Manila Standard Today - June 28, 2012 Issue

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CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
Next page
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Ford closing plant
due to thin market
Palace backs
reappointed
Cabinet execs
Bernas: 8 JBC members legal
Govt ships set
to sail back to
Panatag Shoal
Local ofcials eye 50%
share in mining income
Philex boss to uphold PH sovereignty in Recto Bank
No longer endangered. After their successful restoration and conservation, the world-famous rice ter-
races in the Cordillera Mountains were taken off Unescos endangered list. DANNY PATA
Public administration
and governance. Presi-
dent Aquino addresses the
International Conference on
Public Administration and
Governance at the EDSA
Shangri-La hotel in Man-
daluyong City.
Bone of contention. Philex
Mining chairman Manuel Pan-
gilinan (signing a document
during a stockholders meet-
ing) said the sovereignty
issue was paramount in
their joint venture with
a Chinese rm in the
Panatag Shoal project.
Gary Apolonio (left) of the
Metropolitan Museum points to
the area in the Spanish colonial
period map as the Bajo de
Masinloc. DANNY PATA
AND SONNY ESPIRITU
Drilling deal off
if China an issue
TODAY
Standard
Manila
Vol. XXVI No. 114 12 Pages, 2 Sections
P18.00 THURSDAY, June 28, 2012
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BEGINNING
JULY 1
By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan
QUEEN Soa of Spain will inspect
development projects and visit schools
and museums during her ve-day visit
to the country next week, and of-
cials said her trip here could spark a
renewed interest among the Filipinos
in their Spanish heritage.
Spanish Ambassador to the Philip-
pines Jorge Domecq said the Queens
schedule of political, economic and
cultural events included a meeting
with Education Secretary Armin Lu-
istro on a plan to introduce Spanish
By Rey E. Requejo
and Macon R. Araneta
ONE of the drafters of the Con-
stitution on Wednesday played
down questions posed by a for-
mer solicitor general on the
legality of the
composition
of the Judicial and Bar Council,
which vets the nominees for the
position of chief justice of the
Supreme Court.
Ateneo Law School Dean
Emeritus Joaquin Bernas S.J., a
member of the commission that
drafted the Constitution in 1986,
By Christine F. Herrera
THE allies of President Beni-
gno Aquino III on Wednesday
claimed that the governors and
mayors wanted a 50-50 sharing
in the proceeds from mining and
cautioned him against a cen-
tralized prot-taking from the
mining rms.
Eastern Samar Rep. Ben
Evardone and Aurora Rep. Juan
Edgardo Angara said the Presi-
dent would never obtain the sup-
port of governors, mayors and
the communities if the Executive
Order on the countrys mining
policy, which is set to be signed
by the President this week, would
retain the local government units
2-percent share in the excise taxes
from mining.
By Joyce Pangco Paares
MALACAANG on Wednes-
day defended President Beni-
gno Aquino IIIs penchant for
reappointing Cabinet ofcials
who had been bypassed by the
Commission on Appointments,
and sometimes by as many as
three times.
Presidential spokesman Ed-
win Lacierda said that while Mr.
Aquino had authored a bill de-
nouncing the practice when he
was a senator, the President also
believed his Cabinet ofcials
were worthy of the posts they
had been appointed to.
By Maricel Cruz
THE minority bloc in the House
of Representatives on Wednes-
day called on the Aquino Ad-
ministration to implement a
one-time but substantial rollback
gasoline and diesel prices so the
people could benet from the
declining oil prices abroad.
House Minority Leader and
Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez said
the series of cuts in the pump
THE government will redeploy its vessels to
the Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal amid reports
that 28 Chinese vessels had returned to the area,
presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said
Wednesday.
The Presidents position still stands, Laci-
erda said.
He was referring to President Benigno Aqui-
no IIIs earlier statement that two vessels of the
Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and
the Coast Guard would be redeployed to Pana-
tag if foreign vessels remained in the area.
Based on the latest aerial surveillance by the
Navy, 23 out of the 28 Chinese vessels were
right inside the lagoon. The remaining vessels-
--three Chinese maritime surveillance vessels
and two shery and law enforcement command
ships---were outside.
By Julito G. Rada
FORD Philippines will close
its 13-year-old assembly plant
in the Philippines at the end
of the year because the com-
pany could not make a strong
enough business case for fu-
ture manufacturing here, of-
cials said Wednesday.
The company would be
merely importing cars come
2013, the ofcials said.
The lack of supply base
and economies of scale are
the major issues in coming up
with this very difcult deci-
sion, Peter Fleet, Ford Asean
president, told reporters.
Effective December this
year, we will cease our manu-
facturing operations at our
Santa Rosa, Laguna, plant af-
ter we have rolled out the last
assembly of Ford Escape.
The Ford Escape would be
the third model whose local
assembly will be ended this
year alone. In January this
year, Ford ended the assem-
bly of the Mazda 3, and this
month it ended assembling the
Ford Focus.
About 250 workers will be
affected by the plants closure.
The plant has exported over
80,000 vehicles since 2002.
Ford closed its original
Philippine assembly plant
in 1983 and reopened a new
plant in 1999, citing improved
political stability.
This is a very difcult de-
cision. The company studied
every possible scenario and
If we cant resolve the sovereignty and
commercial issues to our and the governments
satisfaction, then we will not proceed with the
project. As simple as that, Manny Pangilinan
told reporters on the sidelines of Philexs an-
nual stockholders meeting in Makati.
These are two cardinal points. The gov-
ernment made it clear to us... that we cant
infringe on sovereignty or breach the laws of
the country, Pangilinan said.
He said there was no time frame for the proj-
ect, but he assured the companys stockholders
that they would not push forward recklessly.
Philex Mining, the majority shareholder
of Forum Energy Plc., which holds a 70-
percent stake in SC 72, is now in talks with
China National Offshore Corp. for a possible
farm-in agreement.
Forum Energys consultant, Weatherford
Petroleum, earlier said SC 72 or Recto Bank
had prospective resources of as much as 16.6
trillion cubic feet of gas and 416 million bar-
rels of oil.
Pangilinan said the company was open to
the possibility of tying up with other potential
partners if the partnership with China Nation-
al fell through. Much more work had to be
done before the project could get started.
We are nalizing inputs to be submit-
ted to the government for consideration. We
want to make sure that the inputs are accept-
able to the government, he said.
Earlier, Pangilinan said Forum Energy
would have to wait for the outcome of a
long-standing territorial dispute between the
Philippines and China over the Recto Bank
before starting its work. There was always
One-time big
rollback on oil
prices pushed
Queen Sofia on 5-day visit here
N
Next page Next page
Next page
Queen Soa
PHILEX Mining is prepared to abort its partnership
with a Chinese rm for an oil- and gas-drilling project
in Recto Bank in the West Philippine Sea if the sover-
eignty issues remain unresolved, the companys chair-
man and chief executive said Wednesday.
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News
ManilaStandardToday mst.daydesk@gmail.com JUNE 28, 2012 THURSDAY
A2
Dialogue. Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon (extreme right), Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala
(center), and AGAP party-list Rep. Nicanor Briones meet behind closed doors to discuss hog raisers
complaint that smugglers are bringing in frozen meat and passing it off as fresh meat in the wet markets.
Agham Rep. Angelo Palmones led House Resolution 2517 seek-
ing a probe after the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory
Board managed to pass a board resolution allowing the transfer and
awarding of the disputed franchises to a single player.
Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evadone said the revival mocked and un-
dermined the countrys laws.
The LTFRB hastily approved a board resolution and made the
Land Transportation Ofce to fast-track the issuance of registration
so the new eet of buses could run on the busy streets in 30 days,
Evardone said.
Palmones said Pantranco North Express Inc. ceased operations
and was considered legally dead far back as 1993.
He said the previous administrations LTFRB and the Transport
Department had ruled that Pantrancos Certicates of Public Con-
venience had long expired and could neither be sold nor transferred.
Evardone said the LTFRB revived Pantrancos 489 CPCs and
awarded them to Victory Liner.
The award will add more chaos to the already chaotic trafc jams
in major Metro Manila roads as 489 new buses will be added to
the already strained major roads of the metropolis, Palmones said.
Christine F. Herrera
Franchise
revival
slammed
THE allies of President Benigno
Aquino III on Wednesday sought a
probe and questioned the governments
haste, brazen and anomalous decision
to revive the franchise of the defunct
Pantranco North Express Inc. that had
been declared legally dead by its three
predecessors.
Local...
Evardone, a former governor
of Eastern Samar and a member
of the Presidents Liberal Party,
said the President would have
to prove there was a value
added from mining and other
extraction activities of natural
resources for the communities
hosting mining rms.
He said the local ordinances
banning small- and large-scale
mining came about because the
LGUs were left out of the equi-
table sharing of wealth.
In the current set up, he said,
the national government was
only getting a pittance from cor-
porate income taxes.
It has to be 50-50 share,
Evardone told the Manila
Standard.
The mining rm gets 50
percent prot and the national
government gets the other 50
percent, and half of the national
governments 50 percent should
be shared with the LGUs and the
host communities on top of the 2
percent in excise taxes.
Evardone said the governors
and mayors would insisted on
a 50-50 profit sharing because
the land where the minerals
would be extracted would
serve as their equity.
If the share of the host com-
munities is not big enough, you
will never be able to gather sup-
port even for responsible min-
ing, Angara said.
The policy is decided in Ma-
nila and the benets are paid to
the corporate headquarters in
Manila. You will never get sup-
port from the local communi-
ties if they dont have an equi-
table share.
The issue here is sharing with
the local governments. I think
not just for mining but for any
kind of extraction of natural re-
sources, whether it is logging
or other extraction of natural
resources, the share of the local
community must be substantial.
Evardone said the big min-
ing rms should be required to
put up processing plants. The
small and medium mining opera-
tions should be clustered so they
would be able to use the process-
ing plants. He said that because
there were no processing plant
here, the ore was being sent
abroad for processing.
It is very important that
Malacaang comes up with a
denitive policy on the issue be-
cause more than 200 small-scale
mining operators are violating
mining laws, Evardone said.
Bernas...
said there was nothing wrong with
having eight members on the coun-
cil even if the Charter provided for
only seven as pointed out by former
solicitor general Frank Chavez, a
nominee for the position.
It is really seven, but in the prac-
tice before it really was eight, Ber-
nas said.
He said if the constitutional provi-
sion was strictly followed, the two
members of the council representing
Congress---Senator Francis Escudero
and Rep. Niel Tupas Jr.---should have
half a vote each or take turns in voting.
Bernas also deemed it unlikely
that a tie would ensue in the voting.
Chavez earlier questioned the
composition in a letter to the council.
When the Constitution uses the
phrase a representative of the Con-
gress, it is all too clear to require
interpretation that there should only
be one representative from Con-
gress, Chavez had said.
Under the present set-up, why
do we have two representatives
from Congress---one from the
House of Representatives and one
from the Senate?
Chavez said he would ask the
Supreme Court for a ruling on his
question.
For more than a decade, repre-
sentatives of the Senate and the
House of Representatives alter-
nately represented Congress in the
council and shared one vote. But
the setup changed in 2001 during
the term of Chief Justice Hilario
Davide Jr. as then ex-ofcio chair-
man of the council, when they were
given one vote each.
In the Senate, a former member
of the council, Senator Francis Pan-
gilinan, dismissed the charges that
a new requirement for the psycho-
logical testing of the nominees for
the post of chief justice was uncon-
stitutional.
The mandate of the JBC is to
ensure that those shortlisted are
qualied and meet the require-
ments laid down by the Constitu-
tion, Pangilinan said.
He said the Constitution did not
require a public interview of the
nominees, but that didnt mean the
practice was unconstitutional.
On Monday, lawyer Romulo Ma-
calintal described as clearly uncon-
stitutional the requirement to test a
nominees psychological health.
He considered the process dis-
criminatory as the applicants for
positions in the lower courts and
other government ofces were not
required to take such tests.
Also on Wednesday, Senator
Miriam Defensor Santiago said in
a radio interview that she was in-
terested in becoming the next chief
justice, but she would have to turn
down her nomination as she pre-
ferred to sit as judge in the Interna-
tional Criminal Court.
She said the country would be
placed in an embarrassing situation
if she turned her back on the inter-
national court after campaigning to
win a seat there.
Queen...
as an optional subject in the K-to-
12 school curriculum.
We plan with the Department
of Education to reintroduce vol-
untary and optional Spanish in
the secondary school, Domecq
told reporters.
The Philippines was a Span-
ish colony from 1565 to 1898,
and Filipinos were once the
sole Spanish- speaking people
in Asia. The Spaniards estab-
lished schools and churches
and converted Filipinos into
Christianity.
Although the Filipinos con-
tact with Spain waned after the
Americans took over at the turn
of the last century, Philippine-
Spanish relationship remained
strong. In 2011 the Spanish of-
cial development assistance
to the Philippines totaled 28.9
million euros (P1.5 billion) in
grants and loans.
Domecq said the Queen, who
will arrive on July 2, will visit the
National Library, the National
Museum and the University of
Santo Tomas, one of the oldest
schools in Asia.
She will be accompanied by
Spains Vice Minister of Foreign
Affairs Jesus Garcia Aldaz and
Chief of Secretariat of the Royal
Household General Jose Cabrera
Garcia.
Ford...
opportunity, but we could not
make a strong enough business
case for future manufacturing,
Randy Krieger, Ford Philippines
president, said.
We are extremely proud of the
world-class vehicles assembled
in our Santa Rosa, Laguna, plant
and our exceptional team, and
we will provide them with all the
support they need to help them
through this transition.
Krieger said those employees
who would be displaced may
work at any Ford plants overseas.
But this depends on their
choices, if they want to go with
us, Fleet said.
But Fleet said the stoppage
would be the only thing to hap-
pen because Fords sales network
here would be maintained and
even expanded.
From 20 dealerships we will
make it 40 by 2015, Fleet said.
I just want to point out that this
business decision has nothing to do
with any government policy or lack
of government support for us.
Fleet said Ford remained com-
mitted to growing its business
and serving customers through
its national sales company, Ford
Group Philippines.
He said that commitment
would be led by the introduction
of eight all-new One Ford vehi-
cles by mid-decade and the dou-
bling of the companys dealer-
ships nationwide. Those vehicles
would include the all-new Ford
Ranger, all-new Focus and Ford
Mustang this year.
Fleet said once the plant was
closed, the companys national
sales company headquarters in
Santa Rosa might also be relo-
cated.
Ford Philippines had about
$270 million worth of invest-
ment in the Philippines Its facility
in Greeneld Automotive Park
stood on a 21.4-hectare lot with
plant area of 30,000 square me-
ters.
Fords production capacity
stood at 36,000 units a year. It
had cumulative exports of over
80,000---with a $1-billion export
value---out of the 130,000 units
it produced. It exported to Thai-
land, Malaysia and Indonesia.
With the AP
One-time...
prices in the past several weeks had come
in trickles. The current price of between
P46.75 to P47.40 per liter of gasoline and
P38.75 per liter of diesel were not reect-
ing the real prices in the market.
The prices of fuel should be less than
what we have now, Suarez said.
The peso remains strong at 42 to the
US dollar, while global oil prices have
fallen to $82 per barrel.
On Monday, Shell, Eastern and Phoenix
announced cuts in the prices of premium
and unleaded gasoline by P1.80 per liter,
regular gasoline by P1.40 and diesel by
P1.
The total price rollback in the past 11
weeks has amounted to P10.85 per liter of
premium and unleaded gasoline, P11.60
per liter of regular gasoline, and P8.60 per
liter of diesel.
Fua said the government should check
the books of the oil companies to assess if
they are making huge prots by imposing
high prices despite the decrease in prices
of oil products in the world market.
Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga has led
a resolution calling for a probe of the al-
leged overpricing by oil companies and
sought their executives to answer ques-
tions on the way they have been cutting
their prices. Jonathan Fernandez, Rio N.
Araja and Alena Mae S. Flores
Palace...
Im aware that he filed a
bill on that, but I had an oc-
casion to speak with him a
long time ago on this point,
Lacierda said.
He believes that these
people, the Cabinet secretar-
ies that he has appointed to
those departments, are ca-
pable.
These people enjoy his
trust and confidence. He
therefore believes that while
they have not been rejected,
it is important that they con-
tinue to deliver the services
they were tasked to do.
Lawmakers and the mem-
bers of the powerful Com-
mission on Appointments had
earlier urged the President to
withdraw the re-appointments
of his Cabinet ofcials who
had failed to hurdle the conr-
mation process.
Agham Rep. Angelo Pal-
mones filed House Bill 6365
seeking to limit the Presi-
dents powers to reappoint
any nominee bypassed by the
commission three times.
Senator Manuel Villar,
Cagayan de Oro Rep. Ru-
fus Rodriguez, and Abante
Mindanao Rep. Maximo Ro-
driguez even went further in
proposing that those who had
been bypassed twice should
be declared ineligible.
How can one be account-
able to the people or serve
them with utmost responsi-
bility, integrity, loyalty and
efficiency if his nomination
cannot even be upheld by
the Commission on Appoint-
ments? Villar said.
In less than two years, Pres-
ident Aquinos Cabinet of-
cials had been reappointed as
many as eight times, which
was the practice of his prede-
cessor that he had denounced
when he was a senator.
As of June 7, when Congress
went on sine die adjournment,
Mr. Aquino had reappointed
Social Welfare Secretary
Dinky Soliman and Justice
Secretary Leila de Lima eight
times, Interior Secretary Jesse
Robredo four times, Tourism
Secretary Ramon Jimenez
three times, Commission on
Audits Heidi Mendoza four
times, and Environment Sec-
retary Ramon Paje ve times.
Drilling...
the possibility of a delay in the
project given the political issues
between the two countries.
On Tuesday, Vietnam, another
claimant country, denounced as il-
legal Chinas invitation to foreign
oil and gas companies to explore
nine blocks in the disputed waters
of the South China Sea, which the
Philippines calls the West Philip-
pine Sea.
Foreign Affairs spokesman
Lung Thanh Nghi called on China
National Offshore Oil Corp., the
state-owned parent of Cnooc, to
cancel the invitation, saying it vi-
olated Vietnams sovereign rights.
Chinas tender could lead to
more tension in the waters after its
surveillance ships last year moved
to thwart efforts by Vietnam and
the Philippines to explore for oil
and gas in one of the worlds busi-
est sea corridors. Exxon Mobil
Corp., Talisman Energy Inc., and
Forum Energy Plc are among the
companies that have signed deals
to explore the area.
The location of the blocks in-
dicates that China claims the
maritime spaces within its so-
called nine-dash map of the sea,
a development that will further
alarm claimant states, according
to Clive Schoeld, director of re-
search at the Australian National
Center for Ocean Resources and
Security.
There are highly likely to be
future clashes should there be
actions taken by any of the coun-
tries concerned to try and explore
within those blocks, he said.
The designation of blocks is
in a sense a proxy way of states
trying to reinforce their jurisdic-
tional rights.
Cnooc deployed Chinas rst
deep-water drilling rig last month
near the disputed islands to assert
Beijings territorial claims. The
company said the blocks, cover-
ing an area of 160,124 square
kilometers, were available for
exploration and development co-
operation with foreign companies
this year, according to a June 23
statement on its website.
But Nghi said the area was
within Vietnams 200-nautical
mile exclusive economic zone
and continental shelf.
This is absolutely not a dis-
puted area, he said.
The disputed waters are es-
timated to have as much as 30
billion tons of oil and 16 trillion
cubic meters of gas, which would
account for about one-third of
Chinas oil and gas resources,
according to the Xinhua News
Agency.
China had 2 billion tons of
proven oil reserves and 99 trillion
cubic feet of natural gas reserves
in 2010, according to BP Plc. Ju-
lito G. Rada, with Bloomberg
Govt...
[The redeployment will be] based on con-
siderations. For instance, the weather will be
a consideration. There will be parameters that
will be considered, Lacierda said.
Malacanang on Wednesday also tried to dif-
fuse another potential conict by downplaying
an exclusive Manila Standard story about a
kindergarten school built in Pagasa, one of
seven islands in Kalayaan off Palawan that is
also being contested by at least seven govern-
ments including China.
The Chinese government immediately re-
acted to the story, calling the establishment of
the school as an illegal activity.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hong
Lei said on Tuesday that China opposes any
illegal activity that may infringe on Chinas
sovereignty.
He said Manila should refrain from mak-
ing any measures that will complicate and ex-
acerbate the current situation and affect peace
and stability in the South China Sea.
The Chinese ofcial also insisted that China
had indisputable sovereignty over the Sprat-
ly chain of islands and its surrounding waters.
In a report by ABS-CBN reporter Willard
Cheng, Lacierda said China should not take is-
sue with the establishment of the school in Pag-
asa since the municipality where the school was
located had long been established in the area.
The municipality has been there, Lacierda
said.
It has never been questioned. It has been
under the province of Palawan since the time
of Marcos, I think. So that should never be an
issue.
Meanwhile, a Xinhua news agency report
indicated that China had no intention of pull-
ing out of the contested areas in the South
China Sea.
The report said the Chinese government on
Tuesday sent four China Marine Surveillance
ships from the coastal city of Sanya to the
South China Sea to conduct regular patrols,
and supposedly to highlight Chinas sover-
eignty and jurisdiction over the region.
Chinas standoff with the Philippines, which
started on April 10 after Chinese maritime sur-
veillance ships prevented the Philippine Navy
from arresting Chinese shermen who had en-
gaged in illegal shing and harvesting of endan-
gered marine species in the area, threatened to
escalate when an unidentied vessel rammed a
shing boat off Bolinao earlier this week, killing
a sherman causing four others to disappear.
An initial report saying it was a Chinese ves-
sel that rammed the boat drew a sharp reaction
from the Chinese Embassy, which denied any
knowledge of the incident.
On Tuesday, the government said the ship was
registered in Hong Kong, although it later denied
that it was the M/V Peach Mountain, which was
one of several Hong Kong-registered ships that
was passing the area at the time.
The Navy is continuing its search for the
missing shermen. Joyce Pangco Paares
and Joel Zurbano
JUNE 28, 2012 THURSDAY
A3 News
ManilaStandardToday mst.daydesk@gmail.com
Binay team
vows more
arrests of
traffickers
IN BRIEF
Threat of power crisis persists
In defense of the maids
Benets for slain cops
CHILDREN of slain policemen will get
additional benets from the government, as
approved by the National Police Commission.
Interior Secretary and Napolcom
Chairman Jesse Robredo recently signed
Memorandum Circular No. 2012-
001, which approved the increase in
the educational benets of children of
policemen who died in the line of duty.
Robredo said the increase in benets will
help the grantees cope with the inationary
costs of tuition and miscellaneous school
expenses. Ferdinand Fabella
SENATE President Pro Tempore Jinggoy
Ejercito Estrada expects Congress to
ne tune the provisions of the proposed
Kasambahay Act to make it acceptable to
the standards set by the International Labor
Organization Convention 189.
Estrada said amendments and revisions
to the Kasambahay (domestic help) will be
reconciled through the bicameral conference
committee.
Kasambahay Bill is now pending approval
before the House of Representatives, while
its Senate version was passed as early as
December 2010. Macon Ramos Araneta
Hi-tech tools for farmers
SENATOR Edgardo J. Angara on
Wednesday said the agriculture sector
needs to employ the latest in Information
and Communications Technology tools
and applications to enhance its productivity
and competitiveness.
Angara, the principal author of the
Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization
Act or AFMA in 1997, said the government
needs to use these modern tools to ensure an
increase in crop yield and make them more
disaster-resilient, especially in the face of a
growing population and an erratic climate.
As chair of both the Senate committee
on science and technology and the
Congressional Commission on Science,
Technology and Engineering (COMSTE),
Angara has lobbied for the deployment of
new applications suitable for farming such
as unmanned aerial vehicles and satellite
images which could give farmers a more
comprehensive, macroeconomic view of
their crops. Macon Ramos-Araneta
Local govts monitored
THE Department of the Interior and Local
Government on Wednesday launched the
Local Governance Watch or LG Watch, a
social accountability mechanism that will
encourage greater civil society participation
in local governance.
DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo said
LG Watch aims to engage civil society
organizations in local public administration to
ensure transparency and accountability in the
delivery of services and the implementation
of programs.
Robredo said that with the LG Watch in place,
he expects local government units (LGUs)
to be more responsive and efcient because
they now have the CSOs as active partners in
development. Jonathan Fernandez
Operation Smile. The Trump brothers, Eric and Donald Jr., join beauty titlists Shamcey Supsup (Ms. Universes 3rd runner-
up) and Janine Tugonon at the opening of Operation Smiles Manila Cleft Center at the Sta. Ana Hospital. Operation Smile is
supported by Donald Trump Jr. and Century Properties Group. EY ACASIO
Govt expo. Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon poses inside the booth of the Bureau of Customs,
which took part in the Government Expo and Trade Fair 2012. He is shown with (from right) Kabisig
chairman Daniel Guillen; Public Information and Assistance Division Chief Elenita Abao and staff
members Hubert Vasquez, Francisco Javier and Jessil Garlando.
JUSTICE Secretary Leila de Lima on
Wednesday disputed the claim of Philippine
National Police Anti-Kidnapping Group
(PNP-AKG) that the eight-year-old Burmese
boy rescued by the National Bureau of
Investigation (NBI) last Tuesday in Taytay,
Rizal was not a victim of a kidnap-for-
ransom group.
De Lima insisted there was a demand for
the release of the boy received by his parents
from the alleged abductors.
The justice secretary said the polices
statement was puzzling since she had received
information that there was really a ransom
demand, and even a specic amount that was
lowered after the negotiations. Rey E. Requejo
Graftbuster questions bases agency heads post
Smart, Tourism team up for fun drive
Biazon chickens out,
gives in to hog raisers
By Joel E. Zurbano
CUSTOMS Commissioner Ruffy Biazon has decided
to grant the hog raisers access to the Inward Foreign
Manifest of all food importations, but only to trained
and qualied quarantine ofcials assigned by the De-
partment of Agriculture in every port.
This developed after Biazon met during a closed-
door session Tuesday with Agriculture Secretary
Proceso Alcala, party list Rep. Nicanor Briones and
members of hog raisers and farmers groups to end the
dispute over meat importation.
The bureau earlier rejected the request of a hog raisers
group to provide it with inward foreign manifest, saying it
can be prejudicial to other legitimate importations.
In his proposal, Biazon, offered to provide access to
the IFM only to qualied quarantine ofcials which
will be trained by the Customs Management Informa-
tion System and Technology Group.
What we are really trying to do here is to provide the bal-
ance of being able to maintain the trust and condence of
our international trading partners by being compliant with
international trade practices while at the same time doing
our best to protect the local farmers interest, Biazon said.
Alcala, for his part, after realized the Customs posi-
tion on the IFM issue and agreed with Biazons pro-
posal and promised to send immediately his quarantine
ofcials for training at the MISTG. He also offered to
use DA funds for the construction of a temperature con-
trolled inspection area for all agricultural imports.
It was also agreed during the meeting to create
an Agriculture and Finance Coordinating Committee
which will meet regularly to monitor issues on food
and agricultural products imports.
The Hog Raisers Confederation, in implementing
the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) it signed with
the BoC in April this year in Cebu City, promised to
send their representatives to certain Customs ports to
observe and monitor the processing and facilitation of
all meat importations in the country.
Burmese boy abducted
By Rey Requejo
An anti-graft advocate has prodded Pres-
ident Aquino to recall the appointment of
Arnel Paciano Casanova, president and
chief executive ofcer of the Bases Con-
version Development Authority, over
questions on the validity of his post.
In a three-page letter sent to the of-
ce of the President last Monday, law-
yer Howard Calleja explained that
Casanovas taking his post and per-
forming his duties violated Republic
Act 7227, the law creating BCDA, and
that the board of the state-run corpora-
tion should only be headed by its duly-
appointed chairman Felicito Payumo.
Calleja asked Aquino to evalu-
ate the appointment mindful of your
constitutional roles in the appointment
of heads of government agencies and
government-controlled corporations.
The lawyer urged Mr. Aquino to
correct a tradition since 2002 during
the term of former President and now
Pampanga Rep. Gloria Arroyo where
the positions of chairman and president
of BCDA were divided without legal
basis -- providing two presidential ap-
pointees for only one position.
The illegal practice of splitting these
positions mentioned should be stopped
and should not be continued, as it has
no basis in law, he said.
The lawyer stressed that the appoint-
ment of Casanova was invalid from the
start and all his acts and decisions should
likewise be nullied. He has no author-
ity and power to enter into agreements,
issue orders and represent the BCDA
since there was neither a provision of law
nor order that separates the duties of the
Chairman and the President.
Apart from the Palace, Calleja sent a
similar letter to the Ofce of the Solici-
tor General calling for investigation on
Casanovas appointment.
Last Monday, Calleja led before the
Ofce of the Ombudsman a complaint
against Casanova for graft, usurpation
of authority, grave misconduct and
conduct unbecoming of the best inter-
est of public service.
When asked to comment, Casanova
said he believed the President has the
president to appoint and it enjoys the
presumption of regularity and legal-
ity in the appointment . Im bound to
follow the Presidents order for me to
function as public ofcial for the inter-
est of public service in the BCDA.
Obviously there are some parties
who want me removed as president
and CEO of BCDA because of the re-
forms that we are implementing and as
part of our consistent efforts to imple-
ment the Presidents policy of Tuwid
Na Daan,Casanova said.
House Minority Leader and
Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez
urged the administration to act
fast on the threat of rotating
blackouts even as he called for
a one-time, big-time cut in oil
prices.
We hope that the President
will not make us wait for his
SONA (State of the Nations Ad-
dress) in July to learn about these
plans. It may already be too late
for the country by then, Suarez
said.
Suarez made the statement
following reports from the
National Grid Corporation
of the Philippines, which in-
dicated that the Luzon grids
power supply reserves re-
mained thin at only 101
megawatts, putting the island
on yellow alert.
Earlier, Bayan Muna Rep.
Teddy Casino warned that the
threat of rotating brownouts in
Luzon could be a ploy by pri-
vate power rms to create an
articial power crisis in order
to justify their demands for a
power rate hike.
Casio said the NGCP data ran
counter to previous pronounce-
ments that the Luzon grid enjoy
a healthy buffer of about 1,700
MW to as much as 2,000 MW on
any given day.
Apart from the looming power
crisis, Suarez also demanded
that the Aquino government im-
plement a one-time, big-time
rollback of domestic gasoline
prices after global oil prices fell
to $82 per barrel.
Suarez said another cut in
pump prices which was imple-
mented last Tuesday was not
enough.
At present, where the Du-
bai crude oil is at around $ 80-
$ 82 per barrel, with a strong-
er peso of P 42.55 to a dollar,
the current market price for
gasoline is between P 46.75- P
47.40 per liter, and the diesel
is P 38.75 per liter. With this
data, prices of fuel should be
less than what we have now,
Suarez said
After all, the peso remains
strong at a level of 42:1, while
global oil prices have fallen fur-
ther to $82 per barrel, Suarez
added.
The total price rollback for the
past 11 weeks has now reached
P10.85 per liter of premium and
unleaded gasoline, P7.95 per liter
of kerosene, P11.60 per liter of
regular gasoline, and P8.60 per
liter of diesel.
Isabela Rep. Rodolfo Albano
and Siquijor Rep. Orlando Fua,
both senior opposition members
backed Suarezs call, saying
that a considerable fare reduc-
tion should also be considered,
as well as a decrease in prices of
basic commodities.
Albano said a fare reduction
will be a great help for commut-
ers, especially students.
Fua added that the Aquino
government should conduct a
thorough review of the books of
multinational oil companies to
assess if they are really making
huge prots by imposing high
prices on petroleum products
despite the decrease in the pric-
es of oil products in the world
market.
Earlier, administration ally,
Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga
had led a resolution demand-
ing that the ofcials of the oil
companies, particularly the Big
3, be summosned for a congres-
sional probe to shed light on
allegations of continued over-
pricing of oil and other petro-
leum products.
By Maricel V. Cruz

