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DELUGE!
TODAY
www.manilastandardtoday.com mst@mstandardtoday.com
Vol. XXVI No. 150 12 Pages, 2 Sections
P18.00 Thursday, August 9, 2012
Standard
Manila
Water, water everywhere. Monsoon rains submerged most parts of Metro Manila as seen from the air through an air force helicopter. DANNY PATA
Southwesterly
winds. Arrows
show the path
of southwesterly
winds that dump
heavy rains in
Metro Manila
and other parts of
the country. The
weather bureau
said weather
conditions will
slightly improve
on Thursday
because the wind
was weakening.
JONATHAN FER-
NANDEZ
Eight Metro cities in calamity state
Six nearby
provinces
inundated
Fact of life:
Great floods
Aquino: Flooding
will still be with us
Tales of endurance, reaching out amid suffering
Pedestrian crossing. Resi-
dents cross a ooded street in
Marikina City. AP
3-day drenching rain
maroons 1m people
Government forecasters said the monsoon rain that over-
owed major dams and rivers crisscrossing Manila and
the surrounding provinces would gradually abate and lead
to sunny weather later this week after 12 days of relentless
downpours. The deluge that began late Sunday was the worst
since 2009, when hundreds died in rampaging ash oods.
Were still on a rescue mode, said Benito Ramos, who
heads the governments main disaster-response agency.
Floods are receding in many areas but people are still
trapped on their roofs.
In other developments:
The weather bureau said the weather would improve
slightly today because of the weakening of the southwest-
erly winds
President Benigno Aquino III admonished a repre-
sentative of the weather bureau for failing to give a de-
nite weather forecast
By Christine F. Herrera,
Lailany Gomez, Jona-
than Fernandez, Joel
Zurbano and Orlan
Mauricio
HEAVY southwest monsoon
rain continued to pound Metro
Manila on Wednesday, but the
weather bureau said nearby
provinces such as Pampanga,
Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Bulacan,
Bataan, Rizal and Cavite will
have less rainfall today, although
threats of landslides in moun-
tainous areas remain.
Weather forecaster Jun Ga-
lang said tropical cyclone Hai-
kui, which is outside the Philip-
pine area of responsibility but
THE southwest monsoon has
brought continuing rain to Met-
ro Manila and the nearby prov-
inces since last week, causing
oods that have submerged
wide areas. At least 11 people
have been killed and thousands
have ed their homes.
The Philippines has been
battered by oods for as long
as people can remember, but
some of the worst oods to hit
By Macon-Ramos
Araneta, Vito Bar-
celo, Joel Zurbano
and Christine Herrera
LOUS Javier, the operations manager of
a forwarding rm in Manila, could not
break through a trafc gridlock and the
oods on her way home to Paraaque
Tuesday night, so she did the next best
thing: she parked at a well-guarded fast-
food store and spent the night in the car.
At daybreak, she discovered she
was not alone
the parking lot was full of cars
with motorists sleeping behind the
wheel.
It was the longest trip of my life,
she said.
On normal days, it takes me only
A MOMENT of sunshine on
Wednesday morning boosted hopes
that the torrential monsoon rain that
has been pounding Metro Manila
had abated, but heavy rain again
dampened spirits shortly after noon
and later led to declarations of states
of calamity in eight jurisdictions in
the National Capital Region.
Government teams struggled to
rescue ood victims as 60 percent of
roads in the metropolis quickly be-
came water-logged, prompting the
declaration of states of calamities in
the cities of Pasig, Pasay, Marikina,
Malabon, Navotas, Valenzuela and
Muntinlupa and the town of Pateros.
The roads in some areas are like
rivers, said Executive Director Benito
Ramos of the National Disaster Risk
Reduction and Management Council.
All the roads and alleys are ooded.
The Metro Manila Development
By Joyce Pangco Paares
PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III admitted Wednesday
it will take time for the government to fully address the
ooding problem in Metro Manila as he hailed the evacu-
ees in various parts of the capital for their resilience and
ghting spirit.
It warms my heart to see that even if you have been
displaced by the massive ooding, your ghting spirit has
not dampened. This kind of resilience and positive out-
look eases the weight of the problems your government is
facing, Mr. Aquino said during his visit to an evacuation
center in Tunasan in Muntinlupa City on Wednesday.
We will not be able to solve this problem of ooding
next week. It will take a while to alleviate this or ensure
THE widespread ooding that
killed at least 23 people, battered
a million others and paralyzed
Metro Manila and the nearby
provinces briey eased Wednes-
day, allowing rescuers on rubber
boats to reach a large number of
distressed residents still marooned
in submerged villages.
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News
ManilaStandardToday mst.daydesk@gmail.com AUGUST 9, 2012 THURSDAY
A2
Help for ood victims. SM City Novaliches and the SM Foundation put together truckloads of
groceries for the thousands of families who needed relief in Novaliches as a result of the incessant rain.
There are about 86,000 families in Gulod village in Novaliches, which ofcials say is almost 80 percent
under water.
Fact...
the Philippines came during the
following dates:
On Nov. 5, 1991, ash
oods swamped Ormoc City in
Leyte, killing about 8,000 peo-
ple as walls of mud and water
rolled down the mountains. The
water and mud washed houses
and people into the sea.
In September 1998 oods
caused by days of continuing
rain inundated more than 900
families along the Pasig, Pa-
teros, Marikina and Napindan
Rivers. They submerged 85 per-
cent of Malabon and ooded 26
primary and secondary roads in
Metro Manila.
In November 2006 typhoon
Reming caused widespread
ooding and power outages in
many parts of Luzon, particu-
larly in the Bicol region. More
than 700 people were killed and
about 2,000 were injured.
In June 2008 fyphoon Frank
caused severe ooding in Iloilo,
Antique, Aklan, Capiz, Guima-
ras and Negros Occidental. The
capital town of Kalibo in Aklan
was covered with mud and was
without potable water and elec-
tricity for weeks.
On Sept. 26, 2009, tropical
storm Ondoy poured a months
amount of rain in six hours in
Metro Manila. The ooding
that ensued was the worst in 40
years. The storm left 293 people
dead and 42 missing. More than
three million people were af-
fected.
On June 24, 2011, the wa-
ter level at the Marikina River
rose because of the heavy rain
caused by typhoon Falcon. Ar-
eas beside the riverbanks were
ooded. Marikina River, the
main river system in Eastern
Metro Manila, serves as the
benchmark on the severity of
ooding in the capital. The river
springs from the Sierra Madre
Mountains in Rodriguez, Rizal,
and ows to Pasig City, where
it becomes a major tributary of
the Pasig River.
On Sept. 27, 2011, typhoon
Pedring dumped rain of Ondoy-
like proportions into Metro Ma-
nila and the nearby provinces.
The water level at the Marikina
River rose and it overowed its
banks. The oods submerged
serveral villages in Marikina
and San Mateo, Rizal.
Six...
has been enhancing the southwest
monsoon to bring heavy rains over
Metro Manila and nearby prov-
inces for the past days, has moved
farther away and made a landfall
in the vicinity of Shanghai, China
Wednesday morning.
Bulacan and Bataan, mean-
while, continue to suffer from
heavy ooding in several areas, af-
fecting several families and render-
ing major roads impassable.
The agriculture department,
meanwhile, reported that the
non-stop rain had already caused
heavy damage to crops and sh-
eries in several provinces.
Agriculture Undersecretary
for operations Joel Rudinas said
the damage caused by the com-
bined rainfall from typhoon Gen-
er and the southwest monsoon
rain that followed it has reached
P152.13 million, with the rice
sector suffering the worst dam-
age at P131.49 million from the
24,780 hectares in 18 provinces.
Rudinas reported that
25,958 hectares of crop lands
were affected in 20 provinces
in Regions 1, 2, 3, 6 and the
Cordillera Administrative Re-
gion.
The report said losses in the
rice sector hit P131.49 million,
followed by corn (P7.74 million),
high value crops (P10.62 million),
and sheries (P2.28 million).
In the rice sector, most of
those affected by the ooding
were in the seedling/vegetative
stage and with chance to recover,
while considered lost were 3,355
metric tons of palay from the
3,902 hectares in reproductive or
maturity stage.
The report said only 1,904
hectares were completely dam-
aged while 22,876 hectares have
a chance to recover.
Cagayan in northern Luzon
suffered the biggest loss valued
at P36 million, followed by Pam-
panga at P32 million, Bulacan
at P26 million, and Bataan, P14
million.
The DA said corn areas af-
fected were 1,035 hectares in
six provinces. The areas are
mostly with chances of recovery.
Deemed lost were 666 metric
tons of corn from the 574 hect-
ares in reproductive stage.
Mostly affected were the
provinces of Cagayan and Kalin-
ga. Only 20 hectares were com-
pletely damaged.
Meanwhile, the DA said high-
value crops damage were reported
in Benguet, La Union and Panga-
sinan. Estimated losses were some
733 metric tons of these crops val-
ued at P10.62 million.
The department said of the
total affected areas of 143 hect-
ares, only one hectare had no
chance to recover.
Effects to sheries were also
reported in coastal provinces of
Pangasinan in Region 1 and Ca-
gayan in Region 2 due to dam-
aged shponds and sh cages.
DA placed the total value of loss
at P2.28 million.
The department said the
gathering of reports from con-
cerned local government units
on production losses continues
as well as on the damage to in-
frastructure caused by the south-
west monsoon.
Meanwhile, Bulacan and
Bataan remained heavy ooded
in many areas after several days
of non-stop rainfall.
The excessive rainfall, which
had ooded 200 villages in Bula-
can, had prompted the provincial
government to declare the prov-
ince under a state of calamity.
The declaration was sup-
ported by the Sanggunian Pan-
lalawigan of Bulacan and backed
by Gov. Willy Sy-Alvarado and
came with a resolution calling for
all the resources of the provincial
government to be mobilized to
respond to the worst ooding the
province had experienced.
Alvarado, sitting as chairman
of the Provincial Disaster Risk
Reduction Managament Coun-
cil, said that at least 222 villages
in 18 towns and 3 cities of the
province have been submerged
under 2 to 5 feet of oodwaters
for almost a week now.
The province braces for more
ooding in the next 48-hours
as the backoods coming from
Nueva Ecija and Pampanga de-
scends thru the Pampanga River
towards the Manila Bay.
Expected to be hardest hit are
the towns of Calumpit, Paom-
bong and Hagonoy which have
been the perennial catch-basin
of back-oodwaters.
Since Monday, at least 16 out
of 29 barangays in Calumpit are
already submerged in 2 to 4 feet
oodwaters; same with 11 out of
26 barangays in Hagonoy; and all
of the 14 villages in Paombong
town are already in waist-deep
water for the past three days now.
The ooding has affected a
total of 75,365 families. Evacu-
ated families were placed at
7,000 in 115 evacuation centers.
At least 21 houses in barangays
Poblacion, Paltao, Sto. Cristo
and Tabing-Ilog, all in Pulilan
town have been swept by ram-
paging oodwaters Wednesday
morning.
Gov. Alvarado said the town
of Obando bore the brunt of the
combined rainfall from Gener
and the southwest moonson. All
of Obandos 11 villages have been
submerged under 3 to 5 feet of
oods for the past two weeks and
has remained isolated from all
forms of vehicular trafc except
amphibious and military transport.
In Malolos, Mayor Christian
Natividad has condemned the
mismanagement of Bustos Dam
ofcials which he blamed for sub-
merging 33 of the 51 barangays in
the historic city. This is the rst
time in more than two decades
that Malolenos experienced this
kind of ooding. It has ruined all
the developments and infrastruc-
ture we have been building on,
the disgusted mayor said.
In Baliwag, the affected towns
were Marilao (14 villages); Bocaue
(12 villages); Bulakan (12 villages);
Bustos (10 villages); Guiguinto
(8 villages); Pulilan (8 villages);
Guiguinto (8 villages); San Ilde-
fonso (7 villages); Sta. Miguel (15
villages); Balagtas (15 villages); San
Rafael (10 villages); San Jose del
Monte City (4 villages); Meycauay-
an City (13 villages); and Sta. Maria
(12 villages).
Alvarado has also asked op-
erators of Ipo dam and Bustos
dam to momentarily closed their
spill gates and stop the release of
water so as not to aggravate the
effect of the backoods coming
from Nueva Ecija and Pampanga
which is cascading towards the
low lying towns of Calumpit and
Hagonoy.
As of 10 a.m. Wednesday, the
water elevation at Angat dam was
209.10 meters, nearing its spill-
ing level of 210 meters. The wa-
ter elevation at Ipo dam stands at
100.30 meters critically near its
spilling level of 100.50 meters,
the PDRRMC reported.
Aside from Ipo and Angat,
other Luzon dams that have re-
leased water as of Wednesday
include Ambuklao and Binga in
Benguet and San Roque (from
two gates each) in Pangasinan.
In Bataan, the oodwater
reached as high as six feet, inun-
dating even the Olongapo-Gapan
Road in the town of Dinalupi-
han, which residents said was the
worst ever in the province.
The ooding made travel in
and out of Bataan difcult. Still
under heavy ooding are the
barangays of Layac, Sta. Isabel,
Tabacan, Poblacion proper, San
Ramon, Luakan, San Benito,
Magsaysay, Colo and Naparing,
which are located along the na-
tional road going to Olongapo
City.
Alslo ooded are barangays
A. Mabini Extension, A. Mabini
Proper, Daan-Bago, Pentor, Pa-
galanggang, Padre Dandan and
Jose Payumo.
The Olongapo-Gapan Road
was closed for travel, while the
provincial government has pro-
vided four heavy-duty dump
trucks for evacuation and rescue
operations.
Also rendered impassable by
the ood was Bgy. Layak, Mag-
saysay and Bgy. Roosevelt.
The southwest monsoon rain
also resulted in a number of sea
mishaps.
Deluge!...
Malacaang on Wednesday
suspended all classes in all levels
today in Metro Manila, Zambales,
Bataan, Pampanga, Pangasinan,
Tarlac, Bulacan, Laguna, Cavite
and Rizal, but announced there
would be work in the government
and private ofces
The weather bureau said the near-
by provinces would have less rain to-
day, but the threat of landslides in the
mountainous areas remained
The Agriculture Department
said the non-stop rain had caused
heavy damage to crops.
Ramos said the massive ood-
ing turned half of Manila into a
water world onMonday evening
and into Tuesday. At least 23 died,
including nine in a landslide in a
hillside slum in Quezon City and
several others who drowned in the
outlying provinces.
More than 1.2 million people
were affected by the deluge, includ-
ing 783,000 who ed from their in-
undated homes. With the receding
oodwaters, some of the displaced
have started returning to their homes
but others stayed put despite the hard
conditions in the emergency shelters
as rain clouds again darkened the sky
Wednesday afternoon.
Carmen Empesao said she
panicked and left with her three
grandchildren when waist-deep
oodwaters swamped her home
in the hard-hit city of Marikina.
We ed without any food and
the clothes we managed to grab
were wet and cannot be worn,
Empesao, 60, told The Associ-
ated Press in an evacuation center
teeming with 3,000 displaced.
Rescue efforts shifted into high
gear Wednesday, with more than
130 emergency crewmen from
two provinces reaching the capital
city of 12 million people to help
their overwhelmed teams, includ-
ing police and soldiers. Rescuers
used rubber boats and ropes to
navigate ooded streets where
many people climbed on rooftops
to escape neck-deep waters.
Food and drinking water were
in short supply because of im-
passable roads. President Benigno
Aquino III distributed food packs
in ood-hit communities south of
Manila.
Ramos said he was over-
whelmed by the extent of the
ooding when he ew aboard a
helicopter with Defense Secretary
Voltaire Gazmin for an inspection
Wednesday, although he added
that water in many areas was be-
ginning to recede.
In some areas, I could not tell
the sea from the ooded villages,
he told The AP.
Manila was drenched with
more than half of a months worth
of rain in just 24 hours starting
Monday. A typhoon in eastern
China that has helped intensify
the southwest monsoon in the
Philippines blew further into the
Chinese mainland, prompting Fil-
ipino forecasters to predict better
weather the rest of the week.
We may see the sun tomor-
row, government forecaster
Glaiza Escullar said. She added
that heavy but brief downpours
may still sporadically drench the
coastal capital.
Although heavy the rain may
ease, she warned that up to three
storms or typhoons were expected
to lash the country this month.
At the height of the ooding,
many residents called radio and
TV stations desperately asking to
be rescued. TV footage showed
rescuers dangling on ropes to
bring children and other residents
to safety from a rooftop.
Vehicles and even heavy trucks
struggled to navigate water-clogged
roads, where hundreds of thousands
of commuters were stranded.
The government suspended
work and classes Tuesday but
most ofces opened Wednesday.
Trafc was still light as workers
began clearing roads of debris,
trash and fallen trees.
In 2009, massive ooding
spawned by a typhoon devastated
Manila and surrounding areas,
killing hundreds. The AP, with
Joyce Pangco Paares, Jona-
than Fernandez, Christine F.
Herrera, Lailany Gomez, Joel E.
Zurbano and Orlan Mauricio
Eight...
Authority had hoped to start
clearing submerged vehicles and
the Land Transportation Ofce
had even asked trucking compa-
nies help tow the stalled vehicles,
but the rain forced them to post-
pone their clearing operations.
The Philippine Atmospheric,
Geophysical and Astronomical
Services Administration said tor-
rential rain up to 55 millimeters
per hour was dumped on the two
cities, in addition to the water that
came from La Mesa Dam and the
overowing Marikina River.
As in similar situations in the past,
rescue teams had to use motorized
rubber boats to rescue residents of
Provident Village who ed to their
rooftops as the river overowed.
The weather bureau said that
the downpour on Wednesday af-
ternoon was caused by a series of
thunderstorm commonly associ-
ated with rains of high intensity.
Weather forecasters said more
than 70 centimeters (27 inches) of
rain had fallen in 48 hours.
The National Disaster Risk Reduc-
tion and Management Council said
most of the 1.23 million people that
were affected where mostly from
Metro Manila and 250,000 of them
were sheltered in schools, gymna-
siums and other buildings that have
been turned into evacuation centers.
The most serious problem at the
evacuation centers was water be-
cause the Maynilad Water Services
Inc., one of Metro Manila water
provider, warned its customers not
drink tap water because the compa-
ny had to lower pressure in its pipe-
line network because of heavy rains
and the high turbidity level of raw
water from Angat Dam in Bulacan.
Maynilad spokesperson Cheru-
bim Ocampo-Mojica said consum-
ers should expect discoloration of
the tap water coming out of their
faucets because of sediments and
other suspended solid particles.
The heavy rains caused erosion
along the waterways and great
disturbance of the soil and miner-
als in the dam, she said.
The quality of water at Angat
Dam is unusual and has deterio-
rated, Mojica said, noting that
Maynilad has already started to
ush out the discolored water.
Health Secretary Enrique T. Ona
urged the public to boil their drink-
ing water to avoid contamination.
Local governments and relief
missions should ensure that contain-
ers used for rationing water are clean
to prevent contamination, said Ona.
Clear water is not necessarily safe to
drink. Purifying it by boiling or disin-
fection will make it potable.
Hospitals, which had been on
Code-Blue alert for the past 48
hours, were also in crises, as ood-
water inundated their facilities.
The facilities of the University of
the East Ramon Magsaysay Medi-
cal Center on Aurora Boulevard
and Delos Santos Medical Center
on E. Rodriguez Ave. were ooded
and had to make arrangements with
the Quezon City government for
the transfer of their patients. Rio N.
Araja, Gigi Muoz-David, Macon
Ramos-Araneta
Aquino...
that there will be no more similar
massive ooding again. It was un-
fortunate that [the southwest mon-
soon really brought about] heavy
rain.
More than 900 families have tak-
en temporary shelter in the evacua-
tion site in Tunasan. The President
also visited the evacuation cen-
ters in Marikina and Quezon City
Wednesday afternoon.
Vice President Jejomar Binay
ordered the National Housing
Authority to coordinate with lo-
cal governments in addressing the
problem of securing shelters for the
evacuees.
Thousands of families were dis-
placed due to the heavy rain that
has caused excessive ooding in
Metro Manila and in the nearby
provinces.
Days after the non-stop rain on
Tuesday, Binay visited the evacu-
ation centers in Marikina, where
some 60,000 people had been af-
fected by the oods.
We need to come up with a
quick solution, Binay said dur-
ing his visit to the evacuees at the
Hermogenes Bautista Elementary
School and Nangka Elementary
School in Marikina.
He said he had ordered the Na-
tional Housing Authority to coor-
dinate with Marikinas ofcials to
resettle the affected residents, espe-
cially those living near the danger
zones.
The volunteers of the Ofce of
the Vice President have assisted
and rescued families trapped by
ood in the town of Tumana, Purok
5 in Malanday and town in Polelak.
The ofce has also distributed
relief to the evacuation centers
in Montalban, Santo Domingo
Church, the University of the East
Ramon Magsaysay Memorial
Medical Center and Bagong Silang.
The European Union said it was
ready to provide humanitarian aid
to the families affected by the non-
stop monsoon rain in Metro Manila
and nearby provinces in Luzon.
In a statement released on
Wednesday, charg daffaires Lu-
bomir Frebort said they had begun
assessing how much damage has
been caused by the heavy rains.
Alocal humanitarian aid expert is
working on the ground to assess the
damage caused by the heavy rains
and to determine possible assistance
for the affected population in line
with European Union policy of pro-
viding humanitarian aid to the vic-
tims of both natural and man-made
disasters worldwide Frebort said.
