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Senate grills Comelec
over P1B lot purchase
CA afrms
sacking of
GMA execs
Govt rice
target cant
be attained
Sereno says
T-3 earnings
in her SALN
500k nurses
jobless, face
exploitation
Roxas sets major
revamp in DILG
Puno exits; all co-terminus posts declared vacant
www.manilastandardtoday.com mst@mstandardtoday.com
Vol. XXVI No. 170 12 Pages, 2 Sections
P18.00 Saturday, September 1, 2012
TODAY
Standard
Manila
By Macon R. Araneta
SENATORS slammed the
Commission on Elections
Thursday for buying a P1.19
billion property in Pasay
City for its new headquarters
without the proper author-
ity, in budget hearings that
have already uncovered the
poll bodys purchase of seven
king-size beds for more than
P91,000 each.
There appears to be a
gross violation of the Consti-
tution on the part of the Com-
elec when they decided to use
their P3.5 billion savings to
purchase a piece of land worth
P1.188 billion, said Senator
Franklin Drilon, chairman of
the Senate nance committee.
Somebody can take this to
the Ombudsman for technical
malversation.
Drilon added that the Com-
elec has admitted entering into
a contract with the Philippine
Retirement Authority to buy
the property, and paying a
P250-million advance.
At Thursdays hearing,
Drilon and Senate Minority
Floor Leader Alan Peter Cay-
etano asked Comelec Chair-
man Sixto Brillantes what was
the legal basis for the Com-
elecs move.
Did you have authority to
use these savings to buy land
and building? There is no au-
thority whatsoever under the
2012 [General Appropria-
tions Act] for the Comelec to
purchase land for a building.
That is the role of Congress,
said Drilon.
Brillantes said the Comelec
could do so because it had s-
cal autonomy as a constitu-
tional body, but the senators
disagreed.
Drilon said the Comelec
By Othel V. Campos
THE Philippines will not be
able to produce enough rice
to cover domestic demand in
the medium term, contrary to
the governments target of at-
taining self sufciency in the
staple next year, according to
a working paper published by
the Asian Development Bank.
Lourdes Adriano, the banks
practice leader for agriculture,
food security and rural devel-
opment, said the Philippines
rice imports might even reach
700,000 metric tons in 2013,
and that forecast had not even
CHIEF Justice Maria Lourdes
Sereno on Friday rejected in-
sinuations she did not declare
in her statement of assets, li-
abilities and net worth her
earnings for lawyering for the
government in the internation-
al arbitration cases involving
the expropriation of the moth-
balled Ninoy Aquino Interna-
tional Airport Terminal 3
Her assets include the sav-
ings left from the legal fees
paid by the Government to her
in connection with the cases
involving the NAIA Terminal
3, net of the amounts paid for
THE Court of Appeals on
Friday afrmed the consti-
tutionality of President Be-
nigno Aquino IIIs second
executive order nullifying
the so-called midnight ap-
pointments by former Presi-
dent and now Pampanga Rep.
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
In separate decisions writ-
ten by Associate Justice Noel
Tijam, the courts former eight
division magistrate dismissed
By Macon R. Araneta
THE governments lack of de-
termination to implement me-
aures to protect nurses and ef-
forts of the Health Department
to promote false volunteerism
practices, has resulted to mas-
sive unemployment and exploi-
tation of nurses in the country,
a labor advocacy group said on
Friday.
The Public Services Labor
Independent Confederation
(PSLINK) said nurses continue
All co-terminus positions
will now be vacant, said Roxas,
who will be replaced as Trans-
portation and Communication
chief by another Liberal Party
ofcial, Cavite Rep. Joseph
Emilio Abaya.
In announcing the new ap-
pointment, President Benigno
Aquino III said Roxas would
have a free hand to bring his own
people into the department.
We are giving Mar the freedom
to choose his own people, including
the heads of the agencies under the
DILG, Mr. Aquino said.
These agencies include the
Philippine National Police, the
Bureau of Jail Management and
Penology, the Bureau of Fire
Netizens twit Enriles bid
for a law regulating blogs
Pimentel gives up party duties to Binay
By Macon Ramos-Araneta
VICE President Jejomar Binay will sign an agreement
with Senator Aquilino Pimentel III in which he will as-
sume Pimentels duties as president of their PDP-Laban
party once he arrived from Iran, an ofcial said on Friday.
Party secretary-general Jose Cojuangco Jr. conrmed
that Binay, the partys chairman, had accepted the partys
request that he take over Pimentels duties as president
even though Pimentel would remain party president.
We will leave the position [of party president]
as it is, but Vice President Binay will asume the duties of
SENATE President Juan
Ponce Enriles proposal for a
law on blogging in the Phil-
ippines has caught the ire of
bloggers and social media us-
ers in the country.
In his interpellation after
Senator Vicente Tito Sot-
to IIIs privilege speech on
Wednesday, Enrile said that
a law regulating blogs need
to be crafted to protect the
rights of bloggers.
Perhaps because of this
experience and the need to
clarify certain rules, let us
propose a law that would
place the rights of those who
blog so that it would be clear,
Enrile said.
Sotto III decried the cy-
ber-bullying he has experi-
enced due to an earlier speech
he delivered on the Repro-
ductive Health Bill, of which
certain parts were reported to
have been directly lifted from
Foggy weather. Students walk under the trees in foggy conditions in Tuba, Benguet, as the rainy season prevailsw in the Cordillera region. DAVID CHAN
Next page
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The chosen ones. President Aquino announces in Malaca-
ang the appointment of Mar Roxas as secretary of the Interior
and Local Government Department (inset, right) and Joseph
Abaya as Transportation and Communications secretary.
Next page Pimentel Binay
Next page
By Joyce Pangco Paares, Maricel Cruz and Macon Ramos-Araneta
A MAJOR revamp is in the ofng in the Department of Inte-
rior and Local Government as Liberal Party president Man-
uel Roxas II takes over the post left vacant by the death of
Secretary Jesse Robredo.
News
ManilaStandardToday mst.daydesk@gmail.com SEPTEMBER 1, 2012 SATURDAY
A2
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Netizens...
an American bloggers article.
Sotto said in his speech, ako
yata ang kauna-unahang senador
ng Pilipinas na naging biktima ng
cyber-bullying. Mula sa blogs,
Facebook, at Twitter, ginawa
akong sentro ng mga mapanira at
malisyosong atake ng ibat ibang
tao, lalo pa ng mga sumusuporta
sa RH Bill (Maybe I am the first
Philippine senator to become
victim of cyberbullying. From
blogs to Facebook to Twitter, I
became the center of derision
and malicious attacks especially
from supporters of RH Bill).
Known for their staunch oppo-
sition to the RH Bill, Enrile and
Sotto concurred to draft a bill to
regulate blogs. Magpanukala
tayo ng batas at ilagay natin doon
kung ano ang mga karapatan ng
mga may blogs para sa ganoon
ay maliwanag, (Let us propose
a bill and include the rights of
bloggers so it will be clear) En-
rile said.
Since Wednesday, Tweets as
well as blog and Facebook posts
about Enrile and Sotto crafting a
bill that will lead to the curtail-
ment of the freedom of speech
and expression have proliferated
in cyberspace.
With the statement of a law-
maker representing the youth
sector in the House of the Rep-
resentatives on Thursday that
such a move to create a law that
will regulate blogs may curtail
free speech in the country and
put unnecessary restraint in the
Internet, Netizens have further
interpreted the proposed measure
as an anti-blogging bill.
News of the Senate leader-
ships move to pass a bill that
will set the parameters for blog-
ging is alarming, especially for
the blogging community.
Blogs have been one of the
freest avenues for opinions and
discussions, and we fear that we
might lose this freedom if a law is
passed to regulate it. Blogs have
been the venue of free speech
and discourse since the advent
of the Internet. Regulating it is
tantamount to curtailing the free-
dom of expression of thousands
of active Filipino bloggers, said
Kabataan party-list representa-
tive Raymond Palatino who is
also a blogger.
The desire to regulate blogs
springs from the Senate leader-
ships lack of knowledge on the
nature of blogs. Enrile himself
admitted that he isnt Internet-
savvy. We understand him, as
blogs greatly vary from one an-
other from the personal to the
academic, the mundane and the
officious, Palatino said.
But we have to emphasize
that blogs are not just used to de-
fame people, Palatino said.
Senate...

could not invoke fiscal au-
tonomy without first securing
approval fro Congress, which
alone can authorize the spend-
ing of public funds.
The Comelecs position is
totally wrong, he said.
He added that under the
Constitution, the Comelec may
dip into its savings only to
augment funding for projects
already authorized in the Gen-
eral Appropriations Act.
Without any appropriation
for a main building and field
office in the 2012 General
Appropriations Act, they re-
aligned their savings to buy
land and building, but this pur-
chase
is not authorized in the budg-
et, said Drilon.
There is no authority of
whatsoever under the 2012
General Appropriations Act
for Comelec to purchase land
for a building. That is the role
of Congress, to appropriate
[funds] to specific items, he
added.
But Brillantes insisted that
the poll bodys action was
similar to those taken by oth-
er constitutional bodies such
as the Commission on Audit,
the Commission on Human
Rights, the Civil Service Com-
mission and the Office of the
Ombudsman.
We are always in consulta-
tion with each other so if we
committed a mistake, its the
mistake of the entire group,
he said.
Earlier this month, the sena-
tors took the Comelec to task
for buying overpriced beds for
vacation cottages that it owns
in Baguio City.
The hearings on the Come-
lecs proposed P8.4 billion
budget for 2013 continue on
Sept. 13.
Pimentel...
Koko [Pimentel], Cojuangco
said in a statement.
We are thankful that the
Vice President has accepted
this arrangement since Koko
cannot attend to the partys
commitment to UNA [United
Nationalist Alliance] in the
agreement with PMP [Puwersa
ng Masang Pilipino] which he
himself signed. Binays par-
ty had coalesced with former
President Joseph Estradas
Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino to
form the United Nationalist Al-
liance.
Pimentel said Binays move
was a welcome development
that would be good for the
party and everybody including
himself.
Its good Vice President Bi-
nay acceded to the request to
take over my post. The party
has been looking for somebody
to act in my place, he said.
He recalled Binay telling him
someone else should be doing
his responsibilities so he could
concentrate on his re-election
bid next year. He is seeking re-
election as a guest candidate
of President Benigno Aquino
IIIs Liberal Party.
Pimentel on Tuesday de-
nied a UNA statement that he
had filed a leave of absence as
president of the PDP-Laban.
In a recent meeting this
month, Pimentel said he had
voiced his plan to have some-
body take over his responsi-
bilities.
I hope that when Vice Pres-
ident Binay returns from Iran,
we will have a memorandum
of agreement on this issue, Pi-
mentel said.
This is Ok with me. There
will be no problem. I am one
of the easiest persons to talk
with.
Pimentel quit the UNA after
the party officially declared
former Senator Miguel Zubiri
as among its senatorial candi-
dates in next years elections.
He said he could not in
conscience run with Zubiri,
whom he accuses of having
cheated him in the 2007 elec-
tions, in the same senatorial
ticket.
Zubiri later resigned as a
senator, after which the Com-
mission proclamed Pimentel as
the winner of the 12th and final
slot in the 2007 senatorial elec-
tions, but Pimentel had missed
the first four years of his six-
year term.
500k...
to work without pay in hospitals,
but the Department of Health
has adopted new guidelines on
nurse volunterrism amid the
massive unemployment and un-
deremployment of nurses in the
country.
We are extremely alarmed
by the plans of the DOH to de-
velop and implement guidelines
on nurse volunteerism, said
Annie Enriquez-Geron, General
Secretary of PSLINK, a national
confederation of unions and as-
sociations in the public sector.
Close to half a million of our
nurses are jobless and desperate
for work. We dont understand
why the DOH is suddenly bent
on developing guidelines on
nurse volunteerism when they
know that this will only incre-
asse the vulnerability of our
nurses to abuse and exploita-
tion, Enriquez-Geron ssaid.
PSLINK and the nurses
group, ANG NARS, were par-
ticipants in a public forum held
at Quezon City last Wednesday.
About 100 nurses, including
their parents, attended the forum.
Government statistics place the
number of unemployed nurses in
the country at about 400,000. The
government ordered last year the
scrapping of volunteer work for
nurses in government hospitals,
but they continue to work without
pay in government and private
hospitals.
ANG NARS President Leah
Paquiz slammed government
inaction on the plight of the
nurses and failure to penalize
hosptials that make nurses work
without pay under exploitative
volunteerism schemes and non-
accredited training programs.
A year has passed since the
government issuance of a mem-
orandum that banned volunteer
work and yet hospitals continue
to exploit our nurses because
they (hospitals) are not held ac-
countable, Paquiz said.
Des Valladolid, a young nurse
who attended the forum, told
reporters the DOH guidelines
on volunteerism would make
nurses work in hospitals as vol-
unteers forever.
Nurses are also human beings,
who need to earn a decent living
for themselves and their families,
Valladolid said. We deserve to be
treated fairly like any other worker
or professional.
She said the need to institu-
tionalize volunteerism in hos-
pitals is unnecessary because
volunteerism is imbedded in
our chosen profession. Nursing
is a service-oriented profession.
You cannot be a nurse if you
are not passionate about helping
people.
ANG NARS and PSLINK
called on the government to cre-
ate regular positions for nurses in
hospitals and implement strong
politicies that ensure decent pay
for the nurses.
The Professional Regulation
Commission released last week
the results of the June 2012
Nurse Licensure Examination,
which showed that out of 60,895
who took the test, a total of
27,823 passed, or a passing rate
of 45.69 percent.
Sereno...
Value Added Tax, income tax,
operating expenses and personal
consumption, Serenos office
said in a statement.
Sereno said payment was made
for her services rendered from
Oct. 2003 to July 2008, or a period
of more than four years and nine
months. She did not say how much
she was paid.
In an earlier report, the Phil-
ippine Center for Investigative
Journalism posed the question on
whether Sereno had declared her
earnings from the NAIA 3 cases
in her asset statement considering
that the foreign and local lawyers
who represented the government
in the arbitration proceedings in
Singapore and in Washington, DC,
had reportedly earned P2.6 billion.
Sereno released here asset state-
ment Thursday night after giving
her consent during a full-court
session of high courts justices on
Tuesday.
But the release of her net worth
was attended by confusion af-
ter Serenos office and the high
courts clerk released to the media
two distinct copies of her 2011 as-
set statement after a last-minute
correction.
In the statement released by
the clerk of court to a media out-
fit on Wednesday, Sereno had
P18,029,575.51 in net worth from
her total assets of P19,271,778.85
and liability of P1,242,203.34 at
the end of last year.
But the copy she released to me-
dia at 8 p.m. on Thursday showed
a net worth of P17,985,375.51
from her total assets amounting
to P19,227,578.85 and liability of
P1,242,203.34. It showed a dis-
crepancy of P44,200.
Around 5 a.m. on Friday, Ser-
enos office issued a statement
via e-mail to reporters saying the
second copy was an uncorrected
version.
The correction of the SALNs
of the Members of the Court has
been authorized by the Court
En Banc. The correct version is
the one released by the Clerk of
Court, the statement said.
The corrected version removed
an entry of P1 million in the im-
provements column for a house
and lot at Filinvest East that was
purchased in 2005. The house had
an acquisition cost of P4.5 million
and a current fair-market value of
P6 million.
The version also indicated in-
vestments worth P1,203,400,
while the old version had receiva-
bles of P3,537,130.25, less 5-per-
cent allowance for bad debts.
The updated document also
said Sereno had liabilities of
P116,692.24 to Maria Sophia Ser-
eno and Maria Lycette Ramos.
The old version did not indicate to
whom Sereno owed her payables.
Her statement showed she had
three houses in Filinvest East in
Cainta, Cavite and Davao--all
worth P9.175 million and which
she had purchased before she was
appointed to the Supreme Court in
August. Just last year, she bought a
lot in the same subdivision in Rizal
for P2.1 million.
Her statement also said Sereno
had three vehicles registered under
her name: a 2005 Toyota Altis, a
2002 Mitsubihsi Lancer, and 1997
Toyota Corolla.
She had P1,185,602 million in
cash deposits in her bank and in-
vestments worth P1,203,400.
In summary, Sereno had
P8,281,500 in real properties and
P10,990,278.85 in personal and
other properties. Her liabilities
included a P1- million loan from
BPI Family bank.
By comparison, in 2010
she reported a net worth of
P17,762,167.26.
The other 13 justices also re-
leased their asset statements for
2011 to TV station Solar News
after about two months of process-
ing.
Associate Justice Mariano
del Castillo was the wealthi-
est with a declared net worth of
P108,904,519.37. Associate Jus-
tice Arturo Brion was at the bot-
tom of the list with P1,498,509.
Senior Justice Antonio Carpio
had P79,895,025.57, Justice Pres-
bitero Velasco Jr. P7,264,064, Jus-
tice Teresita Leonardo-De Castro
P7,941,000, Justice Diosdado Per-
alta P22,642,264.73, Justice Lucas
Bersamin P18,811,447.87, Jus-
tice Roberto Abad P42,100,000,
Justice Martin Villarama Jr.
P19,074,165.20, Justice Jose
Perez P9,380,000, Justice Jose
Mendoza P27,408,152.36, Justice
Bienvenido Reyes P75,146,199,
and Justice Estela Perlas-Bernabe
P67,101,327. Rey E. Requejo
CA...
the petitions filed by five former
officials who were appointed to
their respective posts during the
2010 election period when ap-
pointments were banned by the
Constitution.
The appellate court ruled that
Executive Order 2 was consistent
with Section 15, Article VII of
the Constitution and was issued
by President Aquino to faithfully
implement the ban.
Associate Justices Romeo
Barza and Edwin Sorongon con-
curred with the ruling.
After conducting hearings on
the individual cases on the order
of the Supreme Court, the appel-
late court ruled that the petition-
ersformer Subic Bay Metro-
politan Board Authority board
member Eddie Tamondong,
former Philippine National Rail-
ways General Manager Manuel
Andal, former Nayong Pilipino
head Charito Planas, former
Quezon City Prosecutor Dindo
Venturanza, and State Solicitor
II Cheloy Garafilwere all ap-
pointed during the period of the
ban on midnight appointments.
The court dumped the petition-
ersw argument that they should
not be covered by Executive Or-
der 2 because their appointment
papers were signed before the
period of the ban that started on
March 11, 2010, or two months
before May 11, 2010 presidential
polls.
The clear intent behind the
ban on making midnight appoint-
ments having been established
and since the appointment
contemplated in said provisions
includes the acceptance, taking
of an oath and assumption of du-
ties by the appointee, E.O. No. 2
cannot be said to be without suf-
ficient basis, the appellate court
said.
Oath of office is a qualifying
requirement for a public office, a
prerequisite to the full investiture
of the office.
Tamondong was re-appoint-
ed by the former President on
March 1, 2010.
According to the appellate
court, Tamondongs appointment
was covered by the ban since he
took his oath of office on March
25, 2010.
Applying the precepts in
the instant petition, there is no
quibbling that the appointment
extended by GMA in favor of
Atty. Tamondong is a midnight
appointment under E.O. No. 2,
the court said.
Andal took his oath on March
22, 2010, Planas was re-appoint-
ed on March 16, 2010, Venturan-
za was appointed on March 12,
2010 and took his oath three days
after, while Garafil took her oath
on March 22, 2010.
Govt...
considered the effects of the re-
cent typhoons and floods on har-
vests.
Under normal conditions,
well be averaging 1.2 million
MT [of rice imports in 2012 to
2013] in two years, Adriano said
during a round-table discussion at
the ADB following the release of
four working papers recommend-
ing the relaxation of rice import
restrictions and less emphasis on
self-sufficiency programs..
The US Department of Agri-
culture has even a higher forecast
of 1.5 million MT,
Adriano claimed that the gov-
ernments target to attain rice self-
sufficiency by 2013 was not pos-
sible even in the medium term.
There is no historical data that
will support this claim. It is not pos-
sible to attain sufficiency next year,
not even in the near future. Not in
your or my lifetime, she said.
Agriculture Secretary Proceso
Alcala, however, said in a brief-
ing the government would still
aim for the rice sufficiency target
by 2013.
I dont care what they think.
We are Filipinos. We know bet-
ter in our country. And when I say
that we will attain self-sufficiency
next year, we will do our best to
make that happen, he said.
The Agriculture Department
expects rice production to hit 17.8
million metric tons this year and
more than 21 million metric tons
next year.
Adriano said the government
should not push for 100-percent
sufficiency in rice production if it
would focus on the governments
priority on a single crop.