PRESIDENT Aquino III on Wednesday
was prodded to draw up a comprehensive
contingency plan to resolve the looming
power crisis in Luzon and Metro Manila.
By Sara Susanne
D. Fabunan
VICE President Jejomar Binay
on Wednesday said he would
expect more convictions of
criminals engaged in trafck-
ing in humans in the next few
months.
In a statement, Binay said
that the Inter-Agency Council
Against Trafcking has stepped
up its monitoring of violators.
Since the start of the year,the
IACAT has managed to con-
vict 16 people who violated the
anti-trafcking law.
This brought to 44 the number
of trafcking convictions under
President Aquinos administra-
tion, the Vice President said.
Binay said that 44 human traf-
cking convictions two years
into President Aquinos term is
a far cry from the 29 convic-
tions the previous administration
made from 2005 to 2010.
The Philippines has retained
its Tier 2 status in the recently
recently-released Global Traf-
cking in Persons Report of
the United States Department
of State. It was previously in
the Tier 2 Watch List status.
The annual GTIP report clas-
sies countries into tiers based
on whether or not they meet the
standards set by the US Trafck-
ing Victims Protection Act.
Among the recommenda-
tions in the GTIP report was
the need to address the signi-
cant backlog of trafcking cas-
es by developing mechanisms
to track and monitor the status
of cases led with the Depart-
ment of Justice (DOJ).
The report also recom-
mended that the government
conduct immediate rigorous
investigations of public of-
cials involved in trafcking
activities.
THE Department of Tourism has
signed a partnership with Smart
Communications Inc.for a year-long
support for the tourism campaign,
Its More Fun in the Philippines.
Tourism Secretary Ramon
Jimenez Jr. said he was grateful for
Smarts help to the tourism indus-
try by contributing its technological
expertise and manpower resources.
We welcome this arrangement,
especially now that social media is
considered to be a highly-effective
means of transmitting informa-
tion, said Jimenez.
Web and mobile technologies
are fueling the growth of travel
and tourism worldwide, he said.
Smart chief wireless advisory
Orlando B. Vea said his company
was glad to assist the DOT in the
promotion of the country as fun
destination.
With these digital and mobile
technology tools, we are able to show
more Filipinos and visitors just what
we mean when we say Its more fun
in the Philippines, he said.
Under the partnership, SMART
can participate in all domestic tour-
ism-related activities and be a part-
ner of the DOT in local festivals.
SMART will also be able to sell
its various products and services,
in a non-exclusive basis, during
domestic tourism-related events
organized and owned by the DOT.
The new Live More travel app
and website will also feature differ-
ent provinces and highlight the des-
tinations and activities in each area.
SMART has produced a TV com-
mercial for the DOT, featuring Ms.
Universe 2011 3
rd
runner-up, Sham-
cey Supsup. Macon R. Araneta
Opinion Adelle Chua, Editor
ManilaStandardToday
mst.lettertotheeditor@gmail.com JUNE 28, 2012 THURSDAY
A4
AURORA Rep. Sonny Angara says that
having a prominent last name does not
guarantee electoral victory, citing the
example of Sonia Rocothe wife of
the late Senator Raul Rocoand Susan
Oplethe daughter of the late Senator
Blas Oplewho both lost in the last
senatorial elections.
The son of Senator Edgardo Angara
adds that political dynasties are not an
issue for the Filipino masses.
But if we were to go by the apparent
intent of the 1987 Constitution, which
in Article II, Section 26 provides that
the State shall guarantee equal access
to opportunity for public service and
prohibit political dynasties as may be
dened by law, then we can reasonably
conclude that dynasties are at the very
least undesirable in the ideal society
envisioned by the framers of the
Constitution.
Alas, after 25 years, there is still no
law against political dynasties. The
younger Angara says lawmakers have
been struggling with the denition. In
fact, nothing is happening because, like
him, many lawmakers are the products
of dynasties themselves. There is a clear
conict of interest.
The Constitution also prescribes term
limits to every public ofce. As we
know, our elected ofcials have found
an easy, ingenious way to circumvent
these limits. When their limit is up, they
make their spouses or children warm
their seats for three years, and then they
can run again. Sometimes they just trade
jobs.
Equal opportunity for public service
means anybodythe daughter of the
incumbent ofcial or the son of a farmer
can equally aspire for an elected
post. Sure, they both can run. But
circumstances will likely favor the more
prominent contender, who would have
the advantage in education, campaign
resources, and connections.
Filipinos go by personalities. We
believe family members are chips off the
old block. We tend to prefer the devil we
know over the one we dont.
Of course, dynasty is not as issue
among the masses, who may for
generations have benefitted from
the stream of projects by their
established leaders. How could they
know better?
This is the norm and it is pervasive,
but it does not mean it is any less
objectionable. How can our country
claim an enlightened electorate when
parents and children or brothers and
sisters sit with or succeed each other
in the Senate? Merit is not solely
determined by genes.
Angara is trying to project himself
as a viable senatorial candidate by
acknowledging his fathers prominence
while hinting that he deserves the
goodwill that comes with the name. He
does not have the monopoly on this sin.
It is one that cuts across party lines and
geographic boundaries.
The framers of the Constitution
were either displaying their naivete or
cracking a joke in including an anti-
dynasty provision that nobody takes
seriously. This is sad and infuriating at
the same time.
No monopoly on merit
Whos
in charge here?
THE Defense and the Foreign Affairs
departments issue contradictory
statements on the presence of Chinese
ships in the disputed Scarborough
Shoal. The Interior Secretary has
declared that he will no longer discuss
the abduction of a Jordanian journalist
in Patikul, Sulu after he has been made
to look like a fool for saying that the
victim was an Al Qaida courier.
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas is
all over the media explaining how its
billion-dollar loan to the International
Monetary Fund is an investment
of funds that
cannot be used
by the Aquino
government, even
if the central bank
apparently never
thought to consult
anyone about
its controversial
contribution to the
European bailout
kitty beforehand.
And now, the
justice secretary
is contradicting
the national polices special anti-
kidnapping group by claiming that a
rescued child had actually been freed
after paying a ransom something the
police never announced.
Listening to the various ofcials
of the Aquino administration talk can
make anyone wonder: Whos really in
charge here?
As far as the long-running territorial
dispute off our western coast, for
instance, its becoming abundantly
clear that no one is. The Philippine
Coast Guard and Edwin Lacierda, the
permanently clueless spokesman of
Malacaang Palace, cannot even speak
with one voice on the matter of the
ramming of a local shing vessel that
left one sherman dead and four others
missing.
Now the Philippine Navy (as
opposed to the Coast Guard, which
is a civilian-led agency under the
Department of Transportation) has
gotten into the act and has declared
that it is investigating the ramming
incident. So far, the Navy can only say
that the Chinese vessel that supposedly
slammed into the Filipino shermens
craft off Bolinao, Pangasinan cannot
possibly be the one that the victims
said was involved in the incident.
As for Interior Secretary Jesse
Robredo, he has belatedly said that
he would henceforth shut up on the
matter of the kidnapping (or not) of
Jordanian journalist Baker Atyani. In
the interest of their safety, its best that
we leave the issue alone at this time,
the thoroughly chastened Robredo
who had accused Atyani of being an
Al Qaida fund conduit for the bandit
group Aby Sayyafsaid.
As for the BSP, it has been telling
everyone who will listen that the money
it lent the IMF was never intended to
be spent by the Aquino government in
the rst placeand that it is really an
investment that will earn interest. But
the belated explanations by the central
bank (and by Lacierda in Malacaang)
have done little to extinguish the anger
amongst Filipinos who see something
terribly wrong in a situation where the
government is trillions of pesos in debt
to various local and foreign creditors
sending money to Europe to bail out
an innitely richer continent.
Somebody has got to be in charge
of all the conicting information
that is emanating from the various
instrumentalities of the administration.
Unfortunately, not even President
Noynoy Aquino himself is immune
to the malaise of spewing half-baked,
contradictory statements on any of
these burning issues.
Aquino has gone on record as
mouthing the same lines issued by any
agency that seems
to have made the
last declaration on
any matter, whether
it be the presence (or
not) of the Chinese
in our waters and
the circumstances
of Atyanis
di s appear ance.
He seems to have
been as surprised
as every other
Filipino, in fact,
to learn that BSP
has lent IMF a billion dollars that he
probably wished he could get his hands
on for his pet projects.
About the only thing that Aquino
seems concerned about these days
is how to time the release of his
controversial mining industry
executive ordersomething that he has
repeatedly procrastinated on for nearly
a year now. Meanwhile, stakeholders in
an industry that has the best chance of
uplifting the economy are still in limbo,
unable to understand why a presidential
order is required when the law covering
the industry has long been passed and
upheld by the courts.
What has Aquino been up to that
is keeping him from acting like the
Chief Executive that he isor at
least preventing him from telling his
various ofcials not to keep opening
their mouths and feeding the Palace
and the public with raw and conicting
information? Is Aquino in charge of
anything at all?
* * *
Yesterday afternoon, Malacaang
has declared that, henceforth, only
the Department of Foreign Affairs
would be making declarations
about the situation in Scarborough
Shoal. The Navy and the rest of the
military, according to a report on the
Interaksyon.com news Web site, has in
effect been gagged by the directive.
Aquino has apparently realized that
no good will come out of allowing
anyone involved in the Scarborough
situation to say whatever he wants.
Of course, the military has already
contradicted DFA on the matter of the
Chinese presence, citing data gathered
by its pilots who ew over the area.
Heres hoping that DFA wont
suffer the same fate as Robredo and just
decide to shut up and let Malacaang
keep making contradictory statements
on its own.
EDITORIAL
The billion-dollar blunder
I JOIN the rest of the country in the
belief that lending a billion US dollars
to the International Monetary Fund was
a blunder on the part of the Monetary
Board.
Even if we have the foreign reserves
to afford the loan, the reality is that
annually, 40 percent of our annual
budget is automatically geared towards
debt servicing. A good part of these
loans benetted only a dictator and his
cronies. This means that only 60 percent
of our national budget may be spent for
all other expenses of government. I
suspect that after deducting payroll and
basic infrastructure, very little is in fact
left of the budget to pay for delivery
of basic social services. In fact, in the
proposed 2013 budget of P2 trillion,
only P318.5 billion is earmarked for
education, social services and public
health. This is a measly 12 percent of
the total budget. And yet the Monetary
Board now says we can afford to lend
P42 billion to the IMF?
I do concede that it does look good
for the country. But public nance
should not just score pogi points. It
must prioritize, like all other public
policy decisions, what is best for the
country and its people. On this basis, I
dare say that the billion dollars could be
better spent nancing micro-livelihood
projects for the very poor, or even
earmarked for a new lending window
for the countrys hard-pressed exporters.
Yes, the professed goal of assisting
the debt crisis in Europe is noble. I have
consistently written about this crisis
since it does not appear to be high in the
list of priorities of our policy makers.
But the reality is that no one knows
exactly how much would be required
to bail out the debt-stricken economies
of Greece, Portugal and Spain. Already,
the 750-billion euro package approved
by the EU does not seem enough. While
the billion dollars which we lent may
help, the reality is the amount is too
large for us to lend, and yet too small to
solve the problem.
Besides, given that a billion will not
solve Europes nancial woes, perhaps
it would have been better to allocate
the same towards alleviating the plight
of Filipinos who will be affected by the
crisis. Here, Filipino seafarers manning
Greek vessels, as well as exporters to
the continent, should have been given
priority- if it is true that we have surplus
capital.
Which bring me to another point.
With total indebtedness of at least
$60 billion and with Budget Secretary
Florencio Abad declaring that at least
2 percent of the proposed 2013 budget
will be nanced through loans, it is
obvious that we simply cannot afford to
be a creditor. Perhaps, the billion dollars
should have been spent to retire some of
our foreign indebtedness in anticipation
of the crisis in Europe.
But beyond policy, there too is the
issue of legality. I recall that part of our
successful challenge against the legality
of the Northrail contract was that it was
not, among others, submitted to Congress
despite the very clear constitutional
requirement that no public fund shall be
spent without an appropriation provided
by law. At least 30 percent of this project
was to be nanced by public funds and
the rest nanced through a loan to be
extended by the Chinese EXIM bank.
The test in jurisprudence on what should
be covered by an appropriations law is
whether an act is likely to involve a charge
on the national treasury. And unless I am
wrong, while the Bangko Sentral has the
task of safekeeping our foreign reserves, it
does not have unrestricted powers on how
the reserves should be disbursed. Insofar
as it may have a charge on public coffers,
a law from Congress would be required.
But even assuming that congressional
approval is not required for the loan, there
is still the issue of whether the lending
falls within the powers of the Bangko
Sentral. The law creating the Bangko
Sentral had to be passed precisely because
the Central Bank of the past became
bankrupt. Nonetheless, under the new
Central Bank Act, the institution had
powers to regulate the banking industry
and to promote stability of the peso. I
doubt that the billion-dollar loan could
fall under any of these two broad legal
mandates. Perhaps, members of the Board
believed that insofar as the billion dollars
may alleviate the crisis in Europe, it might
fall under the mandate of promoting the
stability of the peso. This, though, is a
stretched argument as the usual tools in
defending the value of the peso is through
the banks mandate in determining money
supply, setting borrowing rates, and
intervention in the forex market.
The conclusion is that the billion-
dollar loan may have been ultra-vires.
JOJO
A. ROBLES
LOWDOWN
What has Aquino
been up to that is
keeping him from
acting like the Chief
Executive?
ATTY. HARRY
ROQUE JR.
VIEW FROM MALCOLM
ROLANDO G. ESTABILLO Publisher
RAMONCHITO L. TOMELDAN Managing Editor
CHIN WONG/ RAY S. EANO Associate Editors
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JOEL P. PALACIOS City Editor
ROMEL J. MENDEZ Art Director
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A5 Opinion Adelle Chua, Editor
ManilaStandardToday
mst.lettertotheeditor@gmail.com
INSIDERS say that among the 60
or so nominees for chief justice of
the Supreme Court, there are three
who would most likely make it to
the short list to be submitted by the
Judicial and Bar Council to President
Aquino.
My sources say that it will likely
be Franklin Drilon should the
President prefer a politician.
When I first wrote that Drilon was
a probable choice for chief justice
if we were to judge his unabashed
lawyering for the prosecution
during the impeachment trial of
former Chief
Justice Renato
C o r o n a h e
called me up
and said he was
not interested
in the position.
When a blind
item seemed to
point to him as
the next leader
of the Judiciary,
Drilon also
denied it, saying
he was not interested. But who
knows? He could be convinced.
Another name that is being
mentioned is that of Solicitor General
Francis Jardaleza. His credentials
seem impressive. And he did not
decline his nomination.
Of course there is Associate
Justice Antonio Carpio, who is the
most senior among the justices. If
President Aquino only respected
tradition, Carpio would be it. He
has competence, integrity, probity
and independence. The fact that
Carpio has broken ties with former
President Gloria Arroyo must be
beside the point.
I am batting for Carpio. I know he
can be truly independent.
As for Justice Secretary Leila
de Lima and Bureau of Internal
Revenue Commissioner Kim
Henares, they are better of in their
current positions. Henares is a
jewel in the administration for her
pursuit of tax cheats. De Lima,
for her part, will only make the
Judiciary a lapdog of the President
if she gets appointed.
The Judiciary truly needs healing
at this point. The Presidents
choice will be crucial.
***
Three years of litigation.
Thats how long it took for more
than 400 employees of the Bureau
of Customs assigned at the Ninoy
Aquino International Airport to
get what they have been fighting
for. The Supreme Court, through
Justice Carpio, ruled that they
should be given their overtime
pay as well as transportation and
meal allowance. The court also
directed the immediate payment
of these. The rate approved was
P50 to $1.
The decision was based on
Section 3506 of the Tariff and
Customs Code of the Philippines,
which says that a collector of
Customs can assign employees to
do overtime work at rates fixed
by the commissioner, when the
service to be rendered is to be paid
by importers, shippers or other
persons served.
That decision was handed down
almost a year ago.
Unfortunately until now, these
Customs employees still have
not been paid. Former Customs
Commissioner Angelito Alvarez,
incumbent chief Ruffy Biazon and
Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima
all have not lifted a finger to make
the airlines
pay.
The reason
for the delay is
that the Board
of Airline
Representatives
has been
objecting to the
Supreme Court
decision.
It seems
that Purisima
and Biazon are
siding with the airlines because
they have canceled overtime
services and instead opted for the
implementation of three shifts
for Customs at Naia. The move
required the hiring of 300 to 400
new Customs employees and the
spending of more than 1 billion.
The Customs employees who took
their case to court were supposed
to have been paid last May. It was
moved to June. Now it has been
moved to November.
Worse, Purisima and Biazon want
the airlines to course the payment
through them. What is going on?
***
Children of incumbent and former
senators have been mentioned as
strong contenders for the Senate race
next year. They are Jackie Ponce
Enrile, son of Senate President Juan
Ponce Enrile; San Juan Rep. JV
Ejercito, son of former President
Joseph Estrada by San Juan Mayor
Guia Gomez; Aurora Rep. Sonny
Angara, son of Senator Ed Angara;
and Customs Commissioner Ruffy
Biazon, son of former senator and
now Muntinlupa Rep. Rodolfo
Biazon.
Enrile and Ejercito are projected
to be in the Magic 13. Enrile should
benefit from his fathers sterling
performance during the impeachment
trial, while Ejercito is sure to gain
from his fathers following among
the masses.
The Senate seems o have become
a family affair with family members
serving together or one taking over
the post of the other. We already
have the Estradas, Cayetanos and
Pimentels. Is this healthy for a
democracy? I wonder.
Unpaid overtime
work
Its just grammar
HOW essential is communication to a
corporation?
How important is it for todays
workers to possess communication
skills?
The answer seems to vary among
the different sectors. There are private
corporations, whose revenues depend
upon the sales of products, that place
such a high value on communication that
they retain high-powered advertising
agencies to craft the strategies that
enable their message to be transmitted
to a vast audience using mass media,
thereby providing potential customers
with information about their products.
They also hire employees who
have good communication skills, both
written and spoken, who create their
messages for their internal audiences.
Often, the employees who have the
best communication skills become
the spokespersons, receptionists, and
greetersthe ones who face the public.
There seems to be a larger gap in this
respect when it comes to some public
agencies and corporations. The concept
of branding is almost unknown or
haphazardly practiced.
Communication and communication
skills may not be included in their
overall strategic plan. Thus, policy
emanating from the top is inadequately
cascaded both internallyto their
employees and externallyto their
customers or the general public.
Organizations that fail to see
communication as an essential
aspect of their corporate strategy are
likely to transmit messages that are
misunderstood by both their internal
and external publics.
What is communication?
As a concept, it is easy to understand
it is simply the sharing of meaning.
Effective communication, the kind
that achieves its objectives to inform and
persuade, should be as uncomplicated
and unambiguous as possible. Use of
jargon, beloved among the business
and technical crowd as a symbol of
belonging to a special in-group, should
be eschewed because it tends to alienate
others and is difcult to interpret.
Effective communication is carefully
presented and awless in terms of
grammar and style.
Quite often, the number-crunchers
within an organization scoff, Whats
so important about grammar?
Grammar is integral to the use of
language, both written and spoken.
Language is the tool humans use to
communicate. And it is through its
communication strategies that an
organization shows its face to the public.
If an organization is willing to be
sloppy in this respect, then it takes
the risk that this failing will lead to
the publics negative perception of
the organization and its mission and
activities.
As a consequence, damage control
has to be applied. The cycle continues
ad innitum.
Thats bad for the organization; it
dances one step forward, two steps
back, retarding forward momentum
and wasting time by having to apply a
x.
But its good for writers and spin
doctorsmore work for them.
It would be great to see a greater
awareness of the importance of
communication in the public sector.
Among the public agencies that already
acknowledge the need for excellent
communication skills are Malacaang
Palace and the Department of Tourism.
Good communication is so
important to the Palace that it formed
the Presidential Communications
Group, under which are the Presidential
Communications Development and
Strategic Planning Ofce (with no less
than secretary rank given to its current
head), the Presidential Spokesman,
and the Presidential Communications
Operations Ofce.
The Group has spruced up the
ofcial Palace Web sites and launched
social media campaigns on Facebook
and Twitter in order to get its messages
to as many people as possible.
Other public agencies such as the
Senate and Congress have followed
suit.
The DoT relied on the expertise of an
advertising agency for its Its More Fun
in the Philippines global campaign
our countrys face to the world.
May the excellent example set by
these agencies be followed by others; it
would be a great service to the public
indeed if effective communication by
government were the norm rather than
the exception.
By William Pesek
RED warning signs are ashing again in
Bangkok, the capital of Thailand.
Were not talking about ashing
lights of emergency vehiclesalthough
that might yet prove to be the case
but the T-shirts of protesters loyal to
Thaksin Shinawatra, the billionaire
prime minister ousted in 2006 and
still dominating Thailand from exile.
Tens of thousands of Red Shirt
Thaksin loyalists took to the streets
Sunday supporting amendments to the
constitution that would get their hero
closer to returning home.
Opposition parties and the judiciary
are determined to keep out a man they
view as no less Machiavellian than
Richard Nixon. So resolute, in fact,
that they have resorted to warping the
nations democratic institutions to head
off his return. It proves that almost
six years since Thaksins departure,
Thailands government is no more
credible or efcient than it was under
his leadership.
Whats a troubled, stuck-in-2006
nation to do? Let Thaksin return and get
this mess over with once and for all.
Not that Thaksin, the Silvio
Berlusconi of Asia, deserves a single
baht of his money back. Like the former
Italian prime minister, Thaksin used his
business connections to ascend to the
leadership. Once there, he bent politics
to the will of his family enterprises. The
Thai state seized about $1.5 billion of
Thaksins fortune once he was driven
from power, and he wants it back.
Three successes
Thaksin has been extraordinarily
successful at three things since eeing
to avoid prison: playing the victim,
drumming up support overseas and
distracting Thailands leaders from
moving on.
Its time to call his bluff. Let the man
return and prove that hes not the crook
that opposition forces claim. Force him
to demonstrate hes about more than just
recouping his wealth. Make him stand
before the Thai masses and explain his
vision.
Will it be messy? Yes. Might the
Red Shirts and the Yellow Shirts
loyal to Thaksins opposition renew the
huge protests that cost more than 100
lives? Absolutely. It might be worth it
because theres no election or judicial
decision on the horizon to return the
Land of Smiles to its former glory.
And thats a problem. Investors have
been patientand well rewarded
with a place that has suffered 18 coup
attempts in the past eight decades. Its 67
million people gure large in the global
supply chains of industries such as autos
and technology, helping to sustain fast
growth ratesan estimated 5 percent
this year. That has made Thailand a
must-invest market.
But Thailands perpetual crisis is
testing tolerance. Major oods last year
werent the fault of Thaksins sister,
Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.
Her unsteady handling of the deluge that
breached Bangkoks defenses conrmed
concerns that she is both inexperienced
and a proxy for her brother as he nagles
a way back into power.
Signs of incompetence and favoritism
are what can cost a country like Thailand
opportunities and jobs. At a time when
developing nations try to become
less reliant on export-led growth and
Europes crisis is deepening, Bangkok
is preoccupied with a man in exile. The
way to end this saga is obvious.
Thaksin based himself in Dubai, but
has visited everywhere from China to
Japan to Montenegro (where he secured
a passport) to the U.K. (he owned, for
a time, soccer team Manchester City).
Recently, he embarked on a tour of
neighboring Cambodia and Laos,
fueling speculation he was circling
Thailand to signal that hes closing in.
Str aight face
Somehow, Thaksin keeps a straight
face as he compares himself to South
Africas Nelson Mandela or Indias
Mahatma Gandhi. Yet every stop
Thaksin makes is an opportunity to play
the martyr for the local media. Each visit
is a chance to organize major rallies and
embarrass ofcials in Bangkok.
China tends to send its loudest
critics overseas to marginalize their
impact, Chen Guangcheng being a
recent example. Thailand is nding
that model doesnt work when the
detractor in question can hire Edelman
Public Relations and the Washington
lobbying rm of Haley Barbour, a
former Mississippi governor, to burnish
his image.
Why Thaksin has such a hold
over millions of Thais, many of them
desperately poor, is a fascinating
question. Thaksin tossed piles of cash
at rural communities, a windfall that
convinced locals that they were voting
in their economic interest when they
voted for Thaksin. Some probably
were. His health-care programs proved
very popular. Yet this solid powerbase
enabled Thaksin to bypass the nations
governing elites, mainly on the way to
familial enrichment.
Its time to stop blaming Thaksin
alone. Its not like Thai leaders,
generals and judges have seen to the
nations political development since
then. Nostalgia for Thaksin would
be negligible had they abided by
democratic standards.
Thailand could spend another six
years obsessing over all things Thaksin.
Or it could just bring him home, and
sort out this mess. Bloomber g
Asias Berlusconi
EMIL
P. JURADO
TO THE POINT
By Paul Wiseman
BRUSSELSWhen they meet
Thursday and Friday in Brussels,
leaders of the 27 countries in the
European Union will face a daunting
task: Find a solution to a debt crisis
thats spread misery across Europe,
raised doubts about the euro currency,
rattled investors and threatened global
growth.
Investors have driven up interest
rates on Spanish and Italian debt
to unsustainable levels, raising the
risk those big countries will need a
bailout the rest of Europe cant afford.
Unemployment in the 17 countries that
use the euro is 11 percent, the highest
since the euro was adopted in 1999.
A $125 billion plan to bail out
Spanish banks has failed to calm
nancial markets. Even an election
that brought a pro-euro-alliance Greek
government to power failed to reassure
investors that Greece would continue to
pay its bills, keep using the euro and
avoid a nancial crackup that could set
off a worldwide panic.
Still, any proposals that might be
approved at the summit may not be bold
or fast enough to turn back the threats
closing in on Europe. And Germany,
wary of being stuck with the bill for a
rescue plan, might veto the ideas rst.
Were seeing faster movement
on the policy front, says Barry
Eichengreen, an economist at the
University of California, Berkeley.
The problem is, the crisis doesnt
wait.
Tackling debt
The worldwide nancial crisis and
the recession that followed ripped a
hole in the budgets of many European
governments, leaving them with huge
debts. Greeces government debt now
equals 165 percent of annual output; in
Italy, its 120 percent; in Ireland, 108
percent.
Economists say anything above 90
percent saps an economys health. Bond
investors, worried about the debt, are
demanding higher interest rates. The
result is that many countries borrowing
costs have reached unsustainable
levels. Ireland, Portugal and Greece
have already needed bailouts to pay
their bills. Spain is receiving a loan
to save its banks, and on Tuesday its
borrowing costs soared in a pair of
short-term auctions. Cyprus this week
became the fth European country to
request a bailout.
Bailout money could run short if big
countries like Italy need rescues, too.
Fixing banks
Europe doesnt just have a
government debt crisis. It has a banking
crisis, too. A collapse in housing prices
buried Spanish and Irish banks in bad
real estate loans. To rescue its banks,
Irelands government needed a $106
billion bailout. Now Spain needs a
$125 billion loan from the rest of the
eurozone to rebuild its banks capital
their defense against losses. At
the same time, banks across Europe
have been the biggest buyers of their
governments bonds. So as yields have
surged and the bonds have declined in
value, banks have suffered losses.
Finally, Europe faces the risk of banks
runs: Greek depositors are withdrawing
money from banks because they fear Greece
will stop using the euro. If that happened,
their savings would be devastated as their
deposits were shifted from euros into Greek
currency worth perhaps half as much. Bank
runs could spread if depositors elsewhere
worried that their countries might also
abandon the euro.
Easing up on Gr eece
The coalition government that
emerged from Greeces June 17 election
has said its willing to make the painful
budget cuts required under a bailout
deal agreed to in March. Greek voters
chose that approach over a government
that would have rejected the bailout and
likely led Greece out of the eurozone.
But the new government wants more
time. If Greece isnt granted more time
and fails to meet the targets, the EU,
the European Central Bank and the
International Monetary Fund will have
to decide whether to withhold further
installments of bailout money.
Without the money, Greece would
default on its debts and probably stop
using the euro. But Germany is resisting
efforts to go easy on the Greeks. Greece
spent recklessly, delayed reforming
its economy and for years misled the
rest of the world about its precarious
nances. Its now struggling with 22
percent unemployment.
Stimulating gr owth
Everyone agrees Europe needs
growth, which would help troubled
countries pay their bills. Leaders of
France, Germany, Italy and Spain
agreed last week to push for a growth
package worth up to $163 billion.
But the plan is relatively modest. The
money is expected to consist mostly of
European funds already earmarked for
development.
Analysts worry that most of the
proposals to aid Europe would take
too long to work. The European
Commissions banking plans wouldnt
take full effect until 2018not soon
enough to calm depositors in troubled
Spanish banks or allay fears of a
banking crisis. And there might not be
enough bailout money to back more
than $3.1 trillion in combined Italian
and Spanish debt.
Some analysts want to see the ECB
act more aggressively. They want the
central bank to pump money into the
nancial system by lowering short-
term rates and buying bonds to push
down long-term rates as the US Federal
Reserve has done. But Germany
worries that aggressive action by the
ECB would unleash ination.
As the eurozones largest economy,
accounting for more than a quarter of
its output, Germany is strong enough
to support its weaker neighbors. But
German taxpayers fear being stuck
with a disproportionate share of the bill
for bailouts.
To ease that concern, top European
ofcials have urged eurozone countries
to yield more control over their national
budgets. The plan is meant as a grand
vision to save the euro and set up
negotiations at this weeks summit. AP
An ambitious agenda
JENNY
ORTUOSTE
POP GOES THE WORLD
For how much
longer do the
Customs employees
have to wait?
News
ManilaStandardToday
mst.daydesk@gmail.com JUNE 28, 2012 THURSDAY
A6
PNoy signs QC districting law