Frebort also expressed sympathy
and condolences to the families af-
fected by the heavy down-pour.
The United States government,
through the US for Agency for In-
ternational Development, said it
would also do damage assessment
in Metro Manila and surrounding
provinces.
Environment and Natural Re-
sources Secretary Ramon J. P. Paje
said Filipinos must learn to accept
the growing intensity of typhoons,
including the great volume of water
that comes with storm or
monsoon rains, as well as the
long drought during the dry season,
as the new normal.
There is nothing we could do
but to adapt to climate change
and the only way we could be
prepared for the impact of cli-
mate change is to accept that
these recent developments in
our country like intense weather
disturbances, heavy rainfall, as
well as long dry season are now
the new normal, Paje said.
Paje also urged people to listen to
the authorities during calamities and
stop being stubborn, adding that the
area in which nine people died in
Commonwealth, Quezon City, had
been identified as being susceptible to
landslides as early as 2002.
With Sara Susanne D. Fabu-
nan, Lailany P. Gomez, Jonathan
Fernandez, Christine F. Herrera
and Maricel Cruz
Tales...
an hour from my house to the of-
ce and spend the same length of
time going back.
Despite her discomfort, Javier
was lucky. In many parts of Metro
Manila whole families sat on the
roof of their houses to escape the
rising oodwaters, waiting to be
rescued.
In Santo Domingo, a creek-
side shantytown, mother-of-three
Anita Alterano, 43, told reporters
how she and her family escaped
the oods that swamped their
house by walking over roofs of
houses until they reached high
ground.
We initially decided to climb
up on the roof where we will be
safe but wet. We waited for rescu-
ers but it took so long for anyone
to notice us, she told reporters.
So we got a rope. I tied my
myself to my husband and my
children. We clambered from
roof-to-roof ... until we reached
a school. But the problem is we
have no water and food, she said.
Across Metro Manila, 1.23 mil-
lion people were affected by the
oods spawned by 11 straight days
of southwest monsoon rains. About
850,000 people ed their homes,
and nearly 250,000 were sheltering
in schools, gymnasiums and other
buildings that have been turned
into evacuation centers.
The Philippine Red Cross said
it had sent out rescue and relief
teams equipped with life-saving
equipment on amphibian ve-
hicles, rubber boats, trucks and
ambulances to ooded areas.
News
ManilaStandardToday
mst.daydesk@gmail.com AUGUST 9, 2012 THURSDAY
A3
Flooding
in the
cities. These
scenes in
Quezon City,
Antipolo and
Marikina City
show the
misery brought
by the rain that
is continuously
being dumped
in Metro
Manila and
elsewhere.
Manny
Palmero,
Danny Pata
and AP
Opinion Adelle Chua, Editor
ManilaStandardToday
mst.lettertotheeditor@gmail.com AUGUST 9, 2012 THURSDAY
A4
THE monsoon rain that submerged
Metro Manila and many parts of Luzon
this week does not even have a name
to be remembered by. Yet the supersti-
tiousand the desperateamong our
lawmakers choose to see it as heavens
reaction to the House of Representa-
tives decision Monday to end the de-
bates on the controversial reproductive
health bill, which the Philippine Cath-
olic church rejects as immoral.
It is ludicrous for a lawmaker to at-
tribute the deluge to the termination of
debates. What kind of cruel, vindic-
tive superior being would allow poor
people to drown and lose their homes
to pay for something that was entirely
in the hands of their political leaders?
It is of little comfort that yet another
congressman tried to prevent the ter-
mination of the debates because the
number 6Monday was the 6th of
August was the number of the devil.
What does this say about people who
were born on the 6th day of the month?
Again, what kind of power-tripping
god would play such games at random?
Monday mornings meeting be-
tween the President and the House
membersin which the lawmakers
said Mr. Aquino merely asked them to
vote according to their conscience
proved providential. In that meeting
it was decided that the voting would
be done that afternoon, not the follow-
ing day according to plan. Imagine if
those against the measure succeeded
in delaying the proceedings. Given the
amount of rain on Tuesday, no quorum
would have been reached at the House.
Our lawmakers are supposed to be
rational people who were elected to
represent their constituents to Con-
gress, and not to impose their views,
however outrageous, on us. Then
again, such logical acrobatics can be
expected from themor from religious
leaders who have no qualms about triv-
ializing the plight of families with too
many children and too little resources
and resorting to misinformation to ad-
vance their high-handed cause.
These are the same Church officials
who gathered Saturday and proclaimed
that contraception was corruption,
even though the bill specifically says
that the options for both artificial and
natural family planning will be made
known to the people, and that there is
absolutely nothing corrupt about mak-
ing educated choices about the kind of
life you want to give your children.
What happened this week is plain na-
tures wrath which we can escape and
which damage we can minimize with
forethought, deliberation and meticu-
lous planning. We saw obvious gains
this time around, even though there is
much room for improvement as this di-
saster will certainly not be the last.
There is, however, nothing that
could be done about the hypocrites and
the self-righteous opponents of a mea-
sure that seeks only to enable families
to make better life choices through in-
formation.
Agents of darkness
Is it 50 percent yet?
EDITORIAL
JOJO
A. ROBLES
LOWDOWN
ROLANDO G. ESTABILLO Publisher
RAMONCHITO L. TOMELDAN Managing Editor
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JOEL P. PALACIOS News Editor
ROGELIO C. SALAZAR President & CEO
MEMBER
Philippine Press Institute
The National Association
of Philippine Newspapers PPI
can be accessed at:
www.manilastandardtoday.com ONLINE
MST
Manila
Standard
TODAY
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PRESIDENT Noynoy Aquino went
out of Malacanang Palace and into
the rain again, this time to visit
an evacuation center in Tunasan,
Muntinlupa City. But the presiden-
tial visit was spoiled by the presence
of two of his favorite candidates for
the Senate next May, professional ac-
tivist Rissa Hontiveros and the Epal
Prince, Joel Villanueva of the Tech-
nical Skills Development Authority.
Oh, and the presumptive next gov-
ernor of Tarlac, Kris Aquino, was also
with the President, looking, for once,
subdued in the ofcial photographs
released by Malacanang. Cant let
any opportunity to campaign early
go to waste, now, can you?
Overall, its still good news when
Aquino leaves the palace to visit citi-
zens who need to see that someone
is in charge, something hes always
been loath to do before. But next
time, perhaps Aquino can leave the
politicians regardless of their rela-
tionship to him at home.
* * *
As the rains fell
again in earnest,
after a brief respite
early yesterday,
some people want-
ed to know: Have
we reached 50 per-
cent ooding in
Metro Manila and
its outlying prov-
inces yet?
The question is
important because
President Noynoy
Aquino, during his brief appearance
at military headquarters in Camp
Aguinaldo last Tuesday, took excep-
tion to a reporters question about it.
There is no proof, Aquino said, that
half of the metropolitan area was un-
derwater, so it was best not to repeat
that allegation.
Its understandable for Aquino to
downplay the effects of the unnamed
monsoon rains that have plagued
the capital region for more than a
week now, since typhoon Gener
blew into the country. Understand-
able, but unwise, since media did not
pluck that gure from thin air just to
embarrass the President, as Aquino
probably surmised.
Indeed, had Aquino simply asked
where that particular bit of bad news
the kind he hates with a passion
had come from, he would have got-
ten a straight answer: the government
weather bureau, a.k.a. Pagasa.
But no, there was no proof, Aqui-
no said. Just as there was no proof
despite ofcial reports from other
state agencies that the rainfall from
the monsoon had already surpassed
that delivered three years ago by ty-
phoon Ondoy.
Aquino tried mightily to spin the
bad news, nonetheless, even if he
came across as just continuing his
pissing match with his predecessor-
in-ofce by saying that people were
less desperate now compared to
when Ondoy hit. Someones got to
keep the good news coming, appar-
ently, and if no ones there to do it,
it might as well be Aquino himself.
Stop blaming the media, your
predecessor and the flood victims
who dont want to leave danger
zones, Mr. President. Sometimes,
bad news just happens and theres
really no one to blame.
Perhaps Aquino should take a leaf
from the original Energizer Bunny of
Philippine rescue and relief efforts,
Philippine National Red Cross chair-
man Richard Gordon. It seems Gor-
don is all over the place once again
and no one has heard him dispute
percentages or blame anyone.
Gordon just does his job. Some-
thing Aquino could do more often,
instead of disappearing when people
are crying out for help.
* * *
News reports have gone beyond
reporting about places submerged
in oodwaters to going to super-
markets and convenience stores that
are supposedly running out of basic
commodities, ostensibly because
people are panic-buying. But panic-
buying is just one of the reasons why
shelves of food arent being replen-
ished theres also
the failure of sup-
pliers to make the
usual deliveries in
the non-stop rain.
Theres also the
usual hoarding of
commodities by
manufacturers and
even the stores
themselves, in an-
ticipation of price
hikes that regular-
ly follow national
disasters. These
ghoulish profiteers are the bane of
a society like ours, which is regu-
larly beset by upheavals, natural or
man-made, that disrupt the regular
flow of goods from manufacturer to
consumer.
This is one area where the govern-
ment can and should make a differ-
ence. No one should be allowed to
prot from a calamity that has al-
ready exacted such a high toll on the
citizenry, like funeral parlor owners
who rejoice when there are more than
the usual number of dead people.
The government cant stop the
rains from falling, or even institute
measures that should have been put
in place long before the rainy season
began. But it can crack down hard on
proteers and hoarders who seek to
victimize the calamity-stricken one
more time.
The full force of the law should
be applied on those found guilty
of price manipulation and hoard-
ing. These businessmen can-
not be allowed to flout the rules,
just like that large foreign-based
call center which declared that it
doesnt take orders from the gov-
ernment, when told that it should
allow its workers not to go to
work because of the floods.
As for the panic-buyers them-
selves, well, at least they still
have money to buy stuff. The
poor, who dont, are reduced to
simply panicking.
Aquino should
take a leaf from
the Energizer
Bunny of rescue
and relief efforts,
Richard Gordon.
WITH Metro Manila and many parts
of the country under water after days
of relentless rain, the country is be-
ginning to look like a shoal. Lets
hope the land-grabbing Chinese
across the pond do not mistake us
for a shoal and start placing mark-
ers and water buoys all around the
whole Philippine archipelago!
While Ondoy in September 2009
is still the benchmark to measure
the extent and gravity of ooding in
Metro Manila, this is the rst time in
recent memory when many parts of
Luzon have been submerged. Bataan,
Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, parts of La
Union, Pangasinan, Pampanga, Rizal
and some parts of upland Baguio are
affected by oodwater.
Metro Manila with its clogged
esteros and asphalted -over street
manholes is the worst hit. Classes
and work were suspended to bring
commerce, government machinery
and ordinary life to a standstill. This
tropical depression unleashing mon-
soon rains is not even a typhoon yet.
And its still pouring even as Im
kept indoors today.
Manila Bay, sickened to its pits,
puked more garbage even after more
than 200 MMDA trucks had already
hauled tons and tons of human refuse
disgorged by typhoon Gener which
also left dozens dead and millions of
pesos in property and crop damages.
The misery of Filipinos already
suffering from the misery of daily life
trying to keep their heads above the
waterguratively, to cope with the
spiraling prices of basic commodities,
and literally as people in some areas
are seen on the roofs of houses.
For an 84-year old brother who
lives in Provident Village, its On-
doy redux as his family ed to higher
ground when water spilled over the
Marikina River bank early yesterday..
Garbage in, garbage out
Until four years ago, I owned a
one-bedroom condo unit on M.H
del Pilar street fronting Manila Bay.
I had a sweeping view of Ma-
nila Bay and Roxas Boulevard, not to
mention a breathtaking sunset at dusk.
Alas, I had to sell and move out
to Salcedo Village in Makati af-
ter a storm surge unleashed seawa-
ter from Manila Bay over the Baywalk
seawall to Roxas Boulevard and to
Del Pilar street where my unit came
with a basement parking slot , I dread
that my car would be submerged in
oodwater every time I left it for out-
of-town trips.
Fortunately, I was a worry wart and
somehow saw the portents of things to
come. True enough, Pedring in Septem-
ber last year conrmed my worst fears.
The storm surge spilled seawater to
ood Roxas Boulevard all the way
to Taft Avenue. The US Embassy and
the posh Sotel Hotel were not spared.
I was told the cars of some tenants
at my former residence were inundated
and severely damaged, some irrepara-
bly lost since they were not covered by
the now must-have acts of God clause
in their insurance.
After Ondoy and Pedring, there was
a surge of the acts of God clause
in car insurance aside from the stan-
dard carnapping clause.
Looking at the tons of garbage the
sea disgorged and dumped on Rox-
as Boulevard after typhoon Gener,
one gets a sense of Mother Nature cry-
ing enough is enough.
It would be convenient to blame the
squatters in the Malate-Ermita area for
making Manila Bay one big garbage
dump. But restaurant operators and
even promenaders from out of town
on the Baywalk are just as much to
blame for this environmental outrage.
Kitchen waste, plastic bottles and pa-
per cups make up most of the trash the
sea spilled on the boulevard.
So why arent there garbage dis-
posal cans along the Baywalk? There
used to be, but thieves stole them
to sell to scrap dealers. Even brand
new park benches placed by the city
government of former Manila Mayor
Lito Atienza were stolen. It must be a
case of poor law enforcement by the
local authorities.
While government agencies in-
volved in the evacuation and relief op-
erations must be given credit, it is still
a sad commentary on our prepared-
ness for such calamities. Government
is still in a reactive mode, every rainy
season.
The concerned agencies must be
a proactive with the Department of
Environment and Natural Resources,
Department of the Interior and Local
Government, and the Department of
Public Works and Highways at the
forefront in easing the perennial
problem.
Too often, though, the problem
of garbage is a telling indictment
of the human garbage that inhabits
our planet.
Looking like a shoal
ALEJANDRO
DEL ROSARIO
BACK CHANNEL
AUGUST 9, 2012 THURSDAY
A5 Opinion Adelle Chua, Editor
ManilaStandardToday
mst.lettertotheeditor@gmail.com
WITH the devastation brought
by days of monsoon rain that
inundated 90 percent of Metro
Manila and nearby provinces, it
appears that the government has
not learned anything from previ-
ous similar disasters.
We must be warned: We
havent seen the last, or the
worst, of climate change.
This is why the government
must prepare for the worst.
President Benigno Aquino III
must take the lead in educating
Filipinos about climate change
and the effects this could bring
to their lives.
The poor are always the ones
in harms way. Alas, the govern-
ment has not done anything to
forcibly evacuate them and re-
locate them to safer
ground.
There have been
numerous studies,
but these have been
ignored for the plain
fact that the poor
can deliver votes to
make a candidate
win. With the 2013
elections approach-
ing, can we expect
anything else from our leaders?
Political will is needed to get
this done. It is also the thing
that our politicians do not seem
to have.
And this is just the beginning.
We have a President who dis-
appears in time of need. When
will he learn that he must be seen
commiserating with the victims?
I hate to compare, but during the
previous administration, former
President Gloria Arroyo would
easily put on a raincoat and rush
to the most affected communi-
ties.
For his part, President Aquino
seems content with attending
meetings where he and other of-
ficials talk about the problem.
He looks like a haciendero who
leaves his tenants to take care of
themselves.
I have so many times suggest-
ed that we need an agency for
rescue, relief and rehabilitation.
Of course we now have the Na-
tional Disaster Risk Reduction
and Management Council, but
we need a more permanent body.
The government must not only
rely on private initiatives and in-
dividual donations. It is its duty
to assist people in times of need.
***
Political intrigues and harass-
ment have begun, with the 2013
mid-term elections only some
nine months away.
Theres now a demolition job
against Vice President Jejomar
Binay with the Malacaangs
lapdog at the Commission on
Audit raking up charges against
him about some issues when he
was still mayor or Makati City.
Said to be behind this demoli-
tion plan against Binay, who is a
very credible endorser of candi-
dates especially for the Senate,
are members of the Balay Group
of the Aquino administration,
mostly Liberal Party stalwarts.
It is also said that this is the
same group that has been trying
year in and year out to have Juan
Ponce Enrile replaced as Senate
President. Enrile has said that
hes ready to be replaced if his
detractors can have the needed
number.
Apparently, since the Liberals
and the Balay Group members
of the Aquino administration
do not seem to have a candidate
strong enough to challenge Bi-
nay in 2016, they are hoping to
weaken his chances by raking
up old charges against him even
though these have already been
dismissed.
Malacaang naturally has dis-
tanced itself from this demoli-
tion plan against Binay. But who
else could be orchestrating this
demolition plan?
Santa Banana, if it
walks like a duck,
quacks like a duck,
it must be a duck!
***
Another example
of political harass-
ment is the move
on the part of the
political enemies
of Cebu Gov. Gwen
Garcia to charge her for graft and
corruption. This is for Cebus
April 2006 purchase of land with
a total area of 24.9 hectares, for
which it paid P98.92 million.
The complaint was filed in
June 2010 and relied mainly on
the purported memorandum of
the Department of Environment
and Natural Resources which
said that the property was tim-
berland with portions of it un-
derwater.
What is suspicious is the un-
due haste that attended the fil-
ing of the charges, the immedi-
ate raffle of the case at the San-
diganbayan, and the fact that it
was leaked to media even before
Garcia received the official no-
tice.
The charge against Garcia,
who is included in the United
Nationalist Alliance senatorial
slate, is pure harassment since
the lots in question are covered
by legally acquired titles ap-
proved and issued by the Bureau
of Lands to the owners identi-
fied as Luis and Amparo Balili.
The titles clearly identified the
property as agricultural public
lands, not timberland. The Bali-
li couple was able to acquire val-
id Original Certificates of Titles
from Cebus Register of Deeds,
and that each of these OCTs re-
mains clean and without annota-
tion.
It was not shown that the ap-
proval and issuance of Free
Patents and OCTs were flawed.
This indicated that the filing of
charges against Garcia was just
political harassment.
Cebuanos know the truth. And
this is why the plan to smear
Garcias name has backfired.
How to deal
with climate change
EARLY in the morning of August 6, the
global scientic community celebrated
the United States National Aeronautics
and Space Administrations spectacular
achievement of landing their Mars Science
Laboratory in the Gale Crater on Mars.
Nicknamed Curiosity, the $2.6 billion
MSL treads in the tire prints of other Mar-
tian NASA rovers, the last launched being
Spirit and Opportunity in 2004. Twice as
long, ve times as heavy, and loaded with
ten times the number of science instru-
ments, Curiosity is a roving science robot
that will send back data that will pave the
way for future human exploration.
Ad astra per aspera to the stars
through hardshipsindeed, but the
hard work of NASA and mission control
handler Jet Propulsion Agency will pay
off through the invaluable knowledge
that will be acquired about our neighbor-
ing planet.
There are at least two Filipino-Amer-
icans working in space ight and explo-
ration in the USGregory Galgana Vil-
lar III and Lloyd Manglapus.
Manglapus studied at the University
of Santo Tomas and the University of
Southern California, and has been a se-
nior software engineer with JPL for the
past eight years.
Villar is one of the youngest engi-
neers on the Curiosity mission. Accord-
ing to a Hufngton Post article by Anna
Almendrala, he attendedSt. Louis
University Laboratory High School in
Baguio City, where his parents are from
[and] has been working for NASA since
he was a junior at [California State Poly-
technic University in] Pomona. After he
graduated, his internships turned into a
full-time engineering job.
The young engineer was quoted as
saying, these types of missions are
essential to our progress as humans. And
I hope the youth are inspired.
Inspiration is not a problem; achieve-
ments like these that dare mighty things
(the Twitter hashtag made popular by sci-
entists on the Curiosity mission) set re to
the imaginations of young people that they
too can explore the nal frontier.
For Filipinos to do so, we need to
support education in the STEM subjects
science, technology, engineering,
and mathematics. We have more than
enough nurses who cant nd jobslets
develop engineers and scientists.
Meanwhile, what where we doing at
around that same time Curiosity landed
on the Red Planet?
In the Philippines, erce debates
swirled in Congress when the date for
voting on the ending of debates on the
Reproductive Health bill was moved up
to the 6th from the 7th.
Fresh from the anti-RH bill rally led
by the Roman Catholic Church in the
Philippines the day before, anti-RH bill
lawmakers urged their colleagues to resist
terminating the plenary discussions on the
controversial bill, with one of them ques-
tioning the propriety of the change of date
because it was an unlucky number.
Thats the Philippines for you. Is it
more fun yet?
Others have put forth arguments for
and against the RH bill which I shall
not go into here for lack of space and to
avoid redundancy. What I present is my
own conviction that the country needs
not only the RH bill, but also a divorce
bill and secularism in government.
We need to truly and seriously
implement the laws about the separa-
tion of church and state. Not every-
one in the Philippines is Catholic.
Islamic, Protestant, and Iglesia ni
Cristo church leaders have opined
that their faiths have no problems
with accepting the RH Bill.
We are behind many of the developed
countries not only in economic and scien-
tic aspects but also in societal attitudes.
Where logic, reason, science, and the rule
of just and fair laws should prevail, we are
instead swayed by some irate priests cling-
ing to the last vestiges of their medieval
power, and guided by lucky numbers and
supernatural forebodingsa contradiction
in beliefs that boggles the rational mind.
