arc
regarded as indigenous on account of their descent
from the populations which inhabited the country, at
the time of conquest or colonization, or at the time of
inroads of non-indigenous religions and cultures, or the
establishment of present state boundaries, who retain
some or all of their own social, economic, cultural and
political institutions, but who may have been displaced
from their traditional domains or who may have resettled
outside their ancestral domains.
Section 3. Procedure tor Registration; Proof of
Identity. The applicant shall personally appear before
the Election Offcer (EO), state his name and exact
address, specifying the house number, name of the
street, area, district, purok or sitio, and barangay where
he resides, or a brief description of his residence,
The applicant shall present any of the following
identifcation: documents that bears his photograph and
signature:
1. Current employees identifcation card (ID), with
the signature of the employer or authorized
representative;
2. Postal ID;
3. Students ID or library card, signed by the school
authority;
4. Senior Citizens ID;
5. Drivers license;
6. NBI/PNP clearance;
7. Passport;
8. SSS/GSIS ID;
9. Integrated Bar of the Philippine (IBP) ID;
10. License issued by the Professional Regulatory
Commission (PRC);
11. Certifcate of Confrmation issued by the
National Commission on Indigenous Peoples
(NCIP); and
12. Any other valid ID
Community Tax Certifcates (cedula) or certifcations/
identifcation cards issued by barangay offcials are not
honored as valid identifcation documents.
4

Section 4. Proof of identity other than by
identifcation card. - If the registrant has no valid
identifcation card, he may be identifed under oath
before die EO using the Affdavit of Identifcation
5
by any
registered voter of the precinct or any of his relatives
within the fourth civil degree of consanguinity or affnity.
No registered voter or relative shall be allowed to
identify applicants more than three (3) times.
6
The form shall, as much as practicable, be
translated into the local languages and/or dialects
commonly used in the area.
Section 5. Procedures if registrant has no
identifcation document or is not properly identifed.
- If, at the time of registration, the applicant has no valid
identifcation card as enumerated in Section 3, or is
not identifed pursuant to Section 4 hereof, he will not
be issued application form or his prc-accomplished
application form shall not be acepted.
Section 6. Filling-up the Registration Forms.
The registrant belonging to the IP community shall fll-
up the pertinent Supplementary Data in Annex "C of
the Registration Form.
7
If the registrant is a person with disability (PWD) at
the same time, such fact shall likewise be indicated in
the Supplementary Data for PWDs in Annex C of the
Registration form as provided in COMELEC Resolution
No. 9220.
Section 7. Assistance in the accomplishment
of application form. - An applicant for registration
who is a member of an ICC or IP, who cannot by
himself accomplish an application for registration,
shall he assisted by the EO in the preparation of his
application form, or by any member of an accredited
Citizens arm, or a relative within the fourth civil degree
of consanguinity or affnity, or by any person of his
confdence who belongs to the same household.
The assistor shall accomplish three (3) copies of
the Certifcation/Attestation (Annex C of COMELEC
Resolution No. 9149) and in no case assist more than
three (3) times, except the EO. All assistors must be of
voting age.
The Commission shall identify and tap the
accredited Citizens aim groups to implement the
provisions of these Guidelines, and shall provide for
sensitization trainings to familiarize them with the
application form and help prepare them for assistorial
duties.
Section 8. Updating of Records of IPs. -
Members of the indigenous communities who have
previously registered but have not indicated the name of
the IP community to which he belongs shall be allowed
to update his registration records, and to indicate his
tribe or commuhity using the Supplementary Data Form
for IPs found in Annex C of the Registration Form. If
the applicant is also a PWD, he shall likewise fll-up
the Supplementary Data Form for PWDs found in the
Annex C of the Registration Form.
Section 9. Information. - All EOs are enjoined to
post notice in their offces, and in public places where
satellite registrations are held, instructing IPs to fll-up
the Supplementary Data Form for IPs and the manner
of flling-up the same.
Section 10. Update on the Software. - The
Information, and Technology Department (ITD) shall
endeavor to update the existing software application
to ensure that data on IPs can be recorded, generated
and analyzed. The ITD shall coordinate with the EOs
concerning the proper encoding of the data.
Section 11. Generation of Data - The EO shall
generate data on registered IPs for the sole purpose
of determining policy directions for more inclusive and
accessible electoral processes for the sector. The said
data shall be submitted to the ITD every three months
from the start of the registration period. The ITD shall
immediately consolidate the data on the national level
and submit the same to the Election Records and
Statistics Division (ERSD). The ERSD shall generate
statistics on the demographics and other pertinent
information involving the IPs throughout the country.
The statistics generated shall be made accessible to
concerned government offces, accredited citizens
arms and other organizations that promote the rights
of the IPs, subject to specifc guidelines to protect the
privacy of the individuals concerned.
Section 12. Effectivity. This Resolution shall take
effect immediately after its publication in two (2) daily
newspapers of general circulation in the Philippines.
Section 13. Dissemination. The Education and
Information Department shall cause the publication of
this Resolution in two (2) daily newspapers of general
circulation, give the same the widest dissemination
possible and furnish copies thereof to the Regional
Directors, Provincial Election Supervisors and EOs.
Section 14. Implementation. - The Offce of the
Executive Director is directed to cause the effective
implementation of this Resolution. For the May 13, 2013
National and Local Elections, COMELEC shall pilot this
policy/resolution in at least sixteen (16) pilot areas with
at least one (1) pilot area in every Region where there
are IPs. The pilot areas shall be chosen in coordination
and consultation with the NCIP and the Inter-Agency,
NGO and PO Network on Empowering the IPs in the
Electoral Processes.
SO ORDERED.
SIXTO S. BRILLANTES, JR.
Chairman
RENE V. SARMIENTO LUCENITO N. TAGLE
ARMANDO C. VELASCO ELIAS R. YUSOPH
CHRISTIAN ROBERT S. LIM
Commissioner
___________
1
Promulgated on 22 February 2011 "Rules and Regulations For
the Resumption of the System of Continuing Registration and
Validation of Records in Non-ARMM Areas,"
2
Promulgated on 22 March 2011
3
Sec. 3 (h) Republic Act No. 8371 otherwise known as the
indigenous Peoples Rights Act of 1997.
4
COMELEC Resolution No. 9149 Sec. 8 (a).
5
See attached Affdavit of Identifcation.
6
COMELEC Resolution No. 9149, Sec. 8 (a).
7
Annex "C" shall be redesigned to include Supplementary
Data for IP registrants.
(MST-May 19, 2012)
Hacienda
all but lost
to farmers
AGRARIAN Reform Secre-
tary Virgilio de los Reyes on
Friday led the rst step to iden-
tify and validate the names of
6,296 farm workers of Haci-
enda Luisita who are qualied
to own parcels of land under
the Comprehensive Agrarian
Reform Program.
De los Reyes said he eld-
ed 150 personnel in 10 baran-
gays of Hacienda Luisita to
start the validation process.
The Department of Agrar-
ian Reform will interview po-
tential beneciaries in batch-
es, using the interview stubs
indicating the date of their
appointment for an interview.
Even if Hacienda Luista
will question Land Banks
valuation of its property,
land distribution will go on
as mandated by an April 24
Supreme Court order. cre-
tary for Legal Affairs An-
thony Parungao told report-
ers. Rio Ar aja
Opinion Adelle Chua, Editor
ManilaStandardToday
mst.lettertotheeditor@gmail.com MAY 19, 2012 SATURDAY
A4
THAT a single bean, miniscule and
lowly, could spawn a stalk so tall it
pierces the heavens could only happen
in two places: the land of fairy tales
and the realm of Philippine politics.
In the rst, it is simply the product
of the imagination; in the second, as
Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago and
other senators claim, it is the result of
machination.
It would have been more apt for the
pages of childrens books; somehow,
it found itself in the ofcial records
of the Senate impeachment court.
Harvey Keh, self-styled advocate for
good governance and exposed seeker
of opportunities for self-promotion
through a complaint based on
documents, the authenticity of which
remains in questionhas caused the
entire bureaucracy to churn, turn, and
disgorge evidence against the chief
magistrate of the land.
Keh, who has been depicted in
direct examination as lacking in
knowledge and judgment of both law
and etiquette, caused competent and
credible agencies to move concertedly
in the same direction: the Ombudsman
to investigate and threaten another
round of impeachment in case of an
acquittal; the Anti-Money Laundering
Council to release information without
a proper court order as customary; and
the Commission on Audit to le its
observations relative thereto.
It is democracy at its nest. A few
good men, tax payers and civil society
members, have planted the seeds
of reform and saw them grow almost
overnight. We should all feel warm
and fuzzy inside, except that amid the
chilling effect of a cold, calculated plot,
we do not.
The story is much too fantastic to be
reassuring and unlike in ction, disbelief,
logic, and law cannot be suspended in a
case that will decide not just the fate of
one man but of an entire nation.
Men of law have critiqued this tale
when it was launched in December of
last year. Not many had listened.
Roan Libarios, president of the
countrys organization of lawyers, the
Integrated Bar of the Philippines, rst
warned of its chilling effect. Manila
Regional Trial Court Judges Association
president Antonio Eugenio likened the
author behind the plot to Adolf Hitler,
acting by sheer numbers and on the
basis of popularity. Constitutionalist
Joaquin Bernas referred to the same
man as the Philippines version of
dictator Fidel Castro.
Now, the story unfolds as predicted,
setting precedents irreversibly. Because
it sells, there will be sequels, more
villains to be written off one after
the other; more Harvey Kehs eager
to play their part, and an all-knowing,
all-powerful author to tie everything
together.
A fairy-tale reality
A looming trade war
THERE was an interesting ex-
change of views between Albay
Gov. Joey Salceda and Employers
Confederation of the Philippines
president Miguel Varela on the
formers proposal to boycott Chi-
nese products.
This, after the Peoples Repub-
lic of China blocked the entry of
Philippine bananas, leaving them to
rot at the piers. As if to show they
mean business, the Chinese also
stopped their travel agencies from
booking package tours to the Philip-
pines. First to feel
the Chinese mus-
cle-exing were
hotels in the re-
sort island of Bo-
racay which re-
ported several
cancellations.
There was
feedback on
whether Filipi-
nos can live without cheap Chinese
products. The instant response of
viewers was a 94 percent Yes, We
Can do without the ubiquitous Chi-
nese goods.
The feedback supports Salcedas
draconian stand triggered by the ter-
ritorial dispute and standoff at Scar-
borough Shoal.
It would do well to know Sal-
cedas credentials. He is not your
ordinary jingoist waving the sun-
and-stars banner. He is a former
congressman who represented the
province of Albay. Salceda is an
economist and management consul-
tant.
When Varela fudged on his an-
swers about whether Filipinos can
live without Chinese trade and in-
vestment, Salceda cited gures to
show that based on the Chineses
own ofcial trade statistics, the to-
tal trade between the Peoples Re-
public of China and the Philippines
is around $34 billion. The gures of
the Department of Trade and Indus-
try place Philippine exports at a little
over $12 billion, almost equal the
Chinese, for a total of $24 billion.
Salceda asked and answered
his own question. If total trade is
$34 billion, then the difference can
only be explained as smuggled Chi-
nese goods. This is a claim vali-
dated by the frequent apprehen-
sion of smuggled Chinese goods by
Customs and other law enforcement
agencies.
These smuggled Chinese goods
priced cheap in the local market in-
clude onions and garlic, meat, toxic
school supplies, tainted milk, can-
dies (the popular White Rabbit), fake
Tsing Tao beer, fake designer goods
which can be found at 168 in Divi-
soria, etc. The list goes on and on
and Filipinos seem to be addicted to
these Chinese-made products.
The Chinese are not entirely to
blame. The entry and prolifera-
tion of these illegal products can
only be attributed to corrupt Cus-
toms ofcials who are supposed to
safeguard our national interests but
are doing otherwise.
When Varela also expressed con-
cern for our Filipino workers de-
ployed in mainland China, Salceda
said they number only over 8,000
and their remittances amounted to
$21 million. As an aside, he said:
Chief Justice Corona has more than
that in his bank accounts.
Arguing on the side of caution
and the better part of valor, Varela
said diplomacy is still our best op-
tion as we dont
stand a chance in
an armed confron-
tation with our gi-
ant neighbor.
We have been
pursuing the path
of diplomacy for
almost 20 years in
our dispute over
the Spratlys but
so far, only the Chinese have been
making advances, Salcedo said,
pointing out that the Chinese have
built a garrison and an air strip in
one of the disputed shoals and are
now also banning Filipinos from
fishing near Scarborough Shoal.
Salcedo also addressed Varelas
concern about the inow of Chinese
investments. He cited the combined
investments of Lucio Tan, John Go-
kongwei, Henry Sy and other Chi-
nese Filipino businessmen in main-
land China.
What about the almost one mil-
lion Filipino workers deployed in
the Chinese territories of Hong
Kong and Macau?
There are a billion Chinese in the
mainland, why dont they send them
to replace Filipino workers in inter-
national hotel chains and our domes-
tics in Hong Kong and Macau? Sal-
ceda asked.
Again, he answered his own
question: International hotel
chains need English-speaking staff
from the front desk to the cham-
ber maids. There is even a lan-
guage barrier between the mostly
Fookienese-speaking Hong Kong/
Macau Chinese and the Mandarin-
tongued mainlanders.
One can also presume the na-
tional security aspect of ood-
ing Hong Kong and Macau with Chi-
nese mainlanders. Beijing allows a
small measure of freedom to the peo-
ple of Hong Kong and Macau under
a capitalist system that generates bil-
lions of dollars for Chinas foreign re-
serves. But to allow the mainlanders
to be infected by the air of freedom
in Hong Kong and Macau is a con-
cern the virus might nd its
way back to the mainland.
EDITORIAL
End game
OMBUDSMAN Conchita Carpio-
Morales on the witness stand during Chief
Justice Renato Coronas impeachment
trial was the bomb! Her testimony
shocked and made not a few people
believe in the chief justices guilt. This
was the prosecutions end game.
I felt my eyes widening as the
Ombudsman rattled off the alleged
Coronas bank transactions. Eighty-two
bank accounts involving the staggering
amount of about $18 million! Thats at
least P756 million using present exchange
rates. This must be it, I told myself.
After all, it was the Ombudsman
testifying and the records came from the
Anti-Money Laundering Council. These
are two unassailable sources.
I thought that with this development,
if there was an explanation, only the CJ
would be able to adequately do that.
However, as I continued watching,
questions not answered during the
proceedings came to mind. So did
observations about the manner the
Ombudsmans testimony was given,
including her demeanor.
These sobered me and made me
go back to my original stance: Hear
everything rst and suspend making
conclusions until the whole thing is over.
There is no question that the
Ombudsman came for war. She was
combative with the defense lawyers and
a number of senator-judges. At some
point, I thought that her being testy was
unnecessary and only conrmed her being
a hostile witness.
The Ombudsman said that the AMLC
sent her the records of alleged bank
transactions of the chief justice. It is
interesting that she also provided the
House Speaker with a copy. Asked why,
she answered that it was for a possible
second impeachment complaint in
December, if the House so decides.
As an ordinary political observer, this
told me that the Ombudsman wants the
chief justice convicted.
Senator-Judge Alan Peter Cayetano
said that Senate requests for records in
relation with its own investigations were
repeatedly turned down by the AMLC.
What, then, was so special about the
Ombudsmans request that records were
even hand-delivered by the Councils
executive director?
Senator-Judge Gringo Honasan
propounded more pointed questions about
the Ombudsmans actions that to me, were
not adequately answered. Honasan asked
if the Ombudsman also requested similar
records for other cases pending with her
ofce and if AMLC has released similar
records for these cases.
Answers to Honasans questions
could have helped us understand if the
Ombudsman and AMLC were treating
the CJs case like other case or if there is
an unusual interest on this one.
So I wondered why no one from
the defense or the Senate impeachment
court wanted to summon the AMLC.
It is the source of the documents and
questions about contents, and about the
circumstances of the release of these
documents, can best be answered by the
council.
As the alleged bank transactions of
the chief justice were being presented,
besides being shocked at the volume of
moneys, I found it unusual that many of
the transactions involved amounts that
went down to the last centavo. I presume
that regular banking persons typically
make withdrawals in round gures
because it is easier. Unless, of course, one
is paying bills through banks. What kinds
of transactions was the CJ doing then?
It should be emphasized that the
AMLC only released the records of
alleged bank transactions but the analysis
and observation were done by the
Commission on Audits Heidi Mendoza.
Thus, the observations that Coronas
transactions involved $18 million and
82 bank accounts all in his name were
the commissions. Unfortunately, such
OBSERVATIONS were understood by
many as CONCLUSIONS.
Eighteen million dollars in 82 accounts
is unimaginable! This is damning. BUT,
as said, it is an observation. Thus, it can
be right or wrong.
The chief justice is not dumb. Or is he?
Why would anyone involved in money
laundering put the transactions under his
or her name? When one of the prosecution
spokesperson was asked about this, he
could only say that in the commission of
crimes, mistakes are bound to happen. If
this is so, then Corona must be dumber
than ordinary criminals.
The more I think about the
Ombudsmans testimony, the more
questions crop up and the more I want
to closely listen to the chief justices
testimony.
The end game for the defense is
coming. The chief justice has a lot of
explaining to do. Even the prosecution
says that his conviction or acquittal
heavily lies in his testimony.
I can only hope that the people and
senator-judges are still willing to hear him
out. Give him his day in court. That is
what justice is about.
eangsioco@yahoo.com and @
bethangsioco on Twitter
Governor Salceda
knows what he is
saying.
ELIZABETH
ANGSIOCO
POWER POINT
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DEL ROSARIO
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TODAY
CLIMACO E. CALIWARA Controller
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A5 Opinion Adelle Chua, Editor
ManilaStandardToday
mst.lettertotheeditor@gmail.com
OMBUDSMAN Conchita Carpio-
Morales unabashed eagerness to
ingratiate herself to the President
resulted in two things: She demeaned
the stature of her ofce and violated
the right of a person to due process of
law.