IN BRIEF
Manila ofcial defends
new policy for workers
More engineers needed
as buildings rise in QC
Ex-mayor convicted of killing cop,
Manila
Standard
TODAY
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND HIGHWAYS
Offce of the District Engineer
LA UNION 1
st
ENGINEERING DISTRICT
OFFICE OF THE DISTRICT ENGINEER
Lingsat, San Fernando City

INVITATION TO BID
The Department of Public Works and Highways, La Union First
Engineering District, through its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), invites
contractors to apply to bid for the contract listed below:
1. Contract No. : 12AE0073 (Clustered)
Contract Name : Completion/Rehabilitation of Various Multi
Purpose Buildings within San Fernando City,
La Union
Scope of Work : BIL
Approved Budget for
the Contract (ABC): P 5,445,000.00
(SARO No. BMB-A-12T000001349 dated May
3, 2012) PDAF of Hon. Francisco Emmanuel
Ortega, III, ABONO Party List
Duration : 120 calendar days
Project
No.
Name of Project Approved
Budget Cost
1 Completion of MPB at Narra Oeste, San Fernando City, La Union P495,000.00
2 Completion of MPB at Biday, San Fernando City, La Union P495,000.00
3 Completion of MPB at San Francisco, San Fernando City, La Union P495,000.00
4 Completion of MPB at Pias, San Fernando City, La Union P495,000.00
5 Completion of MPB at Mameltac, San Fernando City, La Union P495,000.00
6 Completion of MPB at Dallangayan Este, San Fernando City, La Union P495,000.00
7 Completion of MPB at Santiago Sur, San Fernando City, La Union P495,000.00
8 Completion of MPB at Ilocanos Norte, San Fernando City, La Union P495,000.00
9 Completion of MPB at Pagdaraoan, San Fernando City, La Union P495,000.00
10 Completion of MPB at Catbangen, San Fernando City, La Union P495,000.00
11 Completion of MPB at Barangay 1 (Poblacion), San Fernando City, La
Union
P495,000.00
Total ABC= P5,445,000.00
Procurement will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures
in accordance with R.A. 9184 and its Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations.
To bid for this contract, a contractor must submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) and
must meet the following major criteria; (a) prior with DPWH, (b) Filipino citizen or
75% Filipino owned partnership, corporation, cooperative, or joint venture with PCAB
license applicable to the type and cost of this contract, (c) completion of a similar
contract costing at least 50% of ABC within a period of 10 years, and (d) Net Financial
Contracting Capacity at least equal to ABC, or credit line commitment for at least 10%
of ABC. The BAC will use non-discretionary pass/fail criteria in the eligibility check and
preliminary examination of bids.
Unregistered contractors, however, shall submit their application for
registration to the DPWH-POCW Central Offce before the deadline for the receipt
of LOI. The DPWH-POCW Central Offce will only process contractors applications
for registration, with complete requirements, and issue the Contractors Certifcate of
Registration (CRC). Registration Forms may be downloaded at the DPWH website
www.dpwh.gov.ph.
The signifcant times and deadlines of procurement activities are shown below:
1. Receipt of LOI from Prospective Bidders June 25-July 20, 2012
2. Issuance of Bid Documents June 25-July 23, 2012
3. Pre-bid Conference (Contract ID No. 12AE0073) 10:00 A.M. on July 10, 2012
4. Receipt of Bids Deadline: 12 Noon, July 24, 2012
5. Opening of Bids 2:00 P.M. on July 24, 2012
The BAC will Issue hard copies of Bidding Documents (BDs) at the DPWH
La Union First Engineering District, Lingsat, City of San Fernando, La Union, upon
payment of a non-refundable fee of P10,000.00 per D.O. 52 series of 2011.
Prospective bidders may also download the BDs, if available, from the DPWH
website. Prospective bidders that will download the BDs from the DPWH website
shall pay the said fees on or before the submission of their bids Documents. Bids
must accompanied by a bid security, in the amount and acceptable form, as stated in
Section 27.0 of the Revised IRR.
The Department of Public Works and Highways La Union First Engineering
District reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bid to annul the bidding process
anytime before Contract award, without incurring any liability to the affected bidders.
Approved by:
(Sgd.) ISABELO V. LOPEZ, JR
BAC Chairman
Noted:
(Sgd.) ELPIDIO C. PARAGAS
District Engineer
(MST-JUNE 28, 2012)
No cameras in court
please. A jail guard
prevents a journalist from
bringing in a camera and
recording equipment at
the trial of the Maguin-
danao massacre at Camp
Bagong Diwa in Taguig
City on Wednesday. Pros-
ecutor Nena Santos said
a man who was fatally
shot in February was a
potential witness in the
massacre. The victim was
the latest of six witness-
es, would-be witnesses
and their relatives who
have been gunned down
since the massacre trial
began in 2010.
AP/Bullit Marquez
President Aquino had signed the bill
into law just last Monday because the law
was to lapse on July 7, said a Quezon City
ofcial, who asked not to be named for
lack of authority to speak on the matter.
The ofcial said the new law still does
not have a Republic Act number since that
is still being processed by Palace ofcials,
but she told Manila Standard Today that
several political families in Quezon City
are already preparing to contest positions
created by the new law.
The ofcial said former Bulacan
provincial board member Romeo Allan
Robes is gearing to run as councilor of
the new District 6 and has actively joined
the district activities of his District 2
Councilor Precious Hipolito-Castelo, the
wife of incumbent District 2 Rep. Winston
Winnie Castelo.
Robes, who only recently resigned as
Bulacan provincial board member, is the
husband of District 4 Councilor Jessica
Castelo-Daza, the daughter of former
congresswoman Nanette Castelo-Daza,
who is in turn the sister of Winnie.
Robes is the principal accused in the
killing of Noel Orate Sr., Nanettes long-time
boyfriend, who was shot dead in Nanettes
home at 51 Maningning St., Barangay
Teachers Village- East on Feb. 10.
The source said veteran Quezon
City councilors Ramon Medalla, Aiko
Melendez and Restituto Malangen will
also try to return to the city council,
representing the new District 6 composed
of Barangays Sauyo, Baesa, Balon-
bato, Unang Sigaw, Apolonio Samson,
Sangandaan, Tandang Sora, Pasong Tamo,
Culiat and New Era.
She said other politicians who have
expressed interest in running for District
6s council seats are former councilors
Lala Sotto, Wencerom Lagumbay and Rey
Herrera, brother of incumbent District 1
Councilor Alexis Herrera and Bagong
Henerasyon party-list Rep. Bernadette
Herrera-Dy, and Donato Matias, the citys
current chief of the Market Development
and Administration Department.
Lagumbay is the son of incumbent
District 3 Councilor Eufemio Lagumbay.
Another source said Restituto Malangen
has bought a house in District 5, where he
will run for councilor in 2013, and not in
District 6.
The ranking city hall ofcial said a
nephew of Daza and Castelo, Carl Castelo
Cupino, is also expected to run for
counciulor of District 5.
Because of the redistricting law,
incumbent District 2 Councilor Godofredo
Liban, who lives in Novaliches, will
be forced to seek reelection in District
5, composed of Barangays Greater
Lagro, Pasong Putik, North Fairview,
Kaligayahan, Sta. Lucia, San Agustin,
Novaliches Proper, Nagkaisang Nayon,
Sta. Monica, Capri, San Bartolome,
Bagbag, Gulod and Talipapa, she said.
By Rio N. Araja

PRESIDENT Aquino signed into law the act
reapportioning the second legislative district of
Quezon City and creating two new legislative
districts and twelve new seats in the city
council.
FORMER town mayor Albert
Ambagan of Amadeo, Cavite will serve
24 years in jail after the Sandiganbayan
rst division found him guilty of
killing policeman Reynaldo Santos
and resident Domingo Bawalan in a
shootout in July 2004.
Also found guilty of two counts
of homicide were barangay chairman
Domingo Villasis, Amadeo town
councilor Michael Malabanan, and
civil security volunteers Celestino
Garcia and Roger Causaren.
The court also acquitted accused
Alberto Angcanan, Juanito Loyola,
Melanio Bayot, Flor Amparo and
Rosendo Causaren.
Santos, intelligence head of the
Cavite Police Provincial Mobile Group,
apprehended Ambagans security men
on a highway in Barangay Tamacan in
Amadeo around midnight of July 5, 2004
for carrying high-powered rearms.
According to witness Ronnel
Bawalan, the brother of Domingo,
Ambagan arrived at the policfe station
later that morning to ask Santos to release
the arrested men, but the slain policeman
reprimanded Ambagan instead.
Ronnel testied that he saw an
exchange of gunre, prompting him
to ee to the highway, but Santos
was able to send a text message to his
fellow policeman Benigno Cabillo,
rushed to the station.
But Cabillo only saw the dead
bodies of Santos, Bawalan, Ambagans
companions SPO4 Leandro Causaren
of the Manila Police District, security
aide Rene Amparo, and private
secretary Edrilin Jamon.
During the trial, Ambagan denied
Ronnels testimony and claimed that
Santos was the one who rst opened
re at his men. Merck Maguddayao
By Macon Ramos-Araneta
MANILA City legal ofcer Renato dela
Cruz told a Manila regional trial court on
Monday that there was nothing irregular in
asking for the personal data sheets of the
employees assigned to the Ofce of the
Vice Mayor and the City Council because
Mayor Alfredo Lim only wants to correct
a irregular and anomalous procedure at
the city hall.
Were not saying there are ghosts here,
Dela Cruz told Judge Daniel Villanueva of
Branch 49 during the continuation of the
hearing on the petition for preliminary in-
junction led by dismissed city hall work-
ers who wanted to stop city ofcials from
requiring that the employees should rst
submit the personal data sheets before they
could collect their salaries.
But Dela Cruz maintained there was
nothing wrong with the policy because the
city only wanted to properly identify the
employees.
But the lawyer of the more than 1000 dis-
missed city hall workers, Venus Lladoc, said
the new requirement was issued only on June
21, or a day after the court granted the dis-
missed workers petition for a writ of prelimi-
nary mandatory injunction on June 20.
The writ ordered the reinstatement of
the dismissed workers and directed City
Treasurer Marissa De Guzman and City
Budget Ofcer Heidi Rosero to pay their
salaries. It also stopped the enforcement of
Executive Order No. 15, which directed a
mass lay-off.
Lladoc said the order for the submission
of personal data sheets was a clear deance
of the court order, noted Lladoc, who also
submitted a plea to cite De Guzman and
Rosero in contempt of court. They were
given 10 days to answer the plea.
Meanwhile, Dela Cruz also asked Vil-
lanueva to recuse himself from continuing
to hear the case due to apparent partiality.
Taking cognizance of the testimony of
Vice Mayor Isko Moreno, the judge held
that before the lay-off of the employees, he
and the majority of the city council mem-
bers bolted from their alliance with the
incumbent mayor and pledged allegiance
to the party of former president Joseph Es-
trada.
The judge said these factors may lend
political color to the current imbroglio,
but he defended his decision, saying it is
the prerogrative of the court to render its
opinion that will have its effect and is
binding irrespective of whether its cor-
rect or not.
There will be no end to litigation if
we keep on challenging all opinions of the
court, he added.
WITH more high-rise buildings being
constructed in Quezon City, the citys
building ofcial is recruiting competent
civil, electrical and mechanical engineers
to join the city government and beef up
its capability to inspect no less than 3,000
rapidly growing city.
City Building Ofcial Isagani Verzosa
said Mayor Herbert Bautista has approved
the immediate hiring of at least 30 engi-
neers to bolster their capability to monitor
and inspect buildings within the city.
Verzosa explained that the city already
has 100 licensed civil, electrical and me-
chanical engineers from the University of
the Philippines, University of Sto. Tomas,
Far Eastern University, Mapua Institute of
Technology and Technological Institute of
the Philippines.
But the engineers are divided into teams
of three or four that are deployed to vari-
ous areas of the city to inspect buildings to
ensure that they comply with safety stan-
dards.
Each team is just capable of inspecting
two structures a day, Verzosa said. We
need to fast track our inspections.
May we invite engineering graduates
who have passed the licensure to try work-
ing for the government and serve for pub-
lic interest, Verzosa said.
The hiring of new engineers was an-
nounced as several high-rise buildings neared
completion in various places in the city.
The tallest building in Quezon City will
be the Aspire Tower residential condomin-
ium in Libis and it is expected to be turned
over to residents later this year. The entire
project consists of ve high-rise condo-
miniums.
Other high-rise buildings that will be
completed soon are the developments of
SM Development Corp. which has a num-
ber of projects in the city, including the
Princeton Residences on Gilmore which
will also be turned over later this year.
Versoza said there are even more small
buildings that are more likely to be viola-
tive of safety regulations.
He said they are still waiting for the
mayors approval of their request for more
vehicles so that their inspection teams can
go around the city and check if building
administrators or owners have complied
with the provisions of the National Build-
ing Code. Rio N. Araja
Kids of slain cops get
increase in allowances
THE National Police Commission
has approved the increase in the
allowances of the children of
policemen who died in the line of
duty.
Interior Secretary and Napolcom
Chairman Jesse Robredo has signed
Memorandum Circular No. 2012-001
approving the increase in the educa-
tional benets for the kids of fallen
policemen.
This will enable the grantees to
cope with the continued inationary
costs of tuition and miscellaneous
school expenses prescribed by the
different institutions of learning, es-
pecially this coming school year,
Robredo said.
For elementary students, they will
be receiving P12,000 per school as
compared to the previous P8,000. For
high school scholars, from P11,000 to
P16,000; and those enrolled in techni-
cal-vocational courses, P12,000 from
the previous P9,000.
College scholars, on the other
hand, will have an P8,000 increase
from their allowances, from P14,000
to P22,000 per school year.
Robredo said children of police-
men who were permanently inca-
pacitated in the line of duty are also
entitled to the same increase under
the Napolcoms scholarship program.
Ferdinand Fabella

2 young men killed
in Quezon Ave mishap
TWO still-unidentied young men
were killed after the car they were
riding rammed into a bank on Quezon
Avenue in Barangay West Triangle,
Quezon City at dawn Wednesday.
Trafc police investigator Felicis-
simo Cuaresma said the victims suf-
fered from severe head and body in-
juries. Their bodies were brought to
the East Avenue Medical Center.
According to Cuaresma, an identi-
ed card under the name of Michael
Angelo Sy was recovered from the
victims red Honda Civic (license
plate TER-520) but they are uncer-
tain whether the ID belongs to the
victims. Sy, based on the ID, is an
employee of the Philippine National
Railways.
The victims car was traversing
Quezon Avenue so fast but the driver
lost control and hit a passenger jeep-
ney that was parked in the area before
it rammed into a concrete wall of the
Bank of the Philippine Islands. Po-
licemen claimed both victims were
drunk during the tragedy.
Jonathan Fernandez
A7 Sports Riera U. Mallari, Editor
ManilaStandardToday
sports_mstandard@yahoo.com
The three Filipino Olympians
are going to train in the compa-
ny of other athletes from other
nations during the three-week
camp set in world-class venues
under a world-class atmosphere
courtesy of the London Organ-
izing Committee for Olympic
Games.
It (training camp) will de-
nitely be of great help to our
athletes. They will get a feel of
how it is to be in the Olympics,
Philippine team chief of mission
Manny Lopez said yesterday.
Leaving with them on board
a Cathay Pacic plane rst
bound for HK before taking
off for a long 16-hour journey
to the British capital are swim-
ming coach Carlos Brosas,
shooting mentor Josena Mau-
ricio-Corral and administrative
ofcer Arsenic Lacson.
Lopez, who is also the Philip-
pine Olympic Committee rst
vice president, said joining the
camp will also help the Filipino
In Memoriam
Margaret Yu
3 Olympians join camp
SHOOTER Brian Rosario and swim-
mers Jasmine Alkhaldi and Jessie Kh-
ing Lacuna make up the rst batch of
Filipino athletes leaving this evening for
Hong Kong en route to London to join
a free training camp ahead of the 30th
Olympic Games.
IN BRIEF
Top guns arrive for Bolo Cup
FIVE-TIME International Practical
Shooting Confederation world
champion Eric Grauffel and United
States Practical Shooting Association
grand master Simon JJ Racaza will
be arriving for the 12th Demetrio
Bolo Tuason Cup slated at the
Arms Corporation of the Philippines
shooting range in Marikina from July
12 to 15.
The 32-year-old Grauffel is
legendary for his winning streak,
having won his first French National
Championship at the age of 15 and
outshooting other competitors to
capture 191 President Medals to date.
He won the 2011 IPSC World Shoot
championship in Greece and has been
undefeated since 1999. The Cebu-
born Racaza on the other hand was
the top qualifier of the US Gold Team
for the 2010 International Shooting
Sport Federation World Shooting
Championships and currently works
as an agent for the US Department of
Homeland Security.
According to Armscor Shooting
Ranges, Inc. president Gina Marie
Angangco, the four-day event
promises to be bigger and even
more exciting with over 500 local
and foreign shooters from Asia, the
United States and Europe expected to
compete in five divisions.
THE late Mrs.
Margare t Yu, wife
of the late Mr. Yu
Khe Shiong was a
dear family friend
and bridge mate.
Mrs. Yu passed
away at the venerable age of One Hundred Four
years old.
After the Funeral Mass on June 21, 2012 at the Ca-
pilla de San Antonio Parish the family had requested
me to speak about Mrs. Yu. I was very honored to
have been one of two selected.
Auntie Margaret as she was fondly called by our
Lopez family was a longtime family friend dating
back to the 1940s. Auntie Margaret and Papa Mon
were friends of my parents, my late father Cong. Pe-
dro Lopez of Cebu where the friendship was formed.
We even stayed at their home briey shortly after
World War II.
While I was not able to witness her prowess as a
bridge champion when she played for the Philippine
Ladies team in the exacting international bridge tour-
naments, I was able to see what a great bridge player
she was when in the later years of the 1990s we formed
a partnership and played regularly at Mary Fabies
bridge games at the Manila Peninsula. She was also
unfailing in playing at my Alejandro Duplicate Bridge
game on Tuesdays at the Manila Polo Club.
Villamor dominates Riviera
VILLAMOR flashed top form and
frolicked in the third leg of the 2012
Champion Infinity WGAP Circuit
presented by Pacsports, ruling Class-
es A and B in contrasting fashions and
seizing the overall lead at the Riv-
iera Golf and Country Club in Silang,
Cavite recently.
Sam Martirez, Harmie Constantino,
Chanelle Avaricio, and Jo Barredo
combined for 153 under the Modi-
fied Stableford scoring system as Vil-
lamor nipped Tagaytay Highlands in
the countback the sum of the handi-
caps of the four players, who counted
in 10-to-play, four-to-count format
event to clinch the victory in the
centerpiece division of the event.
Tagaytay settled for second, while
Sta. Elena placed third with 152 in the
most disputed contest so far in the cir-
cuit organized by the Womens Golf
Association of the Phils.
Gie Bote of Tagaytay took the indi-
vidual title with 43 points.
MARK Anthony Barriga has to
go at it alone.
The International Boxing
Association on Tuesday in-
formed the Amateur Boxing
Association of the Philippines
that its request for lightweight
boxer Charly Suarez to be ac-
corded an invitation to the
London Olympics has been
denied.
In an email to ABAP pres-
ident Ricky Vargas, AIBA
executive director Ho Kim
wrote, after numerous
discussions with IOC, the
quota in the weight category
which you requested was re-
turned to AIBA since IOC
could not find a suitable
place in the Tripartite Se-
lection. Therefore, follow-
ing the Olympic Qualifying
Guidelines approved by the
IOC Executive Board, the
next Best Boxer from the
2011 AIBA World Boxing
Championships is supposed
to be selected.
Following the Competi-
tion Protocol list, we regretta-
bly found out that your boxer
does not meet the qualica-
tion to be the next Best Boxer
in your continent. We would
like to truly express our re-
gret to inform you on such
matter, Kim added
bets acclimatize early with the
environment awaiting them in
London.
The earlier they go there,
the better for them. Besides,
they will train alongside athletes
whom they can possibly play
against in the Olympic proper,
he said of the PH team, which
is supported by the International
Container Terminal Services
Inc., Bank of Philippine Islands,
Mizuno, Samsonite, Petron,
Smart Sports, Philippine Sports
Commission and Philracom.
Weighlifter Hidilyn Diaz,
long jumper Marestella Torres,
steeplechaser Rene Herrera and
boxer Mark Anthony Barriga
will also join the camp, which
is free of charge and intro-
duced in the games for the very
rst time.
Next to leave for the camp
is Diaz, whos ying on July 1,
along with her coach Antonio
Agustin, while Torres, Herrera
and athletics coach Joseph Sy
follow suit three days later on
July 4. Barriga and mentor Roel
Velasco leave on July 5.
The rest of the 11-member
PH squadjudoka Tomohiko
Hoshina, archers Rachel Anne
Cabral and Mark Javier, BMX
rider Daniel Caluag, cycling of-
cial Stephanie Barragan and
coaches Chung Jae Hun of ar-
chery and Yasuhiro Sato of ju-
do--are scheduled to take off on
July 19.
On Monday night, the PH team
was treated to a lively sendoff
party in which President Aquino
challenged them to shock the
world once more in a speech
read for him by Energy secretary
Rene Almendras.
SYLVIA LOPEZ
ALEJANDRO
When Angelina Cockrell and I would visit her
at her lovely apartment in the Pacic Plaza Tower
she would regale us with what her doctor told her.
Her eyesight failing, her hearing failing but her
mind very sound.
Just before her birthday on May 25 I had called
to be able to arrange a date when I could visit her.
It was Stevie who took my call and informed me
that she was at St. Lukes. Stevie said she had un-
dergone an operation but I could visit her there.
Auntie Margaret was at the ICU on May 25
th
her
104
th
birthday. It was with great joy that I was al-
lowed entry and together with Pacita her loyal and
faithful hand maiden and the hospital staff we sing
Happy Birthday to her. With great emotion I could
feel her return my grip when I pressed her right hand.
No farewells for us Auntie Margaret. Im sure
you will be bidding all the seven notrump and I
will ask your assistance to do some here. Love you
Auntie Margaret.
You are an outstanding and loving mother, a dear
dear friend and above all a great grande deme!

MONACO WINS 2012 EUROPEAN OPEN
CHAMPIONSHIP
Neapolitan Club congratulates the Team of Mo-
naco upon the victory. These are the champions (a
transnational team): Fulvio Fantoni and Claudio
Nunes (Italy); Geir Helgemo and Thor Helness
(Norway); Franck Multon (France); Pierre Zim-
mermann (Switzerland); Jean Charles Allavena
(Monaco, non playing captain); Krzysztof Martens
(Poland, coach).
The Netherlands got to second place: Sjoert Brink,
Bas Drijver, Bauke Muller, Ricco Van Prooijen, Louk
Verhees, Jr. Simon De Wijs, Eric Laurant (non play-
ing captain). Third comes Italy: Lorenzo Lauria, Al-
fredo Versace, Giorgio Duboin, Antonio Sementa,
Norberto Bocchi, Agustin Madala.
Fourth, fth, and sixth, that is the other three
teams that entered the 2013 Bermuda Bowl, are
respectively England, Poland and Germany.
I was very happy for the victory of that dynamic
duo Fulvio Fantoni and Claudio Nunes the No. 1
and No. 2 World ranking of the bridge players. I
have closely followed their playing prowess.