Where religion is, there is peace, is
a sometime truism; more often than not,
where there is religion, there is strife, es-
pecially when churches and politicians
prey on the masses religious fears to
advance their own agenda.
Archbishop Socrates Villegas said, Con-
traception is corruption. Excuse me. Cor-
ruption is corruption. That means things like
vote-buying, padding votes, extortion, brib-
ery, and misuse of government funds.
Contraception is a personal choice
that has to do with whether an individual
wishes to have a child or not. It hinges
on whether that person has the resources
to properly support a child in compara-
tive comfort and provide him or her ba-
sic needs including a life free from abuse
and poverty, for I believe these are in-
alienable rights of humans.
Let us support hard science educa-
tion to develop engineers like Gregory
Villar and Lloyd Manglapus. Let us pass
laws like the RH bill that will safeguard
the welfare of women and children. Let
us release our fear of the Church and ir-
rational superstitions and dare mighty
things for the Philippines.
Let us reach for the stars.
***
Email: jennyo@live.com, Blog:
http://jennyo.net, Facebook: Gogirl
Caf, Twitter: @jennyortuoste, Insta-
gram: @jennydecember
Science, not superstition
EMIL
P. JURADO
TO THE POINT
First, our
leaders must
have political
will.
RAIN and all it brings have always
been part of our collective life as
Filipinos. Some of these memories
change over time, while some are
constant.
When I was in grade school,
news of the suspension of classes
was usually obtained at four oclock
in the morning, over the AM radio.
My grandmother who raised me
was an avid fan of the late radio-
man Paeng Yabut. She and I pa-
tiently awaited announcement from
the then-Department of Education,
Culture and Sports in between re-
petitive advertisements (Acebedo
Optical, Acebedo Optical, Acebedo
Optical).
I remember the distinctly sooth-
ing voice of education official Dr.
Nilo Rosas, who always carried
with him the good news: Classes in
all levels are suspended today. No
power? No problem Lola always
had her stack of size A batteries on
standby. I got ready for school
or slipped back under the sheets.
These days, kids and their par-
ents could get the news from many
sources. There is Twitter, where
one can follow ones university,
ones student council, or just regu-
lar networks which usually provide
a comprehensive, updated list of
local governments (where the task
of deciding the suspension was de-
volved) or schools which have made
announcements. Some tech-savvy
mayors are Twitter- active, as well.
Facebook, especially if one is
friends with or a fan of a school ad-
ministrator or a local government
official, is another source of first-
hand news. Just make sure youre
friends with the real person and not
a poser.
Local television networks also
have early-morning shows with
their multi-screen formats, giving
an up-to-the-minute summary of
schools or LGUs that have decided.
Now as then, it is a relief to
hear there are no classes. Imagine
being saved from worrying if the
kids arent getting wet, if theyve
had enough to eat, if they are plain
safe! Relief on their partsome-
times bordering on jubilation
is an emotion we remember well
enough. The thought of having ev-
erybody at the lunch table, enjoy-
ing a good meal on a cozy day, is
delicious in itself.
In my time, there were limited
options for entertainment when we
were told to stay indoors. There
was nothing much on our bulky
black-and-white television screen
especially when the wind messes
with the antenna on the roof. To-
days kids can complain that they
are not productive if they are not
able to do anything on the com-
puter or watch tv in the event of a
power outage.
What to do? I tell my kids sto-
ries of how it was back in the day,
when we played jackstone or bug-
tungan to while away the time. And
then I take out Scrabble or Chess
or Boggle or Da Vincis Challenge
not digital versions but the real
board games. They roll their eyes
but join, anyway. Just this weekend
I taught my 10-year-old son the in-
door games I used to play as a kid:
Jack and Poy, Pitik Bulag, Nanay-
tatay, Around the World. We ended
up having a great laugh.
Knock-knock jokes are fairly
commonplace in our household
rain or shine. The neighbors must
think we are a pretty rowdy bunch.
Evolution does have its advan-
tages. I did not have any musical
inclinations when I was a kid (okay,
until now). Now my kids have their
respective instruments and some-
times the joking turns into jamming.
Believe me, there is no sweeter way
to prepare dinner than have a live
private concert right in your own
living room.
As we saw this week, the rain
does not only occasion good times
in the family. It also reminds us how
fragile everything is.
Rain and flood have caused de-
struction since the olden times. As
a child, I sensed that these tragedies
were extraordinary and fleeting and
temporary, until life flowed back
to normal again. Now, with recent
memories of tragedies here and
abroadthanks to the Internet and
cable tvwe are aware that these
disasters are not isolated.
Instead they form part of a gen-
eral worsening pattern, creating
freakish weather, occasioning new
highsand new lows.
You fear for your life and those
of your loved ones. You are scared
you would lose all you have worked
for. Why, the water could seep right
into your own home and rapidly rise
until it forces you to the roof!
Suddenly you are confronted by
the thought that the earth under your
feet is not at all stable and life as
you know it can change in an in-
stant.
This weeks protracted downpour
we dont even have a name, like
Ondoy, to refer to it may have
shaken most of us anew. It may help
to remember that however hard it
pours, it does not rain forever.
adellechua@gmail.com
ADELLE
CHUA
CHASING HAPPY
Rainy days, then and now
Disaster preparedness
HERES hoping that all our readers were
unscathed by the recent rains brought by
the Southwest monsoon. Since my fam-
ily and I live on a small hill, we were
otherwise untouched by the rain even if
at some point, the strong water somehow
found its way into our drainage. But that
was nothing compared to the miseries
that the rains brought to a whole lot of
residents in the metropolis and in the
surrounding provinces. It seems that
while we have learned to live year in
year out with no less than 20 storms per
year, we still have a lot to learn in terms
of crisis management to minimize the
risk for many of our countrymen.
For instance, my good friend Mahar
Lagmay has long advocated strong public
awareness about potential landslide-prone
areas in Metro-Manila. And yet, despite
the existence of these scientic data, both
local government units and private devel-
opers, including the buying public, appear
oblivious to the risk attached in develop-
ing and residing in these areas.
Elsewhere, despite the repeated
ooding arising from clogged esteros
and drainages, there does not appear to
be any visible improvement in terms
of communities preventing their solid
waste from nding its way to our estu-
aries. How many more deaths arising
from ooding should we have before our
communities realize that while nature
may not be controlled, its adverse conse-
quences may be aggravated by our acts?
And yes, there is also the matter of
weather forecasting, The problem with
this latest rain is that it unleashed more
water than typhoon Ondoy and yet, there
was no typhoon. Seems to me that even I
the absence of a typhoon, there has to be
a better way of warning the people about
the possible dangers that may be caused
by continuous outpour of rain.
One good new behind the recent catas-
trophe is the state of preparedness of the
Philippine media to give the general pub-
lic up to date reports about what is hap-
pening. Kudos to the men and women of
the news industry who risked their lives
and limbs to provide us with necessary
information is responsible for saving a lot
of lives and property. Government should
take heed that it was the media and not
government that harnessed their resources
to mitigate the damages of this natural ca-
tastrophe. Im hoping that President Aqui-
no will remember this before making yet
another tirade against the media.
But the message is clear: we live in a
disaster-prone country. As such, we need
to prioritize disaster preparedness as part
of our national policy. Every community
must draw up its own community pre-
paredness plan to deal with what we know
is a certainty -- natural calamities -- even if
we do not know when it will actually strike.
Government must likewise give priority
in acquiring equipment and other infra-
structure to mitigate natural catastrophes.
In this regard, perhaps, the Ombudsman
should now prioritize the investigation of
graft cases involving the procurement of
these life-saving equipment, such as rub-
ber boats and the like. Already, we seem to
have forgotten that part of the sins of the
past administration was the procurement
of rubber boats that cannot be used in the
metropolis in case of ooding. This is the
worst type of corruption since they feed on
the misery of the people in times of natural
calamities. These cases should be pros-
ecuted with dispatch so that we can teach
others, by way of example, that bottom
feeders in our society will be punished.
A nal point on class cancella-
tions. While I appreciate the dispatch
by which local government units have
cancelled classes, I am now alarmed at
how much time our students have lost in
their studies. This is particularly relevant
to me since as a teacher myself, I now
have to recover a whole week of course
work which can only happen if I hold
classes on weekends or if we prolong
our academic calendar. Im not suggest-
ing changing the start of the school year
from June to September as is the case in
the United States for a practical reason:
it will be too hot to teach and study in
the dry seasons of April and May. But
perhaps, what we need to have is more
exibility in terms of prolonging the
school calendar to make up for lost days
of school owing to inclement weather.
Hence, if we cancelled 10 school
days per semester, perhaps, we should
have a longer semestral break in Oc-
tober-November so that in case make
up classes are required, we could do
so during the semestral break. As to
the second semester, there will be the
summer days to make up for these
days. My experience is that make-ups
on weekends are not so conducive to
learning especially when Saturdays are
not enough to make up for lost time.
Schools hence should be more exible
in their academic calendars.
Meanwhile, heres hoping that all of
our readers stay safe and warm!
ATTY. HARRY
ROQUE JR.
VIEW FROM MALCOLM
News
ManilaStandardToday
mst.daydesk@gmail.com AUGUST 9, 2012 THURSDAY
A6
House seeks direction
on free information bill
Govt loses
P938m suit
vs importer
Weather suspends judicial council, court sessions
P75b eyed
for military
equipment
purchases
By Rey E. Requejo
THE Bureau of Internal Revenue lost the
P938-million tax evasion case it led against
family-owned textile rm after the Court of
Appeals ruled that the Department of Justice
did not err in dismissing the suit for lack of
probable cause.
In an eight-page decision penned by
Associate Justice Andres B. Reyes Jr., the
CAs Former First Division dismissed the
BIR appeal of its May 7, 2012 decision
which upheld the DOJ resolution dismiss-
ing the tax evasion case against Samuel
Lee and his sister Thelma, owners of Ma-
nila Home Textile Inc.
The appellate court stressed that the DOJ
did not commit any error in ordering the dis-
missal of the BIRs complaint against them for
lack of probable cause because it is within its
power to determine probable cause.
Whether the public prosecutor has correct-
ly ascertained the existence of probable cause
in a case, is a matter the courts may not pass
upon, it said.
On 30 January 2007, the state prosecutor
assigned to the case dismissed the BIRs com-
plaint after it held that the tax agenycs reliance
on the difference that resulted from the com-
parison of the Lees purchases and/or importa-
tions in its audited nancial statements for the
years 2001 and 2002, and the data contained
in the Importers Detailed Report for the same
years, is misplaced and insufcient to establish
probable cause for the charge of tax evasion.
The state prosecutor emphasized that in
order to successfully indict a person for the
crime of tax evasion, fraudulent intent must
be proven by clear and convincing evidence,
and cannot be based solely on mere inferences
and assumptions.
The ndings of the investigating prosecutor
had been afrmed by the Ofce of the Justice
Secretary, prompting the BIR to elevate the
case before the CA.
In its petition, the BIR pointed out that the
respondents deliberate underdeclaration of
its importations for the years 2001 and 2002
shows their intent to evade the payment of cor-
rect taxes.
However, the appellate court held that the
deliberate omission of items in a tax return
does not automatically amount to tax evasion.
Whereas petitioner bases it charge of tax
evasion on mere inference of fraud or wilful
intent to evade the payment of taxes; private
respondents were able to proffer convinc-
ing, satisfactory and unrefuted evidence to
support their claim that the subject importa-
tions are not purchases but consignments and
hence need not be declared, the CA said.
In its complaint, the BIR accused the tex-
tile rm of duping the government in the
amount of P78.3 million when it understated
the amount of its purchases and importations
from 2001 to 2002.
THE government will allocate
an initial P75 billion budget for
the rst ve years of the revised
military modernization pro-
gram that the House of Repre-
sentatives extended for another
fteen years under the newly-
passed House Bill 6140 which
amends Republic Act 7898, or
the AFP Modernization Act of
1995.
The bill was a consolidated
measure sponsored in the ple-
nary by the House Committee
on National Defense and Secu-
rity, chaired by Muntinlupa Rep.
Rodolfo Biazon.
When RA7898 was con-
ceived, it was based on the as-
sumption that counter-insurgen-
cy operations or threats to the
States internal security will no
longer be the prime responsibil-
ity of the AFP, Biazon said.
RA 7898 and the AFP
Modernization Program ex-
pired December of last year,
but certain provisions still need
to be adjusted and the measure
of amendments must be sub-
stantially focused and directed
initially towards addressing the
internal security threats to the
country and develop the AFP
towards an organization with
a shifting capability to meet
internal and external security
threats, Biazon added.
The measure mandates
Congress to submit the revised
AFP Modernization Program
within 60 days upon approval
of the bill. Maricel V. Cruz
House Majority Leader and Man-
daluyong City Rep. Neptali Gon-
zales II, chair of the House com-
mittee on rules, said he doubts the
measure will be approved during the
15th Congress but stressed the need
to provide safeguards against irre-
sponsible media which report only
one side of the story.
We need a caucus so we will have
one direction on FOI. Its approval
still depends..., Gonzales said.
Gonzales said he personally sup-
ports the passage of the measure in
order to provide safeguards against
some irresponsible media which
do not publish or air the side of per-
sons they attack or criticize.
The FOI bill is complicated,
Gonzales said. There are proposals to
include a right-of-reply provision sim-
ilar to that of Canada. That is where
the issue is snagged because while the
purpose of the bill is laudable, but not
THE Judicial and Bar Council sus-
pended for the fourth time its nal
deliberation and voting for the
shortlist of nominees for the next
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
Lawyer Jose Mejia, represent-
ing the academed in the JBC,
disclosed that they decided to
postpone their nal deliberations
on Wednesday because of the ca-
lamity that hit Metro Manila and
several provinces in Luzon.
Mejia said they have not set anoth-
er date for the voting, but their regular
meeting will be held on Monday.
The SC also suspended its
session and hearings of all lower
courts in Metro Manila in the past
two days due to inclement weath-
er. Work in the judiciary will re-
sume today.
The JBC rst set the voting on
the shortlist last July 30 but opted
to defer their meeting to Aug. 2
and await the SC to rule with -
nality on constitutionality of its
eight-member composition that
was questioned by former solici-
tor general Frank Chavez.
The SC had ruled last July 17
that there should only be seven
members of the council with just
one representative from Congress
as provided in the Constitution. but
after holding oral arguments, the
high court last Aug. 3 suspended
implementation of its order pending
resolution of Congress appeal.
The JBC then reset the voting
to Aug. 6, but Senator Francis
Escudero asked for more time to
look into the qualication of the
20 candidates since he was not
able to join the oral interviews be-
cause of the SC ruling.
Mejia again explained that they
will rst decide on the qualica-
tion of Justice Sec. Leila de Lima
under Section 5, Rule 4 of the
Rules of the JBC, which provides
for automatic disqualication of
aspirants with pending criminal or
administrative cases.
De Lima, who is said to be one
of the top choices of President
Aquino for the chief justice post,
has two pending disbarment cas-
es with the Integrated Bar of the
Philippines led by lawyers Agus-
tin Sundiam and Ricardo Rivera
and Fernando Perito and Nephtali
Aliposa last year.
Three other candidates also have
pending cases, namely: Solicitor
General Francis Jardeleza, Securi-
ties and Exchange Commission
Chair Teresita Herbosa and Presi-
dential Commission on Good Gov-
ernance chair Andres Bautista.
De Lima asked the JBC in a let-
ter last week to reconsider applica-
tion of this rule as she insisted that
the disbarment complaints against
her are mere harassment cases.
However, De Limas change
in opinion on disqualication rule
is a complete turn-around of her
previous position on the matter
because she had opposed the pro-
posal of JBC member and Iloilo
Rep. Niel Tupas Jr. in February
last year to amend this rule to ac-
commodate more qualied bets.
Rey E. Requejo
SPEAKER Feliciano Belmonte
Jr. on Wednesday assured the
highly-divisive Reproductive
Health bill will be passed on
third and nal reading in the
coming session days of the 15th
Congress.
The Speaker did not mention a
timetable, be he said the passage
at the Lower House of House Bill
4244, or the Responsible Parent-
hood, Reproductive Health and
Population and Development Act
of 2011, is certain.
We are hopeful that this
measure would be approved on
nal reading. We are not setting
any absolute timetable because I
dont want a perception that we
are putting pressure for lawmak-
ers to pass it. But we will proceed
with the process, Belmonte told
reporters in an ambush interview.
Belmonte made the statement
after the House last Monday over-
whelmingly agreed to end the con-
tentious debates on the controver-
sial measure, setting the stage for its
second reading approval.
But Zambales Rep. Milagros
Magsaysay, who opposes the
bill, vowed to push for amend-
ments, although she would not
divulge further details.
I wont say what amend-
ments for now, but I would say
we need a quorum for his. In
fact, a nominal voting [on the
amendments] would be better
than voice vote because if you are
comfortable with your vote, why
not show it, Magsaysay told re-
porters at a news conference on
Wednesday. Maricel V. Cruz
By Maricel V. Cruz

THE leadership of the House of Represen-
tatives will hold a caucus to determine the
direction of the controversial Freedom of
Information bill after the committee on pub-
lic information has indenitely postponed its
deliberations on the measure.
all media are responsible.
I hate to say this, but how do
you also protect the officials from
this situation? You know how it
si in our country, when you are
repeatedly criticized in tri-media
for an entire week, no amount of
explanation can save your reputa-
tion, Gonzales added.
The committee on public infor-
mation, headed by Eastern Samar
Rep. Ben Evardone, postponed last
Tuesday discussions on several
proposals seeking to provide the
public with access to government
documents upon formal request, to
give way to the crucial voting on
the reproductive health bill.
There are about 15 versions of
the measure that were filed at the
Lower House and pending for ac-
tion by Evardones committee.
Earlier, Evardone assured that
his committee will wrap up discus-
sions on the FOI bill with or with-
out a compromise deal by end of
August.
Earlier, a total of 117 lawmakers
signed a manifesto supporting the
swift passage of the bill.
Deputy Speaker Lorenzo Taada
III, principal author of the measure,
said the manifesto was intended to
prod the House leadership to work
double time on the approval of the
measure.
With 117 members, I think the
Speaker will be convinced to call
for a hearing of the House commit-
tee on public information, Taada
said. The Speaker can order im-
mediately for hearings to proceed,
Taada added.
Taada said they will submit the
manifesto to Belmonte to make him
aware of the overwhelming number
of lawmakers who support the pas-
sage of the measure.
No business as usual. Floodwater from extraordinary monsoon rain continued to cripple Metro Manila and several other provinces on Wednesday as shown by
this aerial photo from the Philippine Air Force.
The new generation calling. President Aquino shares a laugh with PepsiCo Inc. chairman Indra Nooyi (third from left) and other PepsiCo
ofcials during a courtesy call at the Music Room in Malacaang Palace on Wednesday. Forbes magazine considers Nooyi one of the 100 Most
Powerful Women in the World.
Belmonte
pledges
RH bill
passage
AUGUST 9, 2012 THURSDAY
A7 Sports Riera U. Mallari, Editor
ManilaStandardToday
sports_mstandard@yahoo.com
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
Handicapped Team Tournament
THE Philippine
Tournament Bridge
Association held its
handicapped Team
Tournament on July
28 at the Manila Club in the Corinthian Plaza Build-
ing, Paseo de Roxas, Makati City. This was a team
event, played in matches of 16 boards each. How-
ever, the raw IMP score of each match was adjusted,
with a handicap added to the score of the weaker
team. The format made for a very lively tournament
as weaker teams had a chance to beat stronger teams
because of their handicap.
The winning teams:
1. Dasma-Gemma Tan, Gerry Alquiros, Martin Anastacio
and Ray Aguas 78 VP
2. Villa Gregoria-Anthony Baltazar, Ian Cabillos, Jello Datoon
and Cat Dequito 66VP
I continue to feature deals from the Spingold Tournament
which Team Monaco won.
On this deal, the opening bid of Fulvio Fantoni of
Team Monaco obstructed the Nickell pair of Mecstroth
and Rodwell from reaching game. Fantoni and Nunes
have a system when their opening bids at the two level
have various ranges Fantoni opened with two clubs.
This two club opening showed 10-13 HCP, 5+ clubs
unbalanced. Mecstroth with 16 HCPs backed in with
two hearts and Rodwell responded two spades and
there the auction ended.
2012 Spingold
Segment 4
Board 53 North
Nunes
10984
Q1097
J983
9
West East
Meckstroth Rodwell
AK QJ653
A6542 K3
KQ76 42
53 KJ104
South
Fantoni
72
J8
A105
AQ8762
West North East South
Pass Pass 2
2 Pass 2 Pass
Pass Pass
2 club opening = 10-13, 5+ unbalanced
Fantoni also had a very nice defense when Mecstroth and Rod-
well reached a contract of three notrump after Fantoni opened with
two hearts.
2012Spingold Opening lead
Segment 2
North
Nunes
QJ54
J4
74
QJ753
West East
Meckstroth Rodwell
86 AK73
9 K653
KJ10863 952
AK104 98
South
Fantoni
1092
AQ10872
AQ
62
West North East South
Pass 2
3 Pass 3NT Pass
Pass Pass
This deal illustrates the importance of the opening lead. In
notrump leads by the defense, the conventional wisdom is to
lead from your fourth best. Not Fantoni. He led his heart Ace
and the contract quickly went down.