What puts a bad taste into ones
mouth is that she and her cabal of
what many suspect are crackpots feel
they stand above the law. If not this,
they see the law as their instrument to
punish those whom they perceive as
corrupt elements in their hypocritical
tuwid na daan. What Ombudsman
Morales did was all
for show.
She appeared
serious. After all
she had all those
illegally furnished
raw documents
supplied by Vicente
Aquino of the Anti-
Money Laundering
Council who,
like her, takes on the same level of
arrogance as standing above the law.
Expectedly, that drew restorms
both from the members of the Senate
impeachment court and from people
who still bother to use their common
sense. Maybe they know the role of
the Ombudsman, but certainly they
doubt much that her motivation was in
pursuit of what the law mandates her
to do. Her action is an attempt to pass
on her duty to the Senate impeachment
court, for it to continue in mercilessly
destroying the reputation of the
accused chief justice in a trial by
publicity.
To begin with, under the
Constitution, the Ombudsman, by
her own accord, as protector of
the people, shall act promptly on
complaints led in any form or
manner against public ofcials or
employees of the government, or any
subdivision, agency or instrumentality
thereof, including government-owned
and controlled corporations, and
shall, in appropriate cases, notify the
complainants of the action taken and
the result thereof. (Section 12, Article
XI of the Constitution). Given that
vast and encompassing powers, many
are puzzled why Ombudsman Morales
allowed her position, not to say the
dignity of her ofce as a constitutional
body, to be demoted by submitting
itself to an ad hoc impeachment court.
Many are in a quandary because the
power which drove her to deliriously
act with alacrity is equivalent to a
blanket authority to deal with any form
of venalities in government by mere
complaint even from anonymous
persons.
Many were surprised why she
rushed herself to the public gallery
when she could have done her job
better by investigating and ling
complaints if she nds any prima facie
evidence against Chief Justice Corona.
If there are legal limitations that could
prevent her now from ling them,
then she should, as a matter of judicial
abeyance, wait because observance of
the judicial process is pivotal to the
dispensation of justice and that goes
even to any man on the street. But as
the thinking public could see it now,
her attempt to shortcut the process was
a consciously sorted out conspiracy to
destroy the reputation of Corona by
way of trial by publicity.
Similarly, that local administrator
of AMLC cannot just hand out left
and right records of bank deposits and
transactions as though he is handing out
condominium iers. The Ombudsman
and her cabal of self-righteous people
know they are obligated to rst
le a complaint much that by their
grotesque incompetence, they failed to
include that particular offense in their
impeachment complaint. Ombudsman
Morales has
lost her honing
skill to legally
interpret things,
entertaining the
thought that
the members of
the Senate will
grill Corona,
and not the one
who supplied
her those
questionable evidence. This is what
that zealot Senator Franklin Drilon is
now doing.
Like the head of the Commission
on Audit, Heidi Mendoza, and
that self-styled crusader of Kaya
Natin Movement, Harvey Keh,
the campaign to malign Corona is
now revealed as a well-orchestrated
demolition job. This may be because
the Aquino government knows the
impeachment court is not obligated
to observe the rudiments of judicial
procedures as done in the regular
courts. It is more on how they could
sway those senator-judges to act by
the impulse of their loyalty. They
always count on public sentiment,
exploiting their lust for blood by
the constant barrage of lies and
propaganda to put pressure on the
senator-judges to finally convict
Corona. But that has visibly
backfired. Ombudsman Morales
not only destroyed the credibility of
her accusations, but that razed to the
ground the institution she represents.
This is the point the feisty Senator
Miriam-Santiago wanted to nail
deep into the head of Morales.
More than that, Morales created
a constitutional crisis, for should the
Senate impeachment court strike
off from the record her testimony or
throw into the dust bin her alleged
evidence, that could mean that the
constitutional body she represents
has been by-passed and overruled
by an ad hoc body. It could be most
embarrassing because she effectively
allowed herself to be reduced into
a mere stooge. In that instance, the
impeachment court would have acted
well within its jurisdictional domain to
decide on the evidence brought before
it.
The only unfortunate thing would
be that it was brought in by the
Ombudsman herself.
rodkap@yahoo.com.ph
What happened
to the Ombudsman?
DEAN TONY
LA VIA
EAGLE EYES
ROD
P. KAPUNAN
BACKBENCHER
New Mobility alliance for Metro Manila
BY NOW anyone who has followed
this columns discussions of New
Mobility (this is the nal column of a
series of seven) would be sufciently
fami l i ar wi t h i t : t he concept s of
sustainability, equity, and exibility
in getting around the city; a shift in
emphasis from relying on private cars
to the exibility of choosing from a
myriad of multimodal, seamlessly
interconnected mobility options; a shift
in thinking from the luxury of driving
to the convenience of walking, biking,
taking the bus or train, car-sharing.
Doubt may still persist, though. In
the face of the daunting task of bringing
the proverbial order to chaos, its too
easy to be pessimistic. When CNNGos
Worst Cities to Drive In survey
ranked Manila as third worst, and
Metro Manila Development Authority
Chairman Francis Tolentino criticized
this survey, kibitzing citizens and
even a few professional commentators
lamented his reaction, with words
to the effect of in denial used,
and challenged him and the rest of
government to (again, words to the
effect) show political will.
Political will in what? Build up road
capacity, enforce traffic discipline,
crack down on colorum transports and
smoke belcherseverything we have
heard year after year when it comes
to tackling Metro Manila trafc. And
in defense of Chairman Tolentino, he
is pressing forward on a number of
solutions: already we have the Unied
Ticketing Scheme, motorcycle lanes,
and reforms to Metro bus transport
services. In the meanwhile, I would
encourage MMDA to continue ghting
tooth and nail for improvements like
Bus Rapid Transit networks, protected
bicycle lanes and making the streets
of Metro Manila pedestrian-friendly.
This while advising caution on plans
like the proposed Skybridge, whose
construction work will be disruptive
in the short run and will promote more
street-jamming cars in the long run.
What about us, though? Beyond
pointing out the problem, what can
we do to provide solutions (a theme
I always reiterate in any governance
forum or arena)? We citizens can
provide even a small part of the
solution, but it may be the more
efcient, long-term answer to Manila
trafc than the Skybridge, however
necessary it may be.
Thankfully, there are those who
refuse to back down in the face of doubt.
The work of the Ateneo School of
Government in arranging conferences
and meetings on New Mobility, and
sponsoring research into transport and
mobility habits at various levels (from
community to city) provides a platform
for other like-minded groups to gather,
network, and exchange ideas.
In t he l ast such meet i ng, t he
Non-Mot ori zed Transport Forum
and Mapping Workshop last April
21st, our New Mobility team had
at t ract ed such groups as Fi refl y
Brigade, Marikina Bikeways, CYCAD
(Cycling Advocates), and Bikes for
the Philippines, which aim to promote
bike use as a viable alternative to
cars, especially for the masses. A
couple of attendees came from the
Filipino volunteer community of
OpenStreetMap, a global effort to create
a user-contributed, user-friendly map
of the world. Their technologies and
collaboration could help todays Metro
Manileo successfully navigate the very
chaos deplored by CNNGo, promoting
such habits as (alternative) route
planning and mappingespecially
locating the various commuter, biking,
and pedestrian options available. Many
others also came and contributed their
ideas.
As Ive noted before, such groups
provide a counterculture to the prevalent
paradigm of private vehicle use. Yet
they also provide the potential nucleus
of an alliance: of bikers, pedestrian
advocat es, l eaders of resi dent i al
communities and business districts,
t ransport provi ders, i nnovat ors,
inventors, and entrepreneurs, those
who have a stake in a free-flowing
Metro, who can help provide integrated
and smart solutionsif only we had
the personal will, and the opportunity
to unite our efforts.
Therefore, the challenge is now
upon the citizens of Metro Manila:
to unite in favor of our megacity, a
coalition to press for people mobility-
fri endl y sol ut i ons not j ust from
government, but from the transport
service providers, too; a cooperative to
develop community-level solutions like
work-based car-pooling; a company to
implement innovations like rental car
and bike-sharing, freely-accessible
trafc and transport information on the
web and from our cell phonesall we
have discussed in previous columns,
and more. Its time for an alliance for
mobility, and for Metro Manila.
Not just political will, but personal
will: its time to become part of the
solution.
The Facebook founder
who unfriended America
Bloomberg View
FACEBOOKS initial public
offering reminds us of a story.
Once upon a time, there was a
young man who fled his homeland
(Brazil) because his life was in
danger (kidnappers). Like so many
before him, he came to the United
States. There, in the safety of the
freest, most dynamic country on
earth, he got a superb education
(Harvard), the opportunity to
exercise his entrepreneurial zeal
(Facebook)and the protections of
the United States legal system to
safeguard the fruits of his labor.
That man is Eduardo Saverin,
age 30, co-founder of Facebook
and someone who stands to be
worth about $2.89 billion when
the companys shares are loosed
on the world this week. Hes also
someone who, coincidentally, has
renounced his US citizenship in
exchange for residency in Singapore.
Singapore has much to commend
it. Superb food. Clean streets. Lush
plant life. It also has very favorable
rates of taxation on capital gains
zero percent versus 15 percent in the
US.
It seems fair to ask, then,
if Saverin switched national
allegiances to avoid US taxes. He
says he filed his papers to give up
citizenship in January 2011 and that
the move had nothing to do with
taxes. And we take him at his word.
But the timing of the newsthe
IRS released his name April 30 as
part of its quarterly publication of
Individuals Who Have Chosen to
Expatriatehas raised the issue,
and the circumstantial math is
compelling: Saverins move could
save him $67 million in federal
taxes, according to Bloomberg.
One can believe, as we do, in free
markets, open borders, and the need
for goods and capital, human and
otherwise, to flow across them with
ease, and still feel mildly unsettled
by Saverins decisionjust as
we find it discomfiting when US
corporations contort themselves to
seek out overseas tax havens.
A debt is owed to the country
you call home, whether you were
born here or arrived under duress.
Arguably, that debt is deepened if
the freedoms your country afforded
you helped create the conditions for
your success.
Whatever you want to say
about US tax ratesand we have
argued for reform and a flattening
and simplifying of ratesthey
are our tax rates, the ones our
balky democracy has put in place.
And whatever you want to say
about Mark Zuckerberg, Facebooks
boss, he made the choice to pay his
taxes in Californiahis golden,
struggling, adopted state, whose
coffers he is sure to enrich.
As for Saverin, well, it would
have been nice if hed made a similar
choice. Since he didnt, perhaps
the best we can wish for him now
is a longer than normal wait at US
customs.
There could be
no other motive.
CCTV in our gateways
By Joselito B. Capario
TO CLAIM that closed circuit
television cameras cannot prevent
the commission of a crime is no
good reason for not repairing
malfunctioned ones, or installing the
same equipment for security at the
Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
Such belief would not help cover
the evident lapses. At the outset, our
prime gateway to the world deserves
the highest security attention from
our concerned authorities.
The recent encounter between
Raymart Santiago/ Claudine
Barretto and company and Mon Tulfo
revealed the true state of security
at the Naia, notwithstanding the
airports image as one of the worst
in the world as per international Web
sites. What really transpired, how
everything started, in the absence of
witnesses to that effect, cannot be
determined because Big Brother
was nowhere to be found at the area.
The presence of a private security
service provider did not help that
much to prevent the taking of the
movie-like scene, either.
Airports are vulnerable to all
forms of threats. Any untoward
incident thereat, may it be great or
small, will be a talk of the town
that will surely affect the image
of the country. Laxity in security
could lead to bombing, hostage
taking, mass killing, and other acts
of terrorism - all detrimental to our
political and economic standing.
Paramount concern should thus be
given to a public place where the
influx of people on a daily basis
calls for vigilance and stringent
security.
We cannot do away with itthe
latest technology especially in the
field of security. It is not about
an old yet continuing debate on
prevention versus reaction over
CCTVs. It is about the issue on
tighter security measures being
implemented in our transportation
and communications facilities,
government offices, and other vital
installations. The installation of
modern security equipment like the
CCTV cameras is an innovation that
has proven beneficial in our midst.
Personal privacy is of no moment
where national security is at stake.
What matters most is the great
advantage these powerful eyes could
contribute to our daily security,
and to the possible prevention of
any undesirable circumstances that
might endanger our own persons and
property. Naia Terminal 3 should
have functioning CCTV cameras, at
the very least.
The solution is changing the
perception on CCTVs, both of the
government authorities and private
security agencies. Potentials of the
equipment are not limited to being
an instrument for investigation
purposes, for simple viewing or
screening after an incident happened
or an offense committed, or for
regular monitoring and inspection
of the given space. CCTVs would
serve their best purpose beyond such
routine work, from being a reactive
instrument to being a pro-active tool
to thwart all future threats to human
lives and properties.
Best practices would show how
important CCTVs are in the areas
of strategic and tactical planning,
monitoring of crime and similar
incidents, responding to disaster
and other emergency situation, and
more importantly, preventing any
possible attacks.
Effective CCTV monitoring
plus security coordination led to
the successful recovery of the
laptop of Senator Edgardo M.
Angara sometime in May 2005
which was accidently left in one
of the comfort rooms at the House
of Representatives. Legislative
Security Bureau personnel easily
apprehended the suspect before
leaving the premises. Thanks to
CCTVs and to House security
personnel! Total consummation of
the crime was averted.
The City of Makati has been
using CCTVs in its Command,
Communication and Control Center,
or the Makati C3, in protecting the
city and its residents. The Metro
Manila Development Authority
has also installed the cameras
in strategic locations of the
metropolis for traffic planning and
management. And almost all entities
have followed through.
Reengineering Naias security and
facilities is but a rst step towards
making the public safer and more
comfortable. CCTV acquisition and
expansion are vital in this aspect. It
is critical that Naia should always
heed the time-honored adage that
prevention is better than cure in
dealing with the airports security.
The author works at the
Legislative Security Bureau of the
House of Representatives.
Everyman is Manila Standard
Todays new column for citizens
commentary on pressing issues in
the Philippines and in the world.
Anybody who feels he or she has
something of value to add to the
discussion on the pertinent issue is
encouraged to contribute.
Articles must be between 600
and 800 words. Please send them in
MS Word or any compatible format
to adellechua@gmail.com or mst.
lettertotheeditor@gmail.com
EVERYMAN
News
ManilaStandardToday
mst.daydesk@gmail.com MAY 19, 2012 SATURDAY
A6

IN BRIEF
PNoy was fooled, doctors say
Abalos bail petition still
hanging after 7 hearings
GMA Films wins suit
over television movies
Stable prices. Trade and Industry Secretary Gregory, Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim, Trade Undersecretary Zenaida
Maglaya and Divisoria Vendors Association ofcer-in-charge Dulce Tablizo stores in Divisoria, Manila to check on the
prices of school supplies which remained stable ahead of the opening of classes.
Fil-Chi group adopts Tondo villages. The Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers
of Commerce and Industry Inc. will adopt two barangays in Tondo, Manila and computerize
medical records and the prescription systrem of its health centers. FFCCCII president Tan
Ching (3rd from left) signed the agreement with Dennis Torres, president of AAA Patient
Record Expert Inc. (2nd from left) along with FFCCCII vice president Domingo Yap (extreme
right) and Freddie Santos, AAA PRX Director for Marketing (extreme left).
Several roads closed for repair, games
We are greatly saddened that our be-
loved President Aquino may have been fed
erroneous information by some people at the
Department of Transportation and Commu-
nication on the real status of these allegedly
erring PETCs, said PMA governor for Ma-
nila Dr. Leo Olarte.
Upon investigation we found out that
most of these supposedly padlocked PETCs
remains operational as of today and has nev-
er been physically closed despite a revoca-
tion order dated October 2010 from Land
Transportation Ofce chief Virginia Tor-
res, Olarte added.
The President, relying on a supposedly
veried information from the DOTC, made
a public statement in front of students and
national media last February 16 during his
Pulong Bayan ng Pangulo at La Consola-
cion College, Manila that his government
closed these erring PETCs but in reality
it was padlocked only in paper and not in
actuality, the physician said.
Olarte said the PMA, which has iniated
a public health campaign for clean air, met
with DOTC Secretary Mar Roxas several
weeks ago and he also announced the same
information.
May we humbly ask DOTC Land Trans-
portation Undersecretary Efren Moncopa
why this is so? Olarte added.
Land Transportation Ofce executive
director Alfonso Tan admitted that some of
the 22 PETCs that LTO had claimed to have
closed are still operating, but he did not say
how many were closed or are appealling
their closure.
LTO has ordered the revocation of 22
PETCs but these PETCs have appealed the
revocation orders to the DOTC. Under the
rules, revocation is not nal until an appeal
is resolved by the DOTC, Tan said.
Until now, the appeals are still pending
with the DOTC. Hence, it is true that some
are still operating since their appeal on the
revocation orders are still pending with the
DOTC, he said, but declined to comment
why the appeals have not been resolved.
The PMA threatened to sue the govern-
ment agencies for being remiss in the legis-
lative drive against air pollution.
Before a vehicle is registered with the
LTO, they are required to undergo emission
testing, which is conducted by the LTO Mo-
tor Vehicle Inspection System (MVIS) on
public utility vehicles while private vehicles
are tested at LTO-accredited PETCs.
But some PETCs imposed a much higher
fee for non-appearance testing which means
their vehicles need not be tested to be issued
a clearance.
The PMA slammed the rampant corrup-
tion in the LTO and the motor vehicle emis-
sion testing industry, branding them major
culprits in air pollution which has become a
clear and present danger to public health.
By Rio N. Araja
THE Metro Manila Development
Authority on Friday announced the
closure of several roads in the me-
tropolis due to scheduled road re-
pairs and the Iglesia ni Cristo Unity
Games which will be held at the
Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.
The MMDA said among the roads
that will be closed starting at 4 a.m. are:
Stretch of Roxas Blvd., southbound
lane from Katigbak to P.Ocampo;
Stretch of Adriatico from Pres.
Quirino to P. Ocampo north and
southbound;
Stretch of Pres. Quirino eastbound
from Roxas Blvd to Adriatico;
Stretch of Roxas Blvd., north-
bound from P. Ocampo to Pres. Quiri-
no; service road closed to trafc;
Stretch of Mabini from P. Oca-
mpo to Pres. Quirino.