I feature a most interesting account sourced from
Bridge Base Online on how to execute a squeeze.
WAKE UP EITH A SQUEEZE
By GHoria (Horia Garbea)
Once upon a time there was a beautiful green
forest, yet very cold and unwelcoming. Somewhere
in the middle of this forest, as often happens in the
bizarre world of fairy tales, lived a young girl. How
come she ended up living there nobody knows.
What can a girl do in the forest all by herself?
She just killed time over the internet, playing
bridge, chess and MMORPGs with whomever she
could nd online.
Being a young attractive girl she was looking for
more than virtual worlds. She would have loved
some live games! While searching for the perfect
guy online she met a wicked old sorcerer on BBO.
He seemed charming at rst but eventually she got
sick of his perverted advances and she blocked
him. The sorcerer was so mad that he sent her an
email from a fake address and cursed her with a
tricky bridge deal. The curse said that if she didnt
make her 3NT contract with those good 27HCP
she would fall in a deep sleep along with the whole
forest. To be continued
Suarezs
request
denied
POLAR, the market leader and pioneer
of heart rate training technology, has
now released its latest training gadget,
the Polar RCX5 via Sports Resources
Inc., the countrys leading exclusive
distributor of top-notch international
sporting specialty goods and equipment
brands. The rst product of new genera-
tion training computers for performance
athletes, Polar RCX5s cutting-edge
technology props up heart rate training
better than ever before by concentrating
on endurance training and all its aspects,
from planning, training to analyzing.
The product sports a slim, functional
design which makes it the ultimate train-
ing gadget for multisport endurance
athletes. Among Polar RCX5s multi-
features are the ZoneOptimizer (which
guides wearers to train at the right in-
tensity to get the training effect), Race
Pace (which allows users to set a target
time for a certain distance), Sport Pro-
les (provide easy adjustments in ones
training thus enabling a quick switch
between sports during training), and
new sensors like the G5 GPS sensor
(measures speed/pace and distance and
allows users to see their route on the
new map view, including review of all
training data at any point of the route)
and an s3+ stride sensor (which comes
with a new, rm shoe attachment which
guarantees more accurate speed/pace
and distance measurement). Available in
smart black and striking red colors and
comes in four different product sets with
different sensors, the Polar RCX5 is now
available at RUNNR, selected Tobys
stores and in major sporting good stores
nationwide. For details, visit www.polar.
or call 651-7777 loc 845.
New Polar RCX5 training gadget launched
Jeson, pal stun Indonesians
FILIPINO Davis Cupper Jeson Patrom-
bon is getting an idea of how strong In-
donesias national team is.
He found out after he and his Ko-
rean partner Ji Sung Nam made it to
the mens doubles quarternals of the
$15,000 Indonesian ITF F1 mens fu-
tures tournament at the Kamayoran
Tennis Center in Jakarta, Indonesia.
The fourth-seeded pair needed
three sets to get past Indonesian net-
ters Irfandi Hendrawan and Davis
Cup team member Sunu Wahyu Tri-
jati, 7-6, 3-6, 10-5.
It was a touch match for Patrombon,
considering that he and Sunu will meet
again when the Philippine Davis Cup
team clashes, with Indonesia in the
third round of thei Asia/Oceania Group
II tie this September in Pekanbaru, In-
donesia.
They will next play another Indone-
sian team in the quarterfinals. Their
rivals Wisnu Adi Nugroho and Aditya
Hari Sasongko are part of the current
Davis Cup team of Indonesia.
Peter Atencio
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
UNDEFEATED Filipino southpaw Mercito Gesta (25-0-1, 13
KOs) started sparring with two young Mexican-American light
welterweights in preparation for his showdown with American
Ty Barnett (20-2-1, 13 KOs) at the Texas Station Casino in Las
Vegas on Aug. 3 in a ght to be telecast by ESPN.
We are turning up the heat a little bit and well be ready to
go, Gestas trainer and co-manager Vince Parra told the Manila
Standard, even as the Top Rank ghter sets his sights on a world
title shot.
Parra said he had watched Barnett on television and although
he has been stopped twice, he described him as a decent ghter
who reminds me a little bit of Lamont Peterson, since they both
come from the Washington, DC area.
Barnett lost by a third-round knockout to undefeated Russian An-
drey Klimov (10-0, 6 KOs) on May 14 last year after being previ-
ously stopped in the rst round by Juan Santiago on Oct. 10, 2009.
Gesta is looking forward to come out aggressively after Bar-
nett made a statement that he would knock Mercito out. We hope
he comes to ght, Parra.
Gesta is coming off an eighth-round technical knockout of Os-
car Cuero, whom he dropped in Rounds 7 and 8 last April 14,
while Barnett is also fresh from an eighth-round TKO of Robert
DaLuz last May 12.
Gesta turns up the heat
Pick target. Quezon province police chief Senior Supt. Valeriano de Leon (second from right) leads K- 609 Gun Club ofcers
during the opening of the provinces 7th Anniversary Shootfest at the SAFE Firing Range in Sariaya. Joining him are (from left) club
secretary Randy Naadiego, president Gemi Formaran and vice president Johnson Pardilla in the Level 1 PPSA-sanctioned match
for 142 shooters, under range master Tony Dalisay. BENJIE A. ANTIOQUIA
THE Perpetual Help Altas be-
gin their campaign today with
a legitimate center expected to
make his presence felt in the
shaded lanes.
Six-foot-ve Nigerian slot-
man Adefemi Babayemi will be
around to mad the middle when
the Altas clash with the Lyceum
Philippines University Pirates at
4 p.m. today at the Arena in San
Juan in the 88th National Colle-
giate Athletic Association mens
basketball tournament.
The Altas will show up with
multi-titled coach Aric del Ro-
sario making his debut.
Notching their rst triumph will
enable the Altas to catch up with
early leaders San Beda, College of
St. Benilde, Letran, Emilio Agui-
naldo College and Jose Rizal Uni-
versity Heavy Bombers.
The Heavy Bombers, who
escaped with a 65-64 beating of
the Mapua Cardinals, go for their
second consecutive triumph,
clash with the winless Arellano
University Chiefs (0-2) at 6 p.m.
Babayemi, according to Del
Rosario, will be in top condi-
tion and he is expected to blend
well with veterans Jet Vidal,
Anthony Paulino, Chris Elopre,
Scott Thompson and Harold
Arboleda. Peter Atencio
Nigerian-backstopped Altas start campaign vs Pirates
May 24,1908 - May 26, 2012
Games Today
(The Arena in San Juan)
12noon Lyceum vs Perpetual Help (jrs)
2 p.m. Arellano vs JRU (jrs)
4 p.m. Lyceum vs Perpetual Help (srs)
6 p.m. Arellano vs JRU (srs)