She said the self-sufficiency
program was not bad as long as
the resources needed for the pro-
gram did not compromise the
production of other major crops
such as coconut, given the limited
resources including land, capital
and labor.
She said the papers released by
the ADB had recommended that
the rice-importing countries lower
their sufficiency targets in ex-
change for commitments from ex-
porting countries to stay away from
unilateral export restrictions.
Roxas...
Protection, the Philippine Public
Safety College, the Local Govern-
ment Academy, and the National
Police Commission.
Roxas said Interior Undersecre-
tary Rico Puno, a shooting buddy
of the President, would likely be
given a new assignment outside the
department.
While Robredo was acting sec-
retary, the President gave Puno, a
close associate, control of the po-
lice, a move that some saw as a sign
he did not have full confidence in
his local government chief.
On Thursday, the President de-
nied that Roxas appointment was
aimed at improving the chances of
the Liberal Party in the 2013 and
2016 elections.
His primary function is to ad-
vance the countrys interest over the
partys interest, Mr. Aquino said.
The President also denied allega-
tions that this was case of political
expediency.
Political expediency connotes
that he is not qualified and we are
doing this as a favor to him, the
President said.
Mr. Aquino said Roxas was re-
ally on top of his choices for the
DILG post.
He added that Roxas and Ro-
bredo, who died in a plane crash on
Aug. 18 while en route to Masbate
to deliver a speech on behalf of the
President, both shared his com-
plete trust.
Roxas said it would be difficult
to fill Robredos shoes.
I am not Jesse Robredo... Com-
pared to him, I have many deficien-
cies, Roxas said.
He said he wasnt giving any
thought to the 2016 presidential
elections these days.
I can only succeed with all
thoughts of 2016 out of my mind,
Roxas said.
At the Transportation Depart-
ment, Abaya said officials would
keep their post, given their compe-
tence and track record.
We intend to continue with the
current team in the [department].
They have been well organized and
well prepared. A high-caliber team
has been set in place, Abaya said.
The President appealed to the
Commission on Appointments to
confirm Roxas and Abaya as soon
as possible.
They cannot sit in their respec-
tive posts until they are confirmed,
Mr. Aquino said.
Congress is in session so we
cannot make an ad interim appoint-
ment. This is why we are asking the
CA to act on these appointments
immediately, he added.
But Abaya said he will assume
the post after the 2013 proposed
budget is approved on third reading
at the House of Representatives by
mid-October.
Among Roxas priorities are
several pending investigtions, Mr.
Aquino said.
He also said Roxas would have
to give priority to upgrading the fa-
cilities of the Bureau of Jail Man-
agement and Penology.
The President said Roxas will
also have to make it his top priority
to dismantle private armed groups,
especially in light of the 2013 mid-
term polls.
Abaya, on the other hand, should
give priority to infrastructure
projects, especially those that affect
tourism, the President said.
At the House, lawmakers from
both sides of the political fence wel-
comed the appointment of Roxas
and Abaya.
Opposition Rep. Simeon Datu-
manong, member of the 11-man
House contingent in the powerful
Commission on Appointments,
said both Roxas and Abaya would
be easily confirmed.
Both of them are competent
and capable to head their respective
agencies, Datumanong told the
Manila Standard.
Secretary Mar Roxas has been
a congressman, senator and Cabi-
net member, while Congressman
Jun Abaya is a lawyer, military man
and congressman. Both are sea-
soned public officials, he added.
Nueva Ecija Rep. Rodolfo An-
tonino, another appointments com-
mission member, said there was no
reason to delay the confirmation of
Roxas and Abaya.
Speaker Feliciano Belmonte
Jr. praised Abayas methodical,
though low-profile style.
He added that Rep. Jocelyn Lim-
kaichong will replace Abaya as
chairman of the House Committee
on Appropriations.
Majority Leader Neptali Gonzal-
es said Roxas and Abaya both had
the character, integrity and admin-
istrative capability to handle their
respective jobs.
Easter Samar Rep. Ben Evardone
said the new appointments would
give the ruling party a big boost.
But San Juan Rep. Joseph Victor
Ejercito criticized the Presidents
decision to keep the two powerful
portfolios under the Liberal Partys
control.
Not to undermine the capabil-
ity of Secretary Roxas and Rep-
resentative Abaya, but I think the
appointment is obviously for the
strengthening of the LPs posi-
tion in the coming 2013 and 2016
elections, Ejercito said in a state-
ment.
Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casino
added that the DILG might be po-
liticized with Roxaspolitical ambi-
tion for 2016 presidential elections.
Senate President said Roxas ap-
pointment showed the depth and
trust that Mr. Aquino had in his
2010 running mate.
Mar Roxas was earlier appoint-
ed as the replacement for former
DOTC Secretary Ping de Jesus,
whose resignation from the Cabi-
net deeply saddened me because
he was a very dedicated and honest
public servant, said Enrile.
Now, the President has sum-
moned Secretary Mar Roxas once
again to handle an even greater and
more formidable challenge.
He added that he believed Roxas
would be up to the task.
Senator Panfilo Lacson, who had
earlier been tipped as a leading con-
tender to replace Robredo, said it
was no surprise that a sensitive post
would be given to a member of the
ruling party.
Im pragmatic enough to realize
that the first crack should go to the
Liberal Party, he said.
He added that both Roxas and
Abaya were qualified for their new
jobs.
We know that they are compe-
tent. They have the integrity. They
are honest people, he said.
National Police chief Director
General Nicanor Bartolome wel-
comed Roxas appointment and
said the 148,000 members of the
police force were ready to serve un-
der their new chief.
SEPTEMBER 1, 2012 SATURDAY
A3 News
ManilaStandardToday mst.daydesk@gmail.com
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
Smoking causes 10 deaths each hour
IN BRIEF
Give Sereno a chancesolons
Trade with Korea enhanced
Binay, Ched tighten up
on on-the-job trainees
Manila, Mexico ink
Customs trade pact
Foreign Affairs digs deeper into fugitive ex-governors case
SUPREME Court Chief Justice Maria
Lourdes Sereno needed breathing space so
she could focus on her enormous responsi-
bility as head of the countrys highest court,
according to two lawmakers.
Congressmen Mel Senen Sarmiento of
Western Samar and and Winston Castelo
of Quezon City issued separate state-
ments on Friday.
Let us give her the chance, Sarmien-
to said.
For his part, Castelo urged Sereno to
initiate a reform agenda to address the
three Cs besetting the administration of
justicecorruption of judges and court
personnel, congestion of court cases, and
competence of court adjudicators.
The best way for the Supreme Court
to enjoy popular support and respect is
to show its independence without fear or
favor, he said. Maricel Cruz
CUSTOMS Commissioner Ruffy Biazon signed an agreement with
Mexican Customs Administrator Gerardo Perdomo to enhance trade
facilitation and protection between the Philippines and Mexico.
The ofcials signed the agreement in Manila in the presence of Mexi-
can Ambassador to the Philippines Tomas Javier Calvillo Unna and For-
eign Affairs Secretary Alberto Del Rosario.
Biazon said the signing of the memorandum marked another milestone in
the trade between the two countries since the historic galleon trade days.
Under the agreement, application of Customs laws between the Philip-
pines and Mexico have been strengthened and the conduct of investigation
and information sharing, especially in addressing the global problem on
smuggling have been clearly laid out.
The agreement practically tightened the customs operational pro-
cedures between the Philippines and Mexico. This would eventually
translate in more efcient revenue collection for all trade between the
two countries, Biazon said.
The signing is just part of the local Customs overall plan to enhance
trade facilitation with the global economy.
Plans are also afoot tfor the Customs to upgrade its operations using
the National Single Window to enhance its trade facilitation capability,
Biazon said.
The NSW is a system where 40 government regulatory agencies are con-
nected to a network linked to the Customs system, enabling electronic transfer
of data and information relevant to the processing of imports.
The NSW is meant to bring the Customs and the regulatory agencies
into the realm of paperless transactions, Biazon said. It eliminates the
need for importers to bring documents from the regulatory agencies
such as import permits and clearances the processing of which usually
adds to the time and cost shouldered by businesses. Joel Zurbano
By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan
THE Foreign Affairs department said on Friday that
the investigation on the issuance of a fake passport
to former Palawan governor Joel Reyes is ongoing.
The investigation is still continuing. The in-
vestigation is looking at all angles of the case,
DFA spokesman Raul Hernandez said.
DFA assistant secretary and head of the
Ofce and Consular Affairs Jaime Ledda
had earlier said they are looking into the
possibility of an inside job in the issu-
ance of a passport to Reyes, who used the
name Joseph Lim Pe.
Reyes and his brother, Coron, Palawan
Mayor Mario Reyes, were tagged as the brains
behind the killing of environmentalist and broadcaster
Gerry Ortega in 2011.
The Reyes siblings were able to escape the country
and reportedly boarded a Cebu Pacic plane for Viet-
nam in March, allegedly in collusion with immigration
ofcials, and possibly, some DFA personnel.
The immigration ofcials were later identied by a
witness as Rodel Ubarde and Wesley Gutierrez. The
witness worked as a driver for Ubarde for a year.
But a source inside the DFA said that there is no need
to launch a thorough investigation on the matter, be-
cause it is very easy to trace who approved the is-
suance of the ex-governors fake passport.
The source said that all the DFA has to do
is to check the system and nd out who
was the signing ofcer on duty.
The source explained that when apply-
ing for an electronic passport (e-passport),
the documents of applicants pass through
two stations: rst is data and image captur-
ing, and the second is the authentication of the
documents presented by the applicants.
The rst station is manned by contractual employ-
ees, while the second one, according to the source, is
manned by regular employees of the department.
After station 2 ofcers were through checking the au-
thenticity of the documents, the e-passport is approved.
The DFA has upgraded its passport system through
the use of e-passport in an effort to combat trafcking,
fraud, and lend integrity to the Philippine passport.
The e-Passport contains security features to ensure
authenticity as well as the biometrics (photograph,
signature, and ngerprint) of the passport holder.
During a spot verication, a few months after the
e-Passport program was launched, the source said
that the DFA has discovered more than 400 cases of
fake applications and duplicates.
Last week, Ledda reported the former Palawan
governor used a fake passport and left the country
with his brother Mario for Vietnam.
The passport allegedly used by Reyes was issued
under the name of Joseph Lim Pe and was released in
Manila February this year.
Sandra Cam, the president of Whistleblowers Asso-
cation who presented the witness to the media two days
ago, had conrmed that the Reyes brothers indeed left for
Vietnam. Cam said she went to Vietnam and was able
to gather documents of the Reyeses trip to the neighbor-
ing Southeast Asian country. She added, though, that the
brothers had already left Vietnam for another destination.
By Gigi Muoz-David
THE Commission on Higher
Education on Friday assured
Vice President Jejomar Binay and
the public that the department is
looking into the issue of alleged
abuses of Filipino on-the-job
training students abroad.
This was in response to a letter
sent by |Binay to CHED Chairman
Patricia Licuanan, who said that
he (Binay) was alarmed by reports
that there are colleges that require
their Hotel and Restaurant Manage-
ment students to undergo OJTs in
countries such as Singapore where
they work long hours as wait staff
without any compensation.
Licuanan told the Vice Pre-
sient that the CHED has already
addressed the matter by issuing
Memorandum Order 17 series of
2011 which indenitely suspends
the implementation of Memoran-
dum Order 22, series of 2010 or the
Enhanced Guidelines for Student
Internship Abroad Program for all
Programs and Practicum Subject
effective second semester of school
year 2011-2012.
The CHED also issued addi-
tional guidelines allowing only
reputable higher education in-
stitutions with existing tie-ups
abroad to continue with their
practicum programs provided
stringent guidelines are met.
This year, CHED has indorsed
154 students from six HEIs to the
Bureau of Immigration for internship
in Malaysia, namely Laguna State
Polytechnic University, 67; Bulacan
State University, 27; Technological
University of the Philippines, 14; En-
derun Colleges, 18; Lyceum of Ala-
bang, one. Twenty-six OJT students
from De La Salle-College of St.
Benilde were authorized for travel
to Singapore.
In order to further protect the
interest and welfare of the youth,
CHED has convened an inter-agency
committee on the SIAP early this year
to address issues and concerns affect-
ing student internships abroad, re-
view and revise guidelines on CMO
22, series of 2010 based on current
developments and recommend new
reforms on SIAP, CHED said.
Shades of galleon trade. Customs Commissioner Runo Biazon and his Mexican counterpart General Administrator Gerardo Pedromo
exchange notes after signing the agreement on trade facilitation at the Manila Hotel. SONNY ESPIRITU
Future goodwill envoys. Applicants of Cebu Pacic Airline, full of hopes they can sign up
as ambassadors of goodwill, do an exercise before a proctor. SONNY ESPIRITU
Health Undersecretary Teodoro
Herbosa said that the Philippines
has the most number of smokers in
Southeast Asia, about 17.3 million
of them.
On the average, he said, Fili-
pino smokers puff 1,073 cigarette
sticks annually while the rest of
smokers in the region consume
less than a thousand sticks yearly.
He stressed 10 Filipinos die ev-
ery hour because of smoking.
This represents a clear picture
of the extent of the tobacco epi-
demic in the country, said Herbo-
sa during a public hearing where
Health ofcials and tobacco advo-
cates called on the senators to take
a closer look at the proposed sin
tax measure now pending before
the Senate. The House of Repre-
sentatives has approved its version
of the tax on cigarettes and liquor.
The senate ways and means
committee chaired by Senator
Ralph Recto is currently conduct-
ing the public hearing.
Herbosa insisted that the sin tax
bill is actually a health bill more
than the amount of revenues that it
would generate the government.
He said the senator must realize
that the approval of the sin tax bill
would eventually push the prices
of tobacco products high enough
to reduce consumption and dis-
courage the youth from smoking.
But economists warned of the
adverse impact of high tobacco
taxes, which could lead to losses in
household income, jobs and eco-
nomic output.
Testifying in Thursdays Senate
public hearing, Cid Terosa, University
of Asia and the Pacifics associate pro-
fessor and vice dean of the School of
Economics, said a tax increase of 708
percent on low-priced cigarettes will
add 1.13 percentage points to the pro-
jected inflation rate this year.
He presented the study by
UA&P economists who also noted
that the high tax will send prices
of these products rising and trans-
late into an alarming 34 percent
increase in the 2012 ination rate
of 3.3 percent.
Computations by UA&P econo-
mists show that based on gross
sales of P166.7 billion in 2010,
the output multiplier effect of the
tobacco manufacturing industry is
P450.1 billion pesos for that year,
which is approximately 4.9 per-
cent of the nominal GDP in 2010.
The tobacco industry contributed
signicantly to job creation, with
179,674 additional direct and indi-
rect employment generated in 2010.
Without the industry, the total
number of unemployed persons
would increase by 6.3 percent, he
told the senators.
The UA&P study also showed
that P38.3 billion in additional
household income was induced
in the economy by the tobacco
industry in 2010.
The study estimates that the
P54.03 billion in taxes paid by
the industry in 2010 would have
induced P212.5 billion of addi-
tional output in the economy if the
amount was spent well.
It would result in a 50.5 percent
drop in the sales of tobacco manu-
facturers, which would in turn,
lead to P227 billion in terms of the
industrys output multiplier effects
on the economy.
About P19 billion worth of
household incomes and 90,633
direct and indirect jobs generated
by the multiplier effects of tobacco
manufacturing and sales would
also be lost.
But Herbosa insisted the countrys
lawmakers should put the health of
people as the primary concern in ap-
proving this tax measure.
It is just right and responsible
to tax the tobacco industry consid-
ering the billions of pesos that our
healthcare is forced to carry be-
cause of the disease burden from
smoking, he stressed.
The World Health Organization
estimates that a fourth of all types of
cancers can be attributed to smok-
ing. Tobacco is responsible for 71
percent of lung cancer deaths in the
world. Lung cancer is the leading
form of cancer in the Philippines
and this is attributed to high smoking
rates, particularly among men.
He said about half of all men in the
Philippines are currently smoking.
Because of this, It will not be
surprising to see an epidemic of
lung cancer among our productive
members in the workforce within
the next ten to fteen years.
This will leave many children
orphaned early and will have a
negative effect on our economic
development, he said.
He said this will also cost the
Philippines billions of pesos for
health care, chemotherapy and pal-
liative care.
A major lung cancer epidemic
could deplete our resources for uni-
versal health care. So we need to
focus on prevention. Herbosa said.
By Macon Ramos-Araneta
THE Department of Health estimates
that an increase in tobacco taxes would
reduce by two million the number of
smokers by 2016, and by 20 percent the
number of yearly deaths due to smoking-
related diseases.
MANILA and Seoul had agreed to en-
hance their bilateral relations after their
respective envoys met to discuss ways to
improve an already vibrant trade rela-
tionship between the two countries.
Foreign affairs secretary Albert del
Rosario and South Korean foreign min-
ister Kim Sung-hwan discussed several
issues affecting both countries when
the Philippines top envoy visited Seoul
recently.
It is the Philippine governments
commitment to further enhance our rela-
tions with Korea in all aspects including
political dialogue, economic cooperation
and people to people exchanges, del Ro-
sario said after the meeting.
The Philippines and Korea have en-
joyed a very special relationship since
the Philippines became the fth country
to recognize the newly-established Re-
public of Korea on March, 1949 and also
after the Philippines fought alongside
South Korean forces during the Korean
War in 1950 that lasted three years.
In 2011, Korea emerged as the 6th
biggest trading partner of the Philip-
pines with bilateral trade at US$ 6.58
billion while Korean rms also invested
P41.043 billion in the Philippines for the
past two years. Sara D. Fabunan
Reyes
Opinion Adelle Chua, Editor
ManilaStandardToday
mst.lettertotheeditor@gmail.com SEPTEMBER 1, 2012 SATURDAY
A4
THE remains of Interior and Lo-
cal Government Secretary Jesse
Robredo, who perished in a plane
crash two weeks ago, have been
cremated and interred. The Aqui-
no administration, which has gone
to great lengths to shower profuse
tributes to the secretary, has moved
on to the next task of designating
Robredos replacement.
Even Robredos family accepts
his death as part of a divine plan.
This has made it easier for them
to bear their grief with grace and
dignity.
On Aug.18, the Piper Seneca plane
which Robredo boarded in Cebu on his
way to Naga City had engine trouble
and plunged into the sea off Masbate
province. Two other menchartered
ight company Aviatour owner and
captain Jessup Bahinting and Nepal-
ese student pilot Kshitiz Chanddied
with Robredo. The secretarys aide,
Jun Abrasado, survived the crash and
was rescued by some shermen min-
utes after impact.
A team composed of representa-
tives from the Civil Aviation Author-
ity of the Philippines, the Philippine
Air Force, Philippine Airlines and
Cebu Pacic has been formed to look
into why the plane crashed and who,
if any, must be blamed for the trag-
edy. The investigation is supposed to
be concluded in two months.
This early, the teams spokesman
has said that Bahintings and Avia-
tours licenses were all valid at the
time of the crash.
The public is looking forward to
the result of the probe. Speculations
on the circumstances leading to the
crash and the possible motives of dif-
ferent quarters in wanting Robredo
incapacitated has marred the mem-
ory of the well-loved former mayor.
Even Abrasado has not escaped criti-
cism and public doubtthis despite
the fact that Robredos daughter her-
self has acknowledged that the sur-
vivor did everything he could during
those crucial minutes.
It is not only the Robredos who
need closure, even though the secre-
tary was the most prominent among
the victims. Bahinting had built his
life around his passion for ying.
The probe will establish whether his
legacy will be good or bad. The body
of the 21-year-old Nepalese was
own to his home country as soon as
it was found. It is always a tragedy
to see the life of a young, promising
individual snuffed out.
The probe will also bring to light
practices in the civil aviation indus-
try that have been taken for granted
for many years, practices that may
have been putting the lives of pas-
sengers at risk. The sky will be a
safer place for all.
Air crash investigation
Three key
appointments
PRESIDENT Aquino made three
key appointments before departing
for the Russian seaport of Vladi-
vostok where he will attend the
Asia Pacific Economic Coopera-
tion meeting on Sept.7.
He named Secretary of Trans-
portation and Communications
Mar Roxas as Secretary of Inte-
rior and Local Government to fill
the void left by the death of Jesse
Robredo in a plane crash in Mas-
bate. The President during the
wake for Robredo also appointed
Maria Lourdes Sereno as Supreme
Court Chief Justice to replace the
impeached and disgraced Renato
Corona.
Mar initially laughed off the sug-
gestion he would be the next DILG
secretary., ask-
ing where did
that story come
from? We did
too, considering
he has not done
anything yet af-
ter two years as
DOTC secre-
tary. But Pinoy
appointed Roxas on Thursday and
nobodys laughing anymore.