The Department of Public Works
and Highways will also closing por-
tions of several major roads for re-
pair work.
The DPWH advises motorists and
the public to expect trafc build-up
in the following roads:
EDSA (northbound and south-
bound) Mandaluyong City
EDSA (northbound) going to
Cubao area, 1st and 2nd lane of ser-
vice road between Liberty and Main
Bonny Serrano Avenue, Quezon
City left lane corner EDSA and from
EDSA, in front of Veterans Bank
Regalado North, 2nd lane from
Bronx St. to Bristol St.
Fairview Avenue (southbound)
3rd lane from Atherton to Regalado
North
EDSA, Quezon City (north-
bound), 3rd lane from Corrigedor
Road to West Avenue
EDSA, Quezon City (south-
bound), 2nd lane from Cloverleaf to
Kaingin Road
A. Bonifacio Avenue outer
lane (northbound)
Araneta Avenue 2nd lane (north-
bound)
A.H. Lacson St., Sampaloc, Ma-
nila from Espaa to Piy Margal
R. Magsaysay Blvd., Sampaloc,
Manila from Sociego to Rotonda
By Macon Ramos-Araneta
THE Department of Transportation and
Communication purportedly deceived President
Simeon Benigno Aquino III into believing that 22
erring private emission testing centers have already
been closed for anomalous transactions when they are
actually still operational, according to the Philippine
Medical Association.
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND HIGHWAYS
OFFICE OF THE DISTRICT ENGINEER
Cagayan 2
nd
District Engineering Offce
Libertad, Abulug, Cagayan
I NVI TATI ON TO BI D
(MST-May 19, 2012)
CLUSTER NO. 2012-018
May 7, 2012
The Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) of the DPWH - Cagayan 2
nd
District Engineering
Offce (Cagayan 2
nd
DEO), Libertad, Abulug, Cagayan invites contractors to bid for
the aforementioned projects, viz:
1. Contract ID : 12BC0127
Contract Name : Construction of Chico River Flood Control Project
Location : Barangay Aquib Piat, Cagayan
Contract Duration : 240 cal. days

Brief Description : Flood Control/Hydraulics/River Control
Cost of Bid Docs. : Php 10,000.00
Approved Budget for the Contract : Php 19,034,832.18
Contract Name : Concreting of Farm-to-Market Road
Location : Barangay Libertad Abulug, Cagayan

Brief Description : RCP-Roads New Construction PCCP
Approved Budget for the Contract : Php 6,755,000.00
Contract Name : Concreting of Farm-to-Market Road
Location : Barangay Libertad and Simayung Abulug, Cagayan
Brief Description : RCP-Roads New Construction PCCP
Approved Budget for the Contract Php 5,790,000.00
The BAC will conduct this procurement process in accordance with the Revised
Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 9184. Bids in excess of
the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) shall be automatically rejected at the
opening of bid.
To bid for this contract, a contractor shall purchase bid documents and submit his
Letter of Intent and must meet the following major criteria: (a) prior registration with
the DPWH and the PhilGEPS, (b) Filipino citizen or 75% Filipino-owned partnership,
corporation, cooperative or joint venture, (c) with PCAB license applicable to the type
and cost of the contract, (d) completion of a similar contract costing at least 50% of
the ABC within a period of ten years, and (e) Net Financial Contracting Capacity at
least equal to ABC, or credit line commitment at least equal to 10% of the ABC. The
BAC will use non-discretionary pass/fail criteria in the eligibility check and preliminary
examination of bids.
Unregistered contractors, however, shall submit their applications for registration to
the DPWH-Central Procurement Offce (CPO) before the deadline for the receipt of
LOI. The DPWH-CPO will only process contractors application for registration with
complete requirements and issue the Contractors Certifcate of Registration (CRC).
Registration forms may be downloaded at the DPWH website: www.dpwh.gov.ph.
The signifcant times and deadlines of procurement activities are shown below:
1. Issuance of Bidding Documents 10:00AM- May 14, 2012 to June 5, 2012
2. Deadline: Receipt of LOI from
Prospective Bidders
10:00 AM, May 22, 2012
3. Pre Bidding Conference 10:30 AM May 22, 2012
4. Receipt of Bids- Deadline 10:00 AM, June 5, 2012
5. Opening of Bids 1:30 PM, June 5, 2012
The BAC will issue hard copies of Bidding Documents (BDs) at the Offce of the BAC
Chairman-DPWH- Cagayan 2
nd
DEO upon payment of a non-refundable fees as stated
above. Prospective bidders may also download the BDs from the DPWH Website.
Prospective bidders that will download the BDs from the DPWH website shall pay
the said fees on or before the submission of their bid. The pre-bid conference shall be
open only to interested parties who have purchased BDs. Bids must be accompanied
by a Bid Security in the amount and form as required under Section 27.2 of the revised
IRR of RA 9184.
Prospective bidders shall submit their duly accomplished forms as specifed in the BDs
in two (2) separate sealed bid envelopes to the offce of the BAC Chairman before
the deadline set above. The frst envelope shall contain the technical component of
the bid, which shall include a copy of the CRC and the updated PCAB license. The
second envelope shall contain the fnancial component of the bid. Contract will be
awarded to the Lowest Calculated Responsive Bid as determined in the bid evaluation
and post qualifcation.
Prospective contractors may be required to present the original copies of their PCAB
license and CRC during the bidding for authentication.
The DPWH-Cagayan 2
nd
DEO reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, and to
annul the bidding process at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring
any liability to the affected bidder/s.
Approved by:
(Sgd.) JAIME P. CATOLOS, JR.
Engineer III
Chairman-Bids and Awards Committee
Noted:
(Sgd.) JOSELITO T. ARAO
OIC-District Engineer
THE Court of Appeals ruled in favor of GMA
Network Films Inc. in a civil case the net-
work led against movie licensor and sup-
plier Ricardo Honrado.
The CAs Special Thirteenth Division
reversed and set aside the Regional Trial
Courts dismissal of the case owing to Honra-
dos violation of a television rights agreement
with GMA Films. The decision was written
by Associate Justice Stephen C. Cruz and
was issued last April 30.
In December 1998, GMA Films entered
into an agreement with Honrado covering 36
lms, which the latter offered for telecast.
The agreement states that the program
titles are subject to the approval of the Movie
and Television Review and Classication
Board. In the event of disapproval, a cen-
sored title must be replaced by the licensor
with a new title acceptable to both parties, or
a proportionate amount shall be deducted or
refunded from the total price.
In May 2003, GMA Films led a com-
plaint for payment and damages against Hon-
rado with the RTC for his refusal to refund
the payment for the movies Evangeline Ka-
torse and Bubot.
The former was initially rejected by GMA
Films so Honrado attempted to replace it with
the movie Winasak na Pangarap. However,
the replacement, being a bold lm, was also
deemed unacceptable for airing.
GMA Films also contended that only
P500,000 went to the owner of the movie
Bubot out of the P1.25 million paid by GMA
Films to Honrado.
GMA Films therefore demanded that Hon-
rado return the total amount of P2 million
representing the P1.25 million it paid for the
movie Evangeline Katorse and P750,000 as
balance from the amount Honrado received
for the lm Bubot. Rey Requejo
By Gigi Muoz David
and Ferdinand Fabella
FORMER poll chairman Benjamin Abalos
decried on Friday the delay in the resolution
of his bail petition led in court saying that
there appears to be a conspiracy between the
Department of Justice and the Commission
on Elections to prolong his incarceration.
There seems to be a conspiracy between
DoJ and Comelec to punish me and in order to
prolong my incarceration. They are ling dila-
tory motions. Something is wrong here, they are
missing out on the real culprits, Abalos said.
Abalos added that despite the agreement
reached in court last March 7 that if the pros-
ecution again fails to present witness, former
Comelec provincial supervisor Lilian Suan
Radam, during the hearing on March 28, the
prosecution are deemed to have waived its
right to present evidence for the bail hearing.
The delay defeats the summary nature
of his bail petition since it now appears that
my bail petition is being made contingent
on the resolution of DoJs motion to dis-
charge Radam, Abalos said.
Yesterdays hearing was the seventh
since Abalos led his bail petition at the
sala of Pasay RTC Branch 117 Judge Eu-
genio dela Cruz. The judge cancelled the
hearing yesterday and reset it to June 6 be-
cause the judge said he needed more time
to resolve pending motions.
He also said that he is studying all the pend-
ing motions carefully since some of them in-
volved complicated legal questions and he will
need more time to come up with his decision.
Abalos counsel Brigido Dulay for his part
said, the bail petition of my clients should
have been resolved within a months time.
The matter of discharge of Radam is another
matter altogether which should be taken up
by the court separately.
He added that they have the right to ques-
tion Radams discharge so the decision on
Abalos bail petition should come out al-
ready. Otherwise, it will already by a viola-
tion of his constitutional right to bail.
Manila dad offers mayor
management suggestions
A MANILA councilor offered Manila
Mayor Alfredo Lim some unsolicited
management advise and urged him to
pay city workers by using the P800-
million to P900-million allocation for
unlled positions at the Manila City
Hall.
Why not get rid of some of the
unlled positions, instead of positions
lled with city hall workers? asked
Councilor Joel Chua of the citys
third district.
He said the P800 million to P900
million budget was allotted for
intended positions at the executive
department but the positions remain
vacant until now. So wheres the
money? Wheres this budget? Chua
asked.
He said this budget is now being
questioned by the Manila City Council
and he said the councilors are alarmed
that this allocation will be re-aligned
in order to boost the candidacies of
some personalities.
Chua noted that while city hall
workers affected by the alleged cost
cutting measures being implemented
by Lims administration have not
been terminated from the city service,
they have not been paid their salaries
since April 1.
There was no termination,
but they were not given their pay.
This is tantamount to constructive
termination, Chua said.
De La Salle TB research
center wins 5 key awards
THE De La Salle Health Sciences
Institutes Center for Tuberculosis
Research has proven once again its
supremacy in the eld of TB research
and management in the Philippines.
The Center bested other cen-
ters across the country and won ve
awards during the National Consulta-
tive Meeting for Programmatic Man-
agement of Drug-resistant Tuberculo-
sis initiatives.
The center was cited as top
performer for case nding,
decentralization, case recording and
reporting, case holding anbd best in
drug supplies management.
Organized by the Department
of Healths National TB Program,
the meeting was held at the Angelo
King Hotel in Manila recently. The
DLSHSI TB Center is also a Hall of
Fame Awardee as the Best TB DOTS
Program from the Manuel L. Quezon
Awards.
A7 Sports Riera U. Mallari, Editor
ManilaStandardToday
sports_mstandard@yahoo.com
The PBA, in coordination with
the Philippine Sports Commission
(PSC), is planning to hold a
Goodwill game between a team of
PBA All-Stars and the Shanghai
Sharks of the Chinese Basketball
Association, a team owned by
retired NBA star Yao Ming.
The event is targeted to take
place on June 28 at the soon
to be opened SM Mall of Asia
Arena at 7 p.m.
Obviously, the main reason
behind the exhibition game is
to help strengthen friendly ties
between the two countries who
are currently embroiled in a
border dispute over ownership
of Scarborough Shoal.
Itong goodwill game na
ito is in cooperation with the
PSC. Paraan na rin ito para
mapagtibay ang relationship
between the two countries, said
PBA commissioner Chito Salud.
B-Meg coach Tim Cone, who
recently gave the Llamados the
Commissioners Cup crown,
Misleading article debunked
PBA to play against
Yao Mings team
By Jeric Lopez
EVEN in its own little way, the
Philippine Basketball Association is more
than willing to ease the tension between
the Philippines and China even for a bit.
A SMALL segment of the American
media who were possibly waiting for any
opportunity to get at Manny Pacquiao
thought they had the chance and
pounced on itwhen they were seemingly
misled by an article by Granville Ampong
in the Conservative Examiner.
To be fair, the manner in which Ampong
inserted the particularly offensive passage
from Leviticus was clearly misleading and
was an undisguised attempt by him to put
forward his own position on gay marriages
and his seeming dislike of US President
Obama who is seeking re-election. He
shamelessly sought to use the hugely
popular crossover superstar Pacquiao as
the front for his particular biases.
Pacquiao hasnt received such a cheap
shot even from an opponent in the ring
and to think that it came from a Filipino-
American rankles even more.
Regrettably, one or two Filipino media
people also jumped on the erroneously
attributed quote about killing gays when
Pacquiao never said anything like it at all.
Pacquiao who is deeply and genuinely
into Bible study and values the lessons he
learns from the scriptures has completely
changed his lifestyle from the past
wayward ways marked by late nights,
gambling, drinking and womanizing to a
good and decent family life and anchors
his day on Bible studies and the lessons
he learns.
He has had the courage to openly
admit his indiscretions and proudly
proclaims that the Bible which he refers
IN BRIEF
Summerskate 2012 opens at SM
SKATERS all over the Philippines will
gather once again for summers coolest
ice skating competition, Summerskate
2012. Summerskate 2012 will hold its 12th
competition from May 21-24, 2012 and
will be open to the public.
Over 130 skaters are expected to showcase
their talents and abilities at the Olympic sized
Ice Skating Rink at the SM Mall of Asia and
at the recreational rink at SM Southmall.
Winners will receive plaques, medals and
trophies. Skaters who have joined at least
three events will get a chance to win Speteri
boots. One will be rafed for the basic level
and one for the advanced level.
For inquiries call 556-0469 (SM Mall
of Asia International Ice Skating Rink)
or visit www.smiceskating.com. Visit also
Facebook: SM Ice Skating.
RONNIE
NATHANIELSZ
INSIDE SPORTS
WORLD Boxing Council
president Don Jose Sulaiman
believes that WBC Silver
champion Denver Cuello
should win in his title defense
against challenger Ganigan
Lopez in their title clash at
Palengke de la Feria in Celaya,
Guanajuato, Mexico tomorrow
Sunday, Manila Time.
Sulaiman told the Manila
Standard from his home in
Mexico that Ganigan Lopez
is not a bad ghter but I believe
that your ghter (Cuello) will
win. He is very strong, thats
what I know.
He said that it may be a tough
task since the ght is being held
in Mexico but I would favor the
champion (Cuello).
The WBC reported earlier
that the strawweight champion
from the Philippines is
expected to draw at least
3,000 fans to the ght. Cuello
predicted he would win by a
knockout after studying the
style of Lopez and pinpointing
his weaknesses.
Cuello conceded that Lopez
is a great boxer but it wont
make a difference stating Im
better. I will knock him out.
Lopez had great speed but had
no power unlike Cuello.
The hard-hitting champion
said Im fast and I have
great power in my sts and
predicted the ght wont go the
distance. Ronnie Nathanielsz
Sulaiman
picks Cuello
Lim, Punzalan rule gymnastics
Lady Bulldogs oust Falcons
NATIONAL University outsteadied
Adamson in a grueling rst set duel then
hung tough to hack out a 29-27, 25-20,
25-23 victory and stave off elimination in
the ninth Shakeys V-League Presented by
Smart at The Arena in San Juan, Thursday
evening.
Dindin Santiago rammed in 26 kills
out of 50 attempts for a high 52 percent
performance as she powered the Lady
Bulldogs to the inspiring win that kept their
ickering semis hopes alive.
The loss was Adamsons fth against
a lone win, booting out the Lady Falcons
from the semis race in the season-opening
conference of the league sponsored by
Shakeys Pizza.
ATENEO, La Salle-
Greenhills, Ama Computer
University and Chiang Kai
Shek will have one thing in
mind once they step inside
the Xavier school wooden
courtwin to advance to
the championship round.
These four teams take
centerstage anew at the
start of the Seaoil-NBTC Jr
Elite Basketball Final Four
today.
Ateneo and La Salle-
Greenhills square off
beginning 1 p.m. while
Chiang Kai Shek College
and Ama Computer
University collide at
2:45 p.m. Winners in
this knockout stage will
advance to the best-of-
three championship series
of this event organized by
the National Basketball
Training Center and
presented by Seaoil
Philippines.
The Blue Eaglets and
the Junior Archers are both
coming off contrasting
victories. Ateneo ripped
Lourdes School-QC, 52-42,
while La Salle-Greenhills
nipped San Beda, 55-50,
in the Elite eight of this
tournament sponsored by
San Miguel Corporation,
Purefoods Tender Juicy
Hotdogs, Star Margarine
and Magnolia Spinner.
Molten is the official ball of
this 12-under tournament.
Chiang Kai Shek and
Ama Computer also went
through the proverbial
eye of the needle before
prevailing over their
quarterfinals rivals.
Chiang Kai Shek needed
an extra five-minute
stretch before outlasting
San Sebastian College, 64-
56, while Ama Computer
survived a gutsy De La
Salle-Zobel five, 62-56.
Seaoil-NBTC comes
down to Final 4
will handle the PBA All-Stars.
As of the moment, the league is
yet to name a cast of All-Stars who
will participate against the Sharks.
To make things more interesting,
Yao will apparently appear in the
said game and join his squad.
Before bought the team in 2009.
Yao spearheaded the Sharks for
ve years (1997-2002) before
becoming a huge star in the NBA
for the Houston Rockets (2002-
2011) where he was an eight-time
All-Star.
Shanghai is one of the premier
teams in the CBA. It has one
championship to its credit.
The Sharks will be backstopped
by two Chinese National Team
players and two American imports
in Mike Harris and Marcus Landry.
The PBA Governors Cup kicks
off tomorrow with Alaska battling
Rain or Shine in the opener at 4:15
p.m. and Petron Blaze clashing
with Powerade at 6:30 p.m. in the
main game at the Ynares Center in
Antipolo.
Meanwhile, Barangay Ginebra
superstar and Commissioners Cup
Best Player Mark Caguioa is already
joining the Gin Kings practice
sessions after being cleared by the
doctor for physical activites.
Caguioa, who missed the
playoffs of the second conference
after fracturing his right eye socket,
already attended two scrimmages
with the Gin Kings.
