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TODAY
Standard
Manila
Vol. XXVI No. 63 12 Pages, 2 Sections
P18.00 TUESDAY, May 1, 2012
Palace denies Aquino
already campaigning
Ombudsman
probe may set
new impeach
rap vs Corona
Justice Dept scraps legal fees
in filing criminal complaints
Teen pregnancy
alarms solons;
RH bill pushed
Fiery protest. A demonstrator sets the US ag on re outside the
Chinese Embassy in Makati to protest Chinas presence in the Panatag
Shoal. The Chinese did not object to the burning. DANNY PATA
The burning continues. A demonstrator burns a Chinese ag to pro-
test Chinas continuing presence in the Panatag Shoal. DANNY PATA
Japanese guests. President Aquino welcomes Japans Liberal Democratic Party secretary-gener-
al Nobuteru Ishihara (left) and former congressman Shintaro Ishihara in Malacaang.
Busy. Workers in a textile manufacturing company try to meet a production target so they can join Labor
Day celebrations on May 1.
THE Justice Department no lon-
ger will charge legal fees from
people ling cases before it to
make the justice system avail-
able to everyone and to encour-
age more people to report cases
to curb criminality, Justice Secre-
tary Leila de Lima has ordered in
a circular.
Her Circular 25 revoked Cir-
cular 42 and other related circu-
lars that allowed the collection of
legal fees by the National Pros-
ecution Services.
All assessment clerks and
collection ofcers under the Na-
tional Prosecution Service shall
forthwith cease and desist from
assessing and collecting legal fees
stated in the above-mentioned
circulars, the circular says.
Department Circular No. 42
and related circulars are hereby
revoked effective immediately.
On Sept. 14, 2004, then Jus-
tice Secretary Raul Gonzales is-
sued Circular 42 to collect more
By Joyce Pangco Paares
MALACAANG said Monday
the output in the Ombudsmans
investigation of Chief Justice
Renato Coronas alleged $10-
million deposit in banks could
be used to initiate another im-
peachment proceeding against
him if he was acquitted in his
impeachment trial.
The letter of the Ombuds-
man was quite clear. They
cannot le a case against the
chief justice because he is an
impeachable ofcial, presi-
dential spokesman Edwin Lac-
ierda said.
[But] they can recommend
a case of impeachment against
an impeachable ofcial.
Lacierda made his statement
even as Corona denounced the
reports he had $10 million de-
posited in banks, saying it was
part of the Palaces propaganda
following the Supreme Courts
nal ruling to distribute to farm-
ers the Hacienda Luisita estate
owned by the Aquino family.
It is obviously a clear re-
taliation for our decision on
Hacienda Luisita, Corona told
reporters in a text message.
I do not own $10 million.
It simply does not exist.
Lacierda declined to com-
ment on how the Ombudsman
Some 40,000 workers belong-
ing to the moderate Akbayan
group, which is allied with Mr.
Aquino, will march to Mala-
canang from Espaa to demand
that the President put a stop to
the contractualization of labor
and the violent demolitions of
squatter homes, and to remove
the value-added tax on petro-
leum products.
Workers belonging to the more
militant Kilusang Mayo Uno,
Anakpawis and Bagong Alyan-
By Maricel Cruz
and Christine Herrera
LAWMAKERS crossed party lines
on Monday to press the passage of a
bill endorsing safe sex and the wel-
fare of women and children, which
has faced strong opposition from the
Roman Catholic church and has re-
mained pending in the legislature for
the past two years.
Majority party members in the House
of Representatives said the measure, the
Reproductive Health bill, could stave off
the alarming rise of teenage pregnancy
cases in the country.
They agreed that the bill would
help stem population growth and
promote sex education and protect
and promote the welfare of women
and children.
Congress has not acted on the bill
since it was introduced as a priority mea-
sure in 2010. The opposition has come
mainly from the powerful Roman Cath-
olic Church, which objects to the use of
condoms and contraceptives.
The Church campaigns for the so-
called rhythm method, which tells
ONLY 863 Philippine-educated
nurses took the US professional li-
censing test for the rst time in the
rst quarter this year, down 40 per-
cent from the 1,454 who took that
test for the rst time in the same
quarter in 2011, Rep. Arnel Ty said
Monday.
The number also represents
only 17 percent of the 5,076 Fili-
pino nurses who took the [test] for
the rst time in the rst quarter of
2007---at the height of the nursing
boom, Ty said.
The number of Filipino nurses
taking the US test for the rst time,
excluding repeaters, was consid-
ered a good indicator as to how
many of them are trying to prac-
tice their profession in America, Ty
said.
MALACAANG on Monday
denied that President Benigno
Aquino III is engaging in pre-
mature campaigning for the
possible candidates of the Lib-
eral Party for the 2013 senato-
rial race.
Certainly that is not premature
campaigning. No one has led
their certicates of candidacy, so
there is no premature campaign-
ing, presidential spokesman Ed-
win Lacierda said.
Hes just proud to have
them.
On two occasions, Mr. Aqui-
no asked for public support for
at least three potential LP bets.
In a forum of the People
Power Volunteers for Reform,
Mr. Aquino openly sought sup-
port for former Akbayan party-
list Rep. Risa Hontiveros.
On Sunday, the President also
campaigned for Aurora Rep.
Sonny Angara and Technical
Education and Skills Develop-
ment Authority director general
Joel Villanueva.
Asked if Mr. Aquino would
continue endorsing LP senatori-
al bets during his public engage-
ments, Lacierda said, Well
see.
He said the President would
make a good endorser for the
LP senatorial bets. Mr. Aquino
needed more allies in the govern-
ment to make it easier for him to
carry out reforms.
THE Philippines on Monday appealed to China to reconsider its
rejection of the countrys invitation to bring the territorial dispute
over the Panatag or Scarborough Shoal to the International Tribu-
nal for the Law of the Sea for arbitration.
We would hope that they will join us in the peaceful settle-
ment of this matter. Again, we will exhaust all efforts to come
up with a peaceful resolution, presidential spokesman Edwin
Lacierda said.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario had earlier said
the international tribunal was the right body to determine which
country had sovereign rights over the shoal.
The Hamburg-based tribunal is an independent judicial body
established in 1982 by the United Nations Convention on the
Law of the Sea as a mediator in the disputes arising from the
interpretations and applications of the UN convention.
Over the weekend, President Benigno Aquino III ordered all
concerned government agencies to document the recent aggressive
By Macon R. Araneta
THE political meddling at
the Bureau of Customs must
stop to minimize corruption
and give way to reforms, other-
wise Customs will remain one
of the most corrupt government
agencies, Commissioner Ruffy
Biazon said Monday.
Money ows in the Bureau
of Corruption, so corruption-
wise, graft and corruption in
this government agency is
high, Biazon told a breakfast
meeting at the Diamond Hotel
on Roxas Boulevard, Manila.
He said he was trying to plug
the loopholes in his agency, but
he would be needing years to im-
prove the system there, including
automation and computerization,
to minimize human discretion
and corruption.
There are so many interests
coming into the play. These
have big effects on the reforms
that we are infusing at the bu-
reau. We need an environment
that would allow genuine re-
forms, Biazon said.
He said there would be sig-
nicant changes in the bureau
if a moratorium on political
interventions was imposed. He
said he was fortunate because
he was a former politician, so
I can resist in some area and
many in others.
He refused to name the poli-
ticians who were interfering for
vested interests at Customs.
Still, Biazon said Customs
had been showing improved col-
lections. Last years target was
P270 billion, he said, but this year
they were aiming at a 30-percent
increase or P365 billion.
Its a big challenge to hit the
ever-increasing target because of
some factors beyond our control,
Workers to PNoy:
Were your boss!
Political meddling abets corruption at Customs
Filipino nurses taking US licensing test declining
PH calls on China
again to settle row
Rallies , protests highlight discontent on Labor Day
Next page
Next page
Next page
Next page
By Christine F. Herrera
TWO separate rallies will be held by
rival workers groups to mark Labor
Day today, united only in their desire to
highlight their discontent over the gov-
ernments inability to rein in rising costs
and joblessness and to remind President
Benigno Aquino III who is the boss.
sang Makabayan, meanwhile, will
march to Mendiola from Plaza
Miranda to give the President a
score card with a failing grade in
all aspects of governance.
Anakpawis Rep. Rafael Mari-
ano said the people were demand-
ing wage hikes, land reform,
employment and social justice,
but Mr. Aquino had given them
the exact opposite, carrying out
programs that worsened poverty,
hunger and social injustice.
For the past 23 months un-
der the Aquino presidency, the
rural and urban poor sectors
have endured the social costs of
Aquinos anti-people policies.
Payback time starts [today],
Mariano said.
Interior Secretary Jesse Ro-
bredo told the police to exercise
maximum tolerance during
the Labor Day protest rallies.
He also urged the leaders of the
protesters to police their ranks so
that they could not be inltrated
by saboteurs.
While we recognize the Labor
Day protesters right to air their
grievances against the govern-
ment, it is also their duty to main-
tain peace and order, he said.
Spearheaded by Akbayan, a
newly formed labor center, Sen-
tro, will unfurl a giant banner at
the Welcome Rotunda calling for
an end to contractualization, Ak-
bayan Rep. Arlene Kaka Bag-ao
announced Monday. Next page
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News
ManilaStandardToday [email protected] MAY 1, 2012 TUESDAY
A2
AUSTRALIAN mining billionaire
Clive Palmer plans to build a 21st-centu-
ry replica of the Titanic and sail it from
England to New York accompanied by
the Chinese navy by the end of 2016.
Chinese Yard to build Titanic II
He has signed a rst-stage agree-
ment with Nanjing-based CSC
Jinling Shipyard to build the ship
as part of a planned eet of luxury
liners, the Gold Coast, Queensland-
based businessman said in an e-
mailed statement today.
He has signed a rst-stage agree-
ment with Nanjing-based CSC
Jinling Shipyard to build the ship
as part of a planned eet of luxury
liners, the Gold Coast, Queensland-
based businessman said in an e-
mailed statement today.
Palmer, whose investments in-
clude golf courses, hotels, coal
and iron-ore mining projects, a
nickel smelter, a soccer team and a
horse stud, said the ship will have
the same dimensions as the origi-
nal Titanic. A move into the cruise
market, where ships typically cost
at least $500 million to build, is an
ambitious step, Greg Johnson, an
analyst with Shore Capital Group
in London, said by phone.
Youre starting from scratch
with no experience, Johnson
said. A $500 million punt is
quite sizable.
The Titanic, commissioned
by White Star Line, was the
largest liner in the world when
built at just under 270 meters
and 53 meters high. It sank on
April 15, 1912, after hitting an
iceberg east of Newfoundland,
costing the lives of more than
1,500 passengers and crew, ac-
cording to the statement. The
Titanic II will, like its prede-
cessor, have 840 rooms on nine
decks, Palmer said.
It will be every bit as luxuri-
ous as the original Titanic, but of
course it will have state-of-the-art
21st century technology and the
latest navigation and safety sys-
tems, Palmer said, along with
gymnasiums and swimming pools.
Palmer, 58, a former media ad-
viser to Queenslands late state
premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen, is
known for ambitious projects in
varied elds.
In March he was quoted by the
Sydney Morning Herald prom-
ising to invest in a blind trust
to encourage media diversity in
Australia, and saying that Aus-
tralias Greens party was funded
by the CIA.
He unveiled the Titanic II plan
just over an hour before a sepa-
rate announcement that he would
stand against Australian Trea-
surer Wayne Swan in his seat of
Lilley at a federal election due
next year.
The Chinese ship-building
industry with our assistance
wants to be a major player in
this market, Palmer said in the
statement.
The ship would sail under his
company, to be name Blue Star
Line in reference to the Titanics
owner. Chinas navy would be
invited to escort Titanic II on
its maiden voyage to New York,
Palmer said.
Blue Star Line was registered
on April 18 as a wholly-owned
subsidiary of Palmers Mineral-
ogy Pty., according to its only
document led with Australias
securities regulator. Palmer and
Derek Payne, manager of his
Cold Mountain horse stud, are
the only ofcers listed in the
three-page ling.
The mining magnate has a for-
tune of A$5.05 billion ($5.3 bil-
lion) and is Australias fth-rich-
est person, according to BRW
magazine rankings. He is devel-
oping coal and iron-ore mines in
Australia, including the $8 bil-
lion China First coal project in
Queensland state. Last year, he
dropped plans to sell shares in
his company Resourcehouse Ltd.
in Hong Kong after commodity
prices fell. Bloomberg
PETRON and Isla Petroleum
on Monday cut the price of
cooking gas as world oil prices
continued their slide.
Isla Petroleum reduced the
price of its Solane brand by P5 a
kilogram or P55 per 11-kilogram
tank, but Petron announced a
bigger cut of P5.25 a kilogram
or P65 per 11-kilogram tank.
The new prices will take ef-
fect one minute after midnight
on Tuesday, Petron said.
The price of liqueed petro-
leum gas is adjusted on the rst
week of each month to reect
its price abroad.
Energy ofcials said the
other distributors of the LPG
Marketers Association were
expected to announce price
cuts next week. The groups in-
clude Omni Gas, Pinnacle Gas,
Island Gas, Cat Gas and Nation
Gas. Alena Mae S. Flores
Cooking gas
prices down
Ombudsman...
probe would impact Coronas trial, which resumes on May 7.
Whether it is a game-changing matter will again depend on the
appreciation by the senators, he said.
He denied that the Ombudsmans investigation was retaliation
for the Supreme Courts ruling to distribute the Hacienda Luisita.
Chief Justice Corona received the Ombudsmans letter last April
23, a day before the Supreme Court decision in the case of Haci-
enda Luisita. Obviously, the letter could not be a retaliation on the
decision, Lacierda said.
It is highly possible that since the chief justice already knew that
he was required to explain by the Ombudsman, he is now condition-
ing the public to think the letter was a retaliation. It clearly shows
his un-statesman-like behavior.
Corona said the Ombudsmans investigation was instigated by
the Palace. It was part of the black propaganda and mind-condi-
tioning preparatory to the resumption of trial on May 7.
This [alleged dollar account] is no different from the phoney
LRA [Land Registration Authority] list, phony US property list,
phony surveys, he said. With Rey E. Requejo
PH...
actions of Chinese vessels in the
area for a possible case before
the international tribunal.
Foreign Affairs spokesman Raul
Hernandez said the country was
prepared to unilaterally raise its
sovereign claim before the tribunal
if Beijing rejected arbitration.
If we go to ITLOS unilater-
ally, it will not be for arbitration.
It will be more for the validation
of our sovereign rights, he said.
China claims all of the West
Philippine Sea as a historic
right, even those well within
the countrys 200-nautical-mile
exclusive economic zone rec-
ognized by the United Nations
such as the Panatag Shoal, also
known as Bajo de Masinloc.
The Philippines and China
aside, the other countries claim-
ing the whole or parts of the West
Philippine Sea are Malaysia, Viet-
nam, Brunei and Taiwan.
On Sunday, China again
turned down the Philippines
call for international mediation
to resolve the maritime dispute.
The head of the Chinese foreign
ministrys boundary and ocean
affairs ofce, Deng Zhonghua,
conveyed the rejection to the
Philippine Embassy in Beijing.
The ministry said China de-
mands that the Philippines re-
spect the sovereignty of Chinese
territory and does nothing more
to aggravate or complicate the
situation further, a statement
posted at the Chinese foreign
ministrys website said.
The proposal to bring the issue
to the ITLOS, the ministry said,
contravenes the fundamental prin-
ciples of international relations and
also inicts serious damage on the
current international order. Scarbor-
ough Shoal is an integrative part of
Chinese territory.
The standoff in the Panatag
Shoal started in April 10, when
the Philippine Navy caught Chi-
nese shermen poaching in the
area for endangered and protect-
ed maritime species.
China also rejected the Philip-
pinesallegation that a Chinese ship
bullied Philippine Coast Guard
vessels, calling it a subjective as-
sumption on the part of Manila.
Also on Monday, the left-
leaning Bayan Muna led a
resolution in the House urging
the government to launch all-
out diplomatic efforts to assert
Philippine sovereignty and to
end Chinese intrusion into the
countrys territory. Joyce Pan-
gco Paares, John Anthony
Concepcion and Maricel Cruz
Palace...
I appeal to you to give me al-
lies next year. My hair is already
thinning. If you do not give me
people who will help me, I might
already have to use oor wax for
my head, Mr. Aquino joked.
A senior opposition lawmaker on
Monday chided Mr. Aquino for his
early endorsement of candidates.
Siquijor Rep. Orlando Fua said
it was unfortunate that the highest
ofcial of the land was busy with
politics while his people were suf-
fering and having a hard time cop-
ing with the countrys problems.
He should set an example
for what a real President is
Attending to the needs of his
people, Fua said.
Angara defended the President,
saying there was no explicit en-
dorsement for him as a senato-
rial candidate. He said during the
same occasion that the President
also discussed other problems of
the country like land reform, the
labor situation in the country, the
Scarborough Shoal dispute, and
the power crisis in Mindanao.
Agham party-list Rep. Angelo
Palmones, an administration
ally, also criticized the President
for politicking when govern-
ment needed to act on the rising
prices of fuel, electricity and ba-
sic commodities.
Navotas City Rep. Tobias
Tiangco said the Presidents
endorsements would be use-
less unless he attended to the
countrys pressing problems.
Joyce Pangco Paares and
Maricel Cruz
Workers...
Bag-ao, one of the prosecutors
in the impeachment trial of Chief
Justice Renato Corona, said the
continued erosion of labor rights
coupled with the increase in the
prices of basic goods should be a
cause for concern to the govern-
ment, and that it should immedi-
ately push for the passage of the
security-of-tenure bill.
Contractualization of labor
has only pushed more and more
Filipinos into poverty, Bag-ao
said.
Because these contractual
employees do not enjoy the same
rights as those of regular em-
ployees, such as the right to form
unions and join in collective
bargaining agreements, they are
often subjected to abuses from
their employers.
Bag-ao urged the government
to consider measures to ease the
burden of working Filipinos,
such as suspending or eliminat-
ing the tax on oil products, end-
ing the demolition of squatter
homes, and putting an end to the
privatization of the power plants
in Mindanao.
Anakpawis Mariano said tens
of thousands of workers, farm-
ers and poor people will be mo-
bilized in todays celebration of
International Workers Day.
On Labor Day, sectors from
the toiling masses will remind
Aquino that the people are the
real boss, Mariano said.
Coming from a family of
landlords, Aquino has no respect
at all for the value and dignity of
work. His family, the Cojuang-
co-Aquinos, lived off from the
sweat and hard work of Hacien-
da Luisita farmworkers.
The workers and peasants,
Mariano said, held President
Aquino accountable for neglect-
ing basic social issues and the
demands of Filipinos. The latest
Social Weather Station survey at-
tributed the dip in Mr. Aquinos
satisfaction ratings to his admin-
istrations failure to address pov-
erty and hunger, he said.
From a net satisfaction rat-
ing of very good or +56 in De-
cember 2011, Aquinos ratings
dropped to +46 in March this
year, he said.
The SWS survey is being
kind to the administration. If
farmers and workers are to rate
Aquino, we will give him a dou-
ble negative mark in all aspects
of governancea complete dis-
appointment and failure.
But Malacaang has said
workers would get good news
today when the President meets
with several labor groups over
breakfast at the Palace.
There will be good news de-
nitely, presidential spokesman
Edwin Lacierda said.
The President will hear out
what their concerns are and in
the process, those things that
well be able to address, well be
able to do so.
Labor Secretary Rosalinda
Baldoz said the package will be
presented to the labor leaders
and employers during the break-
fast meeting.
The Trade Union Congress of
the Philippines said that Nag-
kaisa, a newly formed labor
coalition, will deliver a letter to
the President detailing 10 de-
mands that aim to address both
short- and long-term problems
of workers.
The President has been in pow-
er for two years and we havent
seen policies and guidelines ad-
dressing the unemployment situa-
tion in the country, TUCP ofcer
Alan Tanjusay said.
Workers are having dif-
culty coping with their expenses
such as electricity, and with June
around the corner, they also have
to worry about tuition. We need
to help workers cope with these
upcoming expenses.
On Sunday, Mr. Aquino said
state workers could look forward
to an early release of the fourth
tranche of the Salary Standard-
ization Law 3 this year.
The President said the 4th
tranche of SSL3 for more than
a million state workers could be
released in June, a month earlier
than scheduled.
The 2012 budget has allocated
more than P50 billion for the sal-
ary increases under the third and
fourth tranches of SSL3.
Malacaang had earlier reject-
ed a fresh push by labor groups
for a 125-peso legislated wage
hike for workers.
Deputy presidential spokes-
woman Abigail Valte said the
regional wage boards were in a
better position to see working
conditions and strike a balance
between the interests of work-
ers and employers. A legislated
wage hike might cause some es-
tablishments to close shop.
Two lawmakers on Monday
urged President Aquino to ex-
ercise political will to lower the
prices of basic commodities, say-
ing a wage hike is not enough.
Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Ca-
sio and House Deputy Minor-
ity Leader and Zambales Rep.
Milagros Magsaysay made the
appeal as the nation prepared to
celebrate Labor Day.
Casio said the long delayed
pay hike for government work-
ers would be useless if the prices
of basic commodities continued
to rise beyond the peoples reach.
President Aquino has all
the power to stop the unabated
increase in the prices of basic
goods and services which di-
rectly affect the lives of Filipino
people, Casio said.