Standings (win-loss)San Beda
1-0; St. Benilde 1-0; Letran 1-0; EAC
1-0; JRU 1-0; Mapua 0-1, San Sebas-
tian 0-1; Lyceum 0-1; Arellano 0-2;
Perpetual Help x-x.
Obviously, the one ght that
he (Pacquiao) wants is (Floyd)
Mayweather. Thats the guy he
wants to ght, said Arum after
dinner with Pacquiao at the pro-
moters home.
PBA SCORES
Jackes joins PH team in Asian karting opener
FLYNN Jackes, the top gun of Tua-
son Racing School-Castrol Kids Team,
plunges into a different challenge as part
of the lean, but mean Philippine Karting
Team vying for honors in the opening
round of the 2012 Asian Karting Open
Championship set June 28 to July 1 at the
highly technical Kartodromo de Coloane
Circuit in Macau.
It will be the rst international stint for
the nine-year-old Fil-Australian, who is
hoping to deliver the Mini-ROK crown
for the country through the support of
Castrol, Bridgestone, Standard Insur-
ance, C! Magazine, OMP, Coke Zero,
Oakley, Aguila and Toptul.
Jackes was chosen to represent the
country in the prestigious event, being
one of the frontrunners of the Mini-
ROK class in the ongoing National
Series. He will be going up against the
best counterparts in the region for the
coveted plum.
We are all excited for Flynn. Its a
different challenge because its not just a
ght for personal glory. Its a much big-
ger honor ghting for the national ag,
said JP Tuason, founder and president of
TRS. We expect that Flynn will learn a
lot from this experience. We believe that
he will be one of the best racers of his
generation and this stint is one big step to
achieve that goal.
The annual Asian Karting Open Cham-
pionship is one of the prominent karting
series in the Asia-Pacic region and has
paved the way for talented Asian karters
to move up to higher motorsports disci-
plines like Indy Car and Formula Racing.
Castrol and Tuason Racing School take
pride in this big opportunity for Jackes to
carry the countrys colors, being one of
the pioneer protgs of the Castrol Cham-
pions of the Future program last year.
This is part of the thrusts we envi-
sioned for the Castrol Champions of
the Future program. Flynn and all other
members of the PH Karting Team in this
event are all products of the TRS pro-
gram. Their rst race abroad will open
up more doors for future international
stints towards our vision of developing
a Filipino world champion, said Castrol
president, Mars Sota.
For more info about the Castrol-TRS
Kids, email www.tuasonracing.com or
info@tuasonracing.com, visit the Tuason
racing school fanpage on facebook or call
the TRS secretariat, c/o Aileen Urgelles
at 820-4203.
Manila Standard TODAY
Sports
Riera U. Mallari, Editor
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
FIGHTER of the Decade Manny
Pacquiao wants Floyd Mayweather
Jr. next, but Top Rank promoter Bob
Arum has made it clear they can only
realistically work on the possible
megabuck ght sometime next year.
LOTTO RESULTS
6/55 000000000000
6/45 000000000000
4 DIGITS 00000000
3 DIGITS 000000
2 EZ2 0000
P0.0M+
P0.0M+
A8
Serena
makes up
for loss
of sister
WIMBLEDON, EnglandOn
one point Tuesday at Wimble-
don, Serena Williams dumped
a forehand into the net and
dropped to a knee, her jaw
clenched as she let out a shriek.
On another, she pushed a
backhand into the net while her
feet gave way, yet again leav-
ing her awkwardly splayed on
the grass at Court 2, the same
place where her sister Venus
lost a day earlier.
By the end, the younger Wil-
liams was screaming after nearly
every point, good or badand,
well, there were plenty of both.
Her harder-than-the-score-looked
6-2, 6-4 victory over the 62nd-
ranked Barbora Zahlavova Stry-
cova of the Czech Republic in the
rst round at the All England Club
wasnt exactly perfect or pretty.
Denitely a little relief, the
sixth-seeded Williams said.
Yes, Williams got the job done,
something she couldnt say the last
time she was at a major champi-
onship. Last month at the French
Open, the 30-year-old American
tossed away a big leadnine times,
she waand lost to a woman
ranked 111th, the only first-round
exit of Williamscareer in 48 Grand
Slam tournaments.
Two-time Wimbledon cham-
pion Rafael Nadal, for instance,
trailed 4-0 against 80th-ranked
Thomas Bellucci of Brazil be-
fore turning it around and win-
ning 7-6 (0), 6-2, 6-3.
Defending womens cham-
pion Petra Kvitova beat 96th-
ranked Akgul Amanmuradova
6-4, 6-4. AP
Salvador
leads by
a stroke
ELMER Salvador went on a
birdie-spree in the early going
and shot a course-record ty-
ing seven-under 65 to post a
one-stroke lead over unfancied
Michael Bibat in a torrid start
in the International Container
Terminal Services Inc. Manila
Southwoods Championship in
Carmona, Cavite yesterday.
Salvador, seeking to win the
second P2.5 million, four-day
event on the ICTSI-Philippine
Golf Tour calendar after romp-
ing off with the Sherwood Hills
crown last April, tamed the par-
72 Masters layout that lay de-
fenseless in the absence of the
wind in an early start, birdying
six of the rst eight holes in stir-
ring fashion to set the tone for
his explosive round.
Not even a missed-green bo-
gey mishap on the ninth could
slow down the reticent Davaoe-
no shotmaker, who hit three
more birdies against a bogey on
the last ve holes for a 31-34
card that was threatened by Bi-
bat in a mid-afternoon charge.
PH emerges 3
rd
in
Asian Nations Cup
BANKING on the consistency
of an up-and-coming rider, the
Philippines emerged third place
in the Asian Nations Cup of the
the FIM Asia Motocross Super-
cross Championship in Ulaan-
baatar, Mongolia near the Chin-
gis Khaan International Airport
last June 8 to 10.
Team NAMSSA-Philippines
clinched the second runner-up feat
behind champion Thailand and
runner-up Japan based on the plac-
ings of top rider Kenneth San An-
dres and youthful sensation Mark
Reggie Flores in Round 2 of the
Asian series. The competition is
decided by the aggregate scores of
riders from the participating coun-
tries in various categories.
Flores nished second overall
in the Asian Junior 85cc category
to currently lead the series with
94 points after two rounds, lead-
ing his Round 2 conqueror Mon-
golian hotshot Munkhbolar Kh-
ishigmunk, who has 80 points.
The 13-year-old San Pablo
City pride Flores ruled the series
opener last April in Puerto Princ-
esa, Palawan.
San Andres, despite mechani-
cal problems, still nished sixth
in the Pro 125 category of the
Asian event, topped by Thai-
lands Arnon Theplib.
The championship attracted
riders from Mongolia, the Phil-
ippines, Thailand, Japan, Guam,
China, Korea, United Arab Emir-
ates, Australia, Sri Lanka, Malay-
sia, India, Saipan, Macau, New
Zealand, Singapore and Iran, com-
peting in the categories of 85 cc,
125/MX2 and veterans class.
San Andres, who is backed by
Oakley, Bridgestone Tires, Polis-
port, FOX, Go Pro, HJC Helmets,
Auto Plus, Motul Philippines,
Bike Plus, Inside Racing, Starting
Line Magazine, EZ Trailer, JBS
Motorcycle Shop and GCG Pipe,
was coming off a twinkill in the
2012 Philippine Olympic Com-
By Jeric Lopez
IT was a disastrous season to
say the least, but Alaska has
something to cheer about head-
ing to its vacation.
Cyrus Baguio had 24 points
and three blocks, allowing Alaska
to end its campaign on a winning
note, crushing another hapless
squad in Air21, 110-80, in a no-
bearing game of the 2012 Philip-
pine Basketball Association Gov-
ernors Cup at the Smart-Araneta
Coliseum last night.
The high-leaping guard did
not y solo as his two scoring
partners also delivered.
Import Jason Forte netted
another double-double with
a game-high 26 points, 11 re-
bounds and six assists, while
LA Tenorio had 19 markers, 11
boards and six dimes.
Baguio, mainly responsible
for Alaskas quick getaway
route, did all the damage in
less than three quarters as he
only played a total of 25 min-
utes. He made all four of his
attempts from behind the arc.
The Aces nished their con-
ference at 2-7 as they snapped
a six-game losing spell, while
the Express fell to 2-6 and still
have one more game left to
avoid nishing at the bottom.
There has been growing pain,
but this is something to build on.
Well think things over and talk
in the off-season, said rookie
Alaska coach Luigi Trillo, whose
coaching contract is only for this
conference. Cyrus (Baguio)
played great defense on (import
Zach) Graham. We moved the ball
well and our shots started falling.
We cleaned it up today.
Alaska, ring from all cylin-
ders behind their usual scoring
weapons Baguio, Tenorio and
Forte, zoomed right away to a
commanding 32-15 cushion just
at the end of one. Baguio already
red 13 points at that point.
Aces end
season
with a win
Pacman wants Floyd
sports@manilastandardtoday.com sports_mstandard@yahoo.com
Rafael Nadal of Spain reacts after winning a rst round, mens singles match against Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon,
England, 2012. AP
Other than that, I hope he
gets some inspiration in the Holy
Land, added Arum, referring
to Pacquiaos planned visit with
his family to Israel tomorrow
(Wednesday in the US) before
traveling to France on vacation.
Pacquiao wants Mayweather,
but I dont think we have enough
time to do it, said Arum, who
reasoned out that a Mayweather
ght could not take place this
year because the undefeated
champion is serving out a prison
term and wouldnt be ready to
ght until next year if they are
able to reach an agreement.
The promoter disclosed he
didnt think anybody from among
Mayweathers handlers could
commit him for a ght, point-
ing out that living in prison at the
Clark County Detention Center
was debilitating, especially eating
the kind of food that they serve.
Judge Melissa Saragosa earlier
denied a request by Mayweathers
lawyers that he be placed under
house arrest for the remainder of
his sentence since his career was
being ruined by his current envi-
ronment in prison with the kind of
food he had to eat.
Arum indicated that Pacquiao
understands that with a May-
weather ght not in play this No-
vember, he would need to ght in
November and the usual names
such as Timothy Bradley and
Juan Manuel Marquez came up
during their conversation but no
decisions were reached.
Multi-titled rider Kenneth San Andres (right) and Mark Reggie Flores
display their trophies after steering the Philippines to third place in
the Asian Nations Cup of the Asian FIM Supercross.
mittee-Philippine Sports Commis-
sion National Games, where he
crushed the challenge of veteran
Jovie Saulog (second) and rising
star Jerrick Mitra in both the motos
of the Pro 125.
Flores matched the double
win with victories in the Junior
85 cc over Gabriel Macaso and
Radzie Kallahal.
ALASKA 110Forte 26, Baguio 24,
Tenorio 19, Thoss 10, Cablay 9, Espinas 8,
Baracael 4, Dela Cruz 4, Jazul 3, Eman 3,
Thiele 0, Bugia 0, Gelig 0.
AIR21 80Graham 25, Ritualo 11,
Arboleda 9, Escobal 7, Faundo 6, Isip 6,
Omolon 6, Sison 4, Menor 4, Espiritu 2,
Bagatsing 0, Sena 0, Hubalde 0.
Quarters: 32-15, 56-32, 90-56, 110-80
Jackes
Business
B1
IN BRIEF
Ray S. Eano, Editor mst_biz@manilastandardtoday.com
Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor extrastory2000@gmail.com
PSE COMPOSITE INDEX
Closing June 27, 2012
5,257.92
64.08
OIL
PRICES
TODAY
P780-P895.00
LPG/11-kg tank
P54.55-P61.02
Unleaded Gasoline
P46.10-P49.90
Diesel
P52.34-P57.85
Kerosene
P38.50-P39.20
Auto LPG
FOREI GN EXCHANGE RATE
Currency Unit US Dollar Peso
United States Dollar 1.000000 42.5030
Japan Yen 0.012587 0.5350
UK Pound 1.564200 66.4832
Hong Kong Dollar 0.128881 5.4778
Switzerland Franc 1.040258 44.2141
Canada Dollar 0.976467 41.5028
Singapore Dollar 0.783208 33.2887
Australia Dollar 1.002104 42.5924
Bahrain Dinar 2.652661 112.7461
Saudi Arabia Rial 0.266667 11.3341
Brunei Dollar 0.780153 33.1588
Indonesia Rupiah 0.000106 0.0045
Thailand Baht 0.031466 1.3374
UAE Dirham 0.272272 11.5724
Euro Euro 1.249400 53.1032
Korea Won 0.000864 0.0367
China Yuan 0.157161 6.6798
India Rupee 0.017559 0.7463
Malaysia Ringgit 0.313332 13.3175
NewZealand Dollar 0.788395 33.5092
Taiwan Dollar 0.033364 1.4181
Source: PDS Bridge
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
PESO-DOLLAR RATE
40
42
44
46
48
P42.370
CLOSE
Closing JUNE 27, 2012
5200
4460
3720
2980
2240
1500
1200
VOLUME 721.810M
HIGH P42.300 LOW P42.420 AVERAGE P42.367
Govt steps up June spending
PAL Holdings hikes capital
PH to become e-vehicle hub
Solgen favors new capital ruling
By Maria Bernadette Lunas
BUDGET Secretary Florencio Abad
said Wednesday public spending
will be more robust in June due to
the early implementation of salary
increases, conditional cash transfers and
disbursements in preparation for the
opening of classes.
Abad said the government
was stepping up spending on
priority programs and would
reallocate the budget released
to agencies that had remained
unobligated by the end of June
to fast-moving and high-impact
programs and projects.
He noted that government
agencies spent P460 billion, or
88 percent of the P521.3 billion
in notices of cash allocations
released in May.
We have already released the
bulk of agency budgets in order
to speed up public spending.
However, we are prepared to
withdraw those which remain
unobligated by June 30, and to
propose to the President that
these unutilized budgetary
allocations be realigned to other
programs and projects, Abad
said.
The Budget Department plans
to increase funds for agrarian
reform communities, tourism
access roads, school houses
and rural health facilities after
determining the unreleased
allotments.
Latest Bureau of Treasury
data showed that public
disbursements as of end-May
stood at P668.431 billion, up 13
percent from P591.041 billion a
year earlier.
The amount, however, was
well below the governments
was programmed spending of
P885.288 billion for the rst
half of the year. This means the
government must spend at least
P216.857 billion in June in order
to meet the target.
The government on Tuesday
reported a budget decit of
P19.9 billion in May, reversing
a surplus the previous month, as
it stepped up spending on roads
and schools.
Revenue rose 9.4 percent from
a year earlier, while spending
climbed 16.7 percent.
President Benigno Aquino
III plans to increase state
spending to a record this
year as he seeks to shield
the economy from Europes
sovereign-debt crisis and a
growth slowdown in China.
His effort has been bolstered
by recent credit-rating
upgrades, with Moodys
Investors Service lifting its
outlook to positive in May,
citing improving debt levels.
The wide scal space will
now give us an advantage to
nance infrastructure projects
and social programs that shall,
in the long term, curb poverty
and promote equality, Finance
Secretary Cesar Purisima said in
a statement.
The May decit brought the
budget gap in the rst ve months
of the year to P22.79 billion, up
139 percent from P9.54 billion
year-on-year but way below the
ceiling of P109.34 billion for the
rst half of the year.
Abad said expenditures
climbed 16.7 percent in May to
P151.30 billion from P129.69
billion a year earlier, the highest
monthly disbursement level this
year.
Assets
International Reserves P 3,211,887,961,129.61
Deposits with foreign banks 382,090,897,570.83
Other cash balances 191,009,790.96
Investments 2,443,789,104,841.18
Gold 337,071,565,981.52
International Monetary Fund special drawing rights 48,745,382,945.12
Investment in government securities 240,544,922,931.22
Loans and advances 113,508,625,609.75
Other fnancial assets 95,892,207,935.89
Investment property 9,955,554,663.33
Bank premises, furniture, fxtures and equipment 14,440,402,656.40
Other assets 14,890,958,203.76
Total P 3,701,120,633,129.96
Liabilities and capital
Liabilities
Currency in circulation P 553,972,339,655.60
Foreign currency borrowings 22,853,057,497.42
Government deposits 192,085,324,647.64
Deposits of banks and other fnancial institutions 742,260,310,749.14
Securities sold under agreements to repurchase 257,692,284,500.00
Special deposit accounts 1,658,833,069,044.10
Allocation of special drawing rights 56,107,923,639.95
Revaluation of foreign currency accounts 66,342,573,233.55
Other fnancial liabilities 11,229,899,734.19
Other liabilities 6,532,554,482.50
Total 3,567,909,337,184.09
Capital
Capital 10,000,000,000.00
Surplus 80,593,128,638.90
Unrealized gains/(losses) on investments (8,118,180,292.44)
Capital reserves 78,024,687,423.35
Undivided profts/(loss) from operations (27,288,339,823.94)
Total 133,211,295,945.87
Total liabilities and capital P 3,701,120,633,129.96
Other information :
Revaluation of foreign currency accounts is presented in the liability section in
accordance with Section 45, R.A. 7653 of the New Central Bank Act.
For the COMMISSION ON AUDIT:
(Sgd.) MA. TERESITA R. GOJUNCO (Sgd.) WILLIE S. ASTO
SA V - Supervising Auditor Managing Director
(Sgd.) AMANDO M. TETANGCO, JR.
Governor
GENERAL BALANCE SHEET
As of October 31, 2011
Banana packing facilities. Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala (second from left) inspects
bananas for export at the packing facility of Philippine Fresh Fruits Corp. in Davao City. Assisting him
(from left) are PFFC general manager Dicky Puyod, Bureau of Plant Industry director Clarito Barron and
DA high value crops development program national coordinator Jennifer Remoquilo. The Agriculture
Department and small banana growers and exporters in Davao will put up common packing facilities and
upgrade existing ones to meet required export standards. Story on B3.
By Julito G. Rada
PAL Holdings Inc., operator of
ag carrier Philippine Airlines,
has increased its authorized
capital stock by P3 billion,
following the entry of San
Miguel Corp.
PAL Holdings, now led by
San Miguel Corp. and taipan
Lucio Tan, said in a disclosure
to the stock exchange its board
of directors approved the capital
increase Tuesday.
Its stocks closed 1.2
percent higher at P7.38 per
share Wednesday after the
announcement.
San Miguel took management
control of PAL Holdings in
April, following a $500-million
buy-in deal with the group of
Tan.
PAL is implementing a
$1-billion eet modernization
that will involve acquisition of at
least 100 new planes, president
Ramon Ang said earlier. The
airline plans to resume ights to
Europe and bolster US services.
The corporations capital stock
was raised to P23 billion divided
into 23 billion common shares
with a par value of P1 per share
from the previous P20 billion
divided into 20 billion common
shares with a par value of P1 per
share.
It also said the board amended
the holding rms articles of
incorporation to reect the
increase in the authorized capital
stock.
The board also approved
the subscription by Trustmark
Holdings Corp., which is owned
by Tan, of 17 billion common
shares at P1 per share.
The subscription has a total
price of P17 billion, a portion of
which shall be issued out of the
current unissued capital stock and
the balance out of the increase in
the authorized capital stock.
The board also approved the
subscription to 85 billion shares
of Philippine Airlines Inc. at
P0.20 per share, amounting to
P17 billion, out of the increase
in the authorized capital stock of
PAL.
The stock exchange halted
trading of PAL shares on
Wednesday, from 9 a.m. to 10
a.m., to give investors enough
time to digest the material
information disclosed by the
corporation.
The exchange said it would
inform the trading participants
and the investing public of further
developments on the matter.
By Rey E. Requejo
THE chief state counsel has
agreed with the interpretation of
the Supreme Court of the term
capital in the constitutional
provision, which limits foreign
ownership of domestic public
utilities to 40 percent.
Solicitor General Francis
Jardeleza stressed that the
Courts June 28, 2011 ruling was
consistent with the constitutional
mandate for the Filipinization
of public utilities, despite
warnings that the courts ruling
would have alleged catastrophic
consequences on the countrys
economy if it is sustained.
Jardeleza said in response to an
appeal that the term capital meant
the shares of stock with the right to
vote in the election of ofcers.
The word capital... can only
mean voting shares because
the Constitution textually
conditioned the operation of a
public utility to corporations
where Filipino citizens own
voting shares that can elect
a majority of the board, the
chief state lawyer added.
The Solicitor General
said interpreting the term
capital to include non-voting
shares would defeat the
constitutional provision for a
self-reliant and independent
economy effectively
controlled by Filipinos.
He said such interpretation
could also lead to absurd
result as foreigners holding
common shares equivalent
to only .001 percent of
the capital would end up
controlling the board and
operate the public utility
even if Filipinos held the
remaining 99.99 percent of
the capital but non-voting
shares.
By Alena Mae S. Flores
THE Philippines will emerge as the hub
of electric vehicle parts manufacturing
in the region, once the governments
electric tricycle program becomes
successful, two industry associations
said Wednesday.
The Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturers
Association of the Philippines and the Electric
Vehicle Association of the Philippines said
the ailing vehicle parts industry would
be revitalized with the expected inux of
local and foreign investments in the e-trike
program.
MVPMAP groups 125 local auto parts
makers while the newly-organized EVAP
is composed of 27 EV manufacturers,
assemblers, importers, dealers, members of
the academe and enthusiasts.
MVPMAP president Ferdi Raquelsantos
said in a statement the two groups were
fully supportive of the e-trike program
of the Energy Department and the Asian
Development Bank.
The e-trike program plans to replace
100,000 conventional tricycles with electric
tricycles over the next four years.
With most of our members operating at
below 50 percent of their rated plant capacity,
this program will provide incremental
income and employment to our members,
Raquelsantos said.
He said around 50,000 employees
were dependent on the local parts making
industry.
Considering that more than 25 percent of
our labor force is not fully utilized with 9.8
percent of them unemployed and another 19.2
percent of them underemployed, this e-trike
program will help us and our employees get
back on our feet, he added.
Raquelsantos said the e-trike project
had already caught the attention of foreign
investors, judging from their interest in the
recent 2012 Electric Vehicle Summit.
Ination seen at 3.4%
INFLATION rate in June may fall within the
range of 2.5 percent to 3.4 percent, the Bangko
Sentral said Wednesday.
Bangko Sentral Governor Amando Tetangco
Jr. said the forecast was based on higher utility
rates, increases in selected vegetables and peso
depreciation which were offset by lower oil
prices.
This and the latest projection for the ination
path over the policy horizon continue to support
our view that ination is manageable, Tetangco
told reporters in a text message.
Tetangco said monetary authorities were
watchful of the developments in the global front
that could affect domestic price and growth
dynamics.
We will make adjustments to our stance of
policy as and if needed, Tetangco said.
Ination rate stood at 2.9 percent in May and
averaged 3.0 percent in the rst ve months.
Bangko Sentral expects ination to average 3.1
percent in 2012, before rising to 3.4 percent in
2013. Lailany P. Gomez
PEMC budget okayed
THE Energy Regulatory Commission has
approved a P132-million budget for the Philippine
Electricity Market Corp. as the central registration
body for open access and retail competition.
The move, however, is seen to increase power
rates charged from consumers as PEMC will
collect the budget from the market fees of the
power generators, who in turn will pass on the
cost to consumers.
PEMC operates the wholesale electricity spot
market, which serves as a venue for the trading of
electricity. The open access and retail competition
regime gives power consumers with a monthly
demand of one megawatt the power to choose
their own electricity supplier.