It is still up in the air though
whether he will be able to see
action for the Governors Cup
and help the Kings cause. That
would depend on his readiness
in practice and the further
evaluation of the doctor.
Altas humble Stallions
THE University of Perpetual Help Altas, the
San Beda-ARed Cubs and the Adamson Baby
Falcons posted convincing wins to stay in
contention for quarternal slots in the 18th Fr.
Martin Summer Cup basketball tournament.
The Altas, drawing 12 and 11 points
from Femi Babayemi and Scott Thompson,
needed two big scoring runs to fend off the
Trinity University of Asia Stallions, 76-66,
at the Dom Placid gymnasium of the San
Beda-Manila campus in Mendiola.
The Red Cubs, who are the 2012 Palarong
Pambansa secondary boys nalists, got big
plays from Arvin Dave Tolentino in the
last three minutes to waylay the reigning
Tiong Lian champions, the Chiang Kai
Shek Dragons, 64-58, in the junior action
last Thursday at the San Andres Complex
in Malate, Manila.
Vamico Barroga scattered 13 points for
the Adamson Baby Falcons, who outplayed
San Beda-B, 73-57.
to as The Manual of Life has changed
him completely.
Instead of carefully reading the Ampong
column and discerning the message
Pacquiao sought to get across, some sectors
of the US media waded into the Fighter of
the Decade erroneously and maliciously
alleged that he said all gays should be killed
which is something he atly denied pointing
out that he didnt even read Leviticus.
The pertinent passage from Leviticus
20:13 states If a man lies with a man
as one lies with a woman both of them
have done what is detestable. They
must be put to death, their blood will be
on their own heads.
While Ampong admitted that Pacquiao
never even mentioned Leviticus and the
passage about killing gays which was
headlined in the US media, some angry
Americans even used it to influence the
Grove management to ban Pacquiao who
was scheduled to be interviewed on site by his
longtime and popular friend Mario Lopez.
In fact, if the story on the ban was true it
was an illegal act because to discriminate
against an individual because of his
beliefs strikes at the fundamental law.
Some even went to the ridiculous
extent of asking Nike to terminate his
sponsorship agreement while striving to
put pressure on other companies - whose
products he endorses, gives stature and
increases sales in the marketplace to cut
off their relationship with Pacquiao.
Others criticized Pacquiao for taking
issue with President Obama. Surely in
the name of the freedom Americans love
to claim they enjoy, why cannot Pacquiao
come out against gay marriages if Obama
can enjoy the right to favor them?
We must also remember that many
times political leaders in the US have
taken issue with other leaders from the
rest of the world including the Philippines.
It should never be a one-way street.
Ampong himself has suggested, if
not demanded, that those who falsely
attributed to Pacquiao the quote from
Leviticus which advocated death to those
of the same sex who live as man and
woman or husband and wife, apologize.
It is doubly incumbent on Ampong to
show the way and apologize profusely for
what he did, or what he failed to do because
he clearly hurt the wonderful image that
Manny enjoyed not just among Americans
but people around the world who admire
his humility, his ability to break away
from the bondage of his childhood poverty
and to emerge as an eight-division world
champion and become one of the most
inuential athletes in the world and a role
model worth emulating.
We have known Manny Pacquiao from
the time he was a 16-year-old kid with
explosive power in his sts and a Filipino
blessed with indomitable courage.
We gladly bear witness to the change
within him and reect on the passage in 2nd
Corinthians 5:17 which states Therefore, if
anyone is in Christ. He is a new creation; the
old one has gone, the new has come! This
is the Manny Pacquiao of today. God bless
him and all he stands for.
Castrol series starts second leg
CHRISTOPHER Allen Lim and
Khristel Marriel Punzalan topped the
junior boys and girls events of the
artistic gymnastics competitions of the
POC-PSC National Games at the Rizal
Memorial Coliseum last Thursday.
Lim exploited the absence of Palarong
Pambansa quadruple gold medallist
Carlos Yulo, who skipped the meet
because of fever, in capturing the gold
medals in the parallel bars and pommel
horse, all-around and a pair of silvers in
the vault and oor exercise in the boys
juniors division.
The 14-year-old UE high school
sophomore from Muntinlupa City
topscored with 11.7, 10.3 points, and
46.5 points, respectively, in the parallel
bars and pommel horse in his best
performance yet since winning a bronze
medal in the 2007 Palaro in Puerto
Princesa, Palawan.
Manilas Jan Gwyn Timbing
likewise picked up two golds in the
floor exercise (12.025) and parallel
bars (11.7) and vault (13.150), a
silver in the parallel bars (10.725)
and bronze in the all-around (42.138)
in the event backed by the Philippine
Sports Commission and organized by
the Gymnastics Association of the
Philippines.
A triple gold medalist in last weeks
Palaro held in Lingayen, Pangasinan,
Punzalan overcame left-ankle sprain
in winning the floor exercise (11.35)
and also secured the balance beam
gold (9.25) and won the silver in the
all-around (36.763), which was won
by Raya Ermita Nazario (40.463).
Nazario also took the vault gold
(11.73), Punzalan was second (11.38)
while Rachelle Frias Arellano took third
(11.33).
National team mainstay Fortunato
Abad dominated the boys senior
division in sweeping the oor exercise
(13.75), pommel horse (9.225), parallel
bars (12.575), vault (14.044) and all-
around (49.594).
Eunice Evangelista was also dominant
in the girls senior division with victories
in the oor exercise (10.97), uneven
bars (7.65) and the all-around events
(38.8), while Cristina Flores Onofre
took the balance beam (9.9) and vault
(11.725) title and took runner-up honors
in the all-around (32.6).
Scheduled yesterday were the junior
and senior rhythmic competitions.
Summer sportsfest at QMC. The Quezon City mayors chief of staff Aldrin Cua
formally opens the 2012 QC Hall Employees Athletic Association (QCHEAA) sportsfest
at the Quezon Memorial Circle. During the occasion, Cua, who also sits as chair of the
QCHEAA, underscored the importance of the sportsfest in fostering camaraderie, unity
and friendship among city hall employees who will be competing in different sports
events such as basketball, volleyball, bowling, billiards, badminton and chess.
YOUNG racing wannabes gear up
for another intense action as they bat-
tle each other anew for the titles at
stake in the second leg of the 2012
Castrol Champions of the Future Se-
ries tomorrow, Sunday, May 20 at the
Boomland Kart Track.
AT Tuason and Mark Tanlu gun
for their second straight triumph
in their respective divisions of this
event powered by Castrol, BMW,
Automobile Association of the Phil-
ippines, AUTS Racing, Standard
Insurance,PIKA, OMP, Industria,
Tuason Racing School, OMP, Kzone,
Lifeline Ambulance, Carmona Race
Track, Philippine Star, Hastravel.
com, 99.5 RT, and Timezone.
Tuason, a grade 6 La Salle Zobel
student is favored anew in the Expert
division while the 12-year-old Tanlu
hopes to continue his winning streak in
the Novice class.
Tuason, who showed big promise
in continuing the legacy of multi-ti-
tled champion father JP Tuason and
racing legend grandfather Arthur
Tuason, seeks a repeat over Flynn
Jackes, William Casequin and Xe-
drei Daquigan.
Summerskate
2012 starts at
the SM Mall
of Asia soon
to give skaters
from all over
the Philippines
the chance to
compete in the
coolest ice skating
competition in
the Philippines.
The tournament
will be held May
21-24. Over
130 skaters are
expected to
showcase their
talents and
abilities at the
Olympic sized Ice
Skating Rink at
the SM Mall of
Asia and at the
recreational rink
at SM Southmall.
Riera U. Mallari, Editor sports@manilastandardtoday.com sports_mstandard@yahoo.com
Sports
Manila Standard TODAY
A8
NBA RESULTS
Vivas, Alcala arrange title showdown
PAUL Vivas and Joper Escueta
downed their respective rivals to
arrange an explosive showdown
for the mens singles crown even as
Malvinne Ann Alcala cruised to the
ladies singles nals in the Philippine
National Open-Ming Ramos Youth
Camp Badminton Championships
at the Rizal Memorial Badminton
Hall yesterday.
Vivas bucked a poor start to
put away Ralph Ian Mendez, 21-
15, 21-14, while fellow national
team player Escueta crushed
national youth team mainstay
John Monterubio, 21-12, 21-
10, in the other mens Open
seminals of the event sponsored
by Victor/PCOME, Bingo
Bonanza, Sun Cellular and the
Philippine Sports Commission.
The top seeded Vivas had to
endure a grueling quarternal
battle against fellow national
team mainstay Christopher
Flores late Thursday, 21-22, 21-
19, to reach the semis, while
Mendez continued his string of
upset wins with a stunning 21-
19, 21-17 reversal over national
teams Kevin Cudiamat.
In the semis, the hard-working
Mendez matched Vivas power
and snatched a 9-8 lead in the
rst set. But the Whackers BA Li-
Ning shuttler failed to sustain his
charge in the face of Vivas mighty
comeback in the tournament held
in honor of former Philippine
Badminton Association president
Amelita Ming Ramos.
The 20-year-old Vivas, nally
getting his range and his service
game going, took charge with ve
unanswered points, 13-9, then
strung up another seven-point spree
to clinch the win in the tournament
conducted by the PBA, headed by
Vice President Jejomar Binay, chair
Manny V. Pangilinan and sec-gen
Rep. Albee Benitez.
Vivas kept his pace in the
second frame and coasted to a
20-10 lead but Mendez countered
with four straight points. Vivas
held on to frustrate Mendez and
gain a crack at the crown.
LOTTO RESULTS
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By Ronnie Nathanielsz
CROSSOVER superstar and
Fighter of the Decade Manny
Pacquiao has added one more
major achievement to his
remarkable career by being picked
to take part in a Hollywood movie
with Fil-American comedian Rob
Schneider.
ABS-CBN News North
American Bureau correspondent
Steve Angeles reported that the
movie is titled Brass Knuckles.
Movie producer Damian
Perkins said Were going to
start shooting next month right
after Manny is done with his
ght [with Timothy Bradley].
Were going to work with him
then wrap up post-production in
August, September and the lm
should hopefully be out by the
end of the year.
The lm also stars Academy
Award winner Benecio del Toro
and Mexican-born actor Jacob
Vargas.
While Pacquiao has done a
few local movies none of them
were anywhere near box ofce
hits. However, ABS-CBN quoted
Perkins who said Manny is also
an actor, he enjoys acting. Ive
had the opportunity to sit down
with him one-on-one
at his home and talk to him
about his script and talk to him
about his.
Brass Knuckles will be
directed by Erick Geisler, a
two-time Emmy Awards winner
known for his work on ESPNs
Sports Science.
Pacquiao will play a supporting
role as a gangster while Shneider
will play the role of his uncle.
In order ro ensure that people
dont get the wrong impression of
Pacquiao, Perkins emphasized that
the movie will highlight the bad
side of illegal drugs. He said The
whole point of the movie is to show
how and what a bad choice it is to
be involved with drugs.
The producer added Mannys
got a good role, were actually
going to bulk up the role a little
bit for him as well. More lines for
him.
Patafa launches Road Running Grand Prix Pacquiao to appear
in Hollywood movie
Way down.
The Heat are in a hole.
Roy Hibbert had 19 points and 18 rebounds,
George Hill scored 20 and Danny Granger 17 as
the Pacers, showing more balance, toughness and
togetherness than favored Miami, throttled the
malfunctioning Heat 94-75 on Thursday night in
Game 3 of the Eastern Conference seminals.
Overlooked during the regular season and given
little chance to upset the reigning East champions,
the Pacers took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.
James scored 22 before wearing down and Mario
Chalmers added 25 for Miami. However, Dwyane
Wade, banged up and possibly slowed by a more
serious injury, scored only ve on 2-of-13 shooting
for the Heat, already missing forward Chris Bosh
because of a strained abdominal muscle and not
expected to return for this series.
Wade also had an angry exchange during a timeout
in the third quarter with coach Erik Spoelstra, who
dismissed it as a heat-of-battle incident.
That happens, Spoelstra said. Anybody that
has been part of a team or has been a coach or been
a player, you have no idea how often things like that
happen. That was during a very emotional part of
the game. We were getting our butt kicked. Those
exchanges happen all the time during the course of
an NBA season.
Theres going to be a lot of times where guys say
something, you dont like it. You get over it and you
move on. Were all connected. Dwyane and I have
been together for a long time, a long time. Weve
been through basically everything. A lot of different
roles, a lot of different teams. That really is nothing.
That is the least of our concern. That type of re,
shoot, thats good. Thats the least of our concerns.
Wade wouldnt discuss his dispute with Spoelstra.
SPURS 105, CLIPPERS 88
SAN ANTONIOOn his 30th birthday,
Tony Parker rst kept the San Antonio
Spurs on pace for what might be another
lopsided playoff sweep. Then the All-Star
whos always quick to needle Tim Duncan
about his age nally acknowledged his own.
Im old. Used, said Parker, laughing.
Chris Paul, meanwhile, isnt acknowledging
anything: Not his aching body that everyone but him
is talking about, or the Los Angeles Clippers season
careening toward the end this weekend unless things
change fast.
Parker scored 22 points, Duncan had 18 and the
Spurs beat the fading Clippers 105-88, taking
a 2-0 lead in their Western Conference
seminals and winning their 16th in a
row with yet another playoff blowout.
For the 13th time in a winning
streak that seldom run this long in
the NBA playoffs, the Spurs won by
double digits. Only two other teams
have sustained a longer winning
streak in the playoffs: the 2004
Spurs (17) and the 2001 Lakers (19).
I think for us, is to not look at
that, Parker said about the streak.
Concentrate on the task. We know
Game 3 is going to be very, very
hard. I think we should focus on that
and not focus on the winning streak,
or what were doing good.
Paul responded to his awful Game
1 with only a slightly better encore,
scoring 10 points as the Clippers
now head home desperate to steer out of whats
starting to get the feel of a sweep. AP
INDIANAPOLISLEBRON James grabbed a seat on Miamis
bench, lowered his head and stared down at the oor.
Pacers smother
Heat, 94-75
PACERS 94, HEAT 75
SPURS 105, CLIPPERS 88
MANNY Pacquiao who was embroiled in a controversy over his
stand against same sex marriages which was ignited by a patently
false report that he quoted the Book of Leviticus which said that
gays should be killed was back at the Wild Card Gym to continue
training for his showdown with undefeated Timothy Desert Storm
Bradley at the MGM Grand on June 9.
He worked out behind closed doors as the only media allowed
inside the Wild Card Gym was the HBO crew lming his workout
for the pre-ght 24/7 series.
Roach himself has said he wants Pacquiao to concentrate on his
upcoming ght.
In a post training dinner ABS-CBN reported that Pacquiao was
relaxed and tsaid that everything is back to normal following the
bashing he received from some segments of the US media after he
was wrongly quoted as saying something he never did.
Pacquiao classied his training as good fun and said with
a laugh that everything is all the time normal following the gay
marriage episode.
The Fighter of the Decade said he was excited to know
the fate of Fil-Am American Idol nalist Jessica Sanchez and
indicated he plans to watch her in person during next weeks
American idol nale. Ronnie Nathanielsz
Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade, front, falls into Indiana Pacers guard Dahntay Jones as he is called for
traveling during the rst half of Game 3 of their NBA basketball Eastern Conference seminal playoff
series in Indianapolis. AP
Sports leaders join hands. PSC and local government officials join hands to launch the POC-PSC
National Games at the Century Park, Manila. They are, from left: Salvador Andrada, Jose Luiz Gomez,
Congressman Peping Cojuangco, PSC Chair Richie Garcia, Laguna Governor Jorge ER Ejercito, Oriental
Mindoro Governor Alfonso Umali, Dumaguete City Mayor Manuel Sagarbarria and Negros Oriental
Provincial Administrator Jose Arnel Francisco. LINO SANTOS
IT WILL take time before any
of the 186 selected national
athletes will be able to commit to
the prioritization program which
Philippine Sports Commission
plans to implement this year.
Most of the athletes are
students, and may not be able
to comply to the conditions
which the government sports
agency has set for them.
Billiards and Snookers Con-
gress of the Philippines secretary-
general Robert Mananquil said
this after emerging from a meeting
with PSC chairman Ricardo Gar-
cia, POC president Jose Peping
Cojuangco Jr. and several heads
of national sports associations last
Wednesday.
Mananquil said a review of
the conditions set by the PSC
will have to be done again
before any athlete can make
any commitment and be part of
the prioritization scheme.
Under the scheme, chosen
athletes must rst take a physical
examination, and then sign a
contract which asks them to train
full-time under the program, and
must be below 30 years of age.
Monthly salaries for selected
will be as high as P40,000 for
those who won gold medals in
the last Southeast Asian Games.
Peter Atencio
PSC wants
athletes
to commit
ALL is set for the rst leg of the Philippine
Road Running Grand Prix this Sunday at the
Rajah Sulaiman Park in Malate, Manila.
Philippine Amateur Track and Field
Association secretary-general Benjamin
Silva-Netto said the race will be held in
observance of the International Association
of Athletic Federations Centenary Year.
Silva-Netto said the competition is part of
a three-leg Grand Prix which the Patafa is
launching this year.
He said the Grand Prix is a progression
of running events from 1-kilometer, and will
culminate in a full 42-kilometer marathon.
A 1.6-kilometer (1-mile) race will
commence this Sunday with a 3k, 5k and
10-kilometer event.
The second leg with be held at the Quirino
Grandstand on July 1, and it will include a
21-kilometer half marathon.
A full marathon will be added, and will be
among six running categories which will be
conducted on Sept. 30.
Silva-Netto said the main objective of
the Grand Prix is to encourage runners of
different skills and strength levels to join
and complete the events in the competition,
and a promote continuous and progression
of running distances.