But still, the President re-
fuses to do anything about the
soaring prices of oil, electricity,
tuition and even the impending
water rate hike. With Joyce
Pangco Paares, Maricel
Cruz, Vito Barcelo and Jona-
than F. Fernandez
Political...
like the recent earthquake that
hit Japan and the ooding in
Thailand, Biazon said.
Their export to the Philip-
pines have been adversely af-
fected by these disasters.
Meanwhile, Biazon said he
would run for Congress or the
Senate if President Benigno
Aquino III asked him to. He
was not about to resign from
Customs t o r e-enter pol itics.
If Im advised or instructed by
the President to take another job,
thats the time I would let go of
[Customs], said Biazon, a close
Aquino ally at the Liberal Party.
I can inuence and effect
changes in a variety of sub-
jects, but right now, my focus
is on [Customs], he said.
Teen...
couples to use the calendar to pre-
vent pregnancies. The proponents
of the RH bill say the rhythm
method has failed to check run-
away population growth.
Bagong Henerasyon party-
list Rep. Bernadette Herrera-Dy
emphasized the urgency of the
bill following a report by the
United Nations Population Fund
that ranked the Philippines num-
ber one in Southeast Asia for its
pregnancy rate of 53 for every
1,000 women aged 15 to 19.
Herrera-Dy, the vice chairwom-
an of the House Committee on the
Welfare of Children, attributed the
rise in teenage pregnancies to ig-
norance, poverty and lack of infor-
mation on birth control.
Teenagers dont know that
they can get pregnant or get
someone pregnant by having sex.
It may sound funny and pathetic,
but this is really true, especially
in the depressed areas, she said.
Agham party-list Rep. Angelo Pal-
mones said the rise in teenage pregnan-
cies is a dire forecast of an impending
national disaster for the economy, so-
ciety and the environment.
On the eve of the national cel-
ebration marking Labor Day, about
100 women workers marched to the
house of Kris Aquino, sister of Presi-
dent Aquino and a celebrity product
endorser, to demand that she also
endorse the reproductive health bill.
As the countrys top celeb-
rity endorser with countless fans
among women workers, we sin-
cerely hope that Kris will also
endorse the RH bill, said Judy
Ann Miranda, secretary general
of Partido Manggagawa.
Kris owes her success partly from
women of the working class who
support her, the fans who do not only
watch her shows on television and
movies but also patronize the prod-
ucts she endorses, Miranda said.
The women massed at the Ga-
briela Silang Monument at the
Ayala Triangle and marched to
Aquinos resident at One Roxas
Triangle. Police reported no inci-
dent during the brief rally.
Justice...
income to pay the salaries of
prosecutors all over the country.
Two months later, the Justice
Department issued three more
circulars to collect more legal
fees, which ranged from P30
for certications to P5,000 for
criminal complaints.
De Lima said there was no
more need to collect fees from
litigants because the Salary
Standardization Law had al-
ready increased the prosecu-
tors salaries by 100 percent.
This [new policy] will address
the recurring issue of denial of ac-
cess to justice by parties and liti-
gants by imposing an exaction on
the redress of wrongs when ling
criminal complaints, she said.
The [Justice Department]
will continue to work hard in
making justice available every-
where to everyone with the full
support of the national govern-
ment. Rey E. Requejo
Filipino...
He joined Vice President Jejo-
mar Binay in denouncing Washing-
ton, DC Council member Marion
Barry Jr.s discriminating and rac-
ist remarks against Filipino nurses
working in the US.
Mr. Barrys offensive remarks
were totally uncalled for, especially
coming from a US Democratic Par-
ty member closely identied with
the American civil rights movement
against racial segregation and dis-
crimination, Ty said.
Filipino nurses provide a great
service to America. They should
immediately make their presence
felt by writing directly to Barry
and his colleagues in the US capi-
tals lawmaking-body.
In a recent DC Council budget
hearing, Barry said: Its so bad that
if you go to the hospital now, you
nd a number of immigrants who
are nurses, particularly from the
Philippines. Lets grow from our
own nurses, so that we dont have
to be scrounging around in our com-
munity clinics and other kinds of
places, having to hire people from
somewhere else.
It is estimated that some
116,000 Filipino nurses have
obtained employment in Amer-
ican hospitals, clinics and nurs-
ing homes since 1995, accord-
ing to Ty.
But he said the number of Fili-
pino nurses seeking to practice their
profession in America had been de-
clining since 2009.
In the 12 months of 2011, only
5,630 Filipino nurses took the
US test for the rst time. That
represents roughly one-fourth of
the 21,499 Philippine-schooled
nurses who took the US licensing
exam in the 12 months of 2007.
Christine F. Herrera
Labor support. Members of the International Solidarity Mission on Mining raise placards in
Quezon City to show their support for workers on Labor Day. MANNY PALMERO
MAY 1, 2012 TUESDAY
A3 News
ManilaStandardToday [email protected]
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
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Sack meat officials, PNoy urged
Henares
still on
Pacmans
tax case
Ombudsman opens Pangasinan office
4 soldiers, civilian killed in Camarines clash with Reds
Blood for my country. A nurse of the Philippine Red Cross Pasay City chapter extracts blood from an unidentied airwoman, one of the
1,000 Philippine Air Force personnel who were qualied to donate blood as part of their celebration of the Philippine Air Forces upcoming 65th
anniversary. The blood-letting was held at the Villamor Air Base gymnasium in Pasy City. EY ACASIO
Summer breeze
makes me feel
ne. A dog rides
on the back of his
human who decided
to take him for a ride
to down a road in
Alabang, Muntinlupa
to cool down from
the sweltering heat
that soared to over
36 degrees Celsius on
Sunday in the suburb
of Alabang. AP
Rosendo So, chairman of the Abono party-list and Swine Development
Council director, aired this call as he asked Bulacan hograisers, who supply
some 60 percent of the pork meat consumed in Metro Manila, close ranks
as the industry teeters on the brink of collapse.
Let us show to Malacanang that their inaction on our plight will
destroy the food security of the country, So said, stressing that the
industry has been suffering since 2005.
Lito Hizon, one of the biggest poulty raisers in the country and
founding chairman of the Livestock Raisers Association of the
Philippines (LRAP), said their group supports the call of industry
leaders for unity in the ght against smugglers of pork, chicken and
beef from the US and Canada.
So disclosed that the total importation of pork, chicken, beef and buffalo
meat increased from 2005 to 2011. In terms of volume, the increase was from
200 million kilograms in 2005 to 408 million kilograms in 2011, So said.
The volume of our commitment to World Trade Organization
(WTO) under the Minimum Access Volume (MAV) is 54 million
kilograms and we only used up 40,283,059 kilograms in 2011. What
we are questioning is that we imported 169,218,977 kilograms as
per record of the Bureau of Customs and the BAI, he said.
For the survival of the local hog industry and the people whose
lives depend on it, I humbly call on President Aquino to immediately
remove Nuestro and Bacayo for being inutile and remiss in their
duties as heads of the BAI and NMIS, respectively, So stressed.
So said that what the hog industry leaders are saying is that the
problem is not in the Minimum Access Volume, but the volume of offal
importation which is abused by importers through technical smuggling.
He also condemned the inaction of Customs ofcials for playing
deaf and blind to the arrival of millions of tons of smuggled frozen
meat and chicken.
By Orlan Mauricio

MALOLOS CITYBureau of Animal
Industry director Efren C. Nuestro and
National Meat Inspection Service director
Jane Bacayo should be sacked from their
post for allowing the inux of imported
frozen meat and chicken to the detriment
of the local livestock industry.
By Macon Ramos-Araneta
GIVING honor to the country
does not exempt world boxing
champion and Saranggani Rep.
Manny Pacquiao from paying
the right amount of taxes to the
government, Internal Revenue
Commissioner Kim Henares
stressed on Monday.
She said there is no provision
in the law which exempts a
person bringing national honor
from payment of taxes.
He still needs to pay taxes.
All people should follow the
law, Henares said, noting that
the BIR has been very realistic
and considerate in dealing with
Pacquiao so as not to distract
him from his forthcoming ght.
We are cognizant of the
fact that he is preparing for a
ght, said Henares, but it is
not proper for Pacquiao to say
that the BIR is harassing him.
We are giving him as much
leeway as legally possible, said
Henares who told reporters that
Pacquiao still refuses to turn
over pertinent documents on his
earnings from boxing matches
and commercial endorsements
for the year 2010.
The BIR wants to check on
Pacquiaos tax records, including
his annual income tax return, his
book of accounts, list of assets,
as well as his earnings from his
ghts against Antonio Margarito
and Joshua Clottey.
It also asked Pacquiao
to produce 29 copies of his
contracts for endorsements,
including endorsements with
Ricoa, Pagcor and PLDT.
PH aviation
nearly up to
global par,
officials say
MORE people are expected to join the
battle against graft and corruption after
Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales
inaugurated another satellite ofce in
Rosales, Pangasinan.
Morales was joined by local government
ofcials in inaugurating the three-storey
building erected on a 528-square meter
property in Carmay East, Rosales.
The new satellite office for the
Office of the Deputy Ombudsman
for Luzon is the second to be opened
following the one located in Calamba,
Laguna.
The Pangasinan satellite ofce will
serve the Ilocos, Cagayan and Central
Luzon regions as well as the Cordillera
Administrative Region.
The Ofce of the Ombudsman now
has four satellite ofces nationwide with
one in Iloilo for the Visayas and one in
Cagayan De Oro for Mindanao .
The latest satellite ofce forms part
of the Ofce of the Ombudsmans
effort to give the public more reason
to participate in the war against corrupt
people in public service as well as those
in the private sector who connive with
them.
Recently, the Ombudsman forged an
agreement with the Comission on Audit to
form a joint investigating team to hasten
the prosecution of corruption cases.
A newly formed joint investigating
team will give top priority to transactions
involving the peoples money, like the
fertilizer fund scam, Malampaya funds
question, Government Service Insurance
System deals, Philippine National Police
purchases and Metropolitan Waterworks
and Sewerage System ofcials
allowances.
Also on the list are the swine
program of the Quedan and Rural
Credit Guarantee Corp., the
fund transfers to the National
Agri-Business Corp., the rubber
boats purchase by the Philippine
Navy, investments made by the
Armed Forces of the Philippines-
Retirement and Separation Benefits
System, and the payment for
election paraphernalia made by the
Commission on Elections.
The Ombudsman believe that by
bringing the anti-graft ofce closer to the
people, the number of whistle blowers
will increase and reveal anomalous
transactions, scams, and other misdeeds
committed by government ofcials and
employees.
The satellite ofce will afford people
easier access to the services of the
Ombudsman like receiving complaints
against erring government ofcials.
Macon Ramos-Araneta
By Eric B. Apolonio
THE resolution of the civil aviation
safety concerns of the International
Civil Aviation Organization will
likely be resolved soon after officials
of the Civil Aviation Authority of
the Philippines (CAAP) met with
ICAO officials in Montreal, Canada
on April 19.
Philippine Ambassador to Canada
Leslie Gatan accompanied CAAP
Director General Ramon Gutierrez in
meeting with ICAO ofcials from the
ICAOs Technical Cooperation Bureau
and Air Navigation Bureau.
The meeting essentially focused
on resolving the long-standing safety
concerns and how the ICAO can
possibly assist the country in this
regard.
After receiving clarications and
advice from ICAO, Director General
Gutierrez expressed optimism that
CAAP would be able to complete the
necessary work before the end of the
year to enable the ICAO to undertake
a validation mission in the country
leading towards the resolution of the
concerns.
Gutierrez acknowledged the
importance of focusing CAAPs
efforts in the area of aircraft operations
to remove the concerns.
During the meeting, ICAO ofcials
stressedc that they are ready to extend
technical cooperation assistance to
the Philippines to strengthen the state
of civil aviation safety in the country.
Gatan said that the resolution is
critical, particularly in relation to the
countrys outstanding aviation safety
issues with respect to the US FAA and
the European Union (EU).
According to Gatan, once the ICAO
concerns are resolved this will lead to
the Philippines return to Category I
status by the US FAA and the lifting
of the EU ban on Philippine airlines
ying to Europe, as ICAO States
Parties.
Earlier on April 16 to 17, 2012 the
six man Philippine delegation headed
by Gutierrez visited the US FAA
ofce in Washington to submit the
corrective action plan on the FAAs 23
concerns about aviation safety in the
Philippines which was accepted and
approved by the US aviation body.
Other members of the CAAP team
are Deputy Director General John
Andrews, Assistant Director General
Elmer Pena, Flight Operations Safety
Inspector head Francisco Juliano,
Aviation Safety regulation head Carl
Benedict de Guzman and the head of
Air navigational safety system, lawyer
Jenny Lerum.
By Florante S. Solmerin
and Florencio P. Narito

FOUR soldiers and a civilian were
killed when Army soldiers encountered
more than 20 communist New Peoples
Army rebels Sunday in Barangay Maot,
Labo, Camarines Norte, Maj. Angelo
Guzman, spokesman of the 9th Infantry
Division, reported Monday.
Guzman said the reght between
the rebels and soldiers of the of the 49th
Infantry Battalion happened at around
12:30 p.m.
The 9-man team led by 1Lt. Eric
Estrevillo while on combat operation
in the place when ambushed that
instantly killed a civilian identied as
Francisco Ruales, 49. Another civilian
was wounded and identied as Marlo
Matibang, Guzman said, adding that
the reght lasted for 40 minutes and
four soldiers were killed.
They were identied as Corporal
Amado A. Perillo, Private First Class
Paulo Orticio, PFC Teodoro C. Ojeda
and PFC Sonecio D. Potian.
PFC Leland L. Besada sustained
a gunshot wound in his head but was
safely evacuated with Matibang to the
Camarines Norte Provincial Hospital
in Daet for immediate treatment. They
are both in stable condition already,
Guzman said.
Guzman said they have received
reports from civilians that the rebels
carried with them several wounded
comrades in their retreat.
Local villagers reported that they
have seen the rebels carry with them
three dead comrades believed as they
retreated, Guzman said, but he added
they were validating the information.
The rebels were able to take
with them six M16 ries, a K3 sub-
machinegun and a caliber .45 pistol
from the soldiers, Guzman said.
Col. Richard Lagrana, commander
of the 902nd Infantry Brigade, ordered
the deployment of troops in the area for
a sustained pursuit operation to track
down the perpetrators.
Meanwhile, Maj. Gen. Josue
Gaverza, Jr, commander of the 9tth ID,
while he acknowledged the soldiers
bravery he also directed the creation of
a board of inquiry to look into possible
lapses incurred in order to improve the
conduct of similar operations.
He also instructed human rights desk
of his Division to coordinate with the
Philippine National Police for the ling
of appropriate charges against the
perpetrators.
Despite incapacitated due to fatal
gunshot wounds, three of our soldiers
were shot to death at close range by the
rebels, Gaverza said.
Opinion Adelle Chua, Editor
ManilaStandardToday
[email protected] MAY 1, 2012 TUESDAY
A4
ITS Labor Day and as is customary, the
plight of the Filipino workers both here
and abroad comes into focus.
The context is nearly always the constant
struggle between labor and capital. On one
hand, there are the businessmen looking
for ways to produce their goods and deliver
their services most cost-effectively.
On the other hand, there are the workers
who have to cope with the rising standards
of living and hence constantly demand an
adjustment in wages.
This year is no exception. A few days
before Labor Day, President Benigno
Aquino III said he had a surprise for
workers to coincide with todays holiday.
Mr. Aquino may just be keeping up with
tradition, but he too needs labor on his side.
He has not been successful in shielding the
workers from the rising prices of oil and
basic commodities. They do not sound
happy, either, that the promises to get them
out of poverty have not materialized almost
two years after Mr. Aquino took ofce.
But celebrating labors contributions is
in no way restricted to the issue of wages.
There are the matters of competitive
advantage, the mismatch between the
supply of and demand for labor, growth
and upward mobility for workers, security
and stability, personal satisfaction, work-
life balance, gender equality, and the social
costs of migration and re-integration.
This administration has at least
recognized the need to do something about
competitiveness and the matching of supply
with demand, hence the introduction of
reforms in the basic education system that
will eventually produce more competitive,
and more deliberate, members of the
workforce.
The other concerns, however, fall within
the realm of the individual companies that
employ these workers. One could argue
that there are more pressing legislative
matters than ensuring that workers are able
to balance their time and attention between
their jobs and their families, or have the
opportunity to upgrade their skill sets to
contribute more to the team.
It is good to be reminded that a
satisfied worker is one that is less
distracted and more productivea
better agent in strengthening the
organization and, in the grander
scheme, building the nation.
Beyond wages
The Revengers
EDITORIAL
Lowering the bar
A WEEK before the resumption of the
impeachment trial, with the prosecutions
case in shreds and the defense still on the
stand, the usual suspects have reverted to
depressing form and opened a dubious new
front against the embattled Chief Justice.
New complaints have been led against
the CJ at the Ombudsman (which may
have no jurisdiction over him in any case)
by the reliably pro-Aquino radical leftists
of Akbayan (iyong-iyo kami, mahal na
Pangulo!) like recycled senatoriable Risa
Hontiveros and her fellow apparatchik
Walden Bello, presumably at the
instigation of their party president and
now Presidential adviser Ronald Guns
and DVDs Llamas.
Just to refresh our memory before the
trial reopens, here are their complaints and
the responses on record from the defense
(in case the complainants werent paying
attention before):
1.Mr CJ, you acquired ten properties
beyond your means! (Defense: He
actually owns only six, and these are
supportable by his income from all
sources in the Supreme Court and, before
then, his long career in the private sector.)
2.Mr CJ, you under-declared
your SALN! (Defense: He used a
legally permissible valuation basis: tax
assessment. If he wants to amend itas in
fact he has already donethe law allows
him to do so, and certainly wouldnt
impeach him for it.)
3.Mr CJ, you have suspect bank
accounts! (Defense: Again the amounts
are supportable by his income; that
controversial Ps 32.6 MM actually
belonged to his in-laws. Also, what
people seem to have forgotten by now
is that the bank documents presented by
the prosecution were either fraudulent or
illegally obtained.)
Now a new number is being oated
by the usual suspectsalleged dollar
deposits of $10 MMwith absolutely no
shred of evidence or even attribution. And
yet it merited a headline in the Inquirer,
Aquinos unofcial Pravda. Unfortunately
for us, the reprieve from these insanities
that we enjoyed during the trial recess has
turned out to be short-lived.
***
The revival of the entertainment
offered up by the impeachment trial is
providentially timed for the President
like a Grace Lee datecoming as it does
in the wake of two pieces of bad news for
him last week.
The rst one was his dip in the latest
SWS survey, which saw his net approval
ratings drop from +56 (very good) to
+45 (only good). The drop was uniform
across almost all demographic segments.
This is what happens when the people
not being entertained by Kris, Grace, or
impeachmentactually pay attention to
whats happening around them: rising
prices, job losses, slow growth, KKK,
crime on the streetsand now, most
recently, the threat of a shooting war with
a powerful neighbor like China.
The fetching deputy Palace spokesman
Abigail Valte put the best face she could
on the Presidents latest numbers by
thanking the people for his GROSS
popularity ratings of 65. If those numbers
continue to slide, expect her to be thankful
that, consecutively (i) the gross ratings are
still above 50, (ii) theyre still a plurality,
and then (iii) theyre still positive.
The other piece of bad news for Aquino
was his familys reversal on Hacienda
Luisita, when the Supreme Court voted
unanimously to redistribute the land to the
farmers. This is simple equity, not only for
the farmers, but even for other landowners
who already submitted long ago to land
reform--perhaps because they didnt
have the clout under two mother-and-son
presidencies to delay the inevitable.
The sticking point was the valuation
of the land, which saw a much closer
8-6 division of the Court. Voting for a
much higher Ps 5 BN valuation were,
predictably, the three Aquino appointees,
joined by Justices del Castillo (ailing
and threatened by impeachment too),
Bersamin and Peralta (both reportedly
next in line by seniority, with Carpio, for
the Chief Justices seat).
The lower valuation selected by the
majority justices of Ps 44,000 psm was
as Winnie Monsod reminds us in her latest
columnput forward by the Cojuangco
family themselves back in 1989, in order
to wrestle corporate control away from
the farmers. Now that number has come
back to haunt them, poetic justice indeed.
But wait, theres more!the
Department of Agrarian Reform has
inexplicably announced that they will
still review that valuation number from
1989. How long will they take? And will
they come up with a new number thats
miraculously back in the multi-billion-peso
range? Lets see what kind of accounting
and legal legerdemain will again be pulled
out of the familys inexhaustible hat.
***
As the risk of a shooting war with
China becomes ever more real, I had the
opportunity to ask Aquinos predecessor
the other day how she would handle the
problem. Her answer was forthright and
not unexpected: She would not have
allowed the problem to get so bad so
quickly, in the rst place.
And the facts seem to bear her out.
On her watch, we saw growing trade
and investment ties with China, even a
joint offshore oil exploration agreement.
But in less than two years under Aquino,
weve seen the Luneta hostage massacre,
the Filipinos executed on Chinas death
row, the Taiwanese illegals mistakenly
repatriated to China, even the multiple
attempts to appoint an unqualied
ambassador like Domingo Lee. No
wonder the Chinese are unforgiving.
The Presidents duty is to raise the bar,
not lower it. True, we remain duty-bound
to rally around him during this face-off
with China. But as we do soand until
he earns our personal respectwe mustnt
forget that it is the ag and the Ofce of
the Presidency that are commanding our
loyaltiesnot its vindictive occupant of
the moment.
[email protected]
CALL it The Revengers of the Lost
Hacienda. And if it sounds like a
movie weve all seen before, feel free
to complain to the scriptwriter and
director.