Boxing still... Britain sets best Olympic gold total in 100 years
Gesta raring to go after Vazquezs lightweight title
IN BRIEF
Milo-BEST Center
picks up pace
THE countrys most renowned
annual inter-school league for
elementary and high school
basketball players, the SBP-
Passerelle twin tournament,
recently opened its 27th season
with 43 school teams in attend-
ance at the Xavier High School
Gym in San Juan City.
The weekend tournament
sponsored by Milo and or-
ganized by the award-winning
Basketball Efciency Scien-
tic Training Center (BEST
Center) aims to equip players
aged 9 to 14 with the funda-
mentals of basketball, as well
as with character-forming val-
ues such as discipline, sports-
manship and camaraderie.
The SBP - Passerelle NCR
championship leg is slated on
Sept. 16 in San Juan City, the
Mindanao championship leg
on Oct. 19 to 22 in Davao,
the Luzon championship leg
on Nov. 2 to 5 in Pampanga,
and the Visayas championship
leg on Nov. 16 to 19 in Iloilo.
The 2012 SBP - Passerelle Na-
tional Finals will be held from
Nov. 30 to Dec. 2 in Visayas.
Present at the 2012 SBP-Pas-
serelle twin tournament open-
ing ceremonies were BEST
Center founder and former
national basketball team coach
Nic Jorge, MILO sports ex-
ecutive Robbie de Vera and
B-MEG Llamados point guard
Jonas Villanueva. Villanueva,
a former PBA Fiesta Confer-
ence Finals Most Valuable
Player, shared insights and
lessons learned from his own
SBP-Passerelle experience.
Villanueva credits his training
at BEST Center for his three
Philippine Basketball Asso-
ciation (PBA) Obstacle Chal-
lenge Championship titles, and
believes that the tournament
provides an opportunity for the
Filipino youth to discover their
winning potential.
Lascuna, Salvador tie Aussies
LONDONRiding a wave of
passionate home support, buoy-
ant Britain is winning Olympic
medals at a rate not seen for 104
years.
The surging British team
raised its totals to 22 golds, and
48 medals overall, on Tuesday
and now trails only superpow-
ers China and the United States
in the medal table.
Not since the 1908 London
Olympics has Britain won Sum-
mer Games medals faster, risen
higher and seemed stronger.
And back then, only 22 nations
showed up, instead of 204 to-
day.
On another special day for
the home team, cyclists Chris
Hoy and Laura Trott, triath-
lete Alistair Brownlee and
the equestrian dressage team
lifted the tally above the 19-
gold haul at the 2008 Beijing
Olympics.
Four years ago, Britain cel-
ebrated 47 medals overall and
hailed a sports renaissance for
a country accustomed to seeing
what Hoy described Tuesday as
plucky losers.
I think thats starting to
change, said Hoy, now Brit-
ains most successful Olympian
with six career gold medals.
You have a group of athletes
that have only seen success,
and to them, being part of the
British team is being part of the
winning team.
Beijing set a tough standard
to top, even with the advantage
of raucous vocal support on
home elds, tracks and roads,
lakes, courts and courses.
Expectations have still been
surpassed by athletes and Lon-
don Games organizers, who
were boosted by widespread
popular acclaim for the opening
ceremony.
We have shown the world
the best face of Britain, Prime
Minister David Cameron told
reporters in his ofcial Down-
ing Street residence on Tues-
day. Our athletes, both indi-
vidually and as a team, can be
incredibly proud of what they
have achieved.
Track cycling again showed
British athletes and fans per-
forming at their peak. AP
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
MERCITO No Mercy Ges-
ta is raring to go after Inter-
national Boxing Federation
lightweight champion Miguel
Vazquezs title in a champion-
ship showdown promoted by
Top Rank later this year.
I have no problems doing the
ght and Mercito is rearing to
go. We think its a winnable ght
for us, Gestas co-manager and
trainer Vince Parra told the Manila
Standard.
The hard-hitting Filipino south-
paw kept his undefeated streak
going with a dominating per-
formance that ended with a ninth-
round technical knockout at 2:59
of the round over American Ty
Barnett at the Texas Station Ca-
sino in Las Vegas last Aug. 3.
Immediately after the ght,
Top Rank promoter Bob Arum
told the Manila Standard: I
want him (Gesta) to ght Miguel
Vazquez as soon as possible. I
talked to Vince Parra (his co-
manager and trainer) and they
are going to get a nutritionist to
make sure he can do 135 pounds
and if they can I will make that
ght in October-November.
Parra revealed that Gesta suf-
fered a nick from a head-butt
and took a couple of good shots
which showed he had a good chin,
but well go back, take a little rest
and come back sharper and make
sure the defense is sharper and
make that everything is nice and
comfortable.
The trainer said the next camp
will be a world championship
camp. We will go to Big Bear to
train. We will get him out of town
here (in San Diego) because its
getting a little busy here with a lot
of his friends and fans. Weve al-
ready talked about this. Well just
iron out the ner points and what
date Bob (Arum) wants to put it.
Parra realized that Gesta has
been fighting over the light-
weight limit and in his last
fight against Barnett came in
at 137 pounds.
There are small issues with
the weight, but that is some-
thing that can be addressed. We
know we can make the weight
but we want to make sure he
is going to make it without a
problem, said Parra.
Parra admitted that its been a
couple of years since he (Gesta)
made the 135 limit ofcially.
Hes grown up since then, but
we can go out and make some
changes in his diet and make
sure that hes going to be a 100
percent at 135. We dont want
to come in and not make weight
and since we nally have this
opportunity we dont want to go
in less than a hundred percent.
The 25-year-old Vazquez is
510 and will enjoy a three-inch
height advantage over Gesta.
The Mexican has a record of
31-3, with 13 knockouts and won
the vacant IBF title with a unani-
mous twelve round decision over
Ji Hoon Kim on Aug. 14, 2010.
Before the title shot, Vazquez
scored a 10-round split decision
over previously undefeated Co-
lombian Breidis Prescott.
parlayed his gold medal perform-
ance and good looks into one of
boxings most successful careers.
His three notable defeats were at
the hands of Shane Mosley, Floyd
Mayweather and our very own
Manny Pacquiao. After he retired,
De la Hoya formed and still heads
Golden Boy Promotions.
Going back to our short-lived
expectation of light yweight Mark
Anthony Barriga to win a medal
in London, boxing is the Olympic
event, where Filipinos can still at-
tain a gold medal. We came close
when another Anthony, surnamed
Villanueva, settled for the silver
in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, and
Mansueto Velasco also bagged the
silver in 1996 in Atlanta.
The records show that Anthony
Villanuevas father Jose Cely
Villanueva also took the bronze
in boxing in the 1932 Olympiad.
Mansuetos brother, Roel Velasco
was also a bronze medalist (1992)
in Barcelona. Lets not also for-
get Leopoldo Serrantes, the 1988
bronze winner in Seoul.
Boxing is the event, where
Filipinos can compete in a really
level playing eld. Competition
is based on weight categories
and it doesnt matter much if
youre three inches taller than
your opponent. Barriga proved
that by outboxing a taller Italian
foe before he exited against a
Kazakhstan opponent.
Unlike in track and eld, a
sprinter like Jamaicas Usain Bolt
with his long legs and longer stride,
leaves rivals in the dust. Or in swim-
ming, where a Michael Phelps with
his wide wing span can easily out-
stroke the rest of the eld.
If our sports ofcials in
charge of amateur boxing know
any better, they should be start-
ing the search for our entries in
the 2016 Olympiad.
Lascuna, enjoying top form
with two victories and a runner-
up nish on the ICTSI Philippine
Golf Tour, rolled in a six-foot bird-
ie putt on No. 8 on his way home,
while Salvador birdied No. 18 to
move into a crowded leaderboard
of the $65,000 event, serving as
the seventh leg of the Asian De-
velopment Tour.
Barr, a two-time US Open vet-
eran from Canberra, nearly blew
a solid 33 at the backside with a
closing bogey-marred 36 while
Park, out to break out of a long
slump, eagled the par-5 16th to
get into the mix of a talent-laden
group chasing the top $11,375
purse in the event sponsored by
Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc.
The foursome posted a one-
stroke lead over another four
players, including rookie Clyde
Mondilla, Charles Hong, Richard
Sinfuego and Japanese Masaru
Takahashi, who all carded 70s, on
a hot but windy day.
Im satised with my start al-
though I couldve done better,
said Lascuna, who ubbed a cou-
ple of birdie chances inside four
feet at the front, in Filipino.
Jay Bayron, the defending back-
to-back champion here and No.
2 on the ADT OOM derby, also
eagled the reachable No. 2 and
made the turn at 33 but fumbled
with three bogeys against a birdie
in the last six holes and also settled
for a 71.
Others who matched par were
longshot Ebarra Quiachon and
another Australia Michael Moore
while ADT OOM leader Ryan
Bulloch, also from Australia, bird-
ied the rst two holes but had a
roller-coaster ride with four bo-
geys against one more birdie to
lead the 72 scorers, who included
Joenard Rates and Koreans Kim
Gi-whan and Park Il-Hwan.
Jerson Balasabas actually held
the lead with an eagle-spiked four-
under card after 11 holes of brilliant
shotmaking over a course stretched
to a par-71 after No. 11 was adjusted
to a par 5. But the former national
team mainstay dropped those shots
in the next four holes, marred by a
double-bogey mishap on No. 13,
and dropped two more strokes in the
last three holes and tumbled down
with a 73.
Mars Pucay, winner at ICTSI
Iloilo Challenge two weeks ago,
bogeyed two of the last three holes
at the front and joined Balasabas
at 73 in a tie with Ferdie Aunzo,
Marvin Dumandan, Randy Garal-
de, Ruben Sasutil, Orlan Sumcad,
Peter Villaber and pro-am winner
Glenn Joyner, also of Australia.
The inaugural Philippine Golf Summit, a joint project by the Golf Managers League of the Philippines and
Pinoygolfer Media Inc., was launched Monday at the Hooters in Pasay City. The three-day event, set Oct. 9 to 11
at the Mount Malarayat in Lipa, Batangas, seeks to unite and revitalize golf in the country by bringing together
all the sports stakeholders in developing and implementing courses of action. Event chairman Raymund Sangil
(seated, middle) led the affair with external affairs director Teboy Javier, marketing and tourism director Mike
Besa, administrative director Rodel Mangulabnan and golf management director Raymond Bunquin.
CEBUTony Lascuna and Elmer Sal-
vador red two late birdies, shooting
a pair of two-under 69s and catching
Australians Scott Barr and Unho Park at
the helm at the start of the Aboitiz Invi-
tational Presented by ICTSI at the Cebu
Country Club here yesterday.
SYLVIA LOPEZ
ALEJANDRO
Organizer Lim dies
BASKETBALL tournament or-
ganizer Jose Ma. Vicente Joey
Gana Lim IV passed away from
cardiac arrest last Sunday.
The elder brother of former
Philippine Sports Commission
member and former badmin-
ton star Amparo Weena Lim
was 51.
His wake will be on Friday
and Saturday at the Mt. Car-
mel Church, New Manila.
The eldest of ve siblings,
Joey is survived by his parents,
Jose Dondo V. Lim III and
Remedios Baby P. Gana. His
siblings are Eduardo EG G.
Lim, Vicente TimmyG. Lim,
Alejandro SnookieG. Lim,
Amparo WeenaG. Lim
Lim has been involved in
the 1990s with the Philippine
Basketball League, and until
around 2010.
For the last ve years since
2007, Lim devoted most of his
time during weekends to the
conduct of the games of the Fr.
Martin Cup, a pre-season tour-
nament for varsity teams in the
collegiate, women and high
school levels.
CYNA Rodriguez and Jayvie Ago-
jo used a solid start to shoot identi-
cal three-under 69s to clinch match
play berths in the US Womens
Amateur, while Dottie Ardina ad-
vanced despite a 73 at The Country
Club in Cleveland, Ohio Tuesday.
Rodriguez, the US-based golf
scholar of International Container
Terminal Services Inc., birdied
the rst two holes and gunned
down another on No. 4 to string
nines of 34-35 for a 143 as she
nished tied for 14th and safely
made it to the knockout stage af-
ter the 36-hole stroke play elims.
Agojo, the reigning Hong Kong
Amateur Open champion, eagled
the par-5 No. 2 then hit four more
birdies against three bogeys for 35-
34 card to share 25th place at 145.
Ardina, the top ICTSI-backed
bet who matched par 72 Monday,
failed to get going after a birdie on
the second hole, hitting just one
more birdie against three bogeys,
including on No. 18, for a 73.
Cyna, 2 others make knockout stage
From A8
sports@manilastandardtoday.com sports_mstandard@yahoo.com
Sports
Manila Standard TODAY
Boxing still Philippines best hope
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
AUGUST 9, 2012 THURSDAY
A8
Riera U. Mallari, Editor
Marestella bombs out
Painters
aiming
higher
Pro league,
MVP donate
P2m to ood
victims
Kasibulan
football
festival set
NCAA tiffs
called off
Heading he
ading head
ing heading
heading hea
Arum condent of staging Pacman-Floyd next year
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
Saying she felt some muscle
pains as she warmed up for the
event, the 32-year-old Torres
jumped to a distance of 6.22 me-
ters in her third and nal attempt
as she bombed out in her second
Olympic appearance.
Torres eventually nished 22nd
in a eld of 30, topped by Shara
Proctor of Great Britain (6.83 m),
unable to nd the form that once
made her do a 6.71 m in a trium-
phant campaign last year in the
Southeast Asian Games.
Ewan ko ba, nanakit ang mga
muscles ko sa warm-up pa lang,
Marestella told a Team Philip-
pines ofcial as swimmer Jasmine
Alkhaldi gave her a comforting
hug on her way to her room.
Tears started to fall as Torres
searched for the answer on why
she jumped nowhere near her per-
sonal best, which could have eas-
ily land her a berth in the champi-
onship round scheduled today.
Parang napasukan ng lamig.
Nag-iba na naman kasi ang weath-
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
TOP Rank promoter Bob Arum,
who ew into a ooded Metro
Manila to discuss plans for Manny
Pacquiaos Nov. 10 ght, sched-
uled at the MGM Grand Garden
Arena in Las Vegas, said a ght
against Floyd Mayweather Jr. will
take place next year.
I want to explore with Manny
the feasibility of doing a May-
weather ght sometime next year.
I have to get his idea on schedules
and when he is going to have to
start campaigning for ofce,
Arum told the Manila Standard.
When asked about the revenue
split, Arum said: I know how to
handle that with the Mayweather
people and do the best deal pos-
sible and then get back to Manny.
I am very optimistic we are going
to get it done for next year.
The promoter said that May-
weathers close friend and now
promoter 50Cent appears to be a
real businessman with no agenda
like some of the other guys, so I
think we can get a deal done.
He added: The question is how
early next year will the ght take
place because Pacquiao will be
running for ofce again and if the
elections take place in May, how
much lead time does he need in
preparing his campaign.
He mentioned April as a safe
month because they cant do the
ght in March due to the US Na-
tional Collegiate Athletic Associa-
tions March Madness.
Arum said he will meet with
Pacquiao and explain the nan-
cial ramications of the choice
between a rematch with Timothy
Bradley, a fourth ght with Juan
Manuel Marquez and a rematch
with Cotto. They are the Filipino
icons three options for a Novem-
ber ght at the MGM Grand.
Arum said while people may
want a rematch with Bradley to be
able to avenge his seriously ques-
tioned loss by a split decision last
June 9, the real problem I have is
that the pay-per-view networks, the
cable companies and the satellite
people in the United States dont be-
lieve that Bradley will do appreci-
able business and that is something
that really troubles me because we
spent a lot of money promoting
Mannys ght, but if they dont be-
lieve the results will be there they
are not going to spend the money
we need them to spend.
Arum said he will give Pacqui-
ao the options so he can make the
decision.
Then, I go back and try to make
a deal with his No.1 choice and I am
optimistic that will happen, but if I
cant go to No.2 and then by some-
time the week after this, well have
a nal decision, said Arum.
By Alejandro del Rosario
IF its any consolation to Pinoys, who
were disappointed to see our lone box-
ing entry lose in the London Olym-
pics, the US boxing team for the rst
suffered a medal shutout in an event,
which they used to dominate.
The Americans used to lord it over in
Olympic boxing together with the Cu-
bans, Russians and a few East Europe-
ans. But this year in London, the Yanks
didnt even win a silver or bronze,
which explains why they are trailing
China in the overall medal standings.
The US, led by Michael Phelps and
Ryan Lochte ruled the waves in Olym-
pic swimming. The womens gymnast
team also fared well. But the US came
up short in boxing where the Ameri-
cans used to excel
Only Cuba, with its greatest heavy-
weight, who ever competed in the Ol-
ympicsTeolo Stevensonstopped
the US from completing a sweep in
past boxing competitions.
Stevenson, an unprecedented gold
medalist in the 1972, 1976 and 1980
Olympics, never turned professional to
exemplify the true amateur spirit of the
Games.
All these American gold medal-
ists turned pro after winning in Ol-
ympic boxing: middleweight Floyd
Patterson,1952 Helsinki; light heavy-
weight Muhammad Ali (nee Cassius
Clay),1960 Rome; heavyweight Joe
Frazier, 1964 Tokyo; welterweight
Ray Charles (Sugar) Leonard,
brothers Leon (light heavy-
weight) and middleweight
Michael Spinks, 1976 Mon-
treal; welterweight Mark
Breland and lightweight
Pernell Whitaker, 1984
Los Angeles; and Oscar
de la Hoya, 1992 Barce-
lona.
Like Sugar Ray Leon-
ard and Muhammad Ali
before him, De la Hoya
LONDON Marestella Torres of Team
Philippines missed making the long jump
nals for the second time in a disappoint-
ing performance that left her in tears in
the 30th London Games at the 80,000-
seat Olympic Stadium.
er in the last few days. Sayang
ang paghahanda ko. Alam ko pre-
pared ako ngayon. Disappointed
ako talaga,said Torres, ruing her
forgettable showing.
The 12th qualier--Veronika
Shutkova of Bulgariamade a
6.40 meters on her last attempt,
which Torres had achieved sever-
al times in two international tour-
naments she competed in ahead
of the London Games.
So Torres ended up a big op
again as she mirrored the same
forgettable nish she had during
the Beijing Olympics four years
ago.
With the loss of Torres, the
11-member Team Philippines
found itself reduced to only two
men as it continued to struggle
in the face of high-powered op-
position in this greatest, toughest
sporting show on earth.
These two are Filipino-Ameri-
can BMX rider Danny Caluag and
5,000-meter bet Rene Herrera, who
were to see action on Wednesday
with the former given a slim chance
of guring in the medal clash and
the latter none at all.
Despite the debacle, Torres said
retiring is still farthest from her
mind.
Tatalon pa rin. Kung wala
pang tatalo sa akin sa atin, siyem-
pre gusto ko pa ring lumaban sa
international tournaments, said
Torres, now on her 12th year as
national team member.
Torres found out there was
something wrong with her when
she jumped to a poor 5.98 in her
rst attempt, before breaking the
6-meter barrier in the second with
a 6.21.
By Jeric Lopez

NOW that Rain or Shine ac-
complished its objective of be-
coming a Philippine Basketball
Association champion, expect
the squad to continue pushing
hard to accomplish new goals.
The next objective now is to
set another goal and hopefully
win more titles next season,
knowing that they can indeed
go all the way.
Rain or Shine coach Yeng
Guiao strongly believes that
his youthful team havent even
reached its peak yet.
I think the potential of this
team has not yet been maxi-
mized. This is a young team
that can still get better. Gagal-
ing pa itong mga batang ito,
said Guiao.
Guiao is thankful that the
team now has the confidence
after having finally won a
PBA title. From this point
on, it will be easier to move
forward because everything
is already in place.
The timing and the design
of this team is good at this point.
I hope we can keep this going,
said Guiao.
According to co-team owner
Raymund Yu, the mantra of the
team now is to elevate their status.
He thinks that its the team
members who want to go and
get more championships.
PAMANTASAN ng Lungsod
ng Maynila will be the venue
for the continuation of the Na-
tional Capital Region Football
Association-backed Kasibulan
Grassroots Football program on
Wednesday.
Around 60 local coaches and
more than 500 kids, aged 6 to
12, are expected to participate in
the three-day event that culmi-
nates at the Luneta Grandstand
Football Field on Aug. 17.
Organized by the National
Capital Region Football Asso-
ciation, headed by its president
and Philippine Football Fed-
eration secretary general Atty.
Roland Tulay, and backed by
the Philippine Amusements
and Gaming Corp. and Vita-
milk Champ, this free football
seminar is a long-term program
aimed at enabling the country to
qualify in the 2019 FIFA Under
17 World Cup.
We are very happy to support
the kids in this developmental
program that aims to instill the
consciousness of living a healthy
and active lifestyle at an early age
through a fun sport such as foot-
ball, said Faline Sano of the Vi-
tamilk Brand Team.
The program for Manila is
conducted in cooperation with
the City Government of Manila,
led by Mayor Alfredo Lim, who
will also be the special guest at
the culmination of the event,
where certicates of participa-
tion will be distributed to the
coaches and kids.
Mayor Lim will be joined by
members of the Azkals and the
Malditas football teams.
The three-day program in-
cludes a seminar for coaches,
educators, and other sports ad-
vocates, as well as a kids skills
assessment and training eve-
ryday with a minimum of 60
adults and 500 kids expected to
participate in each venue.