The Grand Prix, he added, will also serve
as a venue to discover young and talented
distance runners who can be recommended
to the national training pool. Peter Atencio
WBC locates Correa at last
Business
B1
IN BRIEF
First Gen
nears deal
to acquire
BGs stake
Balance of payments posts deficit of $79m
PSE COMPOSITE INDEX
Closing May 18, 2012
OIL
PRICES
TODAY
P780-P895.00
LPG/11-kg tank
P54.55-P61.02
Unleaded Gasoline
P46.10-P49.90
Diesel
P52.34-P57.85
Kerosene
P38.50-P39.20
Auto LPG
FOREI GN EXCHANGE RATE
Currency Unit US Dollar Peso
United States Dollar 1.000000 42.9130
Japan Yen 0.012609 0.5411
UK Pound 1.578900 67.7553
Hong Kong Dollar 0.128743 5.5247
Switzerland Franc 1.056971 45.3578
Canada Dollar 0.981065 42.1004
Singapore Dollar 0.787402 33.7898
Australia Dollar 0.994233 42.6655
Bahrain Dinar 2.652661 113.8336
Saudi Arabia Rial 0.266667 11.4435
Brunei Dollar 0.784314 33.6573
Indonesia Rupiah 0.000108 0.0046
Thailand Baht 0.031827 1.3658
UAE Dirham 0.272264 11.6837
Euro Euro 1.269200 54.4652
Korea Won 0.000858 0.0368
China Yuan 0.158098 6.7845
India Rupee 0.018392 0.7893
Malaysia Ringgit 0.321388 13.7917
NewZealand Dollar 0.764526 32.8081
Taiwan Dollar 0.033818 1.4512
Source: PDS Bridge
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas
Friday, May 18, 2012
PESO-DOLLAR RATE
40
42
44
46
48
P43.250
CLOSE
Closing MAY 18, 2012
4,879.420
137.60
5200
4460
3720
2980
2240
1500
1200
VOLUME 922.200M
HIGH P43.060 LOW P43.270 AVERAGE P43.181
Peso sinks to 43.25 per dollar
Govt may suspend or cancel mining contracts
Ray S. Eano, Editor mst_biz@manilastandardtoday.com
Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor extrastory2000@gmail.com
First Gen Corp. listed its Series G Preferred Shares on the Philippine Stock Exchange after the successful conclusion of its
P10-billion preferred shares offering. At the listing ceremony are (from left) First Gen senior vice president and chief nance ofcer
Emmanuel Singson; First Gen president and chief operating ofcer Francis Giles Puno; First Gen chairman and chief executive
Federico Lopez; PSE chairman Jose Pardo; and PSE president and chief executive Hans Sicat.
By Alena Mae S. Flores
FIRST Gen Corp. expects to
conclude the negotiation with
foreign rm BG Group for the
full ownership of the 1,500-
megawatt Sta. Rita and San
Lorenzo natural gas-red power
plants within the year.
First Gen, which already
has 60-percent interest in the
two power plants, is in talks
to acquire the BG Groups 40-
percent stake in the projects.
Hopefully, we can conclude
it soon. What is nice with it is
if we come to a deal, First Gen
chairman Federico Lopez told
reporters following the listing of
the companys preferred shares.
This perpetual preferred
could fund BG if it does
materialize. Hopefully...even
within the rst half, Lopez
said.
BG Group, a New York-
listed energy rm, wants to sell
the stake for $400 million but
Lopez said the actual amount
was still being negotiated. BG
is a leading energy player with
operations in over 20 countries
in ve continents. It is also listed
on the London stock exchange.
First Gen on Friday issued and
listed P10-billion 7.7808 percent
series G perpetual preferred
shares on the Philippine stock
exchange.
BDO Capital & Investment
Corp. acted as issue manager
and sole bookrunner for the
public offer. RCBC Capital
Corp. and Standard Chartered
Bank are joint lead underwriters
along with BDO Capital and
BPI Capital Corp. Philippine
Commercial Capital Inc. was a
participating underwriter.
The 100,000,000 Series G
Shares, with a par value of P10,
are cumulative, non-voting, non-
participating, non-convertible
and peso-denominated. The
shares were offered at an issue
price of P100 each.
The series G shares were
offered for an initial size of P7
billion but First Gen granted
BDO Capital an option to
subscribe to an additional P3
billion.
The company said that due
to strong demand, the entire
oversubscription option of P3
billion was exercised.
By Bernadette Lunas
THE outstanding debt of the
national government rose 8.14
percent at the end of March
from a year earlier on increased
borrowings from the domestic
debt market, data from the Bureau
of Treasury show Friday.
Governments debt hit P5.088
trillion, or nearly P400 billion
year-on-year and 3.6 percent from
the end of February this year.
The government owed P2.073
trillion, or 40.75 percent, to
foreign creditors, and P3.015
trillion or nearly 60 percent to
domestic lenders.
Domestic debt as of end-
March increased P188.08 billion
from the gure in February, and
rose P349 billion on year.
The Treasury said local
borrowings rose from end-
February due to the P188.04-
billion net issuance of
government securities by the
national government and the
P10-million net depreciation of
the US dollar and euro against
the peso on multicurrency retail
treasury bonds.
Foreign debt, meanwhile,
dropped P11.80 billion from end-
February due to the P12.78-billion
net depreciation of third currencies
against the US dollar, P3.87 billion
in net repayment and P0.02 billion
refund of availment.
The decrease, however,
was partially offset by P4.87-
billion depreciation of the local
currency against the US dollar,
the Treasury said.
The outstanding foreign debt
was P35 billion higher over the
same month last year.
Govt debt
soars, tops
P5-t mark
By Othel V. Campos
THE Mines and Geosciences
Bureau will suspend or cancel
mining rights of companies that
lack documents to operate.
The bureau has ordered
an investigation until the rst
half of May. Were imposing
stiff penaltiessuspension or
cancellation of contracts. Were
just waiting for the results,
bureau director Leo Jasareno
said in an interview Friday.
He said the penalty would
affect mostly non-metallic
operators such as cement or
limestone quarry operators.
The Philippines has 32 metallic
miners and 55 non-metallic
operators.
Operating miners must
have approved permits on
environmental protection
and enhancement program,
nal rehabilitation and
decommissioning program
and social development and
management plans.
The government also conrmed
plans that the government would not
lift the moratorium on the issuance
of mining licenses until the new
government policy is approved by
President Benigno Aquino III.
Jasareno said the government
was rening the draft mining
policy. There is no timetable
yet, but Malacaang had it
prioritized, he said.
The Philippine mining
sector incurred a foreign direct
investment outow of P10.4
billion in 2011 due to the suspended
issuance of mining permits.
Figures from the Bangko
Sentral ng Pilipinas showed
mining investment outow of
$240.43 million, or P10.4 billion,
in 2011, from an inow of $282.08
or P12.2 billion in 2010.
The bureau has suspended
the issuance of mining
permit applications since the
implementation of a new policy
in 2010.
THE peso fell to its weakest level in nearly
four months, closing at 43.25 against the dollar
Friday, as Europes debt crisis reignited concern
that global economic growth will falter, damping
demand for emerging-market assets.
The currency fell 0.8 percent from
Thursdays closing of 42.93 against
the dollar to nish at its weakest level
since Jan. 20, when it nished at 43.28
per dollar.
The peso dropped 1.6 percent this
week, the worst performance since the
period ended Sept. 16, according to
Tullett Prebon Plc. One-month implied
volatility, a measure of exchange-rate
swings used to price options, climbed 125
basis points, or 1.25 percentage points, to
6.75 percent in the past ve days.
The yield on the Philippines 5.75
percent bonds due November 2021
rose seven basis points from May 11 to
5.495 percent, according to prices from
Tradition Financial Services. The yield
added three basis points today.
Bangko Sentral Governor Amando
Tetangco Jr. said the bank was monitoring
possible effects of deleveraging in
Europe and other economies that may
affect domestic funding.
The foreign-exchange rate is within
a reasonable range even as recent
developments in Greece have deepened
the risk of contagion, weakening risk
appetite, Tetangco said in an e-mail.
Money sent home by Filipinos living
overseas rose 5 percent in March, the
least in a year, the Bangko Sentral
reported on May 15. Moodys Investors
Service lowered the debt ratings of 16
Spanish banks Thursday, while Greeces
credit status was reduced by one level
by Fitch Ratings amid rising speculation
the country will exit the euro.
Other Asian currencies also had the
biggest weekly drop since November
as concern Europes debt crisis will
worsen spurred demand for dollars amid
signs the US and Chinese economies
are losing momentum.
We dont see any signicant
rebound in Asian currencies in the near
term as long as the Greek problem
is still in the picture, said Gundy
Cahyadi, a Singapore-based economist
at Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp.
Growth is going to take a big hit if all
these factors blow out of proportion.
The Bloomberg-JPMorgan Asia-
Dollar index fell 0.9 percent this week
as global funds pulled about $1.5 billion
from stocks in South Korea and Taiwan.
The won and Malaysias ringgit saw their
biggest losses since September, while
Indias rupee sank to an all-time low.
The won fell 2.2 percent from its
May 11 close to 1,172.73 per dollar
in Seoul, according to data compiled
by Bloomberg. The ringgit dropped
1.9 percent to 3.1313 as of 4:33 p.m.
in Kuala Lumpur. The rupee slid 1.9
percent to 54.6838 and Indonesias
rupiah weakened 1.5 percent to 9,376.
With Bloomberg
By Elaine Ramos Alanguilan
THE balance of payments, representing the
countrys external strength, ran to a decit
for the second straight month amounting to
$79 million in April, after the government
settled its maturing foreign currency debt.
Data from the Bangko Sentral showed the
BoP decit in April was a reversal of the
$1.08-billion surplus recorded in the same
month last year.
The Bangko Sentral said this also cut the
countrys BoP surplus in the rst four months
to $1.16 billion, which was less than a third of
the $4.58-billion surplus reported a year ago.
Bangko Sentral Governor Amando
Tetangco Jr. said the outow of foreign
currencies in April exceeded the amount of
cash coming in.
Payments of the national government on
maturing obligations and foreign exchange
operations of the Bangko Sentral contributed
to the small decit in the balance of payments
in April, Tetangco said.
Tetangco said the cumulative balance of
payments in the rst four months remains in
a healthy surplus. We are watching global
developments to see how these would affect
the traditional drivers of the balance of
payments, he said.
The government resorted to borrowing from
offshore and domestic markets to shore up part
of its spending, as revenues are not enough to
address public expenditure requirements.
Bangko Sentral said while the BoP fell to
a decit for the second straight month, this
was not in any way due to capital ight as
foreign portfolio investments continued to
increase despite the prevailing adverse global
developments.
It said that as of end-April, foreign
investment transactions continued to yield
net inows of $772.4 million.
The Bangko Sentral expects a BoP surplus of
$2.8 billion in 2012. A BoP surplus means the
inow of dollars and other foreign currencies
exceed the amount of cash going out. It helps
beef up the countrys total reserves of foreign
exchange, or the gross international reserves.
Remittances from Filipino workers abroad,
recovery in export earnings, foreign portfolio
investments, and investments in the business
process outsourcing sector continued to drive
up foreign currency inows.
New PAL promo
PHILIPPINE Airlines started Friday
offering the rst no-hidden charges, all-in
low-fare promo for all domestic and selected
international destinations.
One-way tickets from Manila to any PAL
point in Luzon are reducedto P1,376; to Visayas
at P1,443; and to Mindanao at P2,003.
All-in fares from any point in Luzon to
Manila are at only P1,393; from Visayas
to Manila at P1,460; and from Mindanao to
Manila at P2,020.
PAL also reduced round-trip tickets to
selected international destinations: from
Manila to Bali at $376; Bangkok, $319;
Beijing, $380; New Delhi, $718; Fukuoka,
$546; Guam, $396; Ho Chi Minh, $300; Hong
Kong, Macau and Taipei, $240; Jakarta, $342;
Melbourne, $837; Nagoya, $565; Osaka,
$525; Shanghai, $370; Singapore, $305;
Sydney, $856; Tokyo, $566; Xiamen, $270;
and Cebu-Tokyo, $670.
The airline said special fares for US and
Canada ights were also available.
The promo tickets apply to economy class
and must be used between June 13 and Sept.
30, 2012, except those for Guam, which are
valid between Aug. 16, 2012 and Dec. 15,
2012. Lailany Gomez
EEIs prot up 81%
EEI Corp., the construction arm of the
Yuchengco group, said Friday rst quarter net
income reached P118 million, up 81 percent year-
on-year, on higher revenues from contracts.
EEI said in a disclosure to the stock
exchange that consolidated revenues rose 94
percent to P3.27 billion from P1.69 billion in
the same period last year.
This is attributed mainly to the 89 percent
increase in revenue provided by construction
contracts from P1.31 billion for the rst three
months of 2011 to P2.48 billion for the same
period in 2012, EEI said.
Services revenues grew 150 percent to
P744 million in the rst quarter of 2012 from
P297 million.
EEI in the rst three months of the year obtained
seven new local construction projects worth
P4.31 billion. These include Novotel Manila
Hotel Araneta Center in Quezon City, Green
Residences of SM Development Corp. in Manila,
Eastwood LeGrand 2 of Megaworld Corp. in
Quezon City and The Level Condominium Phase
1-a of Filinvest Land in Alabang.