You know that the Senate
impeachment trial is about to reboot
when the Aquino administration starts
to ramp up its propaganda against
Chief Justice Renato Corona. Only this
time, instead of a list of 45 properties
owned by the chief magistrate, the
prelude to the trial comes in the form
of $10 million said to have been
stashed away by
Corona in bank
accounts.
I n s t e a d
of the Land
Re g i s t r a t i o n
A u t h o r i t y ,
P r e s i d e n t
N o y n o y
Aquino and his
henchmen have
decided to use
the Ofce of the
Ombudsman as
their propaganda
vehicle of
choice. No one
from the prosecution, the palace or
the rest of the Yellow crowd seems
to remember that, according to the
Constitution, the Ombudsman has no
jurisdiction over Corona or any other
impeachable ofcial.
In the meantime, at least among the
pro-Aquino media and other palace-
allied groups, the Ombudsmans
indecent disclosure seems to have
achieved the desired effectjust
like the LRA disclosures of long
ago. The outrage appears at turns to
be feigned or genuine (depending on
the gullibility of the ones expressing
it), but they have the common theme
of demanding that Corona declare
exactly what he has in his foreign
currency accounts.
Following exactly the same
script they used in weaving tales of
humongous real estate holdings by
Corona, at least one member of the
prosecutionthe corruption-free
Marikina Rep. Miro Quimbohas
already broadly hinted that the chief
justice will have to explain why he
has $10 million in foreign currency
deposits. The prosecution, Quimbo
explained, has long ago reserved its
right to resume questioning Corona on
his foreign currency depositsnever
mind if the both the Senate and the
Supreme Court have already upheld
the law that prevents the disclosure
of such holdings unless the depositor
himself allows it.
Coronas camp has expectedly
denied that the chief justice has that
much money in foreign currency
accounts. And given how the tales
of fabulous landholdings turned out,
Corona has a better history of telling
the truth about his dollar accounts
than either the prosecution or the
government instrumentalities that
connive with it to besmirch the top
magistrate.
* * *
But what if (again, following the
script of the 45 LRA titles) Corona
is able to sufciently prove that he
is merely the victim of a vilication
campaign that has nothing to do
with reality? Will the Ombudsman
and the prosecution against point
ngers at each other, while the prime
mover of the impeachment process
Malacaang Palacewash its
hands and pretend that it was never
involved?
Of course, it matters not to those
who want Corona convicted that
they still have to substantiate their
claims in the Senate, or in any other
forum, for that matter. As one top
impeachment operative in the palace
once told me, the prosecution can
fumble everything the Senate court,
as long as we win the war against
Corona in the media.
This has been
the unshakeable
belief of
Ma l a c a a n g
r e g a r d i n g
the Corona
i mp e a c h me n t
trial from the
beginning, after
all: that the chief
justice need only
be convicted by
publicity, which
will lead to
people power-
like pressure on
the Senate, which
will, in turn, be forced to turn in a
conviction.
As the allies of the President in the
Senate keep saying, the impeachment
trial is a political process that has little
to do with actual legal proceedings.
(Of course, these same palace
sycophants are also the rst to cry
foul when other groups like the pro-
Corona Iglesia ni Cristo start exing
their muscle in a bid to have the chief
justice acquitted outside of the session
hall.)
But if the allegations that Corona
has great caches of US dollars hidden
away in banks is once again disproven,
what will they think of next? And who
will say to the chief justice and his
family that, were sorry, but we really
were mistaken?
For instance, no one has yet taken
responsibility (much less apologized
to Corona) for the charges that the
chief justice had used his US-based
daughter to purchase alleged luxury
properties abroad. When it became
clear that Coronas daughter, who is
gainfully employed, could certainly
afford to pay a mortgage on what was
certainly an ordinary middle-class
home, the people who were pursuing
this particular anomaly simply
never brought up the charges again.
And that, in this era of benighted,
scorched-earth political vendetta, is
just par for the course for the people
who have made it their business
to destroy all those whom Aquino
considers his sworn enemies. And
now that Corona has presided over
the distribution of Hacienda Luisita
and the fair, lowball valuation of the
property of the Presidents family,
he may have already dislodged
former President Gloria Macapagal
Arroyo in Aquinos personal most
wanted list.
So sit back and let the impeachment
movie resume once again. And if
it all looks too familiar, blame the
people responsible for this political
fantaserye.
JOJO
A. ROBLES
LOWDOWN
GARY
OLIVAR
BYPASS
ROLANDO G. ESTABILLO Publisher
RAMONCHITO L. TOMELDAN Managing Editor
CHIN WONG/ RAY S. EANO Associate Editors
RALEIGH J. JALECO News Editor
JOEL P. PALACIOS City Editor
ROMEL J. MENDEZ Art Director
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If it looks
familiar, blame the
people responsible
for this political
fantaserye.
MAY 1, 2012 TUESDAY
A5 Opinion Adelle Chua, Editor
ManilaStandardToday
[email protected]
DOTC Secretary Mar Roxas wants to
put up and repair some 800 toilets for
airport use nationwide, noting the utter
disrepair if not lack of restrooms for
local and foreign travellers.
At long last, government is listening
to complaints of travellers that airport
toilets have become a reection of the
countrys disregard for sanitation and
hygiene. If there are toilets in airports,
they are either in complete disrepair.
If there are toilets in airports, they are
either in complete disrepair, or have no
running water and toilet paper.
I still recall an incident at the NAIA
airport when a female foreigner came out
running and screaming from the ladies
toilet when she saw a hand creeping out
from under the door with toilet paper.
Thats how it was when toilet papers
were handily given to
people at the door for
use by people needing
them.
Yes, we do need
clean and useful
toilets when we
travel by plane. But,
Mr. Secretary, see to
it that they are also
maintained clean with
running water and
toilet papers.
Along with Mars
pledge to have
clean and sanitary
toilets in all airports
nationwide, it would
also do him well to
require operators
of expressways to
construct toilets
unless there are
already gasoline
stations along the
way. And please have them maintained,
Mr. Secretary.
***
Ten million dollars unexplained and
hidden wealth of Chief Justice Renato
Corona? Thats according to complaints
led with the Ombudsman which have
to be explained by the Chief Justice.
Santa Banana, if there are people who
believe it, they have rocks in their heads.
Even if you count all those alleged 45
properties which the prosecution in the
impeachment trial of Corona claimed he
has, which by the way have been proven
to be a fairy tale since they went down
to only ve, and all his alleged peso and
dollar accounts, they dont come up with
that amount. Its ridiculous, to say the
least!
What then is the purpose for such
a complaint against Corona. Simple:
They are meant to condition the minds
of the public that aside from Coronas
alleged violation of the Constitution
and betrayal of public trust for not
disclosing everything he has in his
SALN (Statement of Assets, Liabilities
and Net Worth, he has unexplained and
hidden wealth. And the timing is just
right, a week before the resumption of
the impeachment trial in May 7.
Theres also the possibility that
Malacaang and all its lapdogs in
Congress and elsewhere, including the
Ombudsman, are paving the ground for
another impeachment against the Chief
Justice in case he gets acquitted.
Insofar as to the issue whether or not
the Ombudsman has jurisdiction over
the Chief Justice, it would seem that a
reading of the Constitution shows that it
doesnt for the simple reason that only
an impeachment court of the Senate can
remove him from ofce. Unless he gets
convicted, and then as a private person
and a former Chief Justice he can be
tried for unexplained and hidden wealth.
Indeed, as the Chief Justice stated,
he expected some retaliation by
Malacaang after the Supreme Court
ruled that the Cojuangco Hacienda
Luisita should be distributed to farmer-
beneciaries and to pay the Cojuangcos
only P196 million, not form P5 billion
to P10 billion claimed by the Hacienda
owners. Well, Mr. Chief Justice, you are
now getting it.
***
The reason the Liberal Party is
including winnable senatorial candidates
and reelectionists Chiz Escudero, Alan
Peter Cayetano and Koko Pimentel is
that Malacaang and the Liberals dont
have enough wannabees who they
believe are winnables to complete the
lineup. Even Sen. Antonio Trillanes,
who is also a reelectionist, in the LP
lineup is not assured of winning because
of his lackluster performance in the
Senate.
The Presidents endorsement of Sen.
Edong Angaras son, Congressman
Sonny Angara and Jesus Is Lord
head Eddie Villanueva Tesda son,
Director General Joel Villanueva cant
assure them of winning. Customs
Commissioner Ruffy Biazon may be
former Sen. Bong Biazons son, but
it doesnt guarantee
winning. Three are
former senatorial
candidates and
have already been
repudiated by the
people; another may
be talkative with a lot
of media exposure, but
that doesnt guarantee
her of winning either.
Another one may
have a name related
to a famous legislator,
but those 18 to 30
years old no longer
can relate to him.
For sure, the next
Senate will be ruled
by the young, like
Escudero, Legarda,
Alan Peter, Koko,
Jackie Enrile, siblings
Jinggoy Estrada
and JV Ejercito,
Bongbong Marcos, Tito Sotto, Dick
Gordon, Migz Zubiri and Tito Sotto.
***
The statement of Alfredo Yiguez,
executive vice president and chief
operating ofcer of the Camp John Hay
Development Corp. (CJHDevco) says
it all about the current dispute between
the Bases Conversion Development
Authority (BCDA) and CJHDevco over
the former American property, where
CJHDevco already spent P2.5 billion to
build a tourism estate.
In a statement, CJHDevco said it
had paid P1.44 billion in rent despite
the delay in the issuance of building
and occupancy permits which ought
to have been supplied CJHDevco with
the livelihood to pay the very rentals in
issue.
The claim of that CJHDevco does
not to pay rent doesnt make sense. What
developer would not want to operate? If
we cant get permits, we cannot develop,
we cannot generate revenues. If we
cannot generate the revenues, how can
we have the means to pay the rentals?
Santa Banana, its as simple as that
since its has been BCDA that has been
committing breaches which rendered
CJHDevco almost impossible to operate
and generate revenues to pay rentals.
And when CJHDevco sued BCDA to
settle their difference thru arbitration as
provided for its their restructured and
Revised Memorandum of Agreement,
BCDA refused.
The bullying by the BCDA of
CJHDevco became worse when some
bright boys at the state-owned BCDA
wanted to take over Camp John Hay by
force and oust the private developer.
My gulay, BCDA even had newspaper
advertisements warning locators, residents
and investors to keep off Camp John Hay
and even sued CJHDevco ofcers for
alleged double sale of a log cabin, which
is an outright lie according to record
The word is out that Ayala wants
Camp John Hay. Thats the bottomline!
P430-M hidden wealth
thats ridiculous!
Migration is good
I WRITE this column Sunday evening
of 29 April 2012 in the Fressciarossa,
the fast train that connects major Italian
cities. I had just come from a graduation
ceremony in Turin of the Leadership and
Social Entrepreneurship (LSE) Program
for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), a
training program of the Ateneo School of
Government (ASoG), the Ateneo Center
for Social Entrepreneurship (ACSent),
Associazione Pilipinas OFSPES (Overseas
Filipinos Society for the Promotion of
Economic Security), and Social Enterprise
Development Partnerships, Inc. (SEDPI).
It is supported by the Philippine Embassy
to Italy, our Milan Consulate, and the
Philippine Overseas Labor Ofce (POLO)
and the Overseas Workers Welfare
Administration (OWWA) ofcers in Italy.
Since the rst bach in Rome in 2008,
the program has expanded to Naples,
Milan, Florence and Turin with a total now
of nearly 350 alumni. In this trip alone, I
presided over three graduations in Rome
(which included students from Florence
and Naples) Milan and Turin. By next year,
with new programs in the aforementioned
cities and perhaps in Palermo, Sicily we
expect to have 500 LSE graduates in Italy
alone. If we raise the money and we nd
core volunteer teams in other countries, we
want to open programs in 2-3 additional
countries also next year.
In these past two weeks, I was able to
engage in an intense way with our OFW
students. Their stories always humble
as well as amaze me. The risks they
take, the sacrices they make, and the
burdens they carry are enormous. But the
successes can also be sweetthe material
rewards earned, lifestyles that they never
imagined they would have, and when
blessed, the celebration of reunions with
their families. Indeed, as I walked the
streets of Rome, Milan, Florence, and
Turin with our students, while enjoying
the food, the conversation and the sights
with such an intelligent and passionate
group of Filipinos, it became clear to me
that migration is not only a permanent
phenomenon, but if we manage it well, it
is actually good.
This insight that migration is good is
counter-intuitive to the stereotype of the
oppressed OFW. Indeed, as a country,
we should be strategic about migration.
We should know why we are exporting
workers, where we should send (and not
send) them, and how to support those
who leave. As a former OFWin Italy
in the 1980s as a volunteer caregiver for
people with disabilities and in the United
States from 1998-2006 as an international
environmental lawyerI know the latter is
critical.
This is where interventions like the
LSE program make sense. The program
involves two training courses (each lasting
6-9 months): rst, an LSE Basic Course
consisting of 12 full-day sessions covering
four sessions each for Leadership, Financial
Literacy and Social Entrepreneurship;
Second, a Practicum Course which is open
to the graduates of the Basic Course who
want to implement their social enterprise
plans. Both programs include mentoring
and coaching by faculty based in Italy and
the Philippines.
The nancial literacy sessions have had
the biggest immediate impact in terms of
changes in lifestyples of both the graduates
and their families, helping them draw up
nancial goals, to budget and save and to
invest.
Nearly 100 businesses personal or
social businesses have been catalyzed by
the program, including a magazine for
Filipinos in Italy, nancial literacy activities,
catering services, a couple of sushi
restaurants, savings and investment clubs,
travel agency services, event management,
photography, and document processing
and other services for migration and
employment. And many LSE graduates are
now leaders in community programs and
activities, including in Catholic parishes.
An Executive Committee of alumni is also
now supporting the LSE program in Italy.
I end all my LSE graduation
messages with a simple messagethat
the Philippines is poised to take off, that
change is possible. We do not have to be
always complaining about our government
and ourselves. To turn around another
stereotype, we are not a nation of crabs
that pull each other down but of eagles that
help each other y. But this will happen
only if many of us become leaders and
social entrepreneurs that work together to
achieve personal, family, community and
national goals. For the latter, this includes
making sure migration is good and works
for us.
E-mail: [email protected] Facebook:
[email protected] Twitter: tonylavs
EMIL
P. JURADO
TO THE POINT
DEAN TONY
LA VIA
EAGLE EYES
By Jose Dagala
GENERALLY, in the Philippines,
mining is perceived as a dirty business,
literally and guratively. This industry
is perceived to be inherently destructive
for it causes environmental destructions,
various human rights violations and
encroachment of the ancestral land of
indigenous people consequential to the
displacement and dislocation of people.
However, mining companies are now
extremely exerting considerable efforts to
prove to the general public that they can
operate responsibly and that the idea of
responsible mining is a reality that can be
practiced.
Several operating mining companies
are now adopting Corporate Social
Responsibility (CSR) as a business
strategy; while some are on the process
of incorporating human rights paradigm
as their moral compass in business
operations, others are on their way of
adopting international standards in doing
business such as the Global Reporting
Initiative (GRI), United Nations Global
Compact, Voluntary Principles on
Security and Human Rights and other
relevant international tools and standards
to provide them a substantial guidance on
what constitutes good or acceptable levels
of performance and specic management
frameworks to guide them on the ongoing
management of environmental and social
impacts.
As these signicant changes take
place in the mining industry, we can see
at the same time that an opportunity is
also unfolding opportunity for the host
communities to maximize the benets
that can be derived from the mining
operations toward achieving sustainable
development. How this is happening is
something that is worth documenting.
Furthermore, this can be highlighted to
be framed in the context of Millennium
Development Goals.
Why Mining?
The realization of the MDGs in the
Philippines in year 2015 cannot depend
exclusively in the current efforts of
the Government. A continued effort in
exploring for strategies to expedite these
goals is something that must be boldly
pursued by policy makers, researchers and
academicians even if this means trekking
in the unfamiliar realm.
As a student and development
practitioner and having gained
considerable experience in the mining
industry, I strongly believe that this
industry can be a strategic partner in the
ongoing efforts to realize the MDGs.
Mining companies nowadays are
tremendously pouring millions of pesos in
the name of community development and
environment protection and enhancement
program. This changing landscape in the
conduct of mining operation is providing
windows of opportunities for us to
advance the achievement of MDGs in the
Philippines.
Most, if not all, mining companies
operate in mountainous parts of the
Philippines where their Host communities
are under the category of DDUs or the
Deprived, Depressed and Underdeveloped
communities. Under the Republic Act
7942 also known as the Mining Act of
1995, a mining company is mandated
to spend at least 1.5 % of its annual
operating cost (from the original 1% of
the annual direct mining and milling
cost) for community development and the
development of mining technology and
geosciences. This 1.5% is proposed to be
divided for community development and
for development of mining technology
and geosciences.
The SDMP is considered as the vehicle
to maximize opportunity for social and
economic development and facilitate the
equitable distribution of benets. Ideally,
the SDMP should be utilized to provide
alternative livelihood opportunities for
employees, their dependents, and the
neighboring communities during the life-
of-the-mine. (http://www.mgb.gov.ph/iec.
htm)
Aside from SDMP, R.A. 7942 also
mandated mining companies to have
their Environmental Protection and
Enhancement Plan (EPEP) and Final
Mine Rehabilitation and Development
Plan (FMRDP) to ensure the health and
environmental safety of the community
during and after the mining operation.
Meanwhile, Indigenous People have the
right to receive Royalty from the mining
companies operating in their ancestral
domain. This Royalty will be used by the
IP communities to fund their Ancestral
Domain Sustainable and Protection Plan
(ADSDPP).
These responsibilities of mining
companies provide huge opportunities
for individuals, groups and institutions
that are pushing for these MDGs in the
Philippines.
With the projected booming of the
mining industry, it is expected that
several mining companies will start
their operations in conjunction with
the formulation and implementation
of their SDMPs in the next three
to ve years. However, mining
companies are utilizing different
frameworks and strategies for their
SDMPs since the Mining Act of 1995
did not provide a comprehensive
framework of development for the
formulation and implementation of
SDMPs. Furthermore, no studies have
been conducted yet to identify whether
developments in the host community
are being achieved through the SDMP
of a mining company. The lack of a
comprehensive framework for SDMP
makes it difcult to identify and track the
effectiveness of this tool/mechanism.
I believe that if SDMP will not
be framed within the framework of
sustainable development, the nancial
resources of the company will just be
squandered. The main challenge therefore
for a mining company, through its SDMP,
is to leave behind an economically vibrant
and self-sufcient community after its
mine life. Thus, a successful SDMP is
one that will be able to meet the minimum
basic needs of the mining communities;
optimize people empowerment to attain
self-help, self-reliant and self-managed
community; provide opportunities for
sustainable livelihood, thus, decreasing
dependency on the benets derived
from mining; and protect the socio-
cultural values and local customs amidst
improved economic conditions and
human advancement.
The Millennium Development Goals
(MDGs) is a good framework for the
development of SDMP of a mining
company. The eight goals, along with its
appropriate targets and indicators, can
be adopted by the mining company and
by the host community as their guide in
identication and prioritizing programs
during the preparation and development of
SDMP. This will ensure that the programs
under SDMP can really bring substantial
change in the socio-economic condition
of the host communities.
EVERYMAN
Mining and the Millennium Development Goals
MAIL MATTERS Reaction to Hog raisers rap sellout to US
HOG growers are agitated. They are
poised to mount pork-less days and
weeks or pork holidays, to protest tech-
nical smuggling, misdeclaration, and
PH governments easing up rules on
meat imports, purportedly under pres-
sure from USA. PH has a pending re-
quest that the World Trade Organization
(WTO)-of which the USA is a member,
to extend the July 2012 deadline to 2015
of our countrys restriction on the entry
of cheaper-priced rice imports. The USA,
local hog stakeholders believe, will block
our appeal on rice, which imports in 2010
reached $1.65B, against pork meat (fresh,
chilled, frozen) imports of $47M. Ameri-
can rice, priced high and not favored by
Pinoys, reached only 0.40 percent of rice
imports, while 2011 US exports to PH-
based on US Department of Agriculture
data, of chilled, frozen pork meat, pro-
cessed, and pork preparations, and
canned, amounted to US$85 million.
On smuggling, the National Statistics
Ofce (NSO) classies imported pork as;
fresh, chilled, frozen, hams, pork bellies;
dried pork skin; and hog offal (fresh, dried,
frozen). The lowly Offal, the viscera and
trimmings of a butchered animal removed
in dressing, appears to be the culprit. Pork
advocate Swine Development Council data
from the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI),
and the Bureau of Customs (BOC), reported
swine offal imports at 105M to 114M kgs
in 2011. The NS0 had reported importation
of 165,000 kgs of pork skin, and 78 million
kgs swine offal in 2011. China,Hongkong
SAR, according to the Food and Agricul-
ture Organization (FAO) paid US$1,402 a
ton for offals of pigs in 2009, while PH
imports were valued at US$536 a ton for
52 million kgs of swine offal, proximate
NSO records of 46 million kilos, and aver-
age unit value of US$ 510 in 2009. Frozen
swine livers of 11 million kilos have not
been added to the offals. PH 2011 swine
meat importation, based on NSO trade data
reached only 57.8M kgs from 63.8M kgs
(2010), and 36.7M kgs (2009).Take note of
NSO frozen swine offal import levels: 78
million kilos in 2011; 84 million kilos in
2010;46 million in 2009. Swine offals out-
number swine meat 1.3 times. A party list
representative had reported pork imports
at 169.21M kilos in 2011. Combined PH
chicken and pork importation derived from
NSOs voluminous import data reached
252 M kgs in 2011, from 250 M kgs (2010),
and 146M kgs (2009).Where have all the
chicken, and pork meats and offals gone to?