Yes, we have approved the proposed budget for
it to be able to start already with its preparations
as the designated central registration body, ERC
executive director Francis Saturnino Juan said.
Alena Mae S. Flores
TRADI NG SUMMARY
SHARES VALUE
FINANCIAL 13,441,863 891,036,784.25
INDUSTRIAL 147,163,137 1,365,550,717.66
HOLDING FIRMS 748,334,059 1,717,550,348.46
PROPERTY 437,585,778 1,452,003,672.336
SERVICES 174,114,953 2,091,679,492.78
MINING & OIL 2,426,006,155 455,902,962.24
GRAND TOTAL 3,946,676,736 7,973,725,559.73
FINANCIAL 1,292.31 (UP) 9.43
INDUSTRIAL 7,825.89 (UP) 53.59
HOLDING FIRMS 4,493.15 (UP) 66.08
PROPERTY 1,904.13 (UP) 18.6
SERVICES 1,786.92 (UP) 32.68
MINING & OIL 24,789.7 (UP) 244.87
PSEI 5,257.92 (UP) 64.08
All Shares Index 3,449.07 (UP) 37.62
Gainers: 110; Losers: 49; Unchanged: 41; Total: 200
Stocks breach 5,200
on window dressing
Business
ManilaStandardToday
extrastory2000@gmail.com; mst_biz@manilastandardtoday.com
B2
52 Weeks Previous % Net Foreign
High Low STOCKS Close High Low Close Change Volume Trade/Buying
MST BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 27, 2012
M
S
T
FINANCIAL
70.00 46.00 Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. 63.30 63.85 62.80 63.30 0.00 1,057,270 8,532,438.00
76.80 50.00 Bank of PI 73.35 73.85 73.00 73.60 0.34 1,304,750 63,334,698.50
1.82 0.69 Bankard, Inc. 0.70 0.69 0.69 0.69 (1.43) 38,000
512.00 370.00 China Bank 494.00 494.00 490.00 490.00 (0.81) 6,640 (902,704.00)
1.95 1.42 BDO Leasing & Fin. Inc. 1.72 1.75 1.75 1.75 1.74 15,000
23.90 12.50 COL Financial 23.20 23.20 23.20 23.20 0.00 300 (6,960.00)
Eastwest Bank 18.94 19.02 18.68 18.68 (1.37) 2,907,300 (38,784,382.00)
22.00 7.56 Filipino Fund Inc. 9.60 10.60 9.63 10.60 10.42 12,300
3.26 1.91 I-Remit Inc. 2.76 2.77 2.66 2.77 0.36 236,000
775.00 475.20 Manulife Fin. Corp. 457.00 465.00 465.00 465.00 1.75 20
29.00 3.00 Maybank ATR KE 38.50 38.50 37.90 38.40 (0.26) 2,600
93.50 60.00 Metrobank 90.05 92.50 90.05 92.20 2.39 5,857,890 138,729,732.00
3.06 1.30 Natl Reinsurance Corp. 1.95 1.98 1.85 1.98 1.54 241,000 25,900.00
16.85 41.00 Phil. National Bank 70.75 71.50 70.50 71.00 0.35 392,270 13,049,433.00
539.00 204.80 PSE Inc. 351.00 380.00 380.00 380.00 8.26 1,000 (57,000.00)
44.40 25.45 RCBC À 43.20 43.55 43.05 43.40 0.46 798,800.00 7,476,215.00
151.50 77.00 Security Bank 136.10 137.10 136.00 137.00 0.66 436,820 3,745,389.00
1390.00 950.00 Sun Life Financial 920.00 920.00 920.00 920.00 0.00 100
140.00 58.00 Union Bank 100.00 102.00 100.00 100.00 0.00 82,420 820,000.00
2.06 1.43 Vantage Equities 1.82 1.82 1.81 1.81 (0.55) 51,000
INDUSTRIAL
35.50 26.50 Aboitiz Power Corp. 33.60 35.15 33.70 35.15 4.61 10,682,000 295,441,305.00
13.58 7.32 Agrinurture Inc. 8.96 9.00 8.81 8.85 (1.23) 31,100
23.50 11.98 Alaska Milk Corp. 17.00 16.22 16.00 16.00 (5.88) 48,200 (97,900.00)
1.86 0.97 Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. 1.42 1.41 1.39 1.41 (0.70) 279,000
54.90 26.00 Alphaland Corp. 28.40 28.50 28.40 28.50 0.35 1,200
1.65 1.08 Alsons Cons. 1.32 1.34 1.32 1.32 0.00 22,000
Asiabest Group 23.85 23.95 22.00 23.25 (2.52) 73,400
138.00 45.00 Bogo Medellin 52.30 61.00 60.50 61.00 16.63 700 30,270.00
102.80 3.02 Bloomberry 8.87 9.45 8.87 9.29 4.74 23,129,800 (17,360,395.00)
26.55 12.50 C. Azuc De Tarlac 13.62 17.00 16.80 17.00 24.82 24,600
2.88 2.24 Calapan Venture 2.44 2.45 2.43 2.44 0.00 105,000 112,240.00
3.07 2.30 Chemrez Technologies Inc. 2.65 2.65 2.65 2.65 0.00 1,544,950
8.33 7.41 Cirtek Holdings (Chips) 9.48 9.50 9.03 9.40 (0.84) 412,000
7.06 4.83 Energy Devt. Corp. (EDC) 5.96 6.06 5.96 6.00 0.67 19,088,100 53,964,713.00
6.28 2.80 EEI 6.19 6.20 6.18 6.19 0.00 1,684,100 (558,000.00)
25.00 5.80 Federal Chemicals 9.80 10.58 10.36 10.58 7.96 11,000
15.58 12.50 First Gen Corp. 17.36 17.60 17.32 17.50 0.81 4,419,600 58,916,924.00
67.20 51.50 First Holdings A 74.55 74.90 73.90 74.75 0.27 980,100 30,251,957.00
31.50 22.50 Ginebra San Miguel Inc. 20.90 20.90 20.10 20.90 0.00 1,500
0.10 0.0095 Greenergy 0.0130 0.0140 0.0130 0.0140 7.69 55,900,000
13.50 7.80 Holcim Philippines Inc. 11.50 11.58 11.58 11.58 0.70 1,000
2.35 0.95 Ionics Inc 0.780 0.780 0.770 0.780 0.00 62,000
120.00 80.00 Jollibee Foods Corp. 107.90 108.40 107.90 108.00 0.09 423,090 4,266,844.00
91.25 25.00 Liberty Flour 52.00 52.50 52.50 52.50 0.96 200
8.40 1.04 LMG Chemicals 1.69 1.76 1.60 1.67 (1.18) 1,287,000 145,120.00
1.55 0.99 Mabuhay Vinyl Corp. 1.45 1.50 1.47 1.47 1.38 70,000
3.20 1.05 Manchester Intl. A 2.22 2.35 2.12 2.33 4.95 45,000
24.70 17.94 Manila Water Co. Inc. 24.35 25.05 24.15 24.50 0.62 927,400 (5,224,955.00)
6.95 0.75 Mariwasa MFG. Inc. 2.63 2.63 2.63 2.63 0.00 5,000
15.30 8.12 Megawide 17.00 17.40 17.00 17.26 1.53 291,100
295.00 215.00 Mla. Elect. Co À 242.00 246.00 244.60 245.80 1.57 319,820 36,588,572.00
6.75 4.50 Panasonic Mfg Phil. Corp. 4.50 4.55 4.55 4.55 1.11 5,000
11.00 7.00 Pancake House Inc. 10.50 10.00 10.00 10.00 (4.76) 1,000
3.00 1.96 Pepsi-Cola Products Phil. 2.77 2.77 2.75 2.77 0.00 1,678,000 2,368,150.00
17.40 9.70 Petron Corporation 10.14 10.18 10.10 10.12 (0.20) 2,279,800 (10,951,772.00)
15.24 9.01 Phoenix Petroleum Phils. 8.12 8.20 8.06 8.15 0.37 106,100
9.50 5.25 Republic Cement À 8.45 8.55 8.00 8.54 1.07 106,100
2.55 1.01 RFM Corporation 2.93 3.06 2.92 3.02 3.07 3,199,000 2,437,730.00
3.49 2.01 Roxas Holdings 2.50 2.50 2.50 2.50 0.00 10,000
6.50 2.90 Salcon Power Corp. 5.50 7.60 5.38 7.10 29.09 618,500
33.00 27.70 San Miguel Brewery Inc. 29.00 29.00 27.00 29.00 0.00 1,300
132.60 105.70 San Miguel Corp À 115.80 115.50 115.00 115.30 (0.43) 315,330 8,005,927.00
1.90 1.25 Seacem 1.72 1.76 1.72 1.76 2.33 74,000
2.50 1.85 Splash Corporation 1.86 1.88 1.84 1.85 (0.54) 59,000
0.250 0.112 Swift Foods, Inc. 0.126 0.126 0.126 0.126 0.00 50,000
5.46 2.92 Tanduay Holdings 4.45 4.65 4.47 4.51 1.35 8,881,000 2,120,090.00
3.62 1.99 TKC Steel Corp. 2.18 2.18 2.18 2.18 0.00 2,000
1.41 0.90 Trans-Asia Oil 1.22 1.22 1.22 1.22 0.00 132,000
68.00 36.20 Universal Robina 62.00 62.20 61.00 61.10 (1.45) 3,274,400 (69,211,965.50)
Victorias Milling 1.49 1.51 1.48 1.48 (0.67) 2,993,000 (898,720.00)
1.12 0.285 Vitarich Corp. 0.680 0.690 0.650 0.650 (4.41) 1,789,000
18.00 2.55 Vivant Corp. 12.48 12.88 12.50 12.84 2.88 24,300
1.22 0.68 Vulcan Indl. 0.93 0.98 0.95 0.98 5.38 477,000
HOLDING FIRMS
1.18 0.65 Abacus Cons. À 0.71 0.74 0.71 0.74 4.23 1,667,000
59.90 35.50 Aboitiz Equity 46.95 48.40 46.65 48.00 2.24 2,523,600 19,415,250.00
0.019 0.014 Alcorn Gold Res. 0.0160 0.0170 0.0160 0.0170 6.25 656,300,000
13.48 8.00 Alliance Global Inc. 12.00 12.02 11.82 11.82 (1.50) 22,675,800 (117,523,076.00)
2.97 1.67 Anglo Holdings A 2.00 2.00 2.00 2.00 0.00 305,000
4.60 3.00 Anscor À 4.58 4.63 4.54 4.55 (0.66) 4,000
6.98 0.260 Asia Amalgamated A 5.05 5.28 5.08 5.11 1.19 121,100
3.15 1.49 ATN Holdings A 2.58 2.61 2.38 2.58 0.00 889,000
4.16 2.30 ATN Holdings B 2.69 2.80 2.60 2.80 4.09 160,000
437.00 272.00 Ayala Corp À 470.00 475.60 470.00 475.60 1.19 291,880 6,578,554.00
59.45 30.50 DMCI Holdings 56.70 57.90 56.75 57.75 1.85 2,608,220 32,776,927.50
5.25 3.30 Filinvest Dev. Corp. 3.90 4.10 3.90 3.90 0.00 165,000 176,090.00
0.98 0.10 Forum Pacic 0.200 0.225 0.225 0.225 12.50 150,000
GT Capital 488.00 504.00 484.00 504.00 3.28 542,420 172,977,626.00
34.80 19.00 JG Summit Holdings 34.95 35.20 34.95 34.95 0.00 3,145,300 22,273,460.00
6.95 4.00 Lopez Holdings Corp. 5.86 5.90 5.81 5.90 0.68 2,768,600 4,264,676.00
1.54 0.61 Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp. 1.09 1.20 1.10 1.17 7.34 5,170,000 57,000.00
0.91 0.300 Mabuhay Holdings À 0.400 0.410 0.400 0.410 2.50 100,000
3.82 1.500 Marcventures Hldgs., Inc. 2.49 2.60 2.49 2.54 2.01 1,231,000 (450,100.00)
4.45 2.56 Metro Pacic Inv. Corp. 4.12 4.22 4.14 4.19 1.70 37,560,000 (29,721,890.00)
6.24 2.10 Minerales Industrias Corp. 4.90 4.93 4.86 4.93 0.61 427,000
4.72 1.22 MJCI Investments Inc. 7.00 7.50 6.50 6.65 (5.00) 400,200
0.0770 0.054 Pacica À 0.0510 0.0520 0.0510 0.0520 1.96 370,000
2.20 1.42 Prime Media Hldg 1.350 1.360 1.350 1.350 0.00 85,000
0.82 0.44 Prime Orion 0.430 0.450 0.450 0.450 4.65 230,000
4.10 1.56 Republic Glass A 2.10 2.11 2.10 2.10 0.00 10,000
2.40 0.91 Seafront À 1.33 1.33 1.31 1.31 (1.50) 18,000
0.490 0.285 Sinophil Corp. 0.320 0.340 0.320 0.340 6.25 1,610,000 (165,000.00)
699.00 450.00 SM Investments Inc. 710.00 740.00 714.50 728.00 2.54 618,810 68,615,495.00
1.78 1.00 Solid Group Inc. 1.44 1.47 1.41 1.41 (2.08) 702,000 (20.00)
0.420 0.099 Unioil Res. & Hldgs 0.2100 0.2100 0.2100 0.2100 0.00 150,000
0.620 0.056 Wellex Industries 0.3500 0.3450 0.3400 0.3400 (2.86) 3,040,000
1.370 0.178 Zeus Holdings 0.510 0.530 0.510 0.530 3.92 2,247,000
P R O P E R T Y
39.00 11.00 Anchor Land Holdings Inc. 24.95 24.95 22.95 23.00 (7.82) 11,300 34,500.00
2.82 1.70 A. Brown Co., Inc. 2.78 3.07 2.82 3.00 7.91 2,486,000 30,000.00
0.75 0.31 Araneta Prop À 0.650 0.680 0.680 0.680 4.62 74,000
22.40 13.36 Ayala Land `B 21.35 21.50 21.10 21.25 (0.47) 10,082,900 (85,566,915.00)
6.12 3.08 Belle Corp. À 4.81 5.23 5.00 5.20 8.11 70,856,000 47,000,530.00
9.00 2.26 Cebu Holdings 5.99 6.15 6.00 6.14 2.50 231,600 295,200.00
5.60 2.00 Cebu Prop. À 4.86 5.00 5.00 5.00 2.88 100,000 (47,060.00)
5.66 0.26 Century Property 1.43 1.48 1.43 1.45 1.40 1,324,000 (47,060.00)
2.85 1.20 City & Land Dev. 2.40 2.44 2.25 2.44 1.67 30,000
1.16 0.67 Cyber Bay Corp. 0.77 0.78 0.78 0.78 1.30 154,000
0.90 0.54 Empire East Land 0.730 0.760 0.730 0.760 4.11 5,364,000
3.06 1.76 Global-Estate 1.78 1.82 1.75 1.76 (1.12) 7,103,000 (7,085,600.00)
1.35 0.98 Filinvest Land,Inc. 1.26 1.28 1.26 1.27 0.79 14,175,000 12,351,300.00
3.80 1.21 Highlands Prime 2.12 2.12 2.06 2.10 (0.94) 30,000
2.14 0.65 Interport À 1.08 1.13 1.07 1.13 4.63 17,000 2,140.00
2.48 1.51 Megaworld Corp. 2.08 2.17 2.08 2.16 3.85 289,259,000 46,649,170.00
0.80 0.215 MRC Allied Ind. 0.1800 0.1880 0.1790 0.1850 2.78 2,980,000
0.990 0.072 Phil. Estates Corp. 0.6800 0.6900 0.6700 0.6700 (1.47) 12,170,000
0.71 0.41 Phil. Realty À 0.460 0.460 0.460 0.460 0.00 10,000
4.77 1.80 Polar Property Holdings 4.44 4.50 4.29 4.45 0.23 1,132,000 (22,400.00)
18.86 10.00 Robinsons Land `B 17.12 17.30 17.02 17.30 1.05 738,100 1,812,826.00
Rockwell 3.08 3.09 3.06 3.07 (0.32) 110,000 384,260.00
9.47 6.50 SM Development À 6.07 6.16 6.07 6.10 0.49 1,758,300 384,260.00
18.20 10.90 SM Prime Holdings 12.86 13.00 12.80 12.94 0.62 12,439,000 24,465,914.00
1.14 0.64 Sta. Lucia Land Inc. 0.69 0.69 0.69 0.69 0.00 308,000
0.80 0.45 Suntrust Home Dev. Inc. 0.530 0.530 0.530 0.530 0.00 450,000
4.30 2.60 Vista Land & Lifescapes 4.140 4.140 4.110 4.140 0.00 2,374,000 2,049,900.00
S E R V I C E S
2GO Group 1.76 1.76 1.76 1.76 0.00 45,000
43.00 28.60 ABS-CBN 34.80 35.00 34.50 35.00 0.57 23,800
14.76 1.60 Acesite Hotel 4.48 4.60 4.19 4.40 (1.79) 177,000 (219,070.00)
0.80 0.45 APC Group, Inc. 0.660 0.700 0.670 0.700 6.06 2,054,000 306,000.00
0.5300 0.0660 Boulevard Holdings 0.1400 0.1420 0.1390 0.1410 0.71 16,130,000 (318,310.00)
Calata Corp. 9.10 9.25 8.63 8.78 (3.52) 2,642,700 675,009.00
98.15 62.50 Cebu Air Inc. (5J) 68.05 69.10 67.90 69.10 1.54 1,571,400 (30,693,440.50)
9.70 5.40 DFNN Inc. 6.31 6.38 6.03 6.04 (4.28) 55,700 (28,992.00)
1750.00 765.00 FEUI 975.00 975.00 975.00 975.00 0.00 70 9,750.00
1270.00 825.00 Globe Telecom 1115.00 1124.00 1112.00 1123.00 0.72 123,480 15,694,835.00
10.34 6.18 GMA Network Inc. 10.26 10.30 10.12 10.20 (0.58) 661,800
69.00 43.40 I.C.T.S.I. 71.40 74.00 71.50 74.00 3.64 983,570 (1,679,047.00)
0.98 0.34 Information Capital Tech. 0.420 0.420 0.415 0.420 0.00 100,000
6.00 4.00 IPeople Inc. À 6.20 6.00 5.80 6.00 (3.23) 2,600
4.29 2.20 IP Converge 2.20 2.78 2.19 2.28 3.64 1,379,000 13,200.00
34.50 0.123 IP E-Game Ventures Inc. 0.039 0.040 0.038 0.039 0.00 80,700,000 40,000.00
3.87 1.16 IPVG Corp. 1.05 1.07 1.04 1.07 1.90 395,000
0.0760 0.040 Island Info 0.0530 0.0540 0.5000 0.0500 (5.66) 2,100,000
5.1900 2.900 ISM Communications 2.6000 2.6500 2.6000 2.6500 1.92 210,000
3.79 1.58 JTH Davies Holdings Inc. 2.50 2.69 2.50 2.60 4.00 20,017,000 (78,000.00)
11.68 5.90 Leisure & Resorts 6.59 8.10 6.65 7.97 20.94 24,323,600 63,198,868.00
4.28 2.65 Liberty Telecom 2.80 2.85 2.82 2.85 1.79 375,000
3.96 2.70 Macroasia Corp. 2.80 2.85 2.80 2.85 1.79 80,000
0.84 0.57 Manila Bulletin 0.67 0.73 0.68 0.68 1.49 60,000
3.00 1.00 Manila Jockey 2.59 2.75 2.55 2.58 (0.39) 2,665,000 (1,487,950.00)
21.00 17.20 Pacic Online Sys. Corp. 21.80 22.95 21.90 22.70 4.13 189,600
8.58 4.50 PAL Holdings Inc. 7.29 7.42 7.30 7.38 1.23 21,300
3.32 1.05 Paxys Inc. 3.07 3.17 2.94 2.98 (2.93) 10,101,000 (152,030.00)
60.00 17.02 Phil. Seven Corp. 44.00 47.00 43.00 47.00 6.82 1,452,200 48,131,520.00
17.18 14.50 Philweb.Com Inc. 12.80 12.80 12.72 12.72 (0.63) 132,200 (709,582.00)
2886.00 2096.00 PLDT Common 2674.00 2742.00 2686.00 2714.00 1.50 484,590 614,068,040.00
0.48 0.23 PremiereHorizon 0.330 0.335 0.335 0.335 1.52 110,000
23.75 10.68 Puregold 26.80 27.80 26.80 27.60 2.99 1,377,900 2,387,020.00
3.30 2.40 Transpacic Broadcast 2.50 2.70 2.60 2.60 4.00 11,000
0.79 0.26 Waterfront Phils. 0.450 0.440 0.430 0.430 (4.44) 300,000 (35,200.00)
MINING & OIL
0.0083 0.0036 Abra Mining 0.0042 0.0042 0.0041 0.0042 0.00 118,000,000
6.20 3.01 Apex À 5.20 5.20 5.05 5.20 0.00 25,500
6.22 3.00 Apex `B 5.30 5.20 5.14 5.20 (1.89) 40,000 (104,000.00)
25.20 14.50 Atlas Cons. À 18.44 18.50 18.22 18.28 (0.87) 216,500 1,827,854.00
31.00 20.00 Atok-Big Wedge À 29.80 29.80 29.80 29.80 0.00 2,200 (65,560.00)
0.380 0.148 Basic Energy Corp. 0.275 0.280 0.260 0.270 (1.82) 7,160,000 (388,800.00)
30.35 15.00 Benguet Corp À 23.70 23.65 22.80 23.65 (0.21) 34,600
34.00 14.50 Benguet Corp `B 22.20 23.80 22.50 22.80 2.70 3,400 (45,000.00)
2.51 1.62 Century Peak Metals Hldgs 1.50 1.42 1.40 1.41 (6.00) 828,000 14,100.00
50.85 4.35 Dizon 36.10 37.45 36.00 36.60 1.39 636,500
1.21 0.50 Geograce Res. Phil. Inc. 0.71 0.72 0.69 0.71 0.00 2,037,000
1.82 0.5900 Lepanto À 1.360 1.390 1.370 1.390 2.21 7,647,000
2.070 0.6700 Lepanto `B 1.450 1.480 1.450 1.480 2.07 5,485,000 2,989,960.00
0.085 0.035 Manila Mining À 0.0700 0.0710 0.0680 0.0700 0.00 321,420,000
0.087 0.035 Manila Mining `B 0.0690 0.0720 0.0700 0.0720 4.35 78,780,000 (1,295,800.00)
34.80 15.04 Nickelasia 30.05 31.00 30.00 30.50 1.50 624,800 5,678,860.00
12.76 2.08 Nihao Mineral Resources 8.74 9.20 8.80 9.05 3.55 5,912,800 9,000.00
8.40 2.12 Oriental Peninsula Res. 5.170 5.270 5.140 5.250 1.55 1,143,100 (387,880.00)
0.032 0.012 Oriental Pet. À 0.0170 0.0180 0.0180 0.0180 5.88 336,100,000
0.033 0.013 Oriental Pet. `B 0.0180 0.0190 0.0190 0.0190 5.56 36,800,000
7.14 5.10 Petroenergy Res. Corp. 6.20 5.80 5.62 5.80 (6.45) 10,300
28.95 17.08 Philex À 24.00 24.70 24.10 24.25 1.04 1,411,800 535,375.00
14.18 3.00 PhilexPetroleum 43.15 48.00 43.50 47.00 8.92 2,446,400 1,289,750.00
0.058 0.013 Philodrill Corp. À 0.050 0.051 0.048 0.048 (4.00) 1,492,660,000 (184,490.00)
252.00 161.10 Semirara Corp. 220.00 220.20 219.00 219.00 (0.45) 317,050 41,437,678.00
0.029 0.013 United Paragon 0.0200 0.0200 0.0190 0.0200 0.00 6,100,000
PREFERRED
2GO Group P 2.20 2.13 2.12 2.12 (3.64) 6000.00
First Gen G 102.00 102.50 101.00 102.00 0.00 103,740
11.02 6.00 GMA Holdings Inc. 10.16 10.22 10.14 10.22 0.59 3,052,000 1,627,910.00
116.70 106.20 PCOR-Preferred 110.00 110.00 110.00 110.00 0.00 3,780
1050.00 990.00 SMPFC Preferred 1017.00 1018.00 1018.00 1018.00 0.10 5 5,090.00
WARRANTS & BONDS
1.35 0.62 Megaworld Corp. Warrants 1.14 1.15 1.10 1.14 0.00 1,782,000 631,600.00
RAY S. EANO
San Miguel in talks to buy ATI
CONGLOMERATE San Miguel Corp. will likely
win what is turning out as the battle for strategic
Philippine terminals. After being spurned by
listed Asian Terminals Inc. in its bid to purchase
Mariveles Grain Terminals in Bataan province two
years ago, San Miguel is now wooing the mother
company itself.
The grapevine said San Miguel president and
chief operating ofcer Ramon S. Ang was in
advanced negotiations to acquire Asian Terminals
from controlling shareholder and president
Eusebio Tanco, who had preferred to be just a
minority partner.
An ofcial in the grains terminal sector was not
surprised at all by San Miguels latest overture.
ATI is a logistics service company with physical
assets that San Miguel requires if it is to continue
domination of the food and beverage industries.
San Miguel needs to move its corn, wheat, barley,
soybeans and soymeal imports, the ofcial said.
San Miguels bid to purchase Asian Terminals
follows closely its decision to invest P2.5 billion
in a bulk grains terminal in Mabini, Batangas. Unit
San Miguel Pure Foods Co. Inc. in March this year
said the proposed terminal, which is close to its
two our mills in the province, was expected to be
operational by the last quarter of 2013. Because
of the terminals proximity to seaports, freight
costs of the our and feeds milling operations
are expected to signicantly decrease, said San
Miguel Pure Foods.
The soon-to-rise Mabini terminal, however, will
not be enough to meet the growing requirements
of San Miguels food, feeds and beverage units.
San Miguel must also reduce operating costs to
become competitive.
Says another ofcial in the grains terminal
business: ATI can receive grains at 10,000 metric
tons per day, much faster than the existing ports
of San Miguel, which can receive cargo at only
6,000 MT. Demurrage cost for delays in unloading
grains is US$20,000 per day. If you discharge fast,
you receive despatch of $10,000 per day.
Strategic assets
Asian Terminals assets will probably make
San Miguel one of the largest port operators in
the Philippines. The company operates Manila
South Harbor, the Port of Batangas and the Port
of General Santos, where world-class arrastre,
stevedoring and passenger handling services for
international and domestic vessels are available
24 hours a day.
The grain terminal business in the Philippines,
meanwhile, has become more interesting, with big-
time players in the our and feed milling industries
jockeying for every available local facility.
San Miguel has started strategic positioning to
maintain its dominance of the milling industry.
San Miguel is the biggest in the feed, our
and beer businesses that require grains storage for
wheat corn, soybeans and soybean meal, barley,
malts and hops for beer, an industry insider told
this writer. Everyone was expecting them [San
Miguel] to go into terminal operations since they
lost to La Filipina in the ATI deal.
Losing the Mariveles terminal in mid-2010
was a big blow to Ang, who wanted it badly for
San Miguel Pure Foods. San Miguel would have
teamed up with Toyota Tsusho Corp. of Japan to
acquire the grains terminal from Asian Terminals.
The conglomerate wasted no time and set the
bulk grains terminal in Mabini in motion. San
Miguel Pure Foods conceded the move to put up a
bulk grains terminal facility in Batangas was part
of its plan to control production costs and protect
margins.
ATI in 2010 placed its Mariveles Grain Terminal
in the selling block. San Miguel at that time was
the most vocal in its desire to acquire the terminal
but failed to put up a convincing offer to bag the
prized asset.
Mariveles Grain Terminal is the rst modern
facility in Southeast Asia that can receive Panamax
(meaning the ship can pass through the Panama
Canal) vessels carrying as much as 85,000 metric
tons of grain cargo.
Mariveles would have been a perfect t for San
Miguel. Its malt handling facility was just beside
the Mariveles terminal, while its B-Meg animal
feed plant, the biggest in the Philippines, was
also a few meters outside the ATI facility. As the
biggest our and feed producer in the country,
San Miguel needed the grain terminal as a hub
for its grain distribution and logistics activities to
maintain its dominance in the food and beverage
industry.
La Filipina Uygongco Corp., a low-key but well-
entrenched company based in Iloilo City, won the
facility after making an aggressive bid. Headed by
its president Felipe Uygongco, La Filipina is into
our and feed milling (in direct competition with
San Miguel) sugar and corn milling and trading,
fertilizer and soybean trading.
E-mail: extrastory2000@gmail.com;
rayenano@yahoo.com
STOCKS rose for the fourth straight
session Wednesday, pushing the benchmark
index past the 5,200-point mark, as
investors purchased high-ying stocks
toward the end of the second quarter to
bloat their portfolio.
The Philippine Stock Exchange
index, the 30-company benchmark
index, jumped 64 points, or 1.2
percent, to close at 5,257.92.
The index ended just 0.8 percent
below its record close of 5,300.41
on May 3. All six counters ended
in the green on window dressing.
The heavier index representing
all shares also added 37 points,
or 1.1 percent, to 3,449.07, as
gainers led losers, 110 to 49,
with 41 issues unchanged. Value
turnover hit nearly P8 billion.
Belle Corp. and SM Investments
Corp. jumped on a possible
Manila casino joint venture with
James Packer and Lawrence Hos
Melco Crown Entertainment Ltd.
Belle, which is building a casino
in Manila, climbed to the highest
in more than a year, advancing
8.1 percent to P5.20.
SM Investments, which
indirectly owns shares in Belle,
climbed 2.5 percent to a record
P728 following a report by the
Australian Financial Review that
a deal with Melco Crown is close.
Talks are ongoing, said Belle
vice chairman Willy Ocier.
This partnership will make
SMs casino investment more
promising, Richard Laneda,
an analyst at Manila-based
CitisecOnline.com, said by phone.
A partnership with a seasoned
and experienced foreign player
will give this venture an edge and
turn it into a better contender, he
said.
Leisure & Resorts World Corp.,
which holds a contract to operate
Belles casino, jumped 21 percent
to P7.97, the sharpest gain since
Jan. 7, 2011.
The benchmark index also
advanced as electricity producer
and retailer Aboitiz Power Corp.
jumped 4.6 percent to P35.15,
the largest gain since Feb. 24,
after Energy Secretary Jose Rene
Almendras was reported saying
any delays to a power plant its
building with Manila Electric
Co. would cause blackouts in
Luzon.
Philippine stocks jumped more
than 20 percent this year, the most
in Asia, as President Benigno
Aquino III plans to increase state
spending to a record to shield
the economy from Europes
sovereign-debt crisis and slowing
growth in China.
The nations gross domestic
product expanded 6.4 percent
in the rst quarter, the fastest
growth after China and Sri Lanka
among a basket of 17 Asia-
Pacic economies tracked by
Bloomberg.
Meanwhile, Asian stock
markets also edged up Wednesday
as rising home prices in the US
eased jitters over the robustness
of the worlds No. 1 economy.
A report showing that US home
prices rose 1.3 percent in April,
indicating an uptick a sector
closely tied to the health of the
overall economy, helped send
Wall Street higher on Tuesday.
The increase in April was the
rst in seven months.
Hong Kongs Hang Seng
rose 1 percent to 19,174.18.
Australias S&P/ASX 200
added 0.7 percent to 4,040.70.
South Koreas Kospi was
marginally higher at 1,818.81.
Japans Nikkei 225 gained 0.3
percent to 8,686.42 as traders
awaited the start Thursday of
a summit in Brussels where
European Union leaders will
try to reach an agreement on
dealing with the continents
chronic debt crisis.
Analysts said investors were
refraining from big moves
ahead of the EU summit, which
is the latest attempt to calm a
nancial crisis roiling the 17-
nation euro currency union.
Buying interest is not
strong. Right now, the overall
market is quite cautious, said
Linus Yip, a strategist at First
Shanghai Securities in Hong
Kong. He said he thought it
unlikely that a breakthrough
would take place at the
summit, given the reluctance of
Germany to accept the idea of
eurobonds or a banking union
that might expose it to the risks
of smaller countries hobbled
by recessions and debts.
With Bloomberg, AP
Manila
Standard
TODAY
Invitation to Bid for
PINATUBO HAZARD URGENT MITIGATION PROJECT, PHASE III
CONTRACT PACKAGE NO. 1
EXCAVATION/DREDGING OF LOCAL DRAINAGE CHANNELS
AND CONSTRUCTION OF BRIDGES
Province of Pampanga