The company also bagged the contract
packages of the Didipio Process Plant for
Oceana Gold Philippines Inc. in Nueva
Vizcaya. Jenniffer B. Austria
Stocks dive; SMIC,
Ayala Land decline
Business
ManilaStandardToday
extrastory2000@gmail.com
B2
52 Weeks Previous % Net Foreign
High Low STOCKS Close High Low Close Change Volume Trade/Buying
MST BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW
FRIDAY, MAY 18, 2012
M
S
T
FINANCIAL
70.00 46.00 Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. 64.00 64.00 62.00 62.00 (3.13) 1,198,960 (9,180,118.50)
76.80 50.00 Bank of PI 68.25 68.25 66.00 66.00 (3.30) 1,626,810 (48,394,776.00)
512.00 370.00 China Bank 550.00 550.00 545.00 549.00 (0.18) 12,230 4,182,410.00
1.95 1.42 BDO Leasing & Fin. Inc. 1.81 1.82 1.81 1.82 0.55 12,000
23.90 12.50 COL Financial 22.80 22.40 22.00 22.00 (3.51) 50,200 466,400.00
Eastwest Bank 18.90 18.90 18.56 18.56 (1.80) 7,446,200 15,580,514.00
3.26 1.91 I-Remit Inc. 2.17 2.33 2.21 2.33 7.37 32,000
775.00 475.20 Manulife Fin. Corp. 480.00 485.00 481.00 481.00 0.21 70
29.00 3.00 Maybank ATR KE 28.00 29.00 26.00 28.20 0.71 10,100
93.50 60.00 Metrobank 84.10 83.40 81.80 82.00 (2.50) 12,535,980 (97,463,522.50)
3.06 1.30 Natl Reinsurance Corp. 2.18 2.20 2.02 2.05 (5.96) 309,000
126.00 35.00 Phil Bank of Comm 79.90 74.50 72.00 72.00 (9.89) 1,150
16.85 41.00 Phil. National Bank 70.90 70.75 68.50 68.50 (3.39) 79,900 999,996.00
85.00 57.70 Phil. Savings Bank 82.00 82.00 82.00 82.00 0.00 10,000
539.00 204.80 PSE Inc. 352.00 355.00 353.00 353.00 0.28 3,000 (173,950.00)
44.40 25.45 RCBC À 42.50 42.75 42.30 42.75 0.59 336,500.00 13,333,435.00
151.50 77.00 Security Bank 132.00 129.70 125.00 125.50 (4.92) 417,550 (159,264.00)
1390.00 950.00 Sun Life Financial 995.00 965.00 950.00 950.00 (4.52) 1,830 (911,800.00)
140.00 58.00 Union Bank 99.70 101.00 99.00 99.60 (0.10) 44,510 (109,065.00)
2.06 1.43 Vantage Equities 1.82 1.82 1.80 1.82 0.00 548,000
INDUSTRIAL
35.50 26.50 Aboitiz Power Corp. 33.85 33.85 33.15 33.70 (0.44) 3,811,400 (31,871,240.00)
13.58 7.32 Agrinurture Inc. 10.78 10.70 10.42 10.50 (2.60) 20,000
23.50 11.98 Alaska Milk Corp. 23.75 23.65 23.50 23.65 (0.42) 81,900
1.86 0.97 Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. 1.43 1.45 1.33 1.45 1.40 202,000
54.90 26.00 Alphaland Corp. 31.10 31.10 29.00 31.10 0.00 1,700
1.65 1.08 Alsons Cons. 1.25 1.28 1.26 1.26 0.80 621,000 228,800.00
Asiabest Group 28.95 29.50 27.00 27.00 (6.74) 540,500
102.80 3.02 Bloomberry 8.32 8.35 8.22 8.31 (0.12) 6,152,700 (18,885,673.00)
2.88 2.24 Calapan Venture 2.30 2.28 2.28 2.28 (0.87) 90,000 (205,200.00)
3.07 2.30 Chemrez Technologies Inc. 2.51 2.46 2.45 2.45 (2.39) 206,000 122,500.00
8.33 7.41 Cirtek Holdings (Chips) 8.20 8.19 8.15 8.16 (0.49) 170,400
7.06 4.83 Energy Devt. Corp. (EDC) 5.83 5.81 5.62 5.75 (1.37) 9,567,400 (2,350,736.00)
6.28 2.80 EEI 6.02 6.03 5.90 6.00 (0.33) 2,388,300 119,500.00
3.80 1.00 Euro-Med Lab. 2.12 2.01 2.00 2.00 (5.66) 24,000
25.00 5.80 Federal Chemicals 11.58 11.32 10.82 11.32 (2.25) 8,500
15.58 12.50 First Gen Corp. 14.02 14.04 13.90 13.90 (0.86) 921,600 2,803,972.00
67.20 51.50 First Holdings A 62.80 63.45 62.50 62.95 0.24 354,790 (10,505,107.50)
31.50 22.50 Ginebra San Miguel Inc. 22.20 21.40 21.00 21.00 (5.41) 62,300 (657,725.00)
0.10 0.0095 Greenergy 0.0140 0.0150 0.0130 0.0140 0.00 60,500,000
13.50 7.80 Holcim Philippines Inc. 11.74 11.62 11.62 11.62 (1.02) 6,000
9.00 4.71 Integ. Micro-Electronics 4.35 4.36 4.35 4.35 0.00 46,000
2.35 0.95 Ionics Inc 1.550 1.600 1.500 1.560 0.65 420,000 19,270.00
120.00 80.00 Jollibee Foods Corp. 108.00 111.30 105.10 105.20 (2.59) 460,160 10,243,516.00
91.25 25.00 Liberty Flour 62.00 53.30 53.30 53.30 (14.03) 4,000
8.40 1.04 LMG Chemicals 2.02 2.01 1.85 2.00 (0.99) 1,485,000 (5,820.00)
24.70 17.94 Manila Water Co. Inc. 23.55 23.55 23.20 23.45 (0.42) 1,851,700 (14,355,630.00)
15.30 8.12 Megawide 16.74 17.00 15.90 16.10 (3.82) 6,648,600
295.00 215.00 Mla. Elect. Co À 230.00 233.00 222.00 223.00 (3.04) 309,940 (36,502,780.00)
11.00 7.00 Pancake House Inc. 9.50 10.94 9.25 9.25 (2.63) 3,400 (2,100.00)
3.00 1.96 Pepsi-Cola Products Phil. 2.81 2.80 2.70 2.70 (3.91) 16,000 8,100.00
17.40 9.70 Petron Corporation 10.22 10.26 10.10 10.12 (0.98) 1,319,700 (4,999,284.00)
14.00 10.30 Phinma Corporation 10.82 10.82 10.82 10.82 0.00 500
15.24 9.01 Phoenix Petroleum Phils. 8.88 8.88 8.55 8.55 (3.72) 77,600 4,275.00
9.50 5.25 Republic Cement À 8.20 8.10 7.36 8.10 (1.22) 34,300
2.55 1.01 RFM Corporation 2.66 2.64 2.54 2.60 (2.26) 2,982,000 (516,850.00)
33.00 27.70 San Miguel Brewery Inc. 29.60 29.60 29.55 29.60 0.00 9,100
132.60 105.70 San Miguel Corp À 114.00 114.00 112.00 112.00 (1.75) 924,770 34,922,642.00
1.90 1.25 Seacem 1.68 1.65 1.65 1.65 (1.79) 846,000 226,050.00
2.50 1.85 Splash Corporation 1.91 1.90 1.80 1.81 (5.24) 71,000 (18,100.00)
0.250 0.112 Swift Foods, Inc. 0.126 0.125 0.125 0.125 (0.79) 1,500,000
5.46 2.92 Tanduay Holdings 3.85 3.90 3.85 3.85 0.00 2,039,000 386,000.00
3.62 1.99 TKC Steel Corp. 2.21 2.10 2.10 2.10 (4.98) 24,000
1.41 0.90 Trans-Asia Oil 1.24 1.20 1.19 1.20 (3.23) 2,098,000 (719,950.00)
68.00 36.20 Universal Robina 63.00 63.00 60.80 61.25 (2.78) 2,156,290 (43,357,811.00)
1.12 0.285 Vitarich Corp. 0.610 0.640 0.580 0.620 1.64 391,000
18.00 2.55 Vivant Corp. 12.36 12.38 11.00 12.36 0.00 7,500
1.22 0.68 Vulcan Indl. 0.96 0.97 0.95 0.96 0.00 445,000
HOLDING FIRMS
1.18 0.65 Abacus Cons. À 0.68 0.69 0.68 0.69 1.47 205,000
59.90 35.50 Aboitiz Equity 50.90 50.65 46.50 48.00 (5.70) 1,864,030 (37,090,959.00)
0.019 0.014 Alcorn Gold Res. 0.0150 0.0150 0.0150 0.0150 0.00 2,500,000
13.48 8.00 Alliance Global Inc. 12.50 12.66 12.10 12.48 (0.16) 18,422,000 (27,217,210.00)
2.97 1.67 Anglo Holdings A 1.90 1.91 1.88 1.88 (1.05) 200,000
4.60 3.00 Anscor À 4.55 4.55 4.50 4.50 (1.10) 40,053,000 (180,000,000.00)
6.98 0.260 Asia Amalgamated A 4.10 4.10 4.00 4.00 (2.44) 392,000 (8,000.00)
3.15 1.49 ATN Holdings A 1.85 1.88 1.61 1.88 1.62 313,000
4.16 2.30 ATN Holdings B 2.54 2.40 2.09 2.40 (5.51) 109,000
437.00 272.00 Ayala Corp À 426.60 422.00 400.20 410.00 (3.89) 338,290 (15,185,904.00)
59.45 30.50 DMCI Holdings 61.00 60.50 56.90 58.00 (4.92) 9,791,070 (183,788,338.50)
3.68 1.15 F&J Prince B 2.65 2.65 2.51 2.51 (5.28) 60,000
5.25 3.30 Filinvest Dev. Corp. 4.10 4.19 4.01 4.10 0.00 356,000 (318,310.00)
GT Capital 482.00 475.00 463.00 465.00 (3.53) 181,160 (22,758,716.00)
5.22 2.90 House of Inv. 4.50 4.41 4.40 4.41 (2.00) 32,000
34.80 19.00 JG Summit Holdings 33.30 33.15 31.80 32.00 (3.90) 612,400 8,701,810.00
4.19 2.27 Jolliville Holdings 2.30 2.76 2.76 2.76 20.00 1,000
5.17 2.30 Keppel Holdings À 3.95 3.80 3.80 3.80 (3.80) 1,000
6.95 4.00 Lopez Holdings Corp. 5.50 5.55 5.20 5.42 (1.45) 464,900 809,970.00
1.54 0.61 Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp. 1.14 1.12 1.10 1.11 (2.63) 562,000
3.82 1.500 Marcventures Hldgs., Inc. 2.790 2.770 2.590 2.620 (6.09) 6,409,000 (1,880,390.00)
4.45 2.56 Metro Pacic Inv. Corp. 4.06 4.03 3.89 3.92 (3.45) 21,453,000 11,122,350.00
6.24 2.10 Minerales Industrias Corp. 4.95 4.95 4.71 4.80 (3.03) 76,000 (236,700.00)
0.0770 0.054 Pacica À 0.0510 0.0530 0.0520 0.0520 1.96 3,700,000
2.20 1.42 Prime Media Hldg 1.400 1.420 1.400 1.420 1.43 30,000
0.82 0.44 Prime Orion 0.470 0.460 0.460 0.460 (2.13) 640,000 92,000.00
4.10 1.56 Republic Glass A 2.00 2.00 2.00 2.00 0.00 10,000
0.490 0.285 Sinophil Corp. 0.320 0.330 0.320 0.330 3.13 1,800,000 (16,500.00)
699.00 450.00 SM Investments Inc. 696.00 692.00 668.00 673.00 (3.30) 331,450 (68,275,255.00)
1.78 1.00 Solid Group Inc. 1.41 1.42 1.40 1.40 (0.71) 34,000
1.57 1.14 South China Res. Inc. 1.22 1.21 1.20 1.20 (1.64) 105,000
0.420 0.099 Unioil Res. & Hldgs 0.2550 0.2400 0.2300 0.2300 (9.80) 1,070,000
0.620 0.056 Wellex Industries 0.3750 0.4000 0.3650 0.3900 4.00 19,510,000 308,000.00
1.370 0.178 Zeus Holdings 0.510 0.500 0.480 0.500 (1.96) 882,000
P R O P E R T Y
2.82 1.70 A. Brown Co., Inc. 2.60 2.60 2.50 2.50 (3.85) 63,000
22.40 13.36 Ayala Land `B 19.90 19.80 19.00 19.00 (4.52) 8,844,900 (30,872,052.00)
6.12 3.08 Belle Corp. À 4.77 4.80 4.62 4.65 (2.52) 966,000 1,065,720.00
9.00 2.26 Cebu Holdings 6.39 6.40 6.15 6.30 (1.41) 249,300
5.66 0.26 Century Property 1.45 1.49 1.40 1.40 (3.45) 3,839,000 (2,785,570.00)
2.85 1.20 City & Land Dev. 2.58 2.60 2.35 2.50 (3.10) 89,000
0.127 0.060 Crown Equities Inc. 0.080 0.080 0.077 0.079 (1.25) 14,960,000 77,000.00
1.16 0.67 Cyber Bay Corp. 0.78 0.80 0.78 0.80 2.56 603,000
0.90 0.54 Empire East Land 0.700 0.690 0.670 0.670 (4.29) 2,800,000 68,000.00
0.310 0.10 Ever Gotesco 0.160 0.160 0.160 0.160 0.00 930,000 (3,200.00)
3.06 1.76 Global-Estate 1.88 1.90 1.84 1.85 (1.60) 4,959,000 161,540.00
1.35 0.98 Filinvest Land,Inc. 1.27 1.28 1.25 1.26 (0.79) 2,916,000 22,880.00
3.80 1.21 Highlands Prime 1.81 1.83 1.80 1.80 (0.55) 33,000
2.14 0.65 Interport À 1.12 1.14 1.05 1.14 1.79 124,000
2.48 1.51 Megaworld Corp. 2.00 2.00 1.92 1.94 (3.00) 80,036,000 (58,722,910.00)
0.80 0.215 MRC Allied Ind. 0.1850 0.1850 0.1750 0.1750 (5.41) 3,940,000
0.990 0.072 Phil. Estates Corp. 0.7200 0.7900 0.7100 0.7700 6.94 56,910,000 (550,760.00)
0.71 0.41 Phil. Realty À 0.460 0.490 0.470 0.480 4.35 920,000
4.77 1.80 Polar Property Holdings 3.48 3.48 3.34 3.34 (4.02) 53,000
3.34 2.08 Primex Corp. 2.40 2.40 2.40 2.40 0.00 3,000 (7,200.00)
18.86 10.00 Robinsons Land `B 16.30 16.28 15.74 15.80 (3.07) 3,585,100 (4,983,822.00)
Rockwell 3.48 4.00 3.13 3.60 3.45 2,298,000 (346,770.00)
2.70 1.74 Shang Properties Inc. 2.56 2.55 2.54 2.55 (0.39) 2,182,000
9.47 6.50 SM Development À 6.90 6.90 6.80 6.80 (1.45) 2,602,700 (11,841,741.00)
18.20 10.90 SM Prime Holdings 16.20 16.30 15.84 15.88 (1.98) 11,644,600 (72,089,490.00)
1.14 0.64 Sta. Lucia Land Inc. 0.68 0.69 0.66 0.67 (1.47) 671,000 (233,390.00)
0.80 0.45 Suntrust Home Dev. Inc. 0.520 0.520 0.520 0.520 0.00 100,000
4.30 2.60 Vista Land & Lifescapes 4.200 4.200 4.140 4.170 (0.71) 1,978,000 972,650.00
S E R V I C E S
2GO Group 1.88 1.95 1.87 1.87 (0.53) 23,000
43.00 28.60 ABS-CBN 34.95 37.00 35.00 35.00 0.14 4,300
14.76 1.60 Acesite Hotel 7.68 8.88 6.95 8.88 15.63 126,500
9.30 7.30 Asian Terminals Inc. 8.90 8.70 8.45 8.51 (4.38) 11,000
0.5300 0.0660 Boulevard Holdings 0.1530 0.1550 0.1530 0.1550 1.31 3,840,000
98.15 62.50 Cebu Air Inc. (5J) 67.50 67.60 67.40 67.50 0.00 860,770 9,810,943.50
9.70 5.40 DFNN Inc. 6.01 6.08 5.95 5.95 (1.00) 40,700
5.90 1.45 Easy Call Common 3.25 3.25 3.25 3.25 0.00 3,000
1750.00 765.00 FEUI 938.00 950.00 940.00 940.00 0.21 6,430
1270.00 825.00 Globe Telecom 1050.00 1052.00 1005.00 1020.00 (2.86) 31,305 (2,176,575.00)
10.34 6.18 GMA Network Inc. 9.62 9.68 9.42 9.50 (1.25) 395,700
69.00 43.40 I.C.T.S.I. 71.00 71.50 69.50 69.70 (1.83) 2,075,970 30,741,453.00
0.98 0.34 Information Capital Tech. 0.420 0.420 0.420 0.420 0.00 50,000
6.00 4.00 IPeople Inc. À 5.80 5.80 5.70 5.72 (1.38) 40,300
4.29 2.20 IP Converge 4.04 4.04 3.95 4.00 (0.99) 1,012,000 (2,793,560.00)
34.50 0.123 IP E-Game Ventures Inc. 0.049 0.048 0.047 0.048 (2.04) 9,300,000
3.87 1.16 IPVG Corp. 1.10 1.12 1.05 1.12 1.82 446,000
5.1900 2.900 ISM Communications 2.8500 2.6300 2.6200 2.6200 (8.07) 272,000
11.68 5.90 Leisure & Resorts 6.80 6.90 6.70 6.90 1.47 611,600 1,745,660.00
3.96 2.70 Macroasia Corp. 2.78 2.80 2.80 2.80 0.72 81,000 (226,800.00)
0.84 0.57 Manila Bulletin 0.69 0.69 0.69 0.69 0.00 14,000
3.00 1.00 Manila Jockey 1.64 1.82 1.66 1.80 9.76 5,192,000
8.58 4.50 PAL Holdings Inc. 7.40 7.49 7.25 7.28 (1.62) 5,100
3.32 1.05 Paxys Inc. 2.92 2.95 2.84 2.85 (2.40) 2,426,000 (270,630.00)
60.00 17.02 Phil. Seven Corp. 44.50 44.00 44.00 44.00 (1.12) 373,500 16,434,000.00
17.18 14.50 Philweb.Com Inc. 16.52 16.50 16.02 16.50 (0.12) 519,200 1,931,180.00
2886.00 2096.00 PLDT Common 2418.00 2418.00 2354.00 2370.00 (1.99) 108,635 (72,243,080.00)
23.75 10.68 Puregold 22.70 22.45 21.85 21.95 (3.30) 1,133,700 (10,662,935.00)
Touch Solutions 3.52 3.52 3.52 3.52 0.00 106,000
0.79 0.26 Waterfront Phils. 0.410 0.410 0.410 0.410 0.00 20,000
MINING & OIL
0.0083 0.0036 Abra Mining 0.0049 0.0048 0.0047 0.0048 (2.04) 81,000,000
25.20 14.50 Atlas Cons. À 18.38 18.30 18.00 18.20 (0.98) 722,900 11,046,160.00
31.00 20.00 Atok-Big Wedge À 34.50 34.60 32.00 33.00 (4.35) 13,600 (58,750.00)
0.380 0.148 Basic Energy Corp. 0.255 0.255 0.245 0.250 (1.96) 1,100,000
30.35 15.00 Benguet Corp À 24.00 24.15 24.05 24.15 0.62 1,200
34.00 14.50 Benguet Corp `B 24.50 24.50 24.00 24.20 (1.22) 5,200
2.51 1.62 Century Peak Metals Hldgs 1.48 1.50 1.48 1.48 0.00 492,000 (150,000.00)
50.85 4.35 Dizon 39.00 39.95 37.80 38.45 (1.41) 258,200 602,400.00
1.21 0.50 Geograce Res. Phil. Inc. 0.77 0.77 0.74 0.75 (2.60) 2,971,000
1.82 0.5900 Lepanto À 1.240 1.220 1.180 1.210 (2.42) 28,005,000
2.070 0.6700 Lepanto `B 1.260 1.270 1.190 1.240 (1.59) 23,072,000 5,060,020.00
0.085 0.035 Manila Mining À 0.0620 0.0600 0.0590 0.0600 (3.23) 68,200,000
0.087 0.035 Manila Mining `B 0.0630 0.0610 0.0600 0.0610 (3.17) 12,400,000 6,100.00
34.80 15.04 Nickelasia 28.45 28.00 27.55 27.70 (2.64) 240,500 486,510.00
12.76 2.08 Nihao Mineral Resources 9.80 9.99 9.59 9.60 (2.04) 532,000 48,002.00
1.100 0.008 Omico 0.7400 0.7400 0.7400 0.7400 0.00 1,000
8.40 2.12 Oriental Peninsula Res. 5.580 5.570 5.240 5.260 (5.73) 4,408,600 1,959,971.00
0.032 0.012 Oriental Pet. À 0.0200 0.0190 0.0190 0.0190 (5.00) 411,100,000
0.033 0.013 Oriental Pet. `B 0.0210 0.0210 0.0210 0.0210 0.00 2,000,000
7.14 5.10 Petroenergy Res. Corp. 6.00 6.00 6.00 6.00 0.00 60,000
28.95 17.08 Philex À 23.95 24.75 23.60 23.95 0.00 5,692,700 5,517,940.00
14.18 3.00 PhilexPetroleum 30.85 33.00 29.70 31.30 1.46 4,590,000 19,830,845.00
0.058 0.013 Philodrill Corp. À 0.044 0.047 0.042 0.045 2.27 2,477,000,000 (5,316,900.00)
252.00 161.10 Semirara Corp. 249.80 252.00 249.80 250.00 0.08 237,040 (5,680,952.00)
0.029 0.013 United Paragon 0.0180 0.0180 0.0180 0.0180 0.00 24,000,000
PREFERRED
47.90 27.30 ABS-CBN Holdings Corp. 32.00 32.80 32.10 32.80 2.50 531,200 (1,605,050.00)
109.80 100.50 First Phil. Hldgs.-Pref. 105.50 102.00 100.00 100.90 (4.36) 76,830
11.02 6.00 GMA Holdings Inc. 9.70 9.60 9.42 9.50 (2.06) 223,300 (511,976.00)
80.00 74.50 SMC Preferred 1 75.10 75.10 75.10 75.10 0.00 156,100 33,795.00
1050.00 990.00 SMPFC Preferred 1020.00 1025.00 1025.00 1025.00 0.49 600
6.00 0.87 Swift Pref 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 0.00 1,000
WARRANTS & BONDS
1.35 0.62 Megaworld Corp. Warrants 1.12 1.07 1.00 1.02 (8.93) 1,245,000 409,300.00
TRADI NG SUMMARY
SHARES VALUE
FINANCIAL 24,676,158 1,442,081,405.15
INDUSTRIAL 112,141,649 872,580,284.70
HOLDING FIRMS 132,608,539 1,701,545,194.60
PROPERTY 222,061,344 709,024,112.20
SERVICES 29,906,176 601,966,964.14
MINING & OIL 3,148,482,867 591,836,177.21
GRAND TOTAL 3,669,876,733 5,919,034,138.00
FINANCIAL 1,184.49 (DOWN) 32.67
INDUSTRIAL 7,493.46 (DOWN) 125.29
HOLDING FIRMS 4,250.35 (DOWN) 163.04
PROPERTY 1,769.31 (DOWN) 56.28
SERVICES 1,608.48 (DOWN) 29.78
MINING & OIL 23,746.98 (DOWN) 287.13
PSEI 4,879.42 (DOWN) 137.60
All Shares Index 3,266.08 (DOWN) 68.25
Gainers: 38; Losers: 123; Unchanged: 30; Total: 191
STOCKS Close
(P)
Change
(%)
Jolliville Holdings 2.76 20.00
Acesite Hotel 8.88 15.63
Manila Jockey 1.80 9.76
I-Remit Inc. 2.33 7.37
Phil. Estates Corp. 0.7700 6.94
Phil. Realty À' 0.480 4.35
Wellex Industries 0.3900 4.00
Rockwell 3.60 3.45
Sinophil Corp. 0.330 3.13
Cyber Bay Corp. 0.80 2.56
STOCKS Close
(P)
Change
(%)
Liberty Flour 53.30 (14.03)
Phil Bank of Comm 72.00 (9.89)
Unioil Res. & Hldgs 0.2300 (9.80)
Megaworld Corp. Warrants 1.02 (8.93)
ISM Communications 2.6200 (8.07)
Asiabest Group 27.00 (6.74)
Marcventures Hldgs., Inc. 2.620 (6.09)
Natl Reinsurance Corp. 2.05 (5.96)
Oriental Peninsula Res. 5.260 (5.73)
Aboitiz Equity 48.00 (5.70)
TOP GAI NERS TOP LOSERS
S. Cotabato co-op bucks outages
APO Floors contest. Josh Miguel Navasero won the APO Floors free bedroom makeover contest. The
winning bedroom was designed by students of the graduating class of the Philippine School of Interior
Design, one of the countrys leading design schools. At the awarding ceremony are (from left) Jing Man-
dac, assistant marketing manager of APO Floors; Missy Castro, public relations manager of APO Floors;
Melvin del Rosario of PSID; Justine Mercado, marketing manager of APO Floors; Navasero; Patricia Gomez
of PSID; and Erwin Relles, merchandising assistant of APO Floors.