Offals enjoy a 5 percent duty while
choice cuts are subject to 40 percent tariff.
On paper, choice cuts are being misrepre-
sented as offal and pork skin, according to
the swine association, Meat over-importa-
tion cant be stopped-govt, Standard TO-
DAY, 26,4/12. Hog raisers are furious, even
up in arms!
On USA meddling, our countrys
Chief Executive was accused of sell-
out to US on the issuance of Admin-
istrative Orders on hygienic handling
of newly slaughtered meat(local) and
handling of chilled, frozen, and thawed
meats (imported) in the markets.
Moreover, slaughtered swine left alone,
cannot be sold after eight hours in wet
markets-turf of backyard growers and
wholesalers.
Trade practitioners believe, WTO rules
regulate the imposition of sanitary and
phytosanitary measures to protect human,
animal and plant life, health and safety, and
should not be used, disguised or as hidden
protectionist measures against imported
products. Sanitary measures are difcult
to overturn in WTO and can be a perma-
nent measure of protecting the domestic
industry; conversely, they can be chal-
lenged in the WTO. The strategy of some
nations is to go all the way to WTO court
and if a judgment is adverse, the govern-
ment shields itself from private sector criti-
cism. President Aquino may not have been
shielded from criticisms. But the private
sector could have advised the Department
of Agriculture, on a defense in WTO, but
it will take a lot of resources to enlist inter-
national trade lawyers. But why would the
USA want our rice farmers to suffer by not
supporting our cause with the WTO? Other
major rice exporting countries may object,
but PH will argue and justify our position.
The recurring issue of smuggling is
for the private sector and government to
address jointly. On the USA and the WTO,
pork holidays may not tackle the issue of
sanitary measures. Diplomacy and legal
framework may work. Is the hog industry
now confronted by changing and discrimi-
nating household and institutional markets?
But can pork eaters pass the day without
pork?
MANUEL Q. BONDAD
At long last,
government
is listening to
complaints of
travelers that
airport toilets
have become a
reection of the
countrys disregard
for sanitation and
hygiene.
News
ManilaStandardToday
[email protected] MAY 1, 2012 TUESDAY
A6
Bakers ask for truck ban exemption
Fix toxic park, QC mayor urged
Abalos
hearing
delayed
again
Sangley domestic airport eyed
By Jonathan Fernandez
THE Ecowaste Coalition urged Quezon
City Mayor Herbert Bautista Government
to immediately implement toxic
hazard control measures at the Quezon
Memorial Circle where physical tness
and playground equipment were found
to be loaded with toxic levels of lead, a
poisonous chemical that damages the brain
and causes life-long health problems.
Toxic playground. Children, including a toddler and an infant, cool off at a playground in the Quezon Memorial Circle park
unaware that the lead in the chipped off paint on their playground equipment could cause life-long health problems.
100,000 ppm, way above the
US regulatory limit of 90 ppm
for lead in paint.
Lead was likewise detected
in the Bawal Magkalat sa
QC anti-littering signage
(79,800 ppm), exit signage
(44,600 ppm), picnic area
signage (1,034 ppm) and even
the mayors HB insignia
adorning the steel fence
(15,800 ppm), the group said
in a statement.
Using a handheld X-Ray
Fluorescence (XRF)
spectrometer, the groups
AlerToxic Patrol found the
highest levels of lead in the
worn or eroded surfaces of
physical fitness equipment
located at the picnic area of
QMC.
Many of the yellow and
green steel equipment at the
picnic area show visible effects
of wear and weathering, such
as chipping or peeling lead-
based paint, particularly in the
hand rails, Dizon said. This
is dangerous as children could
directly touch and ingest lead
chips or dust from the eroded
equipment.
To prevent lead exposure
among users of QMCs fitness
and play equipment, the
coalition urged Bautista to
implement the following:
Block off the lead-tainted
equipment, particularly those
that are already worn out and
with chipping paint, replace
them with non-lead equipment
or repaint them with a certified
lead-free paint.
Avoid disturbing lead-
containing paint to prevent the
dispersal of contaminated chips,
flakes or dust that children can
breathe or swallow or come in
contact with their skin.
Inspect and assess the lead
hazard levels of all public
playgrounds in the city, as well
as other government maternity
and pediatric wards, day care
centers and schools in the
city, to identify contaminated
fixtures and facilities and
ensure professional remediation
to ensure childrens safety.
Regularly monitor lead-
containing equipment in good
condition for chipping, flaking
or weathering.
Check the lead levels in
soil within the playground to
determine if lead has built up
there, especially in spots where
children often gather and play.
For her part, pediatric
toxicologist Dr. Bessie Antonio
of the East Avenue Medical
Center said: Health authorities
have confirmed that there is
no safe level of lead exposure
for kids without detrimental
impact so every effort to check
and stop lead pollution sources
is necessary.
Children are particularly
vulnerable to the neurotoxic
effects of lead, and even
relatively low levels of exposure
can cause serious and, in some
cases, irreversible neurological
damage, according to the
World Health Organization.
A study by the US Consumer
Product Safety Commission
indicates that lead used in paint
on playground equipment may
present a serious poisoning
hazard for children under six
years-old, concluding that the
problem arises principally
with older paint where it has
deteriorated and flaked due to
weather conditions, age and
usage.
We appeal to Mayor
Bautista to initiate urgent
lead hazard control measures
for the health and safety of
park visitors, especially the
toddlers, pleaded Thony
Dizon, EcoWaste Coalitions
Project Protect coordinator, in
a letter sent to the mayor last
Friday.
Dizon said their group had
earlier screened 25 exercise
and play equipment at QMC
and detected lead in 19 of
them in the range of 151 parts
per million (ppm) to over
By Julito G. Rada
and Rio N. Araja
BAKERS urged the Metro Manila
Development Authority to exempt their
delivery trucks from the temporary
truck ban that will be implemented in
Metro Manila from May 2 to 5 so as
not to hamper bread distribution in the
metropolis and other parts of Luzon.
Simplicio Umali, president of the
Philippine Baking Industry Group (
Philbaking), said there may be an articial
shortage of bread because supermarkets,
groceries and most retail stores are closed
during the allowed time of delivery,
which is 9 p.m. to 4 a.m., thus nobody
will be taking delivery of the bread.
We have written the MMDA to
exempt bakeries from the truck ban as
bread, which is also perishable, needs to
be delivered fresh to stores daily just like
agricultural and shery produce which
are already exempted from the truck
ban, said Umali, whose group represents
70 percent of the retail break market.
The countrys biggest bakery is
located in Laguna, [so] it will not be able
to deliver to Metro Manila and Northern
Luzon due to the modied truck ban
during this period. Other bakeries
who are mostly located in Manila will
also experience the same logistical
dilemma, said Umali, who is also the
general manager of Gardenia Bakeries
Philippines based in Laguna, said.
He said the big bread feeder trucks
transporting bread to North Luzon via
Metro Manila streets will not be able to
maintain its daily deliveries as their one-
way travel time takes four to eight hours
making it impossible for these trucks to
return within the allowable seven-hour
MMDA window.
This will reduce bread stock
availability by 50 percent already as
these trucks can now make only every
other day deliveries instead of the usual
daily shipments, Umali said.
He also said neighborhood bakeries
are expected to encounter a similar
dilemma as they can not get their
ingredients delivered during this time.
The capability of community bakers
to cope with looming bread supply
shortage will be limited by their baking
capacities compared with the large-scale
capacities of bread factories whose
movement will be hampered by this
truck ban Umali said.
Meanwhile, the Bureau of Customs
will remain open for 24 hours today,
even if its Labor Day, to process the
transactions of importers, exporters,
truckers and other supply chain operators
who will be affected by the temporary
daytime truck ban in Metro Manila from
May 2 to May 5.
Chairman Francis Tolentino of the
Metro Manila Development Authority
said the nance department also
instructed banks to accept electronic
banking transactions and open their
online operations for truckers during the
Labor Day holiday.
By Eric B. Apolonio
THE governments plan to reduce
the number of domestic ights to
help decongest the Ninoy Aquino
International Airport Terminals
elicited unsolicited proposal from
some members of the Airline
Operators Council (AOC).
They said one way to address
the ight delays caused by the
congestion of the NAIA runway
during peak hours is to transfer
general aviation from NAIA to
nearby Danilo Atienza Air Base
in Sangley Point, Cavite.
The former shiprepair and
supply facility of the United
States Navy, which is now
operated by the Philippine Air
Force and Philippine Navy, has a
2,367-meter runway that could be
ideal for general aviation.
This can free up runway
capacity at Ninoy Aquino
International Airport, and lessen
air trafc congestion, said an
airport ofcial who prefered not
to be identied.
General aviation eats up
20 percent to 25 percent of all
the takeoff and landing slots
at NAIA. There are over some
1,800 registered general aviation
aircraft, ranging from executive
jets, single-engine trainers,
helicopters and airplanes operated
as ferrying cargo or passengers.
Airline sources said that
commercial aircrafts pays more
on fees for takeoff and landing
as compared to small aircrafts
which uses the same amount of
time to land or take off at NAIA.
There are three domestic
airports currently operating
at NAIA Terminal 2 which
serves Philippine Airlines ights
exclusively, Terminal 3 which
serves Cebu Pacic ights and
AirPhil Express, and the old
Manila Domestic Airport, this
services smaller commercial
carriers like ZestAir and Seair, as
well as charters and light private
aircraft.
Reports said that there
are averages of 553 aircraft
movements daily, about 450
planes use NAIAs primary
runway 06-24 which is 3,737
meters, while 103 takes the old
domestic airports secondary
runway 13-31 which is 2,367
meters.
NAIA handles 65 percent
of all landings and takeoffs in
the countrys premier aviation
gateway, while the domestic
airports account for 35 percent.
The proposal is an offshoot
of Transportation and
Communications Secretary
Mar Roxas pronouncement this
weekend that discussions are
now being held with local airlines
to come across a swift solution
to decongest the NAIA, which
causes frequent ight delays
affecting thousands of passengers
daily.
By Gigi Munoz-David
THE camp of former poll
chairman Benjamin Abalos was
dismayed over the outcome of
yesterdays hearing after the
court denied hearing his motion
for bail.
This is already abuse as far
as my fathers constitutional
right is concerned. Since
December, the Comelec and
the Department of Justice
should have done their part
with regarding to discharging
provincial elections supervisors
Yogie Martirizar and Lilian
Suan Radam as state witness,
Mandaluyong Mayor Benhur
Abalos said in an interview.
But the prosecution panel
refused to present witness
Martirizar in court awaiting the
Comelecs en banc resolution
discharging her as state witness.
Abalos, accompanied by his
wife Cora and children Girlie,
Mandaluyong Mayor Benhur,
Dr. Arnold and councilor Jon,
were hoping that Abalos
petition for bail would nally
be tackled yesterday.
But Pasig City Court Branch
112 Judge Jesus Mupas denied
the motion and instead said that
the court has yet to wait for the
resolution of the Commission
on Elections en banc with regard
to the motion to discharge
provincial election supervisor
Martirizar as state witness.
Abalos counsels Abraham
Espejo and Lope Feble said their
client led the petition last Dec.
9, 2011 and it is but right for
the court to take the matte up.
The petition for bail should not
be dependent on the resolution
of the Comelec whether or not
to discharge Martirizar as state
witness, Espejo said in court.
What is due Mr. Abalos should
be given, he added.
By Maricel Cruz
TWO party-list legislators led a resolution
that commends the driving force behind the
establishment of the Mind Museum in Taguig
City which is the rst world-class science
museum in the country that promotes science
learning.
In House Resolution 2226, Agham party-
list Rep. Angelo Palmones and Una ang
Pamilya party-list Rep. Reena Concepcion
Obillo said the Bonifacio Art Foundation Inc.
should be acclaimed and honored for putting
up the Mind Museum.
Palmones, chair of the House Committee
on Science and Technology, said promoting
public understanding of science and
technology is a growing strategy in the
development of scientically literate
societies.
Science and technology have been
recognized drivers of economic development
and progress. A scientically literate
population would have the capability and
capacity to cope with the present challenges
of the economy and the environment,
Palmones said.
Obillo said science museums and science
centers are accepted tools to breed scientic
literacy. Through science museum and
science centers, the public will have the
opportunity to see, hear, taste, touch and
learn science in an interesting and enjoyable
manner.
Through interactive exhibits and display,
science museum visitors will learn both
science concept and its application to daily
living, said Obillo, member for the minority
of the House Committee on Millennium
Development Goals.
The P1-billion Mind Museum, which
is situated right at the heart of Bonifacio
Global City in Taguig, opened last March
16 for the public to enjoy and learn science
through the 250 minds-on and hands-on
interactive exhibits being showcased in its
ve galleries.
It also has an outdoor Science in the Park
where visitors can learn science by enjoying
and rediscovering, through play, the wonder
of natures elements, such as sunlight, wind,
water and greenery; a botanical garden; an
auditorium and a laboratory.
Manny Blas, BAFI managing director,
said the board commissioned the Science
Centre Singapore and Jack Rouse Associates
to make the museum.
Lawmakers
laud Taguig
museums
science tack
Mind Museum in Taguig City
IN BRIEF
Malaysia drubs PH Patriots
SSC seeks quarternals
NBA great graces Forum
WESPORTS Malaysia scuttled AirAsia
Philippines bid for the top seeding in the
elims by pulling off a 97-93 overtime win
in the AirAsia Asean Basketball League
Sunday at the Ynares Sports Arena.
The loss was the Patriots fth in
19 games, thus giving the San Miguel
Beermen the No. 1 seed with a 16-4 mark.
Malaysias win improved its record to
10-9, thus tying the Indonesians for third
to fourth places.
In the semis, the No. 1 seed battles the
No. 4 while the Nos. 2 and 3 collide in a
separate best-of-three series.
SAN Sebastian College tries to formalize
its stint in the quarternal round as it faces a
debuting University of St. La Salle side at 4
p.m. today even as Southwestern University
opens its bid against Far Eastern University
at 2 p.m. in the ninth Shakeys V-League
Presented by Smart at The Arena in San Juan.
The Lady Stags rolled past the
Adamson Lady Falcons in four then
swept the Letran spikers to share the
Group B lead with the comebacking UST
Tigreses, who also beat the Lady Knights
in three last Sunday.
But SSC is expected to have its hands
full against USLS, out to improve its
impressive third place effort last year, the
Bacolod-based squads best nish in the
league sponsored by Shakeys Pizza.
LEGENDARY NBA shooter Craig Hodges
graces the special session of the Philippine
Sportswriters Association Forum on Labor
Day at Shakeys UN Ave, branch.
Hodges, who won two NBA titles with
the great Michael Jordan for the Chicago
Bulls, and along with Larry Bird, is one
of only two players to win the Three-
Point shootout three consecutive times,
will be accompanied by BEST founder
Nic Jorge, in the sports program aired
live over DZSR Sports Radio 918, and
presented by Smart, PAGCOR, and
Shakeys, by BEST founder Nic Jorge.
Also invited in the session are Makati
Business Club chairman Ramon Del
Rosario, and European Chamber of
Commerce of the Philippines vice president
for external affairs Henry Scumacher to talk
about the second Integrity Run, a May 6
event aimed to combat corruption.
MAY 1, 2012 TUESDAY
A7 Sports Riera U. Mallari, Editor
ManilaStandardToday
[email protected]
Veteran Blu Boy Apol Rosales,
playing as an import for Kensei,
hit a pair of home runs for a
4-0 shutout victory over Rizal
Kensei, Army, Zambo show way
AFTER a day and a half of non-stop, si-
multaneous action at the sprawling parade
ground in Clarkeld, Pampanga, Kensei
from Brunei, Philippine Army and Zambo-
anga City are in a logjam in rst place in the
Mens Open division of the 2012 Cebuana
Lhuillier Summer Grandslam National Soft-
ball Open with two victories apiece.
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
Trillo ready to lead
Alaska Aces
I WAS the rst sportswriter to
write about Luigi Trillo as a
coach when he rst took over the
coaching reins of the Adamson
University Soaring Falcons a
decade ago. The team didnt win
a University Athletic Association
of the Philippines championship,
but did get better every year
under Trillos ve-year watch.
Now, after a decade as
assistant coach of the Alaska
Aces in the Philippine Basketball
Association, Trillo nally gets
his chance to handle the Aces as
head coach. He admits that he
has a lot to live up to especially
handling a storied franchise like
Alaska which measures success
by championships won.
In a long conversation with
this columnist, Trillo revealed
that this conference, he hopes
that the Aces at least make the
seminals.
You know, obviously,
Mr. (Fred) Uytengsu always
has a thing about making
it to the seminals and we
understand that. We have good
winners on this team. You have
L.A (Tenorio), Cyrus (Baguio),
Sonny (Thoss), Tony (dela
Cruz). These are guys who
have won the championship
with Diamon Simpson (in
2010), said Trillo.
The Alaska mentor said that
he knows that his team faces
a daunting challenge. The
team was second to last place
two conferences back. Last
conference they advanced to
the quarternals.
I also understand that its an
adjustment period for us here in
the third conference. If you look
at the teams, they are bringing
back intact lineups, so they are
two conferences ahead of us. We
REUEL VIDAL
SPORTS CENTER
Technological University.
Philippine Army came up with
another explosive performance
to beat Salazar Institute of
Technology-Cebu, 7-2.
Zamboanga City, which edged
out JK.com Zamboanga last Sunday
afternoon for its rst victory,
provided the excitement yesterday
morning by edging out Philippine
Air Force, 2-1. Erwin Agustin, with
two outs and a runner, Napal Cruz on
third base, hit a single to the left eld
for the winning run by the latter in
the nal inning, completing a come-
from behind victory by Zambonga
over the Airmen.
Malaki ang chance namin
pumasok sa nals, said
Zamboanga coach Felipe Salcedo.
In the Womens Open division,
University of the East, with Blu Girl
Joy Lasquite as playing coach, scored
back-to-back wins, beating RTU, 8-4,
last Sunday and following it with
another victory yesterday morning,
blasting the West Java team from
Indonesia, 7-1, to take the top spot.
Adamson Alumni joined the
winners circle with an impressive
13-2 beating of visiting Papua
Province team from Indonesia.
The Adamson Alumni team was
playing defending champion
Adamson University at press time.
Meanwhile, Papua, powered by
Blu Girls Esmeralda Tayag and
Dione Macasu, rebounded from
its opening-day loss with a 7-3
victory over RTU, which occupies
the bottom at 0-2 together with the
West Java team.
JED Dy, Ian Matthew Lua,
Arnie Taguines and Anya Cedo
cruised to victories in their
respective divisions after the
completion of the Class E and
Class F national qualifying
tournament for the Junior World
golf championships at the
Riviera Sports Club executive
course in Silang, Cavite.
Dy, who won his rst major
international title at the US Kids
World Championship last year,
made a triumphant return to the
ICTS I Jungolf Circuit after a
long absence with a convincing
victory in boys Class E, posting
a 10-stroke victory over Miguel
Olivarez-Ilas after a nal-round
55 and a 54-hole 168 aggregate.
Miguel, one of three siblings
competing in the circuit also
backed by Philippine Airlines,
Pancake House, Sizzlin Pepper,
Teriyaki Boy, Friends of
Jungolf, Golf Depot, Pioneer
Insurance and McDonalds
joined elder sister Bernice in the
national delegation to the Junior
World in San Diego, California
this coming July with a 60-178.
Lua (77-227) and Jose Javier
Lazatin (82-239) grabbed the
top positions in boys Class F,
while Cedo claimed the lone
spot in girls Class F (6 years
and under) with an 85-263.
The qualiers in Classes E
and F joined the 17 who made
it from the qualifying events in
Classes A to D held at the Leg-
ends course of Manila South-
woods recently.
The circuit resumes this
week at Orchard with the US
Kids qualifying.
The results:
Class E: Boys-168 Jed Dy
57-56-55, 178 Miguel Oliva-
rez-Ilas 58-60-60, 183 Sean
Granada 62-62-59;Girls-200
Arnie Taguines 68-64-68, 208
Burberry Zhang 67-71-70, 215
Eagle Ace Superal 72-69-74
Class F: Boys-227 Ian
Matthew Lua 71-79-77, 239
Jose Javier Lazatin 73-84-82,
253 Rafa Olivarez-Ilas 81-87-
85; Girls-263 Anya Cedo 91-87-
85, 365 Angela Arevalo
Dy, Taguines top jungolf qualier at Riviera course
COLLEGE of St. Benilde
suddenly emerged as the
surprise package in the womens
competition of the Sandugo-
Collegiate Development
League following its back-to-
back wins over top University
Athletic Association of the
Philippine teams Far Eastern
University and University of
Sto. Tomas.
CSB beat FEU, 69-55,
last Friday at the Colegio de
San Lorenzo gym in Quezon
City, while earlier, the Lady
Blazers disposed of UST,
67-62, for a 3-0 slate, behind
pace-setting Lyceum of the
Philippines University (4-0).
CSB also defeated University
of the Philippines-Diliman in
its rst game.
FEU is now at 1-2, while
UST has only a win to show in
four starts.
On the other hand, UP-
Diliman evened its record to
2-2 after an easy 80-32 victory
over San Beda College-
Alabang (0-3).
In the mens division of the
tournament also supported
by the Philippine Sports
Commission, Gatorade, Phiten,
and Primovit , Informatics
edged out Enderun, 58-57, for
its third straight win, a game
ahead of STI, which posted
its second win at the expense
of Trinity University of Asia,
69-52.