Cavite Rep. Joseph Emilio Agui-
naldo Abaya , also a ranking Lib-
eral Party member and chairman
of the powerful House appropria-
tions committee, will take over the
DOTC post to be vacated by Roxas.
Abaya now does not have to run for
reelection next year as congress-
man in his Cavite district where an
upset cannot entirely be ruled out.
He also saved millions in cam-
paign money .
There are many, including mem-
bers of the Philippine bar, who are
not too happy about the Sereno ap-
pointment. Theres nothing they
can do about it .Unless Sereno is
impeached for culpable violation
of the Constitution, she will pre-
side over the high tribunal for 18
years as she is only 52. With the
retirement age for justices of the
Supreme Court set at 70, Sereno
will serve beyond President Aquino
whose term ends in 2016
Sereno will even outlast the next
two Presidents of the Republic who
have six-year term limits. She has a
golden opportunity to leave a lega-
cy never given a chief justice in the
history of the Supreme Court. We
hope the President made the right
choice not for his own vested inter-
est, but for the people who expect
landmark rulings that bear the hall-
mark and true majesty of the law.
On the matter of Ambassador
Bradys replacement, its a situa-
tion that should not have happened
in the first place if only the appoint-
ing powers had allowed 71-year
old Sonia to enjoy her retirement.
Instead, she was conscripted to the
frontlines of the highly volatile
Scarborough Shoal standoff and a
slew of simmering bilateral issues
between Beijing and Manila
AMBASSADOR Bradys com-
petence as a diplomat is unques-
tioned which was why she was re-
posted with dispatch to Beijing. But
alas, the years and stress can take
its toll even on the best of minds.
Sonia suffered a stroke and I pray
for her speedy recovery.
Foreign Secretary Albert del Ro-
sario has submitted six names of ca-
reer diplomats to President Aquino
for Bradys successor. We hope the
candidates are neither too old nor
too young. The foreign secretary at
the start of his tenure said he would
only name career diplomats for
ambassadorial assignments. There
are exceptions when the foreign
secretary defers
to presidential
prerogative in
naming political
appointees to
key posts such
as Washington
and Tokyo as
in the cases of
b u s i n e s s me n
Jose Cuisia and Manolo Lopez.
But the career diplomats in the
DFA are asking why 76-year old po-
litical appointee Consuelo Baby
Puyat Reyes is still serving as Philip-
pine ambassador to Santiago, Chile?
She has been in the Chilean capital
for nearly 14 years and her staying
power was brought up by Senate
President Juan Ponce Enrile during a
lively discussion at the Hotel Inter-
cons 365 Breakfast Club.
Why indeed Mr. Foreign Sec-
retary? This runs counter to your
avowed career diplomats only
stance. Madame Puyat-Reyes ap-
parent lock on the Chile ambassa-
dorial post is detrimental to the ca-
reer diplomats. There are reports the
overstaying Philippine ambassador
has taken up residence and plans to
assume Chilean citizenship. Taking
up residence in the country of your
posting and assuming a foreign citi-
zenship are not allowed under Phil-
ippine foreign service rules. The
DFA should verify this report and the
question of her overstaying in Chile
must be addressed.
Another political appointee rais-
ing the hackles of the career diplo-
mats is Ambassador Philippe Lhu-
illier, our envoy to Portugal and
former ambassador to Rome for 11
years. It seems Pnoy cant say no to
the powerful Cebu political bloc.
EDITORIAL
Press for the vote!
JUST like showbiz. This is how many
look at the Senate spectacle that is Tito
Sotto.
The Senator again took the oor to
deliver a privilege speech as his defense
against plagiarism charges that have
been hounding him for weeks. Stressing
that plagiarism is not a crime here, he
hit back at his critics saying he is a vic-
tim of cyber bullying.
Threatening critics with the glaw
against cybercrimes h, Sotto was play-
ing the role of a victim to the hilt.
He even said that perhaps his critics are
paid by drug lords. Fantastic indeed!
This Sotto episode is a comedy. As
expected, social media people had a
eld day bashing the senator because of
his recent pronouncements.
People expected Sotto to simply
apologize and put the matter to rest. Be-
ing on the offensive is the worst thing.
Clearly, he and his staff did something
unethical if not illegal here.
However, if plagiarism is not illegal,
imagine what people can do!
Since plagiarism is acceptable, did the
House of Representatives err in nding the
plagiarism-based impeachment complaint
against Associate Justice Del Castillo as
sufcient in form and substance?
If plagiarism is not illegal, can I now
put entire articles written by others in
this column as mine?
Can students simply reproduce the-
ses written by others and pass these off
as theirs?
Or, can anyone just publish the Noli
Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo un-
der ones authorship (as said by one
Twitter user)?
Absurd? Yes, but these are but some
of the dangerous implications of Sottos
defense that plagiarism is not illegal in
the country.
I believe that plagiarisms legality or ille-
gality should be settled by the proper body.
Let us not be carried away by the pe-
ripheral issues Sotto brings out. Do not
forget that all these happened because
he is DELAYING the Senate process on
the RH bill.
I will not be surprised if there is a
deliberate diversion of issues so people
are entertained while the anti-RH group
succeeds in delaying the bills passage.
The Senate is supposed to be already
discussing amendments to the bill. How-
ever, Sotto utilizes their rules to delay
this contrary to pronouncements that he
pushes the process forward.
He postponed his turno en contra sev-
eral times and has caused weeks of delay.
He promised to nish this on Tuesday.
Sotto holds the whole Senate hostage.
As Majority Floor Leader, Sotto con-
trols the Senate plenary. It does not hurt
that the Senate President, perhaps the
one who can counter his moves, is his
ally against the RH bill.
I wonder what the pro-RH Senators
can do to stop Sottos tactics.
While people rage against Sotto, the
anti-RH members of the House of Rep-
resentatives may be rejoicing because
they too, are succeeding in delaying the
bill without being criticized by people.
This other branch of Congress is eerily
quiet on the RH bill.
After days of anti-RH Representa-
tives use of privilege speeches to thwart
discussions, the HOR agreed to deal with
amendments on August 28. NOTHING
happened. The bill was not even discussed
during succeeding sessions.
What is the HOR leadership, Speaker
Sonny Belmonte and Majority Floor
Leader Neptali Gonzales doing? Why do
they allow their anti-RH members rule
over the whole House? Where is the po-
litical will they are supposed to exercise to
make HOR function as it should?
As said many times over, there is
only a very limited time remaining for
the RH bill to be enacted into law. So
far, the anti-RH legislators, by delaying
the process, have the upper hand.
The bill has the numbers in both
Houses. If put to a vote, the RH bill will
become a law. This is why the opposite
camp is delaying. They do not want the
bill voted on.
There is still time and there are ways
to push for the vote.
It is high time for President Benigno
Aquino III to again intervene. We need
him to CERTIFY THE BILL AS UR-
GENT to ensure its passage.
Without this certication, the bill can
still make it but ONLY if the leadership
of both Houses crack the whip and put
the RH bill to a vote.
Advocates need to focus and make these
calls. Never mind Sottos antics. They are
meant to divert us from the real issue.
Let us all strongly call for the President
to certify the RH bill as urgent, AND press
Congress leadership to stop delaying tac-
tics, and put the bill to a vote.
For the Filipino mothers, we cannot
lose this ght.
bethangsioco@gmail.com and @
bethangsioco on Twitter
ALEJANDRO
DEL ROSARIO
BACK CHANNEL
Nobody is
laughing anymore.
ROLANDO G. ESTABILLO Publisher
RAMONCHITO L. TOMELDAN Managing Editor
CHIN WONG/ RAY S. EANO Associate Editors
JOEL P. PALACIOS News Editor
ROGELIO C. SALAZAR President & CEO
MEMBER
Philippine Press Institute
The National Association
of Philippine Newspapers PPI
can be accessed at:
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ELIZABETH
ANGSIOCO
POWER POINT
SEPTEMBER 1, 2012 SATURDAY
A5 Opinion Adelle Chua, Editor
ManilaStandardToday
mst.lettertotheeditor@gmail.com
MANY could not understand why
privatization sought to impose a ban on
government participation in business.
What is wrong in the government
participating in business? Maybe
government entry could be assailed
if its objective is to monopolize the
production and distribution of goods or
services understood as nationalization.
On the contrary, for the State to
participate is to put on track free
enterprise. Capitalism, left alone,
has never been a perfected economic
system. It always ends up in monopoly
by undercutting
prices, dumping or
even smuggling all
designed to eliminate
competition.
Free enterprise
is saddled with
problems inherent
in the system like
the formation of
oligopolies and
cartels, price
m a n i p u l a t i o n ,
dumping, hoarding,
and all sorts of unfair
business practices.
Such practice invariably results in
the harsh exploitation of the workers.
Capitalists take them as their rst
victim, not their business rivals, to
reduce production cost. Corollary to
that is their tendency to evade or reduce
payment of taxes.
Such problems however cannot be
resolved by nationalizing problematic
industries. Leaders like the late
President Marcos insisted that the
government should instead participate
in business like any private enterprise
endeavoring to earn prot. State-owned
enterprises could play the role to break
the cartel that controls and dictates the
price of goods, and prevent the entry
of legitimate competitors through price
rigging. In that instance, the government
could level their price with the rest in
the industry, deterred from resorting to
hoarding to articially create shortage.
As a stepping stone to
industrialization, SOEs, as base
industries, are meant to generate
capital. The accumulated capital, in
turn, is used to nance the building of
even more complex industries as what
Korea, China, Singapore and Malaysia
did to achieve a respectable level of
industrialization manufacturing high
value products and promoting massive
employment.
In a mixed economy, prot is
not really stied but regulated by the
natural operation of the market forces
of which the SOEs play a vital role to
reduce production cost. This explains
why at the outset, the privatization
of the strategic industries such as the
importation, rening and distribution oil;
water distribution; and the generation
and distribution of electricity to reduce
their prices was doomed to fail. If some
managed to compete, it was an oligopoly
competition than an honest-to-goodness
one.
In the end, the promise of bringing
down the prices of goods and services
became a myth only former President
Ramos and his disciples continue to
blindly believe. Articial competition
was carried out by a system of
syndicated cartel amplied today
by the unrestrained increase in the
prices of fuel, water, electricity and its
subsequent trading beyond ones wildest
imagination.
Maybe tax collection increased
because of the high cost paid, but that
was not the result of increased sales. It
was the result of a depreciated currency
caused by ination, increased operations
cost, high salary for the new executives,
and unrestricted prot that borders on
greed.
In fact, anybody who knows a little
of economics and uses his common
sense to apply the basic laws on
commerce could readily tell that when
the price of certain goods and services
are deregulated, that amounts to an
implied legalization of the cartel. This
explains why some countries regulate,
restrict and control the prices of goods
manufactured and services undertaken
by strategic and vital industries, or even
forthrightly nationalize them.
That became a necessity because there
could only be one or few players by the
nature of the industry.
That effectively
encouraged the
uniform xing of price
among the players;
to either increase
after the unwanted
competitors had
been eliminated or to
unduly bring down
their prices, even at a
loss, to ease them out
of the market through
cutthroat competition.
True competition
occurs only when
there are many competitors impersonally
interacting in the open market. In
monopoly or oligopoly industries, the
formation of cartel is bound to happen,
and this explains why the buyers of
those government-owned enterprises, as
pre-condition for their purchase, sought
to append a law on the privatization
binge of the Ramos administration by
seeking to deregulate the prices of their
goods and services. The subsequent
approval of that law made operational
the mechanism of an airtight syndicated
cartel, viz. with the government placed
in a straightjacket.
So, the hot air aunted by the
Ramos government turned out to be a
foul smell. Some say it was criminal
because the runaway prices offered by
the privatized industries reect more of
price rigging. For instance, just before
Marcos was removed from ofce, the
price of unleaded gasoline was at P7 and
diesel at P4 per liter. Today unleaded
gasoline is at P55 and diesel at P45 per
liter. During his time, per tank of LPG
at 11 kilograms cost about P56. Today,
per tank costs more than P800. Water,
before it was privatized, was at P2.50
per cubic meter. Now it costs about
P25 to P30 per cubic meter. Electricity
cost ranged from 18 to 22 centavos per
kilowatt. Now the average charge is at
P13.37 per kilowatt hour.
Many of our people suffered because
privatization removed from them the
remaining clutch that would secure
their welfare. The whole concept of
serving the people is now conned to
just collecting taxes, which if one would
take a second look is plain extortion
because payment of taxes demands
a corresponding public service. The
government now demands a fee for
every service it renders contrary to the
classical theory that it is obligated to
return what it collects by way of services
like free hospitalization, education,
low cost housing, etc. and subsidy
in the cost, say of rice, water, oil and
electricity.
To relegate everything to the private
sector is to make a mockery of free
enterprise because without government
participation, it is nothing more but
economic anarchy.
rpkapunan@gmail.com
Myths
about privatization
DEAN TONY
LA VIA
EAGLE EYES
ROD
P. KAPUNAN
BACKBENCHER
Brilliance, fortitude and independence
IN THE weeks before President Aquino
announced his selection of Associate
Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno as
chief justice, I made it clear that my
preference for the position was Senior
Justice Antonio Carpio, believing that
the seniority tradition made sense and
knowing as well the capabilities of
Carpio. I stand by that position, but
the President has made his decision
and in the process has made history
appointing the rst woman chief
justice, one of the youngest ever, and
someone who will lead the judiciary
for 18 long years.
I have known Chief Justice Sereno
for more than 30 years. We were
classmates in college at the Ateneo
de Manila. When I entered the UP
College of Law a few years after
her, she became my professor in
administrative law. Later, we became
colleagues in the UP Law Faculty
and neighbors in Hardin ng Rosas, a
housing facility for UP faculty and
staff in Diliman. Through the years I
have known Sereno, I can attest to her
brilliance, fortitude and independence,
and added to thesea strong ethical
and ethical compass. But we do not
have to go to the past to see this. Her
decisions as associate justice reveal
these traits and comfort us that with
her as chief justice, the Judiciary is in
good hands.
Serenos majority opinions are
models of incisiveness, depth in
analytical thought and an excellent
grasp of the law. Her strong but
pointed dissents also tell us that she
does not inch going against the
majority if toeing the line runs counter
to her beliefs and convictions and even
if sometimes it means defying the
wishes of the Aquino administration.
She has also not been afraid to take
on cases that are controversial and
for that reason has languished in the
dockets for years.
One notable ponencia is the Lenny
Villa case. We recall that in 1991,
seven freshmen law students of the
Ateneo de Manila University School
of Law signied their intention to join
the Aquila Legis Juris Fraternity. As
a result of the physical blows suffered
during the initiation, Lenny Villa, one
of the neophytes, died. Consequently,
a criminal case for homicide was
led against 35 Aquilans. Because
of the tragedy which happened
before the passage of the Anti-Hazing
law, ve accused were found guilty
beyond reasonable doubt of reckless
imprudence resulting in homicide,
acquitting one accused, dismissing the
criminal case against four others, and
terminating that against one accused.
Writing for the majority, then associate
justice Sereno said, It is truly
astonishing how men would wittingly
or unwittinglyimpose the misery
of hazing and employ appalling rituals
in the name of brotherhood.
Another important case where the
good justice figured prominently
involves the Hacienda Luisita. In its
Nov. 22, 2011 decision, the Supreme
Court, by a vote of 8 to 6, ordered
the total distribution of the Hacienda
Luisita in Tarlac to 6,296 registered
farm-worker beneficiaries and
that the just compensation should
be computed based on its land
value in 1989. Since the Court was
unanimous on the total distribution
of the hacienda, the remaining issue
was whether to use the 1989 or the
2006 real estate rates in computing
the formula for valuation of the
sugar plantation. Majority, led by
ousted Chief Justice Renato Corona,
were of the opinion that valuation of
Hacienda Luisitas 4,915.75-hectare
estate should commence in 1989
when it offered the stock distribution
plan to farmers. Associate Justice
Sereno was of the contrary opinion.
In her dissent, she said that the
reckoning point for the lands value
should start on Jan. 2, 2006 and not
the 1989 rates, a calculation that
many believed, rightly or wrongly,
would significantly increase the
market price of the Cojuangco-
Aquino family estate.
While I do not necessarily agree
with her dissent in the Hacienda
Luisita case, I have to acknowledge
the powerful arguments she marshaled
for her position, documenting how
in case after case the Department
of Agrarian Reform had always
considered notice of coverage as
the reckoning point for pegging just
compensation. In essence, she asks:
why should the Cojuangcos be treated
differently from other landowners? In
any case, it should be pointed out that
Sereno is one with a unanimous court
in ruling that the Luisita lands should
go to the farmers. There is no chance,
in my view, that this decision will be
reversed.
In subsequent columns, I will
continue to analyze the jurisprudence
of Chief Justice Sereno so we will
know what is before us in the next 18
years as she leads the high court.
Facebook Page: Dean Tony La
Vina Twitter: tonylavs
To relegate
everything to the
private sector is to
make a mockery of
free enterprise.
By Vice President Jejomar C. Binay
Statement at the Non-Aligned
Movement Summit Tehran,
31 August 2012
ON BEHALF of President Benigno
Aquino III and the Filipino people, I
wish to extend our heartfelt greetings
and congratulations to His Excellency,
Dr. Mahmoud Ahmadi Nejad, President
of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and
the government and people of Iran for
hosting this sixteenth summit conference
of the Non-Aligned Movement in this
beautiful and historic city of Tehran.
I also thank His Excellency for
the excellent arrangements and warm
hospitality extended to my delegation.
Our highest respects go to the
Islamic Republic on its assumption of
the chairmanship of NAM, and to His
Excellency on his election as Chairman
of this Conference.
I have no doubt that under Irans
wise leadership NAM will forge ahead,
and that under His Excellencys able
guidance, this conference will attain its
desired objectives.
In all these endeavors, I wish to
assure the Chair of my governments
unwavering support.
My delegation also wishes to extend
its deepest appreciation to the Arab
Republic of Egypt for its commendable
leadership of NAM during the past three
years.
Mr. Chairman,
In choosing this Summits theme
Lasting Peace Through Joint Global
Governanceyou have wisely afrmed
that we live in a world that forever
hungers and thirsts for justice, equality
and peace.
Working together as one human
family, there is no limit to what we can
do to close the gaps arising from so
much inequality, injustice, and conict
within, and between, nation-states.
We need to transform the world.
We need to create a new paradigm in
international relations that can bring
forth greater justice, equality and peace
within, and among, nation-states. And
we can do it, despite the turbulence that
has engulfed our planet. But we must be
prepared and be eager to dialog.
In 2010, The Philippines hosted
the Special Non-Aligned Movement
Ministerial Meeting on Interfaith
Dialogue and Cooperation for Peace and
Development. The Manila Declaration
and Program of Action, which came out
of that meeting, has been recognized
as one of NAMs contributions to our
search for greater justice, equality and
peace.
But Iran has preceded most of us
in that noble enterprise. Through its
historic initiative, the 53rd session of
the UN General Assembly proclaimed
the year 2001 as the Year of Dialogue
among Civilizations.
Since 2008, four Alliance of
Civilizations Forums have been held
in Madrid, Istanbul, Rio de Janeiro and
Dohaand the fth is to be hosted by
Austria in 2013. Universities have
taken up the project, and a group of
distinguished international citizens,
scientists and intellectuals meet yearly
on the Greek island of Rhodes to pursue
the dialogue.
Mr. Chairman,
Next month, there will be a high-
level meeting on the rule of law, and
at the 67th session of the UN General
Assembly will consider a resolution
introduced by the Philippines, together
with other NAM members, to observe
the 30th anniversary of the Manila
Declaration on the Peaceful Settlement
of Disputes.
The Philippines puts a high premium
on its adherence to the rule of law, and
remains committed to a peaceful solution
to the situation in the West Philippine
Sea, based on the Charter of the United
Nations and international law, including
the UNCLOS, and the principles we
have reafrmed in the NAM.
We are extremely pleased that
the Outcome Document adopted by
our Foreign Ministers reafrms our
commitment to the peaceful settlement
of disputes and the non-use of force or
the threat of force.
Mr. Chairman,
There are now 12 million Overseas
Filipinos Workers (OFWs). Consistent
with our effort to secure the best
possible terms for our workers, we
appreciate the fact that the Outcome
Document acknowledges the need
for bilateral and multilateral labor
migration agreements in order to
foster a secure, regular and orderly
process of migration worldwide. A
commitment from all NAM members
to accede to the Convention on the
Protection of Migrant Workers and
Their Families would certainly lift the
spirit of millions of workers and their
families around the world.
Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
Lasting peace through joint global governance
Why there is no action
on the freedom of information bill
After reneging on his promise
to put the Freedom of Information
(FOI) bill in the front burner after
the State of the Nation Address,
Rep. Ben Evardone, chairman of
the House Committee on Public
Information, revealed his reasons
for his continued inaction on FOI:
it is not a priority of President
Benigno Aquino III, and there is no
Liberal Party stand.
In an interview for the television
program Failon Ngayon aired
August 25 over ABS CBN,
Evardone said that it is not him
personally who is preventing
movement on FOI.
Ako matagal ko nang gustong
ilabas yan dito sa committee ko
eh dahil ako nga ang nabubugbog
sa media. Eh dati pa akong taga
media (I have long been wanting to
get it out of my committee since I
am the one who gets beaten up in
the media. And I was even with the
media before), Evardone said.
He said, however, that given its
sensitive and controversial nature,
he cannot decide on the FOI bill by
himself. (H)indi naman priority
ng ating Pangulo kasi wala doon
sa legislative agenda na sinubmit
sa atin, wala doon sa SONA. (It
is not a priority of the President
because it is not in the legislative
agenda submitted to us, it was also
not in the SONA.)
Evardone also pointed out that
the administration party has no stand
on the FOI bill. Is there a party
stand of the Liberal Party? There is
none! Kung merong party stand ang
Liberal Party, no problem, ako I toe
the line. (If there is a party stand
of the Liberal Party, no problem, I
toe the line.)
The President, Evardone and
Speaker Feliciano Belmonte belong
to the Liberal Party.
In House Speaker Sonny
Belmontes speech at the opening of
the third (and last) regular session
of the 15th Congress on July 23, he
referred to the FOI bill as a measure
ready for a vote. But the FOI
bill has remained at a standstill at
Evardones committee since then.
This has prompted more than 100
member organizations of the Right
to Know. Right Now! Coalition
to write to Speaker Belmonte as
early as August 15 to appeal for his
intervention.
At this crucial juncture in
the term of the 15th Congress,
we appeal for your intervention
and concrete action on the FOI
bill, pursuant to the powers and
duties of the Speaker to ensure full
deliberation and swift approval of
priority measures., the coalition
said in the letter.
The coalition also raised
concerns to the Speaker over
Evardones statements in several
media stories that his decision not
to call a hearing was reportedly
upon instruction of the House
leadership. We find this assertion
incongruent with the commitment
that you have so far expressed on
FOI, the coalition said in its letter-
appeal.
To date, Speaker Belmonte has
not responded to the coalitions
letter-appeal nor has he given
any public reaction to the latest
statements of Rep. Evardone.
The coalition, which includes
civil society, academe, public
employees and media as members,
has been calling for the passage
of the FOI bill since 2001 as an
effective tool to fight corruption in
government.
ATTY. NEPOMUCENO MALALUAN
Co-Convenor
Right to Know, Right Now! Coalition
MAIL MATTERS
Binay
News
ManilaStandardToday
mst.daydesk@gmail.com SEPTEMBER 1, 2012 SATURDAY
A6
Plastics industry scores myths

IN BRIEF
Key Manila roads closed
for Alay Lakad on Sunday
Angel of the Dump bats for 98-year-old club
QC mayor sued over seedling bank takeover
The plastic ban is ill advised and of-
fers no benet to the people. It is just po-
litically appealing. It is also bad actually
for the environment because it results in
more paper use which requires the cut-
ting of trees, and the use of more water
and power for production, said industry
spokesman Crispin Lao, a former presi-
dent of the Philippine Plastic Industry
Association.
In a full-page advertisement in major
newspapers, 14 business groups, includ-
ing the Philippine Chamber of Commerce
and Industry, Federation of Philippine In-
dustry and Philippine Exporters Confed-
eration, declared that the environment is
actually worse off with a ban on plastics.
The plastic ban does not protect the
environment at all, the ad read. It leads
to more paper use which means more
trees cut and higher water and power use.
The environment is worse off.
The groups claimed using paper bags is
more harmful to the environment because
17 trees need to be cut to make one ton of
paper and one gallon of water is needed to
make one paper bag, the same gallon of
water can make up to 116 plastic bags.
The groups also noted producing a pa-
per bag uses 200% more energy and gen-
erates double the carbon emission than
producing a plastic bag.
With more cut trees and denuded for-
ests, with more water and energy used,
more carbon emissions and more trash.
The plastic ban actually harms the envi-
ronment, they said.
Lao lamented that plastic bags have
been blamed for clogging sewers and caus-
ing oods in the metropolis and this has led
several cities, such as Quezon City, Pasay
City, Muntinlupa, Pasig, Marikina, Las Pi-
as and Manila, to pass measures banning
or regulating the use of plastic bags.
[But] many areas in Muntinglupa and
other areas are still ooded up to now de-
spite their plastic ban. The real reason
is our refusal to responsibly dispose of
our trash, aside from our old sewers, lost
manholes and a broken garbage collec-
tion and disposal system, he said.
Lao said the industry supports the ap-
proach of Quezon City which seeks to
regulate and not ban the use of plastic.
The QC move is not a ban. It still al-
lows the public to choose plastic or some-
thing else like paper. So if, for instance,
you are buying a kilo of rice, you will not
be forced to use paper because you can
opt for a plastic bag, which is more con-
venient in this case, Lao said.
QC is also pushing for recycling,
which is key to waste management, said
Lao, adding this is the more scientic and
enlightened approach as done elsewhere
in the world because plastic is complete-
ly recyclable.
Even if we ban plastic throughout the
Philippines, we will still have oods and
we will still have a lot of trash because
we refuse to see the obvious solution
which unfortunately means each of us
must work and do our share. The ban is
our escape but it will not work, he said.
By Othel V. Campos
THE implementation of a ban on the use of plas-
tics in several cities in Metro Manila is not really
as benecial as it has been made out to be and
may actually be more harmful to the environment,
leaders of the plastics industry claimed on Friday.
Milk letting. Around 60 mothers coming from urban poor communities gathered at the covered court at the Quezon
City Memorial Circle in Quezon City on Friday to conduct draw breast milk in a campaign to promote breast feeding as
essential nourishment for children. MANNY PALMERO
Suspect released. Former Abra congresswoman Cecilia Luna shows the
passport of her grandaughter Nicole Ashley Ricks during press conference held at
the village hall of Barangay Holy Spirit in Quezon City on Friday after the police
released kidnapping suspect Guillermo Jorge Garcia. MANNY PALMERO
JANE Walker of the Philippine
Christian Foundation, dubbed
the Angel of the Dump by
local and international media
for her work in transforming
lives in the former Smokey
Mountain, laments the threat
of closure now facing the
98-year-old Nomad Sports
Club.
Nomads has gone out of
their way countless times to
create happy memories and
give some of the most disad-
vantaged children in Manila
new experiences that they say
have been the happiest times in
their childhood, Walker said.
The Southampton, England
native gave up a high-paying
job as a publishing executive
16 years ago and relocated in
Manila with the single-minded
purpose of helping the people
of Smokey Mountain better
their lives.
Walker, a member of the
chilvaric Order of the British
Empire, said children under
the PCFs care participated in
football tournaments held for
their benet in Nomad Sports
Club. PCF has extremely
fond memories of our days
spent in Nomads, she says.
For many of our children,
Nomads football pitch was
the largest patch of grass that
they had seen. The experience
of our students, competing
with those from international
and Filipino schools helped
our kids understand that we
are all equal and that it is not
wealth or status that denes a
person but character and how
we interact with one another,
she said.
Majority of the Clubs
members are Filipino and it
actually opens its doors to
marginalized children like
the ones under the wings of
the PCF.
PCFs David Berry shares
Walkers sentiments, saying
Nomads have opened their
doors to hundreds of PCF
children and given them the
opportunity to enjoy the ex-
perience of competing and
interacting with children
from the UK and from the In-
ternational Schools.
Nomad Sports Club does
outstanding work for charity
and is committed to sharing
their facilities with the Filipino
community, Berry added.
But the club is now facing
a challenge from disgruntled
former members, particularly
former president Edward Du,
who asked the Securities and
Exchange Commission to dis-
solve the club becuase of se-
rious misrepresentation as to
what the corporation can do to
the great prejudice or damage
to the general public.
Nomads has been plagued
with lawsuits from Du and
Kishore Hemlani through
his company, Multi-sphere,
which was supposed to buy
the land where Nomad Sports
Club stands if the club fails to
purchase it from the previous
owners, Nersan Corporation.
The club, however was able
to purchase the land, a deed of
sale was signed between Ner-
san Corporation and Nomads,
and taxes were paid.
But Paranaque Regional
Trial Court Judge Fortunito
L. Madrona ruled in favor
of Multisphere in overturn-
ing a compromise agreement
between Nersan and Nomad
Sports Club.
The judge ordered that the
land titles be reverted to Ner-
san Corporation despite the
fact that both Nersan and No-
mads have complied with ev-
ery aspect of the compromise
agreement. The decision of
Judge Madrona has been ap-
pealed by NSC lawyers.
By Merck Maguddayao

THE president of the Manila Seedling
Bank Foundation Inc. sued Quezon
City Mayor Herbert Bautista and eight
other ofcials before the Ombudsman
over the Quezon City Halls takeover
of the private plant nursery.
In a 23-page complaint, foundation
president Leonardo Ligeralde accused
Bautista of violating the Anti-Graft
and Corrupt Practices Act and grave
coercion for the forcible and martial
law-fashion invasion and takeover of
the seven-hectare MSBF compound at
the corner of Quezon Avenue and Epi-
fanio delos Santos Avenue.
Ligeralde claimed Bautista ood-
ed MSBFs premises with enforcers
from City Halls Department of Public
Order and Safety and forcibly took
over the MSBF compound without
any court order.
Ligeralde also sued Quezon City Trea-
surer Edgar Villanueva for illegally collect-
ing realty tax worth P40.98 million directly
from the MSBF management.
Ligeralde invoked Presidential
Proclamation No. 1670 classifying the
MSBF compound as a usufructuary,
making the National Housing Author-
ity liable for MSBFs realty tax.
Invoking the same proclamation,
Ligeralde sued Villanueva and former
city treasurer and incumbent City Ad-
ministrator Victor Endriga for failing to
collect realty taxes from the NHA from
1992 to 2000. The uncollected taxes al-
legedly amount to P23.2 million.
Ligeralde requested Ombudsman
Conchita Carpio-Morales to investigate
the apparent collusion between the
NHA and the Quezon City government
which resulted into the unwarranted
loss of NHAs seven-hectare area under
MSBFs usufruct worth P7 billion to the
Quezon City government for the piddling
sum of P40.98 million which were il-
legally collected but were never due.
Aside from Bautista, Villanueva,
and Endriga, among the other respon-
dents are Quezon City Real Estate
Division Jesson Labao, DPOS chief
Elmo Sandiego, Quezon City Police
chief Mario de la Vega, and NHA gen-
eral manager Chito Cruz.
SOME roads in Manila will be tempo-
rarily closed from 4 a.m. until 12 noon
of Sunday to give way to the Alay
Lakad walkathon, the Metro Manila
Development Authority announced on
Friday.
Chairman Francis Tolentino said
The Roxas Boulevard from Anda
Circle to President Quirino Boulevard,
P. Burgos from Roxas Boulevard to
Lagusnilad, T.M. Kalaw Street from
Roxas Boulevard to Taft Avenue and
Ayala Avenue corner Finance will be
closed for the walkathon.
Motorists coming from the south-
ern part of Manila intending to pass
through Roxas Boulevard north-bound
lane may turn right to P. Ocampo Street
or President Quirino Boulevard, left
Taft Avenue to point of destination.
All public utility vehicles travelling
along A. Mabini Street shall turn right
at P. Gil Street, or may either go straight
and turn right to U.N Avenue, left Taft
Avenue to point of destination.
All vehicles coming from the north-
ern part of Manila intending to use the
south-bound lane of Roxas Boulevard
coming from Delpan Bridge-Port Area
may use A. Soriano Street, go straight
Magallanes Drive, right P. Burgos
straight to Lagusnilad on Taft Avenue
to point of destination.
Motoristsa coming from McArthur,
Jones and Quezon bridges intending to
utilize the south-bound lane of Roxas
Boulevar from P. Burgos should go
straight through Lagusnilad to Taft
Avenue to point of destination.
On the other hand, all vehicles com-
ing from these three bridges intending
to go to the Intramuros area may turn
right to Victoria Street to point of des-
tination. Rio N. Araja
Cooking gas price hiked
ISLA LPG Corporation announced on
Friday it increased cooking gas prices
by P6 per kilo, or P66 per 11-kilo tank,
to reect the increase in the contract
price for liqueed petroleum gas at the
world market due to the high demand.
Please be advised that we are in-
creasing our Solane branded LPG price
by P6 per kilo VAT inclusive effective
1am Saturday, September 1, Isla LPG
said in its advisory.
The contract price of LPG in the
world market went up by $167 per met-
ric ton
Prior to Isla LPGs announcement,
an 11-kilo LPG tank sells at P570 tp
P713 tank.
The Energy Department advised
the public early this month that there
is enough supply of LPG in the coun-
try, including Metro Manila and nearby
provinces. Alena Mae S. Flores
Crime Prevention Week
THE National Police Commission has
lined up its activities for the observance
of the annual National Crime Prevention
Week starting Sept. 3.
Napolcom Vice Chairman Eduardo
Escueta said the kick-off ceremony will
be held at the Multi-Purpose Center of
the Philippine National Police head-
quarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City.
One of the highlights of this years
kickoff ceremony is the announcement
and awarding of winners in the nationwide
search for 2012 Model PNP Families
Family and Solo Police Parent categories.
The search was launched in 2009.
Other signicant activities scheduled
during the week-long celebration are
the Student Crime Prevention Council
Regional Conference on National Ser-
vice Training Program for students and
coordinators (Sept. 4), Multi-Sectoral
Dialogue for NCPW member agencies
and organizations (Sept. 5), Ugnayan ng
Mamamayan at Pulisya in Camp Crame,
Quezon City (Sept. 6), and Closing Cer-
emony at the NAPOLCOM Ofce (Sep-
tember 7). Ferdinand Fabella
Register your motorcycles
MARIKINA City, through the City
Transportation Management and
Development Ofce, is now requiring
motorcycle owners to register their
motorcycle units to prevent motorcycle-
related crimes.
The recently-passed Ordinance 38,
Series of 2012 requires all motorcycle
owners in Marikina City to register their
motorcycles with the CTMDO. The regis-
tration is free and valid for three years.
A sticker with corresponding control
number shall be issued to the motor-
cycle owner upon registration. The said
stickers will be color-coded according
to their respective barangay.
Gigi Munoz-David
SEPTEMBER 1, 2012 SATURDAY
A7 Sports Riera U. Mallari, Editor
ManilaStandardToday
sports_mstandard@yahoo.com
Leaders with vision
Roddick, Clijsters to retire
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
SEN. Antonio Trillanes, the
chairman of the Senate Commit-
tee on Sports has struck a tell-
ing blow for Philippine sports
by describing Philippine Olym-
pic Committee president Jose
Peping Cojuangco as the great-
est stumbling block to sports de-
velopment in the country.
The senator was being kind.
The POC president has been
more than a stumbling block to
development, he has presided
over our retrogression in sports,
with one debacle after another
not just in the Olympic Games,
but also in the Southeast Asian
Games, where the Philippines
nished fth in Laos and sixth in
Indonesia last year.
What is even more depressing
is that the level of competition in
the SEA Games is the lowest, in-
ternationally.
The vision of our sports lead-
ers has been blinded by politics
and a refusal to accept criticism
or even suggestions and have
consistently moved against those
who are not among their chosen
few, ignoring the rule of law and
the right to be heard as in the case
of Athletics chief Go Teng Kok.
Typical of him, Cojuangco
has hit back at Trillanes claiming
his efforts to head two National
Sports Association were rejected
because of the character of some
of the people who supported
Trillanes.
Dont corrupt individuals, even
goons vote for our presidents,
congressmen and senators? Does
the Comelec for instance, refuse
to recognize their election? The
stand of the POC is arrogance of
the highest order.
The POC president should look
around at his many cohorts, who
have huge unliquidated advances
among other crimes and have done
nothing for our athletes.
This is the peoples money, not
some private kitty. With President
Benigno Aquino III consistently
demanding honesty and integ-
rity and leading by example, it is
indeed tragic to discover that his
uncle, Peping, is taking a different
path even politically, as he is the
secretary general of the opposition
RONNIE
NATHANIELSZ
INSIDE SPORTS
Hours after Roddick chose
the occasion of his 30th birth-
day to let the tennis world in
on a little secret hed been
keepinghell retire after his
run at Flushing Meadows ends
Williams served poorly and
stumbled badly for a set and a
half before recovering to make
things quite competitive.
Williams came within two
points of winning, but dropped
NEW YORKAt a US Open that
will be remembered for goodbyes
by Andy Roddick and Kim Clijsters,
another former No. 1 and Grand Slam
champion, Venus Williams, left with
a spirited second-round loss that felt
nothing like a farewell.
PH bidding to host
FIBA-Asia cage meet
By Eddie Alinea

A WORLD-CLASS venue
(Mall Of Asia Arena) and rst-
class accommodations await
the 15-team delegations of the
FIBA-Asia mens basketball
championship if the Philippines
is selected anew as host of next
years tournament.
This, according to Samahang
Basketbol Ng Pilipinas executive
director Sonny Barrios, will be
what he and former Asian Bas-
ketball Confederation secretary
general Moying Martelino will
present to the FIBA-Asia execu-
tive board when it meets later this
month to choose which country
will host the tournament serving
as qualifying competition for the
2014 World Championship.
The FIBA-Asia executive
board meeting, Barrios disclosed
during yesterdays SCOOP ses-
sion at the Kamayan Restaurant-
Padre Faura, is set Sept. 18 in
Tokyo, in connection with the
FIBA-Asia Cup (formerly Boris
Stankovic Cup) that the Japanese
city is hosting on Sept. 14 to 22.
Of course, Mr. Martelino
and myself will also be show-
ing proof of the Philippines
capability in staging events of
such magnitude by enumerating
numerous international compe-
titions we have so far hosted,
the latest of which is the recent
NBA Weekend project initiated
by SBP president Manuel V.
Pangilinan, Barrios said said
during the forum sponsored by
Powerade, AKTV and FILA.
DEFENDING champion
San Beda College will face
Letran in another emotional
showdown at 6 p.m. today in
the 88th National Collegiate
Athletics Association mens
basketball tournament at the
Arena in San Juan.
Passions are always high
whenever the Red Lions and
the Knights clash, and San
Beda will be pumped up as
they go for their 10th win
in 12 games and a chance to
rm up their grip on the solo
lead.
The Red Lions are on a
three-game winning run,
highlighted by their 65-
54 crushing of the Letran
Knights, last Aug. 16 in the
rst round.
The Knights (6-5), who
are chasing the last Final
Four seat, are on a roll, after
posting a 72-60 triumph over
Mapua and a 62-57 beating
of the Perpetual Help Altas.
Coach Ronald Magsanoc
is counting on players like
Jake Pascual, Baser Amer
and Anjo Caram to deliver
the big points for the Red
Lions. Peter Atencio
Lions shoot for 4
th
straight win
IN BRIEF
JAKARTAPrincess Superal matched
Malaysian Kelly Tans blazing nish to save
a one-over 73 as she snatched a one-stroke
lead heading to the nal round of the Santi
Cup of the Southeast Asian Amateur Golf
Team Championships here late Thursday.
Superal overcame a bogey-riddled
round, with two birdies in the last four
holes as she salvaged a 38-35 round in
another tough day at the Emeralda Golf
Club, nding herself back in the lead
and within reach of the coveted indi-
vidual crown.
The top ICTSI-bet, who shared the rst
round lead with Thai Budsabakorn Suka-
pan, assembled an even par 216 over 54
holes, one shot ahead of Tan, who birdied
Nos. 16 and 17 to cap one of the days two
best 69s for a 217.
FILIPINO netters AJ Lim and Maiko Tan-
poco disposed of separate foes to barge into
the seminal round of the ITF-Becamex
Cup 2012 in Bin Duong, Vietnam.
Lim fought his way into the boys singles
Round of 8 after he got past eighth-seeded
Thai Atikan Jupran, 6-4, 7-5, while the top-
seeded Tanpoco turned back Burmese rival
Nilar Win, 6-0, 6-2, in the girls singles.
Down, 3-5, in the nal set, Lim turned
the tables on Jupran, putting more pressure
on his opponent by returning consistently
and attacking at the right time, earned the
Filipino three crucial match points.