Registration is still open, ac-
cording to Manila City Admin-
istrator Jay Marzan.
Interested parties can contact
the Dep Ed, thru Joel Dionisio at
09279153519 or thru the Manila
Sports Council ofce (Heidi
Bunag) at 09399236883.
RESPONDING to the call for assist-
ance from hundreds of thousands in
the wake of the disastrous ooding
all over Metro Manila and in neigh-
boring provinces brought on by non-
stop torrential rains, the Philippine
Basketball Association is donating
P1 million either through the Nation-
al Disaster Risk Reduction and Man-
agement Council or the Department
of Social Welfare and Development.
A parallel amount of P1 million will
also come from the Manny V. Pangil-
inan Sports Foundation Inc. as part of
the PBAs overall effort to reach out to
the calamity victims, according to Talk
N Text coach Chot Reyes.
The PBA is always ready to
respond to the needs of our kaba-
bayan, said PBA Commissioner
Chito Salud. Our track record bears
that out. Aside from the PBAs one
million-peso donation in cash, our
team owners and players are ready to
take part in any activity that supports
the cause of alleviating the plight
of those families victimized by the
recent oods. We send our deepest
sympathy to the victims.
PBA media bureau chief Wil-
lie Marcial said a big number of
PBA players have made themselves
available for any relief work, which
the league or ABC-5 will undertake
within the next few days.
Other than food and clothes, the
players personal donation have now
reached P150,000 with more pledges
coming, said Marcial.
Bobby Barreiro, chief operating
ofcer of ABC-5/AKTV, is report-
edly working out a relief operation
program that would involve PBA
players and team and league ofcials.
I am so proud of our PBA players
who are eager to help out the ood vic-
tims, Salud said. They are truly re-
sponsible and kind-hearted individuals,
and it is with genuine concern that they
offer to participate in relief operations.
Turn to A7
CAMEROONS Olympic delegation wants
help nding the seven athletes who have gone
missing at the London Games. They have
written to us to say these athletes have left
the village and left their accommodation and
can we help, London organizing commit-
tee spokeswoman Jackie Brock-Doyle said
Wednesday. We have informed the Met (Po-
lice). But the athletes would not be breaching
their visas until November. AP
Great Britains Shara Proctor lands
after an attempt during a qualify-
ing round of womens long jump
in the Olympic Stadium at the
2012 Summer Olympics, London.
Proctor was the top qualier in
the long jump heats, where the
Philippines Marestella Torres
failed to advance. AP
THE last two playdates in the first
round of the 88th National Col-
legiate Athletic Association mens
basketball tournament have been
called off.
Continuous rains and floods in the
Metro Manila area have made it im-
possible for both organizers and par-
ticipating teams to push through with
the games on Thursday and Saturday.
Affected were the junior and sen-
ior games of Letran and Jose Rizal
University Heavy Bombers at The
Arena in San Juan, and the tiff be-
tween San Sebastian College and
San Beda College.
The clash between San Beda
and Letran, which was called off
because of heavy rains last July 21,
has been rescheduled for the second
time along with the game between
Mapua and Arellano.
Fr. Vic Calvo of the NCAAs
Management Committee said the
cancellations were due to the re-
cent weather condition brought
about by the monsoon rains and
in consideration for the recovery
situation in the ooded areas.
Meanwhile, organizers of the
75th season of the University Ath-
letic Association of Philippines have
also called off two mens basketball
tournament games on Saturday.
UAAP secretary treasurer Junel
Baculi of host National University
said the game venue is now being
used as an evacuation center. On
the other hand, women and junior
games at The Arena in San Juan will
push through on Friday.
Peter Atencio
VELASCO
MISSING ATHLETES
Business
Manila Standard TODAY
AUGUST 9, 2012 THURSDAY
B1
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
Ray S. Eano, Editor extrastory2000@gmail.com
Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor
PSE COMPOSITE INDEX
Closing August 8, 2012
OIL
PRICES
TODAY
P584-P695
LPG/11-kg tank
P47.15-P53.07
Unleaded Gasoline
P38.40-P41.05
Diesel
P40.30-P52.20
Kerosene
P27.20-P31.00
Auto LPG
FOREI GN EXCHANGE RATE
Currency Unit US Dollar Peso
United States Dollar 1.000000 41.7910
Japan Yen 0.012716 0.5314
UK Pound 1.562600 65.3026
Hong Kong Dollar 0.128962 5.3895
Switzerland Franc 1.032205 43.1369
Canada Dollar 1.003311 41.9294
Singapore Dollar 0.805542 33.6644
Australia Dollar 1.056747 44.1625
Bahrain Dinar 2.652590 110.8544
Saudi Arabia Rial 0.266667 11.1443
Brunei Dollar 0.802311 33.5294
Indonesia Rupiah 0.000106 0.0044
Thailand Baht 0.031776 1.3280
UAE Dirham 0.272272 11.3785
Euro Euro 1.239900 51.8167
Korea Won 0.000886 0.0370
China Yuan 0.157075 6.5643
India Rupee 0.018160 0.7589
Malaysia Ringgit 0.322529 13.4788
NewZealand Dollar 0.818197 34.1933
Taiwan Dollar 0.033429 1.3970
Source: PDS Bridge
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
PESO-DOLLAR RATE
40
42
44
46
48
P41.770
CLOSE
Closing AUGUST 8, 2012
5,308.67
24.51
VOLUME 681.780M
HIGH P41.750 LOW P41.830AVERAGE P41.796
5200
4460
3720
2980
2240
1500
1200
July ination rate
hit six-month high
BSP: Forex reserves
rise to record $79.3b
Ayalas
IMI ups
earnings
by 173%
Manila Water hikes
net income to P2.6b
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
Smart, Cebuana, Malayan and OksPinoy
Industry leaders converge
to launch mobile microinsurance
LEADING wireless
services provider Smart
Communications, Inc.
(Smart) together with
mobile application de-
veloper OksPinoy Inc.
(OksPinoy) and the
countrys number 1
microinsurance agen-
cy Cebuana Lhuillier
Insurance Solutions
(CLIS), a subsid-
iary of P.J. Lhuillier
Inc. (PJLI) Group of
Companies, will soon
launch a very afford-
able microinsurance
product using SMS
technology: HapiPinoy
Text Insure (HTI).
HTI is underwritten
by the countrys num-
ber 1 insurer, Malayan
Insurance.
The service allows
Smart subscribers to
apply for insurance
packages straight from
their mobile phone.
P10 of load is equiva-
lent to P7,500 acci-
dent insurance and
P2,500 fre cash-assis-
tance. You can top up
P10 up to fve times
(or 5 units with P50
premium), receiving
the corresponding ac-
cident and fre insur-
ance coverage.
To avail, Smart sub-
scribers simply need
to text HAPI along
with the value of the
insurance package
they want (e.g., HAPI
10 for P7,500 acci-
dent insurance and
P2,500 fire insurance
which is equivalent to
1 unit; HAPI 20 for
twice the insurance
cover ageP15, 000
accident insurance
and P5,000 fire insur-
ance -- or 2 units) and
send to 808.
They will then re-
ceive a text prompt
to register the key
code HREG with
their full name, age,
and address. After 24
hours, a text message
will appear confirm-
ing the activation of
the insurance cover-
age with a unique
Insurance Reference
Number (IRN).
OksPinoy CEO
John Joseph Gabriel
Puzon says, The in-
surance packages are
valid for three months
from the time of ap-
plication. You can
go to any Cebuana
Lhuillier outlet to
claim your insurance.
It is important to have
with you your IRN.
According to Smart
head of sales and dis-
tribution Florante
Jimenez, In a span
of three years, the
Philippines has been
through a barrage of
natural disasters such
as typhoons Ondoy,
Pedring, Pepeng, and
this weeks intense
fooding, plus earth-
quakes and landslides,
during which many
Filipinos lose lives
and property. This
mobile microinsur-
ance service is part of
our initiative to help
Filipinos become pre-
pared for these kinds
of situations. In other
words, we want to en-
courage Filipinos to
live insured, and live
more.
PJLI Group of
Companies President
and CEO Jean-Henri
Lhuillier shares the
importance of every
Filipino having access
to insurance. Our
nation has one of the
lowest insurance pen-
etration in the world.
When a natural calam-
ity strikes, majority of
the population have no
means to recoup from
their personal and
material loss. In line
with the governments
initiative to promote
microinsurance for
poverty alleviation,
the HTI is a unique
mobile insurance prod-
uct with a very afford-
able premium that will
surely cushion the im-
pact of their losses.
Because almost
every Filipino owns
a cellphone, the ser-
vice is very acces-
sible. With fnancial
security just a text
away, Filipinos can
live secure, stress- and
worry-free and remain
one of the happiest and
most resilient people
in the world, even in
the midst of disaster,
added Jimenez.
Jolliville listing. Jolliville Holdings Corp. commemorated its 10th listing debut on the
Philippine Stock Exchange with a bell ringing ceremony. Jolliville listed 281.5 million common
shares on the rst board of the PSE in June 2001. The Jolliville Group now has principal business
interests in water utilities, leasing, management services, business process outsourcing, property
development and land banking and power generation. Jolliville chairman Jolly Ting (left) rings the
bell as PSE president and chief executive Hans Sicat looks on.
By Jenniffer B. Austria
MANILA Water Co. Inc., the water concessionaire
serving the east zone of Metro Manila, posted an
unaudited net income of P2.63 billion in the rst six
months of the year, up 31 percent from P2 billion year-
on-year, on more service connections.
Manila Water, a unit of conglomerate Ayala Corp.,
said in a disclosure to the stock exchange revenues rose
24 percent to P7.2 billion from P5.8 billion on year,
as totaled billed volume increased 36 percent to 282
million cubic meters from 207.4 m cm on year.
Manila Water operates in four areas in the Philippines,
namely the east zone of Metro Manila, Boracay, Laguna
and Clark in Pampanga.
Billed volume in the east zone of Metro Manila
increased four percent to 282 million mcm while water
service connections improved ve percent to 888,525.
Laguna Water, which serves the municipalities of
Bian, Cabuyao, and the City of Sta. Rosa in Laguna
province, posted a billed volume of 34,397, up 54
percent to 34,397, while Boracay Water registered a 29
percent increase to 1.6 mcm.
Clark Water posted an 18 percent increase in billed
volume as water service connections inched up
one percent to 1,888. Clark Water is the water and
wastewater concessionaire of the Clark Freeport Zone
in Angeles, Pampanga
By Maria Bernadette Lunas
INFLATION accelerated to a six-month
high in July as the costs of food and
utilities climbed due to supply disruptions
caused by typhoon Gener, reducing scope
for the central bank to cut interest rates
further.
Consumer prices rose 3.2
percent from a year earlier,
after a 2.8 percent advance in
June, the National Statistics
Ofce said Wednesday.
Price gains may be
exacerbated by heavy monsoon
rains that have ooded the
capital region and nearby
provinces, posing a threat to the
countrys rice-growing areas.
The CPI print is mildly
disappointing which explained
the pullback in the bond
market, said Emilio Neri,
an economist at Bank of the
Philippine Islands. The central
bank may still have some room
to cut but its not likely to be at
the next meeting. They need to
observe the impact.
University of Asia and the
Pacic economist Cid Terosa
blamed higher food prices in
July to the supply disruptions
in late July, or at the height of
Gener.
Rain from Gener submerged
most parts of Metro Manila
and Luzon provinces, affecting
agricultural areas.
Denitely, the inclement
weather will further push
up food prices [in August],
Terosa said, referring to the
monsoon rains that inundated
the northern part of the Luzon
this week.
The headline ination
rate matched the markets
expectations and was well
within the central banks
forecast range of between 2.6
percent and 3.5 percent.
Core ination, which excludes
some of the more volatile
products, rose to a faster pace
of 4.1 percent from a year ago
after 3.7 percent in June.
The latest monthly data
brought the year-to-date
ination to 3.1 percent.
The reported ination for
July is well within the BSPs
forecast range for the month.
While there was an uptick
from the previous month, the
rate remains close to the lower
end of the target range for
2012. Nevertheless, this bears
watching to see the duration
and extent of the up move, said
Bangko Sentral Gov. Amando
Tetangco Jr.
The primary risk is food
prices, Edward Teather, a
Singapore-based economist at
UBS AG, said before the report.
It may tick up a little bit and
that, coupled with the strength
of the domestic economy,
means the central bank may
take a while before it pulls the
trigger again.
Food and non-alcoholic
beverage costs rose 2.3 percent
last month from a year earlier.
Fuel, electricity and water prices
climbed 5 percent, according
to the release. Transport costs
added 0.7 percent.
While the latest ination
remains near the lower-end of
BSPs target, it reduces scope
for another rate cut in the near
term, said Catherine Bautista,
a senior trader of sovereign
bonds at Union Bank of the
Philippines. Policy makers next
meet on Sept. 13.
With Anna Leah G. Estrada,
Bloomberg
By Anna Leah G. Estrada
THE countrys gross international reserves rose to a record $79.3
billion at the end of July, Bangko Sentral Gov. Amando Tetangco Jr.
said Wednesday, citing preliminary data.
The foreign exchange reserves topped the previous high of $77.4
billion in January this year and already exceeded the year-end target
of $78 billion. It also rose from $76.1 billion at the end of June.
Tetangco partly attributed the increase in GIR, which represents
foreign exchange holdings of the Bangko Sentral, to dollar purchases
from the currency market in a bid to temper the rapid appreciation
of the peso.
The increase in the... GIR was mainly due to the foreign exchange
operations of the BSP, foreign currency deposits by the Treasurer
of the Philippines, income from incestments abroad and revaluation
gains on the BSPs gold holdings arising from the increase in the
price of gold in the international market, the Bangko Sentral said.
The Bangko Sentral said the GIR level in July could cover 11.7
months worth of imports of goods and payments of services and
income and was equivalent to 10.7 times the countrys short-term
external debt based on original maturity and 6.4 times based on
residual maturity.
Short-term debt refers to outstanding external debt with original
maturity of one year or less, plus principal payments on medium
and long-term loans of the public and pivate sectors falling due
within the next 12 months.
The Bangko Sentral said inows were partially offset by outows
for the payments of the national government and foreign currency
withdrawals by authorized agent banks.
Meanwhile, the net international reserves, which include the
revaluation of reserve assets, also rose to $79.3 billion, up $3.2
billion than last months.
The peso hit a four-year high last month, breaking into the 41-per-
dollar territory, as the country received more remittances, business
process outsourcing revenues and foreign portfolio investments.
The peso closed at 41.77 Wednesday against the US dollar.
INTEGRATED Micro-
Electronics Inc., an electronics
manufacturing services
provider owned by Ayala
Corp., registered a 173 percent
increase in rst-half net income
due to business expansions in
Europe and Mexico.
IMI said in a disclosure to
the stock exchange that prot
in the rst six months of 2012
stood at $3.1 million from $1.1
million year-on-year, while
consolidated sales revenues
totaled $325.7 million, up 24
percent.
Increased business from
the Philippine operations and
reduced operating expenses
also contributed to the higher
income growth.
Given the unstable state
of developed economies
and the slowdown in China,
we managed to grow both
revenues and income on
demand from core customers
and acquisitions, Arthur
Tan, IMI president and chief
executive, said.
IMIs subsidiaries in Europe
and Mexico contributed $85.7
million in revenues in the rst
six months of 2012, while PSi
Technologies Inc., another
IMI subsidiary, recorded $25
million in revenues.