1. The Department of Public Works and Highways, through the JICA Loan PH-P241 under the
27
th
Yen Loan Package intends to apply the sum of P178,990,988.54 being the Approved
Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for Contract Package No.
1 - Excavation/Dredging of Local Drainage Channels and Construction of Bridges. Bids
received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.
2. The DPWH now invites bids for (i) excavation/dredging, embankment construction and provision
of revetment in the Marimla Creek/Matsin-2 Creek (1.43 km) and two (2) local drainage channels,
namely; Upper Sapang Maragul Diversion (1.80 km) in Guagua and Sapang Bayu (1.68 km)
in Lubao and (ii) replacement/construction of two (2) new bridges. Completion of the Works is
required for Fourteen (14) months. Bidders should have completed, within ten (10) years from
the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project equivalent to at least
ffty percent (50%) of the ABC. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding
Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instruction to Bidders.
3. Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using non-discretionary
pass/fail criterion as specifed in the mplementing Rules and Regulations (RR) of Republic Act
9184 (RA9184), otherwise known as the "Government Procurement ReformAct.
Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with
at least seventy fve percent (75%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of
the Philippines.
4. Interested bidders may obtain further information from DPWH and inspect the Bidding
Documents at the address given below from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. starting on June 28, 2012:
Central Procurement Offce
5th Floor, DPWH Building
Bonifacio Drive, Port Area,
Manila, Philippines
5. A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders from the
address below and upon payment of a nonrefundable fee for the Bidding Documents in the
amount of fourty thousand pesos (Php40,000.00).
It may also be downloaded free of charge fromthe website of the Philippine Government Electronic
Procurement System(PhilGEPS) and the website of the Procuring Entity, provided that bidders shall
pay the fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids.
6. The Department of Public Works & Highways will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on July 5, 2012,
9:00 A.M. at Central Procurement Offce, 5
th
Floor DPWH Building, Bonifacio Drive, Port
Area Manila, which shall be open to all interested parties who have purchased the Bidding
Documents.
7. Bids must be delivered on or before July 17, 2012, not later than 10:00 a.m.
Function RoomCentral Procurement Offce,
Department of Public Works and Highways
5
th
Floor DPWH Building,
Bonifacio Drive, Port Area Manila.
All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount
stated in Bid Documents Clause 18.1.
Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders representatives who choose to attend at the
address below. Late bids shall not be accepted.
8. Eligible Bidders must be registered contractors with DPWH's Registry of Civil Works Contractors
managed by the Central Offce Bids andAwards Committee. Unregistered contractors may submit
their application for registration prior to submission of their bids.
9. The DPWH reserves the right to reject any and all bids, annul the bidding process, or not award
the contract at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the
affected bidder or bidders.
10. For further information, please refer to:
ROGELIO O. ANG, CEO VI
OIC-Project Director
MFCDP II Cluster II
2
nd
St., Port Area Manila
Tel. No. 02-304-38-29

(Sgd.) JAIMEA. PACANAN, Ph.D., CESOI
Undersecretary
Chairman, Central Offce Bids and Awards
Committee for Civil Works
(MST-JUNE 28, 2012)
Republic of the Philippines
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLC WORKS AND HGHWAYS
Region
Ilocos Sur 2
nd
District Engineering Offce
Candon City, Ilocos Sur
INVITATION TO BID
(MST-June 28, 2012)
The Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) of the Ilocos Sur 2
nd
District Engineering
Offce, invites contractors to bid for the aforementioned project:
Contract ID No. : 12AD0089
Contract Name : Construction of Sugpon Bridge (Phase I)
Contract Location : Sugpon, Ilocos Sur
Brief Description : Construction of Bridge
Approved Budget for : P 29,694,976.18
The Contract
Source of Fund : GAA 2012
Contract Duration : 180 calendar days
Cost of Bid Documents : P 20,000.00
The BAC will conduct the procurement process in accordance with the Revised
RR of R.A. 9184. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically
rejected at the opening of bid.
To bid for this contract, a contractor must submit a Letter of Intent (LOI),
purchase bid documents and must meet the following major criteria: (a) prior
registration with DPWH, (b) Filipino citizen or 75% Filipino-owned partnership,
corporation, cooperative, or joint venture, (c) with PCAB License applicable to the
type and cost of this contract, (d) completion of a similar contract costing at least
50% of ABC within a period of 10 years, and (e) Net Financial Contracting Capacity
at least equal to ABC, or credit line commitment for at least 10% of ABC. The BAC
will use non-discretionary pass/fail criteria in the eligibility check and preliminary
examination of bids.
Unregistered contractors, however, shall submit their applications for
registration to the DPWH-POCW Central Offce before the deadline for the receipt
of LO. The DPWH-POCW Central Offce will only process contractor's applications
for registration, with complete requirements, and issue the Contractor's Certifcate
of Registration (CRC). Registration Forms may be downloaded at the DPWH
website www.dpwh.gov.ph.
The signifcant times and deadlines of procurement activities are shown below:
1. Issuance of Bidding Documents : From June 28, to July 26, 2012
2. Pre-bid Conference : July 12, 2012 @ 10:00 A.M. , BAC Offce
3. Receipt of LO from Prospective Bidders : From June 28 to July 19, 2012
4. Receipt of Bids : July 26, 2012 until 10:00 A.M.
5. Opening of Bids : July 26, 2012 @ 2:00 P.M.
The BAC will issue hard copies of Bidding Documents (BDs) at Ilocos Sur
2
nd
District Engineering Offce, upon payment of a non-refundable fee as stated.
Prospective bidders may also download the BDs, if available, from the DPWH web
site. Prospective bidders that will download the BDs from the DPWH website shall
pay the said fees on or before the submission of their bids Documents. The Pre-bid
Conference shall be open only to interested parties who have purchased the BDs.
Bids must be accompanied by a bid security, in the amount and acceptable form,
as stated in Section 27.2 of the Revised RR.
Prospective bidders shall submit their duly accomplished forms as specifed in
the BD's in two (2) separate sealed bid envelopes to the BAC Chairman. The frst
envelope shall contain the technical component of the bid, which shall include the
technical component of the bid, which shall include a copy of the CRC. The second
envelope shall contain the fnancial component of the bid. Contract will be awarded
to the Lowest Calculated Responsive Bid as determined in the bid evaluation and
the post-qualifcation.
The Ilocos Sur 2
nd
District Engineering Offce reserves the right to accept
or reject any or all bid and to annul the bidding process anytime before Contract
award, without incurring any liability to the affected bidders.