Tanpoco played good solid tennis,
allowing her to get past Win, who
reached the semifinals in the first leg
last week. Peter Atencio
Lim, Tanpoco in semis
From A8
Alaska was the only team to contribute
three players to the nationals, which in-
cluded Sonny Thoss and Mac Baracael in
addition to Tenorio.
Also traded were Wesley Gonzalez and
Hans Thiele for veteran Dondon Hontiveros.
The Aces have opted to reinforce their
2012-2013 season lineup by adding a cou-
ple of veteran Alaska balik-players in Nic
Belasco and Eddie Laure, who are already
familiar with Alaskas philosophy and sys-
tem.
Together with the rest of the core team
that includes Sonny Thoss, Cyrus Baguio,
Tony de la Cruz, Brandon Cablay, Mac
Baracael, Paolo Bugia, Nino Gelig, Bon-
bon Custodio, Gabby Espinas, Sam Eman,
RJ Jazul and rookies Calvin Abueva and
Raffy Reyes, Alaska expects to regain its
winning form this season.
Superal regains lead
Karters begin title bid today in Asian tourney
THE best karters in the Asian region start their
campaigns for the titles at stake in the third
round of the 2012 Asian Karting Open Cham-
pionship today at the Carmona Racetrack.
A total of 80 karters from host Philippines,
Indonesia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand
and Malaysia dispute the international plums
in the premier Formula 125 Open Senior,
Formula 125 Open Junior and the Mini-ROK
divisions of this event sanctioned by the Au-
tomobile Association Philippines, supported
by the Philippine Sports Commission and
sponsored by Coca-Cola, Yokohama (ofcial
tires), Sparco, Vivere (the ofcial home of
Asian karters), Motorstar and Aeromed.
Also up for grabs are the local titles in the
SQ Cadet Novice and Expert, SQ Novice,
SQ Expert, SQ Veteran, Yamaha Expert and
Yamaha Novice divisions.
Equally exciting is the battle for supremacy
among local karters in the 2012 KF2-KF3 Cup
which, along with the 2012 Coca-Cola Karting
Super Series, serves as the basis for the Karter
of the Year and other major karting awards.
Milo Rivera of FERN-C Racing and CJ Tsui of
Industria Racing, who amassed 125 and 93 points
respectively, dispute crucial wins to bolster their bids
for the KF2 crown in Rounds 5 and 6 of the series,
along with Industria Racings Franco Reyes (59 pts)
and Bobby Domingo (57 pts), FERN-C Racings
Matthew Chan (50 pts), Marcelo Racings Sacha
Feliciano (46 pts), Archim Lagman (38 pts) and Ce-
buano Tonyo Carcel (37 pts).
Cebuano Jette Calderon of Red Bull Su-
preme-Industria Racing, currently leading with
127 points, hopes to keep the KF3 plum over
Estefano Rivera of FERN-C Racing (116 pts),
Daniel Miranda of Cebuana Lhuillier (76 pts),
Vrei-AR Suba (49 pts) and Raymond Cudala
(40 pts) of FERN-C Racing, Jaz Monzones of
Natmo Asia-GP1 Racing (28 pts) and Wayne
Darvin of One Racing (22 pts).
BASKETBALL fans are not sur-
prised that not all Philippine Basket-
ball Association team owners are all
out in lending their best players to
the National Team.
Several online forums have de-
cried the way our national team is
being treated by PBA teams, espe-
cially after the countrys William
Jones triumph last weekend.
The most common accusations
and discussions going on are the
supposed rivalry between the
SMC group of Ramon Ang and
Manny V. Pangilinans PLDT-
Smart group. Incidentally, Pan-
gilinan is the countrys head of
basketballs National Sports Asso-
ciation, the Samahang Basketbol
ng Pilipinas.
Of course, we all know that
team sponsor Smart Communica-
tions is owned by Pangilinan.
Reports also have it that self-
proclaimed basketball kingmakers
are pushing for Ang to run as SBP
head later this year.
It seems that those behind Ang
and Pangilinan are having a hard
time working together and form the
best possible Philippine team for fu-
ture international competitions.
THIRD FORCE. If indeed
there are these factions composed
of men from both the SMC and
MVP groups, dont you think Rain
or Shine team owner Raymund Yu
will serve as the neutral personality
to man the SBP?
The last six years, Yu, in tan-
dem of course with co-team own-
er Terry Que and an able deputy
in Boy Lapid, patiently nurtured
their PBA franchise that is now in
the midst of becoming a potential
multi-titled squad.
Despite a losing start, Yu and
company did the proper trades and
draft picks and waited for the right
opportunity to hire a champion
coach in Yeng Guiao.
Just a few weeks after winning
the Governors Cup, the Elasto
Painters just added glitter to their
status, market-wise by adding
celebrity baller Chris Tiu without
losing anything.
At least in the next two years,
Yus franchise will have zero
problems in tapping young talents
as they own rst round draft picks
in the next two Rookie Drafts.
Isnt that a testament of a genius
basketball mind?
BAZOOKA READY. Top-
rated bantamweight contender AJ
Bazooka Banal is making sure his-
tory will not repeat itself when he
competes in his second world
title try.
The 23-year-old Banal said
he has matured into a more
complete ghter four years af-
ter losing in his rst attempt at
a world title.
Banal is set to face second-
ranked challenger Punglu-
ang Sor Singyu of Thailand in a
12-round title match for the vacant
World Boxing Organization ban-
tamweight crown.
In Cebu four years ago, Banal,
who was well ahead on all score-
cards in outpunching Panamanian
Rafael Concepcion, lost steam in
the later rounds and eventually ca-
pitulate in the ninth canto of their
12-round World Boxing Associa-
tion superyweight title match.
This time, Banal assures he has
taken steps in terms of improving
his stamina, a factor which he says
led to his defeat to Concepcion.
That loss to Concepcion remains
as the only blot in Banals impres-
sive ring record of 28 wins with one
draw spiked with 20 stoppages.
On the other hand the 24-year-
old Sor Singyu parades an equally
impressive record of 42 wins one
loss with 27 knockouts.
METHODICAL RISE. Un-
defeated ALA Boxing Gym star
Milan El Metodico Melindo
hopes to hurdle one nal obstacle
before his he realizes his dream of
a world title shot.
Melindo will defend his WBO
International yweight crown
against Venezuelan punching dy-
namo Jean Piero Perez on Sept. 22
at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel
and Casino.
Melindo, ranked No.1 by the
WBO in the 112-pound division,
is unscathed in 27 ghts spiked
with 11KOs, while Perez parades
a 19-4 record dotted with 14KOs.
The Cagayan de Oro native Me-
lindo, who awed boxing fans with
his splendid rst round knockout
of former world champion Jesus
Geles during his previous bout on
June 2 at the Resorts World Hotel in
Manila, is supposed to be the man-
datory challenger of reigning WBO
titlist Brian Viloria.
However, Viloria opted for a uni-
cation match with WBA crown-
holder Hernan Tyson Marquez on
September 29 at the Home Depot
Center in Carson, California.
Before thinking of a marquee
match-up with either Marquez or
Viloria, Melindo should pass rst
a tough test against Perez.
The former WBA interim
champion Perez is coming from a
sensational eight-round stoppage
of Colombian Michael Arango
last April 26 in Panama.
Twelve of the 14 foes Perez
stopped did not go past the fourth
round.
DENNIS PRINCIPE
SPORTS CHAT
Yu the Man?
United National Alliance.
Heading the list of NSA of-
cials, who have squandered the
funds for sports and failed to ac-
count for them is Mark Joseph
of swimming, who has not only
failed to liquidate over P10 mil-
lion in funds, but also another
P30 million illegally channeled
to him directly by former Pagcor
chairman Ephraim Genuino, who
himself is facing graft charges.
Faced with the reality that in-
deed, his bid for a third term as
POC president was likely to be
challenged by good and decent
younger men, Cojuangco and his
cohorts began an insidious cam-
paign to drive a wedge between
those National Sports Associa-
tion ofcials, who were rumored
ready to challenge his quest for
another term.
If he succeeds in his bid, Co-
juangco would be in ofce for 12
long years twice as long as his
nephew President Benigno Aqui-
no Jr., who has steered our coun-
try into a new path, where the
campaign to eradicate graft and
corruption continues with some
success and where the restoration
of integrity is an on-going cam-
paign.
As a politician for years, Co-
juangco should realize that when
one seeks another term, it must
be anchored on accomplish-
ments. Regrettably for Philippine
sports, he has none.
The POC president and his
buddy and chairman of the Phil-
ippine Sports Commission Richie
Garcia have jointly presided over
the decay in Philippine sports and
have continued to play favorites.
In announcing his decision
to seek another term, the POC
president said its important for
me to be given another chance,
especially now that the future of
sports looks bright.
Leading our countrys Olym-
pic Committee is not a question
of being given another chance
after two terms.
We have scanned the horizon
of Philippine sports and cannot
see how Cojuangco can claim
that the future of sports looks
bright.
The brightness will shine only
when the NSAs heed the words
of Senator Trillanes and the pub-
lic demand that they elect a new
set of leaders with vision, a sense
of caring for our athletes, unsul-
lied integrity and a commitment
to accountability. The challenge
is there. I just hope the NSA lead-
ers have the innate decency to
respond positively for the sake
of our athletes, the image of our
country and the joy of our people.
ve of the last six games and
ended up exiting early at a
tournament shes won twice,
beaten 6-2, 5-7, 7-5 by sixth-
seeded Angelique Kerber of
Germany in a nearly 3-hour
match that ended at 12:19 a.m.
as Thursday turned to Friday.
Asked afterward if shes
ready to join Roddick in retire-
ment, Williams replied: No,
because if I could have made
two more shots, I probably
could have won that match. I
think theres a big difference for
me because Im beating myself.
Im not getting destroyed out
there. ... If I was out there and
people were killing me, maybe
its time to hang it up.
A year ago at the US Open,
Williams didnt get the chance
to play at all in the second
round, withdrawing hours be-
fore the match and announcing
she had Sjogrens syndrome,
an autoimmune disease that
can cause fatigue.
This time, buoyed by chants
of Lets go, Venus! in a
mostly empty Arthur Ashe
Stadiumperhaps spectators
gured in the second set that
Kerber was on her way to a
swift victoryWilliams found
the resolve and energy to put
aside her 16 double-faults and
60 total unforced errors and
help produce as entertaining a
contest as the arena has hosted
this week.
I know this is not proper
tennis etiquette, but this is
the rst time Ive ever played
here that the crowd has been
behind me like that. Today I
felt American, you know, for
the rst time at the US Open,
Williams said. So Ive wait-
ed my whole career to have
this moment and here it is.
Jones Cup. PLDT-Smart Chairman and sports patron Manny V. Pangilinan (front, second
from left) receives the Jones Cup from the Smart Gilas Pilipinas national basketball team, led
by Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas Vice Chairman Ricky Vargas and head Coach Chot Reyes
(third and fourth from left). With them are Smart Chief Wireless Advisor Orlando B. Vea
(front, left), Smart Public Affairs Head Ramon R. Isberto (front, 2nd from right) together with
representatives from Smart Sports.
Games Today
(The Arena in San Juan)
12 nn EAC vs Mapua (jrs)
2 p.m. San Beda vs
Letran (jrs)
4 p.m. EAC vs Mapua (srs)
6 p.m. San Beda vs
Letran (srs)
Alaska...
Rising Suns blast Lady Tams, boost semis bid
CAGAYAN Valley kept its win run
going, sweeping Far Eastern Uni-
versity for the second straight time,
25-18, 25-10, 25-15, yesterday at
the start of the second round elims
in the Shakeys V-League Open at
the Ninoy Aquino Sta-
dium yesterday.
Scoring leader San-
dra delos Santos con-
tinued to ash her spik-
ing prowess by coming up with 13
hits, including eight attacks, to spear-
head another big romp by the Rising
Suns, who toppled the Ateneo Lady
Eagles and the Navy Sailors in their
last two games at the close of the rst
round elims last week.
With a 4-2 card, Cagayan re-
mains in third place and well on
its way for a Final Four stint in
its rst season in the league spon-
sored by Shakeys Pizza.
Joy Cases and Honey Tubino n-
ished with nine points
apiece while coach
Mike Rafael clipped
the playing time of re-
inforcements Kunbang
Pornpimol and Sutadta Chuewulim,
reserving their strength for crucial
games ahead.
The Thai duo saw action in just
two sets with Pornpimol scoring
ve markers and Chuewulim add-
ing four points.
FEU took its sixth straight set-
back in the league organized by
Sports Vision and backed by Mi-
kasa and Accel.
Angeline Tabaquero had eight
hits while Wenneth Eulalio added
ve markers for the Lady Tams,
who continued to struggle in the
face of the top-notch opposition.
The Suns overpowered the Tams
with 37 spikes, 18 more than their ri-
vals, who however, came up with ve
blocks, one more than Cagayans four.
The newcomers also pounced
on the Tams poor reception, scor-
ing 10 points off the serve to du-
plicate their 25-20, 25-12, 25-21
victory in their rst round faceoff.
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
Alaska trades Tenorio for Casio; grabs Dondon, too
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
MANNY Pacquiaos celebrated
trainer Freddie Roach has added
to the growing consensus that the
Filipino ring icons opponent for a
planned December showdown would
be Miguel Cotto.
THE Alaska Aces surprised many by
trading point guard LA Tenorio for JV
Casio.
Tenorio, fresh from his heroics at the
Jones Cup, will be replaced by All-Star vote
leader JV Casio, who will have some big
shoes to ll.
Contrary to earlier reports, the trade
was not sparked by Tenorios participa-
tion in the Jones Cup. Tenorio, together
with Thoss and Baracael, were given the
green light to participate and support the
national team.
We have been approached by many
teams for LA and they have all been de-
nied because we felt LA was an integral
part of our team, Aces GM Joaqui Trillo
stated. However, looking forward, we
also see the promise of JV and feel he
can bring a lot to Alaska. So we are tak-
ing a leap of faith, but a calculated one.
Earlier, it had been reported that Alaska
management was not keen to lend its
players to the national pool consider-
ing the sacrifices it has made supporting
past national teams and given the Aces
poor showing last season. Turn to A7
BIG Chill coach Robert Sison
is condent he will be able to
assemble a competitive team
for the third season of Philip-
pine Basketball Association
Developmental League.
The Superchargers lost ve
key players in the recent PBA
Annual Draft and are now in
the process of recruitment to
ll the vacant spots.
We are recruiting now. But
I think well have a pretty good
line-up this coming season,
Sison assured. We have based
our recruitment to the positions
that we lost.
Im proud of my players who
got picked in the draft. That is
a solid proof that Big Chill can
and will produce quality players
who will make an impact in the
D-League and specially, in the
PBA, Sison said.
Fil-Ams Alex Mallari (Petron)
and Keith Jensen were picked in
the rst round. Center Jewel Pon-
ferada (B-MEG) and point guard
Raffy Reyes (Alaska) were select-
ed in the second round, while an-
other guard, Elliot Tan (Ginebra),
was drafted in the sixth round.
Sison said what he has in
mind is a team that can give
the NLEX Road Warriors a
run for their money. The Road
Warriors have won the leagues
rst three championships.
I want a team that can match
up with NLEX. After all, NLEX
is the meter stick of all the teams
in the D-League, said the soft-
spoken coach, who took over
the Superchargers only last con-
ference and steered Big Chill to
the nals of the PBA D-League
Foundations Cup.
Kaya lang talagang so-
bra to the max ang lakas ng
line-up ng NLEX kaya we
will try our best to put up a
decent line-up to give them a
good ght every time we play
them, said Sison.
Big Chill
rebuilding
its roster
Gilas 5
intact
AFTER a couple of sleepless
nights and burning mobile
phone lines, national coach Chot
Reyes was relieved to have the
line-up that won the Jones Cup
in a thrilling win over the United
States intact for the Stankovic
Cup, which begins on Sept. 14
in Tokyo.
The only players out of the
lineup are amateur Garvo Lanete,
Fil-Am point guard Sol Mercado
and Mac Baracael, who hardly saw
any playing time in the Jones Cup.
In their place is Jared Dillinger.
Under FIBA rules, players
with dual citizenship should
have informed the governing
body for basketball of their
intentions before they turn 16,
which prevents Mercado from
playing in any FIBA-sanctioned
tournament.
After some doubts about whether
Philippine Basketball Association
teams would release its players
for the Stankovic Cup, especially
players like LA Tenorio, who
was traded to Barangay Ginebra
and Sonny Thoss of Alaska, who
was the last player cleared to go
and concerns over shooting star
Gary David not being released,
everything was cleared up. Other
members of the team are Larry
Fonacier, Ranidel de Ocampo,
Gabe Freeman, JR Reyes, Jeff
Chan, Matt Rosser, Marcus Douthit
and Rico Villanueva.
President Benigno Aquinos
welcome and congratulations to
the Jones Cup champions during
a Malacaang welcome and his
offer to talk to the PBA teams
and Commissioner Chito Salud
to have the players released,
was believed to have softened
the stand of some team owners.
Ronnie Nathanielsz
Top Rank promoter Bob
Arum, in a conversation with the
Manila Standard on Thursday,
said he was waiting for Cottos
proposal, which appeared to
be an indication that the Puerto
Rican is the frontrunner for
Pacquiaos next ght, slated
Roach: Cotto fight makes sense
Eagles, Archers clash
By Jeric Lopez

THERE isnt a better time for
archrivals to face each other
than when they are both in the
midst of a rampage.
The two hottest teams at the
moment, Ateneo De Manila
and De La Salle renew their bit-
ter rivalry today to see who gets
to continue its winning streak
in the 75th University Athletic
Association of the Philippines.
The league-leading Blue
Eagles (8-1) shoot for its
eighth straight win and a re-
peat against the Green Ar-
chers (6-3), winners of four
straight, when their season
rematch unfolds at 4 p.m.
with the action shifting to the
Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
Prior to that, University of
Santo Tomas (7-3) attempts to
get back to its winning ways
when shoots for solo second
place by facing Adamson Uni-
versity (2-8) at 12 noon, with
the telecast slated at 2 p.m.
Tickets for the two games
are sold separately.
In their rst-round encoun-
ter, the Blue Eagles stamped
their experience and muscle
down the stretch to take a 71-
61 win over the Archers.
Ateneo coach Norman Black
doesnt expect this rematch to be
easier, not with the way La Salle
is playing right now.
either on Dec. 1 or 8.
Roach repeated to Examiner.
com what many boxing
acionados have said and that
is there is no need for a rematch
with Timothy Bradley, who
won a widely condemned split
decision over Pacquiao to grab
his World Boxing Organization
welterweight title.
There is no need for a
Bradley ght because the
whole world knows we beat
him, said Roach.
Besides, Arum has said that
Bradley doesnt draw and this
was conrmed by the low
700,000 buys in the Pacquiao
ght as against Juan Manuel
Marquez and Cotto, which drew
well over one million buys.
Arum also disclosed that the
pay-per-view networks were
shunning a Pacquiao-Bradley
rematch.
Roach said that no matter
the controversy surrounding
the battles with Marquez,
Pacquiao has fought the
Mexican legend three times
and beaten him twice.
Cotto makes the most sense
to me, because he just went the
distance with Floyd Mayweather
Jr. last May 5, said Roach.
Cotto has reportedly agreed
to face Pacquiao at 150 pounds,
prompting Roach to say: If
we can knock him out again
at 150, which he said yes to,
our negotiating power with
Mayweather would be a little
stronger.
Pacquiao scored a 12th-round
technical knockout over Cotto in
their rst meeting, after dropping
him twice earlier in the ght on
Dec. 14, 2009.
2 EZ2 0000
LOTTO RESULTS
6/45 000000000000
4 DIGITS 00000000
3 DIGITS 000000
P0.0M+
SEPTEMBER 1, 2012 SATURDAY
A8
FEU MAKES SEMIS
TITLEHOLDER Far Eastern University claimed
the rst semis berth with a 48-31 drubbing
of University of the Philippines Friday in the
University Athletic Association of the Philippines
Season 75 womens basketball at the Filoil Flying
V Arena in San Juan. Allana Lim paced the Lady
Tamaraws with 12 points, nine rebounds, two
steals and two assists, while Camille Sambile
had 10 markers. Unbeaten in 10 matches, FEU
can advance to the championship round outright
and claim the thrice-to-beat incentive by
winning its last four games.
Sports
Manila Standard TODAY
Riera U. Mallari, Editor sports@manilastandardtoday.com sports_mstandard@yahoo.com
Golf champs. Ramil Bisera (third from left) and amateur partner Micah
Shin display their trophies and Samsung prizes after topping the P1-million
Davao National Pro-Am Presented by Samsung and Emcor at the Apo Golf
Club last Thursday. With them are (from left) tournament director Boy Blue
Ocampo, Emcor vice president for marketing Boy Arriba, Gerard Duremdes
of Samsung-Davao and Apo golf president Jimmy Larrabaster.