Jenniffer B. Austria
TRADI NG SUMMARY
SHARES VALUE
FINANCIAL 16,237,796 1,122,560,131.9
INDUSTRIAL 134,802,553 1,065,784,794
HOLDING FIRMS 186,914,096 1,288,051,499.58
PROPERTY 315,066,131 1,377,831,532.715
SERVICES 56,107,349 1,027,578,284.12
MINING & OIL 802,846,873 228,445,562.422
GRAND TOTAL 1,511,975,498 6,110,256,304.74
FINANCIAL 1,339.49 (up) 9.49
INDUSTRIAL 7,867.59 (down) 26.89
HOLDING FIRMS 4,405.11 (down) 39.79
PROPERTY 2,074.81 (up) 58.13
SERVICES 1,795.14 (up) 8.9
MINING & OIL 22,046.26 (down) 356.55
PSEI 5,308.67 (up) 24.51
All Shares Index 3,517.04 (up) 4.48
Gainers: 71; Losers: 80; Unchanged: 55; Total: 206
STOCKS Close
(P)
Change
(%)
Forum Pacic 0.250 15.74
Euro-Med Lab. 1.91 13.02
Tanduay Holdings 12.98 12.87
Prime Media Hldg 1.540 8.45
Phil Bank of Comm 80.00 6.67
Ayala Land `B' 23.85 5.07
Megaworld Corp. Warrants 1.27 4.96
Victorias Milling 1.57 4.67
A. Brown Co., Inc. 2.60 4.42
Omico 0.7200 4.35
STOCKS Close
(P)
Change
(%)
BHI Holdings Inc. 422.00 (33.02)
Conc. Aggr. `A' 64.00 (27.27)
Abacus Cons. `A' 0.74 (21.28)
Mariwasa MFG. Inc. 2.82 (17.78)
Century Peak Metals Hldgs 1.08 (14.29)
Dizon 23.95 (12.27)
Primex Corp. 3.50 (10.26)
Highlands Prime 1.70 (8.11)
ABS-CBN Holdings Corp. 26.70 (7.61)
Rockwell 4.05 (6.03)
TOP GAI NERS TOP LOSERS
Stocks rise slightly;
Ayala Land climbs
Business
ManilaStandardToday
extrastory2000@gmail.com
AUGUST 9, 2012 THURSDAY
B2
52 Weeks Previous % Net Foreign
High Low STOCKS Close High Low Close Change Volume Trade/Buying
MST BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2012
M
S
T
FINANCIAL
70.50 46.00 Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. 63.00 63.50 62.65 63.00 0.00 5,161,260 (162,768,719.00)
76.80 50.00 Bank of PI 74.60 77.45 74.10 77.10 3.35 2,299,110 90,676,989.50
595.00 370.00 China Bank 477.00 476.20 472.00 472.00 (1.05) 5,650 (2,086,120.00)
1.95 1.42 BDO Leasing & Fin. Inc. 2.05 2.10 2.01 2.10 2.44 90,000
23.90 12.98 COL Financial 22.45 22.50 22.40 22.40 (0.22) 17,500 (371,905.00)
20.70 18.50 Eastwest Bank 19.60 19.98 19.58 19.68 0.41 1,574,500 6,144,320.00
22.00 7.56 Filipino Fund Inc. 11.10 11.50 10.44 11.50 3.60 5,800
89.00 50.00 First Metro Inv. 72.00 72.00 71.60 72.00 0.00 4,570
3.26 1.91 I-Remit Inc. 2.52 2.50 2.43 2.46 (2.38) 17,000
681.00 450.00 Manulife Fin. Corp. 435.00 455.00 436.00 436.00 0.23 120
39.20 3.00 Maybank ATR KE 36.95 36.00 36.00 36.00 (2.57) 8,200
98.00 60.00 Metrobank 99.60 99.70 98.75 98.75 (0.85) 1,312,810 (51,338,279.00)
3.06 1.30 Natl Reinsurance Corp. 2.00 2.01 2.00 2.01 0.50 600,000
126.00 45.00 Phil Bank of Comm 75.00 80.00 78.00 80.00 6.67 1,190
77.80 41.00 Phil. National Bank 74.80 76.00 74.50 75.90 1.47 145,460 1,778,038.00
95.00 63.50 Phil. Savings Bank 87.00 84.00 84.00 84.00 (3.45) 330
80.00 52.00 Philippine Trust Co. 61.00 58.00 58.00 58.00 (4.92) 1,000
500.00 204.80 PSE Inc. 379.00 385.00 376.00 378.00 (0.26) 17,950 2,674,480.00
45.50 25.45 RCBC `A 44.95 45.10 44.30 44.40 (1.22) 1,801,600.00 (5,964,630.00)
155.20 77.00 Security Bank 148.00 149.50 148.00 149.20 0.81 766,760 16,144,992.00
1240.00 890.00 Sun Life Financial 890.00 890.50 890.00 890.00 0.00 330 17,800.00
140.00 58.00 Union Bank 101.00 101.40 100.00 101.00 0.00 69,700 (453,700.00)
2.06 1.43 Vantage Equities 1.75 1.73 1.73 1.73 (1.14) 36,000
INDUSTRIAL
35.50 26.50 Aboitiz Power Corp. 34.30 34.60 34.35 34.40 0.29 2,663,400 21,174,505.00
13.58 8.00 Agrinurture Inc. 8.60 8.60 8.56 8.56 (0.47) 61,300
23.90 11.98 Alaska Milk Corp. 20.00 20.00 20.00 20.00 0.00 35,000
1.70 0.97 Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. 1.41 1.45 1.42 1.45 2.84 271,000 1,420.00
48.00 25.00 Alphaland Corp. 29.30 29.70 29.70 29.70 1.37 12,003 5,940.00
1.65 1.08 Alsons Cons. 1.41 1.41 1.38 1.41 0.00 11,000
Asiabest Group 25.00 25.20 24.80 25.00 0.00 16,000
138.00 45.00 Bogo Medellin 51.00 51.20 51.20 51.20 0.39 140
2.96 2.12 Calapan Venture 2.38 2.38 2.38 2.38 0.00 46,000
144.00 36.00 Conc. Aggr. `A 88.00 64.00 64.00 64.00 (27.27) 110
3.07 2.30 Chemrez Technologies Inc. 2.55 2.55 2.55 2.55 0.00 210,000 127,500.00
9.70 7.41 Cirtek Holdings (Chips) 9.73 9.72 9.17 9.72 (0.10) 600
7.00 4.83 Energy Devt. Corp. (EDC) 5.74 5.80 5.65 5.70 (0.70) 12,144,300 (40,035,889.00)
6.75 2.80 EEI 7.23 7.45 7.18 7.41 2.49 2,762,800 14,998,380.00
3.80 1.00 Euro-Med Lab. 1.69 1.99 1.91 1.91 13.02 5,000
18.00 12.50 First Gen Corp. 18.00 18.74 17.98 18.60 3.33 3,635,100 29,113,196.00
78.55 51.50 First Holdings A 77.45 78.50 77.40 77.50 0.06 308,600 10,082,577.50
30.90 22.50 Ginebra San Miguel Inc. 20.00 20.50 19.80 19.80 (1.00) 12,400
0.02 0.0099 Greenergy 0.0150 0.0150 0.0140 0.0150 0.00 12,500,000
12.36 7.80 Holcim Philippines Inc. 12.80 13.10 13.00 13.00 1.56 2,686,200 (557,978.00)
7.40 3.80 Integ. Micro-Electronics 4.20 4.79 4.15 4.34 3.33 271,000
2.35 0.74 Ionics Inc 0.620 0.620 0.620 0.620 0.00 2,000
120.00 80.00 Jollibee Foods Corp. 102.50 102.50 100.20 100.50 (1.95) 405,510 (28,501,013.00)
Lafarge Rep 10.00 10.22 9.55 10.00 0.00 70,700
91.25 25.00 Liberty Flour 38.00 40.00 38.00 38.00 0.00 5,200
8.40 1.04 LMG Chemicals 2.00 2.05 1.92 1.92 (4.00) 839,000 (1,049,750.00)
1.90 1.11 Mabuhay Vinyl Corp. 1.50 1.51 1.50 1.51 0.67 87,000
26.00 18.10 Manila Water Co. Inc. 25.95 25.95 25.75 25.95 0.00 277,700 (292,025.00)
6.95 0.75 Mariwasa MFG. Inc. 3.43 2.83 2.82 2.82 (17.78) 4,000
15.30 8.12 Megawide 16.62 17.00 16.40 16.40 (1.32) 53,000
295.00 215.00 Mla. Elect. Co `A 273.00 270.00 265.00 266.20 (2.49) 67,970 (5,436,836.00)
6.75 4.50 Panasonic Mfg Phil. Corp. 4.55 4.50 4.50 4.50 (1.10) 1,000
3.00 1.96 Pepsi-Cola Products Phil. 3.59 3.59 3.39 3.45 (3.90) 1,897,000 1,962,980.00
17.40 9.70 Petron Corporation 10.10 10.10 10.40 10.10 0.00 495,100 590,932.00
14.94 8.05 Phoenix Petroleum Phils. 8.49 8.75 8.45 8.55 0.71 39,200
3.78 1.01 RFM Corporation 3.94 4.19 3.95 4.01 1.78 10,505,000 (6,679,130.00)
6.50 2.90 Salcon Power Corp. 5.20 5.20 5.20 5.20 0.00 24,600
33.00 26.50 San Miguel Brewery Inc. 34.10 34.10 34.10 34.10 0.00 130,400
132.60 110.20 San Miguel Corp `A 112.00 112.50 111.00 112.40 0.36 188,280 11,458,963.00
1.90 1.25 Seacem 2.50 2.62 2.30 2.35 (6.00) 20,440,000 (1,373,030.00)
2.44 1.80 Splash Corporation 1.78 1.80 1.76 1.80 1.12 101,000
0.250 0.112 Swift Foods, Inc. 0.140 0.147 0.142 0.143 2.14 4,760,000
5.30 3.30 Tanduay Holdings 11.50 13.12 11.70 12.98 12.87 25,619,500 (1,103,204.00)
3.00 1.99 TKC Steel Corp. 2.15 2.18 2.10 2.18 1.40 6,000
1.41 0.90 Trans-Asia Oil 1.18 1.19 1.17 1.18 0.00 459,000
69.20 37.00 Universal Robina 59.50 59.50 58.80 59.00 (0.84) 2,596,180 (103,184,348.00)
5.50 1.05 Victorias Milling 1.50 1.60 1.47 1.57 4.67 27,412,000 (801,580.00)
1.12 0.310 Vitarich Corp. 0.570 0.580 0.570 0.580 1.75 28,000
1.22 0.70 Vulcan Indl. 0.96 0.97 0.97 0.97 1.04 1,000
HOLDING FIRMS
1.18 0.65 Abacus Cons. `A 0.94 0.82 0.73 0.74 (21.28) 40,190,000 7,460.00
59.90 35.50 Aboitiz Equity 48.75 48.85 47.75 48.80 0.10 488,900 1,666,605.00
0.019 0.014 Alcorn Gold Res. 0.0170 0.0170 0.0170 0.0170 0.00 3,000,000
13.70 8.00 Alliance Global Inc. 11.20 11.46 11.18 11.46 2.32 9,445,500 4,089,328.00
2.97 1.80 Anglo Holdings A 2.00 2.00 1.98 2.00 0.00 29,000
5.02 3.00 Anscor `A 4.75 4.75 4.71 4.71 (0.84) 839,000 (1,275,100.00)
6.98 0.260 Asia Amalgamated A 5.00 5.00 5.00 5.00 0.00 6,200
3.15 1.49 ATN Holdings A 2.10 2.38 1.98 2.18 3.81 198,000
4.16 2.30 ATN Holdings B 3.10 3.19 2.85 3.10 0.00 69,000
485.20 272.00 Ayala Corp `A 438.60 437.00 430.00 432.40 (1.41) 872,690 (148,268,034.00)
911.00 260.00 BHI Holdings Inc. 630.00 422.00 422.00 422.00 (33.02) 10
64.80 30.50 DMCI Holdings 57.10 59.00 57.20 57.20 0.18 1,994,410 5,806,580.50
5.20 3.30 Filinvest Dev. Corp. 4.30 4.30 4.24 4.30 0.00 179,000
0.98 0.10 Forum Pacic 0.216 0.250 0.215 0.250 15.74 210,000
520.00 455.40 GT Capital 548.00 556.00 540.00 554.00 1.09 201,770 22,862,380.00
5.22 2.94 House of Inv. 5.00 5.05 5.00 5.05 1.00 10,000
36.20 19.00 JG Summit Holdings 32.80 33.95 32.85 33.30 1.52 286,200 (2,529,980.00)
4.19 2.27 Jolliville Holdings 2.97 2.90 2.90 2.90 (2.36) 9,000
5.17 2.30 Keppel Holdings `A 4.60 4.60 4.60 4.60 0.00 4,000
5.70 2.30 Keppel Holdings `B 4.00 4.00 4.00 4.00 0.00 10,000 40,000.00
6.21 4.00 Lopez Holdings Corp. 5.53 5.58 5.30 5.30 (4.16) 7,490,500 (34,797,280.00)
1.54 0.61 Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp. 1.06 1.07 1.05 1.06 0.00 719,000 106,000.00
3.82 1.790 Marcventures Hldgs., Inc. 2.29 2.32 2.26 2.26 (1.31) 1,623,000
4.65 2.56 Metro Pacic Inv. Corp. 4.15 4.25 4.20 4.24 2.17 18,127,000 14,473,230.00
6.24 2.55 Minerales Industrias Corp. 5.20 5.30 5.25 5.30 1.92 8,000
7.50 1.22 MJCI Investments Inc. 7.48 7.85 7.20 7.25 (3.07) 47,100
0.0770 0.045 Pacica `A 0.0540 0.0530 0.0520 0.0530 (1.85) 10,300,000
2.20 1.20 Prime Media Hldg 1.420 1.540 1.540 1.540 8.45 1,000
4.10 1.56 Republic Glass A 2.10 2.10 2.10 2.10 0.00 10,000
2.40 0.91 Seafront `A 1.51 1.50 1.50 1.50 (0.66) 20,000
0.490 0.285 Sinophil Corp. 0.330 0.330 0.330 0.330 0.00 100,000
750.00 450.00 SM Investments Inc. 758.00 749.00 721.00 731.00 (3.56) 374,380 (104,364,680.00)
1.78 1.00 Solid Group Inc. 1.87 1.87 1.80 1.80 (3.74) 817,000
1.57 1.14 South China Res. Inc. 1.17 1.16 1.16 1.16 (0.85) 1,000
0.420 0.101 Unioil Res. & Hldgs 0.2300 0.2200 0.2200 0.2200 (4.35) 140,000
0.620 0.620 Wellex Industries 0.3150 0.3250 0.3100 0.3200 1.59 380,000
1.370 0.185 Zeus Holdings 0.405 0.430 0.400 0.400 (1.23) 170,000 (20,000.00)
P R O P E R T Y
3.34 1.70 A. Brown Co., Inc. 2.49 2.60 2.49 2.60 4.42 80,000
0.83 0.38 Araneta Prop `A 0.600 0.600 0.600 0.600 0.00 11,000
0.218 0.150 Arthaland Corp. 0.175 0.171 0.171 0.171 (2.29) 10,000
22.85 13.36 Ayala Land `B 22.70 24.15 22.85 23.85 5.07 23,727,300 122,879,710.00
5.62 3.08 Belle Corp. `A 4.90 4.95 4.86 4.86 (0.82) 3,888,000 9,760.00
9.00 2.26 Cebu Holdings 5.52 5.52 5.52 5.52 0.00 22,000
5.66 0.80 Century Property 1.38 1.41 1.35 1.37 (0.72) 1,658,000 (898,510.00)
1.50 1.07 Cityland Dev. `A 1.24 1.24 1.24 1.24 0.00 10,000
1.11 0.67 Cyber Bay Corp. 0.80 0.83 0.80 0.81 1.25 2,499,000 30,780.00
0.90 0.54 Empire East Land 0.860 0.870 0.850 0.860 0.00 18,053,000 (1,134,540.00)
0.310 0.10 Ever Gotesco 0.195 0.202 0.186 0.200 2.56 140,000
3.06 1.63 Global-Estate 1.99 2.01 1.98 2.01 1.01 3,939,000 (692,980.00)
1.44 0.98 Filinvest Land,Inc. 1.35 1.36 1.34 1.35 0.00 9,927,000 12,345,410.00
3.80 1.21 Highlands Prime 1.85 1.74 1.70 1.70 (8.11) 15,000
2.14 0.65 Interport `A 1.27 1.28 1.26 1.28 0.79 55,000 (35,840.00)
2.33 1.51 Megaworld Corp. 2.24 2.32 2.24 2.32 3.57 210,255,000 187,860,780.00
0.42 0.168 MRC Allied Ind. 0.1520 0.1520 0.1520 0.1520 0.00 480,000
0.990 0.080 Phil. Estates Corp. 0.7000 0.7300 0.6900 0.7000 0.00 10,704,000 70,000.00
0.71 0.41 Phil. Realty `A 0.450 0.450 0.450 0.450 0.00 50,000
3.50 2.08 Primex Corp. 3.90 3.50 3.00 3.50 (10.26) 311,000
18.86 10.00 Robinsons Land `B 19.08 19.60 19.00 19.50 2.20 2,098,300 3,760,486.00
7.71 2.51 Rockwell 4.31 4.31 4.05 4.05 (6.03) 1,292,000 467,000.00
2.70 1.80 Shang Properties Inc. 2.81 2.85 2.76 2.85 1.42 1,324,000
8.95 6.00 SM Development `A 6.27 6.27 6.21 6.21 (0.96) 225,100 (151,136.00)
18.20 10.94 SM Prime Holdings 13.80 14.10 13.86 14.06 1.88 7,028,600 17,793,622.00
1.03 0.64 Sta. Lucia Land Inc. 0.75 0.75 0.73 0.74 (1.33) 206,000
4.55 1.80 Starmalls 4.05 4.10 4.05 4.09 0.99 43,000
4.50 2.60 Vista Land & Lifescapes 4.500 4.600 4.430 4.430 (1.56) 14,299,000 (7,400,260.00)
S E R V I C E S
42.00 28.60 ABS-CBN 31.00 31.70 28.10 29.30 (5.48) 721,400
18.98 1.60 Acesite Hotel 1.22 1.35 1.10 1.19 (2.46) 2,989,000 12,560.00
102.80 4.12 Bloomberry 10.02 10.10 9.95 9.95 (0.70) 4,869,000 10,492,336.00
0.5300 10.2000 Boulevard Holdings 0.1100 0.1100 0.1040 0.1040 (5.45) 5,880,000
24.00 6.66 Calata Corp. 7.10 7.20 6.75 6.78 (4.51) 812,300 75,475.00
86.90 62.00 Cebu Air Inc. (5J) 68.45 68.50 68.05 68.05 (0.58) 195,840 (1,739,710.00)
9.70 5.40 DFNN Inc. 5.96 6.21 5.97 6.21 4.19 200
1750.00 800.00 FEUI 970.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 3.09 10
1172.00 11.70 Globalports 24.50 25.30 23.00 25.30 3.27 900 (6,900.00)
1270.00 831.00 Globe Telecom 1150.00 1150.00 1136.00 1137.00 (1.13) 145,740 (44,516,550.00)
11.00 6.18 GMA Network Inc. 10.26 10.40 10.20 10.40 1.36 666,300
77.00 43.40 I.C.T.S.I. 71.30 71.50 71.20 71.30 0.00 177,560 (3,237,861.50)
6.80 4.30 IPeople Inc. `A 7.00 6.60 6.60 6.60 (5.71) 3,700
4.70 2.00 IP Converge 2.10 2.07 1.94 2.04 (2.86) 287,000 207,080.00
34.50 0.036 IP E-Game Ventures Inc. 0.039 0.040 0.039 0.039 0.00 19,800,000 3,900.00
3.87 1.00 IPVG Corp. 1.02 1.02 1.01 1.01 (0.98) 154,000
0.0760 0.042 Island Info 0.0480 0.0500 0.0480 0.0500 4.17 200,000
5.1900 2.550 ISM Communications 3.1000 3.1000 3.1000 3.1000 0.00 33,000
3.79 1.62 JTH Davies Holdings Inc. 2.65 3.00 2.65 2.67 0.75 1,728,000 50.00
11.12 5.90 Leisure & Resorts 8.39 8.39 8.20 8.37 (0.24) 390,000
2.35 0.92 Lorenzo Shipping 1.35 1.38 1.35 1.35 0.00 50,000
3.96 2.70 Macroasia Corp. 2.80 2.80 2.80 2.80 0.00 5,000
5.90 1.05 Manila Broadcasting 3.30 3.30 3.30 3.30 0.00 3,000
0.84 0.57 Manila Bulletin 0.71 0.71 0.71 0.71 0.00 25,000
3.15 1.10 Manila Jockey 3.17 3.34 3.10 3.29 3.79 3,178,000 (2,594,360.00)
9.60 6.50 Metro Pacic Tollways 6.51 6.51 6.51 6.51 0.00 4,400
22.95 14.20 Pacic Online Sys. Corp. 14.16 14.40 14.16 14.30 0.99 44,200
8.58 4.60 PAL Holdings Inc. 7.17 7.20 7.15 7.15 (0.28) 27,800
3.32 1.05 Paxys Inc. 3.06 3.09 3.00 3.06 0.00 1,438,000 30,500.00
60.00 18.00 Phil. Seven Corp. 66.00 66.00 66.00 66.00 0.00 1,300
17.88 12.10 Philweb.Com Inc. 16.00 16.20 16.00 16.20 1.25 1,659,100 (19,920,788.00)
2886.00 2096.00 PLDT Common 2730.00 2774.00 2730.00 2758.00 1.03 176,100 (24,584,460.00)
0.48 0.25 PremiereHorizon 0.335 0.340 0.330 0.340 1.49 180,000
30.10 10.68 Puregold 28.10 28.60 28.00 28.30 0.71 4,738,900 12,890,615.00
3.30 2.40 Transpacic Broadcast 2.88 2.84 2.56 2.80 (2.78) 14,000
0.79 0.27 Waterfront Phils. 0.435 0.450 0.430 0.430 (1.15) 360,000 (13,200.00)
MINING & OIL
0.0083 0.0038 Abra Mining 0.0041 0.004 0.004 0.004 (2.44) 9,000,000
6.20 3.01 Apex `A 4.93 4.87 4.81 4.86 (1.42) 214,000
6.22 3.00 Apex `B 4.98 4.85 4.80 4.85 (2.61) 182,000
25.20 14.50 Atlas Cons. `A 17.32 17.38 17.30 17.30 (0.12) 260,300 (545,010.00)
48.00 20.00 Atok-Big Wedge `A 27.95 27.95 27.00 27.95 0.00 1,100
0.380 0.148 Basic Energy Corp. 0.250 0.250 0.250 0.250 0.00 4,050,000
34.00 14.50 Benguet Corp `B 23.80 23.90 23.70 23.70 (0.42) 1,100
2.51 1.62 Century Peak Metals Hldgs 1.26 1.26 1.08 1.08 (14.29) 80,000 1,260.00
61.80 5.68 Dizon 27.30 27.50 23.55 23.95 (12.27) 290,500 25,800.00
1.21 0.50 Geograce Res. Phil. Inc. 0.58 0.58 0.56 0.57 (1.72) 2,553,000 8,400.00
1.82 0.9000 Lepanto `A 1.210 1.210 1.160 1.170 (3.31) 32,264,000
2.070 1.0200 Lepanto `B 1.300 1.300 1.250 1.250 (3.85) 6,757,000 214,200.00
0.085 0.042 Manila Mining `A 0.0670 0.0660 0.0640 0.0650 (2.99) 120,170,000
0.087 0.042 Manila Mining `B 0.0670 0.0660 0.0650 0.0650 (2.99) 41,170,000
36.50 15.04 Nickelasia 25.90 26.00 25.75 25.80 (0.39) 183,600 (33,670.00)
12.84 2.13 Nihao Mineral Resources 9.35 9.58 9.04 9.10 (2.67) 472,300
1.100 0.008 Omico 0.6900 0.7200 0.6800 0.7200 4.35 4,000
8.40 2.99 Oriental Peninsula Res. 4.400 4.800 4.400 4.550 3.41 1,086,000
0.032 0.012 Oriental Pet. `A 0.0170 0.0180 0.0170 0.0170 0.00 61,100,000
0.033 0.014 Oriental Pet. `B 0.0190 0.0190 0.0180 0.0190 0.00 1,000,000 (9,500.00)
7.05 5.10 Petroenergy Res. Corp. 6.00 5.98 5.91 5.91 (1.50) 3,200
28.95 18.50 Philex `A 20.00 20.00 19.60 19.70 (1.50) 3,305,000 3,319,068.00
48.00 3.00 PhilexPetroleum 37.40 38.00 36.65 38.00 1.60 430,400 12,158,440.00
0.062 0.017 Philodrill Corp. `A 0.050 0.050 0.048 0.050 0.00 518,000,000 (3,410,470.00)
257.80 161.10 Semirara Corp. 226.00 229.00 226.00 229.00 1.33 144,800 1,518,080.00
PREFERRED
47.90 27.30 ABS-CBN Holdings Corp. 28.90 29.30 26.00 26.70 (7.61) 1,426,100 (32,421,280.00)
First Gen F 103.00 103.50 103.50 103.50 0.49 70
18.00 12.50 First Phil. Hldgs.-Pref. 103.40 103.40 103.40 103.40 0.00 2,000
11.02 6.00 GMA Holdings Inc. 10.26 10.26 10.18 10.26 0.00 701,500 (802,186.00)
116.70 107.00 PCOR-Preferred 111.00 111.30 111.20 111.30 0.27 19,800
6.00 0.87 Swift Pref 1.14 1.10 1.10 1.10 (3.51) 120,000
WARRANTS & BONDS
1.31 0.62 Megaworld Corp. Warrants 1.21 1.27 1.23 1.27 4.96 671,000 175,200.00
S M E
6.20 4.18 Ripple E-Business Intl 4.50 4.50 4.50 4.50 0.00 1,000
Nine China Bank branches closed
STOCKS rose slightly Wednesday in step
with the regional market on expectations
that central banks in the US and Europe
may take steps to support their economies.
The Philippine Stock Exchange
index gained 24.51 points, 0.46
percent, to 5,308.67.
The Philippines on Tuesday
shut nancial markets along with
government ofces and schools
in the capital region and several
provinces in Luzon after heavy
rains caused ooding.
Losers beat gainers, 80 to 71,
with 55 issues unchanged.
Ayala Land Inc. shares climbed
to a record after the largest devel-
oper said it plans to spend P10
billion for the rest of the year on
acquisitions, on top of the P37
billion it budgeted for capital ex-
penditure.
The stock rose 5.1 percent to
P23.85, the highest close based
on prices going back to March
1992.
Ayala Lands planned prop-
erty acquisitions for the rest
of 2012 will ensure supply of
projects beyond the companys
current ve-year plan, a stock
exchange ling showed. Ayala
Land separately said the bud-
get also included possible in-
vestment in its planned prop-
erty venture with a group led
by Ignacio Ortigas. Ortigas is a
member of the family that owns
chunks of property in one of
Manilas commercial business
districts.