Approved by:

(Sgd.) RENATO G. GAGNO
BAC Chairman
Noted:

(Sgd.) RAY A. ELAYDO
District Engineer
Region
OFFICE OF THE DISTRICT ENGINEER
Pampanga 2
nd
District Engineering Offce
San Antonio, Guagua, Pampanga
I NVI TATI ON TO BI D
(MST-June 28, 2012)
The Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) of the Department of Public
Works and Highways (DPWH) Pampanga 2
nd
District Engineering Ofhce,
through the R.A.10155 PDAF FY-2012 invites contractors to bid for the
aforementioned projects:
1. Contract ID : 12CH0032
Contract Name : Construction of MP Building/Pavement
@ Pio Model Community
Contract Location : Brgy Pio, Porac, Pampanga
SARO No. : BMB-A-12-T000001110
Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) : Php9,706,150.37
Contract Duration : 60CD
Non-Refundable Bid Doc Fee : Php10,000.00
The BAC will conduct the procurement process with the Revised RR of
R.A. 9184. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected
at the opening of bid.
To bid for its contract, a contractor must submit a letter of Intent (LOI),
purchase of bid documents and must meet the following major criteria: (a)
prior registration with DPWH, (b) Filipino citizen or 75% Filipino-owned
partnership, corporation, cooperative, o joint venture, (c) the PCAB license
applicable to the type and cost of this contract, (d) completion of a similar
contract costing at least 50% of ABC within a period of 10 years, and (e) Net
fnancial Contracting Capacity at least equal to ABC, or credit line commitment
at least equal to 10% of ABC. The BAC will use non-discretionary pass/fail
criteria in the eligibility check and preliminary examination of bids.
Unregistered contractors, however, shall submit their applications for
registration, to the DPWH-POCW Central Offce before the deadline for the
receipt of LO. The DPWH-POCW Central Offce will only process contractor's
applications for registration, with complete requirements, and issue the
Contractor's Certifcate of Registration (CRC). Forms may be downloaded at
the DPWH website www.dpwh.gov.ph.
The signifcant times and deadlines of procurement activities are shown
below:
1. Issuance of Bidding Documents On : June 27-July 26, 2012
2. Pre-Bidding Conference On : July 10, 2012 at 2:00 P.M
3. Receipt of Bids July 26, 2012 at 8:00 - 10:00 A.M
4. Opening of Bids July 26, 2012 at 10:00 A.M.
The BAC will issue hard copies of Bidding Documents (BDs) at DPWH-
Pampanga 2
nd
District Engineering Offce, San Antonio, Guagua, Pampanga,
upon payment of a non-refundable fee of "please see above. Prospective
bidders may also download the BDs from the DPWH website, if available.
Prospective bidders that will downloaded the BDs from DPWH website shall
pay the said fees on or before the submission of their bid Documents. Bid
must be accompanied by a bid security, in the amount and acceptable form,
as stated in Section 27.2 of the Revised RR.
Prospective bidders shall submit their duly accomplished forms as
specifed in the Bidding Documents (BD's) to the BAC Chairman. The
frst envelope shall contain the technical component of the bid, which shall
include a copy of the CRC. The second envelope shall contain the fnancial
component of the bid. Contract will be awarded to the Lowest Calculated
Responsive Bid as determined in the bid evaluation and post-qualifcation.
The DPWH-Pampanga 2
nd
DEO reserves the right to accept or reject any
or all bid and to annul the bidding process anytime before Contract award,
without incurring any liability to the affected bidders.

(Sgd.) GENE D. GONZALES
BAC Chairman
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND HIGHWAYS
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY
Manila
Business
ManilaStandardToday extrastory2000@gmail.com mst_biz@manilastandardtoday.com JUNE 28, 2012 THURSDAY
B3
Sy eyes casino deal with Melco
Wider plastic ban threatens 175,000 jobs
School donation. SM chairman and founder Henry Sy Sr. (fth from right, seated) and his wife Felicidad
(fourth from right) formally opened the Henry Sy Sr. primary school building at the Xavier School campus in
Nuvali, Calamba City. The Sy family donated the building. Others who graced the occasion are (from right)
Herson Sy, Harley Sy, Debbie Sy, Herbert Sy, Education Secretary Armin Luistro, Cultural Counsellor Pan Feng of
the Chinese Embassy, Xavier School board member Johnip Cua, Xavier School president Johnny Go, Xavier School
chairman Ismael Zuloaga and Fr. Jose Cecilio Magadia of Society of Jesus.
THE bandwagon effect of the
plastic ban in Metro Manila and
other cities is taking a toll on the
local plastic industry, which is
now forced to reduce the working
hours of its labor force to prevent
layoffs.
Peter Quintana, president of
the Philippine Plastic Industry
Association, said while no major
retrenchment had taken place
despite production cuts, layoffs
posed a real threat if the ban on
plastic continued.
He said to prevent layoffs,
plastic manufacturing companies
rotated workers who reported
only three to four days a week
instead of six.
The ban also resulted in a 20-
percent drop in the sales of plastic
and polystyrene products, he
added.
There are about 1,000 plastic
manufacturers directly employing
about 175,000 workers. Quintana
said if a national ban is enforced
and no alternative jobs were
created, these workers would add
to the already swelling ranks of the
unemployed, making worse the
poverty problem in the country.
He said at least half a dozen
local government units in Metro
Manila led by Muntinlupa,
and dozens more in provinces
outside the capital had banned
the use of polystyrene (styro
products) and restricted plastic
bags in supermarkets and other
stores.
Albay province and Davao
City joined the growing list of
LGUs that enforced a plastic
ban in June. Makati City will
implement a ban by next year
while the Metropolitan Manila
Development Authority is
contemplating a metro-wide ban.
Plastic is being blamed for
the clogging of esteros and other
waterways, which in turn causes
ooding, but the plastic industry
insisted the real culprit was peoples
improper waste disposal behavior.
The industry pushed for
restriction, rather than an outright
ban on plastic, and called for
government support to efforts
to recycle plastic. Recycling
is a solution. Lets not ban
a functional product, said
Crispian Lao, former president
of the PPIA, who sits as one of
the private sector representatives
in the National Solid Waste
Management Commission.
BELLE Corp., controlled by companies
belonging to billionaire Henry Sy, said it is
in talks with Melco Crown Entertainment
Ltd. to set up a Manila casino.
Belle, which Sys SM
Investments Corp. invests in,
is discussing the partnership
although nothing is nal, vice
chairman Willy Ocier said
Wednesday. Melco Crown is the
casino joint venture of Australian
billionaire James Packer and a
son of Hong Kong billionaire
Stanley Ho.
Belle climbed 8.1 percent
to P5.20 on news of the talks,
which would give it a partner
that has succeeded in boosting
gambling revenue in Macau,
the worlds largest gaming
hub. For Melco Crown, the
deal would drive growth
outside the Chinese city that
helped boost its first-quarter
profit 17-fold.
A partnership with a seasoned
and experienced foreign player
will give this venture an edge and
turn it into a better contender,
said Richard Laneda, analyst at
Manila-based CitisecOnline.com,
on the benets of any agreement
to Belle. This partnership will
make SMs casino investment
more promising.
Sys SM Investments Corp.,
owner of the largest Philippine
bank and retailer, counts
Belle as one of its portfolio
investments. Belle is 62.33-
percent owned by companies
identified and linked with
Henry Sy and SM Investments,
according to data compiled by
Bloomberg.
Henry Sy, 87, went from
running a shoe store that he started
in 1948 in Manila to become the
Philippines richest man.
Belle holds one of four licenses
that the Philippines awarded
in 2008 and 2009 to operate a
gambling and entertainment
complex in Manila that the
government is developing
to compete with Macau and
Singapore. Belles competitors
include Genting Hong Kong
Ltd., Philippine port magnate
Enrique Razon Jr. and Japanese
billionaire Kazuo Okada, who
are the holders of the other three
licenses.
The Australian Financial
Review reported that Melco
Crown is close to a deal, and
that Packer and Stanley Hos son
Lawrence ew to Manila to sign
an agreement with Henry Sy Jr.,
the eldest son of the Philippine
billionaire. Sy Jr., is vice
chairman at SM Investments.
Maggie Ma, a spokesman
for Melco Crown, couldnt
immediately be reached for
comment via phone or e-mail.
Melco Crown is awaiting
regulatory approval for a resort,
the Studio City, on the Cotai
Strip in Macau. Packers Crown
Ltd., the owner of casinos in
Melbourne and Perth, has a 10-
percent stake in Australias Echo
Entertainment Group Ltd. and
applied to raise the holding in
February.
By Othel V. Campos
THE government has allotted
P50 million to build common
packing facilities that will help
small banana exporters meet
international standards.
The Agriculture
Department and the
Mindanao Banana Farmers
and Exporters Association
have identified two sites for
such facilities in Sto. Tomas,
Davao del Norte.
The government is still
scouting the suitable location
for the third facility.
Funding for the project will
come from President Benigno
Aquinos social fund, with an
initial P50 million eyed to get
the project rolling.
The new facilities will enable
banana farmers and exporters
comply with international
sanitary and phytosanitary
standards.
Members of the association
suggested to organize
themselves into small clusters
when utilizing the common
or central accredited packing
facility.
The department said it
would also accredit existing
small facilities that meet the
export standards.
Meanwhile, Agriculture
Secretary Proceso Alcala
asked the Philippine Banana
Growers and Exporters
Association, which groups
large banana exporters, to
share their technologies
and good agricultural
practices with their smaller
counterparts.
Alcala said the department
would also provide them
technical and marketing
assistance and training through
the Bureau of Plant Industry,
Agribusiness and Marketing
Assistance Service, and High
Value Crops Development
Program.
He asked the group to
refrain from pole-vaulting
or reneging on marketing
contracts whenever export
prices of banana spike or
shoot up, and in the process
hastily skipping or relaxing
on the required SPS or export
standards.
Agriculture Marketing
and Agribusiness Assistance
director Leandro Gazmin and
the banana exporters have
recently embarked on a trade
mission to scout for alternative
markets for Philippine
bananas.
The group left on June 23
for the Middle East, Brussels,
Netherlands and Italy.
Govt allots P50m
for banana packing
B4
Provinces
Edited by Leo A. Estonilo www.manilastandardtoday.comleoestonilo@gmail.com
Puregold to sell Benguet vegetables
Cagayan
turns 429
ROXAS CITYUNICEF Country
representative Tomoo Hozumi
expressed appreciation over a joint
project with retail giant SM on a
water management campaign in
Capiz province for children and their
families.
Your companys funding,
matched with the local
government and communitys
counterpart contributions,
allowed us to achieve more than
the original targets, he told
SM Supermalls president Annie
Garcia in a letter.
We would like to thank you
and your team for your continued
trust and look forward to further
collaboration and partnership for
the benet of Filipino children.
The UNICEF-SM Integrated
Water, Sanitation and Hygiene
(WASH) program for the
province of Capiz was piloted
in Capiz municipalities where
extreme weather conditions can
bring strong rains and oods but
even though they are surrounded
with oodwaters, households
would not have water for
drinking and household use.
Garcia noted that clean water
was fetched from springs and
reservoirs which were a long
walk away.
It was appropriate that the
WASH program got its funding
from water itself. UNICEF
partnered with SM for the Drink
for 2 drive where for every SM
bottled water purchased, one peso
Clean water for children, households
went to the Capiz water kitty.
Garcia said the aim was to
provide children and their families
in 10 villages belonging to the
towns of Pontevedra, Maayon,
Tapaz, Dao and President Roxas,
a water provisioning system that
involved potable water and basic
sanitation specially latrines and
hygiene education.
Before the UNICEF-SM
project, children frequently got
sick of diarrhea and parasitism.
According to studies, diarrhea
ranked 4 as a leading cause of
morbidity for children under
5. A random survey on Nov.
2007 showed that 51.39 percent
of grade school pupils have
prevalence of parasitism which
ranks 7th as leading cause of
children under 5 morbidity.
Today, children can drink
clean water, take a bath daily
with toilets and hand washing
facilities. Beyond the water
system, the program was able
to rehabilitate walkways and
paths in the schools for improved
safety of 2,298 schoolchildren
and 1,334 households.
Of the proposed P2.2 million
project in Capiz, SM Prime
Holdings Inc. was able to raise
P3,454,735.20 from the Drink
for 2 campaigns, said Garcia.
This was P1,454,735.20 more
than the targeted contribution.
With an expense of
P2,236,251.98 sourced with local
government and community
counterparts, at least P1.2 million
has been realized for new sites.
Mavic Linan
By Bernadine Astillero-Gabawan
BAYOGMayor Leonardo Babasa Jr. welcomed
three mining rms in Zambonaga del Sur on a
medical and dental mission to serve Subanen tribal
folk.
Local government staff worked with outreach
teams of Bayog 9 Metals, Alpha First Asia
Mining. and Alpha Prime Pacic Mining in holding
consultations, treatment, picture-taking for ID
sessions along with distribution of free medicines.
The activity served residents in the villages
of Matin-ao, Liba, Conacon, Bobuan, Datagan,
Bantal, Canoayan and Matin-ao.
The medical group was composed of Dr. Bernie
Adomon, Dr. Patrick Toledo of Municipal Health
Ofcer in Dumalinao town, Dr. Robert Barcela
of Zamboanga del Sur Dental Society, Dr. Willa
Barcela of Ozamis City Health Center, Dr. Elvie
Alvaira along with Dr. Cora Punzalan, president
fo Zamboanga del Sur Dental Society and together
with Bayog town Rural Health Unit.
Barangay Matin-ao Chairman Virginia Entag
said the assitance was a big help.
We express our thanks and appreciation that
the residents of our barangay were able to avail
the services which was promised by the mining
companies, she said in the dialect.
Board member Celso Matias and other local
exectuives discussed health issues with the
representatives of the mining sector, Mercilyn
Hatad of the National Commission on Indigenous
Peoples and Dr. Barcela.
Mayor Babasa is very supportive to the mining
rms because this is a big help to the communties
that could not afford to buy medicines, Matias said.
Romeo Fernando, Bayog 9 chief operations
ofcer, said the mission would continue.
This is just the beginning of our social
commitment, he said. PIA
Mining rms attend to tribal villages
By Jessica M. Bacud
TUGUEGARAO CITY
Governor Alvaro Antonio
leads the celebration of the
429th Aggao Nac Cagayan
with a week-long trade fair
on the provinces one- town,
one-product specialties.
Aggao Nac aims to gather
together all Cagayanos as well
as visitors from other provinces
and countries to celebrate the
abundant blessings of God to
the livelihood of the people
especially on agricultural and
sheries in the province, he
said.
Event chairwoman Criselda
Antonio said the activity also
shows the creativity of local
talents.
We dont only recognize
our young handsome
gentlemen but also those
who designed their attires
to show our gratitude for
their contributions toward
development, she said at the
rst Ginoo crown search.
Other highlights are
Binibining Cagayan with
Mr. & Mrs. Agriyamanan
pageants, pinakbet cooking
challenge, 4th Annual
Indigenous Peoples Visual
Exhibition, Kiling-kingan
and La Jota Enrile Folk
Dance Competition among
many activities.
By Dexter A. See

LA TRINIDADUpland planters will have
a wider market for their fresh vegetables
with the agreement to supply the Puregold
chain of stores.
FREEPORT AREA OF BATAAN-- Secretary
Joel Villanueva of the Technical Education
and Skills Development Authority will sign
a Memorandum of Agreement with heads
of the Freeport, Clark Development Corp.
and Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority to
attract locators by making available a pool
of highly-skilled workers.
TESDA regional director Ted Gatchalian
said the human resource development is
considered one of the pre-conditions in
attracting new investments in economic
zones.
FAB chairman and administrator Deo
Custodio and Mayor Jesse Concepcion of
Mariveles have been sponsoring training
program to convince companies of a climate
conducive to business.
TESDA regional information ofcer
Gilbert Castro said the agreement
would cover job-skills matching, policy
consultation, conduct of industry studies,
assessment and certication of middle-level
workers and implementation of the Dual
Training System.
Adapted from the German model, the
system combines instructions at school
or training center and the company or
workshop.
The close cooperation of the academe
and industry enables trainees to be fully
equipped with employable skills, work
knowledge, and attitudes. Butch Gunio
Tech-voc boosts Freeport growth
Upland produce to benet from retail chain
Benguet Governor Nestor
Fongwan said Puregold and the
Benguet Farmers Cooperative
were working out a supply deal
making use of the retail giants
cold storage network to bring
crucifers and other choice crops
to different regions.
Our cooperative will now
have a solid partner in the
marketing of our highland
vegetables to high-end buyers,
he told Manila Standard.
The group is composed of
over 1,000 vegetable farmers
in the province who need to
benet from a direct link to a
wider consumer base in urban
centers.
We want our vegetable
industry to remain a lucrative
source of income for our
farmers, Fongwan, noting
the dominance of Puregold
outlets.
He said demand for semi-
temperate varieties increased
over the past months with
the usual 300 truckloads of
vegetables supplying Metro
Manila daily has ballooned to
500.
Fongwan said Benguet
has been supplying around
75 percent of the highland
vegetables to the lowlands.
With the Puregold chain,
upland produce could flow
freely to markets in Central
Luzon, Southern Tagalog and
neighboring localities, he
said.
We want our farmers to
have direct linkages with
high-end buyers to guarantee
supply, Fongwan said,
adding that overstocking
can result if the market fails
to expand which will lead
to farmers unable to a get a
good price for their harvest.
Through Puregold, the
vegetable sector can adopt crop
programming to help prevent
any price distortion in the
market, he said.
Assigning crops to specic
areas will avoid creating
oversupply of cabbage, carrots,
potatoes, beans, cucumber,
tomatoes, sweet peas among
other commodities.
Manila
Standard
TODAY
INVITATION TO BID
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources National Capital
Region thru its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) hereby invites all Contractors to
submit Letters of Intent (LOI) and to Bid for the hereunder described procurement/
project for the Enhancement/Operation of Clonal Nursery at DOST Compound,
Taguig City :
NAME OF PROJECT
COMPLETION
PERIOD
APPROVED
BUDGET FOR THE
CONTRACT
ENHANCEMENT /OPERATION
OF CLONAL NURSERY AT
DOST COMPOUND, TAGUIG
CITY
Greenhouse (rooting and
recovery area)
Nethouse (Hardening area)
Pump house and Reservoir
Computer/Irrigation system w/
electrical power line
Soil storage and sterilization
area Non-mist rooting area
90 Calendar
Days
P7,000,000.00
Eligibility Requirements or Complete Set of Pre-qualifcation forms and Bid
Documents will be available for issuance at the General Services Section (GSS),
Administrative Division or the BAC Secretariat with telephone number 394-2003. A
non-refundable fee of FIVE THOUSAND PESOS (P5,000.00) will be collected.
All particulars relative to the bidding process, such as Eligibility Screening,
Posting of Bid Security, Evaluation and Post-Qualifcations shall be governed by the
pertinent provisions of R.A. 9184 and its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR).
Given hereunder is the schedule of the Bidding Process, to wit:
ACTIVITY DATE AND TIME VENUE
Pre-Procurement
Conference
June 22, 2012, 1:00 p.m.
BAC Conference Room,
North Production Nursery,
North Avenue, Quezon City
Submission of Letter
of Intent
July 2-8, 2012
Issuance of Bidding
Documents
July 2-15, 2012
Pre-Bid Conference
July 17, 2012 (Tuesday),
10:00 a.m.
Submission of Bids
July 30, 2012 (Monday),
8:00 a.m.
Opening of Bids
July 30, 2012 (Monday),
9:00 a.m.
Awarding
August 3, 2012 (Friday)
10:00 a.m.
Bids will be opened promptly on the above bidding date in the presence of
participating bidders or their duly authorized representatives who chose to attend.
Bids Prices shall be fxed. Adjustable price proposals shall be treated as non-
responsive and shall be rejected.
All bids must be accompanied by a corresponding security bid bond in the form
of Cash, Manager's Check, Certifed Check, Bank Draft or an equivalent amount in a
freely convertible currency, or Surety Bond callable on demand issued by the GSIS
or by any private insurance company duly accredited by the Insurance Commission
and submitted to the undersigned c/o BAC Secretariat on the Bidding date
DENR-NCR reserves the right to reject any or all bids at any time prior of contract,
waive any defects therein, accept the bid, and award the contract to the bidder with
the lowest, calculated and responsive bid. The offce assumes no responsibility to
compensate or indemnify the bidder for any expense or loss that may be incurred for
the preparation of bids, nor does it guarantee that an award will be made.
June 26, 2012.

(Sgd.) ATTY. MANUELITA C. JATULAN
Bids and Awards Committee

(MST-JUNE 28, 2012)
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES
National Capital Region
DENR By the Bay Bldg., 1515 Roxas Blvd., Ermita, Manila

Manila Standard Today - June 28, 2012 Issue

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