PHILIPPINE
Navys
Kiteh Rosale
scores on a
kill against
Armys
Mayeth
Carolino
(left) and
Jacquelin
Alarca in
the Shakeys
V-League
Open at
the Ninoy
Aquino
Stadium
yesterday.
LINO
SANTOS
Dream Match. Phil Younghusband (standing) and Anton Del Rosario go head-to-head in a mad scramble for the ball during the CLEAR Dream Match at University of Makati Football pitch. Phil delivered a hat trick
performance to power Team Phil to a 5-1 victory over his brothers selection Team James. JOSEPH ANGAN
Games tomorrow
2 p.m. Cagayan vs Navy
4 p.m. Ateneo vs FEU
6 p.m. Army vs Sandugo
Business
Manila Standard TODAY
SEPTEMBER 1, 2012 SATURDAY
B1
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
Ray S. Eano, Editor extrastory2000@gmail.com
Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor
IN BRIEF
PH, Australia freeze air talks
New case filed vs. John Hay firm
VOLUME 680.720M
Oil and gas companies
delay drilling schedule
PSE COMPOSITE INDEX
Closing August 31, 2012
OIL
PRICES
TODAY
P584-P695
LPG/11-kg tank
P47.15-P53.07
Unleaded Gasoline
P38.40-P41.05
Diesel
P40.30-P52.20
Kerosene
P27.20-P31.00
Auto LPG
FOREI GN EXCHANGE RATE
Currency Unit US Dollar Peso
United States Dollar 1.000000 42.3150
Japan Yen 0.012718 0.5384
UK Pound 1.579000 66.8154
Hong Kong Dollar 0.0128934 5.4558
Switzerland Franc 1.041667 44.0781
Canada Dollar 1.008166 42.6605
Singapore Dollar 0.798085 33.7710
Australia Dollar 1.031460 43.6462
Bahrain Dinar 2.652661 112.2474
Saudi Arabia Rial 0.266667 11.2840
Brunei Dollar 0.794913 33.6367
Indonesia Rupiah 0.000105 0.0044
Thailand Baht 0.031888 1.3493
UAE Dirham 0.272272 11.5212
Euro Euro 1.250700 52.9234
Korea Won 0.000882 0.0373
China Yuan 0.157490 6.6642
India Rupee 0.017976 0.7607
Malaysia Ringgit 0.320205 13.5495
NewZealand Dollar 0.798594 33.7925
Taiwan Dollar 0.033425 1.4144
Source: PDS Bridge
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas
Friday, August 31, 2012
PESO-DOLLAR RATE
40
42
44
46
48
P42.060
CLOSE
Closing AUGUST 31, 2012
5,196.19
46.88
HIGH P42.060 LOW P42.280AVERAGE P42.178
5200
4460
3720
2980
2240
1500
1200
Lafarge moves to raise public float
By Jenniffer B. Austria
CEMENT manufacturer
Southeast Asia Cement Holdings
Inc. said Friday its board agreed
to sell some shares in publicly
listed Lafarge Republic Inc. to
enable the latter to comply with
the 10-percent minimum public
ownership requirement of the
stock exchange.
Seacem is a major shareholder
of Lafarge Cement.
This move prompted both
Seacem and Lafarge to seek
trading suspension of their shares
until Monday (Sept. 3).
For the long-term benet of
Seacem and its shareholders and
to enable compliance by Lafarge
of the 10-percent minimum
public ownership requirement,
the board of directors of Seacem
authorized today the sale of some
of its shares of stock in Lafarge,
Seacem said.
This action will be followed
by either a property dividend,
share swap, or such other option
that will be deemed most cost
effective and feasible, within
the grace period allowed by the
Philippine Stock Exchange, for
Lafarge to meet the minimum 10-
percent public oat requirement,
it added.
At present, only 3.7 percent
of the companys listed shares
are owned by the public. As
of end-June 2012, Seacem
had a 26.59-percent interest in
Lafarge.
Share price of Lafarge closed
at P9.30 apiece Thursday while
stock price of Seacem ended at
P2.47 per share.
Listed companies have until
the end of 2012 to comply with
the 10-percent minimum public
ownership rule of the PSE.
Failure to comply on or before
the deadline will result in a
six-month trading suspension
starting Jan. 1, 2012, after which
the process of delisting will be
started.
The PSE said earlier at least
27 listed companies were still
not compliant with the public
ownership rule.
By Julito G. Rada
STATE-RUN Bases Conversion
and Development Authority
led on Friday before the Justice
Department another estafa case
against the board of directors and
ofcials of the Sobrepea-led
Camp John Hay Development
Corp. for conspiring with one
another to perpetuate fraud.
BCDA president and chief
executive Arnel Paciano
Casanova said in a statement
CJHDevCos act of claiming
losses while declaring dividends
to its stakeholders at the same
time was questionable.
How can they claim losses
during those years while they
have been declaring dividends?
Casanova said.
The agency, in a 39-page
complaint, accused the 1998-
2000 board of directors and
ofcials of CJHDevCo led by
chairman Robert John Sobrepea
of deceiving the government
through false pretenses and
fraudulent acts, into deferring
collection of CJHDevCos
outstanding rental obligations.
CJHDevCo should be held
liable for estafa under Article
315 (2)(a) of the Revised Penal
Code, the complaint read.
The BCDA and the Sobrepea-
led company were locked in a
legal battle over the property at
Camp John Hay occupied by
the private rm. The two sides
led charges and counter-charges
against each other in several
courts.
The Baguio regional trial court
issued a writ of preliminary
injunction preventing the BCDA
from ousting CJHDevco from
the 247-hectare former American
base.
BCDA said that under the terms
of the 1996 lease agreement,
CJH-DevCo was supposed to pay
an annual rent of P425 million or
5 percent of gross revenues for
the rst ve years of the lease,
whichever was higher.
This meant that for the years
1998, 1999, and 2000, the
government was supposed to
receive P1.275 billion in rentals,
according to the complaint.
The agency also alleged that
CJHDevCo misrepresented the
state of its nances and misled the
government into believing that
CJHDevCo was not nancially
capable of paying these annual
rentals.
By Lailany P. Gomez
THE Philippines and Australia
failed to amend their existing
air service agreement, a
development that could affect
the expansion plans of several
airlines in the country.
Civil Aeronautics Board executive director Carmelo
Arcilla said in a text message the air negotiating panels
from the two countries halted their talks, which were
supposed to allow additional ights between them,
after Australia disagreed on the fth freedom rights
proposal of the Philippines.
Arcilla said both parties, which held the talks on
Aug. 28 and 29, agreed to resume the negotiation
after six months.
They could not yet agree on the mechanics on the
extent of fth freedom rights, Arcilla said.
The fth freedom refers to the right of an airline
of one country to land in another country, pick up
passengers, and carry them to a third country.
Airlines seek fth freedom rights to take up unserved
and underserved routes.
Arcilla, however, said the Australian government
was still amenable to granting Manila additional
3,000 seat entitlements a week, once the Philippine
government fully used the existing 6,000 seat
entitlements a week.
At least 2,590 seats are currently being used by
Philippine Airlines, while budget carrier Cebu
Pacic has yet to utilize its 1,260-seat entitlements
a week.
Both PAL and Cebu Pacic recently acquired new
planes to add more ights to other countries including
Australia.
Arcilla said Zest Airways and Cebu Pacic were
requesting for additional 3,000 seats.
Earlier, air talks between the Philippines and
Singapore also bogged down over the issue of fth
freedom rights. Both parties agreed to resume talks
after six months.
Arcilla said the Philippine air panel was seeking
more ight entitlements with Singapore.
The governments of the Philippines and South
Korea agreed in April to amend their air services
agreement by increasing entitlements to 28,500 seats
per week to all points in the Philippines from 19,000
a week.
The Aquino administration is pursuing air talks
with other countries as part of its open skies policy.
President Benigno Aquino earlier issued Executive
Order No. 29 which opened more airports aside from
the Ninoy Aquino International Airport to more
foreign trafc.
The government aims to attract six million
tourists, three million jobs and $4.6 billion in tourism
revenues by 2016, allowing the sector to contribute
6.35 percent to gross domestic product.
By Alena Mae S. Flores
MORE oil and gas companies
plan to delay their programmed
exploration drillings to 2013, amid
the high cost and lack of available
drilling rigs this year, according to
the Energy Department.
Energy assistant secretary
Ramon Oca said around three
or four [programmed drillings]
might slide into rst quarter of
next year.
The problem is the availability
of appropriate drill rigs and the
delivery of long lead items that
[petroleum] contractors have no
control over, Oca said.
The department announced
early this year it was expecting 10
oil exploration drillings in 2012,
a far cry from the average of one
exploratory drilling annually in
the past decade.
Oil and gas rms wanted to
take advantage of the renewed
spike in world oil prices and the
governments aggressive efforts
to assist the companies in their
projects as well as the strong
investor condence in the Aquino
administration.
Two companiesBHP Billiton
and Blade Petroleum, however,
had formally asked for extension
of their exploratory drilling
program.
Energy Undersecretary Jay
Layug said that based on the
records of the department,
only BHP Billiton (operator of
Service Contract 54 and 59 in
southwest Palawan) and Blade
Petroleum(Cadlao block, SC 6
in northern Palawan) asked for a
one-year extension.
THE Social Security System,
which manages the social fund
of private sector employees,
said net income in the rst half
jumped 42 percent to P18.69
billion from P13.14 billion a
year ago, on the back of higher
revenues from investments.
SSS president and chief
executive Emilio de Quiros Jr.
said steps to maximize branch
resources and improve system
efciency helped slow down
operating expenses to P3.57
billion in the January-June period,
which was 5 percent lower than
P3.75 billion spent a year earlier.
The surplus of contribution
collections over benet payments,
an important indicator of SSS
nancial health, stood at P3.93
billion in the six-month period.
In comparison, the gap between
contributions and benets from
January to December last year
amounted to P3.21 billion.
Benet releases rose 4 percent
to P42.75 billion, with P21.71
billion paid out for retirement
claims. The SSS also released
P16.37 billion for death and
funeral grants, P2.07 billion
for maternity, P1.72 billion for
disability and P880 million for
sickness and medical services.
SSS investments, the other
source of the funds revenues,
brought in a half-year income of
P18.33 billion, up by 21 percent
from P15.20 billion recorded in
the same period last year.
About 58 percent of SSS
investment income were from the
equities market, making the state-
run pension fund one of the major
players in the Philippine Stock
Exchange, which has attained
record-breaking levels over the
past several months.
Metrobank
awards
donation.
Metrobank
Foundation Inc.,
the corporate social
responsibility arm
of the Metrobank
Group, on Friday
awarded P10 million
to 50 charitable
institutions in
celebration of
the banks 50
th

anniversary.
Shown during the
event are (from
left) Metrobank
Foundation president
Aniceto Sobrepea,
Metrobank chairman
and Metrobank
Foundation vice
chairman Arthur Ty,
Philippine Charity
Sweepstakes Ofce
chairman Margarita
Juico, and Metrobank
Group chairman
and Metrobank
Foundation chairman
George Ty.
TEDDY PELAEZ
EDC eyes 17 projects
ENERGY Development Corp., a unit of the
Lopez-controlled First Gen Corp., plans to
undertake 17 new projects to boost its power
portfolio over the long-term a company ofcial
said.
EDC senior vice president Agnes de Jesus
said in a recent presentation to the stock
exchange geothermal would account for 70
percent of the new projects, which would also
include wind and solar projects.
De Jesus said EDC was looking at 12 sites
for possible geothermal development. These
would include ve expansion projects, two
development projects and ve in frontier
areas.
The company is also looking at three sites
for wind development and two areas for solar
projects.
For the next ve years, EDC will push for
six potential greeneld projects with a total
capacity of 200 megawatts by 2016 to 2017,
she said.
These include the Burgos wind project in
Ilocos Norte (86 megawatts) and the geothermal
projects in Albay and Sorsogon (Bacman 3
and Kayabon), Southern Negros (Nasulo and
Dauin) and North Cotabato (Mindanao 3).
[We are] in advanced development of the
86 MW Burgos wind project. [We are also in]
active exploration of frontier wind and solar
areas, she said. Alena Mae S. Flores
Airport contracts announced
THE Transportation Department will bid out
the development of two airports in the Visayas
and Mindanao, with combined costs of P319
million.
The development of Tacloban and Dipolog
airports is part of the master plan set by
outgoing Transportation Secretary Manuel
Roxas to reengineer the Philippines transport
system to make it convenient and safe.
About P251.6 million was allotted for the
airside development of Tacloban airport,
particularly for the construction of new apron
and taxiway, completion of north-east shore
protection with shoulder grade correction,
construction of drainage system with box culvert,
and the construction of temporary transition.
The government would also allocate P66.9
million for the airside development of Dipolog
Airport. The project involves the expansion
of apron, widening of taxiway, construction
of ramp, construction of river protection with
shoulder and the construction of box culvert
and drainage system. Lailany P. Gomez SSS says
first-half
profit hit
P18.7b
Stocks rebound
on GDP growth
Business
ManilaStandardToday
extrastory2000@gmail.com
SEPTEMBER 1, 2012 SATURDAY
B2
52 Weeks Previous % Net Foreign
High Low STOCKS Close High Low Close Change Volume Trade/Buying
MST BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW
FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012
M
S
T
FINANCIAL
70.50 46.00 Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. 60.20 61.05 59.90 61.05 1.41 3,330,290 14,960,035.00
77.45 50.00 Bank of PI 72.80 75.00 71.95 75.00 3.02 1,226,410 (17,523,492.00)
1.82 0.68 Bankard, Inc. 0.69 0.70 0.70 0.70 1.45 30,000
595.00 370.00 China Bank 478.00 478.00 476.00 476.58 (0.30) 11,660 (5,387,274.00)
2.20 1.42 BDO Leasing & Fin. Inc. 1.93 1.93 1.93 1.93 0.00 60,000
23.90 13.80 COL Financial 20.70 20.70 20.50 20.70 0.00 1,101,800
20.70 18.50 Eastwest Bank 19.52 19.62 19.48 19.56 0.20 799,600 11,143,560.00
0.95 0.62 First Abacus 0.75 0.78 0.69 0.77 2.67 217,000
89.00 50.00 First Metro Inv. 74.70 74.60 74.60 74.60 (0.13) 50
3.26 1.91 I-Remit Inc. 2.50 3.00 2.50 2.63 5.20 1,279,000
650.00 420.00 Manulife Fin. Corp. 458.00 450.00 441.00 450.00 (1.75) 120
102.50 60.00 Metrobank 93.50 92.80 91.00 91.05 (2.62) 16,139,790 (1,002,341,901.50)
3.06 1.30 Natl Reinsurance Corp. 1.90 1.10 1.90 1.91 0.53 32,000
77.80 41.00 Phil. National Bank 69.60 70.30 68.85 69.15 (0.65) 655,790 (5,799,815.00)
500.00 210.00 PSE Inc. 370.00 375.00 360.00 369.80 (0.05) 14,620 (406,244.00)
45.50 29.45 RCBC `A 43.05 43.80 43.00 43.80 1.74 187,800.00
155.20 77.00 Security Bank 149.50 151.00 145.00 145.00 (3.01) 1,549,170 84,549,608.00
140.00 58.00 Union Bank 101.80 102.80 101.80 102.70 0.88 112,500 1,188,927.00
2.06 1.43 Vantage Equities 1.79 1.80 1.79 1.79 0.00 41,000
INDUSTRIAL
35.50 26.50 Aboitiz Power Corp. 33.70 34.00 33.65 34.00 0.89 2,385,800 (3,327,225.00)
13.58 8.00 Agrinurture Inc. 8.64 8.40 8.40 8.40 (2.78) 5,000
23.95 11.98 Alaska Milk Corp. 22.40 23.00 22.00 22.40 0.00 12,100
1.70 0.97 Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. 1.38 1.45 1.40 1.44 4.35 1,482,000 (345,560.00)
48.00 25.00 Alphaland Corp. 29.60 29.60 29.60 29.60 0.00 1,500
1.62 1.08 Alsons Cons. 1.39 1.38 1.38 1.38 (0.72) 20,000
Asiabest Group 23.70 23.90 21.95 23.80 0.42 154,000 (302,260.00)
2.96 2.12 Calapan Venture 2.50 2.55 2.55 2.55 2.00 13,000
2.75 2.30 Chemrez Technologies Inc. 2.60 2.58 2.54 2.58 (0.77) 837,000 1,078,800.00
9.74 7.41 Cirtek Holdings (Chips) 9.67 9.70 9.30 9.68 0.10 900