Earlier, Informatics preyed
on a hapless CDSL, 89-74.
TUA rebounded from its
earlier loss to STI by beating
San Beda College-Alabang,
80-60 for a 2-2 record.
CSB likewise posted its
second victory, a 73 - 61
beating of CDSL, for a 2-1
record.
St. Benilde
stuns FEU,
Sto. Tomas
Splendido hosts UP golf
THE annual University of the Philippines
Alumni Engineers Golf Cup, happening
on May 5, will be held at Splendido Taal
Golf and Country Club in Tagaytay.
The golfest will tee off at 7:30 a.m.,
using the System 36 format. Various
organizations comprising the UPAE will
be competing for the UPAE Golf Cup and
other awards and prizes. Rafe prizes
are also at stake, and giveaways will be
presented to all players.
Interested parties may call Grace
Castillo at 381-2775.
VETERAN internationalist John Paul Japoy
Lizardo leads 50 other male and female Filipino
athletes, who will vie for honors in the 2012
Asian Taekwondo Championships on May 4 to
12 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
Called the SMART squad, the Filipinos are
among the top contenders in the event which will
feature competition in senior and junior kyorugi
(sparring) and senior and junior poomsae (forms).
Eleven ofcials will also accompany the
SMART team, whose participation serves as
preparation for the upcoming World University
Taekwondo Championships next month in
Pocheon, Korea and the World Cup tournament
in Santa Cruz, Aruba in November this year.
The Filipinos trip is supported by MVP Sports
Foundation/SMART Communications Inc.,
Philippine Long Distance Telephone (PLDT)
and Philippine Sports Commission.
In addition to pin weight Lizardo, the other
members of the delegation are:
Kyorugi (senior men)Paul Romero,
bantam; Gershon Bautista, feather; Samuel
Thomas Harper Morrison, light; Christian
Al dela Cruz, welter; Kristopher Robert Uy,
middle; (senior women)Leigh Anne Nuguid,
n; Pauline Louise Lopez, y; Jade Zafra,
feather; Maria Camille Manalo, light; Jane
Rafaelle Narra, welter; Kirstie Elaine Alora,
middle; among others.
PH jins join Asian tournament
FIDE Master Haridas Pascua inched closer
to the title in the mens junior division
of the the 2012 National Age Group and
National Juniors Chess Championships at
the Event Center in Tanauan, Batangas.
The pride of Pangasinan downed Jose Carlo
Castro of Quezon City to move to within a victory
of clinching the biggest title of his young career.
He has two chances to do that rst against
Chester Jason Coquilla of Cagayan de Oco and
second against Alcon John Datu of Manila.
Defending champion Mari Joseph Turqueza
of Quezon City, FIDE Master Paulo Bersamina
of Pasay and Joel Pimentel, Jr. of Bacolod still
have mathematical chances of catching Pascua,
but their fates are no longer in their hands.
Pascua collected 25 points on eight
wins, one draw and one loss in 10 games.
Turqueza is only a point behind on seven
wins, three draws and one loss, but he has
played one more game and would have a
bye in the penultimate round.
Pascua inches
closer to crown
WORLD Boxing Association
light yweight champion Roman
Chocolatito Gonzalez, one of the best
of the smaller men in boxing, is looking
forward to a possible unication title
bout against World Boxing Organization
champion Donnie Ahas Nietes, who
defends his title against Mexicos Felipe
Salguero at the Resorts World Hotel and
Casino on June 2.
The ght will be telecast by ABS-CBN
on its Pinoy Pride series.
Gonzalez mentioned Nietes, along with
Ulises Solis and Adrian Hernandez, as the
ghters he would like to face after destroying
Ramon Garcia Hirales of Mexico.
ALA Promotions president Michael
Aldeguer told the Manila Standard that
Gonzalez is tough, has power and is a
good ghter but weve always wanted
Nietes to go after the big names and move
up a step because he is the longest reigning
Filipino world champion. He hasnt been
given the chance to really excel and earn
the respect he deserves. Hopefully after
this ght (vs Salguero) thats the ght we
want. Ronnie Nathanielsz
Gonzales eyes unication bout with Nietes
Japoy Lizardo (left) connects with a bullet kick to the body of
Malaysian Bryan Chong in the Jakarta SEA Games.
New broadcast partner. AKTV and the National Collegiate Athletic Association formalized their partnership for the airing of the
collegiate games on AKTV on IBC13 in a contract signing held at Colegio de San Juan de Letran recently. Present during the signing were
TV5 President and Chief Executive Ofcer Ray C. Espinosa (seated, second from left), NCAA Policy Board President Rev. Fr. Tamerlane Lana
of Colegio de San Juan de Letran (seated, third from left), and TV5 Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Ofcer Robert Barreiro
(seated, second from right). They were joined by Anthony Tamayo (Perpetual Help), Bro. Victor Franco, FSC (St. Benilde), Fr. Aloysius Ma.
Aranan, OSB (San Beda College), Paul Supan (Jose Rizal University), Francisco Gusi (San Sebastian College), and Melchor Divina (Mapua).
understand it. Im going to be
patient, and its back to basics for
us, said Trillo.
The Alaska mentor has been
a longtime assistant with the
Aces and is denitely familiar
with all the players. Though
he denitely carries a heavier
burden nowadays.
Well, there is more pressure
as head coach. There is a greater
responsibility that you have. The
responsibilities of an assistant
are very different from head
coach and I understand that.
He said that its very helpful
to have a well-trained assistant
coaches who are also very
helpful and cooperative.
Our coaching staff has
been doing a really great job
of helping me out, even, if it is
just my rst two days. Dickie
Bachman has been a super
with helping the bigs out.
Monch Gavieres, although he
is a neophyte guy, is helping
out with the guards. Franco
Atienza, who is probably our
hardest worker, is doing two
things right now. He is in-
charge of editing, but he is also
liaison ofcer for us. So, Im
very happy to have him.
Trillo said another assistant
coach in Topex Robinson, who
was on vacation, will be back at
the end of the week. Robinson
led the San Sebastian College
Stags to a championship in the
National Collegiate Athletic
Association.
During the interview, I
pressed Trillo that he will
probably need help because
compared to other teams, he
denitely needs to hire another
assistant coach or two.
Were looking at that
possibility. There are two guys
were looking at, and both
bring a lot to the table. We
have Louie Alas, who has won
a lot of championships in the
collegiate leagues. He has been
a National Team coach and I
have the highest respect for
him. He is a disciplinarian and
he brings us a lot of toughness,
which we need.
Another person being
considered by Trillo is Sandy
Arespacochaga.
I think he is a guy that gets
along well with the players.
He is a skills coach. He is the
type of guy that I would love
to have as assistant. He is just
so positive. So we are looking
at those options and we should
have them by the end of the
week, said Trillo.
Trillo is the youngest coach
in the PBA now at 36. But
hes paid his dues. He has the
experience and the drive. Hes
more than eady.
* * *
If you want to nd out how I
sound like, please tune in to the
two-time KBP Best Sports Pro-
gram on the radio, MBC Sports
Center, in our new time slot 1
to 2 p.m., every Sunday, over
the no. 1 radio network in Asia ,
dzRH, 666 on your AM dial.
The same program is
simulcast on RHTV over
Channel 25 on Sun Cable and
Channel 9 on Cable Link.
Sports Center can be followed
live from anywhere in the
world through the Internet
on http://dzrh.tripod.com and
http://dzrh.prepys.com.
For comments, questions
and non-violent reactions
please, send your e-mail to
[email protected].
LINGAYENTwin sisters Ma.
Nieza and Geziela Viray stunned
their taller, older foes Monday in the
second leg of the 2012 Petron Ladies
Beach Volleyball Tournament here.
The duo from Pangasinan School of
Arts and Trade caught Labrador National
High School teammates Sandra Austria
and Jacklyn Tentenilla at-footed with
their powerful serves to pull off a 21-9
win, giving the Viray sisters a chance
to barge into the early Group A lead at
the sand courts of the provincial capitol
beach front grounds here.
Kahit mas malaki sila sa amin,
kaya namin. Sa serve namin nakuha
ang aming panalo, said the 13-year-
old Gizella, the younger of the twins
by ve minutes.
They joined Mangaldan standouts
Jennifer Manzano and Indy Benitez in
the early Group B lead of this spikefest
supported by Mikasa, Speedo, the
ofce of Rep. Leopoldo Bataoil and the
provincial government of Pangasinan.
Nieza moved the Virays out of
trouble with her attacks at the net and
ace winners as the PSAT high school
sophomores shattered a 3-all tie and
took a 9-3 lead.
Manzano, with Benitez as her
new partner, outplayed University of
Luzon-Dagupans Melanie Cabrera
and Cassandra Lleda, 21-11.
MAY 1, 2012 TUESDAY
A8
Tuason, Tanlu rule Champs of Future kickoff
PROMISING young karters AT
Tuason and Mark Tanlu displayed
great skills as they posted separate
victories recently in the kickoff leg of
the three-leg 2012 Castrol Champions
of the Future Series at the Carmona
Racetrack.
Tuason, a Grade 6 La Salle-Zobel
student, showed big promise in
continuing the legacy of his father,
multi-titled champion and Tuason
Racing School founder JP Tuason and
his racing legend grandfather Arthur
Tuason, when he ruled the Expert
division.
The event is backed by Castrol,
BMW, Automobile Association of the
Philippines, AUTS Racing, Industria,
Tuason Racing School, OMP, Kzone,
Standard Insurance, PIKA, Lifeline
Ambulance, Carmona Race Track,
Philippine Star, Hastravel.com, 99.5
RT, Timezone
The 11-year-old Tanlu, who made
an impressive debut in the National
Karting Series, captured the win in the
Novice division against fellow young
kids, who joined this years Castrol
Champions of the Future clinics.
Tuason nished second behind
Filipino-Australian Flynn Jackes in
the Pre-Final, but made his move in
grabbing the pole position at the start
of the Final Race and never looked
back from there.
Jackes bagged the runner-up
honors, nishing behind Tuason,
while William Casequin and Xedrei
Daquigan, who are among last years
prodigies, wound up third and fourth,
respectively.
Tanlu further impressed race
ofcials when he posted the best time
of 40.50 seconds in the qualifying
time trials as he placed third overall in
the Pre-Final and went on to claim the
Novice title in the Final Race.
Ten-year-old Jacob Paolo Ang
copped the runner-up honors, while
Jelly Knapp, only 8 years old, took
third place.
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
Twins win in Petron volley
Sports
Manila Standard TODAY
[email protected] [email protected] Riera U. Mallari, Editor
LOTTO RESULTS
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NBA RESULTS
MEMPHIS, Tennessee Chris Paul hit
a pair of free throws with 23.7 seconds
left, and the Los Angeles Clippers rallied
from 27 down to beat the Memphis Griz-
zlies 99-98 Sunday night in the opening
game of the Western Conference series.
The Clippers tied the NBA
playoff record for largest decit
overcome at the end of three
quarters, when they trailed by 21.
Rudy Gay missed a 15-footer
with 0.9 seconds left after the
Grizzlies squandered a lead they
held for the rst 47 minutes.
The Clippers lost Caron Butler
to a broken left hand. But Nick
Young scored 19 points off the
bench, including three 3-pointers
in the midst of the Clippers 26-1
run. Paul nished with 14 points
while playing a team-high 38
minutes despite a groin injury
that kept him out of the regular
season nale against the Knicks.
Blake Grifn had 17 and Butler
12 before leaving the game.
Gay nished with 19 for
Memphis. Mike Conley and O.J.
Mayo had 17, and Marc Gasol
scored 14.
Game 2 is Wednesday night.
LAKERS 103, NUGGETS 88
LOS ANGELESKobe
Bryant scored 31 points, Andrew
Bynum posted the Lakers rst
playoff triple-double in 21 years
with an NBA postseason record-
tying 10 blocked shots, and Los
Angeles thoroughly controlled
the tempo in a playoff-opening
victory over Denver.
Bynum, the Lakers All-
Star center coming off his best
regular season, also had 10
points and 13 rebounds while
incredibly blocking 11 percent
of the Nuggets 90 shots.
Bynum had the Lakers rst
playoff triple-double since
Magic Johnson in the 1991
NBA nals. Fellow 7-footer
Pau Gasol added 13 points,
eight rebounds and eight
assists as the playoff-tested
Lakers never trailed.
Danilo Gallinari scored 19
points for the sixth-seeded
Nuggets, but the NBAs
second-youngest playoff roster
struggled to run. AP
By Jeric Lopez

TO say that the 2012 Philippine Basketball
Association Commissioners Cup nals is
heating up is an understatement.
With the series now tied at 2-2, the best-
of-seven tug-of-war between B-MEG and
Talk N Text just got more interesting.
In Game 4 last Sunday, with Talk N Text
comfortably ahead by 15 points with under
two minutes left, the series looked like it was
headed for a quiet nish.
Instead, the last two minutes created lots
of reworks that turned the battle into a war.
Talk N Text coach Chot Reyes sent in seldom
used rookie Pamboy Raymundo into the game to
give him a chance to play in the nals. Several
seconds later, all hell broke loose after the gutsy
newbie started out a near skirmish.
Just 14 seconds later, Raymundo threw
an elbow to the cheek of B-MEGs Josh
Urbiztondo, who with he help of the the
entire Llamados squad, immediately went
after the Tropang Texter before being
pacied by cooler heads.
Im so upset that Raymundo got off so
lightly after what he did. I know Chot (Reyes),
he doesnt intend on sending somebody out
to start a ght with a better player, but these
guys need to be under control, said Cone.
Theres no excuse for Raymundo to come
out on the oor on his rst possession.
Joe Devance, coming to the aid of his
close friend and teammate, obscurely threw
the ball at Raymundos face. In retaliation,
Raymundo threw a clothesline behind
Devances head, causing both players to be
tossed out of the game.
Raymundo was slapped with two agrant
one penalty fouls, while Devance was handed
a agrant foul penalty two. Urbiztondo was
given a technical foul.
Cone and Talk N Text assistant coach
Nash Racela also exchanged some words in
the middle of it all.
PBA Commissioners Cup nals heating up
Viloria: Its personal
Paul powers LA
past Memphis
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
THIS time, its personal.
World Boxing Organization yweight champion Brian Viloria
(30-3, 17 KOs) said this in reference to his third title ght against
Mexicos Omar Nino Romero (31-4-2, 13 KOs) on May 13 at the
Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City.
In a well-attended international conference call at the new ofces of
Solar Sports at the Worldwide Corporate Center Building along Shaw
Boulevard in Mandaluyong, Viloria responded to a question as to why he
picked Romero, who is very crafty when he could have chosen someone
like Giovanni Segura, whom he beat and is more suited to his style.
Viloria, who won the title last Dec. 11, 2011 with an eighth-round technical
knockout win over Segura, who was then ranked No. 9 in the pound-for-pound
list of Ring Magazine, replied: This is personal. Its something I needed to
prove to myself that I get over this hump that I hit a few years ago. This is more
challenging because I want to get something cleared in my head.
The Fil-Hawaiian also emphasized: This is the ght I really
needed, to give me a chance to clear some smog in the air. This is
coming up and I need to clear the plate with Nino and Ive prepared
myself well for this ght and I wont have any excuses.
Big Chill
boosts bid
for semis
Games Thursday
(Ynares Sports Arena)
2 p.m. Caf France vs Jr Powerade
5 p.m. NLEX vs Cagayan
Rising Suns

KEITH Jensen scored 17 points
and had 15 rebounds as Big Chill
made a crucial push in their bid for
an outright seminal berth in the
Philippine Basketball Association
D-League Foundation Cup by
dispatching Boracay Rum, 72-66,
on Monday at the San Juan gym.
It was the second straight win
and fifth overall in seven games for
the Super Chargers, who assumed
solo second place behind leader and
defending champion NLEX.
The Super Chargers seized
control in the third quarter with
Jensen leading the assault. He scored
eight of his points in the period, had
three assists and three steals as Big
Chill outscored Boracay Rum, 21-
12, to rip the game apart.
Ive been telling the players I
want that no. 2 spot. Im happy
they are responding well, said
Big Chill coach Robert Sison,
who added that their remaining
two games are must-wins.
Big Chill also got big contri-
butions from Alex Mallari (17
points), Mac Montilla (11 points)
and Raffy Reyes (10 points).
By Peter Atencio
LINGAYENThe province of
Pangasinan will not let the facili-
ties to be used in the coming Palar-
ong Pambansa go to waste.
Gov. Amado Espino said this with
still a week to go before the annual
national interscholastic sports
meet, organized by the Department
of Education and hosted by the
province of Pangasinan, gets under
way on May 6.
Espino said that in previous
stagings of the games, the
facilities by the host province were
neglected after the Palaro was
over. But not this time.
Isa na iyon sa objectives
namin, to make this a benchmark
of future stagings of the Palarong
Pambansa. Kung napansin niyo,
iyung nakaraang Palaro, iyung
ibang venues napapabayaan na,
nagkakasira-sira. Hindi tuluy-
tuloy iyung plano, said Espino.
He added that because it has been
neglected for so long, the Narciso
Ramos Sports and Civic Complex,
which is the main venue of the games,
has been rehabilitated for the last three
years when he came in as governor.
By December, Espino said a sports
academy will be put up at the complex
so that athletes in the province can
continue preparing for future stagings
of the Palaro all year round.
Kami nga ang nag-introduce ng
different venues for the staging the
games. Gagawin namin ito para
ma-develop ang province sa mga
sports facilities, said Espino, who
recalled the last time Pangasinan
hosted the Games in 1995.
Palaro facilities wont go to waste, says Espino
Participants of the 2012 Petron Ladies Beach Volleyball Tournament are shown here with Rep.
Leopoldo Bataoil (seventh from left, standing) and executive assistant Modesto Operania (eighth
from left, standing). ROMAN PROSPERO
Castrol champions of the Future Race 1 podium
nishers are shown here, namely Expert Division (from
left, top) runner-up Flynn Jackes, champion AT Tuason,
third placer Wills Casequin, Novice division (below)
runner-up Jacob Ang,champion Mark Tanlu and third
placer Jelly Knapp.
CLIPPERS 99, GRIZZLIES 98
LAKERS 103, NUGGETS 88
HAWKS 83, CELTICS 74
SPURS 106, JAZZ 91
B-MEGs Denzel
Bowles (left) tries
to outfox his
TNT counterpart
Donnell Harvey in
Game 4 of the PBA
Commissioners Cup
nals. The Texters
won, 100-85, to
level the series
at 2-2. SONNY
ESPIRITU
Business
Manila Standard TODAY
MAY 1, 2012 TUESDAY
B1
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
Ray S. Eano, Editor [email protected]
Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor
IN BRIEF
DoE to accept Chinese firms
Peso hits
highest
value in
11 weeks
Exportbanks depositors assured of payments
Investors
appetite
cut down
T-bill rates
Mexican firm to decide on buying Coca-Cola PH unit in Q3
PSE COMPOSITE INDEX
Closing April 30, 2012
5,202.70
33.65
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 42.4360
Japan Yen 0.012446 0.52820
UK Pound 1.62600 69.00090
Hong Kong Dollar 0.128881 5.469200
Switzerland Franc 1.102536 46.78720
Canada Dollar 1.019888 43.28000
Singapore Dollar 0.808407 34.30560
Australia Dollar 1.044059 44.30570
Bahrain Dinar 2.652661 112.5683
Saudi Arabia Rial 0.266645 11.31530
Brunei Dollar 0.805153 34.16750
Indonesia Rupiah 0.032541 0.004600
Thailand Baht 0.032541 1.380900
UAE Dirham 0.272264 11.55380
Euro Euro 1.324500 56.20650
Korea Won 0.000881 0.03740
China Yuan 0.158579 7.557200
India Rupee 0.019062 0.80890
Malaysia Ringgit 0.328785 13.95230
NewZealand Dollar 0.818532 34.73520
Taiwan Dollar 0.034235 1.452600
Source: PDS Bridge
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas
Monday, April 30, 2012
PESO-DOLLAR RATE
40
42
44
46
48
P42.205
CLOSE
Closing APRIL 30, 2012
5200
4460
3720
2980
2240
1500
1200
VOLUME 934.650M
HIGH P42.200 LOW P42.300 AVERAGE P42.229
Julies stores hit 500
JULIES Franchise Corp. has attained
high standards of growth and development
in all aspects of its franchise operations, as
its number of stores nationwide increased
from just 210 in 1999 to 500 at present.
Over 30 years of building the Julies
Bakeshop brand and establishing a solid
support system have ensured Julies
Bakeshops nationwide market reach
and leadership position in the bakeshop
industry, said JFC.
The franchising rm now offers
opportunities to entrepreneurs who want to
make it big through franchising by investing
in a Julies Bakeshop. The brand opened
itself to franchising in 1998, and from there
grew to become the largest bakeshop chain
in the country.
JFC provides extensive assistance to all
its franchisees in all steps of the business
process, from franchise application and
development to staff training, marketing and
operations, accounting, human resources
development and expansion programs.
Every Julies Bakeshop is assured of
continuous marketing campaign support
from bakeshop opening to building
superior brand images, said JFC.
4th PhilSME expo
ESQUIRE Financing Inc., the countrys
leader in growth stage nancing, has
partnered with events specialist Trade
Advertising Exhibitions and Conventions
International Inc. to hold the 4
th
Philippine
small and medium enterprises and
franchise expo.
The three-day event at the Philippine
International Convention Center on May
11 to 13 will allow local and international
SMEs and other market players to
showcase their ventures and align with
other businesses.