Some investors are betting
that Ayala Lands planned acqui-
sitions will boost the companys
portfolio of future projects, said
James Lago, head of research at
PCCI Securities Brokers Corp.
Its being used to justify the
stocks steep valuations.
Tanduay Holdings Inc. rose
nearly 13 percent to P12.98 on
speculations its owner billionaire
Lucio Tan will infuse other assets
into the company.
Tanduay jumped last week
after the largest Philippine rum
maker said it will become a com-
pany that will own and hold the
assets of Tan.
The rest of Asian stock markets
climbed, buoyed by more positive
employment data out of the US.
The US Labor Department said
employers posted the most job
openings in four years in June,
a positive sign that hiring in the
worlds largest economy may pick
up. That follows Fridays report
that US employers in July added
the most jobs in ve months, far
more than economists were ex-
pecting.
The positive jobs news out of
the US added to optimism that
investors have been feeling for
much of the past few weeks,
largely on hopes that the Euro-
pean Central Bank will play a
more pivotal role in Europes
debt crisis.
Japans Nikkei 225 index
rose 1.4 percent to 8,922.36 at
midday. South Koreas Kospi
added 1.3 percent to 1,911.17,
as sentiment improved a day
ahead of a Bank of Korea meet-
ing where policy makers are
expected to lower interest rates
to stimulate the economy.
Australias S&P/ASX 200
rose 0.6 percent to 4,316.
Benchmarks in Taiwan, Indo-
nesia and Thailand also rose.
But Hong Kongs Hang
Seng index fell 0.2 percent to
20,036.56 as investors became
cautious ahead of the release
of key ination, industrial pro-
duction and retail sales data out
of China on Thursday.
Hong Kong-listed property
stocks sagged following re-
ports in local media quoting the
government as reiterating its
willingness to impose restric-
tions. China Overseas Land &
Investment Ltd. fell 2 percent
while Sino Land Co. lost 1.9
percent.
They dont want to see a
property bubble re-emerge,
said Andrew Sullivan, princi-
pal sales trader at Piper Jaffray
in Hong kong. Mainland Chi-
nese shares also fell.
With Bloomberg, AP
Alphaland Tower. Alphaland Corp. president Mario Oreta (third from right) leads the symbolic
topping out of the companys rst upscale and hi-tech ofce tower project, Alphaland Tower, in Makati
City. The P3-billion project is slated for completion by December and will be operational by January 2013.
The 34-storey tower, its second ofce tower in the Makati Central Business District, will have a gross oor
area of 48,000 square meters.
CHINA Banking Corp. said
Wednesday nine branches in
Pasig, Manila and Marikina areas
were closed temporarily as a
result of heavy monsoon rain and
heavy ooding in Metro Manila.
The branches include China
Bank D. Tuazon, Balanga,
Shaw-Haig, Paso de Blas, Balut,
Espaa, Ortigas-Riverside,
Masangkay and Masangkay-
Luzon br anches.
China Bank said the premises
of the branches were either knee-
deep or ankle-deep in oodwater
and had no electricity. ATMs in
the branches are unavailable.
China Bank advised customers
of the branches to transact at
nearby China Bank outlets and
through the banks ATMs in other
locations.
Our priority is to provide
customers with uninterrupted
service. Our electronic banking
channels are available, and
China Bank branches in
nearby municipalities are
ready to service the banking
requirements of customers of the
affected branches, said China
Banks spokesman and rst vice
president Alexander E scucha.
The bank said 325 out of its
364 China Bank ATMs were
online. The banks Internet
banking and mobile banking
service, China Bank Online, is
also up and running, as well as
its phone banking service, and
Tellerphone.
Escucha said China Bank was
closely monitoring the situation
and that clean-up and renovation
would begin as soon as the
oodwater receded,
We will do our best to get
these branches up and running
again soon. In the meantime, I
hope you bear with us, he said.
Anna Leah G. Estrada
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
Republic of the Philippines
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND HIGHWAYS
OFFICE OF THE DISTRICT ENGINEER
Regional Offce No. V
Government Center, Baras, Palo, Leyte
Telephone Nos. : (053) 323-5553 / 1067
Email Add: dpwh.ro8_bacsec@yahoo.com.ph
I NVI TATI ON TO BI D
AUGUST 7, 2012
The Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) of the DPWH, RegionaI Ofce No. VIII, Baras,
Palo, Leyte, through the SARO No. AdditionaI FY 2012 DPWH Budget (DPWH-DOT
Tourism Convergence Program), invites contractors to bid for the following project:
Contract ID : 12IO0038
Contract Name : Construction/RehabiIitation/Improvement of
Libungao - Matag-ob - PaIompon Road aIong Brgy.
CandeIaria-Brgy. MaIazarte-Brgy. Santa Rosa-Brgy.
Liberty Road Section, K01013+066.84 - K01020+600,
with exceptions, Matag-ob and PaIompon, Leyte
Contract Location : Matag-ob and PaIompon, Leyte
Scope of Work : Road Rehabilitation of 5,552.74 meters, including
Concrete Paving of 2,611.05 Meters (Thickness=0.23m.,
Width=6.70m.), Construction of CHB Lined Canal;
nstallation of RC Pipes Cross Drainage (0.91M Dia.)
and Provision of Coconet on Cut/Embankment Slopes
with Coco log/Fascine and Vegetation.
Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) : Php 96,977,730.73 (Subject for ApprovaI
by DPWH-CO)
Contract Duration : 240 CaIendar Days
Cost of Bidding Documents : Php 30,000.00
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 standard form DPWH-NFR-15
Letter of ntent (LO), purchased 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 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. The BAC wiII
onIy accept/process LOI's signed by the person authorized in the Contractor's License
issued by PCAB and shaII be submitted onIy by the Authorized Liaison Ofcer as
specied in the Contractor's Information (CI). Letter of Intent (LOI) sent thru maiI or fax
and submission by persons with a SpeciaI Power of Attorney shaII not be accepted.
Bidders shaII submit their bids through their duIy authorized Iiaison ofcers.

Unregistered contractors, however, shall submit their applications for registration to the
DPWH-BAC, Central Procurement Offce before the deadline for the receipt of LO. The
DPWH-BAC Central Procurement Offce will only process contractors' application for
registration with complete requirements and issue the Contractor's Registration Certifcate
(CRC). Registration Forms may be downloaded at the DPWH website www.dpwh.gov.ph.

The signihcant times and deadlines of procurement activities are shown below:
1. Issuance of Bidding Documents AUGUST 15-28, 2012
2. Pre-Bid Conference
AUGUST 15, 2012
(3:00 PM)
3. DeadIine of Receipt of LOI from Prospective
Bidders
AUGUST 28, 2012
(UntiI 9:00 AM)
4. Receipt of Bids
AUGUST 28, 2012
(UntiI 1:50 PM)
5. Opening of Bids
AUGUST 28, 2012
(2:00 PM)
The BAC will issue hard copies of Bidding Documents (BD's) at the BAC Secretariat,
DPWH, Regional Offce No. V, Baras, Palo, Leyte, upon payment of a non-refundable
fee as stated above. Prospective bidders may also download the BD's from the DPWH
website, if available. Prospective bidders that will download the BD's from the DPWH
website shall pay the said fees on or before the submission of their Bid Documents. The
Pre-Bid Conference shall be open only to interested parties who have purchased the BD's.
Bids must 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 form 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 a copy of 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, RegionaI Ofce No. VIII, Baras, PaIo, Leyte, reserves the right to accept
or reject any bid, to annul the bidding process at any time prior contract award, without
thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder/s.

Approved By:
(SGD.) EDGAR B. TABACON, CESO IV
Assistant Regional Director
(BAC Chairman)
NOTED:
(SGD.) ROLANDO M. ASIS, CESO III
Regional Director
(MST-Aug. 9, 2012)
Republic of the Philippines
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND HIGHWAYS
BILIRAN DISTRICT ENGINEERING OFFICE
Naval, Biliran Province
500-9099 500-9097
I NVI TATI ON TO BI D
August 02, 2012
Date
The Department of PubIic Works and Highways (DPWH), BiIiran District Engineering
Ofce, NavaI, BiIiran, through its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), invites contractors
to apply to bid for the following contracts:
1. Contract D : 12A00059
Contract Name : Concrete Paving of Biliran Circumferential
Road, Km. 1090+806-Km. 1096+767 with
exceptions (Asug-Pawikan Road Section)
Contract Location : , Biliran Province
Brief Description : Widening of Roadway & Correction of grade,
Concrete Paving of roadway
Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) : P9,686,037.72
Contract Duration : 120 calendar days
Cost of Bidding Documents : P10,000.00
The Bidder must own the following equipment:
1-Backhoe, (cap. 0.80cum) 1-Concrete Screeder
1-Road Grade, 140 HP/G710A 1-Concrete Saw(gasoline), 12"dia.manual
2-Road Roller, Vibratory, 10MT 33/4'cutting depth, 5HP
1-Bulldozer (D65A-8/155HP 1-Bar Cutter, electric, grade 40, 25mm,
1-Batching Plant, 30cum single phase
1-Payloader, 1.50cum, 150HP 1-Bar Bender, 25mm, three phase
4-Transit Mixer, 5-6cum 1-Trailer
3-Dumptruck (cap.10-11cum) 1-Bagger Concrete Mixer
2-Concrete Vibrator, Gasoline drive unit, 5HP
Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures with R. A. 9184
and its Revised mplementing Rules and Regulations. To bid for this contracts a contractor
must submit a Letter of ntent (LO) 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 with PCAB license applicable to the type and cost of this
contract, c) completion of similar contract costing at least 50% of ABC within a period
of 10 years, (d) Net Financial Contracting Capacity at least equal to ABC or credit line
commitment for at least 10% of ABC, (e) Updated DPWH CRC and PCAB License, and (f)
Letter of Authority for the representative/Liaison Offcer (as refected in the CRC) to submit
LO and Bids, duly notarized with 2 valid D'S. The BAC will use non-discretionary pass/
fail criteria in the Eligibility Check and Preliminary Examination of Bids. The BAC will only
accept/process LO's signed by the person authorized in the Contractor's License issued by
PCAB and with complete requirements stated above. Letters of Intent (LOI's) sent thru
mail or fax will not be accepted.
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 application for registration, with complete
requirements, and issue the Contractor's Registration Certifcate (CRC).
The signicant times and deadIines of procurement activities are shown beIow:
1. Receipt of LOIs from Prospective Bidders August 10, 2012
2. Issuance of Bidding Documents August 03, 2012 to August 23, 2012
3. Pre-Bid Conference August 10, 2012 @ 09:00am
4. Receipt of Bids August 23, 2012 @ 10:00am
5. Opening of Bids August 23, 2012 @ 02:00pm

Prospective bidders shall submit their duly accomplished forms as specifed in the Bidding
Documents (BDs) in two (2) separate sealed bid envelopes to the BAC Chairman. The
frst envelope shall contain the technical component of the bid, including the eligibility
requirements. 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 & post qualifcation.
Prospective bidders may download the Registration from the DPWH website: www.dpwh.gov.ph.
The BAC will issue hard copies of Bidding Documents at the BAC Secretariat, DPWH, Biliran District
Engineering Offce, Naval, Biliran, upon payment of a non-refundable fee as stated above. Prospective
bidders that will download the Bidding Documents shall pay the same amount upon submission of
their Bids. Bids must accompanied by a bid security in any acceptable form in the amount stated in
Section 27.2 of the Revised RR.
Prospective bidders may also download the BDs, if available, from the DPWH website. The
BAC will also issue hard copies of the BDs at the same address to eligible bidders upon
payment of a non-refundable fee as stated above. Bidders that will download the BDs from
the DPWH website shall pay the said fees on or before the submission of their bids.
The DPWH, Biliran 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 Bidder/s.
Approved by:
(Sgd.) BONIFACIO G. SANTANA
OC-Asst.-District Engineer
(BAC Chairman)
Noted:
(Sgd.) VIRGINIA C. SARABUSING
District Engineer
(MST-Aug. 9, 2012)
Republic of the Philippines
Province of Zamboanga del Sur
Municipality of Tambulig
Agrarian Reform Communities Project 2 (ARCP2)
ADB Loan No. 2465 & OFD Loan No. 1225P
Invitation to Bid
Rehabilitation of Gabunon-Tuluan-Libato-Bag-ong Tabugon FMR
(Gabunon-Tuluan-Libato-Bag-ong Tabugon, Tambulig, Zamboanga del Sur)
August 3, 2012
The Republic of the Philippines has received a Loan from the Asian Development Bank and OPEC Fund
for International Development (OFID) toward the cost of Agrarian Reform Communities Project 2 (ARCP 2),
and it intends to apply part or the proceeds of this loan to payments under the contract for the Rehabilitation
of Gabunon-Tuluan-Libato-Bag-ong Tabugon FMR under, the contract no. AlRR-071210-N027-01-THC-
ZDS-R009.
The Municipality of Tambulig now invites bids for Rehabilitation of Gabunon-Tuluan-Libato-Bag-ong Tabugon
FMR under the contract no. ARR-071210-N027-01-THC-ZDS-R009. Completion for the Works is required
within 180 calendar days from the date of the offcial start of the subproject. Bidders should have completed
in the last ten (10) years a contract for works that are similar to the works that are to be undertaken under the
Contract that is the subject of this bid invitation. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding
Documents, particularly, in Section . nstructions to Bidders.
Approved Budget
for the Contrad (ABC) : Php 15,180,887.59
Project Duration : 240 Calendar Days
Minimum Bid Security : Php 379,522.19
Bid Closing : Date August 30, 2012
Description of Works
tem No. Scope of Work Quantity Unit
. mplementation Phase
1. Direct Cost
A. Earthworks
100 Clearing and Grubbing 229.00 trees
102 Roadway Excavation 26,882.57 cu.m.
103 Structure Excavation 296.00 cu.m.
104 Embankment (from excavated mt'ls.) 9,843.92 cu.m.
105 Subgrade Preparation 61,429.50 sq.m.
B. Surtace Coarse
200 Aggregate Sub base Coarse 7,706.61 cu.m.
201 Aggregate Base Coarse 5,128.54 cu.m.
C. Drainage & Slope Protection Structure cu.m.
500 Reinforced Concrete Pipe Culvert 98.00 ln.m.
505 Grouted Riprap 728.00 cu.m.
Minimum Equipment Required: Bulldozer (2 units}-leased/owned; Road Roller Vibratory Compactor (9 ton
min. 1 unit}-leased/owned; Road Grader (1 unit)-leased/owned; Loader (1 unit)-leased/owned; Dump Truck (4
unlts)-leased/owned; Water Truck (1 unit)-leased/owned; Backhoe/Excavator (1 unit)-eased/owned; survey
instruments-(leased/owned).
Bidding will be conducted in accordance with National Competitive procedures, and is open to bidders from
eligible source countries of the Asian Development Bank.
nterested bidders may obtain further information from the LGU-BAC of Tambulig, Province of Zamboanga
del Sur and inspect the Bidding Documents on August 3-30, 2012 at the address given betow from 8:00 AM
to 5:00 PM.
A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by the interested bidders on August 3-30, 2012
from the address below and upon payment of a non-refundable fee for the bidding documents in the amount
Php 5,000.
t may also be downloaded free of charge from the website ofthe Government Policy Board (W'NN.gppb.
gov.ph) provided that bidders shall pay the non-refundable fee forthe Bidding Documents not laerthan the
submission c1 their bids.
The bidder may request that the Bid Documents be sent to them by mail or courier, and for this, the bidder
shall pay the amount in Philippine Peso to cover the cost of mail or courier delivery. The fee for obtaining a
copy of the Bid Documents and the cost of mail or courier shall be paid by the bidder thru a Cashier's Check
or Manager's Check issued in favor of the Municipality of Tambulig.
The Municipality of Tambulig will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on August 17, 2012 at the Conference Hall,
Municipal Hall, Municipality of Tambulig, Province or Zamboanga del Sur, which shall be open to all interested
parties.
Bids must be delivered to the address below on or before 10:00 A.M. of the 30th day of August at the Offce
of the BAC, Municipality of Tambulig, Province of Zamboanga del Sur. All bids must be accompanied by a bid
security in the form of Bank Guarantee and in the amount of Php 379.522.19.

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. The deadline for the submission of bids must not be later than August 30,
2012. The opening of bids will proceed immediatety after the time set for the deadline of submission of bids
as indicated above.
Bids without original documents such as Business Permits, DT Permits BR Financial Statements, Certifcate
of Non nclusion in the Blacklists, TN Numbers Organizational Structures and etc are not accepted.
The Municipality of Tambulig reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul the bidding Process, and
to reject all bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder
or bidders. The nvitation to Bid is not an integral part of the bidding document.
For further information, please refer to:
Engr. Bienvenido C. Suco
ARCP2-LGU-BAC Chairperson/nfrastructure
Municipality of Tambulig Province of Zamboanga del Sur
Telephone No. 09464311826
(SGD.) ENGR. BENVENDO C. SUCO
Municipal Engineer
ARCP2-LGU-BAC Chairperson/nfrastructure
(MST-AUGUST 3 & 9, 2012)
(MST-July 26, Aug. 2 & 9, 2012)

In accordance with Section 73 of the Corporation Code
of the Philippines, Takeda Pharmaceuticals (Philippines),
nc. (the "Corporation) with offce address at 17th Floor
Zuellig Building, Makati Avenue corner Paseo de Roxas,
Makati City hereby gives notice of the loss of Stock
Certifcate No. 37 for nine hundred (900) shares issued
in the name of BOIE, Incorporated.
f the loss of the Stock Certifcate No. 37 is not contested
by any person within one (1) year from the date of last
publication of this notice, the Corporation shall cancel the
said stock certifcate in its books and issue a new one in
lieu thereof in the name of BOIE, Incorporated.
(Sgd.) CONSTANTINO L. MANAHAN
Corporate Secretary
NOTI CE OF LOSS OF STOCK CERTI FI CATE
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
Manila
Standard
TODAY
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON NATURALIZATION
IN THE MATTER OF THE PETITION OF
KAMLESH RAMESH SHAMDASANI
SCN CASE NO. ___________
to be naturalized as Filipino citizen pursuant
to Republic Act No. 9139.
x - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x
PETITION
Pursuant to the provisions of Republic Act No. 9139,
petitioner hereby submits a petition for naturalization to
become a citizen of the Republic of the Philippines and
respectfully declares:
1. My full name is KAMLESH RAMESH SHAMDASANI but I
have also been known since childhood as _____N/A_____
, or I have been judicially authorized to use the alias name(s)
______N/A______.
2. My present place of residence is 9161 Pateros Street
Brgy. Valenzuela, City/Municipality of Makati, Province of
NCR, and all my former places of residence are (please
indicate periods of residence):
9193 PATEROS STREET MAKATI CITY, 1991-1994
510 JP RIZAL STREET MAKATI CITY, 1988 - 1991 __
1963 M. OROSA STREET MALATE, MANILA 1981-1988
3. I was born on JAN 26, 1981, in MANILA, I have been
a resident of the Philippines since birth. At present, I am a
citizen or subject of India.
4. My father's name is RAMESH SHAMDASANI and
he was born on JAN. 7, 1949, in NASHIK, INDIA. He is
a citizen or subject of INDIA My mother's name is ASHA
SHAMDASANI and she was born on AUG. 21, 1960, in
POONA, INDIA. She is a citizen or subject of INDIA.
5. My trade, business, profession or lawful occupation is
_SELF-EMPLOYED_ and from which I derive an average
annual income of P 350,000.00_, inclusive of bonuses,
commissions and allowances. My wife's/husband's trade,
business, profession or lawful occupation is N/A and from
which she derives an average annual income of P _N/A_.
Petitioner's signature and right thumbmark
(Where the above does not apply): I am exempt from
the requirement of lucrative trade or occupation and from
submitting income tax returns for the past three (3) years
because I am a college degree holder [please state (1)
degree obtained: _N/A_, (2) name of school:_N/A_ and (3)
years graduated:_N/A_] who cannot practice my profession
(the practice of which requires a government licensure
examination) by reason of my citizenship.
6. My civil status is SINGLE. I was married on N/A in N/A.
My wife's/husband's name is N/A and she/he was born on
N/A in N/A. She/he is a citizen or subject of N/A and presently
resides N/A.
7. I am legally separated from my spouse; my marriage
was annulled, per decree of legal separation/annulment
dated N/A granted by N/A. (please indicate the particular
court which granted the same). I am a widower/widow and
my spouse died on N/A in N/A.
8. I have N/A child/children, whose names, dates and
places of birth and residences are as follows:
Name Date of Birth Place of Birth Residence
N/A
9. I received my primary and secondary education from
the following public schools or private educational institutions
duly recognized by the Department of Education, Culture
and Sports (DECS), where Philippine history, government
and civics are taught and prescribed as part of the school
curriculum and where enrollment is not limited to any race
or nationality:
Name of School Place of
School
Dates of
Study
Highest Grade
Completed
DLSU TAFT,
MANILA
1998-2002 BS CS-IT
COLEGIO SAN AGUSTIN MAKATI 1994-1998 HIGH SCHOOL
COLEGIO SAN AGUSTIN MAKATI 1990-1994 ELEMENTARY
10. I am able to read, write and speak Filipino and/or any of
the following dialects of the Philippines: TAGALOG.