6.41 4.83 Energy Devt. Corp. (EDC) 5.85 5.98 5.85 5.98 2.22 15,521,400 245,696.00
7.77 2.80 EEI 7.45 7.42 7.30 7.40 (0.67) 356,700 1,197,448.00
3.80 1.00 Euro-Med Lab. 2.02 1.80 1.76 1.79 (11.39) 22,000 17,600.00
19.40 12.50 First Gen Corp. 18.60 18.64 18.50 18.62 0.11 3,184,700 (37,103,754.00)
79.30 51.50 First Holdings A 75.00 76.70 75.00 76.15 1.53 526,920 (2,286,896.00)
27.00 17.50 Ginebra San Miguel Inc. 18.80 18.80 18.00 18.80 0.00 3,300
0.02 0.0110 Greenergy 0.0160 0.0170 0.0160 0.0160 0.00 151,600,000 (2,226,400.00)
13.10 7.80 Holcim Philippines Inc. 12.48 12.50 12.40 12.48 0.00 101,500 (648,934.00)
6.00 3.80 Integ. Micro-Electronics 4.00 4.00 3.98 4.00 0.00 34,000
2.35 0.61 Ionics Inc 0.630 0.640 0.630 0.640 1.59 23,000
120.00 80.00 Jollibee Foods Corp. 97.50 100.00 96.80 100.00 2.56 580,900 (4,357,482.00)
8.40 1.04 LMG Chemicals 2.17 2.29 2.05 2.21 1.84 1,240,000 (46,410.00)
3.20 1.32 Manchester Intl. A 2.65 2.70 2.65 2.70 1.89 19,000
27.45 18.10 Manila Water Co. Inc. 26.80 27.05 26.65 27.05 0.93 687,200 (1,490,500.00)
18.10 8.12 Megawide 17.000 17.000 17.000 17.000 0.00 103,100 1,700,000.00
280.60 215.00 Mla. Elect. Co `A 250.00 251.00 240.00 247.60 (0.96) 3,892,820 (706,723,904.00)
6.75 4.50 Panasonic Mfg Phil. Corp. 4.80 4.85 4.85 4.85 1.04 1,000
12.20 7.50 Pancake House Inc. 7.80 8.30 6.90 7.73 (0.90) 28,800
3.65 1.96 Pepsi-Cola Products Phil. 3.55 3.59 3.51 3.58 0.85 1,508,000 2,142,860.00
16.00 9.70 Petron Corporation 10.00 10.14 9.88 9.95 (0.50) 2,663,500 (11,483,001.00)
13.70 10.20 Phinma Corporation 10.18 11.00 11.00 11.00 8.06 500
14.94 8.05 Phoenix Petroleum Phils. 8.20 8.25 8.10 8.20 0.00 53,600 (46,820.00)
4.42 1.01 RFM Corporation 4.04 4.24 4.02 4.15 2.72 330,000 22,700.00
6.50 2.90 Salcon Power Corp. 5.20 5.70 5.60 5.65 8.65 11,000
34.60 26.50 San Miguel Brewery Inc. 34.45 34.35 33.50 34.35 (0.29) 183,700
129.20 110.20 San Miguel Corp `A 111.50 112.00 110.40 112.00 0.45 486,700 5,761,857.00
2.44 1.73 Splash Corporation 1.81 1.77 1.77 1.77 (2.21) 125,000
0.196 0.112 Swift Foods, Inc. 0.143 0.145 0.141 0.141 (1.40) 2,510,000
14.66 3.30 Tanduay Holdings 12.38 12.36 11.48 11.92 (3.72) 5,270,400 4,525,752.00
2.88 1.99 TKC Steel Corp. 2.13 2.10 2.01 2.03 (4.69) 48,000
1.41 0.90 Trans-Asia Oil 1.15 1.16 1.14 1.16 0.87 870,000
69.20 37.00 Universal Robina 60.25 61.00 60.00 60.90 1.08 2,418,610 5,895,115.00
5.50 1.05 Victorias Milling 1.38 1.38 1.35 1.38 0.00 374,000
0.77 0.320 Vitarich Corp. 0.590 0.600 0.580 0.590 0.00 878,000 26,550.00
18.00 2.55 Vivant Corp. 7.80 10.20 7.80 10.00 28.21 55,500
1.22 0.77 Vulcan Indl. 0.93 0.92 0.92 0.92 (1.08) 435,000
HOLDING FIRMS
1.18 0.65 Abacus Cons. `A 0.75 0.79 0.74 0.76 1.33 34,831,000 94,800.00
59.90 35.50 Aboitiz Equity 47.50 48.50 47.40 48.50 2.11 2,014,000 (7,170,080.00)
0.019 0.014 Alcorn Gold Res. 0.0180 0.0180 0.0170 0.0180 0.00 5,100,000
13.70 8.00 Alliance Global Inc. 11.74 11.80 11.62 11.78 0.34 33,418,800 115,462,972.00
2.60 1.80 Anglo Holdings A 2.00 1.98 1.98 1.98 (1.00) 100,000
5.02 3.00 Anscor `A 4.55 4.72 4.72 4.72 3.74 260,000
6.98 0.260 Asia Amalgamated A 5.00 5.00 4.95 4.95 (1.00) 21,000 (10,000.00)
2.98 1.49 ATN Holdings A 1.61 1.65 1.56 1.64 1.86 230,000
4.16 2.30 ATN Holdings B 2.99 3.02 2.40 2.40 (19.73) 357,000
485.20 272.00 Ayala Corp `A 417.60 420.00 409.00 411.00 (1.58) 625,650 (129,494,326.00)
64.80 30.50 DMCI Holdings 57.00 57.90 56.30 57.90 1.58 2,824,980 (6,026,767.50)
4.19 1.03 F&J Prince A 2.48 2.65 2.57 2.65 6.85 209,000
5.20 3.30 Filinvest Dev. Corp. 4.00 4.00 3.97 3.97 (0.75) 103,000 160,000.00
556.00 455.40 GT Capital 536.00 538.50 535.00 537.00 0.19 50,190 11,135,330.00
5.22 2.94 House of Inv. 4.85 4.86 4.81 4.81 (0.82) 21,000 52,910.00
36.20 19.00 JG Summit Holdings 33.05 33.85 32.05 33.20 0.45 1,131,900 7,405,050.00
4.19 2.27 Jolliville Holdings 2.70 2.99 2.99 2.99 10.74 1,000
6.21 4.00 Lopez Holdings Corp. 5.05 5.10 5.05 5.09 0.79 5,662,100 (10,814,034.00)
1.54 0.61 Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp. 1.05 1.06 1.04 1.05 0.00 684,000
0.91 0.300 Mabuhay Holdings `A 0.455 0.430 0.425 0.425 (6.59) 820,000 43,000.00
3.82 1.800 Marcventures Hldgs., Inc. 2.31 2.35 2.26 2.35 1.73 728,000 (23,500.00)
4.65 2.56 Metro Pacic Inv. Corp. 4.13 4.17 4.05 4.17 0.97 16,774,000 (2,467,310.00)
6.24 3.40 Minerales Industrias Corp. 5.15 5.19 5.07 5.12 (0.58) 71,600 4,572.00
9.66 1.22 MJCI Investments Inc. 5.68 6.30 6.20 6.20 9.15 3,700
0.0770 0.045 Pacica `A 0.0510 0.0520 0.0500 0.0510 0.00 7,130,000 (2,000.00)
2.20 1.20 Prime Media Hldg 1.360 1.400 1.400 1.400 2.94 20,000
0.82 0.44 Prime Orion 0.460 0.470 0.460 0.470 2.17 900,000
0.490 0.285 Sinophil Corp. 0.325 0.325 0.325 0.325 0.00 240,000
760.00 450.00 SM Investments Inc. 706.00 710.00 702.00 709.00 0.42 429,760 (43,101,630.00)
2.71 1.08 Solid Group Inc. 2.21 2.21 2.17 2.17 (1.81) 318,000
1.57 1.14 South China Res. Inc. 1.12 1.13 1.12 1.12 0.00 32,000
0.420 0.101 Unioil Res. & Hldgs 0.2160 0.2380 0.2380 0.2380 10.19 230,000
0.620 0.082 Wellex Industries 0.3250 0.3250 0.3100 0.3250 0.00 580,000
0.980 0.380 Zeus Holdings 0.395 0.400 0.380 0.400 1.27 1,930,000
P R O P E R T Y
3.34 1.70 A. Brown Co., Inc. 3.00 3.03 2.99 2.99 (0.33) 24,000
0.195 0.150 Arthaland Corp. 0.170 0.170 0.170 0.170 0.00 30,000
24.15 13.36 Ayala Land `B 22.20 22.40 21.75 22.40 0.90 10,982,000 45,156,845.00
5.62 3.08 Belle Corp. `A 4.70 4.80 4.68 4.72 0.43 3,073,000 (3,370,750.00)
9.00 2.26 Cebu Holdings 5.45 5.50 5.30 5.50 0.92 13,000
5.60 2.00 Cebu Prop. `A 4.90 5.00 5.00 5.00 2.04 50,000
2.85 1.35 Century Property 1.47 1.50 1.46 1.47 0.00 640,000
2.91 1.20 City & Land Dev. 2.81 2.80 2.80 2.80 (0.36) 23,000
1.50 1.05 Cityland Dev. `A 1.15 1.14 1.10 1.14 (0.87) 32,000
0.092 0.060 Crown Equities Inc. 0.075 0.075 0.073 0.075 0.00 1,010,000
1.11 0.67 Cyber Bay Corp. 0.80 0.84 0.80 0.83 3.75 7,161,000 (290,500.00)
0.94 0.54 Empire East Land 0.780 0.840 0.790 0.830 6.41 21,681,000
3.80 2.90 Eton Properties 4.09 4.09 3.90 3.96 (3.18) 507,000
2.74 1.63 Global-Estate 1.82 1.88 1.80 1.88 3.30 7,398,000 (5,951,740.00)
1.44 0.98 Filinvest Land,Inc. 1.27 1.28 1.27 1.28 0.79 5,585,000 3,160,970.00
3.80 1.21 Highlands Prime 1.94 1.71 1.70 1.71 (11.86) 8,000
2.14 0.65 Interport `A 1.20 1.24 1.14 1.24 3.33 119,000
2.34 1.51 Megaworld Corp. 2.24 2.27 2.18 2.18 (2.68) 108,177,000 (44,513,360.00)
0.36 0.150 MRC Allied Ind. 0.1560 0.1770 0.1590 0.1740 11.54 21,350,000
0.990 0.089 Phil. Estates Corp. 0.6900 0.6900 0.6700 0.6700 (2.90) 1,209,000
38.10 12.60 Phil. Tob. Flue Cur & Redry 18.00 20.00 18.00 18.00 0.00 7,600
19.94 10.00 Robinsons Land `B 18.60 18.90 18.50 18.60 0.00 2,039,100 (16,439,728.00)
7.71 2.51 Rockwell 3.60 3.60 3.55 3.57 (0.83) 128,000 (17,800.00)
2.85 1.81 Shang Properties Inc. 2.80 2.80 2.65 2.80 0.00 11,000
8.95 6.00 SM Development `A 6.06 6.10 6.01 6.06 0.00 839,700 (673,700.00)
18.20 10.94 SM Prime Holdings 13.80 14.00 13.74 14.00 1.45 11,846,400 (1,306,330.00)
0.91 0.64 Sta. Lucia Land Inc. 0.70 0.68 0.68 0.68 (2.86) 21,000
4.55 1.80 Starmalls 4.00 4.00 3.98 4.00 0.00 34,000
0.64 0.45 Suntrust Home Dev. Inc. 0.500 0.510 0.500 0.510 2.00 310,000
4.66 2.60 Vista Land & Lifescapes 4.350 4.350 4.300 4.350 0.00 5,998,000 (13,642,010.00)
S E R V I C E S
4.72 1.20 2GO Group 1.70 1.96 1.96 1.96 15.29 1,000
42.00 24.80 ABS-CBN 25.85 26.20 25.30 25.50 (1.35) 259,500
18.98 1.05 Acesite Hotel 1.34 1.34 1.29 1.31 (2.24) 645,000
0.78 0.45 APC Group, Inc. 0.600 0.600 0.600 0.600 0.00 401,000
10.92 7.30 Asian Terminals Inc. 9.00 9.20 9.20 9.20 2.22 100
28.80 12.20 Berjaya Phils. Inc. 25.00 27.00 24.00 27.00 8.00 17,000
102.80 4.45 Bloomberry 9.79 9.80 9.58 9.62 (1.74) 6,642,300 (27,673,116.00)
0.5300 0.1010 Boulevard Holdings 0.1470 0.1700 0.1470 0.1650 12.24 339,100,000 (59,400.00)
24.00 5.20 Calata Corp. 5.76 5.78 5.65 5.65 (1.91) 256,600
82.50 60.80 Cebu Air Inc. (5J) 60.00 59.85 58.80 58.80 (2.00) 823,570 (32,784,143.00)
9.70 5.44 DFNN Inc. 5.70 5.70 5.49 5.67 (0.53) 221,100
1270.00 831.00 Globe Telecom 1145.00 1155.00 1138.00 1145.00 0.00 86,865 (26,896,395.00)
11.00 6.18 GMA Network Inc. 9.90 9.90 9.75 9.75 (1.52) 88,700
77.00 43.40 I.C.T.S.I. 68.10 68.50 67.05 68.50 0.59 1,432,520 (26,036,530.50)
0.98 0.36 Information Capital Tech. 0.395 0.410 0.410 0.410 3.80 30,000
4.70 1.75 IP Converge 2.00 2.02 1.95 2.02 1.00 38,000 (9,950.00)
34.50 0.036 IP E-Game Ventures Inc. 0.035 0.035 0.033 0.033 (5.71) 91,000,000 10,200.00
3.87 1.00 IPVG Corp. 1.01 1.02 1.00 1.01 0.00 812,000
5.1900 2.550 ISM Communications 3.0000 3.0500 2.9600 3.0500 1.67 23,000
3.45 2.01 JTH Davies Holdings Inc. 1.70 1.75 1.65 1.65 (2.94) 134,000 23,600.00
10.30 5.90 Leisure & Resorts 8.01 8.00 7.51 7.95 (0.75) 247,100
3.70 2.60 Liberty Telecom 2.63 2.74 2.63 2.74 4.18 10,000
3.96 2.70 Macroasia Corp. 2.90 2.90 2.66 2.90 0.00 2,000
0.84 0.57 Manila Bulletin 0.68 0.74 0.74 0.74 8.82 15,000
4.08 1.21 Manila Jockey 2.77 2.80 2.75 2.79 0.72 592,000 (19,400.00)
22.95 13.80 Pacic Online Sys. Corp. 14.00 13.82 13.80 13.80 (1.43) 40,300
8.58 5.35 PAL Holdings Inc. 7.65 7.65 7.55 7.61 (0.52) 66,900
3.39 1.05 Paxys Inc. 3.01 3.05 2.85 2.85 (5.32) 2,753,000 (116,010.00)
10.00 5.00 Phil. Racing Club 9.49 9.50 9.49 9.50 0.11 2,200,000 (19,000,000.00)
17.88 12.10 Philweb.Com Inc. 16.98 17.00 16.52 16.94 (0.24) 606,000 237,338.00
2886.00 2096.00 PLDT Common 2682.00 2740.00 2680.00 2740.00 2.16 102,975 107,420,590.00
30.15 10.68 Puregold 28.25 28.80 28.30 28.50 0.88 3,636,900 (13,352,235.00)
4.75 3.30 Touch Solutions 3.54 3.54 3.54 3.54 0.00 10,000
3.30 2.42 Transpacic Broadcast 2.55 2.66 2.51 2.65 3.92 7,000
0.79 0.34 Waterfront Phils. 0.465 0.460 0.435 0.460 (1.08) 120,000
MINING & OIL
0.0083 0.0038 Abra Mining 0.0049 0.0053 0.0049 0.0051 4.08 630,000,000 5,500.00
20.80 14.50 Atlas Cons. `A 17.00 17.02 16.96 16.96 (0.24) 994,700 (3,100,940.00)
48.00 20.00 Atok-Big Wedge `A 26.90 26.90 26.90 26.90 0.00 1,000 26,900.00
0.345 0.170 Basic Energy Corp. 0.260 0.260 0.250 0.250 (3.85) 1,930,000
34.00 21.20 Benguet Corp `B 22.30 22.35 22.35 22.35 0.22 2,500 (33,525.00)
2.23 1.05 Century Peak Metals Hldgs 1.07 1.06 1.01 1.06 (0.93) 793,000
61.80 6.96 Dizon 23.60 25.30 23.50 24.00 1.69 127,800
1.21 0.50 Geograce Res. Phil. Inc. 0.56 0.58 0.56 0.56 0.00 3,137,000 2,800.00
1.81 1.0600 Lepanto `A 1.110 1.110 1.070 1.100 (0.90) 14,730,000
2.070 1.0900 Lepanto `B 1.140 1.160 1.120 1.150 0.88 9,157,000 (2,446,760.00)
0.085 0.042 Manila Mining `A 0.0600 0.0610 0.0590 0.0610 1.67 90,830,000
0.840 0.570 Manila Mining `B 0.0610 0.0600 0.0590 0.0600 (1.64) 9,080,000 (4,720.00)
36.50 15.04 Nickelasia 16.98 17.20 16.60 16.60 (2.24) 1,075,300 (711,284.00)
12.84 2.91 Nihao Mineral Resources 7.10 7.39 7.12 7.30 2.82 577,300 (109,500.00)
1.100 0.008 Omico 0.6800 0.7000 0.6700 0.6700 (1.47) 530,000 77,720.00
8.40 2.99 Oriental Peninsula Res. 4.720 4.700 4.550 4.650 (1.48) 508,000 4,630.00
0.032 0.014 Oriental Pet. `A 0.0170 0.0180 0.0170 0.0170 0.00 43,600,000
0.033 0.014 Oriental Pet. `B 0.0180 0.0180 0.0180 0.0180 0.00 1,000,000
7.05 5.10 Petroenergy Res. Corp. 5.96 5.95 5.95 5.95 (0.17) 3,879,800
28.25 18.40 Philex `A 18.80 18.88 18.80 18.88 0.43 1,676,500 1,278,176.00
48.00 3.00 PhilexPetroleum 34.90 34.90 32.25 34.60 (0.86) 654,500 (3,332,885.00)
0.062 0.017 Philodrill Corp. `A 0.047 0.047 0.046 0.046 (2.13) 78,000,000
257.80 161.10 Semirara Corp. 219.00 224.00 217.40 224.00 2.28 90,470 (4,954,406.00)
0.029 0.015 United Paragon 0.0160 0.0150 0.0140 0.0150 (6.25) 142,100,000 150,000.00
PREFERRED
50.00 23.05 ABS-CBN Holdings Corp. 25.55 25.80 25.00 25.45 (0.39) 1,120,800 (14,205,545.00)
580.00 535.00 Ayala Corp. Pref `A 542.00 544.00 541.00 541.00 (0.18) 1,000
First Gen F 103.50 102.00 102.00 102.00 (1.45) 3,900
11.02 6.00 GMA Holdings Inc. 9.95 9.70 9.50 9.60 (3.52) 549,700 (2,634,100.00)
116.70 108.90 PCOR-Preferred 108.00 108.10 108.00 108.10 0.09 1,300
1050.00 1000.00 SMPFC Preferred 1013.00 1013.00 1013.00 1013.00 0.00 1,490
6.00 0.87 Swift Pref 1.10 1.20 1.20 1.20 9.09 1,000
WARRANTS & BONDS
1.31 0.62 Megaworld Corp. Warrants 1.24 1.28 1.21 1.21 (2.42) 2,092,000 748,000.00
1.38 0.67 Megaworld Corp. Warrants2 1.20 1.28 1.28 1.28 6.67 823,000
0.210 0.00 Omico Corp. Warrant 0.0550 0.0560 0.0480 0.0480 (12.73) 5,300,000
TRADI NG SUMMARY
SHARES VALUE
FINANCIAL 26,789,835 2,111,904,038.05
INDUSTRIAL 201,443,484 1,657,396,445.13
HOLDING FIRMS 124,250,856 1,776,249,050.08
PROPERTY 213,239,752 785,449,855.8
SERVICES 454,132,645 841,973,402.57
MINING & OIL 1,040,023,674 186,932,328.031
GRAND TOTAL 2,059,880,246 7,359,905,119.66
FINANCIAL 1,290.03 (UP) 2.82
INDUSTRIAL 7,904.24 (UP) 70.6
HOLDING FIRMS 4,333.35 (UP) 24.25
PROPERTY 1,989.01 (UP) 13.76
SERVICES 1,761.55 (UP) 23.97
MINING & OIL 20,960.73 (UP) 41.87
PSEI 5,196.19 (UP) 46.88
All Shares Index 3,448.27 (UP) 15.98
Gainers: 88; Losers: 71; Unchanged: 39; Total: 198
STOCKS Close
(P)
Change
(%)
Vivant Corp. 10.00 28.21
2GO Group' 1.96 15.29
Boulevard Holdings 0.1650 12.24
MRC Allied Ind. 0.1740 11.54
Jolliville Holdings 2.99 10.74
Unioil Res. & Hldgs 0.2380 10.19
MJCI Investments Inc. 6.20 9.15
Swift Pref 1.20 9.09
Manila Bulletin 0.74 8.82
Salcon Power Corp. 5.65 8.65
STOCKS Close
(P)
Change
(%)
ATN Holdings B 2.40 (19.73)
Omico Corp. Warrant 0.0480 (12.73)
Highlands Prime 1.71 (11.86)
Euro-Med Lab. 1.79 (11.39)
Mabuhay Holdings `A' 0.425 (6.59)
United Paragon 0.0150 (6.25)
IP E-Game Ventures Inc. 0.033 (5.71)
Paxys Inc. 2.85 (5.32)
TKC Steel Corp. 2.03 (4.69)
Basic Energy Corp. 0.250 (3.85)
TOP GAI NERS TOP LOSERS
Axis Residences launched. Robinsons Land Corp. and Federal Land Inc. formally launched Axis
Residences, their joint venture project on Pioneer Street, Mandaluyong City. Shown during the ground-
breaking ceremony are (from left) RLC senior business development director Edward Bernas, FLI senior vice
president for sales and marketing Dennis Lim, FLI general manager and executive vice president Jose Mari
Banzon, RLC vice president Christopher Narciso, RLC senior project director Antonio Jesus Liza, DATEM Inc.
president Liberito Espiritu, Casas+Architects principal architect Carmelo Casas, and Design Coordinates Inc.
project manager Rene Romulo.
STOCKS rebounded Friday, as the
market digested news that the economy
grew 5.9 percent in the second quarter,
boosted by investments and household
spending.
The Philippine Stock
Exchange index, the 30-
company benchmark, picked up
46 points, or 0.9 percent, to close
at 5,196.19, as all six counters
ended in the green. Trading value
reached P7.4 billion.
The heavier index, representing
all shares, also increased 15
points, or 0.5 percent, to 3,448.27,
as gainers led losers, 88 to 71,
with 39 issues unchanged.
Metropolitan Bank and Trust
Co., the most actively traded
stock, fell 2.6 percent to P91.05.
Other banks, however, increased,
with Bank of the Philippine
Islands adding 3 percent to P75
and BDO Unibank Inc., 1.4
percent to P61.05.
Philippine Long Distance
Telephone Co. gained 2.2 percent
to P2,740 while Globe Telecom
was at at P1,145.
Meanwhile, Asian markets fell
Friday after Wall Street declined
on pessimism about fuel prices
and stagnant job growth while
investors waited for a speech by
Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke,
hoping for possible signs of new
US stimulus.
The Asian heavyweight,
Tokyos Nikkei 225, shed 1.5
percent to 8,852.32 points.
Chinas Shanghai composite
index was off 0.2 percent at
2,049.02 and Hong Kongs Hang
Seng declined 0.3 percent to
19,485.63.
Traders were waiting for
Bernankes speech Friday in
Jackson Hole, Wyoming, hoping
for signs of new stimulus plans.
Hopes for further action took
a blow this week when the
Feds Beige Book survey of
economic sentiment was fairly
positive.
The Federal Reserve
symposium at Jackson Hole is
widely expected to disappoint,
said DBS Group in a report.
The Fed has scope to continue
its wait-and-see approach, and
keep open the door for action if
needed.
Elsewhere in Asia, Seouls
Kospi index shed 0.1 percent
to 1,904.62 and Sydneys ASX/
S&P 200 was marginally lower
at 4,314.80. Taiwans Taiex rose
0.4 percent to 7,397.06.