EFI said that aside from product
showcase and a venue to link market
players, the PhilSME Expo 2012 will
also provide opportunities for idea
exchange and product demos for budding
businessmen, as well as a great deal of free
services, workshops, seminars, classes
and product launches.
Various SME players from direct
selling, agriculture, hotel and restaurant
management, banking, marketing,
insurance and service providers will be
setting up their kiosks for the three-day
exhibit.
COCA-COLA Femsa SAB, Latin
Americas largest bottler of the
soft drink, probably will decide
before the end of September
whether to buy Coca-Cola Co.s
Philippines unit.
If everything works very well,
I see an announcement in the
third quarter in terms of agreeing
or not to a transaction here in the
Philippines, Coca-Cola Femsa
chief nancial ofcer Hector
Trevino said last week.
In February, Mexico City-
based Coca-Cola Femsa said
it was in talks to buy control
of Coca-Colas unit in the
Philippines in what would be
its rst acquisition outside Latin
America.
The companies entered a 12-
month exclusive agreement for the
purchase of a controlling stake.
There is no guarantee a
transaction will result from the
discussions, they said.
Atlanta-based Coca-Cola Co.,
the worlds biggest soft-drink
maker, has owned all of the
Philippines unit since buying the
65-percent stake owned by San
Miguel Corp. in 2007 for $590
million.
Coca-Cola Femsa reported
rst-quarter net income rose 20
percent on higher sales from
acquisitions of two Mexican soft-
drink bottlers.
Since October, Coca-Cola
Femsa closed transactions to
buy Grupo Tampico SA and
Grupo Cimsa. The companys
acquisition of Grupo Fomento
Queretano has yet to close.
Bloomberg
THE peso rose to an 11-week
high on speculation the Federal
Reserve will loosen monetary
policy, increasing the amount
of dollars available to be
invested in emerging-market
assets. Bonds were steady.
Overseas investors bought
$140 million more Philippine
stocks than they sold this month
through April 27, exchange data
show. The US economy expanded
less than analysts forecast in
the rst quarter, the Commerce
Department reported on April 27.
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben
Bernanke said last week he was
prepared to add more stimulus to
spur growth if needed.
Asian currencies are going
to be strong today, said
Vishnu Varathan, an economist
at Mizuho Corporate Bank Ltd.
in Singapore. The markets are
thinking the Fed will engage in
more quantitative easing after
the softer-than-expected gross
domestic product data, he said.
The peso appreciated 0.4
percent to close at 42.205 per
dollar in Manila, capping a 1.7-
percent gain for April, according
to Tullett Prebon Plc. The
currency touched 42.210 earlier,
the highest level since Feb. 10.
One-month implied volatility,
which measures exchange-rate
swings used to price options,
increased 20 basis points to 4.5
percent. It dropped 140 basis
points this month.
US gross domestic product
increased at a 2.2-percent annual
rate in the rst quarter after a 3-
percent pace in the preceding three
months. The median projection
of economists surveyed by
Bloomberg News was for a 2.5-
percent gain. Bloomberg
By Alena Mae S. Flores
THE Energy Department said Monday it
will allow the entry of Chinese oil and gas
companies as partners of Forum Energy Plc. in
the exploration of Sampaguita gas eld in Recto
Bank, which is believed to be sitting on massive
oil and gas deposits.
The agency also said it is willing to
extend Forum Energys exploration
period at Recto Bank, in case it is
pushed back by security issues at the
West Philippine Sea [South China
Sea], stemming from territorial dispute
with China and other claimants.
Energy Undersecretary Jay Layug
told reporters the government was
open to the entry of Chinese oil and
gas players as farm-in partners of
Forum Energy, in case the exploration
program pushes through.
He said Chinese rms would be
allowed to participate in exploration
projects as far as DOE is concerned,
as long as they recognize Philippine
laws [and] as long as they comply.
Manuel Pangilinan, chairman of
Philex Mining Corp. which is the
majority shareholder of Forum Energy,
said last week he was open to possible
partnerships with Chinese rms in the
development of the Sampaguita gas
eld.
That is a solution. I think we should
be talking to Chinese companies...
Weve talked to a number of gas
companies, Pangilinan said.
Forum Energy operates Service
Contract 72, which covers an 8,800-
square-kilometer area in offshore
west Palawan. Forum Energys work
program requires the drilling of an
exploratory well not later than 2013.
Layug said the government normally
granted extension to exploration
programs in cases of force majeure or
unanticipated events.
Forum Energy has a 70-percent stake
in SC 72 while Monte Oro Resources
and Energy Inc. holds the remaining 30
percent.
Energy Secretary Jose Rene
Almendras said the Philippines could
prove its claim over the Recto Bank.
He said development of Recto Bank
began as early as 1976, with ve wells
having been drilled in the area. He said
it was only in 2007 to 2008 that it was
questioned by other countries.
We have records and proof and
that is precisely why we called that
Sampaguita, he said.
Almendras said the high volume of
reserves at the Recto Bank are very
interesting.
He said Malampaya gas eld contains
about 2.7 trillion cubic feet of gas that
could last for 25 years and since the
Recto Bank reportedly contains four
times as much, the Sampaguita gas
eld could secure the countrys energy
requirements for the next 100 years.
Pangilinan said extracting the oil and
gas reserves at the Recto Bank would
require major investments running in
billions of dollars.
We are talking about billions of
dollars. You will need an international
major. They have the expertise and the
marketing power to place the gas,
Pangilinan said.
Weatherford Petroleum Consultants,
which was tapped by Forum Energy,
had already provided the results of its
data interpretation which revealed that
SC 72 contains prospective resources
of up to 16.6 trillion cubic feet of gas
and 416 million barrels of oil.
By Bernadette Lunas
THE government raised P7.5
billion from the sale of Treasury
bills on Mondays auction, as
it fully awarded all bids for
the security papers when rates
declined across all tenors.
We are pleased on the result
of the auction, as there are
bids with good volume and
most of the Treasury bills are
oversubscribed by nearly or
over three times, Treasurer
Roberto Tan told reporters after
the auction.
The Treasury accepted bids
for the 91-day debt paper at a rate
of 2.174 percent, or 0.32 basis
points below the previously
recorded 2.494 percent.
Demand for the three-month
security was nearly three times
oversubscribed against the
scheduled offer, as it reached
P5.62 billion, with the auction
committee accepting P2 billion.
Tenders for the 182-day
debt papers amounted to
P6.54 billion, or more than
threefold the scheduled offer
of P2 billion. This pulled
down the rate of the six-
month instruments to 2.258
percent from 2.4 percent
the last time the paper was
auctioned off.
Tenders for the one-year debt
papers reached P6.7 billion at
the rate of 2.584 percent, or
0.016 basis points lower than
the last time the paper was
auctioned off.
By Elaine R. Alanguilan
THE Philippine Deposit
Insurance Corp. on Monday
assured depositors of Export
and Industry Bank that they will
get their money back beginning
this month.
The state-owned bank deposit
insurer said depositors with less
than P10,000 in deposits do not
need to le insurance claims as
their deposit insurance will be
mailed directly to them.
It assured these small
depositors would get their
money before the end of May.
Deposit claims involving
more than P10,000 but less than
P500,000 would be processed
beginning the end of June,
while those with deposits above
the insured amount of P500,000
would be paid once the assets
of the bank are liquidated,
according to the PDIC.
The PDIC conducted forums
for depositors of Exportbank
branches at the Ninoy Aquino
International Airport and BF
Homes on Monday.
The forum serves as a
venue for PDIC to discuss the
requirements and procedures
for ling deposit insurance
claims and to distribute claim
forms to depositors.
The agency said it would
also hold more forums for
depositors of Exportbank
branches across the country
beginning May 2.
Exportbank is majority
owned by Ridderbrecht B.V.
(11.62 percent), Lead Bancfund
Holdings Inc. (10.03 percent),
Apex Bancrights Holdings Inc.
(10.03 percent), Extra Year
Investments Ltd. (9.5 percent),
Asiawide Refreshments
(8.45 percent), Medco Asia
Investments Corp. (7.86
percent), businessman Alfredo
Yao (6.35 percent), Zest-O
Corp. (5.92 percent), and San
Miguel Corp. (4.96 percent).
It was led by Jaime Gonzalez
as chairman and Juan Victor
Tanjuatco as president.
Bangko Sentral Deputy
Governor Nestor Espenilla
Jr. said, however, preliminary
investigation showed no gross
negligence on the part of the
bank owners who declared a
bank holiday Friday.
He said that in most bank
closures, regulators met
resistance from the bank owners
and ofcials when turning over
the banks operations to the
Bangko Sentral and PDIC.
This one, in the overall
scheme of things, was entirely
a civilized turnover. The
president and the chairman
were very forthright with us,
they told us that they cannot
handle it anymore, said
Espenilla.
Wi-tribe taps SM. The countrys only pure 4G Internet provider, wi-tribe, has partnered with SM business center operations
to allow wi-tribe subscribers to settle their subscription fees at any SM bills payment centers. Signing the agreement are (from left)
Randy Bayona, wi-tribes channel head for dealer sales; Jojo Vega, wi-tribes director for consumer sales, retail and business seg-
ments; Dennis Yaw, assistant vice president of SM business center operations; and Geena Macapagal, SM business center opera-
tions manager.
Business
ManilaStandardToday
[email protected] [email protected]
MAY 1, 2012 TUESDAY
B2
Storage outlook: cloudy
Market up; index
back to 5,200 level
52 Weeks Previous % Net Foreign (Peso)
High Low STOCKS Close High Low Close Change Volume Trade/Buying
MST BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW
MONDAY, APRIL 30, 2012
M
S
T
FINANCIAL
70.00 46.00 Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. 66.45 66.70 66.15 66.20 (0.38) 1,770,820 (32,878,382.50)
76.80 50.00 Bank of PI 72.50 74.00 73.00 73.70 1.66 680,470 12,217,840.50
1.82 0.69 Bankard, Inc. 0.78 0.78 0.75 0.75 (3.85) 590,000
512.00 370.00 China Bank 525.00 525.00 520.00 520.00 (0.95) 4,510
23.90 12.50 COL Financial 23.00 23.00 22.60 22.60 (1.74) 39,200 13,560.00
22.00 7.56 Filipino Fund Inc. 11.40 11.40 11.40 11.40 0.00 7,900 90,060.00
0.95 0.62 First Abacus 0.80 0.81 0.80 0.81 1.25 101,000
80.00 40.00 First Metro Inv. 68.15 68.10 68.00 68.00 (0.22) 700
3.26 1.91 I-Remit Inc. 2.37 2.36 2.36 2.36 (0.42) 1,000
775.00 475.20 Manulife Fin. Corp. 525.00 531.00 531.00 531.00 1.14 30
29.00 3.00 Maybank ATR KE 25.55 25.60 25.00 25.55 0.00 113,800 (502,500.00)
93.50 60.00 Metrobank 92.00 92.60 91.30 91.40 (0.65) 1,880,440 11,417,707.50
3.06 1.30 Natl Reinsurance Corp. 2.17 2.16 2.15 2.15 (0.92) 296,000
126.00 35.00 Phil Bank of Comm 77.00 77.00 77.00 77.00 0.00 480
16.85 41.00 Phil. National Bank 75.00 75.90 75.00 75.30 0.40 501,820 15,776,877.00
85.00 57.70 Phil. Savings Bank 81.05 81.15 81.05 81.05 0.00 300
539.00 204.80 PSE Inc. 350.00 378.00 350.00 370.00 5.71 7,680
44.40 25.45 RCBC `A 43.70 43.95 43.50 43.90 0.46 795,800.00 17,571,305.00
151.50 77.00 Security Bank 143.00 143.40 142.90 143.00 0.00 901,210 61,996,818.00
1390.00 950.00 Sun Life Financial 1002.00 1004.00 1002.00 1004.00 0.20 1,375
140.00 58.00 Union Bank 105.50 108.00 106.00 106.90 1.33 467,710 (545,490.00)
INDUSTRIAL
35.50 26.50 Aboitiz Power Corp. 34.40 34.70 34.00 34.00 (1.16) 2,539,500 (3,630,405.00)
13.58 7.32 Agrinurture Inc. 12.10 12.10 12.08 12.08 (0.17) 50,200 (309,760.00)
23.50 11.98 Alaska Milk Corp. 23.65 23.65 23.65 23.65 0.00 4,100
1.86 0.97 Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. 1.54 1.56 1.52 1.52 (1.30) 357,000 (45,600.00)
54.90 26.00 Alphaland Corp. 30.00 30.00 29.40 29.40 (2.00) 1,700
1.65 1.08 Alsons Cons. 1.41 1.41 1.40 1.41 0.00 1,685,000 84,500.00
Asiabest Group 48.50 49.00 48.05 48.05 (0.93) 22,700
102.80 3.02 Bloomberry 12.00 12.70 11.50 12.00 0.00 1,356,500 1,283,730.00
26.55 12.50 C. Azuc De Tarlac 13.98 20.00 17.98 20.00 43.06 10,000 195,248.00
3.07 2.30 Chemrez Technologies Inc. 2.68 2.68 2.67 2.68 0.00 160,000
8.33 7.41 Cirtek Holdings (Chips) 8.20 8.20 8.20 8.20 0.00 100
7.06 4.83 Energy Devt. Corp. (EDC) 5.88 5.98 5.89 5.90 0.34 16,546,000 (47,775,765.00)
6.28 2.80 EEI 6.08 6.25 6.08 6.11 0.49 649,300
3.80 1.00 Euro-Med Lab. 1.86 1.90 1.89 1.90 2.15 5,000
25.00 5.80 Federal Chemicals 9.06 11.88 9.50 11.80 30.24 181,400 11,500.00
15.58 12.50 First Gen Corp. 13.98 14.30 13.98 14.12 1.00 4,522,200 (1,683,142.00)
67.20 51.50 First Holdings A 62.50 64.25 62.60 64.00 2.40 423,830 3,110,959.50
31.50 22.50 Ginebra San Miguel Inc. 23.45 23.15 22.40 22.50 (4.05) 268,500 (2,010,145.00)
0.10 0.0095 Greenergy 0.0170 0.0180 0.0170 0.0170 0.00 94,900,000
13.50 7.80 Holcim Philippines Inc. 12.00 12.08 11.60 12.00 0.00 479,200 (1,528,120.00)
9.00 4.71 Integ. Micro-Electronics 4.80 4.85 4.75 4.80 0.00 56,000 184,300.00
2.35 0.95 Ionics Inc 1.580 1.560 1.520 1.560 (1.27) 60,000 18,720.00
120.00 80.00 Jollibee Foods Corp. 108.50 113.00 111.00 112.10 3.32 247,920 (411,399.00)
91.25 25.00 Liberty Flour 53.30 53.30 53.30 53.30 0.00 350
8.40 1.04 LMG Chemicals 3.20 3.40 3.22 3.22 0.63 40,000
3.20 1.05 Manchester Intl. A 2.01 1.95 1.94 1.95 (2.99) 14,000
3.19 1.08 Manchester Intl. B 1.92 1.91 1.91 1.91 (0.52) 9,000
24.70 17.94 Manila Water Co. Inc. 24.80 24.80 24.60 24.70 (0.40) 5,001,800 (7,316,935.00)
6.95 0.75 Mariwasa MFG. Inc. 4.45 4.01 3.90 3.90 (12.36) 12,000
15.30 8.12 Megawide 15.46 16.00 15.48 16.00 3.49 6,531,900 (783,964.00)
295.00 215.00 Mla. Elect. Co `A 257.00 263.80 260.00 263.80 2.65 198,540 36,400,440.00
3.00 1.96 Pepsi-Cola Products Phil. 2.84 2.84 2.80 2.82 (0.70) 1,353,000 706,970.00
17.40 9.70 Petron Corporation 10.62 10.70 10.60 10.68 0.56 2,836,200 (13,928,234.00)
14.00 10.30 Phinma Corporation 12.10 12.00 12.00 12.00 (0.83) 400
15.24 9.01 Phoenix Petroleum Phils. 9.50 9.50 9.36 9.40 (1.05) 109,300 35,731.00
2.55 1.01 RFM Corporation 2.75 2.85 2.76 2.83 2.91 4,918,000 5,021,720.00
3.49 2.01 Roxas Holdings 2.95 2.95 2.95 2.95 0.00 5,000
33.00 27.70 San Miguel Brewery Inc. 29.95 29.95 29.00 29.95 0.00 13,000
132.60 105.70 San Miguel Corp `A 112.50 112.60 112.30 112.40 (0.09) 557,290 34,139,985.00
1.90 1.25 Seacem 1.76 1.77 1.73 1.76 0.00 2,696,000
2.50 1.85 Splash Corporation 1.94 1.95 1.92 1.92 (1.03) 172,000
0.250 0.112 Swift Foods, Inc. 0.139 0.136 0.135 0.135 (2.88) 670,000
5.46 2.92 Tanduay Holdings 3.82 3.82 3.81 3.82 0.00 58,000
3.62 1.99 TKC Steel Corp. 2.49 2.40 2.40 2.40 (3.61) 8,000
1.41 0.90 Trans-Asia Oil 1.25 1.27 1.25 1.26 0.80 7,830,000
68.00 36.20 Universal Robina 65.00 67.00 65.00 65.00 0.00 2,201,490 3,257,781.50
1.12 0.285 Vitarich Corp. 0.580 0.580 0.580 0.580 0.00 528,000 (46,400.00)
18.00 2.55 Vivant Corp. 12.30 12.30 12.28 12.30 0.00 300
1.22 0.68 Vulcan Indl. 1.04 1.07 1.06 1.07 2.88 480,000
HOLDING FIRMS
1.18 0.65 Abacus Cons. `A 0.74 0.75 0.73 0.75 1.35 472,000
59.90 35.50 Aboitiz Equity 50.15 51.00 50.00 51.00 1.69 1,193,820 24,337,826.50
0.019 0.014 Alcorn Gold Res. 0.0170 0.0160 0.0160 0.0160 (5.88) 2,200,000
13.48 8.00 Alliance Global Inc. 12.28 12.50 12.34 12.36 0.65 11,295,200 11,084,718.00
2.97 1.67 Anglo Holdings A 2.10 2.12 2.12 2.12 0.95 60,000
4.60 3.00 Anscor `A 4.90 5.02 4.90 4.95 1.02 358,000
6.98 0.260 Asia Amalgamated A 4.80 4.70 4.40 4.40 (8.33) 147,000 (9,300.00)
437.00 272.00 Ayala Corp `A 428.00 430.00 427.80 430.00 0.47 400,040 (15,561,252.00)
59.45 30.50 DMCI Holdings 60.50 60.60 59.50 59.70 (1.32) 4,388,280 14,394,996.50
5.25 3.30 Filinvest Dev. Corp. 4.92 4.95 4.83 4.85 (1.42) 1,061,000 (2,370,410.00)
GT Capital 502.50 510.00 501.00 509.00 1.29 200,570 55,282,570.00
5.22 2.90 House of Inv. 4.53 4.60 4.52 4.60 1.55 149,000
34.80 19.00 JG Summit Holdings 33.00 33.80 33.00 33.30 0.91 670,100 18,384,475.00
6.95 4.00 Lopez Holdings Corp. 5.70 5.80 5.70 5.75 0.88 1,707,700 5,499,753.00
1.54 0.61 Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp. 1.26 1.30 1.27 1.27 0.79 4,616,000 76,800.00
3.82 1.500 Marcventures Hldgs., Inc. 3.630 3.710 3.600 3.690 1.65 15,811,000 13,980.00
4.45 2.56 Metro Pacic Inv. Corp. 4.39 4.60 4.40 4.49 2.28 64,376,000 29,629,480.00
6.24 2.10 Minerales Industrias Corp. 4.95 5.10 4.90 5.08 2.63 44,000
0.0770 0.054 Pacica `A 0.0580 0.0590 0.0580 0.0590 1.72 2,100,000
2.20 1.42 Prime Media Hldg 1.580 1.540 1.510 1.510 (4.43) 48,000
4.10 1.56 Republic Glass A 2.26 2.20 2.20 2.20 (2.65) 5,000
2.40 0.91 Seafront `A 1.48 1.50 1.48 1.48 0.00 17,000
0.490 0.285 Sinophil Corp. 0.360 0.360 0.355 0.360 0.00 760,000
699.00 450.00 SM Investments Inc. 698.00 706.00 698.00 699.00 0.14 423,240 73,740,195.00
1.78 1.00 Solid Group Inc. 1.29 1.29 1.28 1.28 (0.78) 41,000
1.57 1.14 South China Res. Inc. 1.30 1.28 1.23 1.28 (1.54) 30,000
0.420 0.099 Unioil Res. & Hldgs 0.2550 0.2550 0.2550 0.2550 0.00 150,000
0.620 0.056 Wellex Industries 0.3650 0.3750 0.3600 0.3750 2.74 6,940,000
1.370 0.178 Zeus Holdings 0.630 0.650 0.620 0.630 0.00 1,032,000
P R O P E R T Y