GENERAL SANTOS CITYMindanao has kept
its biggest electric cooperative among the ranks
of the nations efcient power companies as it
succeeded in energizing all 204 barangays in its
service area while keeping systems losses below
industry average.
President Benigno Aquino III noted that South
Cotabato II Electric Cooperative, the second-
largest electric co-op in the country, maintained a
proactive strategy that ensured efcient service to
consumers despite challenges posed by an acute
supply situation in Mindanao.
In a congratulatory message to the cooperative
as it held its 31st annual general assembly
recently, President Aquino commended
Socoteco II for helping illuminate our straight
and righteous path towards a brighter tomorrow
while Energy Secretary Rene Almendras lauded
the utility for energizing 100 percent of the nine
towns, one city, and 24 barangays in its area
while keeping system losses at an average of
only 10.99 percent.
Almendras and National Electrication
Administration head Edita Bueno joined other
national, local government and community leaders
in citing Socoteco II for its efforts to alleviate
the power shortage situation in South Central
Mindanao. Socoteco II has a service area with
a population of more than a million in General
Santos City, the entire province of Sarangani
and the towns of Polomolok and Tupi in South
Cotabato.
Socoteco II general manager Rodolfo Ocat
said during the annual general assembly that the
cooperatives management aggressively pursued
new sources of electricity supply after Mindanao
experienced half-day power outages in 2010 due
to the El Nio phenomenon that depleted water
levels in the hydroelectric dams that supply more
than half of Mindanaos electricity. Socoteco II
experienced daily power outages averaging nine
hours from March to April 2010.
STOCKS retreated Friday, pulling the
benchmark index below 4,900 points
anew, on concerns Europes debt crisis is
worsening.
The Philippine Stock
Exchange index, the 30-company
benchmark, fell 137 points, or
2.7 percent, to close at 4,879.42.
The gauge has lost 278 points
or 5.4 percent over the past ve
days.
The heavier index representing
all shares also dipped 2.1 percent
to 3,266 on Friday, as losers
outnumbered gainers, 123 to 38,
with 30 issues unchanged. Some
P5.9 billion worth of shares were
traded.
Philex Petroleum Corp.
advanced 1.5 percent to P31.30.
China National Offshore Oil
Corp. has expressed interest in
the companys gas reserves in the
exploration area known as Service
Contract 72, Philex Petroleum
chairman Manuel Pangilinan
said. Philex Mining Corp., parent
of Philex Petroleum, traded at
at P23.95.
Holding rms and property
developers led losers Friday.
DMCI Holdings Inc. was down
4.9 percent to P58 while SM
Investments Corp. fell 3.3
percent to P673. Ayala Land Inc.
tumbled 4.5 percent to P19.
Meanwhile, Asian stocks
dived Friday after discouraging
US economic reports unnerved
investors already worried about
the stability of the 17-country
euro currency union.
Markets in Asia followed Wall
Street, which closed lower after
a report showed manufacturing
slowed in the mid-Atlantic region
for the rst time in eight months,
and was far below analyst
estimates. Credit downgrades
of Spanish banks also rattled
investors.
Japans Nikkei 225 tumbled
2.9 percent to 8,617.75 as the
signs of weakness in the US,
a critical export market for
Japanese companies, battered
some of the countrys behemoth
manufacturers.
Hong Kongs Hang Seng
slid 2.7 percent to 18,672.89
and Australias S&P/ASX 200
dropped 2.4 percent to 4,055.90.
South Koreas Kospi tumbled 3.1
percent to 1,787.44. Benchmarks
in Singapore, Taiwan, mainland
China and New Zealand also
fell.
Most of the attention is on
Europe where the big risks still
lie. But the US is grinding at a
2 [percent] sort of growth rate
and while thats better than in
Europe, things are slowing down,
not speeding up, analysts from
DBS Bank Ltd. in Singapore
said in an e-mail. The situation
is precarious.
The Federal Reserve Bank of
Philadelphia said its index of
factory activity fell to minus 5.8
from 8.5 in April. Any reading
below zero indicates contraction.
Measures of new orders and
employment also fell in May,
the bank said. That suggests
manufacturers in the region are
cutting jobs.
Markets were further rattled
after Moodys Investor Service
downgraded 16 Spanish banks
Thursday, said Jackson Wong,
vice president at Tanrich
Securities in Hong Kong.
With Bloomberg, AP
Business
ManilaStandardToday mst_biz@manilastandardtoday.comextrastory2000@gmail.com MAY 19, 2012 SATURDAY
B3
Bangko Sentral closes
rural bank in Quezon
Filinvest Land gets
nod on P11-b bonds
Herco is Briggs & Stratton dealer
BRIGGS & Stratton Co. of the
United States, a world leader
in power products and gasoline
engine technology, announced
the appointment of Herco
Trading Inc. as local marketing
distributor.
The agreement gives B&S
access to Hercos strong market
position and network of outlets
throughout the country, Rob
Spletter, B&S managing director
for Southeast Asia, said in a
statement.
Herco president Willy Co
said his companys track record
in marketing well-known
brands and its long history
and reputation in the market
were compatible with that of
the Wisconsin-based company,
which has a heritage of trust,
service, dependability and
solid reputation in the market.
Both have been in the business
for over 100 years.
Briggs & Stratton and Herco
are a natural t due to the many
similarities we share as far as
core values of the companies,
work ethics of our people and our
customer-centric approaches to
doing business are concerned,
Co said.
He said the two companies
would make a wide range of B&S
products and services available in
the market as he assured the public
of an ample supply of spare parts
and technical support as well. He
said the company would strive to
establish qualied service centers
for B&S products in major cities
and train technicians for the job.
Co said by tapping Hercos
long-standing reliability as
distributor for wholesale and
retail channels, Briggs &
Stratton would further boost its
already substantial visibility in
and penetration of the Philippine
market.
Intex advocacy. Norwegian-based Intex Resources Philippines Inc. and Aglubang Mining Corp. launched
the Livelihood Enhancement Agro-Forestry Project, which entails replanting of various varieties of trees
in line with their corporate goal of propagating safe and green mining. Signing the LEAF agreement (from
left) are superintendent Francis Abunales of the Sablavan Penal Colony, chairman Danny Martinez of
the Alyansa Laan sa Kaunlaran at Kalikasan, Laban sa Kahirapan and Mindoro Nickel Project lawyer Leo
Gamolo.
By Elaine R. Alanguilan
ANOTHER rural bank in Quezon
has collapsed and is now placed
under the receivership of Philippine
Deposit Insurance Corp.
The Monetary Board of the
Bangko Sentral put the New
Rural Bank of Tagkawayan
Inc. (Quezon) under PDIC
receivership in a resolution
dated May 17, 2012. As receiver,
PDIC took over the bank on
May 18, 2012.
New RB Tagkawayan is an
eight-unit bank with head ofce
along Lagdameo Boulevard,
Tagkawayan, Quezon and
executive ofce in Candelaria,
Quezon.
Two of its seven branches are
in Sariaya, Quezon. The ve
other branches are in Calauag,
Candelaria and Lucena City
in Quezon, and San Juan and
Rosario in Batangas.
The bank had 14,099 accounts
with total deposit liabilities
of P363.44 million as of end-
December last year.
The bank, according to the
latest information led with
the Securities and Exchange
Commission, is majority owned
by Daniel De Gala (39.85
percent) and Anicia De Gala
(39.85 percent), who is also
chairman and president.
PDIC said in a statement it
would gather all bank records
and assured depositors that all
valid deposits would be paid
up to the maximum deposit
coverage of P500,000.
PDIC said depositors with
valid accounts with balances of
P10,000 and below, who have
no outstanding obligations
with the bank and who have
updated their addresses with
the bank in the past year, are
not required to le deposit
insurance claims.
PDIC plans to start mailing
payments to depositors with
small balances to their last
known addresses recorded in the
bank by end of June 2012.
By Jenniffer B. Austria
THE Securities and Exchange Commission
en banc has approved the P11-billion xed
rate bond issuance of property developer
Filinvest Land Inc.
Documents from the SEC
showed the property unit of tycoon
Andrew Gotianun planned to
issue the seven-year bonds in two
tranches. The rst tranche covering
P7 billion will be issued in June
while the remaining P4 billion will
be issued by the third quarter.
Filinvest tapped BDO Capital
and Investment Corp., BPI Capital
Corp. and First Metro Investment
Corp. as joint issue managers.
The company will use the
proceeds from the offering to
partially nance its P15-billion
capital expenditures in 2012.
Filinvest allotted P5.4 billion
for the development of medium-
rise buildings in Metro Manila,
Davao and Rizal and another
P3.8 billion for the development
of properties in Metro Manila,
Cavite and Cebu.
The rest of the amount will
be spent for development of
subdivisions, land acquisitions and
construction of high-rise projects.
FLI reported a 20.6-percent
increase in rst-quarter net income
to P748 million from P620 million
a year ago, on higher real estate
sales and rental income.
Revenues jumped 41 percent to
P2.73 billion from P1.93 billion,
led by the 50-percent jump in real
estate sales to P2.03 billion and
14-percent hike in rental income
to P410 million.
It said reservation sales take-up
in the rst three months reached
P3.2 billion or 15 percent higher
than the P2.8 billion generated in
rst quarter of last year.
The property rm spent close to
P2 billion in capital expenditures
in the rst quarter, up by 47
percent from what it spent during
the same period in 2011.
The company said capital
spending was expected to accelerate
in the next quarters as the Festival
Supermall expansion and the
construction of Il Corso lifestyle
strip at Citta di Mare in Cebu start.
The company had won the
bid to develop a 1.2-hectare
property owned by the provincial
government of Cebu in Lahug,
Cebu. The project will involve
the construction of four business
process outsourcing ofce
buildings, with the rst building
targeted to break ground by the
second quarter.
Filinvest expects prot and
sales to grow by 20 percent this
year, as it plans to roll out 14
new residential projects and 19
additional phases with total sales
value of P14.5 billion.
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND HIGHWAYS
Region IV - A
CAVITE SUB-DISTRICT ENGINEERING OFFICE
Tagaytay City
Tel. No. (046) 413-1347; Telefax # (046) 413-2936
I NVI TATI ON TO BI D
(MST-May 19, 2012)
The Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) of the DPWH Cavite Sub-District Engineering
Offce, through RA-Fund 101-General Fund/FY2012 RA10155 Special Purpose Fund 2012
CURRENT, invites contractors to bid for the following projects:
1.
Contract I.D. 12DG0045
Contract Name : Rehabilitation/Improvement of Tagaytay-Taal Lake Road
Contract Location : Cavite
Major Category : Flood Control/Hydraulics/River Control
of Work
Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC): Php 14,552,376.24
Contract Duration: 135 calendar days
2.
Contract I.D. 12DG0046
Contract Name : mprovement/Widening of Dasmarinas-Trece Martires City-Naic
Road K0052454 K0053+000 with exception
Contract Location : Cavite
Major Category : Roads-Rehabilitation-PCCP
of Work
Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC): Php 9,700,000.00
Contract Duration: 120 calendar days
The BAC will conduct the procurement process in accordance with the Revised IRR
of R.A. 9184. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at the
opening of bids.
To bid for this contract, a contractor must submit a Letter of ntent (LO), purchase
bid documents and must meet the following major criteria: (a) prior registration with the
DPWH, (b) Filipino citizen or 75% Filipino-owned partnership, corporation, cooperative,
or joint venture, (c) with PCAB license applicable to the type and cost of this contract, (d)
completion of a similar contract costing at least 50% of ABC within a period of 10 years,
and (e) Net Financial Contracting Capacity at least equal to ABC, or credit line commitment
at least equal to 10% of ABC. The BAC will use non-discretionary pass/fail criteria in the
Eligibility Check, Preliminary Examination of Bids.
Unregistered contractors, however, shall submit their applications for registration to
the DPWH-POCW Central Offce before the deadline for the receipt of LO. The DPWH-
POCW-Central Offce will only process contractors' application for registration with complete
requirements and issue the Contractor's Certifcate of Registration (CRC). Registration
Forms may be downloaded at the DPWH website www.dpwh.gov.ph.
The signifcant times and deadlines of procurement activities are shown below:
1. Receipt of LO's from Prospective Bidders : May 18 June 01, 2012
2. ssuance of Bidding Documents to registered : May 18 June 07, 2012
Contractors
3. Pre-Bid Conference : May 25,2012 at 10:00AM
4. Receipt of Bids : Deadline: June 07, 2012
Until 10:00A.M.
5. Opening of Bids : June 07, 2012 @ 2:00PM
Prospective bidders may download the LO Forms from DPWH website www.dpwh.gov.ph.
The BAC will issue hard copies of LO forms at DPWH, Cavite Sub-District Engineering
Offce, Tagaytay City.
The BAC will issue hard copy of Bidding Documents (BD's) at the DPWH ,Cavite
Sub-District Engineering Offce, Akle St., cor. Mahogany Avenue, Brgy. Kaybagal South,
Tagaytay City, upon payment of non-refundable fee of P 10,000.00 for the proposal booklets.
Prospective bidders may also download the BD's from the DPWH website and shall pay
the said fees on or before the submission of their Bid Documents.
The Pre-Bid Conference shall be open only to interested parties. Only who have
purchased the BD's are enjoined to attend the said Pre-Bid Conference and may ask
questions pertaining the project, so that they shall be properly informed of some important
matters regarding the above projects.. Bid must be accompanied by a bid security, in the
amount and acceptable form, as stated in Section 27.2 of the Revised RR.
Prospective bidders shall submit their duly accomplished forms as specifed in the
Bidding Documents (BD's) in two (2) separate sealed bid envelope to the BAC Chairman.
The frst envelope shall contain the technical component of the bid, which shall include a
copy of the CRC. The second envelope shall contain the fnancial component of the bid.
Contract will be awarded to the Lowest Calculated Responsive Bid as determined in the bid
evaluation and post-qualifcation. The technical and fnancial components of the bid should
be book bound and each sheet properly paginated (ex: Page 1 of 200).
The DPWH, Cavite Sub-District Engineering Offce, Tagaytay City reserves the right
to 1) reject bids, 2) declare a failure of bidding, and 3) not to award the contract without
incurring any liability if the funds /allotments for said program/project/activity have been
withheld or reduced through no fault of its own.

Approved by :

(Sgd.) PRESCILA R. RAMOS
BAC Chairman
NOTED:
(Sgd.) CARLITO C. JOSE
District Engineer
(MST-May 19, 2012)
Department of Finance
BUREAU OF CUSTOMS
1099 Manila
Committee on Negotiated Sale
NOTI CE OF NEGOTI ATED SALE
Pursuant to Section 2610 of the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines, as
amended, and Customs Administrative Order No. 10-2007, as amended, the article/s /
item/s described hereunder shall be disposed of through NEGOTATED SALE on an " AS
IS, WHERE IS BASIS."