Wall Street fell Thursday
despite higher US consumer
spending. Investors were put off
by concern about high fuel prices
and stagnant employment.
The US government reported
consumer spending rose in July
from June, after a at June and
a decline in May. Separately,
retailers such as Target Corp.,
Gap Inc. and Macys Inc.
reported higher-than-expected
August sales.
The Dow Jones industrial
average closed down 106.77
points to 13,000.71. The
Standard & Poors 500 fell
11.01 to 1,399.48. The Nasdaq
composite slid 32.48 to
3,048.71.
South Korea reported July
industrial production growth
slowed more abruptly than
expected, falling to 0.3 percent
over a year earlier from Junes
1.4 percent.
In Europe, a monthly survey
of sentiment Thursday suggested
the continents growth is headed
for a 2-percent contraction this
year.
With AP
By Jenniffer B. Austria
THE Philippine Stock Exchange
has approved the P2.69-billion
stock rights offering of Empire
East Land Holdings Inc., the
property rm which teamed up
with Japans Okada Group to
build a luxury residential project
in Entertainment City Manila.
Shareholders of Empire East
will be entitled to purchase
one right share for every four
common shares they own at an
offer price of P1 per share. The
offer period will be on Oct. 8 to
12 while the shares will be listed
in the PSE on Nov. 29.
Megaworld Corp., the major
controlling shareholder of Empire
East, committed to subscribe to
its entitlement shares and to any
unsubscribed rights shares that
will not be taken up during the
offer period.
The property rm tapped
BDO Capital and Investments
Corp. as the underwriter for the
offering.
Empire East signed a joint
venture agreement with Okada
Groups Tiger Resort Leisure
and Entertainment Inc. and Eagle
1 Landholdings Inc. last month
to take the lead with a majority
stake in the development of a
12.95-hectare luxury residential
resort condominium project in
Entertainment City.
The high-end resident
project will have more than 25
residential towers in several
phases. Development cost is
expected to reach P45 billion.
The company earlier agreed
to increase its authorized capital
stock to P33.4 billion from
P23.4 billion.
Empire East reported a net
income of P60.4 million in the
rst half, up 12 percent from
P54 million posted in the same
period last year.
Consolidated revenues also
increased 21 percent to P1.15
billion from P954 million
recorded a year ago, as real estate
sales climbed to P712 million
from P470 million during the
period.
Empire East cleared to raise P2.69b
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
Notice is hereby given that the following companies/employers have with this
Regional Offce Application/s for Alien Employment Permit/s:
Name and Address of
Company/Employer
Name and Citizenship
of Foreign National
Position and Brief
Description of functions
BUSUANGA CORON
NEPTUNE DIVE
CENTER
National Highway, Coron,
Palawan
1. MR. PATRICK
PRESTON II
Operation Manager
If you have any information/objection to the abovementioned application/s please
communicate with the Regional Director.

(Sgd.) MA. ZENAIDA EUSEBIA A. ANGARA
OIC Regional Director
NOT I CE OF FI L I NG OF APPL I CAT I ON FOR AL I EN
EMPL OYMENT PERMI T ( AEP)
Republic of the Philippines
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT
Region IV-B (MIMAROPA)
Oriental Mindoro Occidental Mindoro Marinduque Romblon Palawan
(MST-Sept. 1, 2012)
Republic of the Philippines
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE
Roxas Boulevard Corner Pablo Ocampo, Sr. Street
Manila 1004
(MST-Sept. 1, 2012)
INVITATION TO BID FOR THE AIR HANDLING UNIT REHABILITATION OF 7
TH
FLOOR EDPC BUILDING
1. The DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE (DOF), through the Government of the Philippines under
the General Appropriations Act for the CY 2012 intends to apply the sum of Three Million
Two Hundred Nine Thousand Four Hundred Pesos (Php3,209,400.00) being the Approved
Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for the Air Handling Unit
Rehabilitation of 7
th
Floor EDPC Building for CY 2012. Bids received in excess of the ABC
shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.
2. The DOF through ts Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), now invites Philippine Government
Electronic Procurement System (PhiGEPS) registered contractors to apply for eligibility and
to bid for the Air Handling Unit Rehabilitation of 7
th
Floor EDPC Building for CY 2012. Bidders
should have completed, within three (3) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids,
a contract similar to the Project which is equivalent to at least ffty (50%) of the Approved
Budget for the Contract. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding
Documents, particularly, in Section 11. Instructions to Bidders.
3. Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a non-
discretionary "pass/fail criterion as specifed in the mplementing Rules and Regulations
(RR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184, otherwise known as the "Government Procurement Reform
Act. All interested parties shall be allowed to participate in the pre-bid conference and raise
or submit written queries or clarifcations.
4. Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations
with at least sixty percent (60%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens
of the Philippines, and to citizens or organizations of a country the laws or regulations of
which grant similar rights or privileges to Filipino citizens, pursuant to RA 5183 and subject
to Commonwealth Act 138.
5. nterested bidders may obtain further information from the BAC Secretariat and inspect the
Bidding Documents at the address given below during offce hours.
A complete set of Bidding Documents shall be available at the BAC Secretariat, General
Services Division. 7
th
Floor EDPC Building, BSP Complex. Pablo Ocampo Sr. St., Roxas
Blvd., Manila starting September 3, 2012 upon payment of the non refundable fee of Three
Thousand Pesos (P3,000.00) not later than the submission of their bids.
t may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the PhilGEPS and the website of
the OQF, provided that the Bidders shall pay the nonrefundable fee for the Bidding Documents
not later than the submission of their bids.
6. The schedule of bidding activities are as follows:
ACTIVITIES Schedules
Advertisement/Posting of Invitation to Bid September 1, 2012
Issuance and Availability of Bid Documents Starting September 3, 2012
Pre-Bid Conference (Site Inspection shall immediately follow
after the Pre-Bid Conference, and only those joined the actual
inspection shaII be issued a Certicate of Site Inspection)
September 6, 2012, 9:30 a.m.
Request for CIarication September 8, 2012
Issuance of Supplemental Bid Bulletin September 11, 2012
Deadline for Submission of Bids September 18, 2012; 8:45 a.m.
Opening of Bids September 18, 2012 9:00 a.m.
7. Bids must be delivered to the address provided above on or before September 18, 2012, 8:45
am. The bidders shall drop their duly accomplished eligibility requirements, technical and
fnancial proposals in two (2) separate envelopes in the bid box located at the abovementioned
address. All the Bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms
and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18.
Bid opening shall be on the date indicated above at the DFG Conference Room, 4
th
Floor DOF
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Lilia R. Tan, Head- BAC Secretariat
Department of Finance
BAC Secretariat, General Services Division
7th Floor EDPC Building, BSP Complex
P. Ocampo Sr., Street comer Roxas Boulevard, Manila
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Undersecretary
DOFBAC Chairman
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ManilaStandardToday extrastory2000@gmail.com SEPTEMBER 1, 2012 SATURDAY
B3
Sugar production seen rising 5%
New solutions make
remote hiring possible
Floods encourage more
high-rise developments
REMOTE training or even
hiring of employees by
business process outsourcing
companies is now possible
in the Philippines, thanks
to new video conferencing
technologies in the market.
Edgar Doctolero, country
manager of communications
solutions provider Avaya
Philippines Inc., said he
discussed with the Business
Processing Association of the
Philippines the potential of
conducting remote trainings,
job interviews and even hiring
employees.
They can conduct interviews
in Cebu, Davao or Baguio
without leaving Manila. This
would translate to savings
for the BPO companies,
Doctolero said in a news
brieng in Makati City.
Avaya, which has a 24-
man sales and technical team
in Makati City, provides
solutions to contact centers,
BPO facilities, banks and other
companies in the country.
Doctolero said more than 50
percent of contact centers use
the Avaya solutions.
Doctolero said Avayas
recent acquisition of
Radvision, the Israel-based
provider of video conferencing
technologies over IP and
wireless networks, presents
cost-cutting opportunities to
companies that regularly hold
meetings or conferences.
Adi Nathan, director of
Radvision for Global Services
in Asia Pacic, said Radvision
delivers easy-to-use video
collaboration solutions
suitable to any business size,
including small and medium
enterprises.
Luke Yi, regional senior
manager of Avaya, said the
two companies had already
established interoperability
between Radvisions Scopia
endpoints and infrastructure
with Avayas products.
Doctolero said he was
expecting more companies to
explore opportunities made
possible by video conferencing
technologies offered by Avaya
and Radvision.
Roderick T. dela Cruz
By Julito G. Rada
DEMAND for high-rise
residential units has increased
further, following the heavy
monsoon rains that ooded
Metro Manila in early August,
according to an executive of
property consultancy rm Jones
Lang LaSalle.
Claro Cordero Jr., head of
research, consulting and valuation
advisory at Jones Lang LaSalle
Philippines, said the oods
caused not only physical damages
on properties but also emotional
stress on city dwellers.
As high-rise accommodation
presents a better housing
alternative for urban dwellers,
the developers are also looking
for locations that are less prone
to ooding, Cordero said in his
research blog The Rise (of Flood)
In Metro Manila: Lessons and
Opportunities.
He said as of August 2012,
some 142,000 new residential
condominium units were
expected to be made available
within the next three years.
This has led to an observed
increase in real estate values
in certain areas, where
new communities could be
established, he said.
Metro Manila experienced
heavy ooding following days
of torrential rain in the recent
weeks. The amount of rainfall
last month revived memories on
the devastation brought about
by tropical storm Ondoy in
September 2009.
The Ondoy oods not only
affected the real estate values
but also reshaped urban
development trends in the
metropolis.
Cordero said that while
oods and the need for high-
rise accommodation seemed
inevitable, a more balanced and
holistic development should also
be advocated.
The infrastructure [including
adequate drainage] and support
facilities and services should
be sufcient to provide a more
sustainable growth of these high-
density developments/precincts,
he said.
Cordero said indiscriminate
development without concern
for the social and environmental
impact could not only result
in further degradation of the
community and quality of the
environment, but also lead
to imbalanced sprawl and
articially-inated real estate
values, which could have far
more damaging repercussions
in the future.
At the same time, this
phenomenon presents a new
venue to review and look at
how other neighboring countries
have resolved the issue of
balanced development in
providing affordable and safe
accommodation, especially for
the low- and middle-market
segments, he said.
Cordero said ood-prone areas
were not necessarily ineffective
to rebuild, but new technologies
and measures to minimize the
adverse impact of frequent and
damaging ooding on property
developments should be
introduced in the process.
The SRA estimated that raw sugar
harvest would reach 2.356 million metric
tons in the crop year 2012-2013 from 2.243
million MT in the crop year ending August
2012.
The sugar crop season begins in September
and ends in August of the following year.
Production volume normally affects
prices of sugar in the world market, with
a glut in output resulting in drastic drop in
prices.
The SRA said the production forecast in
the next crop year may be revised as soon as
the agency assessed the impact of weather
patterns in the coming months.
The agency earlier downgraded its
sugarcane crop estimate in crop year 2011-
2012 to 2.243 million MT of raw sugar
from the initial estimate of 2.40 million
MT, after eld personnel in Negros claimed
that cane tonnage declined by about a fth
from the previous crop year.
Meanwhile, SRA administrator Ma.
Regina Martin said in a news brieng
Thursday the agency had approved the
allocation of sugar production in the 2012-
2013 crop year.
Martin said A sugar under the US
import quota system would account for 10
percent of total production while B sugar,
which is intended for the domestic market,
would account for 82 percent.
The balance of 8 percent would be
allocated as D sugar, intended for the
world market.
Given the said allocation, we will
By Othel V. Campos
SUGAR production is expected to rise 5 percent in the
next crop year covering a 12-month period up to August
2013, according to the Sugar Regulatory Administration.
BPI Zamboanga anniversary. Bank of the Philippine Islands Zamboanga branch observed its centennial anniversary on Aug. 17. A
historical marker in front of the BPI building was unveiled, and the BPI Museum opened to the public during the anniversary. Shown attending
the event are (from left) Spains Honorary Consul Ramon Balaguer, Rep. Ma. Isabel Climaco-Salazar, BPI president and chief executive Aurelio
Montinola III, BPI vice chairman Fernando Zobel de Ayala, Zamboanga City Mayor Celso Lobregat and Tourism Department-Intramuros
.administrator Jose Capistrano Jr.
be able to meet the regular US quota of
138,827 MT, a buffer stock for possible
additional US quota of around 61,993 MT,
[as well as] 2.03 million MT of domestic
demand including buffer stocks and around
247,000 MT for the world market, said
Martin.
Raw sugar production amounted to
2.243 million MT in the recent crop year,
including an estimated ending balance of
30,144 MT for A or US quota sugar,
143,661 MT for B or domestic sugar and
58,793 MT for D or world market sugar.
The industry also posted an ending
inventory of 199,924 MT of rened sugar
and 143,661 MT of raw sugar.
The Philippines exported 326,379 MT of
sugar to the world market and 200,561 MT
to the US under the tariff rate quota scheme
in the recent crop season.
The Philippines is one of the preferred
countries that are given annual sugar export
allocation for the US market. The tariff rate
quota allocation allows countries to export
specied quantities of a product to the
United States at a relatively low tariff.
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
SEPTEMBER 1, 2012 SATURDAY
B4
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
Manila Standard TODAY
Provinces
Edited by Leo A. Estonilo www.manilastandardtoday.comleoestonilo@gmail.com
Mindanao literacy drive launched
Light rail to reach Antipolo
Bataan barangay gets water system
Education Secretary Armin
Luistro said the Whole School
Reading would cover schools in
Zamboanga Peninsula, SOCC-
SKARGEN and the Autono-
mous Region Muslim Mindanao
alongside teacher training plus
books and learning materials for
children in marginalized com-
munities.
This is a much needed part-
nership with other sectors, he
said. We need all the help we
can solicit especially on this
vital program that focuses on
reading enhancement, which
is the foundation of all other
learning.
The pact was signed by Luist-
ro, Petron president Eric Recto
and EDC chief of party Mar-
cial Salvatierra on Friday at the
DepEds Central Ofce in Pasig.
According to Luistro, WSR
runs parallel to Depeds Every
Child A Reader campaign fo-
cused on Grade 1 pupils.
Petron and EDC have collab-
orated from 2007 to 2011 under
the EQuALLs project targetting
poverty-stricken localities in
Mindanao.
In this partnership, the thrusts
are to promote reading in public
schools and to ensure the pro-
fessional development of public
school teachers in the teaching
of beginning reading, Luistro
said.
The project will extend to
USAID-EDC and Petron con-
tributed $1.3 million and P21
million, respectively, to bankroll
the project up to June 30, 2013.
The reading strategy brings in
the private sector to ll up re-
source gaps in the governments
Adopt-A-School program.
By Gigi Muoz David

THE Department of Education has
partnered with Petron Corp. and the
United States Agency for International
Development-Education Development
Center to launch a literacy drive in
conicted regions in Mindanao.
GOVERNOR Casimiro Ynarez
III gained signicant mileage
for Rizal province with Masinag
Junction here added as terminal
of the commuter train service.
The Investment Coordinating
Committee of the National Eco-
nomic and Development Author-
ity board recently approved the
Light Railway Transit Line 2 East
Extension Project to stretch 4.19
kilometers from the Santolan Sta-
tion and depot in Pasig City.
Ynarez said he had asked
Transportation secretary Mar
Roxas to include the infrastruc-
ture in his departments list of
priorities.
On behalf of Rizal provinces
constituents, I would like to ex-
press the gratitude of Rizaleos
to Secretary Roxas representa-
tions that resulted to the approval
and construction of our requested
LRT Line 2 East Extension Proj-
ect, seen to greatly benet us and
our provinces commerce, he
said.
The Santolan-Masinag seg-
ment with an approved budget of
P9.76 billion will enable Line 2
to cover 16.75 kms in all from its
Recto terminal in Manila.
Another station will be put up
along Emerald Drive in Cainta,
Rizal, before Masinag.
With Neda giving the go-sig-
nal to the Department of Trans-
portation and Communication,
it is expected that LRT line ex-
tension will provide rapid and
reliable mode of transit to Rizal
residents to commercial, indus-
trial and educational districts
in Metro Manila, Ynarez said.
Gigi Muoz David
Signing up. Rep. Ben Evardone (fourth from right) and Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon are joined by government employees in Eastern
Samar during oath-taking ritesas memebrs of the Liberal Party. MANNY PALMERO
Blood letting. Donors join the Smart-supported campaign of the Red Cross in the Visayas with chapters
in Dumaguete, Cebu, Guimaras, Iloilo and Bacolod posting the most number of participants.
New building. Quezon Governor David Suarez announces the start of the construction of Quezon Science HIgh Schools three-storey dor-
mintory building in Barangay Isabang, Tayabas, joined by Dr. Tolentino Aquino of Department of Education-Quezon. BENJIE A. ANTIOQUIA
ORANIA Clark investor
has donated a water sys-
tem with purifier to upland
settlers who have been de-
prived of clean drinking
water for decades.
Dennis Wright, chief
executive and presidentg
of Peregrine turned over
recently the facility to the
beneficiaries in Barangay
Tala, this town.
Peregrine is the developer
of the Global Gateway Lo-
gistics City in Clark Free-
port.
I called up the chairman
(Bases Conversion and De-
velopment Authrotiy Chair-
man Felicito Payumo) and
I asked him if there was a
need in Bataan and he said
yes, and that was how the
water source came about
to be deployed here, said
Wright.
Payumo, native of Dinalu-
pihan, served as three-term
congressman of Bataan rst
district that included Orani.
Parish Priest Alex Indino
here said community folk
had to buy their supply from
the lowlands.
It was very difcult for
residents of Tala particularly
the poor to get drinking wa-
ter, he said joined by settler
Emily Fabian, who said the
hopuseholds were thankful
to the rm
Payumo inspected the por-
tion of the Bataan National
Park in Tala here, where a
landslide triggered by recent
monsoon rains had damaged
water pipes.
Commending Wright, he
noted that the water source
could provide 290 gallons
of drinking water a day for
households on the slopes of
Mt. Natib inside the Bataan
National Park.Butch Gunio
THE Department of Transpor-
tation and Communications
will build at least 30 new town
ports in the provinces.
In a statement, the ofce said
the P215-million infrastructure
program is lined up in antici-
pation of the increased passen-
gers and cargo throughout in
the Philippines.
The procurement aligns with
the master plan set by Sec-
retary Mar Roxas to upgrade
the transport system under the
CARES concept (Convenient,
Affordable, Reliable, Efcient,
and Safe).
To be developed are ports in
seabord municipalities of Gu-
maca and Mauban in Quezon;
Bansud in Mindoro Orien-
tal; Castilla in Sorsogon; Pio
Duran in Albay; and Virac in
Catanduanes.
A dozen ports in Eastern Sa-
mar are set in Dolores, Lawaan,
May-Olo, Waso and Barobo in
the town of Llorente; Bulawan
and Maputi in Maslog; Patag
and Canloterio in Maydolong;
and San Pablo, Bato, Punta
Maria and in Borongan.
Other ports in the lists are
Cantupa, Siaton and Tanjay
in Negros Oriental; Maribo-
joc, Baclayon, Bien Unido
and Clarin in Bohol; Dapa in
Surigao del Norte; Lupon in
Davao Oriental; and Jolo in
Sulu. Jonathan Fernandez
P215m allocated to add municipal ports
By Dexter A. See

BAGUIO CITY-Mayor Mauri-
cio Domogan is opposing the par-
tial segration of 14 villagesd inside
the Camp John Hay watershed
and forest reservation undertaken
by the Bases Conversion and De-
velopment Authority and the John
Hay Management Committee.
Our stand is non-negotiable,
he said, noting condtions govern-
ing the 247-hectare John Hay Spe-
cial Economic Zone where BCDA
is mandated to delineate the metes
and bounds of the villages before
awarding lots to occupants.
Domogan said a survey has
been made and there was no need
for individual surveys anymore.
He said any attempt by the
BCDA and the committee to de-
clare the areas occupied by the vil-
lages as alienable and disposable
would violate existing laws includ-
ing environment regulations.
Domogan warned that any
sgreation should be carefully
weighed to avoid setting prec-
edents that could thwart develop-
ment activities in the zone.
The barangays invloved are
Camp 7, Military Cutoff, Gre-
enwater Village, Hillside, Gabri-
ela Silang, Lower Dagsian, Up-
per Dagsian, Loakan Liwanag,
Loakan Proper, Loakan Apugan,
Lucnab, Baguio Country Club,
Scout Barrio and Happy Hallow.
He said the issue was long over-
due as more than 17 years have
passed but the actual occupants
have yet to obtain titles to their
property.
No to partial segration
of Camp John Hay villages