39.00 11.00 Anchor Land Holdings Inc. 35.00 40.00 33.00 40.00 14.29 33,300 73,520.00
2.82 1.70 A. Brown Co., Inc. 2.82 2.80 2.72 2.74 (2.84) 185,000
0.75 0.31 Araneta Prop `A 0.690 0.750 0.690 0.740 7.25 455,000
0.218 0.150 Arthaland Corp. 0.187 0.188 0.186 0.187 0.00 690,000
22.40 13.36 Ayala Land `B 21.00 21.60 21.00 21.45 2.14 10,510,700 82,948,450.00
6.12 3.08 Belle Corp. `A 4.72 4.86 4.72 4.84 2.54 3,669,000 3,906,900.00
9.00 2.26 Cebu Holdings 7.50 8.35 7.53 8.35 11.33 17,449,100 (9,243,460.00)
5.60 2.00 Cebu Prop. `A 4.71 5.30 5.00 5.30 12.53 135,000
5.20 2.20 Cebu Prop. `B 4.95 5.20 4.95 5.20 5.05 129,000
5.66 0.26 Century Property 1.69 1.70 1.67 1.69 0.00 4,016,000 (96,900.00)
2.85 1.20 City & Land Dev. 2.35 2.48 2.43 2.48 5.53 68,000
1.65 1.07 Cityland Dev. `A 1.28 1.29 1.24 1.27 (0.78) 334,000
0.127 0.060 Crown Equities Inc. 0.084 0.085 0.081 0.084 0.00 6,130,000
1.16 0.67 Cyber Bay Corp. 0.90 0.90 0.89 0.90 0.00 2,355,000
0.90 0.54 Empire East Land 0.800 0.820 0.790 0.800 0.00 15,065,000 (113,250.00)
0.310 0.10 Ever Gotesco 0.200 0.195 0.195 0.195 (2.50) 50,000
3.06 1.76 Global-Estate 1.93 1.95 1.90 1.93 0.00 811,000 1,223,410.00
1.35 0.98 Filinvest Land,Inc. 1.37 1.39 1.35 1.35 (1.46) 34,550,000 15,524,440.00
3.80 1.21 Highlands Prime 1.95 1.86 1.84 1.84 (5.64) 82,000
2.14 0.65 Interport `A 1.28 1.35 1.25 1.35 5.47 548,000 11,400.00
4.50 1.50 Keppel Properties 1.84 1.97 1.97 1.97 7.07 3,000
2.48 1.51 Megaworld Corp. 2.15 2.18 2.15 2.17 0.93 105,845,000 175,315,540.00
0.80 0.215 MRC Allied Ind. 0.2100 0.2120 0.2060 0.2060 (1.90) 3,390,000 (43,810.00)
0.990 0.072 Phil. Estates Corp. 0.7400 0.7700 0.7200 0.7400 0.00 23,852,000 (1,259,080.00)
0.71 0.41 Phil. Realty `A 0.530 0.530 0.530 0.530 0.00 1,000
18.86 10.00 Robinsons Land `B 17.02 17.60 17.02 17.32 1.76 3,320,300 43,587,856.00
2.70 1.74 Shang Properties Inc. 2.50 2.60 2.51 2.60 4.00 415,000
9.47 6.50 SM Development `A 7.00 7.12 7.00 7.01 0.14 2,152,400 3,867,504.00
18.20 10.90 SM Prime Holdings 16.70 17.00 16.70 16.70 0.00 10,013,400 (63,077,768.00)
1.14 0.64 Sta. Lucia Land Inc. 0.76 0.79 0.77 0.77 1.32 19,000
4.30 2.60 Vista Land & Lifescapes 4.380 4.410 4.350 4.360 (0.46) 5,590,000 6,069,920.00
S E R V I C E S
2GO Group 2.08 2.08 1.91 2.08 0.00 87,000
43.00 28.60 ABS-CBN 40.00 41.00 40.00 41.00 2.50 11,700
14.76 1.60 Acesite Hotel 10.96 10.92 10.00 10.92 (0.36) 111,200 1,084,272.00
0.80 0.45 APC Group, Inc. 0.700 0.700 0.680 0.700 0.00 369,000
9.30 7.30 Asian Terminals Inc. 9.05 9.10 9.05 9.05 0.00 62,500 200,200.00
0.5300 0.0660 Boulevard Holdings 0.1930 0.1970 0.1820 0.1840 (4.66) 105,650,000 (39,920.00)
98.15 62.50 Cebu Air Inc. (5J) 69.95 70.50 69.90 70.00 0.07 183,490 10,618,954.00
9.70 5.40 DFNN Inc. 7.25 7.30 7.16 7.25 0.00 57,100 21,600.00
5.90 1.45 Easy Call Common 4.00 3.98 3.45 3.45 (13.75) 12,000
1750.00 765.00 FEUI 923.00 930.00 930.00 930.00 0.76 20
1172.00 11.70 Globalports 22.00 25.50 24.00 24.25 10.23 2,500
1270.00 825.00 Globe Telecom 1120.00 1125.00 1113.00 1122.00 0.18 37,900 19,126,025.00
10.34 6.18 GMA Network Inc. 10.18 10.26 9.90 9.98 (1.96) 1,517,400
69.00 43.40 I.C.T.S.I. 67.50 69.20 67.90 68.00 0.74 1,430,990 58,022,218.00
0.98 0.34 Information Capital Tech. 0.480 0.480 0.460 0.480 0.00 410,000 32,400.00
6.00 4.00 IPeople Inc. `A 6.60 6.68 6.68 6.68 1.21 5,000
4.29 2.20 IP Converge 3.01 3.14 3.10 3.14 4.32 62,000
34.50 0.123 IP E-Game Ventures Inc. 0.100 0.102 0.085 0.088 (12.00) 163,850,000 194,780.00
3.87 1.16 IPVG Corp. 1.20 1.20 1.18 1.18 (1.67) 1,981,000 (325,060.00)
5.1900 2.900 ISM Communications 3.1500 3.1600 3.1400 3.1600 0.32 39,000
11.68 5.90 Leisure & Resorts 7.15 7.28 7.10 7.13 (0.28) 239,700
4.28 2.65 Liberty Telecom 2.82 2.80 2.76 2.80 (0.71) 23,000
2.35 0.92 Lorenzo Shipping 1.89 1.78 1.78 1.78 (5.82) 7,000
3.96 2.70 Macroasia Corp. 3.02 3.10 3.07 3.10 2.65 9,000
0.84 0.57 Manila Bulletin 0.72 0.72 0.71 0.71 (1.39) 122,000
3.00 1.00 Manila Jockey 1.49 1.53 1.51 1.53 2.68 80,000
9.60 6.50 Metro Pacic Tollways 7.60 7.60 6.80 7.60 0.00 1,700
21.00 17.20 Pacic Online Sys. Corp. 21.60 21.70 20.95 21.10 (2.31) 41,600
8.58 4.50 PAL Holdings Inc. 7.45 7.84 7.45 7.55 1.34 197,400
3.32 1.05 Paxys Inc. 2.80 2.86 2.77 2.83 1.07 610,000 (282,750.00)
10.00 4.60 Phil. Racing Club 9.20 9.30 9.00 9.00 (2.17) 8,700 43,200.00
60.00 17.02 Phil. Seven Corp. 44.00 45.00 44.00 44.00 0.00 320,500 14,401,400.00
17.18 14.50 Philweb.Com Inc. 17.62 17.50 14.60 17.00 (3.52) 1,158,900 4,718,246.00
2886.00 2096.00 PLDT Common 2584.00 2598.00 2574.00 2588.00 0.15 145,745 48,091,180.00
0.48 0.23 PremiereHorizon 0.365 0.375 0.360 0.375 2.74 2,080,000
23.75 10.68 Puregold 23.80 24.75 23.20 24.20 1.68 1,473,100 25,278,250.00
Touch Solutions 3.50 3.79 3.50 3.79 8.29 40,000
3.30 2.40 Transpacic Broadcast 2.85 2.80 2.80 2.80 (1.75) 50,000
0.79 0.26 Waterfront Phils. 0.550 0.560 0.520 0.530 (3.64) 553,000
MINING & OIL
0.0083 0.0036 Abra Mining 0.0056 0.0056 0.0055 0.0055 (1.79) 6,000,000
6.20 3.01 Apex `A 5.08 5.29 5.06 5.09 0.20 148,600
6.22 3.00 Apex `B 5.20 5.30 5.20 5.30 1.92 239,500
25.20 14.50 Atlas Cons. `A 19.30 19.66 19.36 19.46 0.83 2,201,700 2,696,008.00
31.00 20.00 Atok-Big Wedge `A 34.60 35.00 31.50 32.70 (5.49) 12,000 (96,000.00)
0.380 0.148 Basic Energy Corp. 0.290 0.290 0.280 0.285 (1.72) 2,100,000 145,400.00
30.35 15.00 Benguet Corp `A 26.00 26.00 25.00 25.05 (3.65) 66,500
34.00 14.50 Benguet Corp `B 25.90 27.90 26.00 26.00 0.39 40,300 (491,600.00)
2.51 1.62 Century Peak Metals Hldgs 1.72 1.73 1.71 1.73 0.58 1,169,000
50.85 4.35 Dizon 57.20 60.50 58.40 59.95 4.81 1,983,610 2,720,750.00
1.21 0.50 Geograce Res. Phil. Inc. 0.92 0.94 0.91 0.91 (1.09) 7,162,000 (23,000.00)
1.82 0.5900 Lepanto `A 1.440 1.440 1.420 1.420 (1.39) 4,953,000
2.070 0.6700 Lepanto `B 1.560 1.560 1.530 1.530 (1.92) 2,641,000 1,461,930.00
0.085 0.035 Manila Mining `A 0.0750 0.0750 0.0740 0.0750 0.00 50,600,000
0.087 0.035 Manila Mining `B 0.0760 0.0760 0.0750 0.0760 0.00 1,950,000 123,750.00
34.80 15.04 Nickelasia 35.00 35.10 34.10 35.00 0.00 630,700 8,780,240.00
12.76 2.08 Nihao Mineral Resources 12.38 12.60 12.34 12.40 0.16 1,189,400 355,612.00
1.100 0.008 Omico 0.7800 0.7800 0.7700 0.7800 0.00 495,000
8.40 2.12 Oriental Peninsula Res. 7.930 8.000 7.930 7.950 0.25 525,500 (11,925.00)
0.032 0.012 Oriental Pet. `A 0.0230 0.0240 0.0220 0.0230 0.00 517,700,000
0.033 0.013 Oriental Pet. `B 0.0230 0.0250 0.0230 0.0250 8.70 20,000,000
7.14 5.10 Petroenergy Res. Corp. 6.55 6.60 6.50 6.50 (0.76) 1,900
28.95 17.08 Philex `A 25.00 25.30 24.50 24.95 (0.20) 6,852,300 9,454,820.00
14.18 3.00 PhilexPetroleum 28.50 27.90 23.05 23.80 (16.49) 8,710,500 (18,609,155.00)
0.058 0.013 Philodrill Corp. `A 0.058 0.061 0.057 0.060 3.45 1,566,900,000 9,123,820.00
69.00 46.00 PNOC Expls `B 56.95 56.90 56.90 56.90 (0.09) 10
252.00 161.10 Semirara Corp. 246.80 255.20 241.80 252.00 2.11 426,230 2,770,746.00
0.029 0.013 United Paragon 0.0200 0.0220 0.0200 0.0210 5.00 37,000,000
PREFERRED
11.02 6.00 GMA Holdings Inc. 10.20 10.20 9.80 10.00 (1.96) 3,939,200 13,020,171.00
116.70 106.20 PCOR-Preferred 115.00 115.80 115.00 115.80 0.70 2,300
1050.00 990.00 SMPFC Preferred 1030.00 1040.00 1030.00 1030.00 0.00 450
6.00 0.87 Swift Pref 1.18 1.20 1.20 1.20 1.69 4,000
WARRANTS & BONDS
1.35 0.62 Megaworld Corp. Warrants 1.23 1.23 1.20 1.20 (2.44) 14,000
0.210 0.00 Omico Corp. Warrant 0.0990 0.0900 0.0550 0.0900 (9.09) 290,000
TRADI NG SUMMARY
SHARES VALUE
FINANCIAL 9,195,963 698,889,020.50
INDUSTRIAL 160,780,540 897,047,492.97
HOLDING FIRMS 125,352,518 1,454,815,046.45
PROPERTY 254,119,322 1,011,196,686.91
SERVICES 286,985,866 699,936,439.00
MINING & OIL 2,242,079,707 829,490,047.81
GRAND TOTAL 3,078,513,916 5,591,374,733.64
FINANCIAL 1,287.42 (UP) 4.27
INDUSTRIAL 7,866.46 (UP) 52.66
HOLDING FIRMS 4,459.46 (UP) 30.01
PROPERTY 1,932.39 (UP) 22.38
SERVICES 1,723.19 (UP) 7.40
MINING & OIL 27,009.51 (DOWN) 2.70
PSEI 5,202.70 (UP) 33.65
All Shares Index 3,469.52 (UP) 13.17
Gainers: 87; Losers: 69; Unchanged: 47; Total: 203
STOCKS Close
(P)
Change
(%)
C. Azuc De Tarlac 20.00 43.06
Federal Chemicals 11.80 30.24
Anchor Land Holdings Inc. 40.00 14.29
Cebu Prop. `A' 5.30 12.53
Cebu Holdings 8.35 11.33
Globalports 24.25 10.23
Oriental Pet. `B' 0.0250 8.70
Touch Solutions 3.79 8.29
Araneta Prop `A' 0.740 7.25
Keppel Properties 1.97 7.07
STOCKS Close
(P)
Change
(%)
PhilexPetroleum 23.80 (16.49)
Easy Call "Common" 3.45 (13.75)
Mariwasa MFG. Inc. 3.90 (12.36)
IP E-Game Ventures Inc. 0.088 (12.00)
Omico Corp. Warrant 0.0900 (9.09)
Asia Amalgamated A 4.40 (8.33)
Alcorn Gold Res. 0.0160 (5.88)
Lorenzo Shipping 1.78 (5.82)
Highlands Prime 1.84 (5.64)
Atok-Big Wedge `A' 32.70 (5.49)
TOP GAI NERS TOP LOSERS
CHIN WONG
DIGITAL LIFE
DO we really need another Dropbox?
Thats the question that sprang to mind when
Google recently announced Google Drive, a
service that gives you 5 gigabytes of free online
storage so that you can access your les from any
Internet-connected computer.
The move was long overdue. Years ago, when
Google began offering gigabyte-range storage on
its Gmail service, some of us felt it would be nifty
to be able to use that free space to back up some of
our les online. I even recall a third-party Firefox
extension called Gspace that did just that, though
it was somewhat unwieldy to use.
Since then, some 50 million users have
discovered Dropbox (www.dropbox.com), a
program and online service that have set the
standard for easy and convenient, cross-platform
storage on the Internet. The design that others
including Google Drivehave copied is simple
and elegant: the Dropbox program creates a
special folder in your local drive, the contents of
which will be automatically copied to a remote
server and replicated on any of your machines
that also have Dropbox registered and running.
This way, your les are available to you on all the
machines you use, whether you are working on
your home computer, your notebook PC or your
ofce desktop. You can also access your Dropbox
les on the Web, using any browser.
Google Drive, introduced last week, works
pretty much the same way (with some important
differences), but raises the ante by giving users
more free storage5 GB instead of Dropboxs
2GB.
As a Linux user, Ive always appreciated
Dropboxs early support for my operating system
of choice. Unfortunately, Google has yet to release
a Linux client for Google Drive, which currently is
available only on Windows and the Mac. Google
says in a blog that a Linux client is comingbut
Ill believe it when I see it.
On the Mac, Google Drive was a snap to set up,
after a 24.7MB download. You will need to log
in and set your preferences the rst time you run
the program, but if you accept the default settings,
Google Drive will start automatically every time
you power up, and you will not need to log in
again.
One key difference between Google Drive and
Dropbox is that the former is tightly integrated
with Google Docs, Googles Web-based ofce
productivity application. In fact, Google Drive
is now the default landing page when you go to
Google Docs, and all documents you created and
saved using the Web based application will show
up in your online drive. None of these Google
Docs les use up your 5GB Google Drive limit,
and they show up in your local drive as links. In
Finder (on the Mac) or Explorer (in Windows),
double-clicking on a Google Docs le will re
up a browser and open the document in question.
You cant view or edit Google Docs les if you
are ofine, unless you do this through the Google
Chrome browser.
In preferences, you can tell Google Drive not
to synchronize Google Docs les, or sync only
some folders to your computer. You can also stop
Google Drive from starting automatically, a useful
feature on a shared computer.
An intriguing feature of Google Drive is the
ability to use third-party applications that are
designed to work with the online service. One
such application is HelloFax, which makes it easy
to sign documents and send faxes online, without
having to touch a fax machine or scanner.
Will Google Drive wean me away from
Dropbox, which I use extensively? Although the
more generous free storage is tempting, I wont
be jumping ship anytime soon. In my case, Linux
support is a major consideration, since I use
Ubuntu on my main desktop. Googles failure to
deliver a Google Drive client on Linux from Day 1
was a deal breaker for me.
As a Dropbox user, Im hoping that the much
smaller company will be able to survive the entry
of Google, which can use its nancial muscle to
undercut the competition. On the other hand,
maybe a little competition will be a good thing, for
Dropbox and its users.
Of course, these arent the only two online
storage services available. Microsoft recently
announced Microsoft SkyDrive, with the biggest
(7GB) free storage limit. There are also Box (5GB
free), which is aimed at business users, and iCloud
(5GB) which supports only Apple users.
Will the entry of Googles 800-pound gorilla
shake things up just enough to make things better,
or will it eventually kill off smaller competitors.
The outlook for cloud-based storage is cloudy, at
the moment.
Column archives and blog at:
http://www.chinwong.com
STOCKS rose Monday, as companies
reported higher earnings in the rst quarter
that point to faster economic growth
during the period.
The Philippine Stock Exchange
index, the 30-company benchmark,
gained 33 points, or 0.7 percent, to
close at 5,202.70. The index climbed
1.9 percent in April, its fth month
of gains. Some P5.6 billion worth of
stocks were traded Monday.
The heavier index representing
all shares also jumped 13 points,
or 0.4 percent, to 3,469, as
gainers outnumbered losers, 87
to 69, with 47 issues unchanged.
First Gen Corp. advanced 1
percent to P14.12, the highest close
since Jan. 27. The power company
plans to sell as many as 100 million
preferred shares at P100 each, a
stock-exchange ling showed.
RFM Corp. climbed 2.9
percent to P2.83, the highest
close since January 1999. The
company said rst-quarter prot
rose 30 percent to P130 million.
Semirara Mining Corp., the
largest coal producer in the
Philippines, rose 2.1 percent to
P252, the highest close based
on prices going back to 1999.
The company said it will pay a
dividend of P12 a share, or 20
percent more than last year.
Union Bank of the Philippines
added 1.3 percent to P106.90, the
highest close since March 1. The
company posted a record P2.8-billion
prot in the rst quarter, compared
with P708.3 million in 2011, a stock-
exchange ling showed.
Meanwhile, Asian stock
markets also rose Monday in
holiday-thinned trade as sluggish
US growth gures boosted
hopes for more measures from
the Federal Reserve to help the
worlds no. 1 economy.
South Koreas Kospi added 0.3
percent to 1,982.15 amid improving
business sentiment among
manufacturers. Australias S&P/
ASX 200 gained 0.8 percent to
4,396 as rising commodities prices
helped push up its mining sector.
Hong Kongs Hang Seng
rose 1.1 percent to 20,978.72.
Benchmarks in New Zealand
and the Philippines also gained,
while Singapore and Indonesia
fell and Taiwan swung between
gains and losses. Markets in
mainland China and Japan were
closed for public holidays.
Stan Shamu of IG Markets
in Melbourne said investors
shrugged off the weaker-than-
expected US economic growth, as
well as a second downgrade this
year by S&P of Spains debt, amid
hopes that the Fed will launch a
new round of bond buying to keep
interest rates low.
The Fed has already carried out
two rounds of bond-buying known
as quantitative easing to stimulate
spending and drive down long-
term interest rates. Low bond yields
generally encourage investors to
shift money to buying stocks.
With Bloomberg, AP
THE Board of Investments
has approved the P737-
million rubber plantation
project of local firm
Zanorte Palm Rubber
Plantation in Zamboanga
del Norte.
Trade Undersecretary
and BoI managing head
Adrian Cristobal Jr. said
the project would help
expand the countrys
agro-industry and create
employment opportunities
in rural areas.
It will also help boost
the palm oil industry
which is among the sectors
we have identified for
industry development, he
said.
The project, to be located
in Sirawai and Sibuco,
Zamboanga del Norte, is
expected to create 54-
percent to 58-percent net
value added to the economy
and generate 1,055 jobs
once operational.
It will have a production
capacity of 9,900 metric
tons of palm oil, and 2,338
metric tons of dried palm
kernel.
BoI said the plantation
would produce palm
oil fruits used as raw
materials for crude palm
oil production and dried
palm kernel by-products.
These by-products will
be sold to food giants
such as Universal Robina
Corp., RFM Corp., Nestl
Philippines, and Mina
Oil Mill Corp. as well
as manufacturers and
exporters of soap and other
industrial products.
The Philippines,
according to the Philippine
Palm Oil Industry
Roadmap 2005-2010, is a
net importer of palm oil
and palm kernels. Latest
data show the country has
annual production capacity
of 54,333 metric tons of
palm oil, and 6.54 metric
tons of palm kernel.
Each palm fruit is capable
of producing 90-percent
palm oil and 10-percent
palm kernel oil. Palm
oil currently accounts for
21 percent of the global
edible oil market.
Zanorte also registered
as a rubber plantation
project with BoI early this
year.
The project will involve
rubber plantations
integrated with processing
to produce dried rubber.
The firm will sell the
products in bulk quantity
and in various grades
to local firms that use
rubber as basic material
to manufacture final end-
products such as tires and
shoes.