Article/s located at Port of Iloilo Description
One (1) unit Tractor Head Color : White
Plate No. CPD 155 With : Engine
Lot No. 1(A) 10 Tires
Location: loilo Customhouse 4 Side Mirrors (2 rounds, 2 rectangle)
2 Wipers
2 Batteries
2 Signal Lights
1 Empty Tool Box
Chassis No. JH574288
One (1) unit Trailer With : 8 Tires
Plate No. PUS 824 1 Empty Tool Box
Lot No. 1(B) No Spare Tire
Location: loilo Customhouse Chassis No. P239-1172
One (1) unit Tractor Head (suzu V355) Color : Blue & Yellow
Plate No. WRL 956 With : Engines
Lot No. 2(A) Hydraulic Hose
Location: loilo Customhouse 6 Tires
2 Batteries
3 Wipers
1 Side Mirror
2 Signal Lights
1 Tail Light
1 Empty Tool Box
Chassis No. EXR2163900985
One (1) unit Trailer With : 8 Tires
Plate No. PUS 834 1 Empty Tool Box
Lot No. 2(B) No Spare Tire
Location:loilo Customhouse Chassis No. P23977703
One (1) unit Ten (10) Wheeler Truck Color : Blue
suzu V330 (Stake) With : Engine
Plate No. GML 899 2 Batteries
Lot No. 3 4 Side Mirrors
Location:loilo Customhouse 2 Wipers
Empty Tool Box
Chassis No. CXM19T3000132
One (1) unit Ten (10) Wheeler Truck Color : Green with Yellow Stripes
suzu V340 With : Engine
Plate No. GML 879 2 Batteries
Lot No. 6 3 Side Mirrors (2 right, 1 left)
Location:loilo Customhouse 3 Wipers
4 Head Signal Lights
2 Side Signal Lights
1 Empty Tool Box
Chassis No. CXM71V3000433
One (1) unit Ten (10) Wheeler Truck Color : Blue
suzu V330 With : Engine
Plate No. GDT 309 2 Batteries
Lot No. 7 1 Side Mirror
Location:loilo Customhouse 1 Wiper
1 Empty Tool Box
Chassis No. CXM19V1968868
One (1) unit suzu Elf 1976 NO MARKNGS
Lot No. 8
Location:loilo Customhouse
Article/s located at Port of MICP Description
One (1) unit BMW Motorcycle USED, Color : Black
Lot No. V Plate No. GM0404
Location:Port of Cebu Chassis No. 0434601+R1100GS+
Engine No. 112EB20956087
Article/s located at Port of MICP Description
One (1) unit Hummer H2 USED, Color : Maroon
Lot No. 54-11F Year Model: 2007
Location:CTS-CY, Car Stalag, MCP Vin No. 5GRGN23U17H105005
The said motor vehicle/s / article/s shall be available for inspection during business hours at the
premises of the aforementioned locations, on 21 May 2012. For further inquiry, please contact Port
Operations Service (POS) with land line no. 527-45-06.
Sealed offers to buy indicating the amount of offer, name, address and contact number/s of
the offeror shall be submitted to the Committee on Negotiated Sale (Attn: Deputy Commissioner for
Assessment and Operations Coordinating Group (AOCG) and Chairman, Committee on Negotiated
Sale) at Room 313, 3rd Floor, POM Building, Gate 3, South Harbor, Port Area, Manila, on 23 May
2012 before 4 o'clock in the afternoon.
No offer to buy shall be entertained if submitted after the date and time prescribed herein.
Requirements to be submitted simultaneously with the sealed offer:
1. Tax dentifcation No. (TN No.)
2. Offcial Receipt on the payment of a non-refundable registration fee of P2,000.00.
3. Latest income and/or Business Tax Returns duly stamped and received by the Bureau of
Internal Revenue (BIR) and validated with the payment made thereon.
Failure to submit any of the requirements enumerated above shall automatically disqualify the
participant/offeror for participating further in the negotiated sale.
The government reserves the right to reject any or all offers, waive and require formalities and
accept offers most advantageous to the interest of the government pursuant to Customs Administrative
Order No. 10-2007, as amended.
16 May 2012, Manila
(Sgd.) DR. PRUDENCIO M. REYES, JR.
Deputy Commissioner, AOCG and
Chairman, Committee on Negotiated Sale
Department of Public Works and Highways
Caraga Region XIII
Ofce of the District Engineer
Butuan City District Engineering Ofce
Butuan City
(MST-May 19, 2012)
The DPWH, Butuan City District Engineering Ofce, R. PaIma
Street, Butuan City, through its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), invites
prospective suppliers/manufacturers/bidders to apply or eligibility and to
bid for the following construction material/s:
1. a. Project D No. : 2012-Goods-01
b. Name of Project : Supply and Delivery of Construction
Materials for the use of Completion of
DPWH- Butuan City District Engineering
Offce Building, Brgy. Dagohoy, Butuan
City
RFQ- A Reinforced Conrete, Mansory & Tile Works
RFQ- B Carpentry Works
RFQ- C Structural Metal Works
RFQ- D Plumbing Works
RFQ- E Doors & Windows Works
RFQ- F Tinsmithry Works
RFQ- G Stainless Steel Works
RFQ- H Painting Works
RFQ- Electrical Works
RFQ- J Transformer Banking & Air-conditioning
System
d. ABC (Total) : Php 5,418,000.00
e. Contract Duration : Within 30 Calendar days upon Received
of P.O.
f. Cost of Bid Documents : Php 1,500.00
NOTE: RFQ/Bid Documents is available upon payment of non-refundable
amount to DPWH-Butuan City District Engineering Offce, Butuan
City
Prospective suppliers/bidders should have experienced in undertaking
a similar contract with the last two (2) years with an amount of at least
50% of the proposed project for bidding. The Eligibility Check/Screening
as well as the Preliminary Examination of Bids shall use non-discretionary
"pass-/fail criteria. Post-qualifcation of the lowest calculated bid shall be
conducted.
All particular relative to eligibility Statement and Screening, Bid
Security, Performance Security, pre-Bidding Conference, Evaluation of
Bids, post Qualifcation and Award of Contract shall be governed by the
pertinent provisions of R.A. 9184 and its Revised Implementing Rules
and Regulations.
The complete schedule of activities is listed, as follows:
ACTIVITIES SCHEDULE
1. Issuance of Tender Documents May 16, 2012 June 4, 2012
2. Pre-Bid Conference May 24, 2012
3. Submission of Eligibility Statements &
Bid Price Proposal
June 4, 2012 @ 2:00 P.M.
4. Eligibility Checking & Opening of Bids June 4, 2012 @ 2:15 P.m.
Bid Documents will be available only to prospective bidders upon payment
of a non-refundable amount stated above to the DPWH Butuan City District
Engineering, Cashier.
The DPWH-BCDEO assumes no responsibility whatsoever to compensate
or indemnify bidders for any expenses incurred in the preparation of the bid.

(Sgd.) CESARIO B. ALEGADO, JR.
BAC-Chairman
Fax No. (085) 225-20-22
Approved:

(Sgd.) NICOLAS O. ALMEDA
District Engineer
I NVI TATI ON TO APPLY FOR ELI GI BI LI TY AND TO BI D
Provinces
Edited by Leo A. Estonilo
B4
Batangas lifeline restored
Plane
crashes
down off
Bataan
Aegis, school develop talent pool
By Cris A. Ibon
BATANGAS CITYThen Mayor
Eduardo Dimacuha and former
Executive Eduardo Ermita joined by
Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro
wasted no time in rebuilding the vital
bridge across Calumpang river that
collapsed at the height of Typhoon Santi
in 2009.
Kicking up 150 kilometers per
hour winds with gustiness up to
185 kph followed by rampaging
waters, the weather caught up
with a family of three, whose
Honda Civic was swallowed by
the river.
Coast Guard divers retrieved
the body of Romulo Soriano, 40,
and his three-year old son, Nicolo,
both of Barangay Sampaga in
this city off Batangas Bay and
off Tingloy Island, respectively.
Sorianos wife, Malou, 30, of
the Batangas Provincial Health
Ofce, was saved while adrift
by a Badjao named Barsani
Bartapa.
Knowing the bridge was a
gateway to a large part of the
province, Dimacuha sought the
aid of the Ofce of the Executive
Secretary.
Secretary Ermita gave his
word to restore the bridge, he
told Manila Standard in an
interview.
About P100 million was
allocated through the efforts
of Ermita and Tedoro, to rush
emergency work six months
before the presidential polls.
As a lifeline, the bridge
served the cluster of barangays
composed of Kumintang Ibaba
and Gulod Labac as gateway to
neighboring barangays such as
Gulod Itaas, Sampaga, Libjo,
Pallocan East, Pallocan West,
Paharang West, Paharang
East,Dagatan, Tulo, Damuclay,
Dagatan, Tulo, Sico, Bilogo,
San Pedro, San Isidro,
Malalim, Conde Itaas, Conde
Ibaba, Talumpok, San Pedro,
Tabangao, Dela Paz, Ilijan,
Pulot, Talahib Pandayan,
Talahib Silangan including the
six island barangays in Verde
Island.
Neighboring provinces of
Mindoro Oriental, Mindoro
Occidental, Marinduque,
Palawan and areas in Visayan
region whose commuters also
used the bridge, Dimacuha
said.
The bridge reopened to
trafc on June 16, 2010 to the
delight of the owners of SM
Mall, KIELCO, Shell Renery,
Ilijan Power Plant, Purefoods,
San Miguel Corp. and other
locators.
Dimacuah commended
Ermita for making good his
commitment, saying A true
Batangueo keeps his word of
honor.
An undefeated mayor,
Eduardo said his wife, Vilma,
present mayor, is giving way
for him to run in May next
year.
Ermitas daughter, Elenita
Ermita-Buhain, Eileen, a
three-term representative of
Batangas rst district, is lined
up by the opposition in the
congressional race.
Batangas Mayor Vilma Abaya-Dimcuha and husband Eduardo, former mayor, lead the opening of the main bridge across Calumpang river in
this le photo. Right panel shows the collapsed span after Typhoon Santi in 2009. BATANGAS PIO
By Redge Jimenez-Lopez
CEBU CITYAegis, a leading
outsourcing services provider and part
of the $17-billion Essar Group, has
signed an agreement with Aspire People
Solutions, and University of San Jose
Recoletos on a program to reduce brain
drain and boost regional employment.
Bong Borja, Aegis president for Strategic
Initiatives, said the training scheme is
supported by the Technical Education and
Skills Development Authority.
The Earn and Learn initiative is proof
of our commitment to the Philippines
and to the Filipino talent, he said, noting
that the quality of the local workforce
stood among the best in the world.
However, there is a need to enhance the
countrys employable talent pool to meet
the industrys requirements for highly
skilled and qualied BPO employees.
According to Borja, the program
allows Aegis subsidiary, Aspire People
Solutions, to train academic partners
to run a nishing course especially
designed for contact centers whose
graduates undergo internship for future
employment.
Hailed by TESDA as the rst dual
training system between the BPO
sector and the academe, Aegis Earn and
Learn has three components: Trainer
certication, Pre-Employment Language
Enhancement Training, and internship.
Aspire will manage the selection
and training of the academic partner
which will run the pre-employment
aspect covering modules on English
communication and customer service
following TESDA standards.
Fr. Enrico Peter Silab, OAR, university
president, welcomed the partnership.
It is widely held that to produce
graduates ideal for employment, they
must be armed with the necessary
knowledge and skill sets critical to sustain
development in a knowledge society,
he said. Cheyenne Soon, of the TESDA
Cebu Regional Ofce, commended the
sectoral cooperation.
We look forward to your continued
support to technical education and
skills development and to TESDA as
we envisioned to become your leading
partner in the development of Filipino
workforce with world-class competence
and positive work values, he said.
A two-month internship at Aegis
allows successful candidates to undergo
foundation, client-specic training, and
nesting. They earn an allowance and upon
completion are given the opportunity to
be hired at Aegis sites in Cebu or even
Manila.
Aegis has also signed a Memorandum
of Agreement with Asian College of
Technology, also a Cebu-based school
this month.
IN BRIEF
Dairy sector to increase
production in four years
By Dexter A. See
BAGUIO CITYFormer Rep. Mark
Cojuangco, of Pangasinans 5th district,
urged delegates of the National Dairy
Congress here, to increase production and
bring milk within everybodys reach.
We have to provide an abundant supply of
fresh milk to enhance the nutritional status of
our children and make fresh milk affordable
to our people so that the drinking of milk will
become a habit for Filipinos, he said.
Danilo Fausto, National Dairy
Confederation president, told the assembly
that the government would be restocking
dairy animals for the coming years to
enable its nutrition campaign reach remote
communities.
We are way behind in terms of dairy
production, he said, noting the sectors
crucial role in the administrations food
sufciency roadmap.
Fausto said the country had 38,000
dairy animals producing about 1 percent of
the local 1.8 million liter demand compared
to the 350,000 head of Thailand and 4.5
million in New Zealand.
Ambassador Reuben Levermore called on
policymakers to look into establishing more
dairy zones across the regions to improve
the economic conditions of farmers.
Florers said the sector was targetting
by 2016 for dairy farmers to double their
production to over 60,000 liters a day to
help narrow the gap between local supply
and imports.
Tourism alliance eyes 650,000 visitors
Tokwing wins project
BALERA triple A contractor that built the
Buendia yover, portions of the Subic-Clark-
Tarlac Expressway, a P115-million medical
center and P330-million worth of big-ticket
projects in Eastern Samar, will do the 10-
kilometer portion of the Baler-Casiguran Road
here.
Tokwing Construction Corp. bid P140
million for the Dianadiawan (Dipaculao) road-
concreting stretch from the Department of
Public Works and Highways in Central Luzon,
besting VRF Construction, a contractor based in
Cabanatuan City.
Reynaldo Manalansan, TCC president, said
construction will start after the DPWH regional
director Antonio Molano issues the Notice to
Proceed. Ferdie G. Domingo
Dunlop, union shake hands
FREEPORT AREAThe management
of the Dunlop Slazenger (Phils) Inc. and
union members have vowed to abide by their
commitment to industrial peace.
The company and CFW-Dunlop Slazenger
Workers Chapter have settled their labor
disputes in front of the ofcials of Department
of Labor and Employment through the National
Conciliation and Mediation Board Region 3, a
joint statement said.
Two labor dispute cases led against Dunlop
have been cancelled as a result.
The agreement was signed by Dunlop
managing director Ponciano Felipe Corsame
and union president Rose Gaza to withdraw the
cases and settle them amicably. Butch Gunio
Soroptimists convene
CEBU CITYSoroptimist International
will conclude its 23rd biennial conference here
on Sunday.
SI Americas President-elect Raquel Arreola
Ruiz keynoted the gathering joined by SIA
chief executive Elizabeth Lucas who led the
workshop on Educate to Lead.
Soroptimist is the largest and most proactive
womens volunteer group in the world, with
100,000 members.
It has a presence in 124 countries in seven
continents. The Soroptimist mission is to
improve the lives of women and girls in local
communities throughout the world.
CAMP AQUINOTwo
military pilots are missing after
their SF260FH trainer plane
crashed off Mariveles, Bataan,
Capt. Aurelio Kigis, spokesman
of the Northern Luzon
Command said yesterday.
He identied the crew only as
Maj. Tumaning and Lt. Arugay.
S e a r c h - a n d - r e s c u e
operations are still ongoing
for our pilots, he told Manila
Standard. The Navy and Coast
Guard have already found the
aircraft wreckage and towed it
to the port for investigation.
Air Force spokesman Lt.
Col. Miguel Ernesto Okol said
the plane left Sangley Point
in Cavite at 6:52 a.m. for
prociency ight.
Chief Petty Ofcer Efren
Dichoso, Mariveles Coast
Guard head, said aircraft parts
strewn near Lamaonja Island.
Weve found the wreckage at
around at around 7:30 a.m., he
said. The impact area which is 3
nautical miles off Mariveles was
about 180 feet deep. We recovered
a fuel tank, a pilot helmet and one
of the seats of the plane.
Dichoso said shermen
informed the Navy and Coast
Guard about seeing a plane
tilt sideways before making
a nosedive; no smoke nor
explosion was reported.
The trainer was among the
18 brand new basic trainer
aircrafts the Air Force bought
from supplier Aermachi based
in Italy for P621,671,409.60.
The eet was delivered
in batches in 2011 and early
this year for stationing at the
Air, Education and Training
Command at Sangley Point.
The government has in its
shopping list for Internal Security
Operation eight brand new combat
Utility Helicopters (Sokol) from
Augusta PZL Swidnik of Poland.
Four have been delivered for a
P2.8 billion package.
Amid the increasing dominance
of China in disputed sections of the
West Philippine Sea, Malacaang
announced plans to buy ghter
jets. Florante S. Solmerin
By Oliver Samson
LEGAZPI CITYMore than
half a million foreign visitors
are expected in ve years by the
newly formed Albay-Masbate-
Sorsogon Tourism Alliance.
The cluster beefs up the Cat-
anduanes-Camarines Sur-Cama-
rines Norte Tourism Link.
Albay Gov. Joey Salceda said
an agreement has been signed
with Masbate Gov. Rizalina Sea-
chon-Lanete and Sorsogon Gov.
Raul Lee.
I have initiated this strategic
approach to accelerate tourism
development and enhance the at-
tractiveness of Bicol as a tourist
destination, said Salceda, chair-
man of the Bicol Regional De-
velopment Council.
He said the realignment will
enable the Bicol peninsula to
have a more coherent market
positioning and promotion.
Salceda cited the need for
infrastructure development to
make the region fully accessible
through the P3.6 billion Southern
Luzon International Airport in
Daraga, Albay to be nished in
2014; the Modernization of the
South Railways under the DOTC
with the South Central Station
in Comun, Camalig, Albay and
spur lines to Legazpi City and to
Matnog, Sorsogon; the proposed
four-lane Naga-Legazpi freeway
to link CCTL with ALMASOR,
the proposed P250 million Mayon
International Convention Cen-
ter; and, the P278 million Albay
Sports Center in time for Albays
hosting of the 2015 Palarong
Pambansa.
Fertility rites.
Devotees,
residents and
tourists join the
Obando Fertility
Dance in honor of
the three patrons--
St. Pascual Baylon,
St. Claire of Assisi
and Our Lady of
Salambao-to
pray for a child, a
partner in life and
good fortune. Inset
shows Bulacan
Gov. Wilhelmino
Sy-Alvarado joined
by Mayor Orencio
Gabriel.
Ample water supply. Nicasio Reyes,
general manager of Malolos Water District,
assured households and other customers of
enough water in the city, guaranteeing rate
protection that pegged water rates at the P125
level set since 2007. REY L. ESPIRITU

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