11. I have enrolled my minor children of school age in the
following public schools or private educational institutions
duly recognized by the Department of Education, Culture
and Sports (DECS), where Philipine History, government
and civics are taught and prescribed as part of the school
curriculum and where enrollment is not limited to any race
or nationality:
Petitioner's signature and right thumbmark
Name of Child Name and Place of
School
Date of
Enrollment
N/A
12. I shall never be a public charge. I am of good
moral character. I believe in the principles underlying
the Philippine Constitution. I have conducted myself in a
proper and irreproachable manner during the entire period
of my residence in the Philippines in my relations with the
constituted government as well as with the community in
which I am living. I mingled socially with Filipinos and have
evinced a sincere desire to learn and embrace the customs,
traditions and ideals of the Filipino people. I have all the
qualifcations and none of the disqualifcations under Republic
Act No. 9139.
am not opposed to organized government or affliated
with any association or group of persons who uphold and
teach doctrines opposing all organized governments. I
am not defending or teaching the necessity or propriety of
violence, personal assault or assassination for the success
and predominance of one's ideas. I am not a polygamist
nor a believer in the practice of polygamy. I have not
been convicted of any crime involving moral turpitude.
I am not suffering from mental alienation or from any
incurable contagious disease. The country of which I am
a citizen or subject is not at war with the Philippines and
grants to Filipinos the right to be naturalized citizens or
subjects thereof.
13. It is my true and honest intention to become a citizen
of the Philippines and to renounce absolutely and forever
all allegiance and fdelity to any foreign prince, potentate,
state or sovereignty, and, particularly, to INDIA of which at
this time I am a citizen or subject. I will reside continuously
in the Philippines from the date of the fling of this petition
up to the time of my admission to Philippine citizenship.
14. My character witnesses are CESAR C. LIRIO and
FRANCIS KEVIN CO LIAMZON both Filipino citizens, of
legal age, and residing at 2 Nery Street Better Living Subd
Paranaque City and 153 Swallow Drive, Greenmeadows,
Quezon City respectively, who have executed sworn
statements attached hereto in support of my instant
petition, together with: (a) brief biographical data about
themselves; (b) detailed statements on the dates they
frst came to know me, the circumstances of our initial
acquaintance and the reasons and extent of our continuing
familiarity; and (c) the number of times they have acted as
character witnesses in other petitions for naturalization.
15. Attached hereto as annexes and made part of
this petition are the dupl i cat e ori gi nal s or FHUWLHG
photocopies of the following documents (please check
the appropriate box):
[ X ] a. Petitioner's birth certifcate
[ X ] b. Petitioner's alien certifcate of registration (ACR)
[ X ] c. Petitioner's native-born certifcate of residence
(NBCR)
[ ] d. Petitioner's marriage certifcate, if married
[ ] e. Death certifcate of his/her spouse, if widowed
Petitioner's signature and right thumbmark
[ ] f. Court decree annulling his/her marriage or
granting legal separation, if such was the fact
[ ] g. Birth certifcates of petitioner's minor children
[ ] h. ACRs of petitioner's minor children
[ ] i. NBCRs of petitioner's minor children
[ X ] j. Affdavits of fnancial capacity by the petitioner,
dul y support ed by bank cert i f i cat i ons,
passbooks, stock certificates, or proof of
ownership of other properties
[ X ] k. Affdavits of at least two (2) credible witnesses
who must be Filipino citizens of good reputation
in petitioner's place of residence
[ X ] l. Medical certifcate from a government hospital
stating that petitioner is not suffering from
mental alienation or a user of prohibited drugs
or otherwise a drug dependent and that he/she
is not afficted with acquired immune defciency
syndrome (AIDS), or any incurable contagious
disease.
[ X ] m. School diploma and transcript of records of the
petitioner from the school/s he or she attended
in the Philippines
[ ] n. Certifications stating that petitioner's minor
children are enrolled in public schools or private
educational institutions duly recognized by the
DECS, where Philippine history, government
and civics are taught and prescribed as part of
the school curriculum and where enrollment is
not limited to any race or nationality
[ X ] o. Petitioner's income tax returns for the past three
years
[ X ] p. Petitioner's receipts of payment of income tax
for the past three years
16. Other documents submitted by the petitioner in
support of his/her petition:
NBI CLEARANCE, POLICE CLEARANCE,
COURT CLEARANCES BARANGAY CLEARANCE
PRAYER
WHEREFORE, it is respectfully prayed that petitioner be
conferred Philippine citizenship pursuant to the provisions
of Republic Act No, 9139.
Dated at Makati City, Metro Manila, this day
of .
KAMLESH RAMESH SHAMDASANI
Name and Signature of Petitioner
Address: 9161 Pateros Street
Brgy. Valenzuela, Makati City
Telephone Number: 8966661/
09169649825
Petitioner's signature and right thumbmark
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES)
CITY/MUNICIPAL OF MAKATI) S.S.
I, KAMLESH RAMESH SHAMDASANI, of legal age and
a resident of 9161 Pateros Street, Brgy. Valenzuela, Makati
City, after being duly sworn, depose and say that I am the
petitioner herein, that I have read the foregoing petition
and know the foregoing petition and known the contents
thereof, and that the same is true of my own knowledge.
KAMLESH RAMESH SHAMDASANI
Name and Signature of Petitioner
SUBCRIBED AND SWORN to before me at CITY
OF MAKATI this 13
th
day of JUNE, 2012. SSS ID No.
33-7184682-2
SCN FORM NO. 1
(R.A. NO. 9139)
(MST-July 19, 26 & Aug. 2, 2012)
Right Thumbmark
of Petitioner
NOTICE OF WITHDRAWAL OF
LICENSE
The public is hereby notified that the
Philippine Representative Offce of BEST
RE (L) LIMITED (a corporation registered in
The Republic of Malaysia), with registered
address at Unit 911, 9/F Philippine AXA Life
Center, Sen. Gil Puyat Ave. cor. Tindalo St.,
Makati City, will be CLOSED. The closure
of the Philippine representative offce will
take effect upon approval by the Securities
and Exchange Commission.
(MST-Aug. 2, 9 & 16, 2012)
Notice is hereby given that
RCDS CONSTRUCTION
AND SUPPLY has changed
status and is now known as
RCDS CONSTRUCTION
AND SUPPLY INC.
NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC
(MST-Aug. 2, 2012)
For
f as t
ad
r es ul t s ,
pl eas e
c al l
659-48-30
l oc al
303
or
659-48-03
Business
ManilaStandardToday extrastory2000@gmail.com AUGUST 9, 2012 THURSDAY
B3
Bank scandals tarnish London
Transportation sector supports tourism boom
LONDONIts been a tense summer
in the City of London as one bank after
another has faced allegations of massive
misbehavior.
Bankers in the British capital,
which has for centuries been a
center for global business, fear
its reputation has been tarnished
indelibly and that a heavy-
handed regulatory crackdown is
looming.
First came UK bank Barclays.
Its chief executive, Bob
Diamond, was forced to step
down last month after US and
British authorities ned the bank
$453 million for manipulating a
key market interest rate. Other
banks are being investigated for
their part in the scandal.
Then there was HSBC, another
big London-based bank. It faces
nes of up to $1 billion after the
US Senate issued a damming
report last month alleging it had
failed to stop the laundering of
Mexican drug money.
Back in May, JPMorgan
Chase & Co. disclosed a surprise
$2-billion trading loss-- later
upgraded to $5.8 billion--
racked up by its London ofce
in a portfolio designed to hedge
against risks the company takes
with its own money.
It seems to be that every
big trading disaster happens in
London, US Representative
Carolyn Maloney told the House
Financial Services Committee
as it investigated JPMorgans
losses.
And now Standard Chartered,
that most predictably protable of
British banks, has been accused
by a regulator in New York of
laundering Iranian oil money for
years.
David Buik, an analyst at
brokerage rm BGC Partners,
says hes never seen a worse
summer in the City.
Never, not in 50 years in
the marketplace. I dont recall
anything like it at any time,
he said. Our banking sector is
probably under greater stress than
in 2008, he said, referring to the
year when a global credit crunch
caused several banks around the
world to collapse.
We will get out of it, but it is
a blow that means regulators will
have a greater say in life, which
means that economic growth will
be slower.
The Citys current banking
culture began in 1986, when
Margaret Thatchers government
introduced the Big Bang
deregulation that ended the
earlier, clubby atmosphere based
on individual relationships. That
brought investment banking to
Britain, with its culture of risk-
taking, big bonuses and a focus
on short-term returns.
Since the nancial crisis broke
out in 2008, that culture has come
under attack for costing taxpayers
billions in bank bailouts and for
resisting reform of executives
huge bonus schemes.
An informal survey of 314
global nance professionals by
the London-based Chartered
Institute for Securities &
Investment on Tuesday found that
two-thirds have little or no trust
in the British banking industry.
Only 2 percent rated the banks
totally trustworthy.
The scandals and greed
never stop, was one comment.
The actions of a few have...
undermined the reputation of the
UK as a global standard-setter,
said another.
The Barclays scandal in
particular damaged the reputations
of both the British regulator, the
Financial Services Authority, and
the Bank of England.
Barclays admitted in June that
some of its traders had made
false submissions of interbank
borrowing rates, which are
used in calculating LIBOR
(London interbank offered rate),
a key index for pricing some
$500 trillion in global nancial
contracts, including mortgages.
One Barclays executive, Jerry
Del Missier, said he had thought
the Bank of England had ordered
them to submit false data on
those interest rates in order to
appear nancially healthier. The
Bank of England refuted that
claim, as did Barclays CEO
Diamond, who said it was due to
a miscommunication. AP
ATI delivers Toyota. Publicly-listed port operator Asian Terminals Inc. welcomed Toyota Motors Philippines Corp. to the shores of its
international Port of Batangas, which now serves as the leading car manufacturers homeport for completely-built-units. TMPC executive
vice president and director Kenji Kitamura (fourth from right) and port authorities take delivery of the rst high-end car shipments of Toyota
through the Batangas Port. With him (from right) are Asian Terminals Inc. Batangas terminal manager Jo Cudal, ATI vice president for Batangas
Bas Hokke and Philippine Ports Authority Batangas acting manager Macedunio Banuelos.
THE transportation sector sees
parallel growth with the tourism
industry as long as it actively
participates in the governments
plan to improve market access
and connectivity.
Raphael Juan, president
of truck body builder Centro
Manufacturing Corp., said
passenger transportation is one
of the top ve sectors that benet
from the tourism industry.
The transport sector has been
factored in in the overall scheme
of things. One of Department
of Tourisms strategic plans to
achieve its goals is to improve
market access, connectivity and
destination infrastructure. This is
where tourism-grade transport is
needed, Juan said.
Centro recognizes this
resurgent sunrise industry and
has decided to do its share to also
help the tourism industry. This is
what led us to develop the iVAN
Tourister, a durable and sturdy
shuttle vehicle that sits on an
Isuzu NKR chassis and seats nine
people comfortably, Juan said,
adding the vehicle was designed
with the tourists in mind.
Data from Tourism showed
that from 3.02 million visitors in
2009, tourist arrivals grew to 3.52
million in 2010 to 3.92 million
last year. About 2.14 million
visitors arrived in the Philippines
in the rst six months of 2012.
Julito G. Rada
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
AUGUST 9, 2012 THURSDAY
B4
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
Manila Standard TODAY
Provinces
Edited by Leo A. Estonilo www.manilastandardtoday.comleoestonilo@gmail.com
Talks tackle ARRM replacement
Eel-raising pushed
in Cordillera region
Brigade command turnover
Salceda set to join
Green Climate Fund
Full force. Senator Ferdinand Marcos (right) welcomes Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez following his oath-taking before Nacionalista
Party president Senator Manuel Villar. Joining them are Mrs. Cristina Romualdez (left), Senator Pia Cayetano and Senator Allan Peter Cayetano
(not in photo). Mr. Romualdez is seeking re-election in next years polls. EY ACASIO
By Joyce Pangco Paares

THE government and the Moro Islamic
Liberation Front on Wednesday have
created technical working groups to
resolve the complex issues on power-
sharing and wealth-sharing in connection
with the new political entity that will
replace the Autonomous Region in
Muslim Mindanao.
In Kuala Lumpur, Malaysian
peace talks negotiator Ghafar
Tengku said the creation of
TWGs was a sign of progress
as the two sides moved closer
toward a comprehensive
compact to end hostilities.
Our negotiations are
proceeding with undeniable
momentum, government chief
negotiator Marvic Leonen said
in a statement from Malaysia.
The TWGs wered tasked to
delve into the details of power-
sharing and wealth-sharing
issues. Their outputs will be
presented to both panels for
approval.
The government and the MILF
representative signed the Decision
Points on Principles during the
April meeting in Malaysia, which
provides for the creation of the
new autonomous entity.
Based on the decision points
signed in April, the future political
entity would have a ministerial
form of government.
The powers that would
be reserved for the national
government are as follows:
defense and external security;
foreign policy; common market
and global trade; coinage and
monetary policy; citizenship and
naturalization and postal service.
The power to enter into
economic agreements, however,
shall be transferred to the new
political entity.
Both sides also agreed that the
future autonomous entity must
be given the power to create
its own sources of revenue
and to have a just share in the
revenues generated through the
exploration, development or
utilization of natural resources.
The political entity shall
also have jurisdiction over the
Shariah justice system.
Panel member Miriam
Coronel-Ferrer will head the
working group on power-sharing
while Senen Bacani will head
the TWG on wealth-sharing
with fellow negotiator Yasmin
Busran-Lao as adviser for the
governments side.
The MILF will be represented
by Habib Macaayong, who will
lead the TWG on power-sharing
while the working group on
wealth-sharing will be headed
by Benjamin Domato.
Leonen admitted that the last
stretch of the talks would be
tought.
As we mentioned during the
last round of talks, our principals
will be confronted with issues that
will require difcult decisions.
(I am) sure that our principals
will be willing to make them
and communicate them through
us so that we can work on these
concerns, he said.
MILF panel chairman
Mohagher Iqbal said both sides
must persevere adding
that he expects every sort of
obstacles and complications
(as the) bargaining becomes
more intense in the nal stage.
By Benjie A. Antioquia
LUCENA CITYCol. Alex
Capia took over on Wednesday
as commander of the 201st
Brigade based in Calauag,
Quezon, replacing Col. Eduardo
Ao.
The change of command
was officiated by Major
General Eduardo Del Rosario,
commander of the 2nd
Infantry Division, Philippine
Army and the Southern Luzon
Command.
Ao took the post in Oct.
22, 2010, holding community
development projects for
schools, medical and dental
missions and other outreach
activities involving former
rebels in the province in the
ght against insurgency.
Among his awards for
outstanding achievement
are Distinguished Service
Stars, Bronze Cross Medals,
Military Merit Medals, Military
Commendation Medals, and the
coveted Best Infantry Brigade
of SOLCOM, besting other units
in Region 4A 4B, and Bicol
Region.
In his farewell speecha
Ao acknowledged the
professionalism and commitment
of the soldiers under his command,
the support and cooperation of
the public and the private sector
partners in upholding the rule of
law.
Capia, an Ilocano, was born
Dec. 19, 1958, in Fort Bonifacio,
Makati. He graduated from
the Ofcer Candidate School
in Australia on June 1982 and
was commissioned in the armed
forces in 1982.
He was Commander of 30IB,
4ID from January 2002 to
November 2003 before becoming
Assistant Chief for Operations,
G3 in 8ID from Oct. 2004 to July
2005.
Capina served as Chief for
Unied Command Staff U3 at
SOLCOM headquarters from
July 2005 to August 2006, and
Chief of Staff of 2nd Infantry
Division.
As we remain loyal to
our mandated tasks as the
countrys armed forces, we also
stay committed to strengthen
professionalism within our
organization, he said.
THE Palawan Council for
Sustainable Development said
Gina Lopez had glossed over the
charge that her foundation, ABS
Foundation, illegally cut mature
trees in Brookes Point to make
way for her eco-academy project.
Romeo Dorado, ofcer in charge
and executive director, cited three
reasons why her advocacy is
misplaced.
He said Lopez claimed to be a
protector of the environment but
her project in Sabsaban (Brookes
Point) sits on land cleared of old
trees for which a complaint was
led against the project by tribal
leaders before the Palawan Council
for Sustainable Development
Adjudication Board, he said in
his letter.
Dorado cited the tribal leaderss
evidencepictures and videos
showing the cutting without
permit from the Department
of Environment and Natural
Resources and SEP Clearance
from the PCSD under the law
creating the National Commission
on Indigenous People.
The ABS Foundation, of which
she is Managing Director, violated
the SEP law, he said.
Second, she has maligned the
PSCD as anti-people, he noted. This
is a totally distorted view, which she
promotes at the expense of honest and
hardworking Palawenos.
Dorado also sits at the PCSD
board headed by Governor Abraham
Mitra along with adjudication chief
Alfredo Abueg Jr., former Vice
Governor David Ponce de Leon,
former Rep. Vicente Sandoval,
Provincial Prosecutor Allen
Ross Rodriguez, lawyer Nesario
Awat and provincial Police Chief
Reynaldo Jagnis.
Third, the PCSD intervened because
of the strong opposition to the project by
the indigenous peoples, he said. Let
me be clear. The PCSD is not against
the project. But it can not tolerate the
continuance of a project without first
complying with existing rules.
Dorado said the Adjudication
Palawan
council:
Eco-academy
misplaced
Soldiers families get more condos
THE Bases Conversion and
Development Authority turned
over today 64 condominium units
for families of Army soldiers as
part of the state agencys P700
million replication program.
At least 32 units were awarded
last May to the armed forces, now
occupied by the beneciaries.
In a turnover ceremony at Fort
Bonifacio, Defense Secretary
Voltaire Gazmin was guest of
honor along with Chief of Staff
Gen. Jessie Dellosa, Army
Commanding General Emmanuel
Bautista, and members of the
military top brass witness the
turnover by counterpart BCDA
president and chief executive
ofcer Arnel Paciano Casanova.
We are honored to be working
with the DND and the AFP in
bringing dignity to our soldiers
and their families, Cassanova
said. While our nations heroes
are protecting our countrymen,
their families can enjoy the
comforts of having their own
condominium units in prime
government property.
BCDAs replication program
is a P700-million project to
provide the military with
twelve residential condominium
buildings designed for 16 units
each. Of the ten buildings being
constructed at Fort Bonifacio,
nine buildings are reserved for
the Army and one for the Navy.
Two are located in Villamor Air
Base for the Air Force.
We continue to be true to the
mandate of BCDA, not only to
help modernize the AFP but to
do something for the well-being
of the soldiers, said Felicito
Payumo, BCDA Chairman.
The state agency has turned
over six condo buildings with the
remaining six lined up this year.
The 100-square meter condo
unit of three bedrooms has its
own maids quarters. Similar
units in nearby areas measuring
49 sqm are being rented out for
P20,000 to P30,000 per month.
By Dester A. See

LA TRINIDAD--The eel population in this vegetable-
producing province will continue to grow as more residents
start raising Igat, following the dispersal of more than
31,000 elvers in five towns by the Cordillera office of the
Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and Benguet
province.
Dr. Rebecca Dang-awan, BFAR regional director, said Bokod
got 10,000 elvers; Kapangan, 8,000; Kibungan, 8,000; La Trinidad,
2,000; and Tublay, 2,000.
We want to sustain the eel population of our river systems for
the consumption of our local residents, Dang-awan told Manila
Standard, adding that eel is an important product of the rivers in
the Cordillera which must be preserved and protected.
According to her, baby eels were conscated at the Ninoy
Aquino International airport about to be transported to Hong Kong
last month.
BFAR authorities were alarmed that there were around 2 million
elvers were intercepted by ofcials of the Bureau of Customs and
BFAR quarantine ofcers which were subsequently brought to the
agencys hatchery in Tanay, Rizal, she said.
Dang-awan said Republic Act 8550 and Fisheries Administrative
Order 242, series of 2012 ban the export of elvers because of its
dwindling population.
LEGAZPI CITYAlbay Gov. Joey Salceda will
assume the Asian Groups seat in the Green Climate
Fund Board of Directors following his election by the
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change.
HE will attend the Funds rst board meeting on Aug. 23
to 25 at the Centre de Conference Verembe, Geneva, along
with another Filipino, Agnes Mallorca Malfroy. The Board
will rst tackle organizational, administrative and operating
systems including its work plan.
The Fund was created in the Copenhagen Conference of
Parties with an allocation of $20 billion per year in the rst
three years and $100 billion in the next ve years, to carry
out its mandate.
At the behest of the Asian Group in the Fund, President
Benigno Aquino III nominated Salceda who has served as
Advisor to the GCF Transitional Committee. The UN earlier
named him as its global champion, and later spokesman, on
Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction for
innovative ideas implemented in his province and later on
adapted by other local government units and the national
government.
The Asian Group at the UNFCCC has agreed to give its
allocated seat in the GCF board to the Philippines for the rst
three years.
Climate change nancing will mainly go through the
Green Climate Fund, Salceda said. A huge amount of
nancial resources will be involved, and it is essential that we
get the initial operational principles and procedures right.
Corporate gift. Staff from
Dole Philippines assist Marlito
Avanzado of Barangay Lun Padidu,
Malapatan during the turnover
of 200 wheelchairs to Mahin-
tana Foundation Inc. and the
private sector in partnership with
Sarangani provincial government
on Aug.6 at the Capitol gym for
persons with disability and senior
citizens. Bon-Bon Quio SIA