Initial target buyers are
Dunlop, Bridgestone and
Yokohama. Julito G. Rada
Business
ManilaStandardToday [email protected] [email protected] MAY 1, 2012 TUESDAY
B3
Magnum bolstered RFMs profit in Q1
Digitel to expand in Visayas, Mindanao
4 PH banks receive MasterCard awards
Govt debt payments decline
BoI approves P737-m
rubber plantation in
Zamboanga del Norte
By Jenniffer B. Austria
CONCEPCION-LED food and
beverage company RFM Corp.
reported Monday net income
in the rst quarter went up by
30 percent to P130.3 million
from P100.1 million a year
ago, boosted by strong sales
of its latest ice cream product
Magnum.
RFM said in a disclosure to
the stock exchange consolidated
sales reached P2.4 billion in the
rst three months, up 16 percent
year-on-year.
Company president and chief
executive Jose Concepcion
III said Selecta, its ice cream
venture with Unilever, posted
spectacular sales growth of over
37 percent in the quarter.
This rate would be even higher
if we look at March alone year-
on-year, since it was the month
we introduced the latest ice cream
craze Magnum [Belgian chocolate
enrobed ice cream on stick], he
said.
Concepcion said demand for
Magnum has been way beyond
expectations and its stocks have
been running out. The company
is making arrangements to
increase its supply.
Selecta Cornetto ice cream
products have also been doing
extremely well, with growth
rates of 50 to 60 percent, he
said.
The easing of commodity cost
inputs such as milk and sugar
beginning in the second half
of 2011, the rationalization of
production processes and focus
on higher-margin products also
helped improve the prot picture
for the company.
Aside from ice cream products,
the companys pasta business
also performed well with over
70-percent growth, thereby
increasing its market share to
over 30 percent, from 25 percent
last year.
We believe that stronger brand
equity and product innovations
have inuenced the shift in
buying pattern and frequency
in a number of categories we
participate in, Concepcion said.
Sales of Selecta milk, Sunkist
litro pack and Swift Mighty
Meaty and Corned Beef Swak
also had good sales numbers,
as the company rationalized
and focused brand portfolio,
supported by more exciting
product repackaging, aggressive
merchandising and trade-related
programs.
RFM was tapped by Dole
Philippines last week to be its
exclusive national selling and
distribution arm for Doles
products, specically, packaged
and processed fruits products.
Among the Dole products to be
distributed by RFM are pineapple
slices, chunks, and tidbits, fruit
cocktail, fruit mix and juices,
mixed fruit drinks, fruits in jars
and bowls and tomato sauce
products.
(MST-May 1, 2012)
LUNGSOD NG MAKATI
Bids and Awards Committee
J.P. Rizal St. corner F. Zobel St., Makati City
Tel. No. 870-1000 Fax No. 899-8988
www.makati.gov.ph
INVITATION TO BID
The City Government of Makati, through its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), invites suppliers/manufacturers/
distributors/contractors to apply for eligibility and to bid for the hereunder projects:
NO. NAME OF PROJECT AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION LOCATION APPROVED BUDGET
1 Speech Laboratory Equipment and materials for the use of
Makati Elementary School, Makati Science High School &
Tibagan High School, Dep-Ed Makati
DEP-ED P6,897,810.00
Prospective Bidders should have experience in undertaking a similar project with an amount of at least 50% of the
proposed project for bidding. The Eligibility Check/Screening as well as the Preliminary Examinations of Bids shall use
non-discretionary "pass/fail criteria. Post-Qualifcation of the Lowest Calculated Bid shall be conducted.
All particulars relative to Eligibility Statement and Screening, Bid Security, Performance Security, Pre-Bidding
Conference(s), Evaluation of Bids, Post-Qualifcation and Award of Contract shall be governed by the pertinent provisions
of R.A. 9184 and its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR).
The complete schedule of activities is listed, as follows:
ACTIVITIES SCHEDULE
1. Pre-Bidding Conference at BAC Conference Room, 9th Floor May 08, 2012 (02:00 P.M.)
2. Opening of Bids at BAC Conference Room, 9th Floor May 22, 2012 (02:00 P.M.)
Bidding Documents will be available only to Prospective Bidders upon payment of a non-refundable amount of
______________________to the City Government of Makati Cashier.
(fee for Bid Documents) (Procuring Entity)
The City Government of Makati assumes no responsibility whatsoever to compensate or indemnify bidders for
(Procuring Entity)
any expenses incurred in the preparation of the bid.
The City of Makati reserves the right to disqualify any or all proposal, to waive any defects or informalities therein and
to accept such proposal as may be considered most advantageous to the Government.
Approved by:
(Sgd.) MARJORIE A. DE VEYRA
Chairperson
REPUBLIKA NG PILIPINAS
Republic of the Philippines
PCIEERD-DOST
is currently in need of an
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR III
QuaIication Requirements:
Ph.D. degree in natural sciences or engineering
At least 7 years of experience in administrative,
technical or professional work, 4 years of which
must have shown successful performance of
managerial responsibilities
At least 7 years of experience in an organization
engaged in research and development/
technology development services
Compensation Package:
Salary Grade 28, Representation Allowance,
PERA and Additional Compensation, and other
allowable benefts
Interested parties are requested to submit the
following:
1. Updated curriculum vitae
2. Service record
3. One 2x 2 photo
4. Names of two references (1 from the
academe/research institution and 1 from the
industry) to the:
Offce of the Undersecretary for R&D
Department of Science and Technology
Gen. Santos Ave., Bicutan
Taguig, Metro Manila
Applications will be received unlil May 10;2012
(MST-May 1, 2012)
(MST-May 1, 2012)
LUNGSOD NG MAKATI
Bids and Awards Committee
J.P. Rizal St. corner F. Zobel St., Makati City
Tel. No. 870-1000 Fax No. 899-8988
www.makati.gov.ph
INVITATION TO BID
The City Government of Makati, through its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), invites suppliers/manufacturers/
distributors/contractors to apply for eligibility and to bid for the hereunder projects:
NO. NAME OF PROJECT AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION LOCATION APPROVED BUDGET
1 Speech Laboratory Equipment and materials for the use of
Makati Elementary School, Makati Science High School &
Tibagan High School, Dep-Ed Makati
DEP-ED P6,897,810.00
Prospective Bidders should have experience in undertaking a similar project with an amount of at least 50% of the
proposed project for bidding. The Eligibility Check/Screening as well as the Preliminary Examinations of Bids shall use
non-discretionary "pass/fail criteria. Post-Qualifcation of the Lowest Calculated Bid shall be conducted.
All particulars relative to Eligibility Statement and Screening, Bid Security, Performance Security, Pre-Bidding
Conference(s), Evaluation of Bids, Post-Qualifcation and Award of Contract shall be governed by the pertinent provisions
of R.A. 9184 and its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR).
The complete schedule of activities is listed, as follows:
ACTIVITIES SCHEDULE
1. Pre-Bidding Conference at BAC Conference Room, 9th Floor May 08, 2012 (02:00 P.M.)
2. Opening of Bids at BAC Conference Room, 9th Floor May 22, 2012 (02:00 P.M.)
Bidding Documents will be available only to Prospective Bidders upon payment of a non-refundable amount of
______________________to the City Government of Makati Cashier.
(fee for Bid Documents) (Procuring Entity)
The City Government of Makati assumes no responsibility whatsoever to compensate or indemnify bidders for
(Procuring Entity)
any expenses incurred in the preparation of the bid.
The City of Makati reserves the right to disqualify any or all proposal, to waive any defects or informalities therein and
to accept such proposal as may be considered most advantageous to the Government.
Approved by:
(Sgd.) MARJORIE A. DE VEYRA
Chairperson
REPUBLIKA NG PILIPINAS
Republic of the Philippines
PCIEERD-DOST
is currently in need of an
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR III
QuaIication Requirements:
Ph.D. degree in natural sciences or engineering
At least 7 years of experience in administrative,
technical or professional work, 4 years of which
must have shown successful performance of
managerial responsibilities
At least 7 years of experience in an organization
engaged in research and development/
technology development services
Compensation Package:
Salary Grade 28, Representation Allowance,
PERA and Additional Compensation, and other
allowable benefts
Interested parties are requested to submit the
following:
1. Updated curriculum vitae
2. Service record
3. One 2x 2 photo
4. Names of two references (1 from the
academe/research institution and 1 from the
industry) to the:
Offce of the Undersecretary for R&D
Department of Science and Technology
Gen. Santos Ave., Bicutan
Taguig, Metro Manila
Applications will be received unlil May 10;2012
(MST-May 1, 2012)
Holcim-SHDA deal. Cement manufacturer Holcim Philippines extends its agreement to supply its products at competitive prices to
the Subdivision and Housing Developers Association. Shown are (from left) SHDA board adviser Willie Uy, Holcim Philippines senior
vice president Ed Sahagun, SHDA chairman Manuel Crisostomo, Holcim Philippines chief operating officer Roland van Wijnen and SHDA
president Paul Tanchi.
By Julito G. Rada
THE Industry Development Group
of the Trade Department met with 57
industry associations and companies
as well as eight government agencies
to chart roadmaps that will guide the
development of Philippine industries.
ALLIED Bank, BDO, HSBC Philippines
and Metrobank were all recognized for their
strategic, effective and innovative marketing
campaigns at the recent MasterCard Hall of
Fame Awards 2011 held at the Westin Siray
Bay in Phuket, Thailand.
The MasterCard Hall of Fame Awards
showcases the latest marketing trends in the
card payments industry of South East Asia.
Allied Bank was awarded the best
activation campaign for its Mabuhay miles
MasterCard world elite program while
HSBC Philippines won the best cardholder
promotion for its delight with every swipe
with RED MasterCard.
BDO, on the other hand, was recognized as
the most innovative acquirer for its customer
and cashier rafe promotion.
Allied Bank, BDO and Metrobank also
gured prominently in the other categories.
Allied Bank was a nalist in the most
innovative card marketing program for its
LuXclusives.
On the other hand, BDO was a nalist in
the best digital marketing category for its
virtual card exclusive while Metrobanks
Robinsons-Cebu Pacic MasterCard was
a nalist in the best new card launch/
relaunch.
The Perfect Time for a Metrobank
MasterCard was a nalist in the best
acquisition campaign category.
Allied Bank was also recognized as a
finalist in the best-in-class category for
its Mabuhay miles MasterCard world
elite program. Considered the Grand
Prix of the MasterCard Hall of Fame
Awards, the best-in-class category
honors the overall best performing card
marketing campaign to target specific
segments, improve market share and
enhance customer loyalty.
DTI meets
industry
groups for
roadmaps
Trade Undersecretary and
Board of Investments managing
head Adrian Cristobal said
most of these organizations
had expressed their support
to the project and were in
constant coordination with the
incentive-giving agency on the
next steps for the roadmaps.
Cristobal said the roadmaps
would contain plans for
various industries in view
of the renewed optimism
about the countrys trade and
investments performance in
the global market.
Charting the future of
Philippine industries is
essential for the realization
of a comprehensive national
industrial strategy, Cristobal
said in a press brieng.
The Trade Department held
as early as Jan. 30 this year an
industry development forum
with 81 industry associations.
It also held a consultative
meeting with government
agencies on March 13 to solicit
their comments and ideas on
the project and additional
information on similar elds
that they were undertaking.
The sectors that committed
to formulate their industry
roadmaps were air logistics,
copper and copper products,
ne jewelry, auto parts, rubber
and rubber products, tool and
die, metal casting, coconut
and coconut products, hogs,
poultry, coffee, medical travel/
medical tourism, retirement
industry, at glass, plastics,
paints and coatings, printing
ink, garments and textiles.
Also included were
chemicals, motorcycle
and motorcycle parts, iron
and steel, petrochemicals,
handicrafts, furniture, business
process outsourcing, hotel,
mass housing, engineered
bamboo and biodiesel.
Electronics and business
process outsourcing are among
the sectors that had already
crafted their own roadmaps.
The electronics industry, for
one, had successfully followed
its own roadmaps in 1997,
2002 and 2010.
The Trade Department urged
industries to formulate their
own sectoral competitiveness
roadmap to provide inputs for
the national comprehensive
industrial strategy as envisioned
in the Philippine Development
Plan 2011 to 2016.
Under the Philippine
Development Plan 2011
to 2016, the government
is mandated to formulate
a comprehensive national
industrial strategy that
shall spell out opportunities
and prepare the industries
to attract investments and
generate jobs.
By Lailany P. Gomez
DIGITAL Telecommunication
Philippines Inc. has asked the
government for approval to
expand its services in the south.
Digitel asked the National
Telecommunications Commis-
sion for the issuance of certicate
of public convenience and neces-
sity to operate and maintain the
telecom services in Visayas and
Mindanao.
The company said it has
already complied with the
terms and conditions of
NTCs provisional authority to
implement its rollout plan in the
south using existing capacities
in areas bought from Telecphil
and applicable technologies
from its suppliers.
The provisional authority will
expire on May 2.
Digitel said the rollout currently
covers eight provinces in both the
Visayas and Mindanao, spanning
479 cities and 252 municipalities,
respectively.
Digitel has six exchanges in
the south with total installed
capacity of 4.02 million lines.
It said with the acquisition
by Philippine Long Distance
Telephone Co. of Digitel,
interconnection of the two
networks would be easier and
material in providing diversied
and competitive services in the
VisMin area.
This is in addition to the fact
that existing facilities of PLDT
in the area could be utilized by
Digitel for cost-efciency and
to enhance its existing services
and expand its rollout to other
areas of the region, Digitel
said.
It said it had also activated
interconnections with other
telcos to provide wider range of
services in the VisMin area.
By Maria Bernadette Lunas
GOVERNMENTS debt payments went
down by 21.3 percent year-on-year in the
rst quarter, freeing up more budget for
public services.
Data from the Treasury showed the
government paid P261.241 billion in debt
servicing in the rst three months of the year,
or P70.824 billion lower than the P332.065
billion recorded in the same period last
year.
Debt payments in March, however, rose
9.36 percent on monthly basis to P66.096
billion from P60.439 billion in February.
The Treasury said of the total debt
payments in the rst quarter, principal
payments declined 32.6 percent to P162.752
billion from P241.345 billion a year ago.
Interest payments, on the other hand, went
up by 8.6 percent to P98.489 billion from
P90.72 billion.
On a monthly basis, principal payments
were down 3.5 percent in March from a
month earlier, while interest payments
increased 34.3 percent during the period.
Data showed that of the principal
payments in the rst quarter, the
government spent P146.503 billion to
service domestic debt and P16.249 billion
for foreign loans.
For interest
payments, the
government paid
P57.739 billion
for maturing local
debts, and the
remaining P40.750
billion for interest
on foreign loans.
The government
incurred a budget
decit of P33.9
billion in the rst
quarter, up by
29.4 percent from
P26.2 billion a year
ago. Both state
expenditures and
revenues increased
during the three-
month period.
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
Manila Standard TODAY Edited by Leo A. Estonilo www.manilastandardtoday.com [email protected]
Expert: More power sources needed
Wives of former rebels
weave for fashion market
Albay gets P480m
for growth pilot
American Idol assured
of 600,000 Bataan fans
Quezon in sight
LUCENA CITYProvincial Tourism ofcer Alberto
Bay Jr. is calling for entries to Quezon in Focus, a
photography contest open to amateurs and professionals
here and abroad.
The contest which runs from April 2 to August
27 aims to create an image of Quezon Province that
highlights its rich culture and history, natural beauty,
colorful celebrations and its warm people, he said in
a statement.
He said five categories were chosen to cover
hidden treasure for natural attractions, cuisine for
native food and delicacies, historical or protected
landmarks and spots recognized by the government,
private tourism establishments or programs, people
and festivals.
An open category gives participants the opportunity
to show why its more fun in Quezon, Bay said, noting
that the contest is aligned with the campaign of Tourism
Secretary Ramon Jimenez.
Participants are required to ll up the registration form
which is available at the provincial tourism ofce or
downloaded from www.quezon.gov.ph and pay a P500-
fee.
Bay said a photography workshop will be held on
May 5 at the provincial capitol to be handled by Canon
Brand Ambassadors free of charge. Ruel Orinday PIA
MAY 1, 2012
TUESDAY
BALANGA CITY-Finalist
Jessica Sanchez calls for support
in her bid to be this seasons
American Idol and Mayor Jose
Garcia III says 600,000 Bataan
folks will reach out to relatives
and friends to root for her.
Sanchez, whose mother hails
from the province, has joined the
top ve contenders to the title in
a competition that calls for guts,
talent and showmanship under
pressure.
Students ocked to the
capitols Peoples Center, to
mark Araw ng Balanga amid
a rousing call by emcee Melody
Ortiguerra along with Jonel
Llanes.
Let us stand behind Jessica,
she told the high school
and college students at the
streetdance competition.
We will be praying that
Jessica, a Filipino, a Bataeno,
ultimately becomes the
American Idol champion this
season, said Garcia.
Congratulations Ms. Jessica
SanchezGaling ng Pilipino,
Galing ng BataanWe will
always love you! reads the
citys message on social
network.
Tarpaulines have been put up
across the province to cheer 16-
year-old Sanchez.
Widespread show of adulation
is expected in communities
where not a few migrants have
once enlisted with the major
US naval base in Subic before
it was closed along with the air
force base in Clark, Pampanga.
Jessica is eldest among
three children of Editha Bugay
Sanchez who is married to a
Mexican.
Editha is daughter of retired
US Navy man Eddie and Virgie
Bugay of Samal and Orani
towns. Butch Gunio
By Beverly C. Paoyon
MALAPATANSenator Loren
Lagarda commended wives and
relatives of former Moro National
Liberation Front rebels who have
joined to mind a P2-million trading
center to serve as weaving and
display area of their handloom
products.
The facility was constructed out
funds from USAID Growth with
Equity in Mindanao, Sarangani and
this town.
Legarda led the turnover of
the center to the Balungis Moro
Womens Association to help
streamline production and sales
of the products, which are being
considered for promotion to
fashion designers in Cebu and
Manila by the Department of Trade
and Industry.
She authored the Tropical Fabrics
Law mandating the use of native
materials for making uniforms
of public ofcials and employees
among other purposes.
Pinong-pino. Maganda. Maganda
ang handmade work ninyo, Legarda
said
Councilor Abdulnasser Suib
described Malapatans malong
which is artistically crafted with
highly imaginative designs and
styles, and carefully knitted in
different shades and color along
with other indigenous products such
as tinagtag, a delicacy made of
rice.
Livelihood must be extended
to women and men through
handlooms and backtrack looms
to produce textile from banana or
pina or cotton or abaca, Legarda
said. Weaver Joy Udan, a member of the Balungis Womens Association, does a traditional malong. COCOY SEXCION
By Dexter A. See
BOKOD-An international consultant
said 8 to 12 hours blackouts loom if no new
energy sources are tapped even as the slight
drop in the water level of the 105-megawatt
Ambuclao dam and the 100-megawatt
Binga dam is deemed normal in summer.
of the Philippines, told electric
cooperatives and media reporters
in an earlier lecture that a chronic
energy crunch would negate all
hardearned gains in growth and
development.
The worst power crisis in the
country is expected to happen
in the next four years, thus, the
need for the national government
to start refocusing its goals of
putting up more power generation
plants, he said.
But Mike Hosillos, SN Aboitiz
Power Benguet, said decreased
levels were no case for alarm.
Our Ambuclao and Binga
power plants are designed as
peaking plants which allow us
to use water efciently since we
only generate power to augment
supply when demand is at its
highest during the day, he told
Manila Standard, adding the
dip has yet no impact on our
generation to date.
On record, Ambuclao posted
749.14 meters or 2.86 meters
below its highest elevation of
752 meters while Binga notched
574.87 m or 0.13 m versus its
maximum 575 m benchmark.
Longtime residents woiuld still
recall 4 to 6 hours rotating outages
in 1991 to 1993 before the power
industry was stabilized by the
Ramos administration through
independent power producers.
Del Mundo cited as drawback
more than 200 service contracts
previously issued by previous
ofcials of the Department
of Energy which hindered
implementation of more
renewable energy projects.
Instead of the Electric Power
Industry Reform Act achieving
its goals of giving people lower
power rates, the Philippines has
now one of the highest power
rates charged to consumers in the
Asia-Pacic region, he said.
The EPIRA was enacted to
provide competition in the power
generation sector to improve
transmission and distribution.
Prof. Rowaldo del Mundo,
associate professor of the Institute
of Electronics and Electrical
Engineering at the University
B4
LEGAZPI CITYThe Asian Development Bank and the
Department of Social Welfare and Development have chosen
Albay as one of three pilot areas
for the scale up implementation
of the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa
Kahirapan-Comprehensive and
Integrated Delivery of Social
Services program.
Governor Joey Salceda said
Albay was chosen for the
expanded KALAHI-CIDSS
along with Leyte (Region 8)
for the Visayas and Compostela
Valley (Region 11) for
Mindanao.
The pilot project in Albay
involves a P480 million outlay.
Socvial Welfare Secretary
Dinky Soliman was joined by the ADB team in conrming
the provinces inclusion and discussing best practices for the
program.
The ADB panel is composed of Education Specialist
Joel Mangahas as mission leader, and Social Development
Specialist Yukiko Ito from Japan, and Health Specialist
Gerard Servais from Belgium as mission members.
Albay has been very innovative in many aspects of
governance, Soliman said.
Aside from the Albay team members, the consultation also
involved representatives from LGUs, national government
agencies and civil society organizations to encourage support and
explore options and mechanisms for provincial implementation
of Community Driven Development initiatives.
Fishermen paddle home with the days catch in the waters off Lubang Island in Mindoro. JOE ARAZAS
Provinces